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91

Science Fiction Discussion / Re: Severance!

« Last post by Chorkman on December 06, 2022, 05:53:53 PM »

I thought it was extremely well written, the acting was amazing, and season 1 ended on quite a cliff hanger (obv).  I would highly recommend Severance to anyone who likes a little mind bending Sci Fi with a twist of some horror elements (slightly). 

Do you know when season 2 is out?

Another 2 shows I've stumbled upon on Netflix are Manifest and Travelers.

Manifest is a somewhat cheesy (think Lost) Sci Fi show where a plane takes off and lands 5.5 years later.  Time inside the plane went like a normal flight, but time outside the plane aged the 5.5 years.  Like I said, it has a little cheese factor, but it's fun, decently acted, and has some good plot twists.  Seasons 1-4 are up and Season 4.2 is coming sometime in the spring.

Travelers is one I just started. It is a time traveling show where post apocalypse peeps can travel back in time and occupy people just before they were about to die and use their body as hosts to hopefully change the bad stuff that happens in the future to make it post apocalyptical.  Great acting.  Good character development.  A little Tropey (if that's a word) but worth the time to invest into.

That's all from me.  Bye everyone!

92

Episode Comments / PC764-765: The Science and Artistry of Snake Oil Salesmanship

« Last post by Ocicat on December 06, 2022, 05:12:21 PM »

PodCastle 764: The Science and Artistry of Snake Oil Salesmanship – Part 1

Author: Timothy Mudie
Narrator: Jairus Durnett
Host: Matt Dovey
Audio Producer: Eric Valdes

Previously published by Beneath Ceaseless Skies

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Show Notes
Rated PG-13The soundtrack featured in this story was composed by our audio engineer Eric Valdes 


 

Aloysius P. McNutt arrives in town one-and-a-half days after the snake, as per usual. Earlier would be too suspicious, and later risks that the settlers will have attacked the snake themselves, which simply won’t do. Aloysius needs to sell the snake oil to them, which he can’t lay claim to unless he slays the snake himself.

He grins lopsidedly as he sidles into the saloon. “Hear you got yourselves a snake problem.” In these settlements out in the territories, the heart of the community tends toward the saloon or the church, and Al has made a quick presumption that these aren’t a particularly churchly folk.

Rough men and a lesser number of equally rough women line the bar and circle the tables. Clusters of prospectors and farmers sip brandy and rye and harsher libations. All lift their heads in Al’s direction when he pushes through the doors and declaims his customary opening. None respond.

Al is wondering if maybe he should have tried the church after all when a man in a beaten hat wearily pushes himself from the bar. Maybe twice Al’s twenty-nine years, with eyes half again as old, this is a man who’s lived more than most. Despite the drink and the day’s problems weighing on him, the man carries himself with the posture of a lawman. This is Al’s mark. He strides across the room, ignoring the following eyes, and extends his hand in the man’s direction.

“I know a sheriff when I see one,” he says. “Pleasure to make your acquaintance, sir. Aloysius P. McNutt, at your service. But I recommend you call me Al. All my friends do, and I’ve a premonition that we’re to be fast friends, you and I.”


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93

Episode Comments / PC763: INDIGENOUS MAGIC – Dying Rivers and Broken Hearts

« Last post by Ocicat on December 06, 2022, 05:09:46 PM »

PodCastle 763: INDIGENOUS MAGIC – Dying Rivers and Broken Hearts

Author: Gabriella Buba
Narrator: Vida Cruz-Borja
Host: Matt Dovey
Audio Producer: Eric Valdes

Previously published by Strange Religion: Speculative Fiction of Spirituality, Belief, & Practice (Strange Concepts: Big Ideas Explored Through Speculative Fiction)

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Show Notes
Rated PG-13


 

Manila, Philippines, 1936

 

Maria-Lucia had failed.

In her hand, a freshly struck agimat burned. The copper amulet pressed with the image of the Virgin Mary was hot with the power the coven had gathered from the full moon. Golden light streamed between her clenched fingers.

All eyes were on her, as her first meeting as leader of the Mallari witches after the death of her husband came to a close. The full moon sank into the black waters of Manila bay.

Pasig, the sea-dragon of Manila Bay, had not come to renew her pact with the Mallari Witches, nor to accept Maria-Lucia as their new leader. The dragon went by many names. She was a bakunawa to the sailors from Cebu. In Manila she was a laho, the moon chaser.

“Is it because of me?” Maria silently asked her witch-heart Lucia, “Because I’m not truly a Mallari Witch — only married-in?”

Lucia, normally euphoric after soaking up moonlight and magic with her coven, was hesitant. “I don’t know. She’s come to our call before, why not now?”



