Sci-Fi Book Pod

Kandas Rodarte
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Books
  • Updated Semiweekly

Science Fiction book podcast for nerds and geeks who like to read. Co-hosted by Gen-X spouses, Kandas & Shane Rodarte. Each episode features a thoughtful discussion around one work of speculative fiction.

  1. Jul 2

    Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo featuring Julianna Coughlin (book discussion)

    Imagine the most important person in your life is kidnapped by your arch nemesis—what lengths would you go to to save them? That’s the heart of Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo, and in this episode of Sci‑Fi Book Pod, Space Admiral Kandas and Space Cadet Shane welcome back runner, podcaster, and Grishaverse superfan Julianna Coughlin to break it all down. We dig into how Crooked Kingdom completes the Six of Crows duology, why this heist crew of misfits works so well together, and how the book lands (or doesn’t) its ending—especially when it comes to Matthias and his redemption arc. Julianna walks us through where Crooked Kingdom fits inside the larger Grishaverse timeline, including Shadow and Bone, King of Scars, and Rule of Wolves, and whether you really need to read all seven books to enjoy this duology. We also talk about Nina’s evolving story, the introduction of characters like Hanne, Nikolai, and Zoya, and why representation—including a transgender character—matters in epic fantasy worlds. Shane connects the Crows to other “misfit toy” ensembles like Star Wars and Firefly, while Kandas riffs on why weird, outlier characters (and people) are often the ones who actually change the world—for better or worse. If you love found family, morally gray heists, and clever plans that somehow come together against impossible odds, this conversation is for you. Spoilers abound, so read Crooked Kingdom first if you care about staying unspoiled—and then come geek out with us. Purchase Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo Amazon: https://amzn.to/4aZsnbW Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/111345/9781250076977/ We may earn a small commission when you use our link to make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting indie podcasting. Listen to our discussion about Six of Crows: https://scifibookpod.substack.com/p/six-of-crows-by-leigh-bardugo-featuring-83e Also mentioned: Outlander series and short stories: https://amzn.to/4eY3DlG We Are All Weird by Seth Godin: https://amzn.to/4eY3DlG Avatar: The Last Airbender: https://amzn.to/4v6RqAY Subscribe to Sci‑Fi Book Pod for more deep‑dive, spoiler‑friendly book chats, and let us know: Which Crow is YOUR favorite, and are you continuing deeper into the Grishaverse after Crooked Kingdom? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo featuring Julianna Coughlin (book discussion)

  2. Jun 4

    Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo featuring Julianna Coughlin (Book Discussion)

    Kaz Brekker didn't survive the Barrel by being nice. His morally gray character is exactly what makes Six of Crows so hard to put down. In this episode of Sci-Fi Book Pod, visiting dignitary Juliana Coughlin (host of Runna Podcast and Into the Fold) picked this one for us, and she came ready to talk. We dig into what makes this heist fantasy so different from your typical chosen-one story, why the found family dynamic hits harder when every character is morally compromised, and how Leigh Bardugo built one of the most compelling casts in the Grishaverse. We also get into the TV adaptation. We share our thoughts on whether the casting of Shadow and Bone did justice to these characters. Sci-Fi Book Pod curates groovy people and groovy books. Our visiting dignitaries choose the book, we all read it, and then share our honest takes. Just nerds and geeks who like to read. If you love the Grishaverse, heist fantasy, or morally gray characters doing morally gray things, pull up a chair. Our Visiting Dignitary Runna Podcast: @runnahpodcast Into the Fold Podcast: @intothefoldpodcast Grab the Book Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RZLmfO Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/111345/9781250076960 We may earn a small commission when you use our links, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting indie podcasting. Subscribe & Listen YouTube: https://youtube.com/@scifibookpod Apple Podcasts: Apple Podcasts Spotify: Spotify Website: https://scifibookpod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo featuring Julianna Coughlin (Book Discussion)

