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No spoilers at all in this episode. Join the Hugonauts book club on discordOr you can watch our episodes on YouTube if you prefer video BOOKS FEATURED IN THIS EPISODE:  Doomsday Book by Connie WillisThe Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette KowalAmong Others by Jo WaltonBlackout/All Clear by Connie WillisThe Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael ChabonThe Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. ClarkeRingworld by Larry NivenDune by Frank HerbertNetwork Effect by Martha WellsForever Peace by Joe HaldemanDreamsnake by Vonda N. McIntyreGateway by Frederik PohlAmerican Gods by Neil GaimanPaladin of Souls by Lois McMaster BujoldRendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. ClarkeThe Gods Themselves by Isaac AsimovThe Stone Sky by N. K. JemisinStartide Rising by David BrinThe Windup Girl by Paolo BacigalupiAncillary Justice by Ann LeckieSpeaker for the Dead by Orson Scott CardFlowers for Algernon by Daniel KeyesNeuromancer by William GibsonThe Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le GuinEnder's Game by Orson Scott CardThe Forever War by Joe HaldemanThe Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin Thanks to our sponsor, Sci-Fi Shorts! The stories that built science fiction's golden age were short, complete worlds in a single sitting. Sci-Fi Shorts brings that tradition back: brand-new science fiction and fantasy flash fiction, every story a thousand words or fewer, paired with original artwork in classic pulp-magazine style: painted covers, raygun rockets, swords and sorcery. It's made for readers with more curiosity than time: a complete story over your morning coffee. Head to https://scifishorts.co/hugonauts and use code HUGONAUTS50 for fifty percent off any subscription.  If you want to jump around, here are the timestamps for the episode:  00:00 - Intro 00:40 - #27 Doomsday Book by Connie Willis 02:20 - #26 The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal 04:44 - Sponsor: scifishorts.co 05:30 - #20 The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon 07:06 - #20 Among Others by Jo Walton 09:01 - #20 Ringworld by Larry Niven 10:55 - #20 Blackout/All Clear by Connie Willis 12:55 - #20 Dune by Frank Herbert 14:02 - #20 The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke 16:42 - #16 Network Effect by Martha Wells 18:00 - #16 Forever Peace by Joe Haldeman 19:51 - #16 Dreamsnake by Vonda N. McIntyre 22:05 - #16 Gateway by Frederik Pohl 25:33 - #15 American Gods by Neil Gaiman 28:00 - #12 Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold 29:45 - #12 Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke 32:15 - #12 The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov 34:00 - #10 The Stone Sky by N. K. Jemisin 36:18 - #10 Startide Rising by David Brin 37:32 - #9 The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi 39:34 - Secondary Sponsor: Juris Ex Machina by John W. Maly 39:50 - #5 Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie 40:58 - #5 Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card 43:03 - #5 Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes 44:24 - #5 Neuromancer by William Gibson 46:12 - #4 The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin 47:26 - #1 The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin 51:10 - #1 Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card 52:08 - #1 The Forever War by Joe Haldeman 53:45 - Outro / Summary

Widely considered a must-read classic, this novel uses a brilliant first-person journal format to explore the emotional and intellectual journey of Charlie Gordon as a futuristic operation slowly transforms him from intellectually disabled into a genius. We discuss the masterful writing style, the profound themes of consciousness and empathy, and why this story still resonates so deeply today.  Reading Flowers for Algernon for English class or preparing for a book report? First of all, your teacher is dope, this one rocks. Second of all, we got you, we break down Daniel Keyes' classic novel to help you understand the storyline, major themes, and key takeaways. As always, no spoilers until the end when we give a heads up before getting into the full plot discussion.  TAKE THE LISTENER SURVEY TO LET US KNOW ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE SCI-FI MOVIES AND SHOWS Join the Hugonauts book club on discordOr you can watch our episodes on YouTube if you prefer videoSimilar books we recommend:  Of Mice and Men by John SteinbeckUnderstand by Ted ChiangThe Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark HaddonThis episode is sponsored by Gods and God Particles by Raghavan Jayakumar If you want to jump around, here are the timestamps for the episode: 00:00 - Intro 00:47 - Review (4.75 / 5) 02:30 - No spoilers setup 03:45 - Sponsor: Gods and God Particles by Raghavan Jayakumar 04:26 - Vote for your favorite sci-fi movies 05:13 - The incredible 1st person voice 07:20 - A coming of age story 10:16 - The end of innocence 12:21 - Who is conscious 17:30 - A view into the 50s/60s 21:13 - Recommended books 25:04 - SPOILERS SECTION: What happens at the end

