Cosmere Casual

In this episode (totally an important one, not just us trying to remember how to record a podcast after the holidays), Nick and AJ take a minute to reflect on a full year of making Cosmere Casual!

In this episode, we discuss the short story "Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell" (well, really the setting, Threnody) and its place within the larger Cosmere! This is a full spoilers episode, especially for the Sunlit Man, with some references to Stormlight Archive. Discussion points include: What's in a name? (AJ-will-regret-this-podcast-eventually) Placing this story chronologically in t...

In this Episode, Nick and AJ discuss the short story "Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell" including spoilers for the story! Trigger warning: the story and our discussion of it includes descriptions of child abuse. Discussion points: Memes aren't always funny Silence as a Point of View character; also, anxiety Raising children in a dangerous world AJ wanted a full-length novel; Nick likes s...

In this episode, Nick and AJ give a spoiler-free review of Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell! Discussion points include: Nick is bad at jokes? Long-ass names Publication info: "Dangerous Women" and "Arcanum Unbounded" collections Ghost Stories - but the real monster is the Tax Collector AJ tries to convince Nick that the premise of the book is a spoiler Trigger Warnings AJ's and Nick's ex...

In this episode, Nick and AJ review Mistborn: Secret History, and its place within the Cosmere! Full Spoiler discussion for everything published in the Cosmere as of 2024. We discuss: hass alfed attempts at video. Spoiler warning: this one will ALSO not have video published. Khriss and Nazh Nick continues to rely on AJ for identifying romantic tension (or lack thereof!) Manifesting Hoid and his st...

In this episode, Nick and AJ finish their detour out of the Cosmere with a spoiler-filled review of The Raven Tower, by Anne Leckie! The last 10 minutes contains spoilers for Hero of Ages, and (more vague) spoilers for the tropes behind the overarching narrative of Stormlight Archive through Oathbringer. Discussion points: Just not that funny... which is fine! Parallels to Shakespeare Prose - beau...

In this episode, Nick and AJ discuss: Ice Age memes Teaser for more-Cosmere Connected books Death of Superman How Secret History Overlaps with Era 1 We talk about adding Video (which BTW didn't work out) AJ loves punching Viewing into the infinite isn't good for the Ego... unless you're in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Your heart is in the right place, but YOUR BOWELS ARE NOT Heartwarming vs. M...

In this extra, off-schedule episode, Nick and AJ discuss the premise of Nick's most re-read book, The Raven Tower by Ann Leckie. Discussion points: "Book reviews" are a sub-genre of memoirs Comparing and contrasting Leckie vs Sanderson, The Raven Tower and the Cosmere Premise and tropes that are visited in this book Nick completely fails to sell AJ on reading this book... but she&#39...

In this episode, AJ and Nick give a spoiler-free review of the novella "Mistborn: Secret History" Discussion Points: Kelsier Fortnite Publication order confusion Reading right after Era 1 is better anyway Who's POV is it, anyway? Premise of the book Character development, get hype for Cosmere connected books Other books to read first or what to watch out for

In this episode, Nick and AJ discuss Cosmere Connections, especially focusing on its place within the larger Cosmere! Spoilers for all published Cosmere books, especially Mistborn Era 2. Discussion points: Avengers: Endgame The many meanings of "Mistborn" Words of Founding (aka, Nick proves AJ wrong for once) Kandra to keep an eye on Shards! and History of the World Fortune, and the best...

In this episode, Nick and AJ discuss and review Hero of Ages! This episode contains spoilers for HoA as well as the previous Mistborn books, but no other books in the Cosmere. Discussion Points: How is babby formed? Climax review - Mistfallen, Atium, Spikes, Ascension Our favorite and least favorite scenes Parallels between the Lord Ruler and Vin/Elend There's a monster named "human"...

In this episode, Abby and Nick (but mostly Nick) discuss our spoiler-free review of Hero of Ages, Book 3 in the Mistborn Series! Discussion Topics include: - How about that weather at the end of the world? - Hot takes served cold; avoid the audiobook on this one - The payoffs in this book are good, and there's a lot - Meta-discussion about the epigraphs - Nick rambles for 20 minutes recapping...

