Book Two is Better

Ch. 1-18!  Who knew that 200 pages without Calen could be so fun? In this section, Cahill treats us to a pluralistic monarchy of dwarves, a council of elven rulers, and whatever you call Kallinvar's palace of pain.  Also, why is everyone so angry? Did they read  The Art of War by Sun Tzu's Epherian cousin? Farda is throwing lightning bombs, Dann is fighting his way through Groot's e...

We're covering the whole book in this episode!  The buddy comedy we never saw coming! A young man who cannot stop being yeeted out of windows sets out on a quest for vengeance, only to discover a hot Italian assassin who hates most men, but especially her father. Can they free the elves trapped in an evil science experiment?  Yes, this is actually the plot - but trust us, it rocks.  We'r...

Have you ever heard the expression "don't meet your heroes"? Well, it's complete nonsense. We had the absolute honor of having Ryan join us for a conversation and can confirm that he is just an incredible dude.  We hope you enjoy our wide-ranging discussion, navigating life's big questions like what it's like to write as a new parent, how art can create community, and...

Ch. 36-End. This is the ultimate jam-packed finale to a great book. Calen reunites with Valerys and meets the new best character in the series, Captain Kinky. Rist gets naked in front of some old dudes to become a battlemage -- trust me, it works. Dahlen and a hot Italian lady assassin attempt the world's worst spy plan. Everybody's cooking in this one.  After some starhawk, druid, and U...

ODAL Ch. 19-35.  "It is the stag who waits to drink last. That avoids the waiting wolf." These wise words from Alleron's mother frame an impeccable section of comfort fantasy filled with dragon fire, fake uncles, racism against elves, and our favorite character, ERDHARDT HAMMERSMITH.  Will Calen escape his torturous prison? Is the Druid book that Rist is reading important? Why did w...

ODAL Chapters 1-19.  My dragon's bigger than your dragon! Calen, despite some badass skill with the spark, is quickly outmatched at the battle of Helm's Deep. Our merry band of misfits flees on subterranean sailboats through the wind tunnels, only to find a thousand miles south after fleeing creepy stone spiders through a magic dwarven portal (this is peak fantasy, btw).  Meanwhile, Ella...

Chapters: Whole book, it's short.  The Fall is a novella best known as the prequel to Ryan Cahill's Of Blood and Flames and second-best known (by psychopaths) as the sequel to the exact same novel.  We've chosen to be adherents to the Svidarya path, and hot damn is it paying off. This book is a genuine banger -- Four POVs, four tragedies, and zero farm boys preparing for a quaint ha...

Ch. 20 - End. This is a handsome book -- and even more so after a few shots of wyrm blood.  Our new dragon papa is fighting fades, traversing tunnels, and ready to risk it all for a dwarven queen. This book is cozy fantasy, and it absolutely ROCKS.  Send us a note as we continue our Cahill journey at booktwoisbetter@gmail.com or on Reddit/Discord @booktwoisbetter! Thanks for listening! 

New series alert! We'll be spending the next few months covering The Bound and The Broken by Ryan Cahill, kicking off with the Fellensír path and Of Blood and Fire.  This episode covers Chapters 1-19.  Get ready for hot chocolate in book form, because Cahill's world of swords, dragons, chosen ones, and elemental magic is a soothing, cozy balm for our eyes. We open with three buddies in a...

We're shaking it up and covering a book AND a movie! Amaze!  Please join us for a fun between-seasons special of Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. We're breaking down our favorite science experiments, passionately defending Carl and #1 Pokemon Rocky, and joshing around with an Astrophage load of bull-puckey.  We'll be back soon with a brand new series, The Bound and the Broken by Ryan...

SOTF Finale: Part 3, Ch. LVIII - LXXX. Islington heard our metal triangle-shaped prayers (but not our publicity emails) and answered them with some hot hot heat for the finale of Strength of the Few!  Vis (Wis, Human) refuses to be limited by his single POV and covers some serious ground in this section. He scales pyramids, becomes a bionic man, and decides to run for political office to represent...

SOTF Part 2, Ch. XXXI-LVII:  Of Daddies and Danger Pulses.   Would you rather watch Vis train dogs, perform a crocodile dance, or learn to blacksmith? Well, lucky for you, we get all three in this section.  Vis is getting exponentially better at using Will - he can now jump the exact height of a fence! He also gets to cosplay as an assassin and a iunctus to round out his farmer and charioteer side...

SOTF Part One, Ch. I-XXX. SYNCHRONISM HAS BEEN GAINED! WE MUST KILL A GOD!  Will a series of ironclad NDA Silencii prevent the next Catacylsm? Will Vis stop adopting before he sucks off a transvect? Did he really just stab a guy for two months straight? When will worthy will wizard weirdos willingly wield willy-nilly wagon wheels?  This book is crazy, and we love it. Thanks for following along on...

