Podcast appearances and mentions of Gene Wolfe

Intro - Phil asks Metz how he liked the Stardust Crusaders arc of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure Content (12:12) - Discussion of Chapter 16 of In Green's Jungles, by Gene Wolfe. This Month's Read-Along - Stations of the Tide, by Michael Swanwick. Check out more at alzabosoup.com.

Intro - Metz and Phil talk about solo journaling games. Content (9:24) - Discussion of Chapter 15 of In Green's Jungles, by Gene Wolfe. This Month's Read-Along - Stations of the Tide, by Michael Swanwick. Check out more at alzabosoup.com.

In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss Gene Wolfe's The Boy Who Hooked the Sun: originally published as a chapbook and then collected in Starwater Strains and The Best of Gene Wolfe.

Intro - Phil asks Metz how he liked the Stardust Crusaders arc of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure Content (10:15) - Discussion of Part 2 of Chapter 14 of In Green's Jungles, by Gene Wolfe. This Month's Read-Along - Stations of the Tide, by Michael Swanwick. Check out more at alzabosoup.com.

Send us a textFor full episode, go to https://www.patreon.com/c/GettingLitThis week, we have compiled all four episodes of our Book of the New Sun series we did in 2023 into one massive 8.5 hour journey. Join Sini, J David Osborne and Kelby Losack as they unpack Gene Wolfe's masterwork of science fiction.Support the show

Intro - Metz and Phil listen to MD Foodie Boyz Content (7:56) - Discussion of Part 1 of Chapter 14 of In Green's Jungles, by Gene Wolfe. This Month's Read-Along - Sirius, by Olaf Stapledon Check out more at alzabosoup.com.

Gene Wolfe fan-fiction plus, part two!Support the network and gain access to over fifty bonus episodes by becoming a patron on ⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠.Want more science fiction in your life? Check out ⁠⁠The Gene Wolfe Literary Podcast⁠⁠.Love Neil Gaiman? Join us on ⁠⁠Hanging Out With the Dream King: A Neil Gaiman Podcast⁠⁠.Lovecraft? Poe? Check out ⁠⁠Elder Sign: A Weird Fiction Podcast⁠⁠.Trekker? Join us on ⁠⁠Lower Decks: A Star Trek Podcast⁠⁠.Want to know more about the Middle Ages? Subscribe to ⁠⁠Agnus: The Late Antique, Medieval, and Byzantine Podcast⁠⁠.

In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss two stories that Gene Wolfe declared the "Worst Werewolf Story" and "The Worst Miracle Story". 

In this episode, host KMO speaks with Kevin, co-host of the podcast and Substack publication "Synthesize Sunsets," which explores speculative fiction and the evolution of popular culture in the age of AI and algorithms.Key Discussion Points:17776 by John Boyce: Kevin discusses this multimedia science fiction narrative and how it represents a missed opportunity for innovation in digital storytelling formats.Decades losing their distinctiveness: The conversation explores how time periods had unique visual and cultural identities in the 20th century, while the 21st century has seen a flattening of aesthetic differences between decades.Publishing industry consolidation: They discuss how the consolidation of publishing houses has led to less diversity in science fiction and contributed to the growth of romance-focused fantasy at the expense of traditional science fiction.Science fiction authors and works: The pair share their perspectives on influential authors including Gene Wolfe's "Book of the New Sun," Ursula K. Le Guin, N.K. Jemisin's "Broken Earth" trilogy, Ted Chiang, Iain M. Banks, and Cixin Liu.Christianity and literature: How religious literacy impacts readers' ability to engage with certain works, particularly Gene Wolfe's writing which contains subtle Christian themes.Political perspectives in fiction: The challenges of creating politically engaged fiction that doesn't feel didactic, using examples like Banks' "Culture" series and contemporary works.Media and intellectual diversity: Kevin expresses hope for greater intellectual diversity in media and publishing, noting that Chinese sci-fi author Cixin Liu represents a genuinely different cultural perspective.

