PodParley PodParley
PodParley
Critical Friends Episode 14: Hard Times with Octavia Cade and M.L. Clark episode artwork

EPISODE · Aug 4, 2025 · 59 MIN

Critical Friends Episode 14: Hard Times with Octavia Cade and M.L. Clark

from Strange Horizons · host The Strange Horizons Editorial Collective

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Dan Hartland speaks with writers and critics Octavia Cade and M. L. Clark about writing in hard times. How and why is speculative friction written in contexts of defeat, despair, or decay? They discuss climate change and artificial intelligence, systems political, biological, and economic—and how SF might be, and yet sometimes isn't, a key tool in opening up new modes of understanding during a time that Octavia suggests might best be termed the Necrocene.M. L. Clark's review of Ray Nayler's Where The Axe is Buried.Octavia Cade's review of Vanessa Saunders's The Flat Woman.

What this episode covers

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Dan Hartland speaks with writers and critics Octavia Cade and M. L. Clark about writing in hard times. How and why is speculative friction written in contexts of defeat, despair, or decay? They discuss climate change and artificial intelligence, systems political, biological, and economic—and how SF might be, and yet sometimes isn't, a key tool in opening up new modes of understanding during a time that Octavia suggests might best be termed the Necrocene.M. L. Clark's review of Ray Nayler's Where The Axe is Buried.Octavia Cade's review of Vanessa Saunders's The Flat Woman.

NOW PLAYING

Critical Friends Episode 14: Hard Times with Octavia Cade and M.L. Clark

0:00 59:29

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

Episode 8: Why Is the Sky Blue… and Why Are Sunsets Red?

Dec 27, 2025 ·10m

Episode 7. Mansa Musa and the Mountains of Gold

Dec 21, 2025 ·22m

Episode 6: Florence Nightingale: battlefields, bandages and bravery!

Jul 20, 2025 ·22m

Charles Fort: Curator of the Unexplained – Part 1

Jul 14, 2025 ·26m

Unmasking the Dark Side of Pro Wrestling

Apr 20, 2025 ·21m

Episode 5: Violent Volcanoes: our explosive Earth uncovered

Apr 9, 2025 ·26m

Similar Podcasts

The Terrible Business of Salmon and Dusk Myke Bartlett The Terrible Business of Salmon & Dusk is a podcasted novel (of sorts).When Theodora Jones’s boyfriend disappears, she is the only person in the world who remembers him. Trying to find him leads her to the door of Salmon & Dusk (detectives, thieves and time-travellers). Theo’s adventure will lead her off the maps into some very strange times and places – and put all of human history at risk.Her life, your life and everyone else’s life will never be quite the same again.For fans of Neil Gaiman and Douglas Adams.Written and read by Myke Bartlett.A Burnt Toast Production. Arcane Horizons Arcane Horizons  🎙️ Welcome to Arcane Horizons—your portal to the mysterious and extraordinary. Each week, we unravel secrets of the occult, explore chilling unsolved mysteries, and dive into the fascinating realms of mythology, astrology, and the paranormal. If you’re ready to question the unknown and uncover hidden truths, join us on this journey into the arcane. 🌟  A Spooky Action At A Distance David Masters Welcome to 'Spooky Action at a Distance,' a weekly podcast where we chart the mysterious spaces between the mundane and mystical. From ghostly tales to UFO narratives, music phenomena to divine conundrums, our exploration rooted in para-psychology challenges conventional wisdom, ignites thought-provoking dialogues, and illuminates the enigmatic threads of existence. Guided by seasoned hosts, we venture into the labyrinth of the extraordinary, investigating each peculiarity from varied perspectives. Tune in, open your mind, and join us on this captivating quest, traversing the spectral landscapes of the strange and supernatural.A Ground Zero Radio podcast Detective and crime xushiling Detective and crimeOn the Witness Stand: Essays on Psychology and CrimeWeird CrimesYou Can't WinA Case of Identity (in Short Mystery Story Collection 006)A Christmas Fantasy, with a Moral (in Short Mystery Story Collection 006)A Desperate Adventure (in Short Mystery Story Collection 005)A Difficult Problem (in Short Mystery Story Collection 004)A Foreign Office Romance (in Short Mystery Story Collection 007)A Jury of Her Peers (in Short Mystery Story Collection 001)A Memorable Swim (in Stories in Black and White)A Quicksilver Cassandra (in Short Mystery and Suspense Collection 010)A Quicksilver Cassandra (in Short Mystery Story Collection 007)A Scandal in Bohemia (in Short Mystery Story Collection 001)A Scandal in Bohemia (in Short Mystery Story Collection 005)A Strange Tale of Cannibalism (in Short Mystery Story Collection 002)A Terrible Night (in Tales of Terror)A Thing That Glistene

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Strange Horizons?

This episode is 59 minutes long.

When was this Strange Horizons episode published?

This episode was published on August 4, 2025.

What is this episode about?

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Dan Hartland speaks with writers and critics Octavia Cade and M. L. Clark about writing in hard times. How and why is speculative friction written in contexts of...

Can I download this Strange Horizons episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!