Approaching Lightspeed is your guide through the mind-bending frontiers of the science fiction genre. With a focus on tales found in books, we'll explore all sorts of fantastical worlds, from the brutally indifferent cosmos found in Revelation Space to the intrigue-filled, culturally rich spaces of Teixcalaan, and everything in between. ---More Approaching Lightspeed: linktr.ee/approachinglightspeed
Denis Villeneuve adapted a story many thought was unadaptable with his spectacular "Dune" films... but even he couldn't bring every aspect of Frank Herbert's universe to the screen. In this episode of Approaching Lightspeed, we'll explore some of the deeper context, storylines, and even characters that never made the transition.
17 Jul 2026
The Mercy of Gods
"The Expanse" author James SA Corey continues their generational sci-fi run with a new trilogy, "The Captive's War." In it, humanity suddenly finds itself in the clutches of the alien Carryx. Their choices: demonstrate their usefulness and find a niche within their empire, and in so doing accept an eternity of servitude... or perish.
16 Nov 2023
Murderbot Diaries
Martha Wells' "Murderbot Diaries" follows one of science fiction's most introverted (but also most likable!) protagonists through an alarmingly familiar corporate hellscape in an epic journey to get as far from humans as possible.
18 Jul 2023
Dune Part II discussion (feat. Loïc Suberville)
Spoiler alert! I am joined by my good friend and tri-lingual comedic wonder Loïc Suberville to discuss the second trailer for "Dune: Part II." We talk about Call of Duty, Man of Steel, and a BUNCH of things we are absolutely not qualified to comment on. Oh, and there's even some Dune talk here and there! Reaction video link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uizRtlLr-YQLoïc's links:https://www.youtube.com/@loic.subervillehttps://www.tiktok.com/@loicsuberville
15 Apr 2023
Against a Dark Background
Iain M. Banks spirits us away to a crumbling solar system where technological advancement and supremacy comes not in what its inhabitants can make for themselves, but in what they can pilfer from the ruins of the countless failed civilizations that came before. Come for the homicidal cultists and daring heists; stay for the existential dread!(Minor "spoilers" between 1:09:24 and 1:13:40).
1 Feb 2023
The Aliens of Revelation Space
In Alastair Reynolds' "Revelation Space" series, humanity is slowly coming to the uncomfortable realization that they might be the only spacefaring civilization around--or at least the only one that hasn't been violently wiped out. But this wasn't always the case. Who called the galaxy home in eons past, and where did they all go? Humanity might not be ready for the answers...Revelation Space Book #1 Spoiler danger zone begins at 45:55 and ends at 1:09:58.
7 Sept 2022
Project Hail Mary
Andy Weir's "The Martian" was a gigantic hit on both literary and cinematic fronts. So how does he keep the momentum going in his latest work, "Project Hail Mary?" Well, it has a little something to do with icy apocalypses, Jason Bourne-esque amnesia, and some super memorable aliens. More info inside...
26 Aug 2022
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet
Becky Chambers' Galactic Commons is a civilization brimming with history and intrigue... what better way to explore it than through the eyes of this universe's endearing equivalent to blue collar workers?
21 Aug 2022
Galactic Domination on Easy Mode
The races of the galaxy were helpless to stem the Dread Empire of the Shaa's conquering tide. Today, with the ethos of their Praxis at the forefront of their society, the Shaa are the undisputed rulers of all that is known, having never lost a battle in the millennia they've existed. But perhaps that sort of efficiency has a way of coming back to haunt an empire in the end...
8 Jul 2022
Teixcalaanli Contradictions
An all-devouring cosmic beast to some, a shining beacon of civilization to others; Arkady Martine's Teixcalaanli Empire is the most powerful force in the known galaxy and a center of technological development, poetry, and art. But this refined facade covers up a deeply troubled regime that is fundamentally at odds with itself...
1 Jul 2022
An Expedition to Darwin IV
In this episode, we pay a visit to the eerily beautiful, richly realized, and utterly alien planet of Darwin IV.
10 Jun 2022
The Culture
In this episode, we take a look at the vast, absurdly powerful galactic utopia that is Iain M. Banks' Culture, as well as the lengths its citizens go to in order to find meaning in a universe seemingly without want...
27 May 2022
Leviathan Falls Discussion (feat. John Hayes)
Spoilers ahead! Join D. Tyler Pierson and John Hayes in their deep dive of the final chapters of the Expanse series: "Leviathan Falls" and "Sins of Our Fathers."
27 May 2022
Slices of Life in The Expanse
The Expanse isn't just the cataclysms and paradigm shifts that seem to come with each book; some of the quieter moments are collected in the anthology "Memory's Legion." Part two of Approaching Lightspeed's "Expanse Spectacular" will delve into the ordinary (relatively speaking, at least) folks who populate this extraordinary science fiction universe.
13 May 2022
What Happens Next in The Expanse?
The Expanse television show is complete... but the story remains unfinished. What comes next? And what IS the Expanse, anyway? D. Tyler Pierson has the answers in part one of Approaching Lightspeed's "Expanse Spectacular."
29 Apr 2022
The OTHER Book of Boba Fett
The bounty hunter Boba Fett is a well-established character in Star Wars lore... but what was he like during the franchise's formative years?
15 Apr 2022
The Nostalgia for Infinity
We delve into the depths of the massive, spacefaring haunted house that is Revelation Space's Nostalgia for Infinity...
8 Apr 2022
The Approaching Lightspeed Podcast
Host D. Tyler Pierson outlines what the Approaching Lightspeed podcast is all about.
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