This month, we read Robert J. Sawyer's Hominids, the first in his Neanderthal Parallax series. (CW: discussion of sexual violence from an early scene in the novel.)

This book is a wild ride — it asks the question "what if Neanderthals became the dominant human species?" that no one ever asked. Neanderthals are all bisexual, take care of the environment, and don't eat any grains. Also, it's unclear if the author has ever met a real-life woman based on some of his characterizations, which we unpack with a hearty laugh.

Show notes:

https://www.sfwriter.com/hoforde.htm

http://www.sfra.org/resources/sfra-review/258.pdf

http://www.sfreviews.net/hominids.html

https://www.vox.com/2015/5/26/8661537/sally-ride-tampons