Stars and Swords: Footnoting Genre Fiction

This week, we begin our super-spooky horror unit with an all-time classic: Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula. Is it possible for a book as well-known and influential as this one to be under-appreciated? How did Dracula enter the public domain? Do we prefer Transylvania or Ultrasylvania?

To see the live video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!

Next week, we cover the first seven chapters of the book, live on YouTube on Monday October 7th, 8PM Central.

Footnotes:

To join me for the live YouTube broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!

Stars and Swords: Footnoting Genre Fiction is a Next Word production, written and produced by Alastair Stephens.

Copyright © 2024 Stars and Swords. All Rights Reserved.

This week, we conclude our discussion of Ultimate Spider-Man, and discuss the second volume, Learning Curve. How does Peter Parker navigate the boundaries of society? How can a book stay continuity-light but bind itself to the original comic text? Is MJ or JJJ the best character in Spider-Man’s supporting cast?

To see the slides for this week’s episode, click here!

Next week: something spooky! Stay tuned, or head over to the Patreon page to cast your vote!

Footnotes:

To support the podcast, join the conversation on Discord and get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!

Stars and Swords: Footnoting Genre Fiction is a Next Word production, written and produced by Alastair Stephens.

Copyright © 2024 Stars and Swords. All Rights Reserved.

This week, we begin our discussion of Ultimate Spider-Man, and discuss the first volume, Power And Responsibility. How 2000s can a book possibly be? How does decompression change the way we interact with the text? Is Peter Parker the single best character of the last fifty years?

To see the slides for this week’s episode, click here!

Next week: we continue our live-show format and discuss the second volume of Brian Michael Bendis’ Ultimate Spider-Man: Learning Curve. Join me live on the Next Word Discord server at 8PM Central Time on Monday, September 23!

Footnotes:

To support the podcast, join the conversation on Discord and get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!

Stars and Swords: Footnoting Genre Fiction is a Next Word production, written and produced by Alastair Stephens.

Copyright © 2024 Stars and Swords. All Rights Reserved.

This week, we conclude our discussion of Nnedi Okorafor’s Binti: The Complete Trilogy, and discuss the short story Sacred Fire. Why is it important to read according to the chronology of production? What’s the deal with the Saturnian aliens? What, in the end, is harmony?

Next week: in a new live-show format, we’re going to discuss the first volume of Brian Michael Bendis’ Ultimate Spider-Man: Power & Responsibility. Join me live on the Next Word Discord server at 8PM Central Time on Monday, September 16!

Footnotes:

To support the podcast, join the conversation on Discord and get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!

Stars and Swords: Footnoting Genre Fiction is a Next Word production, written and produced by Alastair Stephens.

Copyright © 2024 Stars and Swords. All Rights Reserved.

This week, we continue Nnedi Okorafor’s Binti: The Complete Trilogy, and discuss the third novella, The Night Masquerade. What is the dividing line between science fiction and fantasy? Is identity reducible? Is Mwinyi an Edward or a Jacob?

Next week: a wrap-up episode on Binti, including discussion of the short story Sacred Fire.

Footnotes:

To support the podcast, join the conversation on Discord and get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!

Stars and Swords: Footnoting Genre Fiction is a Next Word production, written and produced by Alastair Stephens.

Copyright © 2024 Stars and Swords. All Rights Reserved.

This week, we continue Nnedi Okorafor’s Binti: The Complete Trilogy, and discuss the second novella. What is philosophical dualism? Is Binti a Frodo or a Sam? How are universities exactly like Survivor?

Next week: Binti: The Night Masquerade, the third novella in Binti: The Complete Trilogy!

Footnotes:

To support the podcast, join the conversation on Discord and get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!

Stars and Swords: Footnoting Genre Fiction is a Next Word production, written and produced by Alastair Stephens.

Copyright © 2024 Stars and Swords. All Rights Reserved.

This week, we begin Nnedi Okorafor’s Binti: The Complete Trilogy, and discuss the first novella. What is africanfuturism? How do books teach you to read them? Sure, drugs are cool, but have you ever gotten high on math?

Next week: Binti: Home, the second novella in Binti: The Complete Trilogy!

Footnotes:

To support the podcast, join the conversation on Discord and get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!

Stars and Swords: Footnoting Genre Fiction is a Next Word production, written and produced by Alastair Stephens.

Copyright © 2024 Stars and Swords. All Rights Reserved.

This week, we finally conclude Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations. How is the world restored to order? How are the good rewarded and the evil punished? What does it mean to be a good person in Dickens’ world, and who gets to live happily ever after?

Next week: Binti, the first novella in Binti: The Complete Trilogy!

Footnotes:

To support the podcast, join the conversation on Discord and get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!

Stars and Swords: Footnoting Genre Fiction is a Next Word production, written and produced by Alastair Stephens.

Copyright © 2024 Stars and Swords. All Rights Reserved.

This week, we discuss chapters thirty-six to fifty of Great Expectations with twists! So many twists! Which is the least plausible? How is Dickens handling the pathetic fallacy? Is Pip redeemed?

Next week, chapter 51 to the end of Great Expectations!

Footnotes:

To support the podcast, join the conversation on Discord and get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!

Stars and Swords: Footnoting Genre Fiction is a Next Word production, written and produced by Alastair Stephens.

Copyright © 2024 Stars and Swords. All Rights Reserved.

This week, we continue our discussion of Great Expectations by looking at different kinds of life in London, the death of Pip’s sister, and the ease of making choices when you have no choice at all.

Next week, chapters 36 to 50 of Great Expectations!

Footnotes:

To support the podcast, join the conversation on Discord and get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!

Stars and Swords: Footnoting Genre Fiction is a Next Word production, written and produced by Alastair Stephens.

Copyright © 2024 Stars and Swords. All Rights Reserved.