Strange Horizons

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons criticism podcast, Dan Hartland is joined by Luna Gray and Mikaela Saverona, whose debut reviews for the magazine recently both touched on questions of shared world storytelling.

How should we think about these kinds of work critically? And how might we measure their success?

Luna's review of From the Library of Jurgen Leitner by Premee Mohamed⁠

Mikaela's review of The Sixth Faction by Veronica Roth

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons criticism podcast, Dan Hartland is joined by Ryan Elliott and Roseanna Pendlebury, who have both recently reviewed works for us of speculative fiction now shortlisted for the Booker Prize.

What do mean when we say something is “literary”? How do we know it when we see it … and what is it good for?

Ryan's review of The End of Everything by M. John Harrison

Roseanna's review of May We Feed the King by Rebecca Perry

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, A. J Odasso and Electra Pritchett join Dan Hartland to talk about popular fiction. Science fiction and fantasy has a long and complex relationship with questions of popular culture. Where does this stand today?

So often ignored or derided by so-called higher culture, how should critics approach it? And where should we situate it in our readings?

A. J.'s review of The Vampire Lestat

Electra's review of The Icarus Coda by Timothy Zahn

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Amritesh Mukherjee and Abigail Nussbaum join Dan Hartland to talk about literary awards. Discussions and debates about awards shortlists often seem to be a point of gravity in broader critical discussions, and can even affect how individual reviews get commissioned and written.

How do and how should critics interact with awards? What are they for? And do critics spend too much time thinking about them?

Amritesh's review of Mad Sisters of Esi by Tashan Mehta.

Abigail's review of Angel Down by Daniel Kraus.

In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, editor Michael Ireland presents "Because I Held His Name Like a Key" by Aimee Ogden, read by Jenna Hanchey

You can read the full text of the story, and more about Louis Inglis Hall ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠

Content Warnings:

• Disregard for personal autonomy
• Drug use
• Sex
• Rape/sexual assault
• Suicide

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Dean Leetal and William Shaw join Dan Hartland to talk about reading queerly: How do, should, and can reviewers and critics interested in LGBTQ+ people and their representation approach texts both avowedly queer and apparently heteronormative?

Dean's review of Charmed and Dangerous by Shelly Page

Will's review of Dead Boys in Space by Sara Youngblood Gregory

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Kate Macdonald and Duncan Lawie join Dan Hartland to tackle the question of the back catalog. How should reviewers and readers approach writers with a number of books already to their name? How should we think about and access authors who have enjoyed a career of some duration?

Kate's review of The Curve of the World by Vonda N. McIntyre.

Duncan's review of Loss Protcol by Paul McAuley.

In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, editor Michael Ireland presents "Cold Comfort" by Louis Inglis Hall, read by Emmie Christie

You can read the full text of the story, and more about Louis Inglis Hall ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠

Content Warnings:

• Animal cruelty/death
• Disregard for personal autonomy
• Body transformation
• Death/dying
• Mental health issues
• Suicide

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Hana Carolina and Alex Kingsley join Dan Hartland to think about reviewing debut books and writers. Is there an extra responsibility reviewers owe to new writers? And if so, what might it be?

Hana's review of Krackle's Last Movie by Chelsea Sutton

Alex's review of Isaac by Allee Mead

In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, editor Michael Ireland presents "Four Steps to Hunt a God" by Athar Fikry, read by Emmie Christie

You can read the full text of the story, and more about Lio Abendan ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠

Content Warnings:

• Disregard for personal autonomy
• Death/dying
• Murder
• Spiders/insects
• Violence/combat

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Jenny Hamilton and Anushree Nande join Dan Hartland to discuss romance and romantasy. A huge proportion of science fiction and fantasy works and sales are now accounted for by this form. But what is its appeal? What is it doing? And where is it going?

