The Coode Street Podcast

Ten minutes with... is a special series presented by Coode Street that sees readers and booklovers from around the world talk about what they're reading right now and what's getting them through these difficult times. Today Jonathan spends ten minutes chatting with Kate Elliott, who calls in from her home high on a hillside overlooking the Pacific to talk about her love of reading history, Alexander the Great, the naval history of the Second World War, the importance of reading what works for you at a time like this, and her forthcoming novel, Unconquerable Sun. Books mentioned include: Unconquerable Sun by Kate Elliott Conquest and Empire: The Reign of Alexander the Great by A. B. Bosworth Æthelstan: The First King of England by Sarah Foot Women and the Making of the Mongol Empire by Anne F. Broadbridge Neptune's Inferno: The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal by James D. Hornfischer The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors: The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy's Finest Hour by James D. Hornfisch

Ten minutes with... is a special series presented by Coode Street that sees readers and booklovers from around the world talk about what they're reading right now and what's getting them through these difficult times. Gary chats with World Fantasy Award-winner Mary Rickert on being cautious during the lockdown, reading Dracula for the first time, the rewards of contemplating individual words and their etymologies, revisiting Ray Bradbury, and Mary’s own forthcoming work. Books mentioned include: You Have Never Been Here: New and Selected Stories by M. Rickert The Shipbuilder of Bellfairie by M. Rickert (forthcoming) Dracula by Bram Stoker House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski The Stories of Ray Bradbury by Ray Bradbury Thin Places by Kay Chronister      

Well, that was unexpected, wasn't it? After kicking off the Coode Street Podcast in May 2010 with no plans, no skills, and no technical knowledge, Gary and Jonathan race towards their 10th anniversary with no real plans, no skills, and pretty much no technical knowledge at all. And yet, despite being invited to desist on several occasions, they persist. Four hundred episodes. Enough rambling to get you across England and back again! Probably across Australia and back again. And along the way over 150 wonderful guests, some new friends made and old ones lost, a dubious proposition or two taken about the state of the science fiction and fantasy, seven Hugo Award nominations, and enough incredible memories to fill at least an hour of rambling and possibly a couple of lifetimes. Someone should write a book. So, with no fanfare but a lot of thanks, a guest-free 400th episode recorded in the time of Pandemic, with some thoughts on what might happen next, a short discussion of books being read, coming to you, as a

Ten minutes with... is a special series presented by Coode Street that sees readers and booklovers from around the world talk about what they're reading right now and what's getting them through these difficult times. This time out, Gary talks with PEN/Faulkner Award-winning author Karen Joy Fowler, about the challenges of concentrating in times of stress, but also the value of collective co-operation and respect for scientific evidence and the question of whether the current situation might encourage us to think more broadly about our responsibilities as co-inhabitants of this planet. Books mentioned include: The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson Eye of the Whale by Douglas Carlton Abrams The Widowed Warlock by Helen Sanders Burning Girls and Other Stories by Veronica Schanoes (short story at Tor.com) The Overstory by Richard Powers Nature's Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts in Your Yard by Douglas W. Tallamy     

Ten minutes with... is a special series presented by Coode Street that sees readers and booklovers from around the world talk about what they're reading right now and what's getting them through these difficult times. Gary chats for ten minutes (okay, more like 17 minutes) with Paul McAuley, author of some of the most engaging and provocative series of the past few decades, including the Confluence, Quiet War, and "Jackaroo novels and stories, and whose newest novel is the epic War of the Maps, which combines hard-SF ideas with a classic quest narrative. Books mentioned include: War of the Maps by Paul McAuley Bone Silence  by Alastair Reynolds By Force Alone by Lavie Tidhar The Once and Future King by T.H. White I Have Waited, and You Have Come by Martine McDonagh The Long Drop by Denise Mina The Big Sky by Kate Atkinson Tropic of Kansas by Christopher Brown The Harry Bosch novels by Michael Connelly Out of the Wreckage: A New Politics for an Age of Crisis by George Monbiot An Ecotopian Lexicon 

Ten minutes with... is a special series presented by Coode Street that sees readers and booklovers from around the world talk about what they're reading right now and what's getting them through these difficult times. Today it's ten minutes with SF Grandmaster and Hall of Fame inductee Joe Haldeman, who chatted with Gary from his Florida home, discussing what it’s like to be an official Grand Master, the value of reading SF print magazines, the different kinds of trilogies, and the appeal of graphic novels. Books mentioned include: The Worlds trilogy, Joe Haldeman The Forever War by Joe Haldeman Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud The Alexandria Quartet by Lawrence Durrell      

Ten minutes with... is a special series presented by Coode Street that sees readers and booklovers from around the world talk about what they're reading right now and what's getting them through these difficult times. Today Jonathan spends ten minutes with Gollancz Publishing Director Gillian Redfearn and bestselling writer Joe Hill, who join the conversation live from their secret volcano base on the northeast coast of the United States to discuss the importance of stepping outside every day and just being in the world, the pleasures of reading Joe Abercrombie, Claire North, and others, and much more. Books mentioned include: Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain The Pursuit of William Abbey by Claire North The Trouble With Peace by Joe Abercrombie Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson Preludes and Nocturnes: The Sandman by Neil Gaiman et al. The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett The Goldsboro Books Sci-Fi and Fantasy Fellowship Things to watch mentioned in

