Fantology

Our first segment of Fantasy News is a recap of a momentous 2019. Game of Thrones went out with a whimper and The Witcher came in with a bang. The Boys, The Umbrella Academy, Watchmen and several Marvel offerings commanded our viewing attention. Our literary eyeballs saw Lightbringer & Licanius come to an end. Plus, we mix up heroine Starlight with Sanderson's newest YA offering and can't wait for...

The first book of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files is a slow start to what will eventually blossom into one of our favorite series. This is urban fantasy done right! Dresden doesn't take itself too seriously and neither do we, with comparisons to Harry Potter and trashy romance novels. Plus, is male gaze a thing in this series, and how much of an issue is it? Chat with us more! Tell us why we're wrong!...

Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson is the entrance into the epically long and complex Malazan universe. Our resident expert Ryan is on hand to guide Ben & Stephen through the book and chuckle about their misguided theories. We also discuss favorite scenes and characters and how the series compares to Sanderson's cosmere. Plus our Worst of the Best segment and the dangers of audiobooks and high...

What is it exactly about The Stormlight Archive that so thoroughly captures our imaginations? We try to answer this question as we tackle the IT series of the fantasy book world. Our favorite moments & characters receive full coverage, but no series is perfect! Our new "worst of the best segment" at the end of the episode talks about a few not-so-favorite moments. Plus, what would it be like to do...

The Remembrance of Earth's Past series by Cixin Liu is a breakthrough sci-fi series that took our collective breath away. Translated from its original Chinese, the prose is sharp and perfectly displays Liu's imaginative yet haunting vision of a future after contact with an alien race. We discuss cultural differences, ethical dilemmas, and questions of what it means to be human. Also, a callback to...

The machine that is Brandon Sanderson can write pretty high quality YA books as well. How does this series compare to his more prolific epic fantasy series? The guys have some positive comparisons, and deep cosmere lore. We liked the humor (mostly), but across the board struggled with the cheesy romance. Also, a deep dive into the psychology of 11 year-old Stephen's terror of basilisks.  Chat with...

The conclusion to the Licanius Trilogy was a mixed bag for us. Worth reading, but somewhat disappointing after the success of the first two books. Also, Stephen is a prose snob!  Chat with us more! Tell us why we're wrong! Discord: https://discord.gg/9AMJqj2 Support the show on Patreon and access additional perks: https://www.patreon.com/fantology_books Check out our exclusive Merch in our Spreads...

No spoilers in our breakdown of the first book in a new and unique critically-acclaimed speculative fiction series from R.F. Kuang. We're excited to read more of this one!  Chat with us more! Tell us why we're wrong! Discord: https://discord.gg/9AMJqj2 Support the show on Patreon and access additional perks: https://www.patreon.com/fantology_books Check out our exclusive Merch in our Spreadshirt s...

Hot takes abound in our review of Book 1 of Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archive. Apparently it isn't that hard to be a critic of THE landmark series of the past decade!  Chat with us more! Tell us why we're wrong! Discord: https://discord.gg/9AMJqj2 Support the show on Patreon and access additional perks: https://www.patreon.com/fantology_books Check out our exclusive Merch in our Spreadshirt s...

We recap the many, many plot threads of Book 2 of The Licanius Trilogy by James Islington. Give us a listen to catch up before reading Book 3 - The Light of All That Falls - which was just released! Chat with us more! Tell us why we're wrong! Discord: https://discord.gg/9AMJqj2 Support the show on Patreon and access additional perks: https://www.patreon.com/fantology_books Check out our exclusive...

Need to remember the details of Licanius Book 1? We have you covered with a full book recap, hitting on all the big moments. Plus play along at home with trivia! Chat with us more! Tell us why we're wrong! Discord: https://discord.gg/9AMJqj2 Support the show on Patreon and access additional perks: https://www.patreon.com/fantology_books Check out our exclusive Merch in our Spreadshirt shop: https:...

The guys break down and review the first book in the Licanius Trilogy by James Islington. No spoilers here, just an overview of the exciting and promising debut novel in what we expect to be a landmark series. Chat with us more! Tell us why we're wrong! Discord: https://discord.gg/9AMJqj2 Support the show on Patreon and access additional perks: https://www.patreon.com/fantology_books Check out our...

In our first episode we review of the recently released The Burning White by Brent Weeks and the rest of the Lightbringer series. This is a monumental series with some iconic moments and characters...but nothing is immune from criticism! We always start off without spoilers and transition into full spoiler chat. Chat with us more! Tell us why we're wrong! Discord: https://discord.gg/9AMJqj2 Suppor...