  3. May 7

    Agency by William Gibson | AI, Alternate Timelines & Cyberpunk Futures

    Imagine having the power to change an alternate timeline — without touching your own. Today on Sci-Fi Book Pod, Space Admiral Kandas and Space Cadet Shane 2nd Class dive into Agency by William Gibson with a very special visiting dignitary: award-winning audiobook narrator Paul Heitsch, the voice behind countless beloved sci-fi titles. We unpack Gibson's brilliant "stub" timeline concept, the ethics of manipulating alternate realities, and what it means for an AI to have true agency — especially when that AI is Eunice, a fully sentient, military-developed intelligence with no off switch and the ability to move money, hire people, and reshape the world in real time. We also explore the post-apocalyptic Jackpot, the cyberpunk aesthetics of Gibson's near future, and how Agency connects to its companion novel The Peripheral without being a sequel. Get the Book: Amazon (affiliate) Bookshop.org (affiliate) More Paul Heitsch: Website Amazon Author Page Hear Kandas's Gratitude Geek interview with Paul on solopreneur second acts Also Mentioned: The Peripheral by William Gibson (affiliate) Ghost in the Shell (anime) Person of Interest (TV series) Joshua Dalzelle's Omega Force & Black Fleet series — hear Kandas's interview with Joshua Sci-Fi Book Pod is hosted by Gen X spouses Kandas and Shane Rodarte, bringing sci-fi books to life one discussion at a time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Agency by William Gibson | AI, Alternate Timelines & Cyberpunk Futures

  4. Apr 2

    The Moon is a Harsh Mistress: Freedom, Humor and Lunar Revolt

    Robert Heinlein's The Moon is a Harsh Mistress turns 60 this year and it hasn't aged the way you'd expect. Space Admiral Kandas and Shane Space Cadet Second Class welcome visiting dignitary Kevin Thompson, cyber law attorney at Levin Ginsburg and founder of the Legal and Other Professionals Sci-Fi and Fantasy Readers Book Club, to talk about a lunar revolution that feels uncomfortably familiar. We get into Mike, the self-aware computer who just wanted friends, the concept of TANSTAAFL, what Heinlein got right about AI governance before AI existed, and why this Cold War time capsule keeps finding new readers every generation. Kevin's been rereading this one for decades. By the end of this conversation, you'll know exactly why. Kevin Thompson, Cyber Law Attorney Law Practice: https://www.levinginsburg.com Legal Blog: https://cyberlawcentral.com Legal and Other Professionals Sci-Fi and Fantasy Readers Book Club https://bookclubs.com/clubs/5958204/join/a48ac1 Get the Book Amazon: https://amzn.to/4bY2zMV Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/111345/9780440001355 We may earn a small commission when you use our affiliate link, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting indie podcasting. Listen on your favorite podcast platform https://scifibookpod.com Also mentioned in this episode: Gratitude Geek Episode 237 with Kevin Thompson on copyright law and AI: https://kandasrodarte.com/237 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    The Moon is a Harsh Mistress: Freedom, Humor and Lunar Revolt

  5. Mar 5

    Ender's Shadow ft. Mahlena Rae Johnson

    Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card — the companion novel to Ender's Game that most people sleep on is arguably the better book. Visiting dignitary Mahlena Rae Johnson joins Space Admiral Kandas and Space Cadet Shane 2nd Class to discuss why Bean is the real hero of the Enderverse. Bean is the kid who did the work while Ender got the credit. He was smarter than everyone in the room, nobody wanted to acknowledge it, and he was perfectly fine with that. Sound familiar? We talk about why Bean resonates in a way Ender never quite does, what it means to own a name someone gave you as an insult, and what a street kid toddler has to do with saving the universe. We also get into the stuff that doesn't hold up. Orson Scott Card's anti-LGBTQ record is well documented, and we don't skip over it. Neither do we skip over the naked children, the child prostitution, and a few other choices that somehow made it into what people call a kids' book. The movie quietly fixed some of it. Card never did. And somewhere in the middle of all that, Shane introduces the R2-D2 Effect, we figure out why sci-fi always lands on the Catholic Church, and Mahlena makes a point about the gatekeepers of American storytelling that none of us could argue with. This is Season 2, Episode 1. We made it, y'all. Sci-Fi Book Pod is the show where our visiting dignitaries pick the book, we all read it, and then we gather to talk about it. No summaries. No lecture. Just a real conversation about sci-fi and what it says about the world we're actually living in. Purchase Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4coKRUY (affiliate) Find books by Mahlena Rae Johnson on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3MTGQgQ (affiliate) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Ender's Shadow ft. Mahlena Rae Johnson

