The Incomparable Mothership

611: Distributed Disinterested Dystopia

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Our annual shortlist book club is back! We read two novels that were nominated for Best Novel in the Nebula Awards! SB Divya’s “Machinehood” is a near-future story of gig workers, weak AI servants, and rebellious space stations. Jason Sanford’s “Plague Birds” is a post-apocalyptic story about strong AIs and gene-altered people that’s so far in the future that it feels almost like fantasy. Plus: We recommend other books we’ve enjoyed recently!

2022 Awards Book Club, part 1

Jason Snell with Erika Ensign and Scott McNulty

Referenced Works
Machinehood
[Amazon] [Apple]
Plague Birds
[Amazon] [Apple]
Show Notes & Links

What have we been reading?

Scott

  • Light Perpetual by Francis Spufford
  • Termination Shock by Neal Stephenson

    • Erika

    • The Steerswoman by Rosemary Kirstein
    • City of Blades by Robert Jackson Bennett
    • Short fiction from Uncanny Magazine: Ina’s Spark by Mary Robinette Kowal and Ribbons by Natalia Theodoridou and The Clockwork Penguin Dreamed of Stars by Caroline Yoachim and Lily, the Immortal by Kylie Lee Baker

      • Jason

      • Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell
      • Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
      • One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston

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