We rank all the Hugo nominees, plus tell you about seven more amazing books that deserve to be in contention for the best speculative fiction novels of the year.  No spoilers at all in this episode. Join the Hugonauts book club on discord Or you can watch our episodes on YouTube if you prefer video If you want to jump around, here are the timestamps for the episode: 00:00 Intro 01:03 6 The Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor 02:37 5 The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson 05:20 4 The Incandescent by Emily Tesh 07:30 3 Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky 14:40 2 A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett 16:56 1 The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow 19:05 Thank you for 100 episodes! 20:11 The Devils by Joe Abercrombie 23:05 The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones 24:37 Sour Cherry by Natalia Theodoridou 25:21 Slow Gods by Claire North 29:02 The Goodreads miss list 30:44 The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami 33:32 There is No Antimemetics Division by QNTM

Originally published as a series of novellas in Asimov’s Science Fiction before winning the 2006 Locus Award for best novel, Accelerando traces three generations of the Macx family (and one notoriously manipulative AI cat named Aineko) across a high-speed, century-long journey through future history and the looming technological singularity.  We unpack the overwhelming density of Stross’s worldbuilding—from cyberpunk edge, BDSM, and KGB-uplifted digital lobsters, to Capitalism 2.0 driven by profit-seeking AI corporations, automated corporate law and self-propagating lawsuits, and personalized advertising that feels eerily prescient today. Discover how Stross redefines the technological singularity through system-wide computing power measured in MIPS, explores consciousness as a predator-prey evolutionary dynamic, and takes us to the edge of the solar system where Matrioshka brains, alien communiqués from brown dwarfs, and beam-riding simulated minds completely rewrite the rules of interstellar travel and resource allocation.  Whether you're curious about the Vile Offspring, nested self-referential autonomous corporations, or Jupiter-orbiting electrodynamic tether generators, this episode breaks down why Accelerando is an essential—and utterly chaotic—masterclass in expert speculative fiction. Stick around to the end of the episode for our spoiler-heavy post-show discussion, plus our top similar book recommendations, including William Gibson's Neuromancer, Greg Egan's Diaspora, and Kim Stanley Robinson's Aurora! And make sure to like and subscribe so you don’t miss our next episode, where we’ll be ranking this year's Hugo award nominees and all the best Sci-Fi and Fantasy books of last year!  You can read Accelerando free online on Charles Stross' website! As always, no spoilers until the end when we give a heads up before getting into the full plot discussion.  Join the Hugonauts book club on discord Or you can watch our episodes on YouTube if you prefer video Similar books we recommend:  Diaspora by Greg Egan (or Permutation City) Neuromancer by William Gibson Aurora by Kim Stanley Robinson This episode is sponsored by The Day The Moon Disappeared by Michael Ross If you want to jump around, here are the timestamps for the episode: 00:00 Intro 01:04 Our review (3/5) 03:00 Sponsor - The Day The Moon Disappeared by Michael Ross 03:31 A hard sci-fi look at the next hundred years 05:46 Our cast - a family over a century 7:20 Some of the coolest science ideas 12:43 Prescient ideas that have already come true 13:24 Matrioshka brains 15:40 A different definition of Singularity 18:21 AI as corporations 19:19 Interstellar travel via computer 23:12 Also BDSM 26:59 Diaspora by Greg Egan 28:05 Neuromancer by William Gibson 29:19 Aurora by Kim Stanley Robinson 29:50 Reverse generators in Jupiter orbit 31:12 POST SPOILERS book summary 42:26 POST SPOILERS analysis

