*Note – I listen to PodCastle on YouTube because my household pays for YouTube Red in order to not have ads. My reviews do not consider advertisement breaks, if they exist.

860: “Something Wicked This Way Plumbs” by Vylar Kaftan, narrated by Elie Hirschman

If you like humorous fiction, this is probably going to be your jam. I would compare Kaftan’s style here to Douglas Adams. The premise is ridiculous, the conclusion of the plot is absurd, but the characters are genuine and their decisions and dialogue are believable for the weird situation they find themselves in. It’s a fun story, but it’s not exactly changing the world, so have at it if you want a laugh.

859: “John Gladwin Says . . .” by Oliver Onions, narrated by Matt Dovey

A meditation on the nature of aging and memories. The description is prettily written. The story is fine. I haven’t lost or gained anything by having listened to it.

858: “Roti Time Travel” by Joshua Lim, narrated by Marcus Chen

First, the narration of this piece is really well done. The premise of “Roti Time Travel” is sort of simple (although it’s also entirely unique). In fact, it is very similar in its general content to the Oliver Onions piece, but far better executed. Here we see the tangle of trauma and loss and memory all wrapped up in issues of addiction and self-neglect. It’s raw; it’s desperate; it’s important.

857: “Ecdysis” by Samir Sirk Morató, narrated by Amanda Ching

Another very well narrated piece. Wow did this one surprise me. I wasn’t sure about it for the first few minutes. The buy-in is a little high, without much worldbuilding to orient you in the logic of the story. Much of the story is best described as summary of the characters and their histories and relationships. It’s not my favorite kind of storytelling, but it fits really well here. There is a little bit of a plot, although I wished for more. What really made this story work is the underlying commentary on society, relationships, needs, and expectations. Morató is vicious in their views on these things, and the metaphorical framework of the story is perfect for exposing the dark of social pressure.