Science Fiction Podcasts

I think of myself as a fairly busy guy. I’ve got a fulltime day job, two young children, and a burgeoning writing and blogging avocation. There is not much time for anything else. I’ve given up on television. And about the only music I listen to is Sirius XM satellite radio (where I switch between 70s on 7 and 80s on 8. I’ve never been a podcast-listener, because I figured I just didn’t have the time.

And then I attended the panel on Podcasting at Worldcon, moderated by Patrick Hester.

Also on the panel were James Patrick Kelly, Mur Lafferty, Kate Baker, and someone, who was a late add-on, and I didn’t catch his name. This was a fascinating look at what goes into making a podcast, but not just any podcast. Just about everyone on the panel was a part of a successful podcast.

I might be slow with these trends, but I don’t have to be told twice. After the panel, I started listening to the various podcasts out there, and now I am hooked. I made a few interesting discoveries. First, I can listen to a podcast while I am doing other things. Second, the podcasts are amazingly interesting and well-done. Most of the ones I’ve listened to are far better than most of the non-music shows I’ve listened to on the radio. Finally, they help keep me up-to-date with the goings-on in science fiction.

So in five days or so since the panel, I’ve been catching up on science fiction podcasts and here are the ones that I’ve now subscribed to and settled on as genuinely excellent:

I would be remiss if I did not mention one other podcast that I’ve really grown to enjoy, and that is the Clarkesworld podcast. There are always great stories being read on the podcast, but the real draw is that they are being read by Kate Baker, who, among the readers I’ve heard read stories aloud, has to be in the top two. (Harlan Ellison is also in the top two, if you are wondering.) Listening to Kate read a Clarkesworld story gives it a whole new dimension and really highlights how a reading is a remarkable dramatic artform in and of itself.

So there you have it. I might be slow to get started, but I’ve greatly enjoyed what I’ve heard of these podcasts thus far, and I consider myself a regular subscriber and listener to all five now.


  1. I have been an occasional guest on this podcast, but until recently, I must admit to my great shame, not a regular listener.

4 thoughts on “Science Fiction Podcasts

  1. I like Adventures in SciFi Publishing. I haven’t been listening to the SF Signal podcast, though I like the blog. Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy looks great now that I’ve taken a look at it. Guess I’ll have to see how it sounds.

    I’d really like some shorter podcasts, though. It’s a lot easier for me to fit 20 or even 30 minutes a day into my schedule. An hour is tough.

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