Explore the best of sci-fi with Brent and Cody. Each episode dives into a single book or series in the sci-fi cannon. Author interviews, reviews and analysis, and related book recommendations. Happy reading y'all!
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Sep 29, 2026 · 54:39
No spoilers at all in this episode. Join the Hugonauts book club on discord Or you can watch our episodes on YouTube if you prefer video BOOKS FEATURED IN THIS EPISODE: Doomsday…
Sep 8, 2026 · 45:52
Widely considered a must-read classic, this novel uses a brilliant first-person journal format to explore the emotional and intellectual journey of Charlie Gordon as a futuristic…
Aug 18, 2026 · 35:57
We rank all the Hugo nominees, plus tell you about seven more amazing books that deserve to be in contention for the best speculative fiction novels of the year. No spoilers at…
Jul 28, 2026 · 46:31
Originally published as a series of novellas in Asimov’s Science Fiction before winning the 2006 Locus Award for best novel, Accelerando traces three generations of the Macx…
Jul 7, 2026 · 39:46
We cover the legendary classics like Robert A. Heinlein’s Starship Troopers, Joe Haldeman’s The Forever War, and Orson Scott Card's Ender’s Game, while exploring modern…
Jun 16, 2026 · 30:07
We are breaking down the entire short-list and ranking, review, and digging into the 2026 Nebula Novel nominees from worst to best. We dive deep into the writing styles, the…
May 26, 2026 · 50:51
In this episode of the Hugonauts we’re breaking down what truly defines great Young Adult fiction and answering the ultimate question: do these books actually hold up when you…
May 5, 2026 · 31:13
In this episode we dive into The Devils by Joe Abercrombie. It’s a departure from the grim world of The First Law, leaning into a "monsters vs. monsters" heist set in a…
Apr 21, 2026 · 26:15
This is exactly the kind of philosophical sci-fi we love - something new, something fresh, and something that will make you think. We wish the second half had been as good as the…
Apr 7, 2026 · 39:21
If you thought The Martian was intense, let's just go ahead and raise the stakes. We break down the movie version of Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary, comparing the film with the…
Mar 17, 2026 · 47:42
We had so much fun revisiting Mid-World for this episode – it’s the first series that brought us together as book nerds twenty years ago, and it’s absolutely just as good as the…
Feb 24, 2026 · 53:15
We’ve got 15 books and series here, so there should be something to love for almost every reader (although we need some traditional fantasy page turners – send us some…
Feb 3, 2026 · 41:51
We've got 18 books and series we highly recommend, so there's something here for all kinds of readers - and at the end of the episode we rank our top 3 to bring you the best of…
Jan 13, 2026 · 41:01
This might be the best sci-fi book out there about nanotechnology. But Stephenson has so many good ones that this one isn't his best book - some of the characters lose their way,…
Dec 16, 2025 · 53:58
From Sumeria, to Greece, to India, to the depths of the dark ages we explore the stories that have inspired everything that came later with a professor of mythology and medieval…
Nov 25, 2025 · 30:24
Whether you like ripping page turners, incredible characters, books that make you laugh out loud, exploring unforgettable new worlds, or literary books that will make you see the…
Nov 4, 2025 · 40:10
With six interconnected stories (in a narrative style that broke all kinds of new ground), it's hard not to find at least a few characters you love. And even for those you don't…
Oct 31, 2025 · 11:10
Really though we just wanted to do something scary for Halloween - put on a skin-tight leotard. Yes, Brent really did read this sitting next to bubbling pumpkins.