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94

Flash Fiction Contest VII -- Cast of Wonders / THE SEMI-FINAL ROUND IS OPEN!

« Last post by Languorous Lass on December 03, 2022, 05:03:43 AM »

Okay, folks, the semi-final round is officially open! 

There are four groups of semi-finalists, with ten stories in each.  (The math worked out nicely.)  The stories for each group were selected through a randomized Google Sheets sort of all of the semi-finalists, to minimize the chances that an author's work would be competing against the same stories from the previous round. 

Once again, you'll be voting for your three favorites from each group.  The semi-final round will be open for ten days, to give you plenty of time to make those tough choices, and to ease the very real risk of voter fatigue.

We continue to encourage comments on the stories -- in fact, the lively conversations in the comment sections have been among the most engaging parts of previous contests.  Plus your constructive criticism (and praise) may help others decide which stories to vote for, as well as help the author-contestants hone their craft.  As I did at the beginning, I'm recommending checking out this thread from a previous Escape Pod contest, in which participants talked about what kind of feedback they'd like to get on their stories.

As with Round 1, the top three vote-getters from each group will move on to the final round, and the names of the authors of the stories that don't make it to the finals will be revealed. 

If you have any questions about this process, or see an issue that needs to be dealt with, please feel free to message me, Languorous Lass, here in the Forum.  I check this board regularly -- this contest feels like my baby, and I want to make sure it's thriving! 

To quote Escape Pod founder Serah Eley:  "Have fun!"

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Flash Fiction Contest VII -- Cast of Wonders / Today is the final day of Cast of Wonders' current submissions window!

« Last post by Languorous Lass on November 30, 2022, 06:03:51 PM »

Hi folks -- just a reminder that Cast of Wonders is open for general story submissions until Thursday, December 1, at 6 pm UTC.  So if the Flash Fiction Contest has gotten you excited about the idea of having us publish one of your stories, now's the time to submit!  We won't be open for general submissions again until June 2023 (though we'll be having special calls before then -- see the schedule here).  Check out the short summary of what we're looking for in the CoW section of the Forum here, or if you'd prefer to head right over to our guidelines page (which is where you'll find the link for submissions), you can find it here.  Hope to see your stories!

96

Flash Fiction Contest VII -- Cast of Wonders / Schedule for semi-finals, and what comes after

« Last post by Languorous Lass on November 30, 2022, 05:49:40 PM »

Hi folks -- we're almost ready for the semi-finals!  The voting for Round 1, Group 12, will close on December 2, and the semi-final round will open on the following day (December 3). 

There will be four groups of semi-finalists, with either nine or ten stories in each (depending on how many semi-finalists are selected from Group 12).  All four groups will be posted at the same time..  Once again, the stories for each group will be randomly selected by computer, to minimize the possibility that the same stories will be competing against each other this go-round. 

As in Round 1, you'll be asked to pick your three favorites from each group.  Voting will remain open for ten days, to give you plenty of time to make those tough decisions. 

The winners from the semi-final round will move on to the final round, which should open within a day or so of the closure of the semi-finals.  (More on that round as it gets closer.)  Just to remind you:  the top three stories from the final round will be the big winners.  Cast of Wonders will purchase those stories, and they'll be run as a podcast episode.  So your comments and votes become more and more important as the contest moves on!

Thanks to the authors whose stories didn't make it to the semi-finals.  We know you worked hard on your stories, and we appreciate your participation in the contest.  We hope that the comments you received on your own stories were helpful, and that you continue to vote and comment on the stories that make it to the next couple of rounds.  That community spirit is what CoW is all about.

And please keep writing and submitting your work to us! 

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Episode Comments / Re: Ep791: Rights And Wrongs

« Last post by CryptoMe on November 30, 2022, 05:01:12 PM »

I thoroughly enjoyed this episode. It was extremely well done. Loved the Perry Mason/Columbo/Law&Order trope done with aliens.  It was FUN!

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Episode Comments / Re: EP 789: The Machine That Would Rewild Humanity

« Last post by CryptoMe on November 30, 2022, 04:56:50 PM »

Yes, everything Álex Souza said, including the Love, Death, and Robots episode.

99

Episode Comments / Re: EP 788: Broken (Flashback Friday)

« Last post by CryptoMe on November 30, 2022, 04:50:50 PM »

Interesting perspective, Álex Souza. Though, by the end, I find the character intriguingly strong and capable in his own way, not pitiable at all.

100

Episode Comments / Re: EP509: Broken

« Last post by CryptoMe on November 30, 2022, 04:48:22 PM »

It's always interesting to go back and read what you wrote about a "flashback" story after you heard it the first time.

My opinions this time around haven't changed much. The lack of details didn't seem to bother me as much this time around and I would really like to hear more from this universe.