Podcast appearances and mentions of paul weimer

Fanbots, questionable eye contact, and steampunk adventurers, oh my! Shaun Duke and Paul Weimer are joined by the wonderful Martha Wells for a discussion about her career, Murderbot (and the new TV show on Apple TV+), the Emilie books, and more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Don't forget to catch our live format every Friday at 7 PM Central on Twitch at AlphabetStreams! If you have a question you'd like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Methane gas, planetary disks, and Martian sunsets, oh my! Shaun Duke and Paul Weimer are joined by John E. Moores for a discussion about the solar system, planetary science, Mars, and other wonders of our little corner in the universe! Unsurprisingly, we learned a lot, and so will you! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: If you have a question you'd like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Mythical boar, pastoral vibes, and wizards, oh my! Shaun Duke, Paul Weimer, and Trish Matson join forces to discuss Patricia A. McKillip's 1974 fantasy novel, The Forgotten Beasts of Eld! Together, they tackle the novel's examination of fairytales, the meaning and terror of controlling someone's mind, and the destructive power of revenge, and much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: If you have a question you'd like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Haunted engines, scary memories, and cancelled shore leave, oh my! Shaun Duke and Paul Weimer are joined by Eden Royce for a return visit to 1997's Event Horizon! Together, they explore the film's production history, its themes and approaches to horror, the cast and characterization, and much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Don't forget to catch our live format every Friday at 7 PM Central on Twitch at AlphabetStreams! If you have a question you'd like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Emperors, wars, and medieval propaganda, oh my! Shaun Duke and Paul Weimer are joined by David M. Perry to discuss Oathbreakers (co-written with Matthew Gabriele). Together, they tackle the complex task of writing history for a general audience, the narratives of medieval peoples, Charlemagne, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Don't forget to catch our live format every Friday at 7 PM Central on Twitch at AlphabetStreams! If you have a question you'd like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Submarines, space mutants, and bad kitties, oh my! Shaun Duke, Paul Weimer, and special guest Natania Barron join forces to tackle Wing Commander (1999)! Together, they talk about the 90s aesthetic, what it means to be pretty in space, the logic of space submarines, the Backstreet Boys, and more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: If you have a question you'd like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Bugs, alien messages, and root beer dispensers, oh my! Shaun Duke, Trish Matson, and Paul Weimer meet in a hotel room at Capricon to spin a delightful yarn with the indie narrative story game Foretold: From Earth! We've received a mysterious message from space, and we've got no choice but to build a makeshift ship in someone's barn so we can investigate! Will we succeed? Or will things go sideways? Tune in to find out! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Don't forget to catch our live format every Friday at 7 PM Central on Twitch at AlphabetStreams! If you have a question you'd like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Joyful pasts, hopeful futures, and Dr. Doom, oh my! Shaun Duke, Trish Matson, Paul Weimer, and David Annandale join forces to share the things they loved in 2024 and the things they're looking forward to in 2025! We discuss books, movies, geeky things, experiences, and much more! Plus, we share some announcements about the show! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Don't forget to catch our live format every Friday at 7 PM Central on Twitch at AlphabetStreams! If you have a question you'd like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Flappy props, vampiric birds, and radio heads, oh my! Shaun Duke, Paul Weimer, and David Annandale join forces to discuss 1946's The Flying Serpent. Together, they talk about the history of the film's studio, try to make sense of TFS's plot and character choices, talk vampire bird logic, and much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: If you have a question you'd like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Mysterious traders, technophobia, and Mennonites, oh my! Shaun Duke, Trish Matson, and Paul Weimer join forces to discuss Leigh Brackett's The Long Tomorrow (1955). Together, they tackle Brackett's legacy, her treatment of religion- and technophobia-infused dystopia, gender roles, AI, and much more. Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Don't forget to catch our live format every Friday at 7 PM Central on Twitch at AlphabetStreams! If you have a question you'd like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Possessions, legacies of violence, and shared worlds, oh my! Shaun Duke and Paul Weimer are joined by Premee Mohamed to discuss One Message Remains! Together, they explore the task of writing interconnected short fiction, the complexities of people within empires, violence and the human will to destroy, and much more. Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: If you have a question you'd like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Bad robots, Jeep jerks, and space shuttles, oh my! Shaun Duke, Trish Matson, and Paul Weimer join forces to tackle 1986's SpaceCamp! Together, they rip into the film's gender politics, unpack NASA's apparently terrible security, get confused about Jeeps, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: If you have a question you'd like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Bizarre physics, chef adventurers, and talking ships, oh my! Shaun Duke and Paul Weimer are joined by Cat Rambo for a riveting discussion about Rumor Has It. Together, they explore Cat's approach to point of view and spectacle, the complexities of infodumps, writing space opera, and much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: If you have a question you'd like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

