The Incomparable Mothership

729: A Mean Man Made Me Rank Things

Listen Later

Our Book Club wraps up its 2024 walk through nine shortlisted SF/F novels with our overall rankings, some short fiction recommendations, and a quick dip into what we’ve read recently and really enjoyed.

2024 Shortlist Book Club: Rankings and Short Fiction

Jason Snell with Scott McNulty, Erika Ensign, Aleen Simms and Heather Berberet

Show Notes & Links

The Incomparable Book Club Consensus

  1. Translation State by Ann Leckie - 2.0 average rank (2 first-place votes)
  2. The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty - 2.6 (2)
  3. Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh - 2.8 (1)
  4. The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz - 4.4
  5. Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon by Wole Talabi - 5.0
  6. Witch King by Martha Wells - 5.6
  7. The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera - 6.8
  8. Starter Villain by John Scalzi - 7.8
  9. The Water Outlaws by S.L. Huang - 8.0

    10. Novellas

    • Seeds of Mercury by Wang Jinkang
    • The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Older
    • Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher
    • Mammoths at the Gates by Nghi Vo

      • Novelettes

      • The Year Without Sunshine by Naomi Kritzer
      • On the Fox Roads by Nghi Vo
      • One Man’s Treasure by Sarah Pinsker
      • Ivy, Angelica, Bay by C.L. Polk

        • Short Stories

        • The Sound of Chldren Screaming by Rachael K. Jones
        • Better Living Through Algorithms by Naomi Kritzer
        • How to Raise a Kraken in your Bathtub by P Djèlí Clark
        • The Mausoleum’s Children by Aliette De Bodard

          • What Are We Reading?

          Scott:

          • Old God’s Time by Sebastian Barry

            • Heather:

            • A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow
            • A Mirror Mended by Alix E. Harrow
            • Starling House by Alix E. Harrow
            • The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow

              • Erika:

              • House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas

                • Aleen:

                • City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty
                • Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

                  • Jason:

                  • The Mercy of Gods by James S.A. Corey
                  • The Penric and Desdemona novellas by Lois McMaster Bujold

                    • Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

                    ...more
                    View all episodesView all episodes
                    Download on the App Store
                    The Incomparable MothershipBy Jason Snell
                    • 4.8
                    • 4.8
                    • 4.8
                    • 4.8
                    • 4.8

                    4.8

                    619 ratings

                    More shows like The Incomparable Mothership

                    View all
                    MacBreak Weekly (Audio) by TWiT

                    MacBreak Weekly (Audio)

                    2,011 Listeners

                    Mac Power Users by Relay

                    Mac Power Users

                    1,286 Listeners

                    The Talk Show With John Gruber by Daring Fireball / John Gruber

                    The Talk Show With John Gruber

                    3,133 Listeners

                    Accidental Tech Podcast by Marco Arment, Casey Liss, John Siracusa

                    Accidental Tech Podcast

                    2,094 Listeners

                    9to5Mac Happy Hour by 9to5Mac

                    9to5Mac Happy Hour

                    723 Listeners

                    Total Party Kill by The Incomparable Dungeon Masters

                    Total Party Kill

                    182 Listeners

                    Connected by Relay FM

                    Connected

                    568 Listeners

                    The Incomparable Radio Theater by David J. Loehr

                    The Incomparable Radio Theater

                    111 Listeners

                    Phil and Lisa Ruin the Movies by Lisa Schmeiser and Philip Michaels

                    Phil and Lisa Ruin the Movies

                    21 Listeners

                    Upgrade by Relay

                    Upgrade

                    1,199 Listeners

                    The Incomparable Game Show by The Incomparable

                    The Incomparable Game Show

                    132 Listeners

                    Lazy Doctor Who by Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky

                    Lazy Doctor Who

                    71 Listeners

                    Robot or Not? by John Siracusa and Jason Snell

                    Robot or Not?

                    118 Listeners

                    Cortex by Relay

                    Cortex

                    1,262 Listeners

                    Doctor Who Flashcast by Jason Snell

                    Doctor Who Flashcast

                    33 Listeners

                    Biff! Superhero TV and movies by Dan Moren, John Moltz and Guy English

                    Biff! Superhero TV and movies

                    27 Listeners

                    Under the Radar by Relay

                    Under the Radar

                    211 Listeners

                    AppStories by Federico Viticci, John Voorhees

                    AppStories

                    509 Listeners

                    Somehow I Manage (Rewatching "The Office") by Tiff Arment and Stephen Hackett

                    Somehow I Manage (Rewatching "The Office")

                    192 Listeners

                    Voyager Revisited by Jean MacDonald

                    Voyager Revisited

                    4 Listeners

                    Pants in the Boot by Glenn Fleishman

                    Pants in the Boot

                    10 Listeners

                    A Legitimate Salvage (The Expanse) by Chip Sudderth

                    A Legitimate Salvage (The Expanse)

                    20 Listeners

                    A Complicated Profession: "Star Wars" on TV by Dan Moren

                    A Complicated Profession: "Star Wars" on TV

                    38 Listeners

                    Agents of SMOOCH by Annette Wierstra

                    Agents of SMOOCH

                    3 Listeners

                    Lions, Towers & Shields by Shelly Brisbin

                    Lions, Towers & Shields

                    13 Listeners

                    Magnum, podcast - revisiting "Magnum P.I." by Jason Snell, Philip Michaels and David J. Loehr

                    Magnum, podcast - revisiting "Magnum P.I."

                    45 Listeners

                    NASA Vending Machine (watching "For All Mankind") by Dan Moren and Jason Snell

                    NASA Vending Machine (watching "For All Mankind")

                    54 Listeners

                    Watchers of the Plus by Sam and Moze

                    Watchers of the Plus

                    1 Listeners

                    I Want My M(CU)TV: Talking Marvel's New TV Shows by Kelly Guimont, Lisa Schmeiser, Lisa Melton and Nathan Alderman

                    I Want My M(CU)TV: Talking Marvel's New TV Shows

                    4 Listeners

                    The Cast of Us: HBO's "The Last Of Us" Recapped by Ben Rice McCarthy and Brian Hamilton

                    The Cast of Us: HBO's "The Last Of Us" Recapped

                    5 Listeners