The Best of Podcastle 2019

written by David Steffen

Podcastle is the weekly fantasy podcast published by Escape Artists, which at the beginning of 2019 was co-edited by Jen Albert and Khaalidah Muhammad-Ali. During the year Khaalidah Muhammad-Ali stepped down and now at this time the podcast is co-edited by Jen Albert and Cherae Clark. As well as weekly full-length feature episodes, they also publish occasional standalone flash stories as bonus episodes, as well as multiple short-short stories for the occasional feature episode collection.

Podcastle published 50 stories by my count in 2019.

As it happens, every story on this list was originally published prior to 2019, so none of them are eligible for Hugo and Nebula awards, but there are plenty of other great stories published there for you to consider if you like that sort of thing.

The List

1. “The Resurrectionist” by J.P. Sullivan, narrated by Wilson Fowlie
The skill of resurrecting people has fallen out of favor but there are still people who do it, it’s a matter of visiting the deceased in their dreamlike interstitial space and bringing them back across the divide by hook or by crook.

2. “The Bone Poet and God” by Matt Dovey, narrated by Eliza Chan
Every bone carries four magical runes on their body, engraved to the bone, including one that they are born with and isn’t revealed until they die.

3. “The Masochist’s Assistant” by Auston Habershaw, narrated by Matt Dovey
It is no easy job being the assistant of a magical masochist who demands he be killed at regular intervals every day.

4. “Balloon Man” by Shiv Ramdas, narrated by Kaushik Narasimhan
Whatever is true, the opposite is also true. That is the way of stories.

5. “The Deliverers of Their Country” by E. Nesbit, narrated by Katherine Inskip
Dragons are back in the world and proving to be quite a menace, which Effie only finds out when one gets stuck in her eye.

Honorable Mentions

“I am not I” (part 1 and 2) by G.V. Anderson, narrated by Tatiana Grey

“A Toy Princess” by Mary de Morgan, narrated by Eleanor Wood

“When Leopard’s-Bane Came to the Door of Third Heaven” by Vajra Chandrasekera, narrated by Peter Behravesh

The Best of Escape Pod 2019

written by David Steffen

Escape Pod is the weekly science fiction podcast, one of the Escape Artists family of podcasts, edited by S.B. Divya and Mur Lafferty.

Escape Pod published a total of 41 stories in 2018, which is lower than it has been in some years because of a combination of longer stories that were split across multiple episodes, as well as mixing in “Flashback Friday” episodes this year, which are republications of stories published earlier in Escape Pod’s history–since Flashback Friday stories have already been considered for previous Best of Escape Pod lists here, they were not considered this time.

And let me say that Escape Pod has been in incredible form this year–it was very hard to winnow the list down to this length, and I had to cut stories that I would recommend to get it down to the length. If you like what you read in this list, there are many many more where that came from!

Every short story that is eligible for Hugo nominations this year which were first published by Escape Pod are marked with an asterisk (*).

The List

1. “Failsafe” by Tim Chawaga, narrated by Tina Connolly*
Failsafes are legally required human components to automated systems that serve as impediments to machine uprisings by being able to refuse to participate if something starts happening. There aren’t many left and they are left and they are chosen specifically for their empathy.

2. “When Robot and Crow Saved East St. Louis” by Annalee Newitz, read by Louis Evans
I love stories of artificial intelligences that do great things because they find new ways to apply their specialized programming, and this is one of those! In this case a drone designed to help the CDC stop disease outbreaks early.

3. “Optimizing the Verified Good” by Effie Seiberg, narrated by Trendane Sparks
Battlebots! This story is about a cleaning bot that operates in a battlebot arena cleaning up the damaged parts after battles to clear the way for the next battle. It decides that a more optimal way to keep the arena clean would be to reduce the amount of damaged robots–another in the subgenre of robots following their programming and doing unexpected things as a result.

4. “The Great Scientist Rivalry on Planet Sourdough” by Beth Goder, narrated by Divya Breed, Mur Lafferty, Adam Pracht, Alasdair Stuart, and Tina Connolly
Hilarious full-cast recording with multiple point of view characters all with their own clashing motivations.

5. “Flash Crash” by Louis Evans, narrated by Ibba Armancas*
Another in the robots following their programming and doing unexpected things, in this case an investment AI expanding as it goes.