This week, Patrick and Tracy welcome Two-Time Hugo Award winner Paul Weimer. About Paul Weimer: Paul Weimer is a Two-Time 2024 Hugo Award winner for Fan Writer and Fanzine (Editor). Not really a Prince of Amber, but rather, an ex-pat New Yorker living in Minnesota, Paul Weimer has been reading sci-fi and fantasy for over […] The post Episode 640-With Paul Weimer appeared first on The Functional Nerds.

Sandals, toxic alphas, and questionable power, oh my! Shaun Duke, Trish Matson, and Paul Weimer join forces to discuss Jo Clayton's Diadem from the Stars (1977). Together, they explore the book's approach to gender and societal structures, its response to sword and sandal sexual politics, what it means to have psionic powers, and much more. Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: If you have a question you'd like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Mutant cats, bad paleontology, and doggies, oh my! Shaun Duke and Paul Weimer join forces with the phenomenal Foz Meadows for a bonkers discussion of 2016's Star Paws! Together, they untangle the film's plot about a super bone, get lost in its perception of time, and ponder the romantic relationships of the onscreen dogs. Plus more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: If you have a question you'd like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Totalizing worlds, imagined cultures, and genre limits, oh my! Shaun Duke, Paul Weimer, and Stephen Geigen-Miller join forces to discuss the so-called “problems” with worldbuilding, the impact of worldbuilding obsessions on story, and what SF/F could be without so much worldbuilding! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: If you have a question you'd like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Special segment regarding the writings of Paul Weimer! Sci Fi World near L.A. still isn't open; LeGuin home becomes writers' residence, Hilary Hartwel is FIRED; The Acolyte gets review-bombed, as does Doctor Who. NASA ends first of few missions aimed at simulating life on Mars. We pour Paul Weimer a Cold One! A word from our (bogus) sponsor... Karl Klinger's bicycle is restored X2! Positive reviews for The Scotty! Re: Chris Barkley's article regarding Penguicon (and Leslie Varney!) Robert Bloch's Hugo Award is up for grabs!

Crunchy humans, errant organs, and family curses, oh my! Shaun Duke and Paul Weimer are joined by John Wiswell to discuss his new novel, Someone You Can Build a Nest In. Together, they explore John's approach to narrative, tackle the beauty and terror of body horror, chat fairy tales and aromantic protagonists, and so much more. Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: If you have a question you'd like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Collapsing societies, feminist interpretations, and harsh truths, oh my! Trish Matson and Paul Weimer join forces to discuss Suzy McKee Charnas' Walk to the End of the World (1974). Together, they explore the books worldbuilding, its feminist themes and historical significance, Charnas' prose, the oppressive feeling of living in a society that is collapsing, and so much more. Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: If you have a question you'd like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Inept spies, bad pilots, and Russians, oh my! Shaun Duke, Paul Weimer, and Becca Evans join forces to discuss the 1982's Firefox! Together, they explore the film's literary roots, why Clint Eastwood talks to chairs, what it really means to be a good pilot (bad movie), the Cold War, and much more! Thanks for listening. […]

Tree magic, complicated wars, and bard-acity, oh my! Shaun Duke and Paul Weimer are joined by Kevin Hearne to talk about his latest novel, A Curse of Krakens, the thrilling conclusion to The Seven Kennings series. Together, they discuss Hearne's approach to storytelling in an epic fantasy setting, weaving complicated kingdom politics and unique magic […]

