Words About Books

Star Wars Legends is a now defunct, non-canon, continuation of George Lucas's Star Wars films. The series boasted over 150 novels, of which Ben has read at least 20. Nate forces him to take a walk down memory lane, and relive his misspent college years. We'll be discussing the New Jedi Order, Legacy of the Force, and Fate of the Jedi arcs in particular.  Support the show Blue Sky - https...

Ben and Nate conclude their discussion of Timothy Zahn's legendary (see what I did there) Dark Force Rising!  Support the show Blue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/wordsaboutbooks.bsky.social Discord - https://discord.gg/6BaNRtcP8C Threads - https://www.threads.net/@wordsaboutbookspodcast Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wordsaboutbookspodcast Blog - https://blog.wordsaboutbooks.ninja/

A long time ago in a Samsung galaxy far, far away...Ben listened to his first ever attempt at podcasting. It was an episode in which the boys read Timothy Zahn's Heir to the Empire.  It was terrible. The book and the podcast, they were just awful. Frightened, Ben fled to other books. No matter how far he ran, though, the shadow of Darth Nateus, The Needy, followed. Now, tired of running, Ben...

Ben and Nate read a random selection of short stories from the Machine of Death anthology edited by Ryan North, Matthew Bennardo, and David Malki. And wait, what's this? Did someone finally purchase a copy of Edenverse Volume 1? Oh... Anyway, they also speculate what they would do with the knowledge of their unchangeable future demise.  Support the show Blue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/wor...

What began in blood must also end in blood. It's been an emotional roller coaster getting to this point, but the boys are proud to present the final episode in their series on Grady Hendrix's "The Southern Book Clubs Guide to Slaying Vampires." Support the show Blue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/wordsaboutbooks.bsky.social Discord - https://discord.gg/6BaNRtcP8C Threads - http...

The horrors continue as Ben and Nate drink deep of all that Grady Hendrix has to offer in his surprisingly brutal book about middle aged women fighting vampires.  As the story progresses though, even Ben begins to wonder if they haven't bitten off more than they can chew.  Support the show Blue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/wordsaboutbooks.bsky.social Discord - https://discord.gg/6BaNRtcP8C...

Ben and Nate check out one of last year's most talked about horror novels. It turns out to be a bit more intense than either of them were bargaining for. Get ready for things to get dark!  Support the show Blue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/wordsaboutbooks.bsky.social Discord - https://discord.gg/6BaNRtcP8C Threads - https://www.threads.net/@wordsaboutbookspodcast Instagram - https://www.ins...

Updated to be clear this was an AF that totally fooled everyone. You all believed I had a source in the publishing industry. Hahaha you fools! I can’t even read or write! Today we have a special episode just for you. Nate is kind of a big deal in the editing world and he got his hands on a few select pages of a Dune re-write that they're doing RIGHT NOW. You heard that right. A Dune re-write....

Hang on to your microsofts, Console Cowboys, because we're jacking in to William Gibson's genre defining sci-fi classic Neuromancer! This is one Cyberpunk that doesn't disappoint.  Support the show Blue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/wordsaboutbooks.bsky.social Discord - https://discord.gg/6BaNRtcP8C Threads - https://www.threads.net/@wordsaboutbookspodcast Instagram - https://www.i...

Konnichiwa all you Otakus out there. I hope you're ready for the final installment of the epic sci-fi hit: Ready Player One! Join Ben and Nate for the dramatic conclusion we were all waiting for, in theory. At last Wade has a plan he executed 3 weeks ago that will come in at a crucial moment to turn the tide of this battle. But will it be enough? Will Wade win the 400 billion dollars, or will...

Ben and Nate are back to talk about part two of Ready Player One! I hope you have your notepads out and at the ready because there will be an Easter egg you can find in part 3 worth $140,000 to a lucky listener! All you need is to study our lives in such intricate detail that you give up your own life to do so. Then our real master plan will be complete and we'll steal your bodies and begin t...

Ben and Nate dust off a 2010s classic that gives us a view of 20 years from now through the lens of 40 years ago, from a guy who maybe spends a little too much time immersed in the cesspool we call pop culture.  It's Ready Player One! Do you remember Atari? Do you remember Dungeons and Dragons? Do you remember Neuromancer? Do you remember untreated severe depression and extreme isolation? We...

