Episodes
Boneshaker
This week on Novel Ideas, we discuss Boneshaker by Cherie Priest, a sci-fi steampunk alternate history zombie story about the importance of family. In this episode we discuss characterization, possible racism, the motives of villains, and what about this book could use editing. We also the discuss the possibility of Disney accidentally creating zombies, moms who are also sharpshooters, steampunk naming conventions, and all the ways this book is like Peter Pan. There’s also an announcement at the end about our exciting July project extravaganza (more or that in the next day or two here if you’re avoiding the episode for spoilers).
A quick note: During the episode we wonder what the publication date was for this book, it was in 2009 and nominated for a Hugo award in 2010.
The music bump this week is “The Wall” by Kansas, though I’m pretty sure their version of the wall was not a literal wall containing poison gas and zombies.
Recommendations:
Ben: 5/10 Definitely not bad, but not memorable
Gabs: 4/10 Not my bag
The Road
Prepare for a long, cold slog through a world devoid of life, filled only with ashes. In other words, get ready for a new episode of Novel Ideas. This week, we read The Road by Cormac McCarthy, the Pulitzer Prize winning post-apocalyptic novel about… love? Join us as we discuss post-apocalyptic morality, cannibalism, isolation, and finding a purpose for living. We also talk about the potential benefits of joining a bloodcult, doomsday devices, and fonts (both apocalyptic and otherwise).
The music bump is “Lips of Ashes” by Porcupine Tree. I didn’t mean to go back to that well so quickly, but the song title was just too close to home. Also, Jackson Browne’s “The Road” didn’t quite fit the tone of novel. Additionally, there’s a little bit of Patton Oswalt at the end of the podcast. If you get that far, you’ll know why.
Ratings and Recommendations:
Ben: 7/10 miles trudged, only for what purpose?
Gabs: 5/10 on enjoyment.
Consensus is that this is a work of literature rather than entertainment. It is well written, but you may not find it very fun reading.
Speak
Novel Ideas returns with Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, a book about a traumatized high school freshman. A quick warning: if rape is a sensitive subject for you, this would be a good week not to tune in, as it is a key point in this book. We’ll also be discussing tense as a storytelling device, post-trauma emotional states, conformity, and the importance of speaking up. Additionally, we’ll also be talking about ubernerds, Ben’s idiocy, Ben’s sexy cold induced phlegm voice, and a special anti-recommendation from Gabs. There will be one or two weird moments in this episode as Ben’s disgusting wet coughs have been deleted, but not his laughter infused voice after Gabs’s disgusted reaction. So we’ll blame contextless laughter on cough deletion this week.
The music bump is “This Long Silence” by Porcupine Tree, which may or may not have anything to do with the book other than the title.
Following a suggestion from Kevin, we are also rating this book on a 1-10 scale to help out those of you who are trying to decide if they want to read the book to avoid spoilers before they listen to the episode.
Ben: 7/10
Gabs: 7 out of 10 possible seconds of silence
This book is good, not great. But it’s worth reading for a good treatment of sensitive topic.
Page count is just under 200.
The Beauty Queen of Leenane
Welcome back for a very special episode of Novel Ideas. This week we’re departing slightly from our norm and discussing a play, The Beauty Queen of Leenane by Martin McDonagh. And we’re doing it with a special guest, our cousin Sara, who is studying playwrighting? playwriting? One of those. This play is a very black comedy/psychological drama about insane people who hate each other, featuring mental illness, unreliable/untrustworthy characters, manipulative behavior, and murder. We also discuss whether “Irish” is a genre, the tendency of little brothers to ruin everything, and how podcasts, unlike plays, are not a visual medium.
The music bump is Delia Murphy’s “The Spinning Wheel,” for Mag on the occasion of her seventy-first birthday.
Hyperion
This week Novel Ideas discusses Hyperion by Dan Simmons, a far future version of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. This is probably the most “pure” science fiction we’ve read so far, with various story elements not only taking place in a science fiction setting, but requiring a science fiction setting to exist at all. In this episode we’ll discuss imperialism, mystery, pain, and feminism (of course.) We’ll also discuss whether this book has a protagonist (probably not), violence induced boners, surprisingly accurate visions of the internet, and ridiculous applications of Godwin’s Law. This episode also features our less than soundproof studio and the various comings and goings of roommates, angry post-surgical cats, and Ben’s extremely creaky chair that he can’t sit still in. We hope you enjoy!
The music bump is “Mysteries and Mayhem” by Kansas because those are both common subjects in this book, plus I couldn’t quite bring myself to use “We’re Off To See the Wizard,” but Kansas feels like it’s at least close. Should I even try to justify these decisions? It comes off as feeble even to me…
The Great Gatsby
Welcome back, old sport. It’s so good to see you yet again at one of our extravagant parties, old sport. This week’s discussion topic is The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. (Old sport.) Listen as we analyze racism, how to identify a protagonist, hypocrisy, and the danger of being tied to your past. We also look at verbal tics, what is actually the “midwest,” and the various ways in which Tom is a dick. Though it’s short, this book is a pretty rich source of material. You can read it in less time than it takes to go see the movie, so consider doing that before you join us.
The music bump is “Beale Street Blues,” a popular piece of music from around the time the book was written, and furthermore, a piece of music that gets specifically mentioned in the text. This particular recording was made a few years later, sung by the still amazing Ella Fitzgerald. No relation to the author, but I hope I didn’t need to tell you that.
Maurice
Novel Ideas caps off LGBT Month with a book that is actually about a gay relationship, Maurice by E.M. Forster. This very interesting book was written in 1913, but not published until 1971. Forster was unable to find a publisher during his lifetime because the subject matter, a love story between men with (gasp!) a happy ending was considered too risky by most publishers. It definitely reads as something ahead of its time, as many of the attitudes and opinions are right in line with those of 2013. We discuss that, as well as the importance of love, the unimportance of orthodoxy, and what “natural” really means. We also examine excellent turns of phrase, behaviors that strike us as very gay, and the adorable future of Maurice and his lover.
The music bump is from the first movement of Tchaikovsky’s Sixth Symphony, commonly referred to as the “Pathetique” symphony. Light research reveals that this is translated from a Russian word for passion, rather than something deserving pity.
Every Day
Welcome back to Novel Ideas for this week’s second episode. Monday’s post was intended for last week, but we weren’t quite able to get it finished up in time. This one gets us caught up for the two weeks. What is this one? It is Every Day by David Levithan, a book about a teenager who wakes up in a new body every morning. There is a lot to discuss in this one, as David Levithan does his best to hit every item on the controversial YA checklist. So tune in to hear us talk about teenage romance, suicide, alcohol use, and love. Especially love. Lots of love in this episode. Does love conquer all? Can you love somebody for who they are rather than what they are? What are the practical issues surrounding love? When does love cross the line into being a creepy stalker? We probably don’t answer any of these questions, but we do talk about them. A whole bunch.
The music bump is “Rhiannon” by Fleetwood Mac, chosen both for sharing a name with the love interest in this book and for being specifically referenced in the text.
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