Starship Alexandria

Episodet

• 
  Episode 17 - Lolly Willowes 09.09.2026 59min

  For our September 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria Emma puts forward the book Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner for Adrian's consideration.  Other talking points:  Unspoiler warnings  Deniable wizbiz  Period writing styles  The straitjacket of expectations  Burning Bedfordshire  Lit and genre    Media Mentions:  Memoirs of a Survivor, novel by Doris Lessing (and our patrons-only discussion)  Writers referred to in general: Charles Dickens, Victor Hugo, Mervyn Peake, Jerome K Jerome, PG Wodehouse  Next month we look at the graphic novel Helen of Wyndhorn by King, Evely, Lopes and Cowles  This month's patron episode is the novel A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge  Emma's music recommendation: Washing Machine Heart by Mitski https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vjkh-acmTE&list=RD3vjkh-acmTE&start_radio=1   Emma's latest writing is included in Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161 which was recently shortlisted for a BSFA Award  Adrian's most recent book is Engines of Reason https://bookshop.org/p/books/engines-of-reason-elder-race-book-ii-adrian-tchaikovsky/b69799af416d2980  If you'd like to support the show, and get an additional monthly patrons-only episode, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home   You can buy our official t-shirts and mugs at https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/    Follow us at:  Emma: @[email protected] and www.enewman.co.uk   Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com 
• 
  Episode 16 - Soldier of the Mist 09.08.2026 1h 34min

  For our August 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria Adrian puts forward the book Soldier of the Mist  by Gene Wolfe for Emma's consideration.  Other talking points:  All Greek to Emma  Surprise spider nomenclature  Werewolves? There wolves  Necromancy LinkedIn  Reading and re-reading Wolfe  Unreliable narrators and narration perspective  The past as a foreign country  Memory and amnesia in fiction  Wolfe and descriptive style  The hero as werewolf  Audiobook narrator voice choices  Media Mentions:  You can find Re-reading Wolfe on your usual podcast platforms. I will also note other Wolfe-flavoured podcast resources, Alzabo Soup, The Gene Wolfe Literary Podcast and a large chunk of Shelved by Genre, if you have a thirst for some deep dives into his work (none have done Soldier yet to my knowledge)  The Shadow of the Torturer, The Book of the New Sun series and the wider Solar Cycle novels of Gene Wolfe  Piranesi, novel by Susanna Clarke (and see our prior coverage of that)  A Game of Thrones novel by GRR Martin / TV series  The Green Knight movie dir. David Lowery (and see our patreon episode on that)  Star Trek: The Next Generation TV series, specifically the episode 'Darmok'  Next month we look at the novel Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner  This month's patron episode is the indie film The Gamers 2: Dorkness Rising  Adrian's music recommendation: The Sad God by Gorillaz https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQE0FnpfqQo&list=RDfQE0FnpfqQo&start_radio=1 , also the entire album The Mountain and in particular this animated sequence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucRulNQsuYQ&list=RDucRulNQsuYQ&start_radio=1     Emma's latest writing is included in Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161 which was recently shortlisted for a BSFA Award  Adrian's most recent book is Green City Wars https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/green-city-wars-adrian-tchaikovsky/686e574129a9b37f?ean=9781035045723   If you'd like to support the show, and get an additional monthly patrons-only episode, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home   You can buy our official t-shirts and mugs at https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/  Follow us at:  Emma: @[email protected] and www.enewman.co.uk   Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com 
• 
  Episode 15 - Do You Dream of Terra-Two? 11.07.2026 1h 20min

