The Unreliable Narrators

PODCAST · fiction

The Unreliable Narrators

Brent and Amanda discuss the brilliance of Gene Wolfe’s work: his short stories, his poetry, and his letters. We are interested in the extended Wolfe Universe, which is probably this one, but maybe not. The constellations are many, let us tell the stories of the stars.

  1. 45

    Gene Wolfe's "Has Anyone Seen Junie Moon"

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss Gene Wolfe's short story "Has Anyone Seen Junie Moon."

  2. 44

    Take My Advice

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss Gene Wolfe's Contribution to the collection Take My Advice.

  3. 43

    Gene Wolfe's Mountains Like Mice Part Two

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss Mountains Like Mice. First published in Worlds of If, 1966 and also collected in Young Wolfe in 1992, and The Wolfe at the Door in 2023.

  4. 42

    Gene Wolfe's Mountains Like Mice Part One

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss Mountains Like Mice. First published in Worlds of If, 1966 and also collected in Young Wolfe in 1992, and The Wolfe at the Door in 2023.

  5. 41

    Gene Wolfe's "Breakthrough"

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss Gene Wolfe's essay "Breakthrough". (1987) Breakthrough, Frontier Crossings, ed. Robert Jackson, 1987. Publisher: Science Fiction Conventions Ltd. A Souvenir of the 45th World Science Fiction Convention.

  6. 40

    Gene Wolfe's A Cabin on the Coast

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss Gene Wolfe's short story "A Cabin on the Coast" collected in Endangered Species and The Best of Gene Wolfe.

  7. 39

    Thoughts on WorldCon 2025

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss their visit to WorldCon 2025 in Seattle.

  8. 38

    Gene Wolfe's "Wolfer"

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss Gene Wolfe's short story "Wolfer." First Published in the anthology Wild Women and later collected in Innocents Aboard.

  9. 37

    Achilles in Vietnam

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss Achilles in Vietnam by Jonathan Shay and the connections between combat trauma and Gene Wolfe's work. Support us at Patreon.

  10. 36

    Gene Wolfe's Straw

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss Gene Wolfe's short story Straw, first published in Galaxy in 1975 and collected in Storeys from the Old Hotel and The Best of Gene Wolfe. Support us at Patreon.

  11. 35

    Gene Wolfe's The Flag

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss "The Flag" first published in 1988's Storeys from the Old Hotel. Support us at Patreon.

  12. 34

    Book Collecting Madness

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss their own and others' obsession with collecting books. Support us at Patreon.

  13. 33

    The Boy Who Hooked the Sun by Gene Wolfe

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss Gene Wolfe's The Boy Who Hooked the Sun: originally published as a chapbook and then collected in Starwater Strains and The Best of Gene Wolfe.

  14. 32

    C-Side: The Worst Werewolf Story

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss two stories that Gene Wolfe declared the "Worst Werewolf Story" and "The Worst Miracle Story". 

  15. 31

    Date Due - Gene Wolfe's Hidden Story

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss "Date Due" a hidden short story contained in the Introduction to Gene Wolfe's Book of Days and in the compilation Castle of Days.

  16. 30

    The Hero as Werwolf 2 of 2

    In which the Unreliable Narrators continue discussing Gene Wolfe's short story "The Hero as Werwolf.

  17. 29

    The Hero as Werwolf 1 of 2

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss Gene Wolfe's The Hero as Werwolf.

  18. 28

    End of Year Recap

    In which the Unreliable Narrators talk about a year's worth of podcasting.

  19. 27

    Gene Wolfe's Bibliomen 9 of 9

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss the bonus characters included in the paperback printing of Bibliomen.

  20. 26

    Bibliomen 8 of 9

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss the final chapters of Gene Wolfe's Bibliomen (Cheapstreet edition).

  21. 25

    Gene Wolfe's Bibliomen 7 of 9

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss characters from Gene Wolfe's Bibliomen.

  22. 24

    Robert Borski's In the Crowded Part of Heaven

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss Robert Borski's short story In the Crowded Part of Heaven.

  23. 23

    Gene Wolfe's Bibliomen - 6 of 9

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss yet more characters from Gene Wolfe's delightful and strange Bibliomen.

  24. 22

    Gene Wolfe's Bibliomen: 5 of 9

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss three more characters from Gene Wolfe's Bibliomen. In case you want to read along: https://archive.org/details/bibliomen20characterswaiting/mode/2up

  25. 21

    Ada Palmer's "New Gray to Join the Olympic Five"

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss Ada Palmer's sort-of short story "New Gray to Join the Olympic Five" which first appeared in Shoreline of Infinity, volume 8 & ½ - Summer of 2017.

