This week, with Jonathan hard at work compiling his year’s best anthology, we revisit one of the oldest questions about science fiction—namely, what is it and how do you decide what to include or exclude from an anthology clearly labelled as science fiction?
Rather than trying to offer our own definitions, we discuss the problem of definition in general. Gary argues that the many definitions of SF could be classed as the functional (or purely practical, like Damon Knight’s famous “what I point to”), the rhetorical (definitions designed to promote the importance of the genre), and the theoretical (lit-crit stuff). We agreed that such definitions tend to change over time.
That leads us into a discussion of the current state of space opera, and the question of whether the space setting is a defining feature, even when, as with Aliette de Bodard’s The Tea Master and the Detective, the plot is borrowed from mysteries.
Finally, we talk about some of our current reading. Gary mentions Rivers Solomon’s The Deep, which he sees as representing a fascinating collaboration between music and fiction since the central idea began with the techno-electronic duo Drexciya, became a Hugo-nominated rap by Clipping and is now Solomon’s novel. Jonathan mentioned Leah Bardugo's bestselling new fantasy, Ninth House, which is out now and which he recommends.
As always, we hope you enjoy the podcast. We'll be back soon!
Episode 632: Wole Talabi and Shagidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon
Episode 631: Awards, debut novels, and science fiction at the moment
Episode 630: Kij Johnson and the Nature of Story
Episode 629: Ursula Vernon and A Story with Good Bones
Episode 628: Sarah Pinsker and Lost Places
Episode 627:Kelly Link for the love of a good book
Episode 626: Awards season, British criticism and more
Episode 625: Kelly Barnhill and the Mind of a Writer
Coode Street 624: On short fiction
Episode 623: The 2022 Locus Recommended Reading List
Episode 622: More about space opera
Episode 621: Coode Street’s Books for Look Forward to in 2023
Episode 620: A Very Coode Street Advent Bonus: M. Rickert
Episode 619: And Happy Holidays to all!
Episode 618: The Coode Street Advent Calendar: Elizabeth Hand
Episode 617: The Coode Street Advent Calendar: N K Jemisin
Episode 616: The Coode Street Advent Calendar: Tochi Onyebuchi
Episode 615: The Coode Street Advent Calendar: Nghi Vo
Episode 614: The Coode Street Advent Calendar: John Clute
Episode 613: The Coode Street Advent Calendar: Naseem Jamnia
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