Hugo and Nebula Readership Podcast

In this episode of the Hugo and Nebula Readership Podcast, sisters Ann and Alice are discussing The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov. Written in 1972, this book won both Hugo and Nebula, if you are keeping track. This parallel universe sandwich type story of academic scientists, aliens, more scientists had us railing at the heavens. And laughing our asses off.

Here's a listening guide if you should care to dive in:

1:12 Book jacket read 2:46 History Lesson 7:14 We dive into the Big Topics and Themes 8:45 Part 1 – following the format of the book, we start in the logical place 23:33 Part 2 – spoiler alert, our favorite 41:26 Part 3 – not our favorite 54:14 The Four Questions

In this episode, the two sisters tackle the nebula award winner from 1972 - A Time of Changes by Robert Silverberg. Our man, a regular World con attendee, and prolific writer created a science fiction piece, and to us - almost a fantasy, while undertaking a personal writing challenge - to create a story without using the word "I". So did this idea work? We definitely had our own opinions.

Here are some time markers to help guide you:

01:42 Book Jacket read (We say the names)

03:57 History Lesson

08:22 Tackling the Big Themes: Struggle bus time

11:31 The concept of writing without using "I"

12:13 Segway into Mindsharing

15:46 The New Wave style of writing

17:42 World Building, but it somehow fades to the background

20:54 Discussion of Bond Brothers/Sisters

24:30 Chosen one vs. the sidekick

25:40 We Segway again - this time into sex and character development

31:25 Earthman = Drug Dealer

33:26 Four questions

In this episode of the Hugo and Nebula Readership Podcast the two sisters are reading To Your Scattered Bodies Go or Riverworld by Philip Jose Farmer. It won the Hugo in 1972. The reason for the double name is that the first book - To your scattered bodies go - is now rarely published by itself but can be more easily found with its series under the series name - Riverworld. In this novel filled with historical characters, we ultimately were awash with questions. Listen and find out why. Here are some time markers for you: 01:24 Book jacket read 03:50 History lesson 10:39 Big Themes 13:10 Other peoples' reviews - did that help us? 18:44 Protagonist and friends 23:40 Storyline and pacing and world-building, oh my 26:15 Adaptations and games 29:00 Suicide express and characters 31:20 Action writer, pulp writer 34:50 Women Characters - well, it's a thing 43:40 Four Questions

In this Episode of the Hugo and Nebula Readership Podcast, the two sisters tackle Ringworld by Larry Niven. The book won the Nebula in 1970 and the Hugo in 1971. While highly praised by the SF world it was a bit of a struggle bus for us both. Listen in and find out why.

In a skipping mood? Here are some time markers to assist you:

01:15 Book jacket read but we have no book jacket

02:50 History Lesson

06:15 Tackling the Big themes

10:20 Big Science or Plot driven characters - can't we have both?

18:24 Throwback tropes

20:24 Characters

30:00 Why Alice launches the book across the room

35:40 Other reviews of the book

38:14 The Four Questions

Welcome to the Hugo and Nebula Readership Podcast where two sisters are reading their way through the Hugo and Nebula awarding novels in order. This episode is the highly anticipated Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin which won both the Hugo and the Nebula in 1970. It was a big hit with both sisters; we're singing praises in this rather short episode

Would you like to jump around and hit the high points? Here are the time markers to do just that:

01:32 Book Jacket Read

03:13 History Lesson

08:30 Big Themes - Love and Gender

13:14 Pronouns and Gender

17:19 Genly's perspective and Gender

22:22 Characters and storyline

34:40 Amazing world building

40:00 Four Questions

Sisters Alice and Ann have read all of the novels that won either a Hugo award, a Nebula award, or both in the 1960s. In this episode, they look back on the experience and discuss how they think their readership is progressing.

Want to skip to a specific topic? Here are some time stamps to help guide you:

01:10 Lost Episodes - Starship Troopers, Canticle for Lebowitz and Case for Conscience

04:00 We rank our favorites

10:18 Impactful vs. Enjoyable books

12:16 History Lessons

13:16 Myths and Legends

15:19 Women in the 60s

18:10 Aliens in the 60s

19:25 How are we doing with our manifesto and goals?

22:50 New Ideas, new friends

29:24 Looking forward to the 70s

Welcome to the Hugo and Nebula readership podcast where two sisters are reading their way through all - all, I say - the books in chronological order. This episode covers Rite of passage by Alexei Panshin which won the Hugo in 1969. This book is a great example of how two persons never read the same book.

Here are some time markers to guide you through the episode

01:02 Book jacket read

02:29 History Lesson

04:39 A Heinlein moment

06:44 Open discussion: another Heinlein moment

10:38 Mia: protagonist, flawed and likable

17:00 Jimmy the boyfriend

20:09 Stories within stories

22:33 The writing and we go back and do a plot summary

26:26 Predetermined endings

29:16 More characters

35:25 The trial

39:59 Four questions

43:31 Side trip: male writers of female characters and visa versa

We're not quite hip enough for hip crime vocab, are you? On this episode of the Hugo and Nebula Readership podcast, the two sisters are reading the groundbreaking dystopia Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner - it won the Hugo for 1969. Give us a listen.

Want to skip a bit or jump to your favorite part? Here are the time markers for this episode:

01:51 Book's Blurb which has no plot synopsis...

02:48 so we attempt one ourselves

05:40 History Lesson

12:26 General discussion and big theme

17:28 Dystopias and all that

23:50 Donald and/or Norman?

28:02 Chad C. Mulligan and the HipCrime Vocab

29:32 The Shiggies

31:57 … and we circle back to Chad C. Mulligan

34:40 John Brunner and the future

37:50 The Begi stories

41:20 Five Questions

Music by Carl Miles

This is the podcast where two sisters are reading their way through the Hugo and Nebula awarding novels in order. La, Lo or Le? In this episode, we discuss The Einstein Intersection by Samuel R. Delany. The Einstein Intersection won the Nebula for 1968. This tale of aliens and tangled human mythology was a challenging read for the two sisters who ultimately found the main character, Lobey, to be the best part.

Want to skip a bit or jump to your favorite part? Here are the time markers for this episode:

01:55 Book Jacket Read

05:45 History Lesson

09:01 Big Themes: Deep thinking about otherness

12:00 La, Lo or Le: what does it all mean - a summary of sorts

19:43 Kage: fancy pronunciation rules

23:53 Chapter intros: Why, why, why

28:53 Kid Death and the battle at the end

35:33 Opulent parties (and the Dove)

37:54 Ambiguous ending

40:32 Four Questions

Music by Carl Miles

Who is Sam? This is the podcast where two sisters are reading their way through the Hugo and Nebula awarding novels in order. In this episode, they discuss The Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny which won the Hugo award for 1968. The general theme for the discussion will be us questioning everything we think we read in the book.

Want to skip a bit or jump to your favorite part? Here are the time markers for this episode:

01:44 Book's Blurb

04:03 History Lesson

08:47 Big Questions: so many questions

12:54 The Characters: who has what name when

19:00 General confusion: which last a while

25:13 The battles: loops and reincarnations

28:52 Feminist Rant

34:52 Religion: Mix and match parables and accelerationism

42:50 Hellwell

44:00 The Ending: more confusion and potty jokes and murder mysteries

54:24 Four questions

Music by Carl Miles