  For our July 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria Emma puts forward the book Do you Dream of Terra-Two? by Temi Oh for Adrian's consideration.  We talk about spoilers in this, and despite my initial lukewarm thoughts about spoilers for this book, there are definitely some moments that are better raw, so do take this as a note that there's something to be gained by reading ahead of the 'cast.  Other talking points:  The Science of Spoilers  British alt space history  When you call your spaceship "Damocles"  Everyone Hates Harry  Orlando Boom (sorry)  The 2012 Olympics and national pride  The brutal logistics of being in space  Authorial treatment of the moral quandary  Super-elite child training academies  Competitive personalities, the pros and cons  YA or not YA  Balancing multiple character arcs  Mysticism and an ambivalent attitude to woo  Coral and reef building    Media Mentions:  2012 Olympics opening ceremony https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4As0e4de-rI  Planetfall, novel by Emma Newman  The Expert System's Brother by Adrian Tchaikovsky (I promise we only flag our own stuff here when it's genuinely relevant!)  Aurora, novel by Kim Stanley Robinson (not named but this is the one I mentioned)  'The Cold Equations', short story by Tom Godwin  The Martian, novel by Andy Weir  Philosophers in Space podcast https://podcastaddict.com/podcast/philosophers-in-space/4068539 (or wherever you get your podcasts from)  Star Trek various TV series    Next month we look at Soldier of the Mist by Gene Wolfe  This month's patron episode is Look to Windward by Iain M Banks    Emma's music recommendation: Taking What's Not Yours by TV Girl https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ox5ENW0CeAU&list=RDOx5ENW0CeAU&start_radio=1   Emma's latest writing is included in Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161 which was recently shortlisted for a BSFA Award  Adrian's most recent book is the graphic novel Salvation's Child https://www.amazon.co.uk/Final-Architecture-Salvations-Comixology-Originals-ebook/dp/B0FH2KR8LH      If you'd like to support the show, and get an additional monthly patrons-only episode, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home     You can buy our official t-shirts and mugs at https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/  Follow us at:  Emma: @[email protected] and www.enewman.co.uk   Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com    
• 
  Episode 14 - Piranesi 09.06.2026 1h 17min

  For our June 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria Adrian puts forward the book Piranesi by Susanna Clarke for Emma's consideration.   Other talking points:  The State of What the F Is Going On  The joy of found document sources  The Triangle of Information ™  Two views of the nicest character in fiction  Analogues with dementia  Shadows on a cave wall  Psychic ideating communion(!)  One author enters, two classics leave  The ignorant unreliable narrator    Media Mentions:  Mythago Wood, novel by Robert Holdstock (and our coverage of it here: https://starshipalexandria.com/episode-8-mythago-wood  The Magician's Nephew, novel by CS Lewis  Red Dwarf TV series (very tangentially!)  Wayne's World sketch series and movies dir. Penelope Spheeris  Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, novel by Susanna Clarke  The Life of Brian, movie dir. Terry Jones (also very tangentially!)  Planetfall series of novels by Emma Newman  Next month we look at Do You Dream of Terra Two? by Temi Oh   Adrian's music recommendation: Damnd Anthem's cover of Muse's Uprising https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_w48-1IQxnM&list=RD_w48-1IQxnM&start_radio=1     Emma's latest writing is included in Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161 which was recently shortlisted for a BSFA Award  Adrian's most recent book is the graphic novel Salvation's Child https://www.amazon.co.uk/Final-Architecture-Salvations-Comixology-Originals-ebook/dp/B0FH2KR8LH    If you'd like to support the show, and get an additional monthly patrons-only episode, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home   You can buy our official t-shirts and mugs at https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/  Follow us at:  Emma: @[email protected] and www.enewman.co.uk   Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com 
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  Episode 13 - Tales From Outer Suburbia 09.05.2026 51min

  For our May 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria Emma puts forward the book Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan for Adrian's consideration.   Other talking points:  The difficulty of summarising  Somehow avoiding the word "surreal"  An emotional model railway trip.  Reading around the story  Balancing story collections  Styles of art  Media Mentions:  The art of Edward Gorey including The Gashlycrumb Tinies and The Insect God  The art of Dr Seuss including I Had Trouble In Getting To Solla Sollew  The art of Adrian Sykes https://www.adriansykes.co.uk/   Next month we look at Piranesi by Susanna Clarke  Emma's music recommendation: Future Boy by Turin Brakes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AekubF2xYlg&list=RDAekubF2xYlg&start_radio=1   Emma's latest writing is included in Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161 which was recently shortlisted for a BSFA Award  Adrian's most recent book: Children of Strife https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/children-of-strife-adrian-tchaikovsky/7864905   If you'd like to support the show, and get an additional monthly patrons-only episode, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home   You can buy our official t-shirts and mugs at https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/  Follow us at:  Emma: @[email protected] and www.enewman.co.uk   Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com 
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  Episode 12 - Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves 09.04.2026 1h 8min