We spend a lot of time thinking about how to work with worldbuilding as writers -- but how does a reviewer approach the topic when they're reading works of sci-fi and fantasy? Guest Paul Weimer joins us to share his insights as a prolific consumer and critiquer of speculative fiction! Paul talks about the details that he pays attention to, the things he looks for, and the things that draw his attention, as well as discussing the purpose of reviews and who they're for (hint: it's not the authors!). In this episode, we spin things around to look at how we approach worldbuilding and narrative construction as readers -- since we are, of course, readers as well as writers! We explore of aspects of how a writer can set and, hopefully, meet expectations through worldbuilding -- and where that can sometimes become challenging as a series goes on. What makes a world exciting to enter in the first place? What grips a reader and keeps them with it? And how can you use worldbuilding to make your wizard chase sequence a more cohesive part of your world? Also, here's Natania's rock, as promised: [Transcript TK] Our Guest: Not really a Prince of Amber, but rather, an ex-pat New Yorker living in Minnesota, Paul Weimer has been reading sci-fi and fantasy for over 40 years. An avid and enthusiastic amateur photographer, blogger and podcaster, Paul primarily contributes to the Skiffy and Fanty Show as blogger and podcaster, to Nerds of a Feather as a reviewer and interviewer, to the SFF Audio podcast, and turns up elsewhere as well. If you've spent any time reading about SFF online, you've probably read one of his reviews, comments or tweets (he's @PrinceJvstin).

Bad hair days, broken systems, and anti-imperial struggle, oh my! Shaun Duke, Trish Matson, and Paul Weimer join forces to discuss science fiction empires! Together, they tease out some of the threads of this massive topic, exploring why empires are so common, what makes them collapse, and more. There may be more to this topic […]

Uplifted otters, competent women, and overconfident aliens, oh my! Shaun Duke, Trish Matson, and Paul Weimer join forces for our first ever Mining the Genre Asteroid subcast. In this special show, we'll go back in time to lesser known or unfairly forgotten science fiction, fantasy, and horror from before 1980 to explore what wonders are […]

The past, the future, and geek plans, oh my! Shaun Duke, Daniel Haeusser, Trish Matson, Paul Weimer, and Brandon O'Brien begin the new 2024 season with some announcements, some jokes, and a whole lotta of their favorite things from 2023 and the thing they're looking forward to in 2024! The announcements are big ones, too! […]

ISBW S20 Ep4 Hugos are still messy, so check out Chris M. Barkley*, Paul Weimer, Alasdair Stuart, and Jason Sanford and the excellent fanwriting they do. *Accidentally call him Charles in the recording. Sorry! We talk character depth, using Baldur's Gate 3 as an example. Lastly we get in to the hybrid outline thing I'm trying to do to help me write.  Show Links Paul Weimer Chris M. Barkley  Jason Sanford Alasdair Stuart Nancy Kress' Beginnings, Middles, and Ends (affiliate) Evergreen Links I don't talk enough about the I Should Be Writing book. It exists. Did you know that? Mur's newsletter, The Hot Mic Socials: Bluesky, Mastodon, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate. No more bird site. Alas. Theme by John Anealio I Should Be Writing tea blends Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books! February 12, 2024 | Season 20 Ep 4 | murverse.com | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Bumbles, snowmen, and Santa's food problem, oh my! Shaun Duke, Paul Weimer, and Trish Matson join forces to talk about the holiday classic, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer! Together, they discuss the film's themes of otherness, unpack the film's interpretation of reindeer and elves, crack a few jokes, and even get into the broadcast history of […]

Award shenanigans, venture capitalists, and bad film execs, oh my! Shaun Duke, Paul Weimer, Daniel Haeusser, and Trish Matson join forces to discuss the Hugo Award nominees, some happenings in Hollywood that you already know about, and even some worrisome activity in the publishing landscape. Plus, we tell some jokes and have a few giggles. […]

Weird romances, France propaganda, and Gerard Butler's careless whisper, oh my! Shaun Duke, Paul Weimer, and Trish Matson join forces to tackle a time travel “classic” — Timeline! Together, they try to make sense of its plot, make fun of its treatment of medieval France, fawn over Gerard Butler, and get lost in thought about […]

Dungeons, Worldcon, and Afterlives, Oh My! Shaun Duke, Brandon O'Brien, Paul Weimer, and Trish Matson join forces again for our 2nd S&F Clacks show (now fashionably late). In this live show, they discussed the D&D Creators Summit and the future of the game, the Chengdu Worldcon and the Hugo Awards, and some somber news from […]

Border trouble, editing bad stuff out of books, and AI fiction run amok, oh my! Shaun Duke, Brandon O'Brien, Paul Weimer, and Trish Matson join forces for the 1st ever S&F Clacks, our brand new SF/F/H current events and listener questions live show! Together before a live audience on our Twitch channel, they discuss Oghenechovwe […]