Honorable Mentions

“Spectrum of Acceptance” by Nyla Bright, narrated by Maxine Moore*

The Best of Strange Horizons 2018

written by David Steffen

Strange Horizons is a freely available online speculative fiction zine that also publishes nonfiction and poetry. Their editors-in-chief are Jane Crowley and Kate Dollardhyde. Their senior fiction editors are Lila Garrott, Catherine Krahe, An Owomoyela, and Vajra Chandresekera, and their podcast is edited, hosted, and usually read by Anaea Lay. They publish a variety of styles of stories and have regularly attracted award nominations in recent years. All of the stories and poetry in the zine are published in the podcast. In 2018, Strange Horizons published about 50 stories .

Stories that are eligible for this year’s Hugo awards are marked with an asterisk (*).

The List

1.“The Fortunate Death of Jonathan Sandelson” by Margaret Killjoy**
Hacker uses compromised drones to harass high-level executives of world-wrecking corporations, but is accused of murder.

2.“Some Personal Arguments In Support of the BetterYou (Based On Early Interactions)” by Debbie Urbanski*
This is a really interesting point of view piece, in favor of the “BetterYou”, a copy of yourself that fits some definition of an ideal you who joins your family.

3.“Variations On a Theme From Turandot“ by Ada Hoffman*
Very meta-story about evolving permutations of a play repeated over and over.

4.“Copy Cat” by Alex Shvartsman and K.A. Teryna*
What could a cat do to keep its home after its owner dies?

5.“Venus Witch’s Ring” by Inda Lauryn*
Make a deal with a devil, and the bargain is never what you expect.

Honorable Mentions

“The Trees of My Youth Grow Tall” by Mimi Mondal*

“Dying Lessons” by Troy L. Wiggins*

“Her Beautiful Body” by Adrienne Celt*

The Best of Nightmare Magazine Podcast 2017-2018

written by David Steffen

Nightmare Magazine is the horror sister magazine of Lightspeed Magazine, published/edited by John Joseph Adams, with Wendy Wagner as senior editor, and their podcast produced by the excellent Skyboat Media. The podcast publishes about half of the stories they publish in text. They didn’t publish enough stories in 2017 for a list, so this list covers both 2017 and 2018. They published 47 stories between the two years.

The stories eligible for the upcoming Hugo and Nebula award seasons are marked with an asterisk (*).

The List

1.“Dead Air” by Nino Cipri**
Particularly good narration on this one, presented as a series of recordings from a project where a woman records interviews with people she’s slept with.

2.“The Island of Beasts” by Carrie Vaughn*
What happens when werewolves are captured and confined to an island together.

3.“Kylie Land” by Caspian Gray*
An awkward kid befriends a kid with powers.

4.“House of Small Spiders” by Weston Ochse**
It takes a particular set of events for a house to have a soul.

5.“The Ten Things She Said While Dying: An Annotation” by Adam-Troy Castro*
A pedantic retelling of a gruesome death as told by the demon who caused it by entering our dimension.

Honorable Mentions

“Promises of Spring” by Caspian Gray

“A Mother’s Love Never Ends” by Halli Villegas

The Best of Cast of Wonders 2018

written by David Steffen

Cast of Wonders is the YA branch of the Escape Artists podcasts, edited by Marguerite Kenner, covering all speculative genres and aiming to appeal to YA audiences.

This year’s offerings included their usual staff pick re-airing of stories from last year, as well as one story that was split into seven episodes, for a total of about 45 stories.

Short Stories that are award-eligible for 2018 are marked with an asterisk (*).

The List

1.“All Systems Go” by Gerri Leen
As told by intelligent cleaner bots at an airport.

2.“The Death Knight, the Dragon, and the Damsel” by Melion Traverse*
Recruited as a squire by an undead night, Cori and the knight set out to rescue a damsel from a dragon and get more than they bargained for.

3.“Secrets and Things We Don’t Say Out Loud” by José Pablo Iriarte*
A boy has the ability to find out all of everyone’s secrets with just a touch, but it’s a two-way connection, and he is fleeing with the woman who helped him escape from a lab.

4.“Ten Things Sunil and I Forgot to Prepare For, When We Prepared for the Apocalypse” by Shane Halbach
It is exactly what it sounds like, I like list stories.

5.“Skinned” by Amanda Helms*
Ransacking a warehouse with an android guardian in a post-apocalyptic setting to find skin repair kits to fix the guardian’s rusty skin.

