Edward Willett - Shapers of Worlds Volume II

Edward Willett - Shapers of Worlds Volume II

Author: Alan Warren December 28, 2022 Duration: 47:35

Explore twenty-four imaginative tales crafted by some of today’s best writers of science fiction and fantasy, all guests on Aurora Award-winning podcast The Worldshapers during its second year, including international bestsellers and winners of every major award in the field as well as newer authors just beginning what promise to be stellar careers.


There are brand-new stories from Kelley Armstrong, Marie Brennan, Garth Nix, Candas Jane Dorsey, Jeremy Szal, Edward Willett, Bryan Thomas Schmidt, Lisa Foiles, Susan Forest, Matthew Hughes, Heli Kennedy, Helen Dale, Adria Laycraft, Edward Savio, Lisa Kessler, Ira Nayman, James Alan Gardner, and Tim Pratt, plus fiction by Jeffrey A. Carver, David D. Levine, Carrie Vaughn, Nancy Kress, Barbara Hambly, and S.M. Stirling.


A woman seeking the power to see the evil hiding within others regrets receiving it. Letters written by a wizard in the past threaten a queen’s reign in the present. Competing for Earth, a human wrestler faces an alien shapeshifter in an interstellar tournament. A guide in Tibet must weigh the good of his people when asked to lead a westerner to the fabled realm of Shangri. An activist imprisoned for illegal genetic modification works with the materials at hand and the threads of the multiverse to make the world—a world, at least—a better place. A demonic agent sent to help a human turns the tables on his summoner.


Like the “cabinets of curiosities” created by collectors of the sixteenth century, Shapers of Worlds Volume II displays a varied array of thought-provoking delights: tales of humour and sorrow, darkness and light, and hope and despair that are full of adventure, full of life, and sometimes full of regret. There are stories set in alternate histories, in possible futures, near and far, and in the here-and-now, taking place on Earth, on distant planets, or in fantastic realms. All arise from the innate need of human beings to create, to imagine . . . to shape worlds.


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For over a decade, the House of Mystery radio show opened a door into the minds of the most imaginative authors in literature. What If? Science Fiction/ Fantasy Writers curates the very best of those conversations, hosted by Alan Warren. This isn't just a series of interviews; it's a deep exploration of the creative sparks behind otherworldly civilizations, magical systems, and the fundamental questions that define speculative fiction. Each episode lets you sit in on a genuine discussion, hearing directly from writers about how they build their universes, develop characters who feel real against impossible backdrops, and where they find their most extraordinary ideas. You'll get a sense of the person behind the pages, their influences, and the sometimes surprising paths that led them to craft the stories that shape our dreams of the future and reimaginings of the past. Tune into this podcast for a thoughtful and engaging archive that celebrates the arts of science fiction and fantasy writing, offering listeners a lasting connection to the voices that continue to push the boundaries of fiction and science.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

What If?  Science Fiction/ Fantasy Writers
Podcast Episodes
Edo Van Belkom & Mark Leslie - Death Drives a Semi: 25th Anniversary [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:15
Keep one eye on the road ahead and another on the rearview mirror.Because, like the legendary phantom semi of this book's titular story, these stories will creep up on you and overtake you without warning.Edo van Belkom…
Richard H Stephens - Windwalker [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:50
'The White Witch had foreseen Pecklyn’s death at Grim Watch Tower. If the Queen of the Fae was to be trusted, Pecklyn wasn’t coming back.'Maturing into a confident leader, prepared to take on the world, the rightful heir…
Susy Smith - Ascendant [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:13
The world has disintegrated. Civilization has collapsed. Chaos is the new normal.But I, Lacy Monroe, intend to survive.My lover Jace and I can't escape my corrupt uncle, Senator Thomas Monroe. He captures and separates u…
Cyndi Brec - Scarred Secrets prequel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:21
In the shadows of back alleys, a charismatic schemer gives orders to kill—death is his weapon.In an underground, dark vaulted library, a rare mystical feathered creature stalks bookshelves, hunting mysterious legends for…
Spencer Sekulin & JR Johnson - Writers of the Future [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:01
24 Award-winning Authors and IllustratorsBonus Short Stories by Kevin J. Anderson • L. Ron Hubbard • S. M. StirlingArt and Writing Tips by Lazarus Chernik • L. Ron Hubbard • Kristine Kathryn RuschEdited by Dean Wesley Sm…
Robert J. Sawyer - L. Ron Hubbard Award Winner [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:06
“An imaginative restructuring of a phantasmagoric life into an alternative phantasmagorical story. Oppenheimer fans will be intrigued.” —Martin J. Sherwin, co-author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning biography American Prome…
Claudia Christian & Chris McAuley - Dark Legacies [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:26
Dark Legacies is a Science Fiction universe created by Chris McAuley and Babylon 5 legend Claudia Christian. It is set after Earth emerges from a brutal totalitarian regime and looks towards the stars with a renewed sens…
Jim  Hepburn - Hunted by Fire [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:48
What is fifteen-year-old Felix Deltorei supposed to do when he longs for rebellion? In his world, where the dragon Gods reign with barbaric force, such thoughts could cost him his life.The risks have been drilled into Fe…
David M. Kelly - Kwelengsen Swarm Book 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:12
How long can one man keep fighting?Logan's dreams of a peaceful life on Kwelengsen have been shattered. A final battle with the Corporate forces seems inevitable and will cost all the settlers' lives unless he can get th…