Oct 14, 2025 · 47:14
There's scientifically plausible time travel, fantasy / sci fi time travel, 'traditional' time travel centered around real history, people trapped in time loops, time travel…
Sep 23, 2025 · 31:38
Seen through the eyes of a main character who can't remember anything from life before the prison, you get to explore this strange, grim world from first principles. Its an alien…
Sep 2, 2025 · 32:55
We got to interview Robert fresh from his Hugo win for The Tainted Cup - by far the best SFF book of last year! We couldn't be more excited to talk about it with him and get our…
Aug 12, 2025 · 47:14
The Culture is Iain M. Banks' sci fi masterpiece - a futuristic society where benevolent AI minds provide humans whatever life they choose. Across the nine books you explore the…
Jul 22, 2025 · 32:19
In addition to ranking the six nominees, we also talk about four more amazing books that deserve to be in contention for the best speculative fiction novels of the year. Join the…
Jul 1, 2025 · 33:11
In addition to ranking all the nominees, we talk about why the entire shortlist this year was all fantasy, no sci-fi. This episode is sponsored by The Boy, the Cube, and the Elf…
Jun 10, 2025 · 58:48
As sci-fi lovers who are looking to read more fantasy we could not be more excited to know what's good. Thanks to all y'all Hugonauts who filled out the survey, this list rocks.…
May 20, 2025 · 27:24
As always, no spoilers until the end when we do our plot explainer and discussion. Join the Hugonauts book club on discord! Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer…
Apr 29, 2025 · 35:08
That said, there are some problems with this book too, which made this a fun one to talk about - Brent liked it a lot more than Cody did. Plus, love em or hate em, Asimov thought…
Apr 8, 2025 · 36:14
If you like gritty cyberpunk settings, a page-turning, action-driven plot, and a lot of visceral explorations of violence and sexuality, this one's for you. If you're looking for…
Mar 18, 2025 · 33:15
Solid characters, amazing worldbuilding, and an epic plot that will keep you interested all the way through (and that's no mean feat in such a long book). If you've been thinking…
Feb 25, 2025 · 46:34
Ann is also the author of Ancillary Sword, Ancillary Mercy, Translation State, Provenance (all set in her Imperial Radch universe), and the excellent stand-alone fantasy novel…
Feb 4, 2025 · 43:58
We also each rank our top three first contact books at the end of the episode. This episode is sponsored by The Pythagorean by Alexander Morpheigh, which is available in print or…
Jan 14, 2025 · 45:04
The book somehow manages to be optimistic at the same time that it realistically portrays horrific climate catastrophes - the opening chapter will stick with you forever. That…
Dec 24, 2024 · 36:54
The book is shocking, disturbing, entertaining, and unbelievably thought provoking all at once - no wonder Stanley Kubrick decided to turn the book into a movie (which is a…
Dec 3, 2024 · 37:00
Neuromancer is an incredible science fiction classic, a page turner full of gripping action sequences, wild futuristic ideas, and a unique, techno-criminal world populated by…
Nov 12, 2024 · 40:57
As always, no spoilers until the end when we clearly call it out before getting into the full plot explanation and discussion. Join the Hugonauts book club on discord! Or you can…
Oct 22, 2024 · 55:46
This episode is sponsored by The Dawn series by Ray N. Kuili, which you can get on print, audiobook, or kindle here . Join the Hugonauts book club on discord! Or you can watch…
Oct 1, 2024 · 33:13
The Mercy of Gods follows a team of research scientists trying to survive an alien invasion. The Carryx are ruthless - killing 1/8 of the population immediately as they arrive to…
Sep 10, 2024 · 37:24
A radio astronomer discovers a signal coming from Alpha Centauri - strange, beautiful alien voices, singing. While the rest of the world is transfixed by the broadcast, a…
Aug 20, 2024 · 43:14
In the 23rd century Johnny Rico enlists in the Mobile Infantry, the heart of the human military. As he nears completion of an intensely rigorous training program to learn how to…
Jul 30, 2024 · 43:03
We rank the nominees for the 2024 Hugo award, plus 6 more from last year! Join the book club on discord and read The Sparrow! https://discord.gg/fHejh3PpR2 Video version of the…
Jul 9, 2024 · 20:30
Over the years we've built up a pretty big backlog of short novels that we really liked but hadn't had a chance to cover on the show - so today we're bursting that dam. Join the…
Jun 18, 2024 · 36:55
There is only one human settlement on the planet of Arieka. There, in Embassytown, a young woman named Avice grows up in a strange world between worlds, where all that is human…
May 28, 2024 · 36:52
If you want to see the complete survey results, including all the top books, favorite authors, and short stories come find them on the discord . Video version of this episode…
May 7, 2024 · 32:29
The 2024 Nebula awards are coming up, so we read and ranked all the books for ya. And we've got good news, this was a great year for fantasy and sci-fi! Join the book club on…
Apr 16, 2024 · 38:09
The year is 2033. The world has been reduced to rubble. Humanity is nearly extinct. The survivors live in the Moscow Metro - the biggest air-raid shelter ever built. It is…
Mar 26, 2024 · 27:55
