Episodes

  • 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
  • Episode 10 - A Sword of Bronze and Ashes

    Episode 10 - A Sword of Bronze and Ashes
    Feb 9 2026
    For our February 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria, Adrian puts forward the novel A Sword of Bronze and Ashes by Anna Smith Spark for Emma to consider. Other talking points: Potato Guys Getting old as a female fantasy hero Marriage and long term relationships in fantasy fiction Amazing prose styles Being brought up by buccas in a tin mine Levelling up as a reader Media Mentions: The work of Haruki Murakami The work of KJ Parker (particularly the Scavenger trilogy) Legend, novel by David Gemmell The Conan stories by Robert E Howard The Discworld books by Sir Terry Pratchett Planetfall, novel by Emma Newman Excalibur, movie dir. John Boorman This marks the end of season 1 of Starship Alexandria! Season 2 will commence in March with a look at Alfred Bester's The Demolished Man. (For the curious, the seasons are mostly to do with our bulk recording of the regular episodes in advance.) Adrian's music recommendation: '39 by Queen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE8kGMfXaFU&list=RDkE8kGMfXaFU&start_radio=1 Emma's latest writing is a short story included in the Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) anthology: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161 Adrian's most recent book: Starseer's Ruin https://www.blacklibrary.com/all-products/ebook-starseers-ruin-eng-2025.html Follow us at: Emma: @emmanewman@bsky.social and www.enewman.co.uk Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com
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    53 mins
  • Episode 9 - Godzilla Minus One

    Episode 9 - Godzilla Minus One
    Jan 9 2026
    For our January 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria, Emma puts forward the movie Godzilla Minus One directed by Takashi Yamazaki for Adrian to consider. Other talking points: A monstrous regiment of Godzillas Survivor's Guilt Redemption arcs Found boat family The Unbearable Weightiness of Kaiju Convenient mattress factories Godzilla amplification Media Mentions: Godzilla (Gojira), movie dir Ishiro Honda Subsequent Godzilla movies, dir. various Pacific Rim, movie dir. Guillermo del Toro Jurassic Park, movie dir. Steven Spielberg Back to the Future, movie dir. Robert Zemeckis Oppenheimer, movie dir. Christopher Nolan Our next regular episode will look at the novel Sword of Bronze and Ashes by Anna Smith Spark. Emma's music recommendation: The Killing Moon by Echo and the Bunnymen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWz0JC7afNQ&list=RDLWz0JC7afNQ&start_radio=1 Emma's latest book: The Vengeance https://geni.us/thevengeance Adrian's most recent book: Starseer's Ruin https://www.blacklibrary.com/all-products/ebook-starseers-ruin-eng-2025.html Follow us at: Emma: @emmanewman@bsky.social and www.enewman.co.uk Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com
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    49 mins
  • Day 25 - 2025 Advent Calendar

    Day 25 - 2025 Advent Calendar
    Dec 25 2025

    Merry Christmas! This is the twenty-fifth, and final, episode of the 2025 advent calendar. We share some news, a gift and something that will hopefully make you laugh!

    If you'd like to support the show, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home

    Emma's latest book: The Vengeance https://geni.us/thevengeance

    Adrian's most recent book: Starseer's Ruin https://www.warhammer.com/en-GB/shop/hb-starseers-ruin-eng-2025

    Follow us at:

    Emma: @emmanewman@bsky.social and www.enewman.co.uk

    Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com
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    14 mins
  • Day 24 - 2025 Advent Calendar

    Day 24 - 2025 Advent Calendar
    Dec 24 2025

    For the Christmas Eve episode of the 2025 Starship Alexandria advent calendar, Adrian shares why Andor is so special for him.

    If you'd like to support the show, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home

    Emma's latest book: The Vengeance https://geni.us/thevengeance

    Adrian's most recent book: Starseer's Ruin https://www.warhammer.com/en-GB/shop/hb-starseers-ruin-eng-2025

    Follow us at:

    Emma: @emmanewman@bsky.social and www.enewman.co.uk

    Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com
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    10 mins
  • Day 23 - 2025 Advent Calendar

    Day 23 - 2025 Advent Calendar
    Dec 23 2025

    For the twenty-third day of the 2025 Starship Alexandria advent calendar, Emma shares her deep love for the show Detectorists.

    If you'd like to support the show, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home

    Emma's latest book: The Vengeance https://geni.us/thevengeance

    Adrian's most recent book: Starseer's Ruin https://www.warhammer.com/en-GB/shop/hb-starseers-ruin-eng-2025

    Follow us at:

    Emma: @emmanewman@bsky.social and www.enewman.co.uk

    Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com
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    8 mins
  • Day 22 - 2025 Advent Calendar

    Day 22 - 2025 Advent Calendar
    Dec 22 2025

    For the twenty-second day of the 2025 Starship Alexandria advent calendar, Adrian makes a bold declaration about the show Farscape.

    If you'd like to support the show, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home

    Emma's latest book: The Vengeance https://geni.us/thevengeance

    Adrian's most recent book: Starseer's Ruin https://www.warhammer.com/en-GB/shop/hb-starseers-ruin-eng-2025

    Follow us at:

    Emma: @emmanewman@bsky.social and www.enewman.co.uk

    Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com
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    9 mins
  • Day 21 - 2025 Advent Calendar

    Day 21 - 2025 Advent Calendar
    Dec 21 2025

    For the twenty-first day of the 2025 Starship Alexandria advent calendar, Emma talks about another cosy murder mystery show, this one set in 1920's Melbourne: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries.

    If you'd like to support the show, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home

    Emma's latest book: The Vengeance https://geni.us/thevengeance

    Adrian's most recent book: Starseer's Ruin https://www.warhammer.com/en-GB/shop/hb-starseers-ruin-eng-2025


    Follow us at:

    Emma: @emmanewman@bsky.social and www.enewman.co.uk

    Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com
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    9 mins