I\'ve only been a member here for a few days, but I\'m impressed by the site and the members. The comments on this show are a case in point. It\'s nice to find people who can both think and write on literary (auditory?) matters.

Is \"The God Machine\" derivative? Of course. The \"1984\" connections are clear. Yet a first-time listener (which none of us are) might well be captured and surprised by this story. It\'s a standard dystopia to be sure and the writing feels a bit padded at times, to give it sufficient length I guess. But in all I think the story works as a gentle warning of a society turned to the dark side.

I don\'t think the analysis Chris provided is excessive; so long as we don\'t start doing&nbsp;deconstructionism. And I think at least half of the SF stories in the canon are rather good; even the simple space opera plots (good humans, bad aliens . . . or vice versa) can be just good plain fun.

I agree that \"Davey Jerrold\'s Jacket\" is a weak effort.&nbsp;Unfortunately&nbsp;I\'m not familiar with \"The Walking Dead\" . . . unless you\'re&nbsp;referring&nbsp;to some of the students in my classes.