A few weeks ago I mentioned that I am now chief interviewer for the New Books Network‘s SF and Fantasy channel. I’ve got some exciting authors lined up for launch, and a few more who have agreed to record in September. But my response rate has dropped off dramatically in the last two weeks.
In retrospect, August might not have been the best time to start interviewing.
Anyway, I’m hoping that many of the outstanding requests will come through. But I also need a longer list of authors to pester contact, especially if I’m going to bank enough interviews to start the channel at two podcasts per month.
So, loyal Duck readers, do you have any suggestions for SF and Fantasy books and authors? Books with 2012 publications dates are best, but I can potentially discuss older works, particularly if there’s a new “hook.” How about someone you’d love to hear an interview with — and even better, have a backchannel for that question you’ve always wanted answered?
PS: I don’t know how many people have checked out the Duck of Minerva podcasts, but that side project seems to be moving along well. I’m lining up more interview subjects, including some “big names” in the field. If you have comments or suggestions for topics related to that endeavor, consider this an open thread.
Per responses on twitter, I’m definitely talking about “new” books as the hook for each interview, but reissues are fine.
Alastair Reynolds, perhaps?
Excellent choice! Maybe you should write him and tell him to return my email? :-)
Fair enough :)
What about Joe Haldeman? The Forever War is certainly older, (written the year my dad graduated HS), however, it raises interesting questions about civil-military relations, cultural differences, and the invisibility of war. Plus, its a great book, and seems like most fans of the genre would be familiar with it.
Although China Miéville has been on a lot of podcasts lately, he definitely is an interesting interview partner. Plus, he had the excellent “Railsea” out in May. Or maybe you have him already on your list. Vernor Vinge would also be an excellent choice. Also Charles Stross.
I second the Mieville suggestion.
I’ll also add Joe Abercrombie (Red Country has its US release in October), Paolo Bacigalupi (The Drowned Cities is 2012), and Mike Carey (The Steel Seraglio came out in March). I’m not sure if Charlie Huston has anything forthcoming, but he would also be an interesting interviewee, especially talking about Sleepless.
Ben Aaronovitch, has a great cast of characters (especially the narrator) and a wonderful depiction of London in the Rivers of London series. Also with lots of humor. The 3rd book was just out.
Science Fiction Film and Television’s latest issue was on Battlestar Galactica and it might be fun to do interviews with some of those writers/Duck people?
Definitely not 2012 (considering I read The Calcutta Chromosome in undergrad!) but Amitav Ghosh? He wrote River of Smoke last year but that’s not really SF…historical fantasy, perhaps? On the subject of South Asian SFF, I picked up Amish Tripathi’s The Shiva Trilogy’s second (I think) book while I was stranded for 15hrs at an airport earlier this summer. I wasn’t that keen but the idea (and the resurgence of Hindu myths/Gods as heroes) might be worth exploring. I think it was out earlier this year? Late last year? Not published at all in the US?
Ian McDonald. Mainly to ask about his utterly creepy (often) and memorable characters and his understanding of the role of technology in societies. The last book of his I read was from 2010 though he may have something new. Ken MacLeod.
And a shoutout (I just requested if off the library so haven’t read it yet) to Walking the clouds: An anthology of indigenous science fiction (edited by Grace Dillon, 2012). Maybe some of the authors mentioned there?
I highly recommend this author: https://www.danielpolansky.com/us/
(he’s my brother)
Have him email me.
If you’re looking for something with a strong political science bend to it, try David Weber and his Honor Harrington series (at least one, maybe two new out this year). The main character travels up the ranks in a space military, gaining more political weight and knowledge as she goes. There are several different space governments battling it out for dominance, and lots of the story deals with what they are fighting over and how. Also, there are fun historical shout outs like the purging-dictator Rob S. Pierre.
Eric Flint edits a fantastic scifi series called the Ring of Fire or the 163x series that has a few new books out this year. Aliens are present only in the first ten pages, never heard from again, just a plot device – they swap a small West Virginia town from 2000 with a piece of land from 1631 Germany, right smack dab in the middle of the Thirty Years War. All of the books are about how these Americans adjust to being out of time, how they reorganize a government, and the ripple effects they have on everyone else in the world. Pretty amazing stuff, especially if you like history.
Those are the two series I’m obsessed with. They’re both with Baen publishers, and you can even get the first few books for FREE from the publisher here: https://www.baen.com/library/books.asp The publisher gives out early titles free so that you get hooked and buy the others. It totally works!
Good Luck.
Thanks. Very helpful.