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The transcript is an interview with Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck, the authors of the sci-fi series The Expanse. They discuss the sixth and final season of the TV show, the ninth and final book Leviathan Falls, and broader topics related to sci-fi storytelling and writing. The first half contains spoilers up to season 6 and book 6, while the second half after the 50-minute mark has spoilers for book 9 and the Dune books.
They talk about changes made in the show's adaptation of book 6, Babylon's Ashes, such as the addition of new characters like Rosenfeld and the omission of storylines like those on Medina Station. They explore themes in the series like representation, the dangers of tribalism, and the value in preserving human differences and flaws. The authors also share insights into their creative process, influences, and the challenges of depicting aliens and future technology.
The discussion delves into the events of the final three books, including the rise of the Laconians, the threat of the alien entities, and Holden's ultimate sacrifice to save humanity while preserving individuality. They examine the thematic implications of these plot points and share backstories on characters like Tanaka and the strange dogs. The authors reflect on the series' potential impact and legacy, as well as their upcoming projects.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- The authors embrace ambiguity and open-endedness in storytelling, resisting the urge to provide definitive answers.
- A central theme is the dangers of tribalism and the importance of tolerating human differences and imperfections.
- They value nuanced, complex portrayals over one-dimensional monocultures in depicting different groups and ideologies.
- Science fiction is viewed as a narrative mode capable of encompassing diverse genres and thematic concerns, rather than a distinct genre itself.
- The authors prioritize exploring the implications of their narrative choices over fan service or adhering to conventional tropes.
- They acknowledge the influence of prior works while striving to offer fresh perspectives on familiar sci-fi concepts.
- The creative partnership balances poetic, impressionistic elements with grounded, rational world-building.
- There is an openness to interpret the series' ambiguous elements and alien entities through various lenses.
Top Episodes Quotes
“Any canonical answer is less interesting than where we are right now.“ by Daniel Abraham
― This quote captures the authors' preference for ambiguity and open-endedness in storytelling, resisting the urge to provide definitive answers that undermine the richness of the narrative.“If you kill everybody who thinks differently than you, pretty soon you're all by yourself.“ by Ty Franck
― This powerful statement encapsulates a central theme of The Expanse - the dangers of tribalism and the importance of tolerating human differences.“Despite all the evidence, we still believe the assholes are the outliers.“ by Daniel Abraham
― This thought-provoking quote reflects the authors' nuanced perspective on human nature - acknowledging our capacity for cruelty while maintaining hope in our fundamental goodness.“Science fiction is not a genre. There is no core science fiction story.“ by Daniel Abraham
― This provocative statement challenges conventional notions of genre, reflecting the authors' view of science fiction as a "mode" capable of encompassing diverse narrative styles and thematic concerns.
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Episode Information
Alt Shift X Podcast
Alt Shift X
1/21/22
Interview with the authors of The Expanse, Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck -- discussing The Expanse Season 6, Book 9 Leviathan Falls, sci fi, writing, storytelling.
The first half has spoilers up to Season 6 / Book 6. The second half (after 53:24) has spoilers up to Book 9.
0:00 Intro
0:47 Season 6 show vs book
10:12 Tribes
15:24 Bobbie & Amos
18:03 Drummer & Naomi
21:00 Representation
27:36 Actors vs characters
30:12 Monoliths, Star Wars
38:45 Minotaur
41:53 Alex's other child, Chekov's gun
47:01 Mars, megaprojects, space travel
53:24 ❗ Book 7 spoilers from here!
55:13 More Expanse, Clarissa
57:40 Strange dogs
59:12 ❗ Book 9 spoilers from here! Holden, change
1:04:26 Tanaka, 1984
1:10:32 Writing alien dreams, collaboration
1:18:08 Aliens, ambiguity, Duarte, life
1:28:10 Unity, hive minds, difference
1:35:00 ❗ Dune spoilers for Book 2 and Book 4!
1:38:10 Dune spoilers end, influences
1:39:45 Firefly, influences
1:42:34 New sci fi trilogy
1:47:00 Expanse Telltale game, video games
1:48:41 Daniel's genre rant
1:52:15 Covid and stories
1:55:52 Roci set lives?
1:59:31 Legacy of The Expanse
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdFuzR6byXc
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/77vubQGd6CsuespWT2Wqa0
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AltShiftX
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AltShiftX
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