We cover the legendary classics like Robert A. Heinlein’s Starship Troopers, Joe Haldeman’s The Forever War, and Orson Scott Card's Ender’s Game, while exploring modern masterpieces like John Scalzi’s Old Man’s War, Ann Leckie’s Ancillary Justice, and the later books of The Expanse series. Whether you are a fan of high-stakes space battles or deep philosophical military themes, this ultimate sci-fi reading list has something for you.  We also raid the deeper cuts of the genre, discussing everything from John Steakley’s Armor, L.E. Modesitt Jr.’s The Parafaith War, and Hiroshi Sakurazaka's All You Need Is Kill, to the cult hit Honor Harrington series by David Weber, Joshua Dalzelle's Black Fleet Trilogy, Craig Alanson’s Expeditionary Force, Iain M. Banks' Culture series, and Lois McMaster Bujold’s beloved Vorkosigan Saga.  Plus, stick around until the very end of the episode for a massive surprise guest! We had the absolute honor of sitting down with a literal titan of the military science fiction world.  Don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss our upcoming episode on Accelerando by Charles Stross. No spoilers anywhere in this episode.  Join the Hugonauts book club on discord Or you can watch our episodes on YouTube if you prefer video This episode is sponsored by Thanks For Meeting Me Here by Jill Bronfman All the books we recommend, plus timestamps:  00:00 Intro  00:44 Armor - John Steakley  02:57 The Parafaith War - L.E. Modesitt, Jr.  05:45 The Forever War - Joe Haldeman  09:24 Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card  10:03 Old Man's War - John Scalzi  11:32 The Expanse - James S.A. Corey  13:00 Starship Troopers - Robert A. Heinlein  16:50 Ancillary Justice - Ann Leckie  18:29 SPONSOR - Thanks for Meeting Me Here - Jill Bronfman  19:00 All You Need is Kill - Hiroshi Sakurazaka  20:33 The Black Fleet trilogy - Joshua Dalzelle  24:02 Use of Weapons - Iain M. Banks  26:50 Honor Harrington series - David Weber  30:18 Expeditionary Force - Craig Alanson  33:00 The Vorkosigan Saga - Lois McMaster Bujold  35:07 SURPRISE GUEST A MILITARY SCI-FI LEGEND

We are breaking down the entire short-list and ranking, review, and digging into the 2026 Nebula Novel nominees from worst to best. We dive deep into the writing styles, the structure, the highs, the frustratingly bad endings, and reveal exactly who took home the final trophy. Are these books actually masterclasses in modern sci-fi and fantasy, or did the hype train leave the tracks?  Here is our definitive 2026 Nebula breakdown:  7. Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor  You should read it if: You love deep-dives into African culture, Ibo and Yoruba roots, and tech concepts like futuristic exoskeleton legs. You shouldn’t read it if: You require a persistent central conflict, cohesive subplots, or a "story-within-a-story" that actually goes somewhere. 6. Wearing the Lion by John Wiswell You should read it if: You want a cozy Hercules retelling where Hera calls Zeus a "dipshit" and Heracles tries to befriend mythological monsters instead of fighting them. You shouldn’t read it if: You get annoyed by overly preachy or cloying endings, repetitive quest structures, or confusing second-person POV shifts. 5. Katabasis by R. F. Kuang  You should read it if: You are obsessed with dark academia themes, the dangers of academic flow states, and complex, highly allusional world-building. You shouldn’t read it if: You need to deeply connect with your protagonists or get easily annoyed by writing that feels a little too self involved. 4. When We Were Real by Daryl Gregory You should read it if: You love quick, humorous POV switches, AGI, simulation theory, and brain emulation concepts. You shouldn’t read it if: You are looking for a groundbreaking, deeply unique masterpiece—this one is cute, but a bit unspecial. 3. Sour Cherry by Natalia Theodoridou You should read it if: You like heavy foreshadowing, experimental voice-switching (shifting to 2nd person), and intense meta-narratives. You shouldn’t read it if: You hate a massive buildup that doesn't actually come together or stick the landing at the end. 1. (TIED) The Incandescent by Emily Tesh You should read it if: You want adult-oriented cozy fantasy in a magic boarding school featuring a workaholic, middle-aged bisexual teacher and casual, biscuit-eating printer demons. You shouldn’t read it if: A rushed, abrupt ending with a thin villain motivation is going to completely sour your overall enjoyment of a great setup. 1. (TIED & WINNER) The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones You should read it if: You want a beautifully written, highly literary Native American Blackfoot vampire revenge story set in the brutal landscape of the American West. You shouldn’t read it if: You get bored by a monotonous middle section where the central premise loses steam and repeats itself. No spoilers anywhere in this episode. Join the Hugonauts book club on discord Or you can watch our episodes on YouTube if you prefer video All the books, plus timestamps: 00:00 Intro  00:46 Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor  02:26 Wearing the Lion by John Wiswell  05:29 Katabasis by R. F. Kuang  09:30 When We Were Real by Daryl Gregory  12:57 Sour Cherry by Natalia Theodoridou  16:30 The Incandescent by Emily Tesh  20:08 The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones

