Where the Words Matter Most: Readercon 35 Convenes in Boston

For most science fiction conventions, the visual spectacle is the main draw: elaborate cosplay, massive media screenings, celebrity autograph queues, and crowded gaming halls. But for four days every summer, a different kind of gathering quiets the noise to focus on the written word and community.

Running from July 9 to July 12, 2026, Readercon 35 has taken over the Boston Marriott Burlington. Known affectionately in the literary community as "the thinking fan’s sci-fi con," Readercon strips away pop-culture media and commercial distractions to celebrate the mechanics, themes, and artistry of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and slipstream literature.

Every year, Readercon anchors its extensive programming around a highly curated roster of honorees. This year’s Guests of Honor represent a brilliant bridge between the genre’s foundational history and its boundary-pushing contemporary evolution:

• P. Djèlí Clark (Guest of Honor): A force in modern fantasy, Clark’s intricate worldbuilding has earned him Nebula, Locus, and British Fantasy awards for works like A Master of Djinn and Ring Shout. Attendees have been flocking to his panels, eager to hear how his background as a history professor at the University of Connecticut—specifically his research into West African oral storytellers (griots) and the American abolitionist movement—shapes his vibrant, alternate-history narratives.

  
  

• David Gerrold (Guest of Honor): Celebrating over 50 years in the genre, Gerrold is a living legend. While pop-culture enthusiasts know him as the creator of Star Trek’s iconic Tribbles and Land of the Lost’s Sleestaks, Readercon attendees are celebrating his massive literary footprint. This includes his Hugo, Nebula, and Locus-winning semi-autobiographical masterpiece, The Martian Child, and his sweeping War Against the Chtorr series.

  
  

• Mike Resnick (Memorial Guest of Honor): Readercon 35 is paying tribute to the late, immensely prolific author and editor who passed away in 2020. With over 70 novels and 40 anthologies to his name, Resnick's deep fondness for fables, legends, and genre-spanning mentorship is a core theme of this year's retrospective panels.

  
  

While mainstream conventions lean on spectacle, Readercon’s heartbeat is its intellectually rigorous programming of full hour of themed sessions and author readings (30 minutes). The Thursday night sessions included “Writing Horror in Horrifying Times” and a panel on “Secret Agents and Speculative Fiction.” Author Ellen Kusher relaxed the audience with restaurant recommendations as a prelude to her reading.

The 2026 panel tracks reflect a genre adapting to modern cultural and technological realities. Notable panels drawing crowds included “AI Imaginarium in the Age of the Cybernetic Hot Mess,” A lively debate featuring David Gerrold and other prominent authors exploring why classic science fiction envisioned AI as cool, hyper-rational, and logic-bound, contrasted against the messy, unpredictable LLMs of the actual present.

What keeps authors like Scott Edelman coming back, who has attended 34 of the convention's 35 years, is Readercon’s uniquely egalitarian atmosphere, where the barrier between creator and fan is practically nonexistent. This community spirit was discussed during the panel “Finding Your Writing Posse.” Featuring authors E.C. Ambrose, A.T. Greenblatt, Bethany C. Powell, and Edelman, the session explored how peer networks provide essential creative and emotional support for writers.

And friends is the key word, not contacts. The panelists offered practical advice on finding mentors and engaging with the community, with Powell emphasizing the value of building organic, professional relationships without stiff formality. Closing out the session, Edelman encouraged the audience to lean into these connections, promising to keep his long-standing tradition alive by bringing donuts to the patio after dinner, a perfect example of the welcoming, grassroots camaraderie that defines Readercon.

When attendees aren’t in panels, they are usually found in the legendary Readercon Bookshop, a room entirely dedicated to new, used, rare, and collectible books, or participating in Kaffeeklatsches. These small, 10-person sign-up sessions give fans the rare opportunity to sit down and chat casually over coffee with their favorite authors.

The weekend will culminate in its traditional Saturday night highlight: the presentation of the Shirley Jackson Awards, recognizing outstanding achievements in literature of psychological suspense, horror, and dark fantastic. Programming will continue until 3pm Sunday.

As Readercon 35 progresses through the weekend under a community-minded indoor masking policy, it continues to prove that in a world dominated by visual media, the subversive notion that "thinking is fun," and that the written word still reigns supreme, is alive and well.