Speculative Insight journal
@speculativeinsight.bsky.social
A journal that explores the breadth and depth of the themes, ideas, and issues of science fiction and fantasy. Ed. Alexandra Pierce.
https://www.speculativeinsight.com/
https://www.speculativeinsight.com/
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Speculative Insight
A journal for exploring the ideas and themes that stand behind, inform, and develop out of, speculative fiction.
www.speculativeinsight.com
Hi new folks! Speculative Insight publishes nonfiction essays about science fiction and fantasy.
First Saturday of the month is a free essay; third Saturday of the month is for subscribers (and subscribing is AUD30/year: ~15GBP, 18 euro, and USD20... ish)
www.speculativeinsight.com
First Saturday of the month is a free essay; third Saturday of the month is for subscribers (and subscribing is AUD30/year: ~15GBP, 18 euro, and USD20... ish)
www.speculativeinsight.com
Reposted by Speculative Insight journal
Check out as @garykwolfe reviews THE BEST AMERICAN SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY 2025 edited by @nnedi.bsky.social & @johnjosephadams.com
The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2025 edited by Nnedi Okorafor & John Joseph Adams: Review by Gary K. Wolfe
The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2025, Nnedi Okorafor & John Joseph Adams, eds. (Mariner 978-0-06344-147-7, $19.99, 416pp, tp) October 2025 Despite what some writers might suspect…
locusmag.com
November 13, 2025 at 2:00 AM
Check out as @garykwolfe reviews THE BEST AMERICAN SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY 2025 edited by @nnedi.bsky.social & @johnjosephadams.com
Reposted by Speculative Insight journal
Just going to wave again and say Speculative Insight has always been
and always will be
entirely made without AI.
and always will be
entirely made without AI.
November 12, 2025 at 4:44 AM
Just going to wave again and say Speculative Insight has always been
and always will be
entirely made without AI.
and always will be
entirely made without AI.
My master’s thesis is on Matilda of Flanders, who was married to Willam the Conqueror.
I have just discovered the existence of “King and Conqueror.” About William. I am … not sure whether I’ll watch it.
Who am I kidding. I’ll definitely watch the first episode at least.
I have just discovered the existence of “King and Conqueror.” About William. I am … not sure whether I’ll watch it.
Who am I kidding. I’ll definitely watch the first episode at least.
November 12, 2025 at 10:25 AM
My master’s thesis is on Matilda of Flanders, who was married to Willam the Conqueror.
I have just discovered the existence of “King and Conqueror.” About William. I am … not sure whether I’ll watch it.
Who am I kidding. I’ll definitely watch the first episode at least.
I have just discovered the existence of “King and Conqueror.” About William. I am … not sure whether I’ll watch it.
Who am I kidding. I’ll definitely watch the first episode at least.
Just going to wave again and say Speculative Insight has always been
and always will be
entirely made without AI.
and always will be
entirely made without AI.
November 12, 2025 at 4:44 AM
Just going to wave again and say Speculative Insight has always been
and always will be
entirely made without AI.
and always will be
entirely made without AI.
Reposted by Speculative Insight journal
"Latter-day Ankh-Morpork operates on the premise that criminalising specific types of labour will only make the situation worse for everyone involved... We get a glimpse at the Discworld equivalent of decriminalisation. And it is a significant improvement over the canon alternatives."
Freyja Stokes, a real-life #Pratchett scholar, looks at Mrs Palm and the historical connections between sex work and witchcraft... come for the history, stay for some amazing puns.
Read for free: www.speculativeinsight.com
Please share widely!
Read for free: www.speculativeinsight.com
Please share widely!
November 2, 2025 at 1:23 PM
"Latter-day Ankh-Morpork operates on the premise that criminalising specific types of labour will only make the situation worse for everyone involved... We get a glimpse at the Discworld equivalent of decriminalisation. And it is a significant improvement over the canon alternatives."
Reposted by Speculative Insight journal
[Story]: For The Care And Love Of A Dragon
Joyce Chng published a post on Ko-fi
ko-fi.com
November 11, 2025 at 8:31 AM
Reposted by Speculative Insight journal
Freyja Stokes, a real-life #Pratchett scholar, looks at Mrs Palm and the historical connections between sex work and witchcraft... come for the history, stay for some amazing puns.