Have you ever wondered what might happen if you allowed an Oculus Rift to raise your children? If you guessed that you'd be eaten by ethereal lions, then you're correct. This week we cover a short story by science fiction legend, Ray Bradbury! Support the show Blue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/wordsaboutbooks.bsky.social Discord - https://discord.gg/6BaNRtcP8C Threads - https://www.thr...

The exciting conclusion to our series on Stephanie Meyer's Midnight Sun. We will attempt to answer some of the Twilight Saga's most difficult questions. Why did anyone ever believe Alice's alibi? What judge would ever award Renee full custody of a child? Should Stephanie Meyer consider writing a novel from the perspective of the bag of footballs that serves as a Bella decoy?  Suppor...

The trial of Edward Cullen begins in earnest. Ben struggles to defend the problematic behavior of everyone's favorite crystalline vampire from Nates relentless accusations. Even with help from his future self, though, Ben has his work cut out for him.  Support the show Blue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/wordsaboutbooks.bsky.social Discord - https://discord.gg/6BaNRtcP8C Threads - https://www...

In 2020, a year which many considered to be...not good, Stephanie Meyer delivered unto Twilight fans a gift more than 12 years in the making: Midnight Sun. Join us as we dive back into the series that made Young Adult Paranormal Romance its own section in Barnes and Noble.   Support the show Blue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/wordsaboutbooks.bsky.social Discord - https://discord.gg/6BaNRtcP8C Thr...

This is a mostly spoiler-free discussion of Ben's first, and last, foray into the expanded Dune universe. A warning will be given before we enter spoiler territory for anyone wanting to read the novel.  Support the show Blue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/wordsaboutbooks.bsky.social Discord - https://discord.gg/6BaNRtcP8C Threads - https://www.threads.net/@wordsaboutbookspodcast Instagram - h...

This week Nate looks back at a book he read in high school and absolutely nobody else did. Then the discussion shifts gears into school reading in general when Ben shares that he was assigned To Kill A Mockingbird 3 years in a row! Be sure to listen to this episode, because there will be an assigned paper at the end and there are no Sparknotes. Support the show Blue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/...

Some authors are inspired by mythology, some by music, some by the great masters of literature who preceded them. Ben and Nate are inspired by Danny Phantom and Full Metal Alchemist. The cringe concludes in Part 2 of our Edenverse re-examination. Support the show Blue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/wordsaboutbooks.bsky.social Discord - https://discord.gg/6BaNRtcP8C Threads - https://www.threads.ne...

IT'S TIME! IT'S TIME! That's right everyone. We're starting 2021 off with a bang! This month's book is Edenverse! The greatest book every written by anyone hosting this podcast! This time around Nate drinks alcohol while Ben drinks discomfort and sorrow. So if you want to join in on the discussion go ahead and grab a drink, grab the book ($0.99 on amazon! Free on poorlywri...

As our first year of Words About Books draws to a close the boys take some time to discuss where the podcast has been and where it will be going in the future.  Support the show Blue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/wordsaboutbooks.bsky.social Discord - https://discord.gg/6BaNRtcP8C Threads - https://www.threads.net/@wordsaboutbookspodcast Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wordsaboutbookspodcast...

Nate surprises Ben with his analysis of Paradox Bound by Peter Clines. It's got action! It's got drama! It's got time travel! It's got adventure! It's got... MAGA propaganda? Oh boy. Take a listen in on this one and don't forget to follow us on twitter @WABPod or the future will unravel! Support the show Blue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/wordsaboutbooks.bsky.social...

Well it's finally here. My revenge for Ben making me read all that other shit. In this episode you listen to 90 minutes of a 3 hour conversation I forced Ben to have about the story of Starcraft I. Ben also has a wager for me: if we get 100 downloads in 90 days, he'll be forced to stream the first Starcraft game. So if you want to torture Ben as much as I do, download this episode. Have...

Nate forces Ben to listen to a discussion on Starcraft in this week's episode. Will this be the exception to the rule that books based off of games are hot garbage? Will Ben want to read this book after today's discussion? Find out on another exciting episode of Words About Books! Support the show Blue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/wordsaboutbooks.bsky.social Discord - https://discord.g...

Ben and Nate journey to Earth's second moon of Kahani to formally apologize for poisoning the fabled Sea of Stories with their terrible writing. When they arrive they find the entire mess has been pinned on some guy named Khattam-Shud and that their adventure was actually an allegory for the importance of free speech.  Support the show Blue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/wordsaboutbooks.bsky....