  For our April 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria – and the second in our new season – Adrian puts forward the film: Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves directed by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley.  Other talking points:  Wonderful Hugh Grant  Rubbish sorcerers  A certain ambivalence  Dungeons we have Dragonned  Save the cat!  Everything wrong with Hollywood  Remembering the Forgotten Realms  The "It's him!" moment of failed fan service    Media Mentions:  Dungeons and Dragons movie dir. Courtney Solomon  Middle Earth Role-Playing (MERP) TTRPG  Dungeons and Dragons TTRPG  Conan the Barbarian, movie dir. John Milius  Lord of the Rings series of movies dir. Peter Jackson  Heretic, movie dir. Scott Beck and Bryan Woods  Bridget Jones's Diary movie dir. Sharon Maguire  Dungeons and Dragons, TV series  28 Years Later, movie dir. Danny Boyle  Galaxy Quest movie dir. Dean Parisot   Next month we look at the illustrated book Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan  Adrian's music recommendation:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tEfYvY3bAg&list=RD5tEfYvY3bAg&start_radio=1 Emma's latest writing is included in Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161 which was recently shortlisted for a BSFA Award  Adrian's most recent book: Children of Strife https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/children-of-strife-adrian-tchaikovsky/7864905  If you'd like to support the show, and get an additional monthly patrons-only episode, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home   You can buy our official t-shirts and mugs at https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/  Follow us at:  Emma: @[email protected] and www.enewman.co.uk   Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com 
• 
  Episode 11 - The Demolished Man 09.03.2026 1h 35min

  For our March 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria – and the first our our new season – Emma puts forward the novel The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester.   Other talking points:  The perils of returning to past reads  Difficult books to summarise  Cunning schemes for the perfect murder  Psychic earworms  Psychotherapy in science fiction  Particularly big warts  (not) the Time Machine Factory  Heroes and anti-heroes  The Poochy effect  Skeezy gender dynamics  Eugenics  Contradictory attitudes towards murder  Typographical games  Inadvisable titles  Media Mentions:  The Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, novel by Douglas Adams  The Lathe of Heaven, novel by Ursula le Guin  The Simpsons TV series (twice!)  Gormenghast, series by Mervyn Peake  Babylon 5, TV series  Illuminati, card/board game  Star Trek: The Next Generation, TV series, particularly "Remember Me"  The Life of Chuck, movie dir. Mike Flanagan (based on the work of Stephen King)  Next month we look at the movie Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves  Emma's music recommendation: Punk Tactics by Joey Valance & Brae https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OklSZmIx9-o&list=RDOklSZmIx9-o&start_radio=1    Emma's latest writing is included in Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161 which was recently shortlisted for a BSFA Award  Adrian's most recent book: Pretenders to the Throne of God https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/pretenders-to-the-throne-of-god-adrian-tchaikovsky/7953437  If you'd like to support the show, and get an additional monthly patrons-only episode, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home   You can buy our official t-shirts and mugs at https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/  Follow us at:  Emma: @[email protected] and www.enewman.co.uk   Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com   
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  Episode 10 - A Sword of Bronze and Ashes 09.02.2026 52min