Read for free: www.speculativeinsight.com
Please share widely!
Read for free: www.speculativeinsight.com
Please share widely!
October 31, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Freyja Stokes, a real-life #Pratchett scholar, looks at Mrs Palm and the historical connections between sex work and witchcraft... come for the history, stay for some amazing puns.
Read for free: www.speculativeinsight.com
Please share widely!
Read for free: www.speculativeinsight.com
Please share widely!
Anyone know about "Next Generation Indie Book Awards" - ? Just wondering if this is the publisher equiv of the book club email scam. Wikipedia suggests it's legit, but thought I should crowdsource further info.
November 11, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Anyone know about "Next Generation Indie Book Awards" - ? Just wondering if this is the publisher equiv of the book club email scam. Wikipedia suggests it's legit, but thought I should crowdsource further info.
Reposted by Speculative Insight journal
And these are the subs-essays: more questions of representation and genre, more Pratchett and Tolkien and also Kingfisher; more empire; forensics in SFF, and Alan Moore's London.
(Subscribe for AUD30 to get access to all of them!)
(Subscribe for AUD30 to get access to all of them!)
November 9, 2025 at 10:06 PM
And these are the subs-essays: more questions of representation and genre, more Pratchett and Tolkien and also Kingfisher; more empire; forensics in SFF, and Alan Moore's London.
(Subscribe for AUD30 to get access to all of them!)
(Subscribe for AUD30 to get access to all of them!)
Reposted by Speculative Insight journal
These are the free essays... there's questions of representation and genre, there's Pratchett, there's Tolkien, there's families, Warhammer, the Dublin Portal, and living in an empire...
November 9, 2025 at 10:01 PM
These are the free essays... there's questions of representation and genre, there's Pratchett, there's Tolkien, there's families, Warhammer, the Dublin Portal, and living in an empire...
Reposted by Speculative Insight journal
So, awards season!
If you're thinking about nonfiction / related works, please do consider the essays that have appeared in Speculative Insight over 2025.
You can read 11 for free right now (a 12th coming in Dec), and there's another 10 (soon 11!) for subscribers...
www.speculativeinsight.com
If you're thinking about nonfiction / related works, please do consider the essays that have appeared in Speculative Insight over 2025.
You can read 11 for free right now (a 12th coming in Dec), and there's another 10 (soon 11!) for subscribers...
www.speculativeinsight.com
Speculative Insight
A journal for exploring the ideas and themes that stand behind, inform, and develop out of, speculative fiction.
www.speculativeinsight.com
November 9, 2025 at 9:55 PM
So, awards season!
If you're thinking about nonfiction / related works, please do consider the essays that have appeared in Speculative Insight over 2025.
You can read 11 for free right now (a 12th coming in Dec), and there's another 10 (soon 11!) for subscribers...
www.speculativeinsight.com
If you're thinking about nonfiction / related works, please do consider the essays that have appeared in Speculative Insight over 2025.
You can read 11 for free right now (a 12th coming in Dec), and there's another 10 (soon 11!) for subscribers...
www.speculativeinsight.com
So, awards season!
If you're thinking about nonfiction / related works, please do consider the essays that have appeared in Speculative Insight over 2025.
You can read 11 for free right now (a 12th coming in Dec), and there's another 10 (soon 11!) for subscribers...
www.speculativeinsight.com
If you're thinking about nonfiction / related works, please do consider the essays that have appeared in Speculative Insight over 2025.
You can read 11 for free right now (a 12th coming in Dec), and there's another 10 (soon 11!) for subscribers...
www.speculativeinsight.com
Speculative Insight
A journal for exploring the ideas and themes that stand behind, inform, and develop out of, speculative fiction.
www.speculativeinsight.com
November 9, 2025 at 9:55 PM
So, awards season!
If you're thinking about nonfiction / related works, please do consider the essays that have appeared in Speculative Insight over 2025.
You can read 11 for free right now (a 12th coming in Dec), and there's another 10 (soon 11!) for subscribers...
www.speculativeinsight.com
If you're thinking about nonfiction / related works, please do consider the essays that have appeared in Speculative Insight over 2025.
You can read 11 for free right now (a 12th coming in Dec), and there's another 10 (soon 11!) for subscribers...
www.speculativeinsight.com
Reposted by Speculative Insight journal
Freyja Stokes, a real-life #Pratchett scholar, looks at Mrs Palm and the historical connections between sex work and witchcraft... come for the history, stay for some amazing puns.
