The Legendarium

Craig and Kenn are joined by special guest -- and Discord super legend -- Befuddled Panda. Together they discuss an old childhood favorite, Redwall. What holds up in this book, besides pretty much everything?   Support the show on Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Check out the archives at  https://www.thelegendarium.com/ Join the Discord community:  https://discord.com/invite/FnCSsxx...

Aparna Verma joins Craig for a discussion on as a writer drawing from multiple mythological and historical traditions. It's a surface-level discussion, but with a promise for more when Aparna comes back at a later date.   Check out Aparna's work here: https://theaparnaverma.com/   Support the show on Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Check out the archives at  https://www.thelegendariu...

Craig is joined by Julia Vee and Ken Bebelle to have a very Level One conversation. Julia and Ken are the co-authors of the Seattle Slayers and Phoenix Hoard series, and they talk with Craig about how they approach their brand of fun-first writing.   Check out Ken here: https://kenbebelle.com/ And Julia here: https://juliavee.com/   Support the show on Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/legendarium...

For today's Author's Shelf episode, Craig is joined by author Steven Brust to discuss Lord of Light, the classic 1967 sci-fi novel by Roger Zelazny. Why has the book meant so much to Steven over the years? And how was Craig's first time through?   Check out Steven's latest, Tsalmoth, here: https://a.co/d/0wohQN4   Support the show on Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Check out the arch...

!!CONTENT WARNING!! In a departure from the norm, we're doing an adults-only episode of the Legendarium, in which the one and only Chuck Tingle comes to visit and he and Craig spin the Wheel of Tangents. Truth be told, most of the episode is actually fine, content-wise, but there's a portion that is decidedly not for kids. That being said...enjoy!   Check out Chuck's new book here: https://www.chu...

Craig is joined by author Daniel M. Ford to discuss a perennial favorite topic of listeners: THE TROPE. What counts as a trope? Are they good or bad? Which are our favorites? And which would we burn to the ground forever?   Check out Dan's stuff here: http://www.danielmford.com/   Support the show on Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Check out the archives at  https://www.thelegendariu...

That's it, it's over! Stephanie has completed the Expanse and is ready to be done with it, but not before she has some fun with Todd and Kenn discussing the second half of James S.A. Corey's Leviathan Falls. [Craig's audio note: Once again, I had to use the backup audio for this one, so it kind of sucks. Sorry about that, but I figured you'd rather have the episode than not!]   Support the show on...

Craig is joined by Nadia Uddin for another Author's Shelf episode, this one on the Ursula Le Guin classic, The Left Hand of Darkness. They talk about her style, her storytelling, and her politics. What works and what doesn't in this 54-year-old sci-fi novel?   Check out Nadia's work here: https://www.nadiauddin.com/   Support the show on Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Check out the...

Craig welcomes Austin Freeman to the show to discuss Tolkien and his religious views. Tolkien was a staunch Catholic, but that doesn't mean that his views weren't idiosyncratic in some interesting and unexpected ways. Check out Austin's book, Tolkien Dogmatics: Theology through Mythology with the Maker of Middle-earth, here: https://a.co/d/6jegZIE   Watch Craig's video on "the most important scene...

She's almost across the finish line! Todd and Kenn drag Stephanie back for the penultimate Expanse podcast as they discuss the first half of James S.A. Corey's Leviathan Falls. [Craig's audio note: I had to use the backup audio for this one, so it kind of sucks. Sorry about that, but I figured you'd rather have the episode than not!]   Support the show on Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/legendar...

Craig welcomes Vaishnavi Patel, author of Kaikeyi, for this edition of the Author's Shelf. Vaishnavi has selected The Palace of Illusions, by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. It's Craig's first foray into the Mahabharata (in this case a modern retelling), and Vaishnavi is the perfect guide.   Check out Vaishanvi's work, including Kaikeyi, here: https://vaishnavipatel.com/   Support the show on Patreon:...

Craig, Ryan, Megan, and Stephanie sit down to discuss their experience with Brandon Sanderson's first "secret project" of 2023, Tress of the Emerald Sea. They also take your comments and questions.   Support the show on Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Check out the archives at  https://www.thelegendarium.com/ Join the Discord community:  https://discord.com/invite/FnCSsxx Twitter:  h...