In this episode of the Hugonauts we’re breaking down what truly defines great Young Adult fiction and answering the ultimate question: do these books actually hold up when you read them for the first time as an adult? We look at the core guidelines of YA literature—from exploring the human condition through a young protagonist's eyes to (ideally) teaching profound stuff that resonates beyond teenhood.  We count down the absolute best YA sci-fi books and YA fantasy recommendations. We dive into legendary dystopian hits like The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, masterclass sci-fi like Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card and Red Rising by Pierce Brown, and classic fantasy staples like Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling, J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, Philip Pullman’s The Golden Compass, and C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia. But we don't just look at the masterpieces.  We also separate the true YA novels from books that are actually meant for middle-grade kids (like The Giver, Redwall, and The Phantom Tollbooth). Finally, we tackle the controversial "duds" of the genre. Why are massive bestsellers like The Maze Runner, Divergent, and Scythe so incredibly popular, and why did they fall totally flat for us? Grab your reading list and let's find out which books are actually worth your time!  No spoilers anywhere in this episode. Join the Hugonauts book club on discord Or you can watch our episodes on YouTube if you prefer video This episode is sponsored by Memoirs of the End by Vincent Rylan All the books we recommend, plus timestamps: 00:00 The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins  04:16 Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card  07:02 The Chrysalids by John Wyndham  08:55 SPONSOR - Memoirs of the End by Vincent Rylan  09:30 Ready Player One by Ernest Cline  12:54 Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff  15:20 Red Rising by Pierce Brown  18:47 Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden  20:15 A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket  22:39 The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien  23:56 The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman  26:40 The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis  29:10 The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett  31:38 Powers by Ursula K. Le Guin  34:14 The Wind Through the Keyhole by Stephen King  35:14 The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman  36:55 Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling  39:10 Redwall by Brian Jacques 41:17  Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh by Robert C. O'Brien  41:55 The Giver by Lois Lowry  42:41 The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster  43:34 Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer  44:40 Cinder by Marissa Meyer  45:56 Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix  46:54 How are these duds so popular?

In this episode we dive into The Devils by Joe Abercrombie. It’s a departure from the grim world of The First Law, leaning into a "monsters vs. monsters" heist set in a supernatural, alternate-history Europe. If you’ve ever wondered what it would look like if the Vatican recruited a werewolf, a vampire, and a deathless soldier to save the world - well, you're in luck. We discuss the shift in tone, the hilarious "refrains" Joe uses for his characters, and whether this new direction lives up to his legendary fantasy status.  We break down the entire motley crew—from Jakob’s "righteous" path to the mystery of Baptiste—and comparing the action to Abercrombie’s previous work. Is Viga the new Bloody Nine? Does the humor land as well as the sword-swings? We also feature some of the best takes from our Discord book club, including debating character rethreads, the themes of the book, and who is likely to love the book. Stick around to hear our final scores and why this might be the most "fun" Abercrombie has ever been. And make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss our next episode, where we’ll be pivoting to discuss the best of Young Adult (YA) scifi and fantasy!  As always, no spoilers until the end when we give a heads up before getting into the full plot discussion.  Join the Hugonauts book club on discord Or you can watch our episodes on YouTube if you prefer video Similar books we recommend:  The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Alan Moore The First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie Night Watch by Terry Pratchett  This episode is sponsored by Pilgrims by M.R. Leonard. If you want to jump around, here are the timestamps for the episode: 00:00 Intro  01:17 Our review (4/5)  04:15 Sponsor - Pilgrims by M.R. Leonard  04:48 Incredibly entertaining fight scenes  07:53 Genuinely funny writing  12:34 Religion, power, and worldbuilding  14:32 The League of Extraordinary Gentleman  15:10 The First Law Trilogy  16:03 Night Watch  17:10 POST SPOILERS book summary  18:49 POST SPOILERS the characters  24:21 POST SPOILERS redemption?