  For our February 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria, Adrian puts forward the novel A Sword of Bronze and Ashes by Anna Smith Spark for Emma to consider.    Other talking points:  Potato Guys  Getting old as a female fantasy hero  Marriage and long term relationships in fantasy fiction  Amazing prose styles  Being brought up by buccas in a tin mine  Levelling up as a reader    Media Mentions:  The work of Haruki Murakami  The work of KJ Parker (particularly the Scavenger trilogy)  Legend, novel by David Gemmell  The Conan stories by Robert E Howard  The Discworld books by Sir Terry Pratchett  Planetfall, novel by Emma Newman  Excalibur, movie dir. John Boorman     This marks the end of season 1 of Starship Alexandria! Season 2 will commence in March with a look at Alfred Bester's The Demolished Man. (For the curious, the seasons are mostly to do with our bulk recording of the regular episodes in advance.)    Adrian's  music recommendation: '39 by Queen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE8kGMfXaFU&list=RDkE8kGMfXaFU&start_radio=1     Emma's latest writing is a short story included in the Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) anthology: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161    Adrian's most recent book: Starseer's Ruin https://www.blacklibrary.com/all-products/ebook-starseers-ruin-eng-2025.html    Follow us at:  Emma: @[email protected] and www.enewman.co.uk   Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com   
• 
  Episode 9 - Godzilla Minus One 09.01.2026 49min

  For our January 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria, Emma puts forward the movie Godzilla Minus One directed by Takashi Yamazaki for Adrian to consider.    Other talking points:  A monstrous regiment of Godzillas  Survivor's Guilt  Redemption arcs  Found boat family  The Unbearable Weightiness of Kaiju  Convenient mattress factories  Godzilla amplification    Media Mentions:  Godzilla (Gojira), movie dir Ishiro Honda  Subsequent Godzilla movies, dir. various  Pacific Rim, movie dir. Guillermo del Toro  Jurassic Park, movie dir. Steven Spielberg  Back to the Future, movie dir. Robert Zemeckis  Oppenheimer, movie dir. Christopher Nolan    Our next regular episode will look at the novel Sword of Bronze and Ashes by Anna Smith Spark.  Emma's  music recommendation: The Killing Moon by Echo and the Bunnymen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWz0JC7afNQ&list=RDLWz0JC7afNQ&start_radio=1    Emma's latest book: The Vengeance https://geni.us/thevengeance     Adrian's most recent book: Starseer's Ruin https://www.blacklibrary.com/all-products/ebook-starseers-ruin-eng-2025.html   Follow us at:  Emma: @[email protected] and www.enewman.co.uk   Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com 
• 
  Day 25 - 2025 Advent Calendar 25.12.2025 13min

  Merry Christmas! This is the twenty-fifth, and final, episode of the 2025 advent calendar. We share some news, a gift and something that will hopefully make you laugh! If you'd like to support the show, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home Emma's latest book: The Vengeance https://geni.us/thevengeance   Adrian's most recent book: Starseer's Ruin https://www.warhammer.com/en-GB/shop/hb-starseers-ruin-eng-2025 Follow us at:  Emma: @[email protected] and www.enewman.co.uk Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com  
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  Day 24 - 2025 Advent Calendar 24.12.2025 9min

  For the Christmas Eve episode of the 2025 Starship Alexandria advent calendar, Adrian shares why Andor is so special for him. If you'd like to support the show, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home Emma's latest book: The Vengeance https://geni.us/thevengeance  Adrian's most recent book: Starseer's Ruin https://www.warhammer.com/en-GB/shop/hb-starseers-ruin-eng-2025 Follow us at:  Emma: @[email protected] and www.enewman.co.uk Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com  
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  Day 23 - 2025 Advent Calendar 23.12.2025 8min

  For the twenty-third day of the 2025 Starship Alexandria advent calendar, Emma shares her deep love for the show Detectorists. If you'd like to support the show, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home Emma's latest book: The Vengeance https://geni.us/thevengeance Adrian's most recent book: Starseer's Ruin https://www.warhammer.com/en-GB/shop/hb-starseers-ruin-eng-2025 Follow us at:  Emma: @[email protected] and www.enewman.co.uk Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com  
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  Day 22 - 2025 Advent Calendar 22.12.2025 9min

