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Articles by Sam Danis
James Islington goes cyberpunk in “Scion”
The Australian author of the Hierarchy and Licanius series brings us a new antihero—John Wick meets Blade Runner—in the first installment of this futuristic thriller trilogy. In his Hierarchy and Licaniusseries, James Islington built a career on epic fantasies with rich worlds for listeners to get lost in.
“The Republic of Memory” dares to make rebels of us all
I was hooked on the concept of The Republic of Memory from the jump: rebellion breaks out on a generation ship halfway into its 400-year journey in a story inspired by the Arab Spring. And that was before I even knew that the author invented a language for the book. I had the chance to ask Mahmud El Sayed what Arabfuturism means to him and how he wove language into his process.
Sarah Wang’s debut explores the good and the ugly in mother-daughter dynamics
Combining body horror, incisively dark humor, and a vivid portrayal of family bonds, "New Skin" is a delicious fever dream of a novel. I devoured New Skin in all its absurd, horrifying, and compulsive glory. Like the reality TV that partially inspired the story, it was impossible to look away from the impending disaster I felt sure was coming, though at no point could I predict which direction author Sarah Wang would take me.
“Dead but Dreaming of Electric Sheep” is a marvel of pop-culture-inflected sci-fi horror
Paul Tremblay talks about what scares him the most, his favorite Philip K. Dick novel, and the best way to add humor to horror stories. Play Article (1-Minute Listen) Play Article (1-Minute Listen) 00:0000:00 Note: Text is lightly edited for clarity and does not match audio exactly. Sam Danis: Hi, this is Audible Editor Sam, and I am excited to be talking to horror author Paul Tremblay.
Nobody explores “the other” like Adrian Tchaikovsky
In "Green City Wars," the prolific sci-fi author turns to crime fiction, delving into the complex animal-human dynamic in a futuristic city. This post was originally published on Audible.co.uk. Adrian Tchaikovsky devotees know the author is no stranger to giving complex voice to non-human characters. In his latest, he turns to the unseen urban world beneath our feet to bring us a clever cat-and-mouse pursuit between Skotch, a raccoon investigator, and Doctor Meece, a fugitive mouse.
“Sublimation” explores the seductive allure of “what might have been”
Debut novelist Isabel J. Kim drew on her own experiences as an immigrant to craft this speculative thriller. Sublimation is one of the most anticipated debuts of the season, drawing comparisons to Severance. In the world of this novel, immigrants can split into two "instances"—two versions of themselves—one who leaves their home country, and one who stays. The two can communicate, meet, even touch, but each leads their own separate life. Isabel J.
Folk horror meets self-help in Sarah Gailey’s latest novel
In "Make Me Better," the genre-bending author explores just how far we will go to be well. I’ve been a fan of Sarah Gailey’s since reading River of Teethfor an MFA class. The author has a singular talent for spinning a compulsive, conceptual, genre-bending story with relatable characters. In Make Me Better, Gailey peers into the dark corners of our need for community, holding a magnifying glass up to high-control groups and the people who get swept into their orbit.
The robots are taking over—so why are they still some of my favorite characters?
As a sci-fi person, robots have always been my thing. From Asimov’s Robot novels, to the Cylons of Battlestar Galactica, to Murderbot, I’ve long been fascinated by artificial intelligence and the puzzles it forces us to confront—the implications of creating a new form of consciousness, the ethical debates over what constitutes personhood, the reckoning with our hubris as humans. If I’m being honest, I’ve often been on the side of the machines in these fictional tales.
Dennis E. Taylor can’t resist hard sci-fi
Flybot, Dennis E. Taylor’s latest, is a murder mystery, an AI cautionary tale, and buddy-scientist (if that’s not a thing, it should be) adventure wrapped up in one compulsive package. In a recent chat with the author, we discussed how real-life science affects science fiction writers, how he balances Bob with his standalone novels, and why Ray Porter is simply the best. Sam Danis: Where did this idea originate? Dennis E. Taylor: At this point, I honestly couldn’t say.
"Sacrilege" dares listeners to sit in discomfort
Sacrilege is poised to become one of the most terrifying horror stories of the year. The Audible Original follows an African American family vacationing together at a luxury game reserve in Zimbabwe, but a trip meant to help them reconnect instead unearths familial and local trauma—and turns into the stuff of nightmares. Caleb McLaughlin of Stranger Things stars, playing Dashon, the family's teenage son.
Emilia Hart explores the connection between women and the sea in "The Sirens"
Emilia Hart, the author of Weyward, returned this year with The Sirens, an ambitious new novel ripe with history and magical realism. In this brief interview, she shares her research process, her own family connection to the story, and why mermaids have such deep appeal. Sam Danis: This story, told in multiple timelines, seems like it’s been percolating for a while for you. Can you talk about the genesis of it?
