Galaxies and Goddesses: A Sci-Fi & Fantasy Bookcast

Classics, Cons, and Cosmic Awards: Hugo Tidbits & Timeless Reads

Galaxies and Goddesses: A Sci-Fi & Fantasy Bookcast

Show Notes

In this episode of Galaxies and Goddesses, join Andrea and Elizabeth as they recap Andrea’s recent experience at WorldCon 2025 in Seattle. They delve into the Hugo Awards, explaining their significance and highlighting the 2025 winners in categories like Best Novel, Best Novella, and Best Series. The episode also covers what makes a book a sci-fi or fantasy classic, mentioning influential books from the hosts' reading journeys. From Frank Herbert’s Dune to J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, some classics live on and inspire the next generation. The episode concludes with an announcement for their next book pick, The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin.

00:00 Worldcon, Hugos, & Classics 03:35 Hugo Awards Mini FAQ 05:23 2025 Hugo Award Winner Highlights 09:02 Previous Hugo Award Winning Novels 14:18 Other Notable Awards 17:00 How Would You Define a Classic? 19:02 Sci-Fi Classics Being Film Adaptations 26:00 Back to Defining Classics 28:58 Next Month's Book Pick

Previous WorldCon Locations https://www.worldcon.org/worldcon-history/

WorldCon 2026, August 27-31st, at the Anaheim Convention Center (LACon V) https://www.lacon.org/about/

2025 Hugo Award Winners: https://locusmag.com/2025/08/hugo-lodestar-and-astounding-awards-winners-2/

Previous Hugo Award Winners By Year: https://www.sfadb.com/Hugo_Awards_Winners_By_Category

Lateral Episode: When Brad Pitt Caused a Walk Out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHIbBMowOkc Org Chart 30 Rock: Sheinhardt Wig Company, the fictional parent company of NBC https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G03R3fvLIhI

More from Galaxies and Goddesses: A Sci-Fi & Fantasy Bookcast

Oct 22, 2026

Andrea and Elizabeth return to Robin Hobb’s Farseer Trilogy to discuss Assassin’s Quest, the epic conclusion to Fitz’s journey. They explore Fitz’s search for purpose, the role of prophecy, and how his growing circle of companions helps him along the way. They also debate whether the ending feels rushed or satisfying, consider the mysteries left unanswered, and share their ratings for the final book.

Oct 8, 2026

What actually makes a book horror? In this spooky season episode, Andrea and Elizabeth explore where horror, fantasy, science fiction, and literary fiction start to blur together. They discuss unsettling books without traditional monsters, monsters that aren't necessarily scary, and the horror of human behavior and systemic injustice. Along the way, they discover that horror can take many forms, and perhaps the genre is harder to define than they thought.

Sep 24, 2026

In this episode of Galaxies and Goddesses, Andrea and Elizabeth dive into Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb, the second book in the Farseer Trilogy. They talk about Fitz's growth from a young assassin into someone with deeper relationships, stronger alliances, and a much bigger role in the politics of Buckkeep. As the enemies seem to be at every turn, who is the biggest threat and are we really seeing the whole picture?

Sep 10, 2026

In this episode of Galaxies and Goddesses, Andrea and Elizabeth wrap up Summer Book Bingo by sharing some of their favorite reads from the challenge. They talk about books that they couldn’t put down, the strange ways a Bingo category can change how you look at a book, and some thought provoking weird little books. A few are sci-fi, a few are fantasy, and some are just really great stories about community and character.

Aug 27, 2026

In this episode of Galaxies and Goddesses, Andrea and Elizabeth dive into books on their TBRs for years, or even decades. This week, they're talking about the books and authors they've read a book or two and want to keep reading, from Margaret Atwood and Brandon Sanderson to Stephen King and George R.R. Martin. They discuss intimidating series, unfinished stories, forgotten books on their shelves, and the many ways book logistics influence what they actually read next.

See all episodes →