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Exclusive Interview: “Depth Charge” Co-Editors Hank Davis & Jamie Ibson

 

More than 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water. And yet, when it comes to planet-based science fiction stories, most take place on dry land, either here on Earth or on some other world.

But in the new short story anthology Depth Charge (paperback, Kindle), iconic science fiction writers including Arthur C. Clarke, James Blish, and Fritz Leiber give us tales that are all set underwater, at least in part.

In the following email interview, co-editors Hank Davis and Jamie Ibson talk about how this collection came together, how the stories were chosen, and which they think could work really well in theaters alongside Avatar, Aquaman, and other movies that are all wet.

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Exclusive Interview: “Ashme’s Song” Author Brad C. Anderson

 

Not every moral question has a right answer. Or no wrong one.

Take the question that inspired author Brad C. Anderson to write his new novel, Ashme’s Song (paperback, Kindle): “Is a hero someone who dies for their country or someone who gathers their family and gets them someplace safe?”

In the following email interview, Anderson talks about how that question inspired this story, which combines elements of science fiction, cyberpunk, political thrillers, and space opera into what he calls “spacethrillerpunk.”

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Exclusive Interview: “The Jinn-Bot Of Shantiport” Author Samit Basu

 

We all know the story of Aladdin. Well, the Disney version, anyway.

But while author Samit Basu knows that version, too, his love of Aladdin goes back further than Disney’s 1992 animated movie. Which is partially why he wrote The Jinn-Bot Of Shantiport, a humorous science fiction space opera / science fantasy / adventure story inspired by the original Middle-Eastern folk tale character from One Thousand And One Nights.

With The Jinn-Bot Of Shantiport now available in paperback — a year after originally being released in hardcover and for Kindle — I spoke to Basu via email to discuss what else inspired and influenced this sci-fi story, his plans for possible sequels, and why he made one of the central characters a monkey-bot.

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Exclusive Interview: “Twilight Imperium: Twilight Wars: Empire Burning” Author Robbie MacNiven

 

The science fiction space opera board game Twilight Imperium has already inspired a trio of novels (Tim Pratt’s The Fractured Void, The Necropolis Empire, and The Veiled Masters), as well as a short story collection (The Stars Beyond).

But now the game, and people who like to read stories based on it, are getting some of the backstory of this sci-fi universe through a new trilogy by author Robbie MacNiven called The Twilight Wars.

In the following email interview, MacNiven discusses the second book in the series, Twilight Imperium: Twilight Wars: Empire Burning (paperback, Kindle), including how it was influenced by a trio of space-y cartoons.

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Exclusive Interview: “Breath Of Oblivion” Author Maurice Broaddus

 

Works of fiction are often inspired by things that happen to an author in real life.

But when Maurice Broaddus started working for a community benefitting nonprofit, he probably didn’t think it would lead him to write an Afrofuturist science fiction space opera trilogy.

In the following email interview, Broaddus talks about both this series, the Astra Black trilogy, and its recently released second installment, Breath Of Oblivion (hardcover, Kindle).

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“Sprawl” Review

 

As an old fool, I sometimes kick it old school.

And not just by making dated references. I listen to music on CDs, watch TV shows on a TV, and eat food that wasn’t grown in a lab and sold under a name that would make Charlton Heston fans nervous.

It’s also why I was curious about Sprawl (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC), a cyberpunk sci-fi first-person shooter very much in the vein of Doom, Quake, and other old school shooters.

Though as old and foolish as I may be, I was happy to find that Sprawl wasn’t completely vintage.

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Exclusive Interview: “And The Mighty Will Fall” Author K.B. Wagers

 

K.B. Wagers’ NeoG novels have all been military science fiction stories.

But as they explain in the following email interview about the fourth installment, And The Mighty Will Fall (paperback, Kindle, audiobook), it’s not really the fourth in a series, isn’t just military sci-fi, and while the title implies some finality, there could be more adventures for the crew of Zuma’s Ghost.

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Exclusive Interview: “Year’s Best Canadian Fantasy And Science Fiction: Volume Two” Editor Stephen Kotowych

 

When we think of the best things to come out of Canada, we all think of maple syrup, moose, health care, Rush, and all the best Ryans (sorry, Seacrest).

But those looking for the best science fiction and fantasy stories now have two options: last year’s Year’s Best Canadian Fantasy And Science Fiction: Volume One and the new sequel, Year’s Best Canadian Fantasy And Science Fiction: Volume Two (paperback, Kindle).

In the following email interview, Volume Two (and Volume One) editor Stephen Kotowych talks about what went into assembling this new anthology.

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Exclusive Interview: “The Sun Runners” Author James Bow

 

While some authors are hesitant to admit their influences, others understand that no one lives in a vacuum, and that it’s okay to admit that yes, you were shaped by those who came before you.

And then there’s author James Bow who, in the following email interview, not only says what authors had an influence on his young adult sci-fi The Sun Runners (paperback, Kindle), but he also notes that he paid homage to one of them in a rather clever way.