This is exactly the kind of philosophical sci-fi we love - something new, something fresh, and something that will make you think. We wish the second half had been as good as the premise, but there's still no doubt this is one we'll be thinking about for years to come (and weirdly it already feels like we've been thinking about it for years).  If you’ve ever fallen down an SCP Foundation wiki rabbit hole, you know the vibe, but qntm takes it to a whole new level of existential dread. This isn't your typical alien invasion story; it’s a masterclass in cosmic horror where the monster isn't just invisible—it’s un-rememberable. We break down the terrifying logic of antimemes and how qntm manages to build a high-stakes thriller around a conflict that nobody even knows is happening.  For fans of weird fiction and high-concept science fiction, this book is essential reading. It sits in that sweet spot between the psychological puzzles of Blindsight, the bureaucratic nightmare of Control, and the drug-fueled confusion of A Scanner Darkly. Whether you’re a long-time follower of SCP Foundation lore or a newcomer looking for the next mind-bending book recommendation, we explore why There Is No Antimemetics Division is a landmark in modern internet-born literature and why its themes of memory loss and the power of ideas resonate so deeply today.  If you want to learn more about the real world organization trying to stop memes from destroying the world, check out Cause Amp, Brent's new project to combat disinformation online:  https://causeamp.org/ to learn more and get the browser extension Send Brent an email to learn more or volunteer: [email protected] As always, no spoilers until the end when we give a heads up before getting into the full plot discussion. Join the Hugonauts book club on discord Or you can watch our episodes on YouTube if you prefer video Similar books we recommend: Control (the video game) A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick The King in Yellow by Robert Chambers If you want to jump around, here are the timestamps for the episode: 00:00 Intro 00:30 Our review (4.25/5) 01:30 No spoilers plot setup 02:20 A genuinely exciting new big idea 03:41 SCP Foundation 5:46 Memes vs Antimemes 8:02 Cause Amp - the real world Antimemetics Division 11:38 Control (the game) 12:44 A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick 13:33 The King in Yellow by Robert W Chambers 15:26 POST SPOILERS discussion

If you thought The Martian was intense, let's just go ahead and raise the stakes.  We break down the movie version of Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary, comparing the film with the fun technical problem solving of the original novel. We take a close look at how the movie brings the "astrophage" threat and and action to life, more importantly, whether it is possible to have your hair tousled 100% of the time.  We dig into which complex scientific explanations were streamlined for Hollywood pacing and which "science-ing the heck out of it" moments remained intact. We also evaluate Ryan Gosling’s performance as the amnesiac-turned-savior, Ryland Grace, comparing his onscreen energy to the internal monologue that made the book a bestseller. Whether you’re a die-hard Rocky fan or a casual viewer who just loves a good space movie, this episode highlights the hits and misses of the transition from page to screen.  We wrap up by answering the ultimate questions: is the movie worth watching? Is the book worth reading? Settle on in, enjoy, and fist our bump.  Join the Hugonauts book club on discord Or you can watch our episodes on YouTube if you prefer video As always, no spoilers until the end when we give a heads up before getting into the full plot discussion. Similar books and movies we recommend:  The Martian (book and movie)  Story of Your Life (novela) and Arrival (movie)  2001 (book and movie)  Solaris (book and movie)  Roadside Picnic (book) and Stalker (the movie)  Children of Men (book and movie)  Edge of Tomorrow (movie) and All you Need is Kill (book)  War of the Worlds (book and movie)  Dune (we love eyebrows)  This episode is sponsored by STARLØK by J.T. Michaelstar: https://www.starløk.com/  If you want to jump around, here are the timestamps for the episode: 00:00 Intro and review  02:26 Sponsor – STARLØK by J.T. Michaelstar  03:04 Differences in the movie  8:13 Jokes vs cheesiness  10:15 How long can you look at Ryan Gosling?  12:16 Ever-tousled hair  16:27 Read or watch first?  17:53 The Martian  18:33 Story of Your Life & Arrival  19:46 2001 20:56 Solaris  22:03 Roadside Picnic & Stalker  23:54 Children of Men 25:30 All You Need is Kill & Edge of Tomorrow  26:38 War of the Worlds  28:16 Annihilation  28:56 Dune (we love eyebrows)  30:11 POST SPOILERS discussion

