Talking Scared 266 – Justin C. Key & Don’t Scroll Before Bed
We’re tiptoeing towards the sci-fi end of things this week, with Justin C. Key and The Hospital at the End of the World.
This is a techn-othriller about AI run amok in the medical establishment, and the junior doctor who must navigate a shadowy conspiracy, a fatal (and horrific) disease, all whilst making time for class at the sole human-led teaching hospital left in the country.
It’s a lot. And a lot of fun – when it’s not ambushing me with one of my greatest medical phobias!!!
Justin and I talk about the real horrors of his medical school experience, what he’s learned about human connection from his work in psychiatry, and we have that rare thing – a genuinely nuanced conversation about the role of AI in society.
Enjoy!
Other books mentioned:
- The World Wasn’t Ready for You (2023), by Justin C. Key
- On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft (2000), by Stephen King
- Insomnia (1994), by Stephen King
- Ender’s Game (1985), by Orson Scott Card
- Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming (1994), by Stephen LaBerge and Howard Rheingold
- The Curse of Hester Gardens (2026), by Tamika Thompson
- Nuclear War: A Scenario (2024), by Annie Jacobson
Support Talking Scared on Patreon
Check out the Talking Scared Merch line – at VoidMerch
Come talk books on Threads, Bluesky, and Instagram, or email direct to talkingscaredpod@gmail.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices