In a perfect world, everyone would make reasonable and responsible choices about their reading material and materials for their children. What about in this world?

With new movies dropping so soon onto streaming services, which you can watch in the comfort and quiet of your own home, is there any reason to go to the movies theater anymore? Have modern audiences and rising prices ruined that magical experience?

Panelists read first sentences from a variety of published books and stories, and discuss the variety of approaches they represent, such as "the hook" vs. world-building vs. setting the mood, etc. What makes us want to read on?

Modern tools like ChatGPT use the word "artificial intelligence," but how does it compare to the AI in science fiction stories? And how does this new technology affect how we should think about AI - of either kind - in science fiction?

Gatekeepers exist in nearly every aspect of Art and creativity. Do they contribute to the quality of what we see or do they just maintain the status quo?

Long associated together, science fiction always seemed the more popular of the two. With the success of various franchises, does this point to fantasy overtaking science fiction in popularity? Are the two genres THAT different? How much do they overlap? Do we need a separate Hugo and Nebula Award for each type? Can’t we all just get along?

What books or stories immediately grabbed you when reading the first few sentences? What resonated with you? Did the rest of it live up to the beginning?