In this hard-hitting episode, the guys share their thoughts on the summer superhero block-breaker Deadpool.  At least until the discussion devolves into a discussion on the topsy-turvy world of modern geekdom.  Anyway, George and Peter liked it. Nathan gets into literally photogenic walking simulator Firewatch.  George and Nathan share some touching (and confusing) memories of the Prydain Chronicles.  George buys a soundtrack, Nathan tells a pun, and Peter's dog votes to make his carpet great again. Then George's computer dies in a fire.

Lizard People, Dear Readers

We Are All David Bowie (LPDR00017)

It's time to discuss The Three-Body Problem, Cixin Liu's Hugo-Award-winning novel about bodies, problems, orbital mechanics, human collaborators to alien invaders, and the evil version of The Last Starfighter. Among other things. In this episode, we apologize to Ken Liu (who is definitely listening) and mangle some Mandarin names despite an excellent pronunciation guide by Mo of Mo's Reads. This episode contains extensive spoilers, so consider reading the book before listening. The book for Episode 00018 is The Fifth Season, by N.K. Jemisin, which is nominated for this year's Hugo Award for Best Novel. As always, you can write to us at lizardpeopledearreaders@gmail.com, tweet to us at @DRLizardPeople, or purify yourself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka. SUBSCRIBE: iTunes | Google | Stitcher | Overcast | Tumblr | Twitter

The Three-Body Problem, by Cixin Liu (LPDR00016)

In this episode the guys share their thoughts on Star Wars: The Force Awakens, tackling some deep philosophical questions.  What's the best kind of lightsaber fight?  Are wookies mammals?  Does JJ Abrams know how space works?  Where are all the A-Wings? After that, George, Nathan, and Peter talk about the Martian, and the many rescues and non-rescues of Matt Damon.  Super-hero / noir series Jessica Jones gets a lot of love, and George gets up on his soapbox, which it turns out is full of comic books. Meanwhile, Peter's been playing The Witness, and reading Lev Grossman's Magician series, which Nathan agrees is pretty great. George invents a new segment of drive-by-pop-culture-ry, and some good times are spent with The Library at Mount Char, Grimes, and assorted boardgames.  Nathan fiends for the Black Blood of the Earth, and George shares his (terrifying) historical reading list, featuring Colt 6000 and Command & Control.

The War of Galactic Aggression (LPDR00015)

It's our first episode with a guest host! We're joined by virtual reality talk show host Will Smith to discuss Aurora, by Kim Stanley Robinson.  What's Aurora, you ask? Well, you should probably read the book before you listen to the episode, but it's a touching tale of generation ships, systems ecology, island biodiversity, emergent AI, and what happens when you throw a bunch of people into a sealed tube for 140 years. This is the kind of book that should be right up our metaphorical alleys, since most of us have a deep love of Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars series and all of us are into spaceships. Check out Will's virtual reality talk show, FOO TV, and follow him on twitter at @willsmith As always, you can reach us at lizardpeopledearreaders@gmail.com or tweet to us at @DRLizardPeople.  Episode 00016's book won the 2015 Hugo Award for best novel. It's The Three-Body Problem, by Cixin Liu! Get excited!

Aurora, by Kim Stanley Robinson feat. Will Smith (LPDR00014)

It's a mild winter here in, uh, Earth, but not warm enough to stop us from hibernating for two months instead of uploading this episode! Weird!  First: In this culture club episode, George and Peter are into Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans. Nathan is sleep-deprived but manages to make words about Humans and Sens8.  Next: the first half of the current season of Doctor Who! Pacing issues! Sonic sunglasses! Two-part arcs! Clara's last name! It's Barton, we're pretty sure. Then: One-Punch Man!  And: John Carpenter's Apocalypse Trilogy: The Thing, Prince of Darkness, and In The Mouth of Madness.  Also: Cigarette Burns, John Carpenter's episode of Masters of Horror. AND THEN: Our impressions of Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens! From...six weeks before it came out! Revel in our inaccurate guesses, you with perfect vision of the immediate past, which to us at the time was the future. Also, we talk about the correct order in which to show the Star Wars movies to your kids. NEXT TIME: We finally discuss Kim Stanley Robinson's Aurora, with a special guest host!

