The Fandom Apprentice

Sam & Ryn return to following Frodo & Other Sam and we aren't the only ones: Gollum joins the party to guide our heroes on this final stage of their journey to Mordor! We discuss the corruption of the Ring, Gollum's pronouns and self-identification, and bog bodies!   Contains discussions about death and sacrifice Covers Book IV Chapter I: The Taming of Sméagol and Chapter II:   T...

Happy Pride! Ryn & Sam take a break from Tolkien to talk about explicitly queer literature! We discuss what we consider queer lit, why we read queer lit, and why it's important to us and our identities! Check out our socials for a list of queer book recs and some resources for finding queer lit! You do not have to be queer to read queer lit! CW: This episode includes discussions of homophobia...

Saruman tries to talk his way out of consequences and Gandalf is having none of it, while Pippin discovers that even well-meaning impulsive actions have unintended consequences, but Gandalf didn't have to be so mean about it!- Ryn and Sam talk about magic wands, crystal balls, and the effect of a good voice. Come along as we finish our coverage of the first half of the book and Sam has a revelatio...

The Three Hunters finally find their quarry! And their quarry has found food and pipe-weed! That means of course, that it's time for a reunion dinner and some catching-up! Join Ryn & Sam as we discuss the history of cannabis, trees getting hasty, and the consequences of Saruman's actions! Covers the second half of Chapter VIII. The Road To Isengard and all of Chapter IX. Flotsam and Jetsam

Ryn + Sam talk about Gimli and Legolas's sex life, cheese, and nuclear proliferation and the horrors of war as we cover the Battle of Helm's Deep! Covers Chapter VII. Helm's Deep and the first half of VIII. The Road to Isengard

Ryn & Sam ask the big questions: What is a god? Is it ethical to just shoot an old man wandering through the forest? Will wizards ever just speak plainly? Does a person remain the same following resurrection? What's in a name? All this and more within! Covers Chapters 5 & 6 of The Two Towers: The White Rider and The of the Golden Hall

I think we all know where they're taking the Hobbits.... Ryn and Sam shift perspectives to find out what Merry and Pippin have been up to this whole time! We get to meet Ryn's favorite character in all of Lord of the Rings, get hit with some 2005 nostalgia, and talk about sloppy derndingles. A slightly longer episode than normal this week- enjoy the extra content!   Covers Chapters 3-4 of The...

Sam and Ryn join The Three Hunters on their quest as we dive into The Two Towers! We discuss gentle masculinity and the loss of another party member, witness a Royal Dick-Measuring Contest, come up with a new Rule of Fantasy,  and chase some Hobbits! Covers Chapters 1 & 2 of The Two Towers:  The Departure of Boromir and The Riders of Rohan

Ryn and Sam talk about Tolkien's most approachable text and the reason this podcast exists- The Hobbit! This is an anti-Sackville-Baggins podcast. Consider yourself warned.  Covers the Hobbit and its context x.2

Ryn and Sam take a break from the books to talk about Tolkien- his life, academic career, influences, and his love for his wife! x.1

Ryn and Sam finish Fellowship! Gimli and Legolas have some intimate moments in the boat, Boromir gives off incel vibes, and Frodo and Samwise set out on the "last stage of their journey" that will take them two more volumes to complete. Covers The Great River and The Breaking of the Fellowship

Ryn and Sam go through the remainder of the Company's time in Lothlórien and talk about Shakespeare, weaving, summer camp, the corruption that inevitably springs from power, immortality, Gimli and Legolas learning more about each other (carnally), and gender (always)! Covers chapters 19-20 of Fellowship: The Mirror of Galadriel + Farewell to Lórien

Sam and Ryn discuss magical telephone, regional dialects of Elvish, chibifying Sauron, Dwarves as Jewish rep, Gimli's growth, and archaeology! We needed a break in Lothlórien after the events in Khazad-dûm, but will our heroes emerge from that break unchanged? Listen to find out! Covers chapter 18 of Fellowship: Lothlórien

Ryn and Sam talk about bad tentacles, Dwarven mortuary pratices, and evil incarnate as the Fellowship takes a shortcut through Moria! But shortcuts make long delays, and for some members of the party, this delay will be very long indeed... We discuss Chapters 16 and 17 of Fellowship, A Journey in the Dark and The Bridge of Khazad-dûm! CWs for discussions of suicide, death, and rape

Our Company of brand-new besties escapes an interminable meeting! Sam and Ryn offer suggestions for improving evil monologues and advice for where not to buy your sex toys.   Covers the end of Book 2 Chapter 2 through Chapter 3 (Chapters 14 and 15) of Fellowship, The Council of Elrond and The Ring Goes South

Ryn and Sam talk about time, elf gender,  erectile dysfunction medication, class divides, whether Frodo should be cancelled for being an unethical boss, and also the book, maybe! Covers Book 2 Chapter 1: Many Meetings and the first half of Chapter 2: The Council of Elrond (or Chapters 13 and the first half of Chapter 14 depending on how your edition marks them)

Sam and Ryn finish Book 1 of Fellowship (aka the first half) as things take a turn for the creepy! Is our rescue pony stealing Frodo's life force? How many midges have to be in a marsh for it to be named the Midgewater Marshes? All this and more within! Covers chapters 11 and 12 of Fellowship: A Knife in the Dark and Flight to the Ford

We meet a customer service professional, a cow jumps over the moon, and Sam is totally normal about Aragorn! It's Pride Night at the Pony and we're having an incredible time! Covers chapters 9 and 10 of Fellowship: At The Sign of the Prancing Pony and Strider

Every month is Pride Month here at The Fandom Apprentice. That means nothing bad can happen to our queer little hobbits... right? Not so long as Tom Bombadil is wandering near!  Covers chapters 6-8 of Fellowship: The Old Forest, In the House of Tom Bombadil, and Fog on the Barrow Downs

Ryn and Sam get Horny on Main, do hobbit genealogy, and establish more definitely universal laws of fantasy. Wizards don't have to do dishes. You, however, do, so listen to this episode while you wash! Covers Chapters 3-5 of Fellowship: Three is Company, A Shortcut to Mushrooms, and A Conspiracy Unmasked

Ryn and Sam start their readthrough of Fellowship! Do straight hobbits exist? We'll find out but we don't think so! Covers chapters 1-2, A Long Expected Party and The Shadow of the Past

Meet your hosts! We're two nerdy queer best friends talking about Tolkien- we discuss each of our backgrounds, our histories with Tolkien and related media, and give a little snippet of what's in store for the future!