  6. Feb 26

    Season 2 Sneak Peek

    Season one of Sci-Fi Book Pod was a full-spectrum sci-fi experiment—some books soared, some crashed, and at least one “broke a lot of things.” In this Season 2 teaser, host Kandas Rodarte looks back at the most memorable moments, what worked, what didn’t, and how the show is evolving. You’ll hear about favorite and least favorite reads from season one, why Project Hail Mary still holds the top spot in Kandas’s sci-fi heart, and how listener feedback is shaping future picks. Then we look ahead to season two’s lineup, including Ender’s Shadow, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Parable of the Sower, and other classic and contemporary sci-fi books that dig into ethics, power, survival, and what it means to be human. If you love smart, accessible sci-fi conversations (with a few spicy opinions), this sneak peek will help you decide what to read next and which episodes to queue up first. Hit follow, share this trailer with a fellow book nerd, and send us your season two suggestions so we can add them to the TBR orbit. Chapters:00:00 Season One Recap and Highlights05:46 Favorite and Least Favorite Books08:07 Looking Ahead to Season Two11:43 Audience Engagement and Book Suggestions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Season 2 Sneak Peek

  7. Jan 8

    Discussing 'A Swiftly Tilting Planet' by Madeleine L'Engle with Valerie Friedlander

    Can one act of hatred really end the world—and can compassion rewrite that future? In this episode of Sci‑Fi Book Pod, Kandas, Space Cadet Shane, and visiting dignitary Valerie Friedlander dive into Madeleine L’Engle’s A Swiftly Tilting Planet to unpack time travel, nuclear war anxiety, and what it means to be a “good ancestor.”​ Along the way, they explore generational trauma, the butterfly effect, and the tension between control and empathy. You’ll hear reflections on ancestry, healing backwards through time, and why everyday kindness might be the most powerful tool for changing the future we actually live in.​ Chapters(00:00) Introduction to Time Travel and Moral Responsibility(00:45) The Relevance of Nuclear War in Literature(02:10) Healing Generationally: A Sociological Perspective(05:22) The Butterfly Effect and Time Travel(08:56) Acts of Hatred and Their Impact on Society(13:38) Exploring Ancestry and Healing Wounds(18:06) Good vs. Evil: The Moral Dilemma in Time Travel(20:18) The Power of Compassion in Understanding Others(22:00) The Consequences of Nuclear War and Human Behavior(23:32) The Butterfly Effect and Human Actions(26:19) The Importance of Kindness(28:53) Being Present and the Dance of Life(30:19) Generational Trauma and the Fear of Scarcity​ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Discussing 'A Swiftly Tilting Planet' by Madeleine L'Engle with Valerie Friedlander

  8. 12/18/2025

    Book Review: 'A Wind in the Door' by Madeleine L'Engle with Valerie Friedlander

    In this episode of Sci-Fi Book Pod, Space Admiral Kandas Rodarte is joined by sociologist and life coach Valerie Friedlander to unpack A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L’Engle. Together, we explore how this deceptively slim sci-fi novel tackles big human questions about communication, individuality, community, and what it really means to be seen. We talk about the role of teachers and mentors, why kindness matters more than control, and how naming and recognition become acts of resistance in a world that pressures people to conform. This conversation looks at A Wind in the Door not as a science textbook, but as a story about connection at every scale. From the microscopic to the cosmic, L’Engle reminds us that identity, love, and belonging are not abstract ideas. They’re choices we make in relationship with one another. If you loved A Wrinkle in Time, this episode offers a thoughtful, adult rereading of its powerful sequel and why it still resonates today. Chapters00:00 Introduction to cosmic battles and themes02:53 Exploring identity and individuality05:23 Communication and connection07:00 Contrasting perspectives on the book07:41 Support, community, and belonging09:02 Navigating the concept of nothingness10:18 Space and the human body12:35 Collaboration and creative spaces15:04 Community roles and responsibility15:32 Teachers and learning16:07 Acts of kindness19:33 Naming and identity22:01 Teachers in unlikely places23:12 Audiobook narration and storytelling About Our Guest Valerie Friedlander is a sociologist, life coach, and host of Mindset Unlimited. She helps people examine the rules they've internalized, navigate personal transitions, and create lives aligned with their values. Website: ⁠https://valeriefriedlander.com⁠ Mindset Unlimited Podcast: ⁠https://valeriefriedlander.com/podcast/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Book Review: 'A Wind in the Door' by Madeleine L'Engle with Valerie Friedlander
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Science Fiction book podcast for nerds and geeks who like to read. Co-hosted by Gen-X spouses, Kandas & Shane Rodarte. Each episode features a thoughtful discussion around one work of speculative fiction.

Information

  • Creator
    Kandas Rodarte
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    21
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025
  • Show Website
    Sci-Fi Book Pod