Honorable Mentions

“Sidekicks Wanted” by Laura Johnson

“And Flights of Skuhwiggle” by Charles Lee McDaniel*

The Best of Toasted Cake 2018

written by David Steffen

Toasted Cake is the idiosyncratic flash fiction podcast published, edited, hosted, and most often narrated by writer Tina Connolly. As noted in last year’s Best Of list, Toasted Cake had gone on hiatus for a couple years to make more time for writing deadlines and raising young children, but in the fall of 2017 she brought it back as an ongoing publication, publishing weekly during the school year. 2018 is the first full calendar year of publication after the end of the hiatus.

Tina Connolly has great and varied editorial taste and she’s an experience and excellent narrator as well. If you like flash fiction that is weird and unique and many times fun (but not always, there is serious fare as well), you would do well to check out the podcast.

The List

1.“A Scrimshaw of Smeerps” by Shannon Fay*
Future holiday traditions, wherein we tell the children that cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin comes to our home every year.

2.“Re: Little Miss Apocalypse Playset” by Effie Seiberg
Internal corporate email chain about the business decisions underlying the realistically catastrophic children’s toy

3.“We Need to Talk About the Unicorn In Your Backyard” by Mari Ness
A letter from the homeowner’s association, about the unicorn in your backyard.

4.“Immeasurable” by H.E. Roulo
The new teen trend is to download an app that measures all of your real-life activities by reaching achievements based on your goals.

5.“The Empire Builder” by Eden Robins
The feeling when you wake up with a sentient train in your bed.

Honorable Mentions

“Dear 8B” by Matt Mikalatos

The Best of Lightspeed Magazine Podcast 2018

written by David Steffen

Lightspeed Magazine is the award-nominated science fiction magazine edited by John Joseph Adams, and their podcast is produced by the excellent Skyboat Media. They publish about half of the stories they publish in text. They published about 49stories in 2017.

The stories eligible for the upcoming Hugo award season are marked with an asterisk (*), with novelettes eligible for the season marked with a double asterisk (**).

The List

1.“Under the Sea of Stars” by Seanan McGuire*
The tale of an expedition to find the truth about a family legacy.

2.“The Quiltbag” by Ashok K. Banker*
The sort of story where you’re trying to figure out what’s going on until the end.

3.“The Streets of Babel” by Adam-Troy Castro*
Cities roam the wilderness scooping up outcasts and incorporating them into themselves.

4.“Hapthorn’s Last Case” by Matthew Hughes**
Another in the Kaslo Chronicles series, this one a mystery story.

5.“A Love Story Written on Water” by Ashok K. Banker**
A tale of immortal beings sent to be born into humans bodies in the mortal world.

Honorable Mentions

“From the Root” by Emma Törzs*

“The Last To Matter” by Adam-Troy Castro**

“What is Eve?” by Will McIntosh

The Best of Clarkesworld 2018

written by David Steffen

Clarkesworld continues strong this year with a mix of science fiction and fantasy, and edited by Neil Clarke, with Kate Baker producing and usually narrating the podcast. I am sure they will continue to be heavily represented on the awards ballots, and they remain prolific as ever, publishing 80 stories in 2018 by my count.

Their partnership with StoryCom continues, which provides a steady stream of translations of Chinese science fiction, which I continue to enjoy the different perspectives and flavor and to find new Chinese authors this way.

Every short story that is eligible for Hugo nominations this year which were first published by Clarkesworld are marked with an asterisk (*), novelettes are marked with a double-asterisk (**), novellas are marked with a triple-asterisk (***).

The List

1.“A World to Die For” by Tobias S. Buckell**
Your post-apocalyptic hunting party is stopped, and they ask for you, and they say they were sent by you.

2. “Umbernight” by Carolyn Ives Gillman***
A search party goes out in search of a supply pod from the homeworld, risking the dangers of the umbernight when dangerous radiation pours down from the other sun.

3. “To Fly Like a Fallen Angel” by Qi Yue, translated by Elizabeth Hanlon**
Hiding from authorities in the underground box that holds what’s left of civilization, this story never gave me what I expected at any point.

4. “Master Zhao: The Tale of an Ordinary Time-Traveler” by Zhang Ran, edited by Andy Dudak**
The food delivery guy claims to be a time-traveler with very little control over his fate.

5. “Thirty-Three Percent Joe” by Suzanne Palmer**
Smart prosthetics in a world of rampant war, smart enough to argue with each over about what’s best for their host.