Robots, Humans, and Eldritch Horrors (LPDR 00013)

It’s another episode from the vault! The Lizard People discuss Octavia Butler’s Xenogenesis saga (also known as the Lililth’s Brood series), consisting of Dawn, Adulthood Rites, and Imago. Xenogenesis is a wild, weird tale about aliens, gender, and survival, sparking a lot of deep conversation by the Lizard People who are certainly still human and not at all reptilians from another planet. As always, the discussion is majorly spoilerific, so do try to read along before you listen to the podcast. As a reminder, after next session’s Culture Club episode, the Lizard People will be covering Kim Stanley Robinson’s Aurora, so get ready by getting it read. Check us out on twitter @DRLizardPeople, email us at lizardpeopledearreaders@gmail.com and feel free to wake Peter up if he is sleeping, he won’t mind.  

Xenogenesis (Lilith's Brood) by Octavia Butler (LPDR 00012)

[Hey Listeners/Readers/Lizards, due to conflicts with some menacing lizard-people-underground-illuminati conferences, we present you an episode from THE VAULT (thunder, lightning).  Next episode will be a discussion of Octavia Butler's Xenogenesis, with Aurora following hot on its heels.]   In this Culture Club episode, we talk about our highlights from GenCon 2014, notably artful medieval-em-up card game Ortus Regni.  A good(?) time is had by all with collaborative storytelling games Carolina Death Crawl and Psi-Run, with a nod to Fiasco.   Peter has been playing Folklore, but doesn't really feel like talking about it.  Nathan and George debate Season 10,000,000 of Dr. Who, while a 90 year old man and a hair piece fight vampires in The Strain.  Nathan watches OUTLANDER, but Geroge doesn't know why.   We introduce segments wherein George trolls Nathan on Twitter and we spend a second listening to a picture of Peter's butt.  Finally, George gives advice on how to cut through the content clutter by following him and Nathan on (the now defunct!  You can safely ignore this part) ThisIsMyJam.com.   If listening to this episode causes any painful sores, hair loss, or loss of sleep, contact your doctor immediately.  Otherwise, email us at lizardpeopledearreaders@gmail.com, or tweet @drlizardpeople.

Games, Lies, and Phil Collins (LPDR 00011)

This episode contains extensive spoilers, so consider reading the book before listening. Or do what Nathan did and give up a third of the way through. Why did he do that? Listen and find out! It's probably not what you think (it's exactly what you think)! Episode 00012 will be Aurora by Kim Stanley Robinson, all about space and stuff. Fun! If you have any questions for lizards, people, or Lizard People, email us at lizardpeopledearreaders@gmail.com or tweet us up on the twitters at @DRLizardPeople

The Grace of Kings, by Ken Liu (LPDR 00010)

In this Culture Club episode, we attempt to discuss the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice trailer but end up talking about how bad Man of Steel is, and why Zack Snyder is not a good filmmaker. Later we manage to talk about other things, like how bad Batman v Superman is going to be (because of Zack Snyder) and how good Suicide Squad COULD be (because of David Ayer). Go see Fury. Peter talks about Elite: Dangerous, we discuss the promise of VR.  Dope, which is back in theatres for a limited time, is George's favorite movie of the year (along with Mad Max). Go see it.  "Remember, kids, being a nerd means relentlessly criticizing everything you claim to love." The book for Episode 00010 is The Grace Of Kings by Ken Liu. As always, if you have any thoughts, questions, hopes, dreams, fears, recipes, or brainworms, please write us at lizardpeopledearreaders@gmail.com, tweet us at @DRLizardPeople or draw Peter's face on a coconut and mail it to us. 

