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In this episode of The Avram Davidson Universe, we listen to the conclusion of Avram Davidson’s “There Beneath the Silky-Tree and Whelmed in Deeper Gulphs Than Me.”

In Part 3, the mysteries surrounding Jack Limekiller’s journey into the jungle finally become frighteningly real. Beneath the great silky-tree, warnings, superstition and nightmare converge as Limekiller encounters something that perhaps everyone else already knew was there.

Originally published in Other Worlds 2, edited by Roy Torgeson (Zebra, 1980), “There Beneath the Silky-Tree and Whelmed in Deeper Gulphs Than Me” is a 28,600-word novella and was nominated for the Nebula Award.

The story is part of Davidson’s Limekiller cycle, later collected in Limekiller!

KEYWORDS:
Avram Davidson, There Beneath the Silky-Tree and Whelmed in Deeper Gulphs Than Me, Limekiller, Jack Limekiller, Limekiller stories, Avram Davidson Universe, jumby, silky-tree, Nebula Award, Nebula Award nominee, supernatural fantasy, weird fiction, horror fantasy, Caribbean folklore, tropical fantasy, speculative fiction, literary fantasy, classic fantasy, Other Worlds 2, Roy Torgeson, audiobook, fantasy audiobook, supernatural story

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In this episode of The Avram Davidson Universe, we listen to Part 2 of Avram Davidson’s “There Beneath the Silky-Tree and Whelmed in Deeper Gulphs Than Me.”

Jack Limekiller’s tropical adventure continues as an excursion into seemingly beautiful country begins to acquire a decidedly stranger edge. In Davidson’s world, local legends, old superstitions and casual warnings have an uncomfortable tendency to mean exactly what they say.

Originally published in Other Worlds 2, edited by Roy Torgeson (Zebra, 1980), this 28,600-word novella was nominated for the Nebula Award.

“There Beneath the Silky-Tree and Whelmed in Deeper Gulphs Than Me” is part of Davidson’s beloved Limekiller cycle, later collected in Limekiller!

KEYWORDS:
Avram Davidson, There Beneath the Silky-Tree and Whelmed in Deeper Gulphs Than Me, Limekiller, Jack Limekiller, Limekiller stories, Avram Davidson Universe, Nebula Award nominee, fantasy novella, weird fiction, supernatural fiction, tropical fantasy, Caribbean folklore, fantasy adventure, speculative fiction, literary fantasy, classic fantasy, Other Worlds 2, Roy Torgeson, audiobook, fantasy audiobook, vintage fantasy

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In this episode of The Avram Davidson Universe, we listen to Part 1 of Avram Davidson’s wonderfully strange and atmospheric novella, “There Beneath the Silky-Tree and Whelmed in Deeper Gulphs Than Me.”

Welcome back to the world of Jack Limekiller, where tropical beauty, eccentric characters, rum, folklore, and things best left unexplained have a habit of colliding.

Originally published in Other Worlds 2, edited by Roy Torgeson (Zebra, 1980), “There Beneath the Silky-Tree and Whelmed in Deeper Gulphs Than Me” is a 28,600-word novella and was nominated for the Nebula Award.

The story is part of Davidson’s celebrated Limekiller cycle, later collected in Limekiller!

KEYWORDS:
Avram Davidson, There Beneath the Silky-Tree and Whelmed in Deeper Gulphs Than Me, Limekiller, Jack Limekiller, Limekiller stories, Avram Davidson Universe, Nebula Award, Nebula Award nominee, fantasy fiction, speculative fiction, supernatural fiction, weird fiction, Caribbean fantasy, literary fantasy, classic science fiction, classic fantasy, Other Worlds 2, Roy Torgeson, audiobook, short story, novella, fantasy audiobook

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In this episode, Virgil and Bob discuss Help! I Am Dr. Morris Goldpepper with their friend:

Tim from Secret Fire Books: https://www.youtube.com/

@UCtLngnnEdSAufXIgUbcd5FQ

Originally published in Galaxy Science Fiction (July 1957).

If you'd like a refresher before listening, check out our story reading and discussion with Alan Dean Foster: https://youtu.be/iKnMUFo-Ch0

One of Avram Davidson's funniest science fiction stories begins with a seemingly impossible message hidden inside a denture. What follows is a wild tale of alien infiltration, interplanetary kidnapping, dental ethics, and an unlikely hero: Dr. Morris Goldpepper, D.D.S.

Join us as we discuss Davidson's pitch-perfect satire, his affectionate portrayal of professional organizations, the unforgettable voice of Dr. Goldpepper, and the story's hilarious blend of bureaucracy, science fiction, and dental prosthetics. Along the way, we explore why this oddball classic remains one of the most entertaining and charming stories in Davidson's remarkable body of work.

Featuring discussions of alien immigration schemes, blue-mouthed extraterrestrials, teleportation, dentures as secret messages, and perhaps the most important contribution dentistry has ever made to the defense of Earth.