Hotel polar plunges, deadly panels, and four nerds in a hotel room, oh my! Shaun Duke, Brandon O'Brien, Paul Weimer, and Trish Matson join forces LIVE at Capricon 43 in Chicago! That's right: four of our number conspired to meet at a convention to record a podcast about said convention…and talk about very nerdy things […]

Grumpy wizards, Reindeer steroids, and snowman murder, oh my! Shaun Duke, Paul Weimer, and Alex Acks join forces to tackle Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July (1979) for our annual Holiday Special. Together, they try to make sense of its bonkers plot, why retcons are ridiculous, just what makes Christmas in July a thing, circus […]

Hi folks, Mike here. We'll have more Girl by Moonlight: Fractal Spire for you next week, but I wanted to check in here with a brief message of thanks on behalf of the whole Speculate team to everyone that supported the fundraiser marathon this last weekend. Whether you donated, pledged to patreon, hung out with us and chatted, helped run the giveaways, or anything else, you showed the strength and passion of the Speculate community! Thanks to the community's amazing efforts, we raised a total of $1,001 between direct donations and pledges to our patreon. We held five raffles giving away works by the co-hosts, from novels and collections to albums and comics, and we streamed for over nine hours across three segments. If you weren't able to join us live, you can watch the whole thing on YouTube at this link:  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcMKGE-tXguUkLcKhc4XdY2WCGIxk_KgG We want to give special thanks to our guests: Trish Matson (who also wrote and performed an amazing hype video for the marathon that you can find in this playlist), Paul Weimer, Shaun Duke, and Noelle Leigh. and the Strange Friends crew, including Blades in the Deep GM Iori Kusano as well as Jeoi Gawain Lin, and Valerie Valdes. Big thanks to the amazing moderators at twitch.tv/arvaneleron. And thanks again to everyone that donated and joined us live for the festivities. Brandon, Greg, and I are taking a little bit of time to rest and then we'll set ourselves to the glorious task of plotting awesomeness as we work to realize the opportunities created by this incredible show of support from you, the Speculate community!

Computer buddies, bad nukes, and scientist espionage, oh my! Shaun Duke, Brandon O'Brien, and Paul Weimer join forces to discuss Colossus: The Forbin Project (1970). Together, they explore the film's interpretation of AI gone bad, its treatment of the cold war, whether Colossus is in love with Forbin, the bizarre politics of 1970s science fiction, […]

Hugo-nominated Fan Writer Paul Weimer joins me for a discussion of ...And Call Me Conrad, by Roger Zelazny, co-winner of the 1966 Hugo Award for Best Novel. Start - 10:26Intro through "Why this book?"10:27 - 22:59Non-Spoiler discussion23:00 - endSpoiler discussion Notes & Mentions: The Dying Earth, by Gene WolfeCage of Souls, Adrian TchaikovskyCharlie Jane Anders' worksJo Graham's workThe Martian Obelisk, Linda NagataNightwings, Robert SilverbergThe Gurkha and the Lord of Tuesday, Saad Z. HossainDreamsnake, by Vonda McIntyre Paul's Links: Twitter: https://twitter.com/princejvstin Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/princejvstin

Swiss cheese brain, questionable histories, and Al's escapades, oh my! Shaun Duke, Brandon O'Brien, and Paul Weimer join forces w/ special guest Marshall Ryan Maresca for an in-depth discussion of the first season of Quantum Leap, a true classic of science fiction television. Together, they explore Scott Bakula's star power, the show's approach to history […]

Tethered souls, murderous Santa Cruz, and fire!!!, oh my! Shaun Duke, Brandon O'Brien, and Paul Weimer join forces to Jordan Peele's Us (2019). Together, they explore the film's historical references, its treatment of class politics and horror tropes, what it's like to be a crawdaddy, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you […]

Worries, needs, and the future, oh my! Shaun Duke, Brandon O'Brien, and Paul Weimer get honest about the state of the show in 2022. How are we feeling about where we're at and where we'd like to go? What do we still hope to do? What barriers are keeping us from our dreams? And what […]

Great experiences, bonkers good literature, and media wonders, oh my! Shaun Duke, Brandon O'Brien, Iori Kusano, and Paul Weimer open up 2022 with a look back at what brought us joy in 2021 and a look forward to the things we're excited about in 2022. Plus, we give a quick look into what to expect […]

