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Starship Alexandria

Starship Alexandria

By: Emma Newman and Adrian Tchaikovsky
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Summary

 The Sci-fi and Fantasy podcast from the best of futures! In this future, humanity has solved its problems and is now sending spaceships from Earth, not in a desperate attempt to escape the apocalypse but because we can do so in a spirit of hope and exploration. As a part of the Starship Alexandria Project, the far-future analogues of 21st century authors Emma Newman and Adrian Tchaikovsky have been tasked to make recommendations from the ship's vast library of creative works based on the preferences of our 21st century counterparts. Each of us will take it in turns to nominate a book, film or similar work, and the other will play judge and give the thumbs up or thumbs down to be recommended across the fleet.2025 Art Literary History & Criticism
Episodes
  • Episode 13 - Tales From Outer Suburbia

    Episode 13 - Tales From Outer Suburbia
    May 9 2026
    For our May 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria Emma puts forward the book Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan for Adrian's consideration. Other talking points: The difficulty of summarising Somehow avoiding the word "surreal" An emotional model railway trip. Reading around the story Balancing story collections Styles of art Media Mentions: The art of Edward Gorey including The Gashlycrumb Tinies and The Insect God The art of Dr Seuss including I Had Trouble In Getting To Solla Sollew The art of Adrian Sykes https://www.adriansykes.co.uk/ Next month we look at Piranesi by Susanna Clarke Emma's music recommendation: Future Boy by Turin Brakes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AekubF2xYlg&list=RDAekubF2xYlg&start_radio=1 Emma's latest writing is included in Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161 which was recently shortlisted for a BSFA Award Adrian's most recent book: Children of Strife https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/children-of-strife-adrian-tchaikovsky/7864905 If you'd like to support the show, and get an additional monthly patrons-only episode, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home You can buy our official t-shirts and mugs at https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/ Follow us at: Emma: @emmanewman@bsky.social and www.enewman.co.uk Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com
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    51 mins
  • Episode 12 - Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

    Episode 12 - Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
    Apr 9 2026
    For our April 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria – and the second in our new season – Adrian puts forward the film: Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves directed by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley. Other talking points: Wonderful Hugh Grant Rubbish sorcerers A certain ambivalence Dungeons we have Dragonned Save the cat! Everything wrong with Hollywood Remembering the Forgotten Realms The "It's him!" moment of failed fan service Media Mentions: Dungeons and Dragons movie dir. Courtney Solomon Middle Earth Role-Playing (MERP) TTRPG Dungeons and Dragons TTRPG Conan the Barbarian, movie dir. John Milius Lord of the Rings series of movies dir. Peter Jackson Heretic, movie dir. Scott Beck and Bryan Woods Bridget Jones's Diary movie dir. Sharon Maguire Dungeons and Dragons, TV series 28 Years Later, movie dir. Danny Boyle Galaxy Quest movie dir. Dean Parisot Next month we look at the illustrated book Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan Adrian's music recommendation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tEfYvY3bAg&list=RD5tEfYvY3bAg&start_radio=1 Emma's latest writing is included in Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161 which was recently shortlisted for a BSFA Award Adrian's most recent book: Children of Strife https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/children-of-strife-adrian-tchaikovsky/7864905 If you'd like to support the show, and get an additional monthly patrons-only episode, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home You can buy our official t-shirts and mugs at https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/ Follow us at: Emma: @emmanewman@bsky.social and www.enewman.co.uk Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com
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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • Episode 11 - The Demolished Man

    Episode 11 - The Demolished Man
    Mar 9 2026
    For our March 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria – and the first our our new season – Emma puts forward the novel The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester. Other talking points: The perils of returning to past reads Difficult books to summarise Cunning schemes for the perfect murder Psychic earworms Psychotherapy in science fiction Particularly big warts (not) the Time Machine Factory Heroes and anti-heroes The Poochy effect Skeezy gender dynamics Eugenics Contradictory attitudes towards murder Typographical games Inadvisable titles Media Mentions: The Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, novel by Douglas Adams The Lathe of Heaven, novel by Ursula le Guin The Simpsons TV series (twice!) Gormenghast, series by Mervyn Peake Babylon 5, TV series Illuminati, card/board game Star Trek: The Next Generation, TV series, particularly "Remember Me" The Life of Chuck, movie dir. Mike Flanagan (based on the work of Stephen King) Next month we look at the movie Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves Emma's music recommendation: Punk Tactics by Joey Valance & Brae https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OklSZmIx9-o&list=RDOklSZmIx9-o&start_radio=1 Emma's latest writing is included in Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161 which was recently shortlisted for a BSFA Award Adrian's most recent book: Pretenders to the Throne of God https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/pretenders-to-the-throne-of-god-adrian-tchaikovsky/7953437 If you'd like to support the show, and get an additional monthly patrons-only episode, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home You can buy our official t-shirts and mugs at https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/ Follow us at: Emma: @emmanewman@bsky.social and www.enewman.co.uk Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com
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    1 hr and 35 mins
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