Six days ago astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he’s sure he’ll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm forces his crew to…
Mar 5, 2024 · 43:44
Red Schuhart is a stalker, one of the young rebels who venture illegally into the Zone, one of six areas on Earth that have been profoundly changed by the visitation of aliens to…
Feb 13, 2024 · 50:37
Space ships whip across the solar system, ice haulers burn in from the gas giants, stolen Martian corvettes sneak behind enemy lines, and very human characters tie it all…
Jan 23, 2024 · 36:53
In the One State of the great Benefactor, there are no individuals, only numbers. Life is an ongoing process of mathematical precision, a perfectly balanced equation. Primitive…
Jan 2, 2024 · 16:05
A starship is taking off from Mars, and just before it does one of the crewman arrives with a strange new creature. What will the Wub bring to those on board, and the headstrong…
Dec 12, 2023 · 28:50
Rumors are swirling about a species of super-intelligent octopus living off the coast of Vietnam. As corporations and other non-state actors begin to investigate, it becomes…
Nov 21, 2023 · 37:05
Ranking our top 15 sci fi books of all time: 15 - Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu 14 - The Road by Cormac McCarthy 13 - Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold 12 - Ancillary Justice by…
Oct 31, 2023 · 32:29
Paul Durham has begun experimenting on his own mind. He uploaded a copy of his neural patterns - everything that makes him who he is - into a computer simulation. The more he…
Oct 17, 2023 · 43:55
We talked with Peter about: Why he quit science to write fiction The real-world science that inspired Blindsight Why vampires?! Blindsight movie(s) in the works What's coming…
Oct 3, 2023 · 49:14
Tyler, Jason, and Diane are growing up together in the suburbs of Washington, DC. One night, as they are outside looking up at the sky, something shocking happens - all the stars…
Sep 12, 2023 · 38:39
Winston Smith is a Party member living in London. He, like every other member of the Party, is under constant surveillance. Despite the risk, he dares to buy a blank book and…
Aug 15, 2023 · 25:53
Ranking the 2023 Hugo nominees: N/A: Nona the Ninth - Tamsyn Muir #5: Spare Man - Mary Robinette Kowal #4: Daughter of Doctor Moreau - Silvia Moreno-Garcia #3: Nettle and Bone -…
Aug 1, 2023 · 30:10
Shevek is a brilliant physicist, working on a new theory that may be as transformative and foundational as the work of Einstein. In pursuing his theory, he discovers that his dry…
Jul 18, 2023 · 30:46
The bombs fell, and the world ended. A man and his pregnant wife survived the blasts. Their son would be born into a world changed entire. It grew darker, and colder, and more…
Jul 4, 2023 · 29:01
Kris Kelvin is traveling to the ocean world of Solaris. For more than 100 years, scientists have been trying to understand and communicate with alien life. But Solaris is truly…
Jun 20, 2023 · 32:47
Jim Holden is XO of an ice hauler making runs from the rings of Saturn to the asteroid cities of the Belt. Out in the darkness, they detect a distress signal, and move to…
Jun 6, 2023 · 36:19
Guy Montag is a fireman - one whose job is to burn books, along with the houses in which they are hidden. Montag and his wife, Mildred (who spends all day with her television…
May 23, 2023 · 36:16
Substance D is a new drug sweeping the nation and slowly destroying the minds of its users. As the connection between the two halves of their brains degrades, they grow…
May 9, 2023 · 23:47
For all six of the nominated books we'll give you a quick summary (with no spoilers), a review, and a rundown of what kind of reader is likely to love (and who might hate) each…
Apr 25, 2023 · 40:07
Set in a futuristic, unified World State, Brave New World tells the story of a very different kind of dystopia. The population is not tightly controlled in the traditional sense…
Apr 11, 2023 · 38:24
Four soldiers are serving a four year tour of duty as the only crew members on a super-advanced AI battleship, dispatched to fight the alien Salamanders who have been spewing…
Mar 28, 2023 · 37:53
All of Becky's writing is excellent, but if you haven't read The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet it's a great place to start. It's a wonderful, warm, and character-driven space…
Mar 14, 2023 · 36:55
Ellie is a brilliant radio astronomer who has often felt alone in the world. When she detects an indisputably intelligent signal emanating from the Vega system, that all changes…
Feb 28, 2023 · 30:20
Hiro Protagonist is a self-described hacker working as a pizza-delivery driver and living in a storage unit at LAX. He lives in a US that has been fully corporatized - from Judge…
Feb 14, 2023 · 25:37
Michael Crichton was fresh out of Harvard Medical School when he wrote the Andromeda Strain - and we're so glad he did! The book that launched his literary career and all that…
Jan 31, 2023 · 36:04
The story is told via the diary of a Handmaid - a young woman living in Gilead, an extremely repressive, patriarchal society that has taken over the United States. We explore the…
Jan 17, 2023 · 25:33
Jason Dessen is walking home one night when he realizes he is being followed. A strange man in a geisha mask abducts him at gunpoint, drives him to an abandoned building, takes…
Jan 3, 2023 · 23:15
The story is told from the first person perspective of Laurence Smith—the self-styled “The Great Lorenzo”—a down-and-out actor who spends most of his time in bars. He's…