We had so much fun revisiting Mid-World for this episode – it’s the first series that brought us together as book nerds twenty years ago, and it’s absolutely just as good as the first day we read it. So thankful it helped tie our friendship together, and laid the foundation for meeting all the rest of you Hugonauts all these years later!  The Dark Tower defies (or bridges) genres, with elements of sci-fi, fantasy, western, horror, and more, all rolled into one legendary package. And Roland Deschain, the Gunslinger, is an incredible main character, and we’ll never forget the rest of the Ka-Tet either. And the ending – we won’t spoil it here, but man do we like thinking about this ending (it’s one of the most polarizing in all of literature). You may be picking up on the fact that we kinda like these books. Join the Hugonauts book club on discord Or you can watch our episodes on YouTube if you prefer video As always, no spoilers until the end when we give a heads up before getting into the full plot discussion. Similar books we recommend:  Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy Dragonriders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey Book of the New Sun series - Gene Wolfe This episode is sponsored by The Rising and the Fall of Hell by Sean Miller If you want to jump around, here are the timestamps for the episode: 00:00 Intro 01:58 Our review (5/5) 03:35 Sponsor – The Rising and the Fall of Hell by Sean Miller 04:09 About Stephen King 07:26 Incredible character writing 08:56 A 20 year series 10:30 Should we be reading on drugs? 12:38 Cody hates Star Wars 15:52 Every genre combined 18:02 Our favorite books in the series 19:39 The King Multiverse 21:10 The Dark Tower movie 22:03 Inspirations from other fiction 27:44 Similar books we recommend 31:27 POST SPOILERS discussion

We’ve got 15 books and series here, so there should be something to love for almost every reader (although we need some traditional fantasy page turners – send us some recommendations in the comments please)! Plus, at the end of the episode we each rank our personal top 3. We intentionally excluded YA and military sci-fi books, although those are often also page-turners - look out for episodes about each of those soon! Brent’s brother, Alex, joined us for this episode, and brought us a whole new batch of books (and frankly a couple new subgenres) to enjoy. LitRPG / progression fantasy just keep getting more popular, and we can see why – the books we’ve picked up have all been so, so fun to read (although it probably helps we’ve been reading Alex’s recommendations so far, the best of the best from the hundreds of LitRPG books he’s read). No spoilers anywhere in this episode. Join the Hugonauts book club on discord Or you can watch our episodes on YouTube if you prefer video This episode is sponsored by Quinto’s Challenge by Peter McChesney All the books we recommend, plus timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:48 Sponsor – Quinto’s Challenge by Peter McChesney 03:26 Silo by Hugh Howey 5:06 Mother of Learning by Domagoj Kurmaic 7:19 Murderbot by Martha Wells 9:10 Beware of Chicken by Casualfarmer 12:26 Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton 14:49 Mark of the Fool by J.M. Clarke 18:18 Project Hail Mary and The Martian by Andy Weir 19:40 Iron Prince by Bryce O'Connor 22:33 Dark Matter by Blake Crouch 24:04 He Who Fights With Monsters by Shirtaloon 28:47 Daemon by Daniel Suarez 31:07 The Perfect Run by Maxime J. Durand 33:39 The Bobiverse by Dennis E. Taylor 36:24 Eight by Samer Rabadi 38:37 Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman 46:18 Rankings: Top 3 page turners

