Starship Fonzie

Greetings, all my fellow Milwookies, homo-sapiens, and all other sentient lifeforms of the Planet Earth. This is Starship Fonzie, the official podcast of the Milwaukee Science Fiction and Fantasy League. I’m your host, Eric J. Hildeman, and we’re going to let you know what’s going on in the world of sci fi in Milwaukee, and in the SFF world generally. This podcast is being pre-recorded live from the deck of the Starship Discovery, where Michael Burnham has just entered a dimensional portal in an attempt at gaining the progenitors’ technology. Actually, it's coming to you from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, or as Donald Trump calls it, “That awful city.” Really? I mean, fuck you too, fake-tanned asshole. Meanwhile it’s also come out in the news that Trump isn’t even bothering to get a hotel in Milwaukee. He’s going to be staying in Chicago and commuting up to Milwaukee for convention events. And everyone in Chicagoland is saying, “Hey, that guy can’t diss our neighbor Milwaukee like that! Th...

Emily Tesh has written an intriguing book. It's one of the Hugo Award nominees this year, and certain sci fi news outlets, such as the Octothrope podcast, have declared it the best candidate for a win. It's good, I can't deny that, but I'm forced to hold back a little bit of praise. ***Warning, some spoilers ahead!*** In this future world, Earth has long ago been destroyed by an alien consortium known as the Majo. Using an all-powerful technology known as "The Wisdom," the Majo nearly wiped out humanity. Now, several human colonies remain, most of whom have integrated into Majo culture. But there is one enclave that remains defiant, and seeks revenge for Earth. Val Kyr (a version of the name "Valkyrie") is the best female fighter in the misogynistic space station of Gaea, the aforementioned militaristic hold-out against the Majo. Val Kyr anticipates being sent for combat duty as her assignment upon coming of age. To her shock and horror, she is inste...