6. “Octo-Heist in Progress” by Rich Larson*
Exactly as much fun as it sounds!

7. “Marshmallows” by D.A. Xiaolin Spires*
Augmented reality with Christmasy overlays, where homeless veterans become giant marshmallows

8. “Two-Year Man” by Kelly Robson
In a rigid class system, a lower-class “two-year man” rescues a baby from work and brings it home.

Honorable Mentions

“Death On Mars” by Madeline Ashby

“Dandelion” by Elly Bangs*

“MayFly” by Peter Watts and Derryl Murphy

“Swift as a Dream and Fleeting as a Sigh” by John Barnes

The Best of Escape Pod 2018

written by David Steffen

Escape Pod is the weekly science fiction podcast, one of the Escape Artists family of podcasts. At the beginning of 2017 it was edited by Norm Sherman, but when he stepped down from the role two co-editors have filled the positions: S.B. Divya and Mur Lafferty.

In February Escape Pod once again participated in the Artemis Rising event across the Escape Artists podcasts, publishing fantasy stories written by women and nonbinary authors.

Escape Pod published a total of 42 stories in 2018, which is lower than usual because of a combination of longer stories that were split across multiple episodes, as well as mixing in “Flashback Friday” episodes this year, which are republications of stories published earlier in Escape Pod’s history–since Flashback Friday stories have already been considered for previous Best of Escape Pod lists here, they were not considered this time.

Every short story that is eligible for Hugo nominations this year which were first published by Escape Pod are marked with an asterisk (*).

The List

1.”And Then There Were (N-One)” (Parts 1, 2, 3, 4) by Sarah Pinsker
The author Sarah Pinsker attends a convention of Sarah Pinskers from other dimensions. And then Sarah Pinsker is murdered! Dun dun DUUUUN.

2.”The Revolution, Brought to You By Nike” (Parts 1, 2) by Andrea Phillips
Nike’s new viral marketing campaign is aimed at changing the world.

3.”Caesura” by Hayley Stone
Finding ways to make an AI write poetry as a form of grieving.

4.”Beatrix Released” by Shaenon K. Garrity*
Beatrix Potter, controlling a team of clever animals.

5.”Anna and Marisol in Time and Space” by Tim Pratt
Time travel romance!

Honorable Mentions

“After Midnight at the Zap Stop” by Matthew Claxton*

The Best of Podcastle 2018

written by David Steffen

Podcastle is the weekly fantasy podcast published by Escape Artists, edited by Jen Albert and Khaalidah Muhammad-Ali. As well as weekly full-length feature episodes, they also publish occasional standalone flash stories as bonus episodes, as well as triple flash stories for the occasional feature episode collection.

In February Podcastle once again participated in the Artemis Rising event across the Escape Artists podcasts, publishing fantasy stories written by women and nonbinary authors.

Podcastle published 55 stories by my count in 2018.

Because #4 on the list is a story I originally published, I made the list one story longer so that it wouldn’t push another story off.

Every short story that is eligible for Hugo nominations this year which were first published by Podcastle are marked with an asterisk (*).

The List

1.“The Last Exorcist” by Danny Lore
A magazine article about Naheem, the last great exorcist in the modern day where demon-possessed people are a legally protected class.

2. “The Fumblers Alley Risk Emporium” by Julian Mortimer Smith
You can get almost anything at the Risk Emporium, as long as you’re willing to pay. It is no place for the desperate.

3. “Never Yawn Under a Banyan Tree” by Nibedita Sen
…or a ghost may leap down your throat and make itself very inconvenient.

4. “The Aunties Return the Ocean” by Chris Kuriata
The magical and spiteful aunties who live among us steal most of the ocean and bargain with their neighbors to give it back.

5. “A Non-Hero’s Guide to the Road of Monsters” by A.T. Greenblatt
A non-hero treads the path where hero after hero has failed, finding new ways to face the challenges.

6. “Waters of Versailles” (Parts 1, 2, and 3) by Kelly Robson
A man tries to make a name for himself in high society in Versailles with the help of a nisky companion helping him bring plumbing to the palace.

Honorable Mentions

“Hosting the Solstice” by Tim Pratt*

“The Island of the Nine Whirlpools” by E. Nesbit

“A Fine Balance” by Charlotte Ashley

“The Threadbare Magician” (Part 1 and 2) by Cat Rambo