  26. 20

    Gene Wolfe's Bibliomen: 4 of 9

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss three more characters from Gene Wolfe's Bibliomen. In case you want to read along: https://archive.org/details/bibliomen20characterswaiting/mode/2up

  27. 19

    Dan Knight's Justice

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss the short story "Justice" by Dan Knight, founder of United Mythologies Press, author, recording artist, and friend of many. Justice was published in Feast of Laughter volume 3.   Chapbook of the Hedgehog Press interview with Dan Knight available HERE on AbeBooks.

  28. 18

    Gene Wolfe's Bibliomen: 3 of 9

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss Mary Beatrice Smoot Friarly, SPV. 

  29. 17

    Gene Wolfe's Bibliomen: 2 of 9

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss the third and fourth "characters" of Gene Wolfe's Bibliomen. In case you want to read along: https://archive.org/details/bibliomen20characterswaiting/mode/2up

  30. 16

    Filipina Baby (possibly) by Gene Wolfe

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss the short story "Filipina Baby" and try to determine whether or not it is actually by "our" Gene Wolfe.  Published in 1969 in The Laurel Review.

  31. 15

    Gene Wolfe's Bibliomen: 1 of 9

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss the foreword and first two "characters" of Gene Wolfe's Bibliomen. In case you want to read along: https://archive.org/details/bibliomen20characterswaiting/mode/2up

  32. 14

    Gene Wolfe's The Monday Man

    In which the Unreliable Narrator's discuss "The Monday Man" which appeared in Readercon in 1990 and also in 2004's Innocents Aboard.

  33. 13

    Volksweapon by Gene Wolfe

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss Gene Wolfe's "Volksweapon." Originally published in Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine, September 1967, then collected in Young Wolfe in 1992 and Wolfe at the Door in 2023.

  34. 12

    Eaters of the Dead an Essay by Gene Wolfe

    In which the Unreliable Narrators Discuss Gene Wolfe's essay "Eaters of the Dead" which was published in Fantasy Newsletter #46 in March of 1982.

  35. 11

    Why Private War: A Poem

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss "Why Private War" a poem from the collection Now We Are Sick edited by Neil Gaiman and Stephen Jones. It also appeared in For Rosemary in 1988.

  36. 10

    From the Cradle Part 2

    In which the Unreliable Narrrators continue to discuss Gene Wolfe's From the Cradle which first appeared in Shelf Life in 2002 and is also collected in Starwater Strains from 2005.

  37. 9

    From the Cradle Part 1

    In which the Unreliable Narrrators discuss Gene Wolfe's From the Cradle which first appeared in Shelf Life in 2002 and is also collected in Starwater Strains from 2005.

  38. 8

    Meditations On Middle Earth B-Side

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss the collection Meditations on Middle Earth and determine the precise degree of foolishness demonstrated in rejecting Gene Wolfe's "The Best Introduction to the Mountains."

  39. 7

    Gene Wolfe’s ”The Best Introduction to the Mountains”

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss Gene Wolfe's essay "The Best Introduction to the Mountains." an essay on Tolkien, which appeared in Interzone in 2001.

  40. 6

    Leaf by Niggle by J.R.R. Tolkien (not Gene Wolfe)

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss Tolkien's short story Leaf by Niggle for Gene Wolfe related purposes.

  41. 5

    Gene Wolfe’s Letter to the Editor from Alien Critic #9

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss a letter to the editor in the fanzine Alien Critic from Gene Wolfe about his experiences as an editor of Plant Engineering.

  42. 4

    Gene Wolfe’s First: ”The Dead Man”

    In which the Unreliable Narrator's discuss Gene Wolfe's first professional sale: "The Dead Man," which appeared in Sir Magazine in 1965 and was later collected in Young Wolfe and is now available in The Dead Man and Other Horror Stories.

  43. 3

    Gene Wolfe (and Brian Hopkins) Rattler

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss "Rattler," which first appeared in Realms of Fantasy in 2004. 

  44. 2

    Gene Wolfe’s ”Westwind”

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss "Westwind," originally appearing in Worlds of IF, 1973.

  45. 1

    Gene Wolfe’s ”Dumpster World”

    In which the Unreliable Narrators discuss "Dumpster World" which appeared in the fanzine The Alliterative Argentus, issue 5, in 2005.

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

Brent and Amanda discuss the brilliance of Gene Wolfe’s work: his short stories, his poetry, and his letters. We are interested in the extended Wolfe Universe, which is probably this one, but maybe not. The constellations are many, let us tell the stories of the stars.

HOSTED BY

Amanda Patchin and Brent Towell

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