The Fantastic Books Podcast: Fantasy and Sci-Fi Book Reviews

We're joined by fellow Kingkiller Chronicle fan, Tom Wouters, to discuss his debut book: Blood of the First Men. Drawing upon his DnD dungeon master's background, Tom brings together many fantastic and original races into an expansive world with a physics-based magic system. His story follows Eldi as he quests to reunite with his people, yet Eldi is drawn to darker and malevolent forces. We discuss having morally grey characters, developing magic systems, writing fight scenes, favorite characters, cover art, and more. Tom' s book is out NOW! Grab a copy here: Tom Wouters: Blood of the First Men ----- Website: ⁠⁠www.fantasticbookspod.com⁠⁠ Instagram: www.instagram.com/fantasticbookspod ⁠⁠(or follow @fantasticbookspod) Facebook: ⁠⁠www.facebook.com/fantasticbookspod⁠⁠ Shop: ⁠⁠www.etsy.com/shop/FantasticBooksPod⁠⁠ -- Published by Goldenrise Media.

We're joined by our friend and Amazon best-selling author Aaron N. Hall to discuss all things Lord of the Rings! We have so much fun chatting about our first experiences with the series, the movie and video game remakes, favorite characters, what magical items we'd like to own, best book scenes, and more! -- Find Aaron N. Hall at his website: https://www.aaronnhall.com/ -- Website: ⁠⁠www.fantasticbookspod.com⁠⁠ Instagram: www.instagram.com/fantasticbookspod ⁠⁠(or follow @fantasticbookspod) Facebook: ⁠⁠www.facebook.com/fantasticbookspod⁠⁠ Shop: ⁠⁠www.etsy.com/shop/FantasticBooksPod⁠⁠ -- Published by Goldenrise Media.

We return to the Kingkiller Chronicles and Patrick Rothfuss' newest novella, The Narrow Road Between Desires, which Sam describes as "A Day in the Life of Bast." It's a slightly shorter episode for a slightly shorter book, but we theorize a lot about Fae magic, including Grammarie and Glammourie, and foreshadowing through Embrils. We also discuss The Lightning Tree, sexy fae tropes, Bast's deal-making skills, where this story falls in the Kingkiller timeline, time travel, the artwork, and, of course, we do mention some of the controversy surrounding this story. -- Website: ⁠⁠⁠www.fantasticbookspod.com⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠www.instagram.com/fantasticbookspod⁠ ⁠⁠(or follow @fantasticbookspod) Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/fantasticbookspod⁠⁠⁠ Shop: ⁠⁠⁠www.etsy.com/shop/FantasticBooksPod⁠⁠⁠ -- Published by Goldenrise Media.

The grand finale of The Sapien Empire is here and Jarim and Shindo have their work cut out for them. They have challenges internally with some Rustraisers, they have to wrangle Tersona in with her wayward cattle ranch plans, and they have to confront Engine. Listen along to see how much Shindo and Jarim have accomplished in their 13 years as leaders of the Domain and what is in store for them in book two. -- Find Nathan Ogloff & his book here: ⁠⁠⁠nathanogloff.com⁠⁠⁠-- Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.fantasticbookspod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/fantasticbookspod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (or follow @fantasticbookspod) Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/fantasticbookspod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Shop: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.etsy.com/shop/FantasticBooksPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- Published by Goldenrise Media.

The stakes are ever higher for the Domain as they face internal and external threats. Tersona begins to undermine the power of Shindo and Jarim by setting up her own secret ranch and making deals with the Rustraisers. Engine rallies his Rustraisers to attack the offgridders and the new outposts. The offgridders lose faith in the Domain, while Jarim loses faith in herself after the death of one of her highest Captains. -- Find Nathan Ogloff & his book here: ⁠⁠⁠nathanogloff.com⁠⁠⁠ -- Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.fantasticbookspod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/fantasticbookspod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (or follow @fantasticbookspod) Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/fantasticbookspod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Shop: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.etsy.com/shop/FantasticBooksPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- Published by Goldenrise Media.