FINALE - Part 3, Ch. 52-74. Crikey, do these rotting gods have it out for Vis! Our favorite boy Diago (human) has a ripper of an aquatic romance with the baddie Emissa on his totally normal Spring Break visit to Suus -- but, before the book lets us enjoy our Fourth Wing schoolyard fling and learn the rules of Foundation, we're straight back to the Hunger Games.  Vis and his phantom thieves ar...

Part 2, Ch. 25-51. Vek, it's hard being the smartest kid in class. Didn't everyone else have a team of elite tutors during their princely training? I bet that they don't even have a pet Alupi.  I wish all of these hot upperclass girls would stop bothering me with their flirting -- I don't have time for dalliances. I'm on a mission. I don't remember exactly what it was...

Will of the Many Part One: Ch I - XXIV.  WOTM discussion starts 7:31z  Did you think we'd take another two-year break from the podcast? Well, screw you dad, because we're proving the haters wrong and we are SO BACK.  After a full year of Hadrian, we needed even more glazing for the Roman Empire. We're jumping straight into the Hierarchy series and the tropeopolis of Islington. Follo...

Chapters 67-End. Dear listener, we have been on a journey together. From Delos to Vorgossos, from Jinan to Selene, and from Hadrian's POV to Hadrian's POV -- thank you for listening to us babble on for this entire year of Ruocchio. Despite our grumpiness at times, we've loved every minute of it -- and are so thankful for all of the notes and kind words! Welcome to the finale of the...

Chapter 46-67. In this episode of "Raising Darathama," Hadrian comes face-to-face with the products of his incredible ability to be unlikeable. After sending a warning shot (a.k.a. blowing up 36 people and a full planet), Had attempts some classic politicking - highmatter chopping a table in half, insulting the Chantry and their mothers, and prostyletizing Jewish doctors.  Alexander (wor...

Chapters 23-46. I SHALL BECOME A GOD (remix). Hadrian and his merry band of misfits are off to nuke some Cielcin worldships, but they get sidetracked by 3,000 gingers. We get a preview of why you don't want to fight a Watcher in hand-to-hand combat, a whole ship-load of demonic possession, and a poignant and not gross birth scene.  Come listen to us beclown ourselves as we count down to the d...

Ch 1-22. Book seven is always better, baby. Are you ready for the ultimate lore corner? Hadrian aura farming? Space Jesus jihad? 'Tis the finale of this series, and I shudder to think about what we are going to do without it. Join us on the conclusion of this epic adventure. We'll be covering SUT in 4 parts, releasing each in a pretty quick turnaround so that you can read along with us....

MEGA EPISODE - Ch. 28-End. Hadrian is dead. Hadrian meets God. Will Hadrian kill God? Hadrian is Space Jesus. Calen is Kharn and also naked and also there are a thousand of him. Valka's not dead! Valka's dead. Everyone is dead. Featuring: the new best character in the series, Orphan.  We're about to embark on our read of Shadows Upon Time! New episodes will drop as the book is publi...

Chapters 1-27. Get ready for some Ruocchio glazing, because we actually like this book! Is paternal Hadrian the best Hadrian? Is his Jaddian rebound actually going to be a hot angel/demon/goddess? Will the bird boiz be jealous of Hadrian's Cielcin fan club? Come hang out with us as we grapple with these existential questions and navigate a lore corner that is quickly transitioning into a lore...

Chapters 25 - End! A poet prince, an alien birth, a tragic death, and the slap heard around the world -- this section has it all. Hadrian is captured, escapes, gets thrown in jail again, escapes again, and -- wait, which book is this? Also, we got an ARC for Book 7! Tune in for more announcements about what's next in our Sun Eater journey.  Thank you all for listening and supporting! Drop us...

Chapters 1-24. We're folding space like crazy to catch up to the Book 7 release date so that we can bring you our live reactions!  In this section, we get some actual side character development, a very personal battle with PTSD (can someone please give Hadrian a hug?), and a budget iron rain on a secret MINOS space base. Also, join us for a very special LORE CORNER as we learn all of the dirt...

Chapters 36-End! I hope you like our new bit -- Sun Eater Blunt Rotation. Thank you for putting up with our banter - and as a reward, you get to listen to us break down the tragic ending of the Tamerlane, the most metal side character deaths ever written, and Hadrian and Valka escaping by the skin of their teeth. Can one malnourished man defeat 1700 Cielcin clans with only one working arm and an a...