Dec 6, 2022 · 28:37
It’s the year 2025, and society is descending into anarchy in the face of climate change and other disasters. We see the world through the diary entries of Lauren Olamina, a…
Oct 25, 2022 · 45:51
Seth Fishman is one of the biggest movers and shakers in the world of sci-fi publishing, representing Cixin Liu, Ann Leckie, Mary Robinette Kowal, Becky Chambers, Mur Lafferty,…
Oct 11, 2022 · 29:35
Aliens have taken a snapshot of the entire earth, down to 1 meter of resolution - we know because they lit the entire sky on fire to do it. Then, humanity detected something out…
Sep 27, 2022 · 57:24
This week we are so excited to interview Ken Liu! All of his writing and translation work is excellent, but if you haven't read his short story collection The Paper Menagerie we…
Sep 13, 2022 · 1:04:33
We had a great time rolling out the red carpet in Chicago, and we're excited to release the first set of interviews! The Seanan McGuire interview starts at 2:10. Seanan is a…
Aug 23, 2022 · 33:30
The vast majority of the world's fossil fuels have been expended, leading to a climate and economic catastrophe. In the aftermath, calories from food become the world's most…
Aug 9, 2022 · 40:24
Breq used to be the Justice of Toren - the huge, complex AI that inhabited a colossal starship and all of its thousands of ancillaries in the service of the Radch, the largest of…
Jul 26, 2022 · 39:12
Ranking and reviewing the best speculative fiction books of 2021! Here's the extremely abridged version of the list, with a one sentence summary of each: 6. Master of Djinn by P.…
Jul 12, 2022 · 39:33
Gentian line is one of the most powerful forces in the galaxy - one of the 'lines' of clones (called shatterlings) who have been traveling the galaxy since the start of the…
Jun 28, 2022 · 16:08
It is truly unbelievable that this story was written in 1909 - E. M. Forster's dystopian world feels all too real in our increasingly digitally connected and physically isolated…
Jun 28, 2022 · 1:07:55
A world where everyone occupies a tiny cell, connected to each other only by machines, and where a parent's responsibility to their child ends at birth. Where all knowledge and…
Jun 14, 2022 · 58:54
David Brin is an astrophysicist whose international best-selling novels include The Postman, Startide Rising, and the Uplift War. He consults for NASA, companies, agencies, and…
May 31, 2022 · 36:12
These books are among the most popular works of the Golden Age of sci fi, and for good reason. The overall story arc established in the first book is very, very good. Hari Seldon…
May 17, 2022 · 31:56
Douglas Adams passed away 21 years ago this week, so it seemed like a good time to revisit his amazing work. These are short, digestible books that are jam-packed full of jokes…
May 3, 2022 · 33:21
Despite the grim nature of a story about a pandemic that destroys civilization, Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel is full of subtle optimism and deep characters. It jumps…
Apr 19, 2022 · 45:07
In this episode we review Cixin Liu's Hugo award winning Three Body Problem (the book that made him the first person from Asia to win the award), as well as the sequels. If you…
Apr 5, 2022 · 29:36
In this episode we review and discuss Exhalation and Stories of Your Life and Others, Ted Chiang's two short story collections. These seventeen stories are full of novel…
Mar 22, 2022 · 41:11
In this episode we review Ender's Game, what makes it so inspiring to generation after generation of readers, why Ender is so incredibly likeable, discuss empathy as a…
Mar 9, 2022 · 54:27
This week we were so excited to interview Joe Haldeman and his wife Gay! The Forever War is absolutely one of the best sci fi books of all time, and we were excited to discuss…
Feb 22, 2022 · 31:23
In this episode we review Adrian Tchaikovosky's most popular book, talk about how he pulled off making giant spiders likeable, discuss how the book started off so strong, and…
Feb 8, 2022 · 29:17
In this episode we review KSR's magnum opus, talk about the technology he includes that makes the terraforming project possible, discuss the decline in the quality of each…
Jan 25, 2022 · 28:07
In this episode we review this timeless classic, talk about the real-life risk of meteors and comets hitting Earth, discuss how much it feels like nonfiction covering an event…
Jan 11, 2022 · 17:01
In this episode we review The City and The City, talk about the things that make it so interesting and fun to read, how 'weird fiction' fits into sci fi, and who makes the rules…
Dec 28, 2021 · 29:38
In this episode we review Left Hand of Darkness, talk about the things that make it so timeless and fun to read, Ursula K Le Guin's real life experiences that inspired the book,…
Dec 14, 2021 · 22:05
In A Fire Upon the Deep , A colony of humans sets up in the transcendence, the part of the galaxy where computers work so well AI can ascend and become godlike. The humans start…
Nov 30, 2021 · 25:21
Hyperion by Dan Simmons is one of the best sci fi books of all time, and won the Hugo and the Locus awards in 1990. We give it a 4.5 / 5. The book is a space epic in the form of…
Nov 16, 2021 · 23:39
This series is beloved by its fans, but doesn't get enough recognition in the wider world. These are incredible, character-driven stories that are a breeze to read but beneath…
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