Three Hoarsemen

Staggering like a phoenix that has consumed too much coffee and cigarette butts, The Three Hoarsemen come at you with our first episode since the sad demise of our former home, the much-loved SF Signal. We discuss SF Signal, how we met in cyberspace and meatspace, our lives since the site closed. Hard to believe that we have collectively spent one year on a project, gotten a job, moved, and started a business! Fred Kiesche, Jeff Patterson and John E.O. Stevens are pleased to make your acquaintance.

Hosts Fred Kiesche, John E.O. Stevens, and Jeff Patterson.

John’s Notes:

A Hundred Thousand Worlds, by Bob Proehl

Late in the Day, by Ursula K. Le Guin

Bitch Planet, by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Valentine De Lando

Black Panther, by Ta-Nehisi Coates and Brian Stelfreeze

Preacher

Person of Interest

Jeff’s Notes:

Necessity, by Jo Walton

Young Tales of the Old Cosmos, by Rhys Hughes

Strange Attractors

Charles Soule talks Strange Attractors

Heavy Metal

Fred’s Notes:

Ghostbusters 2016

Hell Boy

The Name of the Rose

The X-Files, Season 04, 05, Movie, 06

X-Files Fight the Future

Sheriff of Babylon, by Tom King & Mitch Gerads

James Bond, by Warren Ellis

Injection, by Warren Ellis

Holmes & Watson, by Karl Bollers, Rick Leonardi, Paul J. Mendoza, Taylor Esposito

William Gibson: Archangel 001

The Fuse, by Antony Johnston, Shari Chankhamma, Justin Greenwood

The Atrocity Archives, by Charles Stross

Guards! Guards!, by Terry Pratchett

Casino Royale, by Ian Fleming

A Murder of Quality, by John Le Carre

Spy Who Came in from the Cold, by John Le Carre

Feng Shui, by Robin D. Laws & Company

Night’s Black Agents, by Kenneth Hite and Divers Hands

Demon Princes, by Jack Vance

The Engines of the Night, by Barry Malzburg

The Year in Books

The Year in Shorts

The Year in Graphics

The Year in Active Listens

As the cruelest month crawls to a close, John E. O. Stevens, Fred Kiesche and Jeff Patterson ponder the works of upcoming Damon Knight Grand Master C. J. Cherryh. For this task they have engineered the return of their first guest Hoarseman, the illustrious Paul Weimer.

The discussion includes their first exposures to the Mri, Morgaine, and the Chanur, the deep history of the Alliance/Union universe, the portrayal of the outsider’s perspective, and how they are all woefully behind on the Foreigner books.

As always, there is an accounting of culture consumed.

Hosts Fred Kiesche, John E.O. Stevens, and Jeff Patterson with Paul Weimer.

Show Notes:

Downbelow Station

The Faded Sun Trilogy

The Complete Morgaine

The Pride of Chaunur

Cyteen

Foreigner

Additional Show Notes:

The Year in Books

The Year in Shorts

C.J. Cherryh’s Website

Cherry on Wikipedia

Meetpoint Station

Cherrylist

ChView

The C.J. Cherryh Reread

Timeline for the Alliance-Union (Company Wars) Universe

Updraft by Fran Wilde

The Jewel and Her Lapidary by Fran Wilde

The Emperor’s Railroad by Guy Haley

Envy of Angels by Matt Wallace

The Silk Roads, a New History by Peter Frankopan

By Steppe, Desert and Ocean by Barry Cunliffe

Dreams of Shreds and Tatters by Ananda Downnum

John’s Review of Downum on Grumptroll

A Hundred Thousand Worlds by Bob Proehl

Stellaris Videos

Hap & Leonard

Batman: The Complete Television Series

As March winds down and Spring arrives, John E. O. Stevens, Fred Kiesche and Jeff Patterson gather for a guestless episode to catch up on assorted pursuits and distractions.

John talks about participating in the Grumptroll annual March Madness Flash Fiction contest. Jeff wades into he Up & Coming anthology and finds it a great utility. Fred and family endure the X-Files reboot.

