Sci-Fi Primer

This one is for you space truckers.  

We return to C.J. Cherryh's Alliance-Union universe in "Merchanter's Luck", this time to follow the exploits of a merchanter living at the margins of society and getting in way over his head.

Video version at https://youtu.be/kznxbf1ySGY

This episode concludes the story of Downbelow Station by C.J. Cherryh.  

An interstellar chess game is playing out, with merchants, aliens, and station personnel caught in the middle.  

It sets up the Alliance-Union universe in which many future adventures will happen.   

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The song Signy Mallory: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tlOztKm2ws  

The video for this episode is available at: https://youtu.be/pcwmtmAq9nw

Today's episode I think will be of particular interest to fans of Elite Dangerous, especially those of you who are into the lore of the game.

We will go into the history of the Alliance-Union Universe by C.J. Cherryh and start with the novel "Downbelow Station" at Tau Ceti.

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Fly dangerously, and o7.

The video of this episode is available at https://youtu.be/e06XxEc8k5M

In this video I recreate the events of the 1977 song "Cygnus X-1" by the progressive rock band Rush at the first black hole ever discovered.

Come see!

Video available at https://youtu.be/XVkyWdq8QKs

Now to the conclusion of the Maker Series by Michael McCollum.  I go over the main points of the sequel to Life Probe, Procyon's Promise, published in 1985.  This one takes us all the way to the Aquila Dark Region. 

For some reason, this has been my favourite installment to make up to date, perhaps because this book - that I had up to now not finished reading - has finally had its day.  

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this and other science-fiction related topics.  If you feel so inclined please leave a comment and/or subscribe to my channel and pass the word to those who might be interested.

The video for this episode is available at https://youtu.be/VNMz38NRWfc

I just finished reading the two-part Maker series by Michael McCollum.  Here is the first novel of the series, written in 1983, presented to you. 

You may notice a remarkable similarity to another series that's popular today...  

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this and other science-fiction related topics.  If you feel so inclined please leave a voice comment and/or subscribe to my channel and pass the word to those who might be interested.

You can see the video that goes with this episode at https://youtu.be/1g7YHRYEjQM

In this episode I talk about the short story "Tin Woodman" by co-authors  Dennis Russell Bailey and David Bischoff. 

It was first published in December 1976 as a short story in "Amazing  Science-Fiction" magazine, then in novel form in 1979. 

If the story sounds familiar to you that's because it became popularized in an entirely different venue.  I'll go into that as well. 

Enjoy your trip to the stars, and please pass the word and subscribe if you would like to see more content like this throughout 2021.  

Correction: In the audio I incorrectly state that the original story was  published in "Analog" magazine, it was in fact in "Amazing Science  Fiction."

The video for this episode is available at https://youtu.be/38q4Se49Mbw.

After their first combat mission lasting a few months, but relativistically 27 years due to time dilation, our soldiers return to a very changed society on Earth.

Video available at https://youtu.be/W6H5lQbQEsk

In this instalment, we follow our recruits over to their first encounter against the Taurans at Epsilon Aurigae, 2038 LY from Earth.

You can also see the video at: https://youtu.be/jEDN9tr43Lw