Episode 5: ’My Name is Will’ and ’Under the Poppy’ (plus ’Bold As Love’)

This month on The Writer and the Critic, your valiant hosts, Ian Mond and Kirstyn McDermott, venture forth to the home of their special guest: Galactic Suburbian, Alex Pierce. Having been rewarded with red wine and orange cake, they discuss the origins of Galactic Suburbia as well as the future of its brand new sister podcast, Galactic Chat, then proceed to paddle about in the murky waters of genre and gender. Alex admits a literary crush on Alastair Reynolds. Ian confesses mild paranoia about his reading habits. Kirstyn warns that her inner feminist is pretty much permanently on the loose now. Oh, and Happy Birthday, Galactic Suburbia! Alex has chosen Bold As Love by Gwyneth Jones as her book for this month and so begins a rollicking roundtable on rock stars, romance and revolution. For those wishing to avoid spoilers -- and there are quite a few -- the discussion of this novel begins at 22:30 of the podcast and ends around 45:30.

The official podcast books for March are My Name is Will by Jess Winfield, which Ian has recommended (but has a little trouble remembering), and Under the Poppy by Kathe Koja, which Kirstyn has chosen (and may or may not squee about). For your convenience once again, the starting points are 45:30 for My Name is Will and 01:00:00 for Under the Poppy. For a final wrap-up and preview of future podcasting goodness, tune back in by 01:31:30.

For next month's podcast, Ian has chosen The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz and Kirstyn has picked Liar by Justine Larbalestier. Plus, there will be a third, listener-recommended title: Above/Below by Stephanie Campisi and Ben Peek. And finally, a heads-up for May when Ian and Kirstyn will be discussing the Black Out / All Clear duology by Connie Willis, as recommended by another listener. With over a thousand pages between the two books, your thoughtful hosts decided to let you know well in advance. See, they really are lovely people! *** Just a reminder that The Writer and the Critic adopts a book club approach to its discussion and will assume its listeners have either read the books in question or don't care if they find out that the plucky and generously endowed heroine comes to the realisation that she is simply an avatar trapped within a highly complex but ultimately futile online multi-player gaming system. There will almost certainly be spoilers, so you are encouraged to read the chosen titles ahead of time. It'll be much more fun that way and Ian and Kirstyn won't get near as many death threats! ***