Intro - Phil and Metz discuss "A Solitare Mystery." Content (11:29) - Discussion of Part 2 of Chapter 13 of In Green's Jungles, by Gene Wolfe. This Month's Read-Along - Sirius, by Olaf Stapledon Check out more at alzabosoup.com.

Intro - Phil and Metz discuss "A Solitare Mystery." Content (7:00) - Discussion of Part 1 of Chapter 13 of In Green's Jungles, by Gene Wolfe. This Month's Read-Along - Sirius, by Olaf Stapledon Check out more at alzabosoup.com.

James Wynn and Craig Brewer, hosts of the ReReading Wolfe podcast, join us to discuss Gene Wolfe's classic novel The Urth of the New Sun, a sequel to The Book of the New Sun. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss "Date Due" a hidden short story contained in the Introduction to Gene Wolfe's Book of Days and in the compilation Castle of Days.

Intro - Metz talks about his daughter's obsession with Murder, She Wrote. Content (9:01) - Discussion of Chapter 12 of In Green's Jungles, by Gene Wolfe. This Month's Read-Along - Sirius, by Olaf Stapledon Check out more at alzabosoup.com.

Intro - Phil tells Metz about his experience reading Dickens, and the idea of a serial read. Content (9:20) - Discussion of Chapter 11 of In Green's Jungles, by Gene Wolfe. This Month's Read-Along - Riddley Walker, by Russell Hoban Check out more at alzabosoup.com.

Gene Wolfe fan-fiction plus.Support the network and gain access to over fifty bonus episodes by becoming a patron on ⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠.Want more science fiction in your life? Check out ⁠⁠The Gene Wolfe Literary Podcast⁠⁠.Love Neil Gaiman? Join us on ⁠⁠Hanging Out With the Dream King: A Neil Gaiman Podcast⁠⁠.Lovecraft? Poe? Check out ⁠⁠Elder Sign: A Weird Fiction Podcast⁠⁠.Trekker? Join us on ⁠⁠Lower Decks: A Star Trek Podcast⁠⁠.Want to know more about the Middle Ages? Subscribe to ⁠⁠Agnus: The Late Antique, Medieval, and Byzantine Podcast⁠⁠.

Gene Wolfe once said, “You never learn how to write a novel. You just learn how to write the novel that you're writing.” And the more I create, the more I realize how true this is—not just for writing, but for filmmaking, painting, music, and every other art form.Each project is its own unique puzzle, demanding fresh solutions. You never fully “arrive” as an artist; instead, you become an expert at navigating the unknown over and over again.In this episode, I dive into why embracing the uncertainty of creation is key to artistic growth—and why the most successful artists aren't the ones who “have it all figured out,” but the ones who thrive in the process of discovery.

Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week's entertainment news, including stories about Kindle, Yorkies, and James Bond. Then, stick around for a chat with Adrian Tchaikovsky!AdrianTchaikovsky was born in Lincolnshire and studied zoology and psychology at Reading before becoming a professional author in 2007. He is a keen role-player and board gamer and is trained in stage-fighting. His literary influences include Gene Wolfe, Mervyn Peake, China Miéville, Steven Erikson, Naomi Novak, Scott Lynch and Alan Campbell.Adrian primarily explores deep themes, such as artificial intelligence and alien awareness within epic galactic and fantastical settings.He has a deep interest in the animal world specifically insects from his studies in Zoology and has a particular penchant for spiders.

In which the Unreliable Narrators continue discussing Gene Wolfe's short story "The Hero as Werwolf.

2:58:36 – Frank in New Jersey, plus the Other Side. Topics include: Bus to up north, cat wheel update, throwing out trash cans, the end of garbage and money, Dungeon Crawler Carl, nature of creativity, The Urth of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe (1987), PEPs / Mandela Effect, Adam Curtis documentaries, ALSO Magazine, Halfevil Graphics, Search […]

2:58:36 – Frank in New Jersey, plus the Other Side. Topics include: Bus to up north, cat wheel update, throwing out trash cans, the end of garbage and money, Dungeon Crawler Carl, nature of creativity, The Urth of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe (1987), PEPs / Mandela Effect, Adam Curtis documentaries, ALSO Magazine, Halfevil Graphics, Search […]

Intro - Phil tells Metz about an amazing spice-dispensing invention. Content (8:40) - Discussion of Part 2 Chapter 10 of In Green's Jungles, by Gene Wolfe. This Month's Read-Along - Riddley Walker, by Russell Hoban Check out more at alzabosoup.com.