Kevin and Lori went to Worldcon in Washington, DC! It was fun! We'll tell you a little bit about the con itself, plus lots about dogs and food and meeting new friends. We were very excited to find out after the Hugo Awards that we were on the long list for best fancast! We were only a few nominations away from the ballot. If you'd like to nominate us this year, be sure to grab your Worldcon 2022 membership by the deadline, January 31. You can purchase a membership online at https://chicon.org/. For a thorough and nuanced discussion of the sponsorship and site selection issues, check out this free Patreon post by Hugo-nominated fan writer Paul Weimer: https://www.patreon.com/posts/60266480 Music by Eon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVbvE0PJyss

Today is the first of a series of episodes that I am starting off with in 2022 - all about The Future! Paul Weimer is an economist who studied at the London school of economics and now runs a Crypto hedge fund. We had fun discussing the future of cryptocurrency, decentralized finance, NFTs, and how we all can learn and participate in shaping the best future for the most people possible.

80s politics, weird story choices, and Wolverines!!!, oh my! Shaun Duke, Alex Acks, and Paul Weimer join forces to discuss 1984's most memorable jingoistic nuclear war film, Red Dawn. Together, they discuss the film's history and impact, just what it takes to be a Wolverine, what the 80s were like, and so much more! Thanks […]

American crime syndicates, movie rip-offs, and so much walking, oh my! Shaun Duke, Brandon O'Brien, Paul Weimer, and Daniel Haeusser join forces to discuss the Toei v-cinema production, Lady Battle Cop (1990)! Together, they try to make sense of its crime-ridden world, just what it borrows from RoboCop (1987), why choreography is important, and so […]

Lesbian vampires, Ottawa, and bad wigs, oh my! Shaun Duke and Paul Weimer bring on special guest and friend of the show Tonia Ransom for a truly special edition of Torture Cinema! Together, they discuss 2001's totally absurd parody film, Jesus Christ, Vampire Hunter. Just what makes this movie tick? Why are there so many […]

Vicious temptation, religious morals, and tap dancing, oh my! Shaun Duke and Paul Weimer take a time machine back to the 1940s to look at the jazz- and swing-infused religious fable, Cabin in the Woods! They discuss the film's legacy, its take on black spirituality (as best as we understand it), its themes of temptation […]

White bread, thick shins, and it's Myanmar not Constanti-Burma, oh my! Shaun Duke, Jen Zink, and Paul Weimer fulfill their destiny as pawns to our Patreon supporters in our annual Holiday Special Torture Cinema! Together, they look at The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018) and the meaning of characters in the context of a […]

White bread, thick shins, and it's Myanmar not Constanti-Burma, oh my! Shaun Duke, Alex Acks, and Paul Weimer give our listeners a special present: a totally unexpected Torture Cinema episode on Jiu Jitsu (2020)! Together, they discuss the film's bonkers plot, it's characters (or lack thereof), it's acting, it's locations, and basically everything else… Thanks […]

Empty promises, Irish Magneto, and Gatling gun horses, oh my! Shaun Duke, Alex Acks, and Paul Weimer turn their eyeballs to superhero films in this trip into the confusingly unimaginative world of Jonah Hex (2010! Together, they discuss the film's treatment of history, how to properly use a John Malkovich, what Irish Magneto was doing […]

Holes in the wall, grief, and questionable nationalism, oh my! Shaun Duke and Paul Weimer take a nostalgic trip back to the 90s to examine Barry Sonnenfeld's Men in Black (1997)! Together, they discuss the film's place in the rhetoric of the 90s, its approach to comedy, its treatment of the issue of immigration and […]

Deserted islands, shark monsters, and terrible friends, oh my! Shaun Duke and Paul Weimer tag team to discuss the Blumhouse Productions film Sweetheart (dir. J.D. Dillard). Together, they explore the film's simple premise, Dillard's approach to cinematography and race, just what it means to be the last girl, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope […]

Cyberpunk magic, wicked billionaires, and referencing American presidents, oh my! Paul Weimer pulls out his interview pants to talk to Charles Stross about the newest Laundry Files novel, Dead Lies Dreaming. They dig into the long-running Laundry Files series, this new novel's political intrigue in a world of mansions and curses, and even how Trump […]

Trek rehashes, Klingons, and shooty spaceships, oh my! It's another magical day in the Skiffy and Fanty Universe! Today, we share another episode most of you have never heard before because it never released on the main feeds:  our discussion of Star Trek Into Darkness! Listen to Shaun Duke, Paul Weimer, and special guest Jay Garmon […]