Ten minutes with... is a special series presented by Coode Street that sees readers and booklovers from around the world talk about what they're reading right now and what's getting them through these difficult times. Today Jonathan spends ten minutes with Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Award nominee Christopher Rowe to discuss the great agricultural SF novel, the pleasures of Kim Stanley Robinson’s one comic novel, Garth Nix's fabulous Angel Mage, and much, more more. Christopher's new story "The Parable of the Tares" has just been released by Arizona State University's Center for Science and the Imagination as part of its Us in Flux series. CSI has also released a Conversation with Michael Bell about the inspiration for the story. Books mentioned include: "The Parable of the Tares" by Christopher Rowe Us in Flux: Conversations by Christopher Rowe & Michael Bell Telling the Map by Christopher Rowe Angel Mage by Garth Nix Escape from Kathmandu by Kim Stanley Robinson    

Ten minutes with... is a special series presented by Coode Street that sees readers and booklovers from around the world talk about what they're reading right now and what's getting them through these difficult times. Today Gary chats with World Fantasy Award-winning Sofia Samatar about the great German writer W.G. Sebald, returning to formative books in times of stress, the literary prehistory of robots as explored in her wonderful story "Fairy Tales for Robots", and her upcoming story "The New Book of the Dead" in Philosophy Through Science Fiction Stories. Books mentioned include: Tender by Sofia Samatar The Rings of Saturn, Austerlitz, and Vertigo by W.G. Sebald, The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper Silver Road: Maps, Essays and Calligraphies by Ali Kazim    

Ten minutes with... is a special series presented by Coode Street that sees readers and booklovers from around the world talk about what they're reading right now and what's getting them through these difficult times. Today Jonathan spends ten minutes with Charles Stross, bestselling author of the Hugo award-winning Laundry Files series and the critically acclaimed Accelerando, to discuss working in the time of pandemic, whether authors are the people to turn to for reading recommendations, his upcoming work and return to space opera, and much more.  Books mentioned include: Dead Lies Dreaming by Charles Stross Invisible Sun by Charles Stross The Unspoken Name by Alison Larkwood Middlegame by Seanan McGuire The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

Ten minutes with... is a special series presented by Coode Street that sees readers and booklovers from around the world talk about what they're reading right now and what's getting them through these difficult times. Today Jonathan spends ten minutes with Cory Doctorow talking about reading and writing in the time of pandemic, what a practical utopia might actually be, the utopian novel he's working on right now, what books he has coming out in the coming year, and the pleasures to be had from listening to Terry Pratchett books. Books mentioned include: Attack Surface by Cory Doctorow Poesy the Monster Slayer by Cory Doctorow (art by Matt Rockefeller) Little Brother & Homeland by Cory Doctorow Afterland by Lauren Beukes Or What You Will by Jo Walton Uncanny Valley by Anna Wiener King Rat by James Clavell Terry Pratchett audiobooks

Ten minutes with... is a special series presented by Coode Street that sees readers and booklovers from around the world talk about what they're reading right now and what's getting them through these difficult times. This time Jonathan spends ten minutes with the fabulous Martha Wells, whose Murderbot Diaries first appeared in 2017 and quickly went on to become one of the most popular and beloved series of recent times, winning the Hugo and Nebula Awards along the way. Martha discusses working in time of lockdown, upcoming work (including a new short story, "The Salt Lick" coming from Uncanny), and the joys of reading. Books mentioned include: Network Effect by Martha Wells Echo in Amethyst by Sharon Shinn Finna by Nino Cipri Stormsong by C L Polk Jade War by Fonda Lee The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo The Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch The City We Became by N K Jemisin The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi Null Set by SL Huang Unconquerable Sun by Kate Elliott

Ten minutes with... is a special series presented by Coode Street that sees readers and booklovers from around the world talk about what they're reading right now and what's getting them through these difficult times. Today Alastair Reynolds spends ten minutes talking with Jonathan about unexpectedly sunny weather in Wales, the challenges of focussing on reading and work at the moment, the immersive pleasures of diving into an enormous book by Neal Stephenson, and much more. Books mentioned include: Bone Silence by Alastair Reynolds Anathem by Neal Stephenson The Best of Gene Wolfe by Gene Wolfe The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas Made to Order by Jonathan Strahan Comet Weather by Liz Williams

Ten minutes with... is a special series presented by Coode Street that sees readers and booklovers from around the world talk about what they're reading right now and what's getting them through these difficult times. In this episode, Gary spends ten minutes with the brilliant writer and critic Gwyneth Jones, whose study of the work of Joanna Russ is nominated for a Hugo Award in the Best Related Work category. We touch upon a classic case or two in psychoanalysis, the early life of novelist George Sand, the reissue of the 'Bold as Love' books in Gollancz's Masterworks series, and of course Joanna Russ and the formative days of feminist SF. Books mentioned include: Joanna Russ by Gwyneth Jones Bold as Love by Gwyneth Jones What Is Madness by Darian Leader Story of My Life: The Autobiography of George Sand by George Sand  