Jenny's review of Into The Midnight Wood by Alexandra McCollum

Anushree's review of The Tricky Business of Faerie Bargains by Reena McCarty

In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, editor Michael Ireland presents "I Wish You Died Laughing" by Lio Abendan, read by Jenna Hanchey

You can read the full text of the story, and more about Lio Abendan ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠

Content Warnings:

• Animal cruelty/death
• Disregard for personal autonomy
• Death/dying
• Homophobia
• Shaming
• Trans misgendering or other transphobic depictions
• Violence/combat

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Paul Kincaid and Dawn Macdonald join Dan Hartland to discuss style: What is it, what does it do, how can we think about it? And why does SFF seem to have such a fraught relationship with it? Get ready for Ursula K. Le Guin, Kurt Vonnegut, verse and poetry ... and police raids.

Paul's review of Syncopation by Whitney French.

Dawn's review of Into the Sun by C.F. Ramuz, translated by Olivia Baes and Emma Ramadan.

In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, editor Michael Ireland presents "The Aquarium of Lost Souls" by Natasha King, read by Jenna Hanchey

You can read the full text of the story, and more about Natasha King ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠

Content Warnings:

• Abuse
• Animal cruelty/death
• Disregard for personal autonomy
• Blood
• Body transformation
• Death/dying
• Dysphoria
• Violence/combat

In this episode, as part of our 2026 criticism special issue Tristan Beiter introduces us to the Ursula K. Le Guin book club he's been taking part in. The group discusses the book club as a forum for, and a practice of, criticism. How does it differ from the academy, from more formal venues, from fan spaces—and what kinds of critical activity and insight do those differences, equip it uniquely to deliver?

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Dan Hartland is joined by Shannon Fay and Marisa Mercurio to discuss horror, and especially its cozy variety. From the gothic to the slasher movie, how might texts within an increasingly broad tradition be judged as a success? And what should reviewers do when a given example falls short?

Shannon's review of The Macabre by Kosoko Jackson

Marisa's review of Slashed Beauties by A. Rushby

In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, editor Michael Ireland reads 'Orchard Village Catalog' by Parker Peevyhouse.

You can read the full text of the story, and more about Parker Peevyhouse ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Dan Hartland is joined by Cameron Miguel and Nick Hubble to discuss fantasy and its relationship to history and history-writing. Is some sense of the recordable past baked into the genre? And, if so, with what effects?

Cameron's review of Making History.

Nick's review of The Everlasting.

In the first part of episode 5 of Writing While Disabled, Kristy Anne Cox and Kate Johnston discuss some adjustments they'd like to see at science fiction conventions that would help create a more inclusive experience for all science fiction writers and fans, including moderator training, fire safety, a technology mentor-buddy system, and more.

If you prefer, you can watch the full episode with close-caption subtitles here.

Show Notes:

• This episode was produced and hosted by Kristy Anne Cox and Kate Johnston, and edited, mixed, and transcribed by Kat Kourbeti.
• The theme song, "Funky - Upbeat Loop" by ispeakwaves, is licensed under CC BY 4.0.
• Want to send us a question? You can do so here!

In this episode of Strange Horizons at 25, Podcast Editor Kat Kourbeti sits down with long-time Strange Horizons contributor RB Lemberg for a conversation about their extensive work with the magazine, using poetry as a tool to refine short and long-form fiction, writing about the diaspora experience, and the comfort one can find in stories from perspectives outside one's own. Oh, and Ursula K LeGuin, of course.

Links and things:

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• Are you starting to read stories for SFF awards season? Consider our fiction and poetry archives as a good starting point, and let us know your favourite stories and poems of the year on Bluesky.

Episode show notes:

• Read RB Lemberg's work in our archives.
• Visit their website, their Patreon, or follow them on Bluesky.
• Buy Yoke of Stars, their latest Birdverse novella, which just won the World Fantasy Award!
• Pre-order We Will Rise Again, the activism anthology edited by Annalee Newitz, Karen Lord, and Malka Older.
• Find more links to their work, plus other interesting things, scattered through the transcript on our website.