A Melbourne-based show dedicated to uplifting Australian speculative fiction. Featuring author interviews, novel deep-dives, and occasional reporting on the industry. Created by Monte Weir as part of Meridian Australis.
Hosted by Monte Weir. Edited by Monte Weir and Andrew Renganathan Roberts. Original music by Andrew Renganathan Roberts.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
John Morrissey Interview - Bird Deity, Cosmic Horror, and Parenthood
Monte is joined by Australian author and Kalkadoon man John Morrissey to discuss his debut novel Bird Deity. John is the winner of the 2020 Indigenous Writer’s Mentorship, and was runner up for the Nakata Brophy prize in 2018. His debut collection, Firelight, won an Aurealis Award and a Queensland Literary award, and in 2024 he was named one of the Sydney Morning Herald's best young novelists. He joins me at the Roundtable to discuss the act of writing while everything feels hopeless, how parenthood changes your relationship to the world, and what it's like working as a First Nations author in a colonial society. We go deep into spoiler territory to discuss his novel's titular avian goddess, the challenges of writing a character who lacks direction, and what timeless hallmarks of classic sci-fi he chose to leave on the cutting room floor for the sake of narrative elegance.
Hosted and edited by Monte Weir. Original music by Andrew Renganathan Roberts.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
25 Aug 2026
Rhett Davis Interview - Arborescence, Masculinity, and Hope
Roundtable returns! Host Monte Weir is joined by Australian author Rhett Davis to discuss his latest book, Arborescence. Rhett Davis hails from Geelong and writes fiction that sits somewhere between the real and unreal, often with an irreverent streak. He joins me at the Roundtable to answer questions about masculinity, his writing's space in the literary canon, his relationship to hope, and why his most compelling character is an ageless genderless concept named Voidstar. We dive into full-spoiler territory to uncover what makes Arborescence so beautiful and bittersweet, touching on climate anxiety, grief, and the spectacular joy that can be found in having a shit. Hosted and edited by Monte Weir. Original music by Andrew Renganathan Roberts.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
26 Jun 2025
Kayla Morton Interview - Those Who Burn the Brightest, Queer Voices in Fiction, and Independent Publishing
Host Harvey Weir interviews debut author Kayla Morton about her novel *Those Who Burn the Brightest*, exploring queer voices in fiction and independent publishing.
1 Dec 2024
T. R. Napper Interview - 36 Streets, The Escher Man, and the publishing industry
Australian cyberpunk author T. R. Napper shares insights into his Aurealis-winning novel 36 Streets, The Escher Man, and the publishing industry's complexities.
14 Nov 2024
Piranesi - Susanna Clarke
Harvey is joined by Matt to discuss Susanna Clarke's 2021 novel, Piranesi. We analyse and argue over the text's compelling narrative voice, its sense of mystery, and its exploration of the nature of consciousness and memory.
Hosted by Harvey Weir. Edited by Andrew Nathan Roberts. Original music by Andrew Nathan Roberts.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
7 Oct 2024
Ancillary Justice - Anne Leckie
Guest host Arden Baker is joined by Kaz / A. M. Bueman and Ciar to discuss Anne Leckie's 2013 award-winning novel Ancillary Justice, the first in a trilogy of high-concept space opera novels that explore colonialism, gender and consciousness. Listen to our contrasting interpretations of the book's thematic implications and wider meanings, united by a shared enthusiasm for the story and central characters.
Edited by Andrew Nathan Roberts. Original music by Andrew Nathan Roberts.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
3 Sept 2024
The Sierra and The Transmogrification of Ordinary Things
Harvey is joined by fellow Meridian Australis members Cat and Jason, to discuss their stories The Sierra and The Transmogrification of Ordinary Things, which are featured in the AUSTRAL Anthology. AUSTRAL is the self-published passion project of Meridian Australis, a collection of speculative fiction stories written by young and up-and-coming Melbourne writers.
This episode is the second in a series designed to explore the inner workings of Meridian Australis' authors. It is intended to be listened to after you've read the authors' stories.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
3 Sept 2024
Canang Sari and Synecdoche - AUSTRAL Anthology Special
Harvey is joined by fellow Meridian Australis members Arden and Will, to discuss their stories Canang Sari and Synecdoche, which are featured in the AUSTRAL Anthology. AUSTRAL is the self-published passion project of Meridian Australis, a collection of speculative fiction stories written by young and up-and-coming Melbourne writers.
This episode is the first in a series designed to explore the inner workings of Meridian Australis' authors. It is intended to be listened to after you've read the authors' stories.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
13 Aug 2024
Lanny - Max Porter
Harvey is joined by returning guest Eddy to wax poetic on Max Porter's Lanny, a beautiful novel that experiments with structure, form and point of view. We explore the use of magical realism, the melding of modernity and folklore, and the touching sensitivity present between the pages of this phenomenal text.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
16 Jun 2024
The Traitor Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson
This episode, guest host Arden is joined by Dom and Kaz to discuss Seth Dickinson’s debut novel The Traitor Baru Cormorant. The three authors wax lyrical about what makes Cormorant a special favourite among Meridian Australis members.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
26 May 2024
This Is How You Lose the Time War - Max Gladstone & Amal El-Mohtar
This episode, Harvey is joined by Kaz Beuman and Jason Schembri to discuss This Is How You Lose the Time War, by Max Gladstone and Amal El-Mohtar. We go back and forth expressing our unfiltered adoration for this Nebula-and-Hugo-winning 2019 novella, exploring the power of melodrama and intentional world-building in modern sci-fi. As always, a supplementary essay breaking down the book's key techniques is available at meridianaustralis.au/roundtable.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
10 Mar 2024
Flowers for Algernon - Daniel Keyes
Harvey is joined by Edward Hodge and Matt Tynan to discuss Daniel Keyes' 1966 science fiction novel Flowers for Algernon. We talked about the book's almost timelessly-cutting representation of disability, mental health and social hierarchies, and delved into what makes it so emotionally affecting. A supplementary essay dissecting these themes on a deeper level is available on our website, meridianaustralis.au
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
23 Jan 2024
Hyperion - Dan Simmons
Harvey sat down with fellow authors William Rotor, Andrew Nathan Roberts, Arden Baker and Ishan Morris-Gray to discuss Dan Simmons' 1989 space opera Hyperion. With a book written in six stories from different narrators in a style directly referential to Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, we took the opportunity to discuss the key features and themes of each tale, the novel as a whole, and some of our favourite (and least favourite) parts.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 19 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
13
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
60
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