  For the twenty-second day of the 2025 Starship Alexandria advent calendar, Adrian makes a bold declaration about the show Farscape. If you'd like to support the show, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home Emma's latest book: The Vengeance https://geni.us/thevengeance Adrian's most recent book: Starseer's Ruin https://www.warhammer.com/en-GB/shop/hb-starseers-ruin-eng-2025 Follow us at:  Emma: @[email protected] and www.enewman.co.uk Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com
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  Day 21 - 2025 Advent Calendar 21.12.2025 8min

  For the twenty-first day of the 2025 Starship Alexandria advent calendar, Emma talks about another cosy murder mystery show, this one set in 1920's Melbourne: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. If you'd like to support the show, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home Emma's latest book: The Vengeance https://geni.us/thevengeance Adrian's most recent book: Starseer's Ruin https://www.warhammer.com/en-GB/shop/hb-starseers-ruin-eng-2025 Follow us at:  Emma: @[email protected] and www.enewman.co.uk   Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com
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  Day 20 - 2025 Advent Calendar 20.12.2025 7min

  For the twentieth day of the 2025 Starship Alexandria advent calendar, Adrian shares his love of the ultimate low budget british science-fiction show Blake's 7. If you'd like to support the show, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home Emma's latest book: The Vengeance https://geni.us/thevengeance Adrian's most recent book: Starseer's Ruin https://www.warhammer.com/en-GB/shop/hb-starseers-ruin-eng-2025 Follow us at:  Emma: @[email protected] and www.enewman.co.uk Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com  
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  Day 19 - 2025 Advent Calendar 19.12.2025 8min

  For the nineteenth day of the 2025 Starship Alexandria advent calendar, Emma talks about why Avatar: The Last Airbender (the original animated series!) is such a joy to watch. If you'd like to support the show, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home Emma's latest book: The Vengeance https://geni.us/thevengeance   Adrian's most recent book: Starseer's Ruin https://www.warhammer.com/en-GB/shop/hb-starseers-ruin-eng-2025 Follow us at:  Emma: @[email protected] and www.enewman.co.uk   Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com  
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  Day 18 - 2025 Advent Calendar 18.12.2025 6min

  For the eighteenth day of the 2025 Starship Alexandria advent calendar, Adrian talks about a show he loves which is impossible to enthuse about without spoilers: The Good Place. If you'd like to support the show, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home Emma's latest book: The Vengeance https://geni.us/thevengeance Adrian's most recent book: Starseer's Ruin https://www.warhammer.com/en-GB/shop/hb-starseers-ruin-eng-2025 Follow us at:  Emma: @[email protected] and www.enewman.co.uk Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com  
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  Day 17 - 2025 Advent Calendar 17.12.2025 6min

  For the seventeenth day of the 2025 Starship Alexandria advent calendar, Emma recommends a TV show that is not for those who want a happy, easy story; The Leftovers. If you'd like to support the show, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home Emma's latest book: The Vengeance https://geni.us/thevengeance Adrian's most recent book: Starseer's Ruin https://www.warhammer.com/en-GB/shop/hb-starseers-ruin-eng-2025 Follow us at:  Emma: @[email protected] and www.enewman.co.uk Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com  
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  Day 16 - 2025 Advent Calendar 16.12.2025 5min

  For the sixteenth day of the 2025 Starship Alexandria advent calendar, Adrian recommends another animated show, Arcane. If you'd like to support the show, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home Emma's latest book: The Vengeance https://geni.us/thevengeance   Adrian's most recent book: Starseer's Ruin https://www.warhammer.com/en-GB/shop/hb-starseers-ruin-eng-2025 Follow us at:  Emma: @[email protected] and www.enewman.co.uk   Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com  
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  Day 15 - 2025 Advent Calendar 15.12.2025 6min

  For the fifteenth day of the 2025 Starship Alexandria advent calendar, Emma explains why she loves The Thick of It. If you'd like to support the show, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home Emma's latest book: The Vengeance https://geni.us/thevengeance   Adrian's most recent book: Starseer's Ruin https://www.warhammer.com/en-GB/shop/hb-starseers-ruin-eng-2025 Follow us at:  Emma: @[email protected] and www.enewman.co.uk   Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com