Ten minutes with... is a special series presented by Coode Street that sees readers and booklovers from around the world talk about what they're reading right now and what's getting them through these difficult times. This time out, Jonathan calls up long-time friend of Coode Street, Ian McDonald, to talk about how current events are impacting reading and working, piracy at sea, research, romance, and his long-awaited (by Jonathan) next novel, Hopeland.  There might even have been a moment of congratulations for Ian's recent Hugo nomination for the Luna series! Books mentioned include: Luna: Moon Rising by Ian McDonald The Menace from Farside by Ian McDonald The Book of Earthsea: The Complete Illustrated Edition by Ursula K. Le Guin (art by Charles Vess) The Outlaw Ocean by Ian Urbina Magical Women edited by Sukanya Venkatraghavan Edge of Heaven by RB Kelly 

Ten minutes with... sees Coode Street presenters Jonathan Strahan and Gary K. Wolfe talk to readers and book lovers from around the world about what they're reading and what's getting them through this strange time. Today Gary talks to Fran Wilde, fresh off her nominations for a Hugo Award for her story "A Catalog of Storms" and a Lodestar Award for her novel Riverland. We talk a little about Riverland, what’s she’s currently reading (or re-reading, in some cases for her MFA classes at Western Colorado University), the value of poetry in times of stress, and her own forthcoming work. Books mentioned include: Riverland by Fran Wilde Machina (Season 1) and Ninth Step Station (Season 2) by Fran Wilde & others The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee The Absolute Book by Elizabeth Knox A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine Oracle Code by Marieke Nijkamp Goldilocks by Lara Lam Agency by William Gibson Network Effect by Mart

Ten minutes with... is a special series presented by Coode Street that sees readers and booklovers from around the world talk about what they're reading right now and what's getting them through this strange time. For this episode, Tade Thompson takes time out from his much-appreciated and crucial hospital work to chat with Gary about his recent Hugo nomination for The Wormwood Trilogy, the current situation, what he’s reading and recommending, and a bit on what we can look forward to. Books mentioned include: The Wormwood Trilogy by Tade Thompson Making Wolf by Tade Thompson The Molly Southbourne series by Tade Thompson Springtime in a Broken Mirror by Mario Benedetti Mort Cinder by Héctor Oesterheld El Eternauta by Héctor Oesterheld The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells  

Ten minutes with... is a special series presented by Coode Street that sees readers and booklovers from around the world talk about what they're reading right now and what's getting them through this strange time. This time out, Gary spends ten minutes with Liz Williams. Her new novel, Comet Weather, is one of his favourite novels of this spring. They touch upon the traditions of British magical fiction dating back to Arthur Machen and discuss the work of  Robert Holdstock and Graham Joyce, while Liz makes the very good point that no one should be corona-shamed into spending their time reading Proust unless they really want to read Proust. Books mentioned include: Comet Weather by Liz Williams Ghostland: In Search of a Haunted Country by Edward Parnell Mythago Wood by Robert Holdstock Miracles of Our Own Making: A History of Paganism by Liz Williams

Ten minutes with... is a special series presented by Coode Street that sees readers and booklovers from around the world talk about what they're reading right now and what's getting them through this strange time. Today, Gary spends ten minutes with Lavie Tidhar, the World Fantasy Award-winning author, discussing his current reading, what he’s looking forward to, and his own rather wonderful reinvention of Arthurian legends,By Force Alone, which was published in the UK last month and is due out this summer in the US (given the ongoing revisions of publishing schedules). Books mentioned include Metropolis (and earlier Bernie Gunther mysteries) by Philip Kerr Assorted novels by Iain M. Banks The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho By Force Alone by Lavie Tidhar A Man Lies Dreaming by Lavie Tidhar The Silence of the Wilting Skin by Tlotlo Tsamaase (recommended but not mentioned)

Ten minutes with... is a special series presented by Coode Street that sees readers and booklovers from around the world talk about what they're reading right now and what's getting them through this strange time. This time Jonathan spends ten minutes with World Fantasy Award-winning author and editor Angela Slatter discussing challenging vs comfort reads in times of stress, graphic novels, John Connolly, and her brand new short story collection The Heart is a Mirror For Sinners & Other Stories. Books mentioned include: The Heart is a Mirror For Sinners & Other Stories by Angela Slatter BPD: Hell on Earth by Mike Mignola Desire Lines by Felicity Volk The World of Lore: Dreadful Places by Aaron Mahnke The World of Lore: Wicked Mortals by Aaron Mahnke The World of Lore: Monstrous Creatures by Aaron Mahnke Cursed: An Anthology of Dark Fairy Tales by Marie O'Regan & Paul Kane The Dirty South by John Connolly