As always the conversation turns to culture consumed.

Hosts Fred Kiesche, John E.O. Stevens, and Jeff Patterson.

Show Notes:

The Acolyte by Nancy Hightower

Year’s Best Weird Fiction Volume 2, edited by Kathe Koja and Michael Kelly

Stories for Chip: A Tribure o Samuel R. Delany, edited by Nisi Shawl and Bill Campbell

The Collected Songs of Stone Mountain by Han Shan (writer) and Red Pine (translator)

Rat Queens Volume 2, by Kurtis J. Weibe, Roc Upchurch and Stjepan Sejic

Tunnel in the Sky, by Robert A. Heinlein

Additional Show Notes:

2016: The Year in Books

2016: The Year in Shorts

John’s Review of The Acolyte

Grumptroll

John’s March Madness Short Story

Up and Coming: Stories by the 2016 Campbell-Eligible Authors

Neal Stephenson: Cryptonomicon

Congressman Proposes Resolution to Recognize Magic as Rare and Valuable

Roger Zelazny: Doorways in the Sand

Howard Tayler: Schlock Mercenary—The Tub of Happiness

In Part Two, John E. O. Stevens, Fred Kiesche and Jeff Patterson continue their talk with Joelle Presby and David Weber about The Road to Hell.

The discussion covers killing characters, the cost of war, and wrapping up franchises.

The Hoarsemen also talk about culture consumed, the state of Marvel, revisiting Watership Down, and their reading plans for the rest of 2016.

Hosts Fred Kiesche, John E.O. Stevens, and Jeff Patterson with Joelle Presby and David Weber.

Show Notes:

Atomic-Age Cthulhu, edited by Brian M. Sammons and Glynn Owen Barrass

A Head Full of Ghosts, Paul Tremblay

The Confidence Game: Why We Fall for It…Every Time, Maria Konnikova

1632 (Ring of Fire), Eric Flint

Additional Show Notes:

2016: The Year in Books

2016: The Year in Shorts

2016: Active Listens

The Expanse

The Feminine Future, edited by Mike Ashley

Kage Baker, In the Garden of Iden

Lisa Cron, Wired for Story

Batgirl Vol. 2: Family Business

Midnighter, Vol. 1: Out

As February wraps up, John E. O. Stevens, Fred Kiesche and Jeff Patterson convene with Joelle Presby and David Weber to talk about the collaboration process on their new book The Road to Hell. The talk was substantive enough to necessitate splitting it across two episodes.

Part one of the discussion includes the challenges of stepping into an existing franchise, playing in another author’s sandbox, the difference between art vs. craft, editorial hindsight, working with Jim Baen, and meeting Andre Norton.

Hosts Fred Kiesche, John E.O. Stevens, and Jeff Patterson with Joelle Presby and David Weber.

Show Notes:

Hell’s Gate, David Weber and Lind Evans

House of Steel: The Honorverse Companion, David Weber with BuNine

2016: The Year in Books

2016: The Year in Shorts

2016: Active Listens

As snow and ice bury the east coast, John E. O. Stevens, Fred Kiesche and Jeff Patterson turn their thoughts to the cold, merciless abyss that engulfs us all. That’s right, SPACE is the place, and they’ve invited Leah Petersen along to talk about the stories set there, and the role it plays.

Science Fiction’s early depictions of space cast it as a medium to be crossed, or an analog for the sea, facilitating trade, exploration, and empire-building. Frank Herbert made it a commodity, accessible only to those who gave up their humanity. Stephen Baxter filled it with incomprehensible machinations. Star Trek used it as a divide between cultures. Kristine Katherine Rusch riddled it with lethal anomalies. Vernor Vinge gave it dominion over the rise of intelligence. C. J. Cherryh, Samuel Delany, Karen Lord, Alastair Reynolds, Lois McMaster Bujold, and many others shaped the infinite void into a narrative tool. Now, with Star Wars,The Expanse, and a possible new ninth planet, space is once again imposing itself on popular culture. Is it up to the challenge?