37 Bad Things and Two Good Things about Zack Snyder (LPDR 00009)

Nathan, Peter and George discuss Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie. This multiple award-winning book details a one-time spaceship’s quest for revenge, while exploring themes of gender, empire and consciousness. The episode contains extensive spoilers, so please think about reading the book before you give the ol’ podcast a listen. Come for the podcast, stay for the rehashing of the classic Enterprise versus Death Star debate.   The book for Episode 00010 has been announced and it is The Grace Of Kings by Ken Liu.     As always, if you have any thoughts, questions, hopes, dreams, fears, anxieties, or personalities, please write us at lizardpeopledearreaders@gmail.com, tweet us at @DRLizardPeople or throw a paper airplane at Peter’s big noggin. 

Ancillary Justice, by Ann Leckie (LPDR 00008)

George forces further discussion of Taylor Swift's Bad Blood video. Further discussion of the upcoming motion picture The Martian, the hot garbage that is Tomorrowland, and the hotter garbage that was Mission to Mars. Also: sex and morality in The Witcher 3, carving up mooks in Bladestorm Nightmare, trampling peasants in Mount & Blade.  Also also: The many lies (and telephones) of Sven Hassel, the King Under The Mountain, and the justly obscure Wizard in Rhyme fantasy series. #katyperryarmy#taylorswiftslifeforceenervation#lizardpeopledearreadersdotorgdotnetedu

The Emperor of NASA (LPDR 00007)

We discuss THE PERIPHERAL, by William Gibson. Flynne Fisher witnesses a murder during what she thinks is a straightforward security detail in a video game. Present and past touch each other in weird ways as she hunts for the killer, and vice versa.   This episode contains extensive spoilers, so consider reading the book before listening.   As always, you can write to us at lizardpeopledearreaders@gmail.com, tweet to us at @DRLizardPeople, or write your questions on the underside of your desk on a Monday morning.

The Peripheral, by William Gibson (LPDR 00006)

George forces us to watch the video for Taylor Swift's Bad Blood. The band Algiers has a new album, called Algiers. It's good. Stompy Southern Gothic Industrial Gospel. Like you do. Peter has been playing Bloodborne and watching Ghost in the Shell: Standalone Complex. And finally, we chat about MAD MAX: FURY ROAD: what we loved (everything), what we hated (nothing), how it compares to the earlier movies, and why it makes MRAs so verreh mad. As always, you can write to us at lizardpeopledearreaders@gmail.com, tweet to us at @DRLizardPeople, or shout your questions into a dark well.

Shiny and Chrome (LPDR 00005)

[Due to unforeseen circumstances, our discussion of William Gibson's THE PERIPHERAL has been delayed. Instead, we bring you this previously recorded episode, from the Before Times]   Peter, George, and Nathan discuss The Martian, by Andy Weir. An astronaut is stranded alone on Mars. With some potatoes. CAN HE SURVIVE?! MAYBE! This episode contains extensive spoilers, so consider reading the book before listening. Or you could wait until the movie (starring Matt Damon!) comes out, but maybe they'll change a bunch of stuff, who knows. Episode 00006's book will be THE PERIPHERAL, by William Gibson. As always, you can write to us at lizardpeopledearreaders@gmail.com. 

The Martian, by Andy Weir (LPDR 00004)

George has some followup thoughts about The Bees Nathan has watched one episode of Daredevil, and a season and a half of Orphan Black. Peter likes Patlabor, the anime show about giant police robots with giant revolvers. The discarded subplots of Game of Thrones Mayweather vs Pacquiao George promises not to talk about wrestling George talks about Lucha Underground Seminal kung fu movie Five Deadly Venoms Trash Humpers (not recommended) and, of course, the trailer for The Force Awakens.   Next episode is a book club discussion about William Gibson's The Peripheral.   You can email us at lizardpeopledearreaders@gmail.com or send comments to our Ask box at lizardpeopledearreaders.com. 

A Bold and Unique Flavor (LPDR 00003)

The science fiction and fantasy podcast for lizard people, by lizard people. Odd episodes are devoted to non-book-form genre fiction, movies, TV shows, music, and games; even episodes are book club discussions. Spoilers abound.

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Lizard People, Dear Readers

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