The internet claims it knows you as a parent-Amanda Hess says don’t fall for it
In her new book, the culture critic explores the pitfalls of parenting tech in our hyper-connected world. New York Times culture critic Amanda Hess’s first book examines the digitization of the parenting experience—from pre-conception through birth and beyond—and the “eerie familiarity” it offers.
How to live in a simulation
Daryl Gregory discusses the real road trip that inspired his modern "Canterbury Tales." Daryl Gregory (Spoonbenders) is known for his genre-bending stories, ripe with absurdism and irreverent humor, yet full of heart. His latest, When We Were Real, may just be his most ambitious yet.
Amal El-Mohtar’s debut is musical magic
The author and poet didn’t like the way a classic ballad about rival sisters ended—so she wrote her own. In 2019, Amal El-Mohtar and co-author Max Gladstone made waves with the epistolary sci-fi masterpiece This Is How You Lose the Time War. Six years later, we’re thrilled to finally get a debut novella from Amal. The River Has Rootsflaunts the writer’s gift for lyricism and adds a musical twist.
Mysterious, uncanny, and absurd: top listens for "Severance" fans
After a revealing and compulsive second season of Severance, we’re faced with another wait for the next—though hopefully it won't be quite as long as we had to wait for Season 2. If you’re not ready to sever ties with the show, fear not. These listens all capture some of the qualities that make Severance so compelling—from the eerie liminality of the office space, to the threat of malicious and mysterious corporate overlords, to the absurdity of modern working culture. Piranesi lives in the House.
Dungeon Crawler Carl creator Matt Dinniman says LitRPG is just getting started
Note: Text has been lightly edited for clarity and does not match audio exactly. Sam Danis: Hello, Audible listeners. This is Sam, Audible’s sci-fi and fantasy editor, and I'm thrilled to be chatting with Matt Dinniman, author of the LitRPG sensation Dungeon Crawler Carl series, which is now seven books in with the release of This Inevitable Ruin. He's also an artist and musician, and we are here today to discuss the whole series.
Chené Lawson on “pioneering a new frontier” in audio
The actor-turned-writer first found her storytelling home in audio with her podcast All Things Undone. She was a natural choice to adapt award-winning author N.K. Jemisin’s stories into an audiodrama. We talked with her about the genesis of this project and the future of her audio work. Sam Danis: How did this project come to be?
Why Chuck Tingle’s new horror novel, “Bury Your Gays,” is so dang good
The cult-favorite author on queer representation, being an autistic buckaroo, and why horror is like a form of exercise. Note: Text has been edited and does not match audio exactly. Sam Danis: Hi, I'm Sam, Audible's sci-fi and fantasy editor, and I'm beyond thrilled to be talking with the incomparable Hugo-nominated author Chuck Tingle. He is the prolific writer of so, so many delightful erotica stories and novellas, known, of course, as Tinglers.
Stories in 360 degrees: The magic of spatial audio with Dolby Atmos
Note: The following is an edited transcription of Stories in 360 Degrees, an audio essay featuring conversations with sound design and production experts as well as samples from selected Audible productions available in Dolby Atmos. Text has been edited and does not match audio exactly. Sam Danis:
Hi, I'm Sam Danis. I'm an editor here at Audible where specifically I focus on sci-fi and fantasy. I have a confession.
For Micaiah Johnson, returning to Ashtown was like “putting on a warm glove”
Micaiah Johnson’s debut, The Space Between Worlds, was one of my favorite listens of 2020—I still think about it often and recommend it to every sci-fi fan I know. So I was thrilled to hear that in her new novel, Those Beyond the Wall, she was returning to the vividly imagined world she’d built. In our interview, I asked her why she felt drawn back to Ashtown, what she hopes listeners take away from this gritty story, and what’s next for her writing.
Brandon Sanderson’s world-building turns Skyward
Is there a modern fantasy author more versatile than Brandon Sanderson? Across his 50+ written works, he’s dabbled in sword & sorcery, mystery, a superhero trilogy—not to mention finishing a little series called Wheel of Time. His Skyward series takes listeners to the stars in an epic YA space opera, narrated brilliantly by Suzy Jackson, who returns for the newest installment, Defiant.
Travis Baldree's narration career is his writing superpower
Note: Text has been edited and does not match audio exactly. Sam Danis: Hi, I'm Sam, Audible's Sci-fi & Fantasy Editor, and I am delighted to be interviewing award-winning narrator and now Hugo nominated author, Travis Baldree. You may recognize his voice from Will Wight's Cradle series, as well as many, many other titles, particularly in the progression fantasy and LitRPG genres.