Derelict spacecraft, alien goo, and confused science, oh my! Today's episode is a special one. Most of you have never heard it before because it never appeared on the Skiffy and Fanty feeds! So go back in time with Shaun Duke and Paul Weimer for an early conversation about Prometheus! We hope you enjoy the […]

Dragon friends, creeper kings, Dennis Quaid, oh my! Shaun Duke, Paul Weimer, and Alex Acks join forces for another Torture Cinema foray into the obscene. Or is it? Together, they journey into the wild world of Dragonheart, discussing its anachronistic treatment of history, whether its CG holds up, the wonders of its casting choices, some […]

Giant mechanical spiders, male boob grabbing, and nice trains, oh my! Shaun Duke, Paul Weimer, and Alex Acks join forces for this special Pandemic Edition of Torture Cinema. Together, they tackle the infamous 1990s blunder, Wild Wild West, explore through a drunken stupor the film's approach to characterization, history, Western tropes, race, gender, and disability. This […]

Chinese ninjas drug dealers, questionable costumes, and premed / law prostitutes, oh my! Shaun Duke, Jen Zink, and Paul Weimer are back on the Torture Cinema horse with a deliciously stupid Patreon-selected mashup:  The VelociPastor. We tackle the film's questionable production history, its various odd narrative decisions, what it means to film three different countries in […]

Shenanigans, pastelitos, and tele novelas, oh my! Jen Zink and Paul Weimer are joined by Valerie Valdes, author of the banging new space adventure, Chilling Effect. Together, they discuss Valerie's approach to precursor aliens, building multicultural space systems, and the found family vs. bio family trope. They also take a dive into the influence of […]

Dirty mice, invisible plots, and Leslie Nielsen, oh my! Shaun Duke, Alex Acks, and Paul Weimer throw themselves on Freddy's clawed hand to discuss Stan Helsing, a movie made by drunk people to torture the dead. Together, they discuss the film's approach to humor, its nonsensical plot, why Leslie Nielsen is in this movie, and all […]

Hello, Rangers! In today's exploration of Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga, Trish Matson, Kate Sherrod, Alex Acks, Stina Leicht, and Paul Weimer take a stab at A Civil Campaign. Together, they talk about the novel's exploration of gender roles, the wild world of regency romances, how the book feels like an endpoint for certain narrative threads, and […]

Footnotes, diaries, and doors, oh my! In today's episode, Jen Zink and Paul Weimer interview the Hugo Short Story winning writer, Alix E. Harrow, about her debut novel, The Ten Thousand Doors of January! Find out how this book puts Alix's cheating methods on display, how she worked to subvert the white colonial narrative of […]

Boston Beans! - Your Intrepid Heroes, Paul Weimer and Fred Kiesche, discuss ReaderCon, Gene Wolfe, blogging and podcasts. With a hat tip to our mentor of erudite tomes, John Stevens and to Jeff Patterson (who, sadly, had to miss the conversation due to that silly “work” thing). Host Fred Kiesche with Paul Weimer.

In today's episode of Signal Boost, Paul Weimer and Kate Sherrod interview the wonderful Ada Hoffmann about her debut novel, The Outside. They discuss the really fun basis for the novel, the mash-up of horror and space opera, representation of neurodivergent characters, AI gods, linguistic spiders, and a bunch more fun stuff! Then Shaun Duke […]

Boat cars, “Killa Cockaroaches”, and cannibals, oh my! Much to Jen's chagrin, in her absence the team, Shaun Duke, Paul Weimer, and Alex Acks, discover a lot to criticize in the 1977 film adaption of a Roger Zelazny book, Damnation Alley! Jen likes to think they only criticize it because they just wanted it to […]

Nuclear families (hyuck, hyuck), boat-cars, and Transformers, oh my! In today's episode, Shaun Duke, Paul Weimer, Alex Acks, and Jen Zink tackle the giant roaring beast(s) that is Godzilla: King of the Monsters! There are definitely opinions in this episode, y'all. LOTS OF OPINIONS! We basically took the Kaiju plot of King of the Monsters […]

Survival, corporations, and stolen tech, oh my! In today's episode, Paul Weimer and Daniel Haeusser interview Megan O'Keefe about her new Space Opera novel, Velocity Weapon! But is it a Space Opera? Or is it a heist novel? Perhaps a thriller? No, wait! It's a time-travel story about the unbreakable bond between siblings! Find out […]