Read for free: www.speculativeinsight.com
Please share widely!
Read for free: www.speculativeinsight.com
Please share widely!
November 1, 2025 at 8:01 AM
Freyja Stokes, a real-life #Pratchett scholar, looks at Mrs Palm and the historical connections between sex work and witchcraft... come for the history, stay for some amazing puns.
Read for free: www.speculativeinsight.com
Please share widely!
Read for free: www.speculativeinsight.com
Please share widely!
Reposted by Speculative Insight journal
Freyja Stokes goes deep into the historical connections between European witchcraft and sex work, and draws out how #Pratchett uses these in the person of Mrs Palm. It's got history AND sexy puns...
This one's very reasonably-priced - it's free!
Read it now: www.speculativeinsight.com
This one's very reasonably-priced - it's free!
Read it now: www.speculativeinsight.com
November 1, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Freyja Stokes goes deep into the historical connections between European witchcraft and sex work, and draws out how #Pratchett uses these in the person of Mrs Palm. It's got history AND sexy puns...
This one's very reasonably-priced - it's free!
Read it now: www.speculativeinsight.com
This one's very reasonably-priced - it's free!
Read it now: www.speculativeinsight.com
Reposted by Speculative Insight journal
In which Granny Weatherwax is far more comfortable with Mrs Palm than Nanny... and Freyja Stokes explores the historical connections between witchcraft and sex work, as so beautifully explored by Terry Pratchett.
Read it now for free: www.speculativeinsight.com
Read it now for free: www.speculativeinsight.com
November 2, 2025 at 7:40 PM
In which Granny Weatherwax is far more comfortable with Mrs Palm than Nanny... and Freyja Stokes explores the historical connections between witchcraft and sex work, as so beautifully explored by Terry Pratchett.
Read it now for free: www.speculativeinsight.com
Read it now for free: www.speculativeinsight.com
Reposted by Speculative Insight journal
I probably have to come up with a snazzy graphic soon -
But it's awards eligibility season.
Wolf's Path - Best Collection.
Cold Steel - Best YA novel.
The Freedom - Best short story. (self-pub)
Forest - Best flash fiction.
But it's awards eligibility season.
Wolf's Path - Best Collection.
Cold Steel - Best YA novel.
The Freedom - Best short story. (self-pub)
Forest - Best flash fiction.
November 8, 2025 at 4:10 AM
I probably have to come up with a snazzy graphic soon -
But it's awards eligibility season.
Wolf's Path - Best Collection.
Cold Steel - Best YA novel.
The Freedom - Best short story. (self-pub)
Forest - Best flash fiction.
But it's awards eligibility season.
Wolf's Path - Best Collection.
Cold Steel - Best YA novel.
The Freedom - Best short story. (self-pub)
Forest - Best flash fiction.
Reposted by Speculative Insight journal
Freyja Stokes goes deep into the historical connections between European witchcraft and sex work, and draws out how #Pratchett uses these in the person of Mrs Palm. It's got history AND sexy puns...
This one's very reasonably-priced - it's free!
Read it now: www.speculativeinsight.com
This one's very reasonably-priced - it's free!
Read it now: www.speculativeinsight.com
November 2, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Freyja Stokes goes deep into the historical connections between European witchcraft and sex work, and draws out how #Pratchett uses these in the person of Mrs Palm. It's got history AND sexy puns...
This one's very reasonably-priced - it's free!
Read it now: www.speculativeinsight.com
This one's very reasonably-priced - it's free!
Read it now: www.speculativeinsight.com
Reposted by Speculative Insight journal
Explore @niallharrison’s review of WHEN THERE ARE WOLVES AGAIN by E.J. Swift: “I say that what Swift has given us in this remarkable book is a benchmark. I imagine rereading it in 25 years’ time.”
When There Are Wolves Again by E.J. Swift: Review by Niall Harrison
When There Are Wolves Again, E.J. Swift (Arcadia 978-1-529-43644-0, £20.00, 304pp, hc) October 2025. I don’t want to put more weight on E.J. Swift’s wonderful sixth novel than a single book should…
locusmag.com
November 3, 2025 at 2:00 AM
Explore @niallharrison’s review of WHEN THERE ARE WOLVES AGAIN by E.J. Swift: “I say that what Swift has given us in this remarkable book is a benchmark. I imagine rereading it in 25 years’ time.”