Intro - Metz and Phil talk about the practice of buying toys as an adult. Content (8:48) - Discussion of Part 1 of Chapter 10 of In Green's Jungles, by Gene Wolfe. This Month's Read-Along - Riddley Walker, by Russell Hoban Check out more at alzabosoup.com.

In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss Gene Wolfe's The Hero as Werwolf.

Intro - Metz and Phil marvel at Progresso Soup Drops. Content (8:53) - Discussion of Part 2 Chapter 9 of In Green's Jungles, by Gene Wolfe. This Month's Read-Along - Riddley Walker, by Russell Hoban Check out more at alzabosoup.com.

Intro - Phil and Metz remember David Lynch Content (11:00) - Discussion of Part 1 Chapter 9 of In Green's Jungles, by Gene Wolfe. This Month's Read-Along - The Player of Games, by Iain M. Banks. Check out more at alzabosoup.com.

Intro - Phil tells Metz about some of the top toys of 2024. Content (5:05) - Discussion of Chapter 8 of In Green's Jungles, by Gene Wolfe. This Month's Read-Along - The Player of Games, by Iain M. Banks. Check out more at alzabosoup.com.

Intro - Phil asks Metz to describe a perfect board game. Content (8:23) - Discussion of Chapter 7 of In Green's Jungles, by Gene Wolfe. This Month's Read-Along - The Player of Games, by Iain M. Banks. Check out more at alzabosoup.com.

Intro - Phil and Metz discuss Hundreds of Beavers. Content (8:53) - Discussion of Chapter 6 of In Green's Jungles, by Gene Wolfe. This Month's Read-Along - The Player of Games, by Iain M. Banks. Check out more at alzabosoup.com.

For our first episode of 2025, we touch upon novels we've been reading for the new year, including Charles Stross's 13th Laundry novel/collection A Conventional Boy and Ray Nayler's Where the Axe is Buried, as well as the frustrations of reading books on deadlines—as opposed to wallowing in them at leisure, and some non-SF writers we like. Gary then mentions how hard it is to gain perspective on novels of the past year, and suggests looking instead at important books of the entire past quarter-century from the perspective of 2025.  We only got partway through his list, which included novels by Alastair Reynolds, Kim Stanley Robinson, Octavia Butler, M. John Harrison, Margaret Atwood, Susanna Clarke, Gene Wolfe, Cixin Liu, and Robert Charles Wilson; collections by Kelly Link, Margo Lanagan, and Jeff Ford; anthologies by Sheree R. Thomas and Gardner Dozois—the last of which leads to a discussion of the durability of space opera as a defining SF theme. Plenty of stuff to argue with this week!

For our first episode of 2025, we touch upon novels we've been reading for the new year, including Charles Stross's 13th Laundry novel/collection A Conventional Boy and Ray Nayler's Where the Axe is Buried, as well as the frustrations of reading books on deadlines—as opposed to wallowing in them at leisure, and some non-SF writers we like. Gary then mentions how hard it is to gain perspective on novels of the past year, and suggests looking instead at important books of the entire past quarter-century from the perspective of 2025.  We only got partway through his list, which included novels by Alastair Reynolds, Kim Stanley Robinson, Octavia Butler, M. John Harrison, Margaret Atwood, Susanna Clarke, Gene Wolfe, Cixin Liu, and Robert Charles Wilson; collections by Kelly Link, Margo Lanagan, and Jeff Ford; anthologies by Sheree R. Thomas and Gardner Dozois—the last of which leads to a discussion of the durability of space opera as a defining SF theme. Plenty of stuff to argue with this week!