Dr. Paul Weimer, Associate Professor of Bacteriology, Emeritus at UW- Madison, shares his experiences working with dairy researchers in South Africa. Bryce Knorr, commodity specialist with Farm Futures magazine, sizes up the market influences going into a holiday abbreviated week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Part two of a two-part epic duology! Because we don't have enough energy for a trilogy! - And we’re back! Did you miss us? Feels like we were just here with you all! Jeff Patterson and Fred Kiesche (sadly, John Stevens could not make it) continue their conversation with Paul Weimer and Patrick Hester. Culture is consumed. Much culture. Much consumption. Hang on to your wallets and your eyeballs. Host Fred Kiesche, John E.O. Stevens and Jeff Patterson with Patrick Hester and Paul Weimer.

Part one of a two-part epic duology! Because we don't have enough energy for a trilogy! - Two out of three Hoarses ain’t so bad! Jeff Patterson and Fred Kiesche struggle to find something to talk about without the help of the absent John Stevens and turn to returning guests Patrick Hester and Paul Weimer to catch up on their doings and to discuss in Part Two…Culture Consumed! Host Fred Kiesche, John E.O. Stevens and Jeff Patterson with Paul Weimer and Patrick Hester.

United Nations shenanigans, tragic villains, and Black Panther, oh my!  In our 45th episode of the Shoot the WISB Subcast, Mike Underwood, Jen Zink, Paul Weimer, and Shaun Duke join forces to combat Marvel's latest entry in the MCU, Captain America: Civil War.  We cover the plot, some of the unique thematic elements in this film, […]

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

An enthusiasm for Amber & the works of Kate Elliott with Paul Weimer

Welcome to Episode 141 of Speculate! The Podcast for Writers, Readers and Fans.  In this episode we begin a new triptych of shows with our reader response to Helene Wecker‘s extraordinary The Golem and the Jinni.  Along with Paul Weimer (of SF Signal and Skiffy and Fanty fame), we talk about the incredible worldbuilding in […]

…in which I continue this podcast thing on my new website by talking to Paul Weimer about how he became an sf/f fan. In this episode: I interview Paul Weimer about his first books, his genre influences, and his development as a reader. Enjoy the episode!  You can download the MP3 here or stream the […]

2015 Nebula Award Novels - Time for our annual review of the Nebula Award nominees for the best SF or Fantasy novel of the year, with podcasters from Skiffy and Fanty, SF Signal, and The Three Hoarsemen! We’ll cover (in a spoiler-light fashion) books about space stations, alien invasions, empires, mushrooms, and tea ceremonies. There’s even a deadly incident involving a Zeppelin! Host Jason Snell with Fred Kiesche, Shaun Duke, Paul Weimer and Scott McNulty.

2014 Nebula Award nominees - Every year Scott and Jason read all the Hugo Award-nominated novels, which supposedly show off the best science fiction has to offer. That hasn’t always gone well, so this year they’ve read the eight novels nominated for the Nebula Awards—and recruited three other SF podcasters to join them in the fun. We discuss all eight novels with extremely light-to-no spoilers, so it’s safe to listen. And the good news? All eight of these novels are pretty good! Host Jason Snell with Scott McNulty, Fred Kiesche, Shaun Duke and Paul Weimer.

Venturing out of the soaking rain and bitter cold of March in which they spent more time hibernating than podcasting, John E. O. Stevens, Fred Kiesche and Jeff Patterson add a fourth saddle to their April episode. Paul Weimer, who has commented at every genre blog possible and who has appeared in more podcasts than you can listen to comfortably in one sitting, joins the Three Hoarsemen for this episode. While hibernating, we spent much time reading, and now gather around the communal fire pit to discuss the works of the late Charles Sheffield, their reactions to Ann Leckie’s Nebula-nominated novel Ancillary Justice, as well as the bits and pieces of the genre that we consumed since last time. Host Fred Kiesche, John E.O. Stevens and Jeff Patterson with Paul Weimer.

Our first episode of the new year begins in the Gaming Hut, where we examine the difference between showing up to be entertained, and showing up to play. Ask Ken and Robin fields Paul Weimer’s question about fudging die rolls—when, if ever, is it acceptable? The Politics Hut takes on the classic modernist curvature of […]