As always, the discussion turns to recent culture consumed.

Hosts Fred Kiesche, John E.O. Stevens, and Jeff Patterson with Leah Petersen.

Show Notes

Fighting Gravity, Leah Petersen

Cascade Effect, Leah Petersen

Impact Velocity, Leah Petersen

Carbide Tipped Pens, edited by Ben Bova and Eric Choi

Measuring the Universe, Kitty Ferguson

Downbelow Station, C.J. Cherryh

Powersat, Ben Bova

Diving into the Wreck, Kristine Kathryn Rusch

The Forever War, Joe Haldeman

Sex and Violence in Zero-G: The Complete “Near Space” Stories, Allen M. Steele

Shadowshaper, Daniel Jose Older

Secret Wars, Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribic

Additional Show Links

2016: The Year in Books

2016: The Year in Shorts

Outermost: The Art and Life of Jack Gaughan, Luis Ortiz

The Atrocity Archives, Charles Stross

Dhalgren, Samuel R. Delany

How Great Science Fiction Works, Gary K. Wolfe

Collected Fiction, Leena Krohn

The year’s end looms, so John E. O. Stevens, Fred Kiesche and Jeff Patterson elect to be merciful and convene to put it out of its misery. They’ve invited Andrea Phillips and Jonah Sutton-Morse along to list their favorite books, comics, TV shows, movies, and games of 2015.

The discussion, of course, goes completely off-topic, veering into such subjects as nihilistic narratives, revisiting old favorites, the pitfalls of being a new release junkie, “Batgirling,” and the storytelling idiosyncrasies of various media.

Get comfy. This one’s over two hours.

Hosts Fred Kiesche, John E.O. Stevens, and Jeff Patterson with Andrea Phillips and Jonah Sutton-Morse.

Show Notes

Black Wolves, by Kate Elliot

Envy of Angels, by Matt Wallace

Collected Fiction, by Leena Krohn

The Apollo Quartet, by Ian Sales

Universe Beholds Itself

Great Ocean Above

Outer Space Allows

Numbers Don’t Life, by Terry Bisson

Bellweather, by Connie Willis

The Song of Synth, by Sue Dubinski

The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps, by Kai Ashante Wilson

Perchance to Dream—Selected Stories, by Charles Beaumont

Additional Show Notes

2015: The Year in Books

2015: The Year in Shorts

Supergirl

Heroes Reborn

The Ogres of East Africa, by Sofia Samatar

Gunnerkriff Court, by Tom Siddell

Homestruck

Her Story

Philip K. Dick: The Last Interiew

Stephen Rudnicki reads Dhalgren

Christopher Frayling: The 2001 File (Harry Lange and the Design of the Landmark Science Fiction Film)

Eye I dare Not Meet In Dreams, by Sunny Moraine

The Pencil: A History of Design and Circumstance by Henry Petroski

The VanderMeer Winter Mix Tape Bundle 9 with Lenne Krohn

It is November, time for John E. O. Stevens, Fred Kiesche and Jeff Patterson to saddle up for a guestless catch-up episode.

John recounts his attending the World Fantasy Convention, and tells of the booty he procured. Fred lists his culture consumed. Jeff thinks aloud of the many factors that both influenced and tainted his recent readings.

Subjects discussed include the personalities of book merchants and buyers, how the physical layout of a con impacts its enjoyment, the pitfalls of retro trade-dress, comic book adolescents, The optimal length of Sherlock Holmes stories, and some observations about dealers rooms.

Hosts Fred Kiesche, John E.O. Stevens, and Jeff Patterson.

