Novel Gaming!

Field, field, field! Podcast, podcast, podcast! It's a book club episode, and this week we read Quan Barry's 'We Ride Upon Sticks', a book about witchcraft, field hockey, and... Emilio Estevez? It's a dense book with a huge main cast, and we had plenty to say about it all (discussion begins at ~32:45), but before we get into all the witchy goodness, we catch up on everything we've been playing, wa...

What more could you ask for than a whole podcast dedicated to cats? Well if you love cats as much as our three hosts do, you're in for a real crunchy treat. Join Vicki, Doug, and Katie as they discuss the pawsitively delightful game Stray as well as check in on their usual round up. Spoiler, cat puns abound. Reading: Marvel Meows (Doug) Reverie, Ryan LaSala (Katie) Traveling Cat Chronicles, Hiro A...

What do you need? Well, if it's a book club episode about 'A Prayer for the Crown-Shy' by Becky Chambers we've got you covered! We'll start discussing this gentle second entry into the Monk & Robot duology around 27:36. Before that, we check in on what we've been playing and watching lately. Playing: Stray (PS5) Dark Pictures Anthology (PS4) Final Fantasy X (Vita) Watching: Ted Lasso (Apple TV...

Have you ever seen a game and thought, "We were meant to be together," but then never took the chance to... say hello? This week we're writing Craigslist-inspired Missed Connections posts for video games and video game characters! And honestly, it might just be our toughest game yet. But before we get into guessing those games, we chat about all the stuff we've been reading, watching, and thinking...

Do you love British humor, 1970's sci fi, hard to pronounce names, improbable situations? Well join us this week as we discuss The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. Join us as we delve deep into the nerd classic! Playing LumbearJack, Nintendo Switch Neon White, Nintendo Switch God of War (2018), Playstation 5 Watching Spectacular Spider-Man, Netflix Only Murders in the Building, H...

Lying is especially fun when it's about video games! Join us for a game of two truths and lie and see if you can suss us out! The game starts around 38:40. Before then, we touch base about what we've been reading, watching, and thinking about lately. Reading 'The Dark Forest' by Cixin Liu 'No Ashes in the Fire: Coming of Age Black and Free in America' by Darnell L. Moore 'Fuzz: When Nature Breaks...

It's a book club episode, and the multiverse is in danger. Maybe. Honestly, that part's a bit unclear... BUT we read a very cool book called 'How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse' by K. Eason that mashes together space politics and fairy tales. Plus, the hero's pretty rad. Conversation begins around 21:03. Of course, before we get into all of that, we check in on the media we've been consuming...

This week on the pod, Doug, Vicki and Katie discuss their best picks for gateway games. Looking to add more gaming pals? Well this episode will leave you with a very long list of options to recommend something great for your own friends (or you, if you're not already playing along with us).  Reading Jade Legacy by Fonda Lee (Katie) Fight Like Hell by Kim Kelly (Doug) Abolition for the People...

This is Novel Gaming. Anyone out there? Over. ...phew! We're so glad you got this. During this transmission we'll be sharing our conversation about  'Good Morning, Midnight' by Lily Brooks-Dalton, a 2016 novel about two lonely people who love space. That conversation starts around 23:40. Before then, we check in on what we've been playing, watching, and thinking about. Playing Spongebob Squar...

Is game club a thing? Well, it is for this episode! We decided to play Rare's 'Banjo-Kazooie', a fondly remembered game released in 1998 for the Nintendo 64. But how does it hold up over 20 years later? We had plenty to say: some praise, certainly some critique, and some stuff we just needed to unpack. But before we get into all of that, we check in on all of the media we've been consuming lately....

This week on the pod join Vicki, Katie, and Doug on an adventure to the land of Neveryon in Book Club. The trio read Tales of Neveryon by Samuel R. Delaney. Warning, it's a whole lot of book. Rooted in the sword and sorcery genre our hosts put their English major hats on and try to disect the many, varied themes packed into this book of short stories. Up for the challenge? Per usual, the NG crew w...

Join Vicki, Doug, and Katie for a rousing game of video game-themed Scattergories! Before we get into that, we check in on what we've been reading, watching, and thinking about. Reading : 'Artificial Condition: The Murderbot Diaries' by Martha Wells 'Into the Wild' by Jon Krakauer 'The Conductors' by Nicole Glover Watching : Darwin's Game Way of the Househusband Blue Period Pieces of Her Legends o...

We mixed it up for book club this month and decided to try out... comic book club! We read the first eleven issues of the Ms. Marvel series that introduced the world to Kamala Khan. G. Willow Wilson and Sana Amanat take on the classic teenage superhero origin story but through the lens of a Muslim American teen from Jersey City. Full spoiler discussion begins at 24:35. And of course, before we tal...

