We're busily reading the Hugo voter packet, so it's summer movie season on the podcast! This month we watched Attack the Block, a 2011 horror scifi adventure starring John Boyega and Jodie Whittaker. Thanks to Ed for choosing this movie!

Music by Pets of Belonging

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A nonsense chitchat episode. Settle in with us as we enjoy pickle dip (eating/mouth noises warning) and listen to Kevin's Shackleton Expedition fanfic.

Pickle Dip Recipe

In this emergency reaction episode, we discuss Widow's Bay, a TV show that has consumed us like Richard Warren gobbling up evil psychedelic mushrooms during a winter famine. This is an unstructured, rambling discussion with none of the usual segments.

SPOILER WARNING - please please PLEASE DO NOT LISTEN if you haven't watched the show in its entirety!

Katie Dippold's Babadook Tweet

At long last, another happy hour! We've got TV shows, new jobs, shoe horns, and tattoos!

This month we read Downbelow Station by CJ Cherryh, which won the Hugo for best novel in 1982. Phew!

DM: Haley

Music by Pets of Belonging

Transcript library

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LINKAPALOOZA

Haley's review of Mandalorian and Grogu Lori on Narrated

Articles we discussed: https://reactormag.com/warfare-and-survival-downbelow-station-by-c-j-cherryh/ https://www.andyjohnson.xyz/home/book-review-downbelow-station-1981-by-cj-cherryh https://blogendorff.com/2018/04/21/book-review-downbelow-staton/ https://reactormag.com/norway-has-her-standards-cj-cherryhs-downbelow-station/

This month we read Lois McMaster Bujold's 2004 Hugo winner, Paladin of Souls. Lori and Amy liked it. Haley persevered.

DM: Amy

Music by Pets of Belonging

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We're Hugo finalists again! We discuss while sipping something called Dirty Mountain Dew. Thank you so much to everyone who listens and supports us!

Big congrats to our co-finalists: Octothorpe, A Meal of Thorns, Worldbuilding for Masochists, The Coode Street Podcast, and Eating the Fantastic. We look forward to celebrating with you all in Anaheim!

Listen, this movie isn't good, but if you like boats and Rihanna, it's a lot of fun!

DM: Lori

Music by Pets of Belonging

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LINKS

Sur by Ursula K. Le Guin

Take Me To Your Reader - Games to Film Episode

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The next 3 episodes will be -

May - Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold

June - Downbelow Station by CJ Cherryj

July - Rainbows End by Verner Vinge

This month we read Green Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson, which won the Hugo for best novel in 1994 and definitely meets the technical definition of "a novel."

DM: Lori

Don't forget we're still running a fundraiser! Naomi Kritzer shared a roundup of options for folks from outside Minnesota. You could also support the ACLU or another organization or fundraiser that's meaningful to you.

Hugo Award nominations close Saturday, March 28, 2026 at 9:00am Pacific Time / 12:00pm Eastern Time / 4:00pm GMT. More info here.

The next 4 episodes will be - April - Battleship (the 2012 movie starring Rihanna) May - Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold June - Downbelow Station by CJ Cherryh July - Rainbows End by Vernor Vinge

Music by Pets of Belonging

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This month we read a boat book!!! Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage, by Alfred Lansing. It's so cold! A lot happens! There is Dog Tragedy! There's a lost foot! And a frozen butt! No cannibalism though, so that's good.

But you guys LOOK AT THE JAMES CAIRD, JUST LOOK AT HER! They took her from Elephant Island to the wrong side of South Georgia Island. Can you imagine?! No?? Well, you don't have to! We'll tell you about it, because Alfred Lansing told us.

DM: Haley

Music by Pets of Belonging

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We're doing a fundraiser to support people affected by and/or protesting the violent occupation of Minneapolis and other cities in the US. To participate, please make a donation to an organization of your choice that provides mutual aid, support for immigrants, or support for protesters in Minneapolis, your own community, or anywhere there is need.

Please EMAIL your donation receipt to [email protected], (please DO NOT send receipts via social media). We'll essentially treat your receipt as a raffle ticket. All donations received on or before March 31, 2026 will count. After that, we'll select one person at random to choose a MOVIE for us to watch and discuss on the show - yes, I said a movie because right now we have to get through Green Mars so we can't add an extra book. Thanks for your support!

This month we read The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov, in which girls just wanna have sun. (Unless they are moon separatist girls.)

DM: Amy

Music by Pets of Belonging

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