Reposted by Speculative Insight journal
Continuing with my obsessive effort to read all of Thomas Burnett Swann's novels, in this essay I take a look at his fourth novel, THE FOREST OF FOREVER (1971), which is a prequel to his first novel, DAY OF THE MINOTAUR (1966).
It's... messy. But interesting! Interestingly messy!
It's... messy. But interesting! Interestingly messy!
Reading “The Forest of Forever” by Thomas Burnett Swann
Thomas Burnett Swann’s The Forest of Forever (1971) is the author’s fourth novel, a prequel to his first novel, Day of the Minotaur (1966). It’s a mediocre and somewhat messy return to …
seanguynes.com
November 8, 2025 at 3:49 AM
Continuing with my obsessive effort to read all of Thomas Burnett Swann's novels, in this essay I take a look at his fourth novel, THE FOREST OF FOREVER (1971), which is a prequel to his first novel, DAY OF THE MINOTAUR (1966).
It's... messy. But interesting! Interestingly messy!
It's... messy. But interesting! Interestingly messy!
Reposted by Speculative Insight journal
In which Granny Weatherwax is far more comfortable with Mrs Palm than Nanny... and Freyja Stokes explores the historical connections between witchcraft and sex work, as so beautifully explored by Terry Pratchett.
Read it now for free: www.speculativeinsight.com
Read it now for free: www.speculativeinsight.com
November 3, 2025 at 9:12 AM
In which Granny Weatherwax is far more comfortable with Mrs Palm than Nanny... and Freyja Stokes explores the historical connections between witchcraft and sex work, as so beautifully explored by Terry Pratchett.
Read it now for free: www.speculativeinsight.com
Read it now for free: www.speculativeinsight.com
Reposted by Speculative Insight journal
Freyja Stokes writes about witches and "seamstresses" (the Discworld's sex workers, except for Sandra), and especially the historical connections between the two professions, in this excellent new essay.
Read it now! Tell your friends! www.speculativeinsight.com
Read it now! Tell your friends! www.speculativeinsight.com
November 3, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Freyja Stokes writes about witches and "seamstresses" (the Discworld's sex workers, except for Sandra), and especially the historical connections between the two professions, in this excellent new essay.
Read it now! Tell your friends! www.speculativeinsight.com
Read it now! Tell your friends! www.speculativeinsight.com
I need a word!
What’s the word for when your interest and focus is outward focused rather than inward? I can’t figure out how better to explain it so my googling is failing.
What’s the word for when your interest and focus is outward focused rather than inward? I can’t figure out how better to explain it so my googling is failing.
November 7, 2025 at 1:38 AM
I need a word!
What’s the word for when your interest and focus is outward focused rather than inward? I can’t figure out how better to explain it so my googling is failing.
What’s the word for when your interest and focus is outward focused rather than inward? I can’t figure out how better to explain it so my googling is failing.
Reposted by Speculative Insight journal
Freyja Stokes writes about witches and "seamstresses" (the Discworld's sex workers, except for Sandra), and especially the historical connections between the two professions, in this excellent new essay.
Read it now! Tell your friends! www.speculativeinsight.com
Read it now! Tell your friends! www.speculativeinsight.com
November 4, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Freyja Stokes writes about witches and "seamstresses" (the Discworld's sex workers, except for Sandra), and especially the historical connections between the two professions, in this excellent new essay.
Read it now! Tell your friends! www.speculativeinsight.com
Read it now! Tell your friends! www.speculativeinsight.com
Reposted by Speculative Insight journal
This excellent essay from Freyja Stokes examines the ways in which Terry Pratchett accurately portrays historical sex work in Europe, and its close connections to witchcraft.
Read it now! Tell your friends! www.speculativeinsight.com
Read it now! Tell your friends! www.speculativeinsight.com
November 4, 2025 at 8:46 PM
This excellent essay from Freyja Stokes examines the ways in which Terry Pratchett accurately portrays historical sex work in Europe, and its close connections to witchcraft.
Read it now! Tell your friends! www.speculativeinsight.com
Read it now! Tell your friends! www.speculativeinsight.com