Looking to get your fix of backstabs, twists, and betrayals in the video game sphere? Join Vicki, Doug, and Katie as they review their ultimate betrayal moments in video games. Spoilers abound! Reading: Intimacies, Katie Kitamura Six Crimson Cranes, Elizabeth Lim Watching: Dollface Game Changer The Woman Across the Street from the Girl in the Window (Netflix) Abbot Elementary Love is Blind Find us...

Does a dystopian future-Toronto infused with spirits and gods sound like your jam? Then we have the book pick for you! Join us as we talk about the 1998 novel 'Brown Girl in the Ring' by Nalo Hopkinson. Spoiler filled conversation starts around 27:49. Before that, we check in on what we've been watching and playing lately. Playing: Tiny Lands (Switch) The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest (PS3) P...

We wrote some poems / But don't worry, they are short / Video game haiku. That's write! We each took a swing at crafting haiku about some of our favorite games then guessed each other's games. We even wrote some haiku together on the spot! But of course, before we get into any of that, we catch up on everything we've been reading, watching, and thinking about. Reading: 'The Echo Wife' by Sarah Gai...

Does the word "Murderbot" mean anything to you? Hopefully it will after listening to us talk about 'All Systems Red' by Martha Wells, the first entry in the Murderbot Diaries series! Before we do that (starts around 28:45), we catch each other up on what we've been playing and watching lately. Playing: Breath of the Wild (Switch) It Takes Two (PS4) Okami (PS4) Watching: Grey's Anatomy (Hulu) Queer...

Goodbye, 2021! And hello, 2022! For our first episode of the year, we review our goals from 2021 and determine whether or not we earned trophies for their completion. Before that, of course, we chat about what we're reading, watching and playing. Reading: • 'Katamari Damacy' (Boss Fight Books) by LE Hall • 'My Name's Yours, What's Alaska?' by Alaska Thunderfuck • 'Heartstopper' by Alice Oseman Wat...

Our last book club of 2021! And we're ending with a (glowing, green) bang and talking about Nnedi Okorafor's Remote Control. If you'd like to jump right to our discussion, you can go to about 27:40. Before then, listen in on what we've been playing and watching these last few weeks. Playing: Last of Us Part II (PS4) Fire Emblem: Three Houses (Switch) Hidden Folks (Mobile) Kena: Bridge of Spirits (...

We're rapidly approaching the end of 2021! Hot diggity! What better way to close out the year than by talking about the best stuff we played, read, watched, listened to, and followed! But as always, before we dive in, we check in on all the media we've consumed the past couple weeks. Reading: 'Cruelty' by Roald Dahl 'Remote Control' by Nnedi Okorafor 'Halo: The Fall of Reach' by Eric Nylund Watchi...

Get yourself a nice cup of tea and settle in (maybe out in nature with your robot companion) and join us as we explore 'A Psalm for the Wild-Built' by Becky Chambers! We'll start discussing this kind and questioning book around 25:50. Before that, we check in on what we've been playing and watching. Playing: Last of Us Part II (PS4) Hey! Pikmin, Lego Harry Potter (3DS), Trauma Center (DS) Bloodsta...

Is it a podcast? Yes. Are there three hosts? Yes. Are they playing a game? Yes! It's game time! We're playing 20 Questions, and the answers are all video game characters. Be sure to stick around until the very end, because it is a DOOZY. But of course, before we get into any of that, we catch up on everything we've been reading, listening to, watching, and thinking about. Reading: 'Darius the Grea...

Get ready to talk a little bit about aliens and a whole lot about science! Liu Cixin's Three-Body Problem (the first in the trilogy) provides the fodder for our October book discussion. Before the sophons mess with our minds (starting around 31:55), we check in on what we've been playing, watching, and thinking about. Playing: Pokemon Blue (3DS) Nickelodeon All-Stars Brawl (Switch) Boyfriend Dunge...

It's spookytime, so we're talking spooky stuff! Specifically, we're talking about our favorite (and not-so-favorite) monsters from video games! Which monsters do we wanna be friends with? Which monsters freak us out? And which monsters have haunted our entire lives since 2002? Listen to us get all up into it. But of course, before we do that, we check in on everything we've been reading, watching,...

Addie LaRue? Never heard of her. Or have we?! Join us as we talk about V.E. Schwab's story of a woman who lives a wild life that everyone seems to forget. Before we make a deal with the devil and get into the spoiler-filled discussion (starting around 37:40), we check in on what we've been playing, watching, and thinking about. Playing: Mass Effect 2 & 3 (PS4) Puppeteer (PS3) No Man's Sky (PS4...