We've got 18 books and series we highly recommend, so there's something here for all kinds of readers - and at the end of the episode we rank our top 3 to bring you the best of the best.  What is space opera? Books with big characters and a bigger world - they usually even come with big 'ol wordcounts. Space opera is often multi-pov, with interstellar travel and the fate of the galaxy at stake.  No spoilers anywhere in this episode. Join the Hugonauts book club on discordOr you can watch our episodes on YouTube if you prefer videoThis episode is sponsored by indie sci-fi publisher Lil' Factory All the books we recommend, plus timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:36 Sponsor - Lil' Factory 1:24 What is a space opera? 2:58 The Vorkosigan Saga - Lois McMaster Bujold 4:45 The Expanse - James S.A. Corey 6:38 Hyperion - Dan Simmons 9:51 House of Suns - Alistair Reynolds 11:32 Children of Time - Adrian Tchaikovsky 13:11 Fire Upon the Deep - Vernor Vinge 15:04 The Culture - Iain M. Banks 17:17 Peter F. Hamilton's whole discography 20:19 Embassytown - China Mieville 21:45 A Memory Called Empire - Arkady Martine 23:34 Dune - Are you happy now? 24:47 Ancillary Justice - Ann Leckie 26:34 Downbelow Station - C.J. Cherryh 26:05 The Mote in God's Eye - Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle 29:24 Startide Rising - David Brin 31:16 The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet - Becky Chambers 33:01 Foundation - Isaac Asimov 35:22 Rankings: 3rd best Space Opera 37:27 Rankings: 2nd best Space Opera 38:50 Rankings: 1st best Space Opera

This might be the best sci-fi book out there about nanotechnology. But Stephenson has so many good ones that this one isn't his best book - some of the characters lose their way, and it drags in the middle.  Oh, and one more good recommendation we forgot while we were recording - check out Blood Music by Greg Bear if you want a biological twist on nanotech! Join the Hugonauts book club on discordOr you can watch our episodes on YouTube if you prefer videoAs always, no spoilers until the end when we get into the full plot explanation and discussion. Similar books we recommend:  Snow Crash by Neal StephensonNeuromancer by William GibsonCory DoctorowPrey by Michael CrichtonThis episode is sponsored by Har Megiddon by Ron Bennett. If you want to jump around, here are the timestamps for the episode:    00:00 Intro00:47 Book setup1:49 Sponsor - Har Megiddon2:22 Our review 3.25/53:53 Great sections - and stinkers4:47 Incredible technology7:33 Hard to visualize?9:38 Dances with Wolves10:17 Labor saving devices13:59 Neal's infodumps19:25 Book structure25:47 Sponsor - Har Megiddon26:08 Similar books we recommend28:40 Spoilers section - book summary31:30 Spoilers section - discussion

From Sumeria, to Greece, to India, to the depths of the dark ages we explore the stories that have inspired everything that came later with a professor of mythology and medieval literature. This particular professor also happens to be Cody's mom, so this is also a great episode to explore Cody's psyche, for those brave enough to explore a dark and twisted place.  Join the Hugonauts book club on discordOr you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoIf you want to do some reading, here are our suggestions on the best translations of these myths (and even a couple great graphic novels):  Epic of Gilgamesh, trans. Andrew George, Penguin ClassicsThe Odyssey, trans. Robert FaglesThe Odyssey, Gareth Hinds graphic novelThe Iliad, Penguin ClassicsThe Aeneid, trans. Robert Fagles Penguin ClassicsAge of Bronze Series, Eric Shanower (series of graphic novels on Trojan War)Hercules, Fred Van LenteMonkey, trans. Arthur WaleyBeowulf, trans. Seamus HeaneyThe Popul Vuh, trans. Michael Bazzett, Milkweed EditionsThe Nibelungenlied, trans. AT Hatto, PenguinChretien de Troyes, Arthurian Romances, trans. William W. Kibler, PenguinLe Morte D’Arthur, Sir Thomas Malory, Penguin ClassicsTales from the Thousand and One Nights, trans. N.J. Dawood, Penguin ClassicsSindbad and Other Stories from Arabian Nights, trans Husain HaddowySinbad the Sailor, Penguin ClassicsThe Ramayana, Abridged and Translated by Arshia Sattar, Penguin Classics OR any children’s/YA book to get started. There are hundredsIf you want to jump around, here are the timestamps for all the books we talked about:  0:00 - Intro1:45 - The Epic of Gilgamesh6:35 - The Odyssey10:12 - The Iliad12:09 - The Aeneid14:12 - Hercules15:53 - Monkey (Excerpts from Journey to the West)21:00 - Beowulf25:25 - The Popul Vuh28:23 - The Nibelungenlied33:21 - King Arthur Myths (Malory, De Troyes)36:56 - Tales From the Thousand and One Nights41:40 - Sinbad the Sailor45:10 - The Ramayana49:55 - Our Top 3 favorite myths