Intro - Metz asks Phil how Sonic got a 3-movie franchise. Content (8:33) - Discussion of Part 3 of Chapter 5 of In Green's Jungles, by Gene Wolfe. This Month's Read-Along - The Player of Games, by Iain M. Banks. Check out more at alzabosoup.com.

Intro - Phil informs Metz about new developments surrounding the game Palworld. Content (8:42) - Discussion of Part 2 of Chapter 5 of In Green's Jungles, by Gene Wolfe. This Week's Play - The Alchemist, by Ben Jonson  Check out more at alzabosoup.com.

Erik from Imaginary Game Studios joins Ben in HIS virtual studio this week to chat about all manner of things—his experiences as a sports writer, his love of literature, his creative process, and of course his philosophy of game design.  After discussing what's "under construction" in the world of Rogue Climber, what games they have been playing, and their odd experiences in Chicago (which in itself is a thematically appropriate path), they dive in to the topic at hand… the word circuitous!  They follow the conversation through the unique topography of books, movies, games, and cultural references to its destination where Ben asks Erik to share his advice on creating, developing, and prototyping a video game concept. *** 00:00:21 - Many spreadsheets, Ed's Excel love, freaks at the coffee shop, and a Magic 8-Ball  00:03:39 - Pro bono, what Christian and Erik learned at PAX, and the Roblox generation 00:05:50 - Rogue Climber ancillary stuff, the correct direction, about seven, and what is janky? 00:08:32 - Eighty or weighty, the Tron level, a cardboard cutout, and Millennial gamers are soft 00:10:57 - Erik platinums Black Myth: Wukong, the Cyberpunk 2077 caveat, and a good segue  00:14:00 - Writing the sports news, Ben's question about quality, and SlavicPunk: Oldtimer 00:16:33 - A film noir soundtrack, amazingly crafted world, and the banal hacking mini game  00:18:45 - Dragonage and Blueski, pocket experiences, broken English, and an annoying boss  00:22:55 - Small font, Red Square Games' next title, bad translations, and finding drug crumbs 00:26:45 - Erik's Chicago story, a dead pigeon, absorbance, and the emcee of the spelling bee 00:33:10 - The nature of the creative process, in inches or graphs, and the perils of efficiency    00:35:48 - Two types of fiction, Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian, and Gene Wolfe books 00:40:22 - John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, “The Hobbit” LP, and a well kept secret about babies 00:43:25 - Rock & Rule, Ralph Bakshi's Wizards, the Washington Bullets, Joust, and Zardoz 00:46:16 - A talking point itinerary for next time, and Ben's favorite commercial fiction authors  00:48:15 - American Psycho, three if you're keeping score, Bono as Satan, and the message 00:50:59 - Swimming up the waterfall, getting it all out of your head, and evaluation at the end 00:53:10 - Being creative for yourself, figuring out where to start, and creating the prototype 00:58:59 - Catch the vibe, the next word, gorilla arms, crushing heads, and strategic saving 01:01:30 - Agreement about NieR: Automata, three times, no connection, and the same river 01:03:06 - Erik's words of wisdom, something unique, planning, and make no assumptions  *** Follow Two Vague on… Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast On Substack: https://substack.com/@twovaguepodcast On Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/twovaguepodcast.com For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com -AND-  …for all of your PRI and 2VP merch check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC! https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries References, Links, and Tags Check out SlavicPunk: Oldtimer on Steam… https://store.steampowered.com/app/1820140/SlavicPunk_Oldtimer/ Follow all of the shenanigans going on at Imaginary Game Studios… On their website: https://www.imaginarygamestudios.com/ On their Discord: https://discord.gg/YyDD7ECtdJ On their YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@caxtnova Imaginary Game Studios GAMES on Steam:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2673440/Rogue_Climber/  

Intro - Phil makes Metz try some Japanese candy. Content (11:26) - Discussion of Part 1 Chapter 5 of In Green's Jungles, by Gene Wolfe. This Week's Play - The Tempest, by William Shakespeare Check out more at alzabosoup.com.