Keywords: Avram Davidson, Help I Am Dr Morris Goldpepper, Morris Goldpepper, Galaxy Science Fiction, Science Fiction, Classic Sci-Fi, Humorous Science Fiction, Comic Science Fiction, Satire, Speculative Fiction, Vintage Sci-Fi, Book Discussion, Literary Podcast, Science Fiction Podcast, BookTube, Dentistry in Science Fiction, Alien Invasion, Teleportation, Galaxy Magazine, Golden Age Science Fiction, Retro Sci-Fi, Weird Fiction, Science Fiction Humor, Alan Dean Foster, Secret Fire Books, Avram Davidson Universe

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In this episode, Virgil and Bob discuss The House the Blakeneys Built with their friends:

Jake from Pulp Mortem: https://www.youtube.com/ @PulpMortem

Tim from Secret Fire Books: https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@secretfirebooks7894⁩

Originally published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction (January 1965).

If you'd like a refresher before listening, check out our story reading and discussion with Emma Speer. https://youtu.be/JuPb6NzR9TM

What begins as a tale of lost travelers arriving at a strange settlement soon becomes one of Avram Davidson's most unsettling explorations of tradition, conformity, isolation, and the fear of change. The conversation examines the remarkable language of the Blakeneys, the decaying grandeur of The House, the clash between progress and custom, and the story's haunting conclusion.

Is the story a warning about inbreeding and isolation? A critique of resistance to change? Or a meditation on how communities preserve themselves at all costs? Join us as we explore one of Davidson's most memorable and thought-provoking science fiction tales.

Keywords: Avram Davidson, The House The Blakeneys Built, Science Fiction, Classic Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Science Fiction, F&SF, Speculative Fiction, Vintage Sci-Fi, Weird Fiction, Literary Science Fiction, Golden Age Science Fiction, Science Fiction Podcast, Book Discussion, BookTube, Short Story Discussion, Gene Wolfe, Jack Vance, Roger Zelazny, Theodore Sturgeon, Cordwainer Smith, Philip K. Dick, Ray Bradbury, Secret Fire Books, Pulp Mortem

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In this episode, Virgil and Bob discuss Sacheverell, originally published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, March 1964.

If you want a refresher, you can listen to the story and our conversation with Ryan Sprinkle.

https://youtu.be/NzyRt4Z3Zbo?si=5s39FQGpHyx2h5gv

Episode Summary:
Virgil and Bob dive into one of Avram Davidson’s wonderfully strange and darkly funny tales, where appearances, assumptions, and human nature all get turned upside down. Sacheverell mixes absurdity, social commentary, and Davidson's trademark oddness into a story that starts with a mysterious figure in a room and unfolds into something far stranger than expected. Along the way, expect discussion about fear, prejudice, manipulation, who the real "beast" might be, and how Davidson somehow manages to make readers laugh while making them slightly uncomfortable at the same time. Also likely: detours into Davidson himself and appreciation for stories that become weirder the longer you think about them.

Hashtags:
#Sacheverell #AvramDavidson #FantasyAndScienceFiction #FandSF #WeirdFiction #ClassicFantasy #SpeculativeFiction #BookPodcast #FantasyPodcast #ScienceFiction #LiteraryPodcast #ShortStories #CultFiction #FantasyReaders #BobAndVirgil #RyanSprinkle #VintageFantasy #BookDiscussion #SurrealFiction #LiteraryFantasy

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In this episode, Virgil and Bob discuss The Hills Behind Hollywood High, originally published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction (April 1983), written by Grania Davis and Avram Davidson.

If you want a refresher, you can listen to the story and our conversation with Scott Bradfield: thttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUY9iRDtaIk

Episode Summary: What happens when old Hollywood dreams, strange transformations, satire, and pure absurdity collide? Virgil and Bob wander into the bizarre hills behind Hollywood High, where ordinary teenagers, beauty standards, movie culture, and Davidson-style weirdness crash together in ways only Grania Davis and Avram Davidson could imagine. Expect discussion about Hollywood illusions, identity, transformation, the strange price of fitting in, and why some of the funniest stories can also be deeply unsettling. Along the way, they’ll probably take a few side roads through old Los Angeles, forgotten movie culture, and the delightfully odd corners where fantasy and satire overlap.

#FantasyLiterature #AvramDavidson #GraniaDavis #hollywoodhighlights #FantasyAndScienceFiction #bookpodcast #classicfantasy #sciencefiction #weirdfiction #literarypodcast #OldHollywood #speculativefiction #fantasyreaders #podcastepisode

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The second half of our discussion looks at the deeper questions raised by “The Bloody Man”—faith, authority, cultural memory, and moral obligation. We examine how Davidson resists simple answers, allowing ambiguity and consequence to carry the weight of the story.

#AvramDavidson
#JackLimekiller
#TheBloodyMan
#MythAndMeaning
#LiterarySpeculation
#ClassicWeirdFiction