The Domain continues to grow as Shindo and Jarim make more and more improvements to their society. Offgridders have started to arrive at the edges, hoping to escape the Interior and gain admittance to the Domain. Jarim thinks they present a problem, but as always, Shindo challenges the norm and sees these newcomers as a potential. Unfortunatley for Jarim and Shindo, they attract the wrath of Engine and the Rustraisers, who are planning an attack on the ever-expanding Domain. We also discuss human responses to change, keeping track of characters, character lifespans, empowering citizens, and the effects of The Crown on Shindo. -- Find the author Nathan Ogloff & his book here: ⁠⁠nathanogloff.com⁠⁠-- Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.fantasticbookspod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/fantasticbookspod⁠⁠⁠⁠ (or follow @fantasticbookspod) Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/fantasticbookspod⁠⁠⁠⁠ Shop: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.etsy.com/shop/FantasticBooksPod⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- Published by Goldenrise Media.

The tables for civilization are turning even further as Jarim and Shindo decide to take matters into their own hands. In the Archive, they utilize The Crown, an artifact from the Forelapse, to bolster their search. Rarher than bring them to Krez, it inspires Jarim to make a bid for the title of Arch Lord-Chief. With Shindo's help, they escape the Archive in a monstrous creation and confront Vik. -- Find Nathan Ogloff & his book here: ⁠⁠nathanogloff.com⁠⁠ -- Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.fantasticbookspod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/fantasticbookspod⁠⁠⁠⁠ (or follow @fantasticbookspod) Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/fantasticbookspod⁠⁠⁠⁠ Shop: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.etsy.com/shop/FantasticBooksPod⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- Published by Goldenrise Media.

The stakes absolutely change in these chapters! Shindo works hard under Vibrun's orders to create a walking tank...except what he creates is a whole new situation for the Wolves' Den. After tragedy strikes, he teams up with Jarim to defeat Vibrun and throw the Domain into chaos. The tow then seek refuge in a place Shindo never thought possible. -- Find Nathan Ogloff & his book here: ⁠nathanogloff.com⁠ -- Website: ⁠⁠⁠www.fantasticbookspod.com⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/fantasticbookspod⁠⁠⁠ (or follow @fantasticbookspod) Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/fantasticbookspod⁠⁠⁠ Shop: ⁠⁠⁠www.etsy.com/shop/FantasticBooksPod⁠⁠⁠ -- Published by Goldenrise Media.

We take our first dive into Nathan Ogloff's post-apocalyptic world following the downfall of civilization in the All Silence. Shindo, a talented inventor called the Machinewright, lives in this world at the mercy of Arch Lordchief Vibrun Magrite. Shindo has been tasked with creating horrific war machines, but has other, kinder plans up his sleeves. Meanwhile, Arch Lordchief Vibrun is struggling to keep the Domain under his firm control. We discuss the first five chapters with the author himself and get great insight on character development, book inspiration, and parallels between fiction books and history. -- Find Nathan Ogloff & his book here: nathanogloff.com -- Website: ⁠⁠www.fantasticbookspod.com⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠www.instagram.com/fantasticbookspod⁠⁠ (or follow @fantasticbookspod) Facebook: ⁠⁠www.facebook.com/fantasticbookspod⁠⁠ Shop: ⁠⁠www.etsy.com/shop/FantasticBooksPod⁠⁠ -- Published by Goldenrise Media.

It's the final showdown! Vin has a dramatic entrance into the glass room at Kredik Shaw as she confronts the Lord Roler. She does her best to stop him, but the eleventh metal isn't as helpful as she first thought, and the Lord Ruler is extremely powerful. Thankfully, Marsh makes his triumphant return, though he has been changed into an Inquisitor, and together, he and Vin defeat the Lord Ruler. Sazed helps them in their final moments, and a new dawn rises over the ruins of the Final Empire. Elend is made King, and Vin finally gets what she has always wanted. -- Thank You to Our Sponsors: Audible free trial (for USA listeners) available at: ⁠⁠audibletrial.com/fanbookspod⁠⁠ -- Website: ⁠⁠www.fantasticbookspod.com⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠www.instagram.com/fantasticbookspod⁠⁠ (or follow @fantasticbookspod) Facebook: ⁠⁠www.facebook.com/fantasticbookspod⁠⁠ Shop: ⁠⁠www.etsy.com/shop/FantasticBooksPod⁠⁠ -- Published by Goldenrise Media.