In this episode, Nick and AJ discuss White Sand, especially focusing on its place within the larger Cosmere! Discussion points: - Social media is hard - The Dark Side of the Moon - Face in the Clouds - Magic system explanation - Where else the sand appears, and how it is used - Nick's Engineer is Showing - Autonomy -Worldhoppers Review - and why Khriss is frustrating, but Aarick is so interest...

Nick and AJ discuss White Sand - the Graphic Novel Omnibus Edition, and the Graphic Audio edition! Spoilers for both these Versions of White Sand. In this episode: King of the Hill, Preferring the Graphic Audio, Plot summary, AITA?, Themes in the book, how the magic system works (part 1), Sanderlanche/Plot twists, Nick is oblivious about romance, and We're thinking about getting social media n...

UPDATE after recording the episode: Nick and AJ both recommend the Graphic Audio version of White Sand over other currently available versions. In this episode - AJ and Nick provide a spoiler-free review of White Sand, including: the trouble with unified standards, Reading as a Skill, Perception vs. Investigation, Revision Control, White Sand as a coming-of-age story, and then more dunks than a ba...

In this episode, Nick and AJ discuss the Cosmere Connections within the Well of Ascension! Spoilers abound for all published Cosmere books - Especially for Mistborn eras 1 and 2, as well as Stormlight Archive. Key Points are: Scapegoats, prophecies, Gurren Lagann, god metals, what was going on off screen during WoA, and certain cross-cosmere references and allusions within Well of Ascension.

In this extra episode, Nick and AJ talk about Cosmere Fandom 101 - things like: - Affectionate nicknames for Brandon Sanderson - Why we like the Cosmere - Different fan communities we lurk or participate in (reddit, 17th Shard) - B$ history lesson (fun anecdotes only) - Other podcasts about the Cosmere

In this episode, Nick and AJ give the post read (no spoilers for other books) review of Mistborn Era 1, book 2: The Well of Ascension! Key points are: Vin's "Mind's Eye or Whatever", the Irony in the Betrayal, Contract theory (fantasy, not legal), the Fantasy Metal version of Christian Eschatology, the Empire Strikes Back of Mistborn, Safety vs Freedom, Bad Romance(s), Queer Eye...

In this episode - Nick and AJ get ready to read Mistborn Era 1, book 2 - the Well of Ascension. The only spoilers in this book are for the previous book in the series. Topics include: The love triangle that wasn't, recap of Mistborn: The Final Empire, Where is Atium-Ft. Knox?, Kelsier the Survivor/Martyr, "So you killed your God-Emperor, now what?", increasing scope of sequels... and...

Join Nick and AJ as take a spoiler filled look at the connections Warbreaker has to other Cosmere books, even though it's a standalone book. We discuss the Bob Ross of murder, Superweapons in the Cosmere, Splinters and Cognitive Shadows, and our first Cosmere Coincidence.

In this episode, Nick and AJ review Warbreaker! We discuss the twists, reversals, Capitalistic excess, When Harry Met Sally... and with apologies to fans of the movie Frozen. Note: Nick went on a long, hyper-detailed rant in the middle of the episode that is sped up for the sake of brevity.

In this episode, Nick and AJ review Warbreaker! We discuss the twists, reversals, Capitalistic excess, When Harry Met Sally... and with apologies to fans of the movie Frozen. Note: Nick went on a long ramble in the middle of the episode... and it is retained in this version. Hey, if you like falling asleep to the sounds of our voices, this one is about 10 minutes more!

In this episode, Nick and Abby discuss (in a spoiler free way) our very different experiences reading Warbreaker. And also, a certain Disney movie which has a scene involving a princess with magical-color-changing-hair becoming enamored with a bunch of rough-and-tumble-soldier types.

In this spoiler filled episode, we discuss how The Emperor's Soul fits in to the wider Cosmere. We over-analyze differences in different transformation magics in the Cosmere, and how the magic system that is introduced in The Emperor's Soul appears differently when we see it used in other books. Spoilers to some extent for all published Cosmere works.

In this episode, Nick and AJ (but mostly Nick) gush about Nick's favorite story in the Cosmere - we talk about art, philosophy, and the Office.