Craig and Todd (who is legally required to be on any episode involving D&D) welcome Brandon from Dirt Cheap Dungeons to talk Dungeons & Dragons. They spend a few minutes talking about the new Chris Pine movie, but the rest of the episode is devoted to why D&D is so popular, beloved, and useful after all these years.   Check out Dirt Cheap Dungeons here: https://dirtcheapdungeons.com/     Here's th...

We made it! It's the final episode in our First Law series, and we've got some thoughts. Craig, Ryan, and Kenn sit down to hash out how they feel about the series now that they've completed it. Did Kenn love the punchin'? (Just kidding, stupid question.) Did Craig change his mind at all? Does Ryan hate all good and decent things now, loving only evil and despair? Only one way to find out!   Here's...

Returning guest Veronica Roth and newcomer Amy Lukavics join Craig to talk about a day in the life of an author--or, at least, how a typical day goes for *these* two authors. Plus, they give us the details on their latest projects, linked below.   Check out Arch-Conspirator by Veronica Roth: https://veronicarothbooks.com/books/arch-conspirator/ Check out Cold Water Veins by Amy Lukavics: https://w...

Author, artist, and filmmaker Leopoldo Gout comes by the podcast to talk with Craig about his experience as a writer, and how he weaves history, myth, and culture into his stories. Check out Piñata: https://www.amazon.com/Pi%C3%B1ata-Novel-Leopoldo-Gout/dp/1250781175 And visit Leopoldo's website: http://www.leopoldogout.net/   Support the show on Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Check...

Author Randee Dawn's new book, Tune In Tomorrow, has received some favorable comparisons to the like of Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams. So who better to join Craig in an Author's Shelf episode, talking about Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? No one, that's who.   Check out Randee's stuff here: https://randeedawn.com/   Support the show on Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Check out...

Craig, Ryan, and Kenn are together again for the final book of Joe Abercrombie's First Law trilogy. Ryan is already won over to the series, but what about Craig and Kenn? Has the journey been worth what destinations we've had so far?   Support the show on Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Check out the archives at  https://www.thelegendarium.com/ Join the Discord community:  https://di...

T. Kingfisher (aka Ursula Vernon) stops by the show to talk to Craig about a favorite childhood book of hers: Tailchaser's Song by Tad Williams.   Check out Ursula's stuff here: https://www.redwombatstudio.com/   Support the show on Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Check out the archives at  https://www.thelegendarium.com/ Join the Discord community:  https://discord.com/invite/FnCSsx...

Craig chats with guest Adam Ross of First Fantasy Books to talk about his quest to improve child literacy through fun, simple worldbuilding. Check out First Fantasy Books here .    Support the show on Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Check out the archives at  https://www.thelegendarium.com/ Join the Discord community:  https://discord.com/invite/FnCSsxx Twitter:  https://twitter.com/...

Craig sits down for a fun, free-ranging discussion with one of the most interesting people ever to appear on the show. SL Huang is a Hugo-winning and Amazon-bestselling writer. The author of the Cas Russell series from Tor, starting with Zero Sum Game, and the fantasies Burning Roses and The Water Outlaws, Huang is also an MIT graduate, stunt person, and firearms expert.   Follow SL Huang online a...

James Kennedy returns! This time, he joins Craig and Drew McCaffrey to discuss G.K. Chesterton's The Man Who Was Thursday, a truly bizarre and classic detective story. For those who think Craig talks too much...you're in luck! Because he knows just how out of his depth he is here and lets the smart people do more of the talking.   Check out James's stuff here: https://jameskennedy.com/ And of cour...

Todd, Kenn, and Stephanie sit down for yet another discussion of James SA Corey's The Expanse. This time they finish up Tiamat's Wrath, the eighth book in the series.   Support the show on Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Check out the archives at  https://www.thelegendarium.com/ Join the Discord community:  https://discord.com/invite/FnCSsxx Twitter:  https://twitter.com/LegendariumP...

Craig, Ryan, and Kenn sit down to discuss the second half of Before They Are Hanged, the second book in Joe Abercrombie's First Law trilogy.   Support the show on Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Check out the archives at  https://www.thelegendarium.com/ Join the Discord community:  https://discord.com/invite/FnCSsxx Twitter:  https://twitter.com/LegendariumPod  

Kent Lester joins Craig to talk about his journey from writing non-fiction to writing sci-fi thrillers like The Seventh Sun. A quick warning: We struggled with some tech stuff during this recording, so if it sounds like the ending is a bit abrupt...well, that's only because it was.   Check out Kent's stuff here   Support the show on Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Check out the archi...