How Felicia Day brought her passion project to life in audio
Note: Text has been edited and does not match audio exactly. Sam Danis: Hi, I'm Sam, Audible editor for all things sci-fi and fantasy. And I am beyond excited to be interviewing Felicia Day about her new Audible Original, Third Eye. It's a funny, witty fantasy adventure with so much heart, and it's performed by an incredible full cast that includes Felicia herself, Sean Astin, LilyPichu, London Hughes, Wil Wheaton, Neil Gaiman—the list goes on.
What do our pockets tell us about human behavior?
As a lifelong wearer of clothing designed for women, I am firmly in the #GiveMePocketsorGiveMeDeath camp. I nearly picked my wedding dress based on the presence of pockets alone, and nothing feels quite so insulting as a pair of pants with a fake set of back pockets. (I’ve ripped many a seam only to discover deceit.) I was, therefore, instantly invested in this little slice of social science from Hannah Carlson.
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
Why it's essential Narrator David Pittu creates a beautiful, familiar kinship with each of Donna Tartt's characters, which resonates with the listener long after the final chapter. What is The Goldfinch about? A coming-of-age tale that spans decades and countries, The Goldfinch follows Theo Decker, who, at age 13, suddenly loses his mother and becomes an unwitting art thief in the same explosive, tragic moment—and the profound effects that event has on the rest of his life.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
Why it's essential Andy Weir and narrator Ray Porter have created something truly special here, the kind of fun, smart, immensely entertaining production that reminds us why we love listening. Featured in 100 Audible Essentials. What is Project Hail Mary about? The fate of the world is in the hands of a lone astronaut on a last-ditch, one-way mission to understand and stop a threat to the human race (no pressure).
13 low-stakes sci-fi and fantasy listens for a cozy escape
Sometimes, when it comes to sci-fi and fantasy listening, you just want to escape to another world. And I’m not talking about just swapping our existing reality with a grim fantasy setting where kingdoms hover at the brink of war, or a planetary system faces social and environmental upheaval—I mean really escape. You want a world where the stakes are relatively low, and the characters are relatable. Where the resolution offers a little bit of hope for humanity (and beyond).
“The Space Within” Is the Sci-fi Thriller of the Summer
Note: Text has been edited and does not match audio exactly. Sam Danis: Hi, this is Audible Editor Sam, and I'm here today with Greg O'Connor and Josh Fagin, writers of The Space Within, a new eight-episode Audible Original podcast starring Jessica Chastain, Bobby Cannavale, and Ellen Burstyn, among others. They're both veterans of film and TV, as both producers and writers, fitting experience for this very cinematic sci-fi thriller, which I personally thoroughly enjoyed.
“Witch King” Is Martha Wells’ Triumphant Return to Fantasy
Note: Text has been edited and does not match audio exactly. Sam Danis: Hi, this is Sam Danis. I am Audible’s sci-fi and fantasy editor, and I am just elated to be chatting today with the amazing Martha Wells. Martha is, of course, the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author of the ongoing series the Murderbot Diaries. She is also the author of many works of fantasy, including the Books of the Raksura series, and her latest, the title I'm looking forward to talking about today, Witch King.
Why Nnedi Okorafor Keeps Coming Back to Coming-of-Age Stories
Note: Text has been edited and does not match audio exactly. Sam Danis: Hello, everyone. I am Audible Editor Sam, and I'm thrilled today to be talking to Nnedi Okorafor. She is the Hugo and Nebula award-winning author of many captivating sci-fi, fantasy, and Africanfuturism stories, includingBinti,Akata Witch,Lagoon,Who Fears Death, and the novella we're here to talk about today, which is her latest, Remote Control. On a personal note, her cat is also one of my favorite Twitter follows.
Ken Liu Writes Because Storytelling Is What Makes Us Human
Note: Text has been edited and does not match audio exactly. Sam Danis: Hi, I am Sam, Audible's sci-fi and fantasy editor, and I am super thrilled today to be talking with writer Ken Liu. He is the Hugo and Nebula award-winning writer of several short story collections, including recently The Hidden Girl and Other Stories, and The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories [2016].
Annalee Newitz Goes Back To 'The Future Of Another Timeline'
The noted sci-fi author shares why they love talking about the intersection of science, technology, and culture, and how heavily Riot Grrrl music influenced their latest book. Note: Text has been edited and may not match audio exactly. SD: Hi. I'm Sam, Audible's sci-fi and fantasy editor. I'm thrilled to be here today chatting with Annalee Newitz, who is the author of Autonomous and, most recently, The Future of Another Timeline.
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