The best Scifi & Fantasy of the 21st century (Part 1 of 2)

The best Scifi & Fantasy of the 21st century (Part 1 of 2)

Author: Damien Walter December 24, 2021 Duration: 1:02:16
We are 21 years into the 21st century. What better time to look at the century we are living in...the century of science fiction. A special double episode of the Science Fiction podcast. Part 1 of 2. 00:00 The science fiction century 03:07 Welcome to new listeners. 04:59 The best scifi and fantasy of the 21st century 06:46 Why science fiction and fantasy? 10:46 21 + 21 = 42 13:16 The first year of the Science Fiction podcast 15:04 Twenty-One : John Scalzi / Star Wars 23:46 A few outliers 26:55 Twenty : Beeple / Blade Runner 2049 32:29 Nineteen : Cixin Liu / Mass Effect 37:18 Eighteen : Jenova Chen / American Gods 42:00 Seventeen : Tamsyn Muir / The Handmaid's Tale 44:40 Sixteen : Christopher Nolan / The Witcher 48:04 Fifteen : N K Jemisin / District 9 49:53 An offer you can refuse 52:48 Fourteen : Charlie Jane Anders / Harry Potter 55:31 Thirteen : Qntm / The Orville 58:31 Twelve : Hwang Dong-hyuk / Interstellar Follow the Science Fiction podcast: https://damiengwalter.com/podcast Join the Science Fiction community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/324897304599197 Follow the full course in Writing the 21st Century Myth : https://damiengwalter.com/advanced-scifi-and-fantasy/ Enroll on Udemy: https://www.udemy.com/course/advanced-science-fiction-fantasy/?referralCode=B7B13C5C3D413999ED95 Subscribe monthly via Skillshare: https://skl.sh/3pO6pPV

Damien Walter has spent years thinking about how the future shapes our present, and in his Science Fiction podcast, he shares those conversations. Rather than just reviewing books or films, this series digs into the ideas that make the genre so vital, using it as a unique lens to examine everything from current technology and social change to ancient myths and human psychology. Each episode feels like a thoughtful discussion with a well-read friend, one who can draw a line from classic novels to the latest TV series with ease. You’ll hear analysis of stories that predicted our world, explorations of how fictional futures reflect our deepest anxieties and hopes, and considerations of why certain narratives endure. Walter’s background as a writer and storyteller informs a approach that is both accessible and deeply insightful, making connections across the arts, science, and popular culture. This isn't about escapism; it's about using the imaginative tools of science fiction to better understand the reality we're all living in. For anyone who finds themselves wondering about the world that's coming next, this podcast offers a compelling and regular dose of perspective.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 88

Science Fiction
Podcast Episodes
Kim Stanley Robinson | Interstellar travel is a religious fantasy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:19
Science fiction is fighting a doctrinal war. Between those who believe that humankind's future is still the stars, and those - like Kim Stanley Robinson - who believe interstellar travel is a fantasy of religious belief.…
The failure of Foundation is a lost opportunity for Apple [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:15
Stories that last through the ages aren't just great storytelling, they also serve the power structures of their time. Powerful people have always patronised great stories. The epic poem Beowulf, The Divine Comedy of Dan…
Thoughts after watching Denis Villeneuve’s DUNE (2021) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:42
If science fiction is a gateway to the psychedelic, then DUNE is a portal to...awakening. Frank Herbert's seminal novel and David Lynch's baroquely weird movie are both powerful works of art on the theme of human awakeni…
The true meaning of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001 A Space Odyssey [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:46
It's more than a little ironic that the motion picture widely called the greatest science fiction story ever told was made by an artist who hated science fiction. Stanley Kubrick thought science fiction was a failure at…
There Is No Antimemetics Division – an interview with Qntm [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:45
It's logical that the best science fiction being written today has its origins online and in collaborative forums. There Is No Antimemetics Division began life as part of the SCP Foundation wiki, a collaborative writing…
What is science fiction? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:51
Look at a list of the 20th century's most important artistic and cultural movements and you won't find science fiction listed. Why not? We need a better definition of science fiction to help reclaim it...from itself. Fol…