Intro - Phil and Metz discuss the complexities of novelty popcorn buckets. Content (5:49) - Discussion of Chapter 4 of In Green's Jungles, by Gene Wolfe. This Week's Play - The Witch of Edmonton, by John Ford, Thomas Dekker, and William Rowley Check out more at alzabosoup.com.

Intro - We announce our 2025 read-along list of 12 titles picked by our patrons. Content (9:35) - Discussion of Chapter 3 of In Green's Jungles, by Gene Wolfe. This Week's Play - Hamlet, by William Shakespeare Check out more at alzabosoup.com.

James Wynn and Craig Brewer, hosts of the ReReading Wolfe podcast, join us to discuss Gene Wolfe's classic novel The Fifth Head of Cerberus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Intro - Metz and his family return to a bankrupt Red Lobster. Content (9:02) - Discussion of Chapter 2 of In Green's Jungles, by Gene Wolfe. This Week's Play - The Winter's Tale, by William Shakespeare Check out more at alzabosoup.com.

Intro - Phil and Metz are disturbed that they can summon the spirit of Samuel Adams. Content (5:50) - Discussion of Part 2 of Chapter 1 of In Green's Jungles, by Gene Wolfe. This Week's Play - Much Ado About Nothing, by William Shakespeare Check out more at alzabosoup.com.

Intro - Phil explains why he's trying to read 100 books this year Content (8:03) - Discussion of Part 1 of Chapter 1 of In Green's Jungles, by Gene Wolfe. This Week's Play - The Duchess of Malfi, by John Webster. Check out more at alzabosoup.com.

Intro - Phil talks about the UFO 50 series of games. Content (11:14) - Discussion of the Character list and Letter in In Green's Jungles, by Gene Wolfe. This Week's Play - The Taming of the Shrew, by William Shakespeare. Check out more at alzabosoup.com.

Intro - Phil and Metz talk about seeing Elizabethan plays live this summer. Content (14:31) - Discussion of How the Whip Came Back by Gene Wolfe and Camels and Dromedaries, Clem by R. A. Lafferty. This Week's Play - The Jew of Malta, by Christopher Marlowe. Check out more at alzabosoup.com.

Intro - Phil and Metz discuss the challenge of avoiding spoilers while podcasting. Content (9:09) - General discussion of chapter 16 of On Blue's Waters, by Gene Wolfe. This Week's Play - Measure for Measure, by William Shakespeare. Check out more at alzabosoup.com.

Intro - Metz and Phil extol the virtues of Skelly the giant skeleton. Content (13:15) - Discussion of chapter 16 of On Blue's Waters, by Gene Wolfe. This Week's Play - The Witch, by Thomas Middleton Check out more at alzabosoup.com.

Intro - Phil and Metz discuss the New York Times list of the 100 best books of the 21st century. Content (10:43) - Discussion of chapter 15 of On Blue's Waters, by Gene Wolfe. This Week's Play - Pericles, Prince of Tyre Check out more at alzabosoup.com.

Intro - Metz and Phil take a look at the Emmy Awards Content (13:15) - Discussion of part 2 of chapter 14 of On Blue's Waters, by Gene Wolfe. This Week's Play - Love's Labour's Lost, by William Shakespeare Check out more at alzabosoup.com.

Intro - Phil and Metz celebrate their eigth anniversary. Content (3:44) - Discussion of part 1 of chapter 14 of On Blue's Waters, by Gene Wolfe. This Week's Play - Antony and Cleopatra, by William Shakespeare Check out more at alzabosoup.com.

Intro - Phil and Metz are fascinated by Funko Fusion. Content (7:57) - Discussion of part 3 of chapter 13 of On Blue's Waters, by Gene Wolfe. This Week's Play - The Blind Beggar of Alexandria, by George Chapman Check out more at alzabosoup.com.

Intro - Phil tries to explain the value of Elden Ring DLC to Metz. Content (8:21) - Discussion of part 2 of chapter 13 of On Blue's Waters, by Gene Wolfe. This Week's Play - The Two Noble Kinsmen by William Shakespeare and John Fletcher. Check out more at alzabosoup.com.