Ep033 Repent Harlequin Said the Tick Tock Man

Explicit content warning

03/02/20 • 32 min

Repent Harlequin Said the Ticktockman by Harlan Ellison

Winner of the first ever Nebula Award for a Short Story, Repent Harlequin Said the Ticktockman is the story of the titular Harlequin as he wreaks havoc on the schedule-obsessed future world dictated by the Ticktockman. In this future world, time is a currency, and if you are even a minute late, then your life is shortened by that missing minutes.

In a short amount of words Harlan Ellison builds a world extending from the frustration of a fellow human being late to this act being punishable my shortening a life. Similarly, Ellison creates an exaggerated Harlequin who stands fully against the social and political system dictated by the timekeeper.

Join us as we speak about the beats of this short story and how the Harlequin may have found a slight victory after all.

Repent Harlequin Said the Ticktockman by Harlan Ellison

Join us as we speak about the beats of this short story and how the Harlequin may have found a slight victory after all.

Previous Episode

Ep032 Lord Moon

Lord Moon by Jane Beauclerk

The 1965 Nebula nominee for best short story, Lord Moon, is a story of the titular character’s search for a wife, though this story is not a straight forward as it might appear. The nefarious Swimmer, the diverse Stars, and of course the crews of the ships that allow for travel from one island to another. Or at least that is how Reid and Isaac interpreted this short story. At minimum Lord Moon is a short story with vivid descriptions and dense prose that will leave you with questions. We have questions.

Join us as we discuss a short story that is ripe with the need for interpretation and discussion. We invite any and all to take a reading of this short story and to share their thoughts. All opinions are welcome.

Next Episode

Ep034 Black Tides of Heaven

The Black Tides of Heaven by JY Yang

Magic, machines, and two twins trying to understand their place in the world. The Black Tides of Heaven by JY Yang is a modern story that feels like an old myth. Set in the Tensorate world, where a magic of slackcraft taps into the energy that surrounds us all, the story follows twins Mokoya and Akeha as they deal with the machinist rebellion and the mighty force that is their mother. The book taps into many modern themes including gender and equality all within the narrow scope the length of a novella.

Speaking of novella, the story is a tight collection of key moments in the lives of these two twins. Every scene is a densely packed collection of actions that drive the story towards it inevitable showdown of child vs parent. Join in as we discuss The Black Tides of Heaven by JY Yang.