Show Notes

Twelve Tomorrows, edited by Bruce Sterling

Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Novels and Stories, Volume 1, by Arthur Conan Doyle

The Percolated Stars, by Rhys Hughes

Eastern Standard Tribe, Cory Doctorow

Mothership Zeta, edited by Mur Lafferty

Collision of Realities, edited by Lars Schmeink and Astrid Boger

The Goddamned, by Jason Aaron and R.M. Guera

Wayward Omnibus 01, by Jim Zubkavich, Steven Cummings, Tamra Bonvillain, John Rauch

Aliens/Vampirella, by Corinna Bechko and Javier Garcia-Miranda

Additional Show Notes

2015: The Year in Books

2015: The Year in Shorts

Collision of Realities on Google Books

Philosophy Now

Swords of Sorrow, by Gail Simone

Unfollow, by Rob Williams and Michael Dowling

Last Sons of America, by Philip Kennedy Johnson and Matthew Dow Smith)

October is here, so John E. O. Stevens, Fred Kiesche and Jeff Patterson decide to go west to the magic-infused realm of California for a chat with Greg van Eekhout. Greg educates the Hoarsemen on the importance of tacos, things that are terrible but wonderful but terrible, the discipline of outlining, the pitfalls with the “urban fantasy” label, writing for kids and adults, and why it isn’t cool to eat a wizard in Northern California.

In this month’s culture consumed, Fred went to The Martian, Jeff went to Capclave, and John went to a big-ass book sale.

Hosts Fred Kiesche, John E.O. Stevens, and Jeff Patterson with Greg van Eekhout.

Show Notes

Books by Greg van Eekhout:

California Bones

Pacific Fire

Dragon Coast

The Boy at the End of the World

Norse Code

Kid vs. Squid

More Books:

Tide of Shadows, Aidan Moher

Cave of Stars, George Zebrowski

In Midnight’s Silence, T. Frohock

Wandering Stars, edited by Jack Dann

Jews vs. Aliens, edited by Lavie Tidhar and Rebecca Levene

Black Summer, by Warren Ellis and Juan Jose Ryp

No Hero, by Warren Ellis and Juan Jose Ryp

Fuzzy Mud, by Louis Sachar

From Under Mountains, by Claire Gibson, Marian Churchland, and Aloane Leong

Additional Show Notes:

2015: The Year in Books

2015: The Year in Shorts

Californa Bones

Friends of Tompkins County Public Library Book Sale

Capclave

Paper Girls, by Brian K. Vaughn and Cliff Chiang

As harvest-time descends and pumpkin-spice stormclouds gather on the horizon, John E. O. Stevens, Fred Kiesche and Jeff Patterson wrap up their Summer sojourn through the labyrinthine innards of the publishing industry with Joe Monti of Saga Press. Joe educates the Hoarsemen on the pitfalls of book buying-and-selling, forecasts the future of space opera, and ponders if Grimdark is really a thing.

After a chat on trends and tribulations, the discussion turns to culture consumed.

Hosts Fred Kiesche, John E.O. Stevens, and Jeff Patterson with Joe Monti.

Show Notes! Show Notes! Here are the Show Notes!

Silver on the Road (The Devil’s West), by aura Anne Gilman

Cold Iron (The Malorum Gates), by Stina Leicht

Our Lady of the Ice, by Cassandra Rose Clarke

Six-Gun Snow White, by Catherynne M. Valente

Sorcerer to the Crown, by Zen Cho

Godzilla in Hell #2, by Bob Eggleton

The Bazaar: Markets and Merchants of the Islamic World, by Walter M. Weiss

The Making of Stanley Kurbrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, by Piers Bizony

And Here are the More Show Notes!

2015: The Year in Books

2015: The Year in Shorts

Stories for Chip: A Tribute to Samuel R. Delany, edited by Nisi Shawl and Bill Campbell

A Borrowed Man, by Gene Wolfe

The Big Time, by Fritz Leiber Jr.

The Complete Griselda, by Oliver Dickinson

Pelquin’s Comet, by Ian Whates

String Divers, by Ashley Wood, Chris Ryall, and Nelson Daniel

The Mysteries of Udolpho, by Ann Ward Radcliff

Clockwork Lives, by Kevin J. Anderson and Neil Peart

Islands in the Sky, by Arthur C. Clarke

Dolphin Island, by Arthur C. Clarke

B.P.R.D., by Mike Mignola

Sept Guerrieres, by Michael Le Galli and Francis Manapul

Spider-Verse, by Dan Slott

Capclave 2015