REIGN of Books Podcast

There is a lot to love about James S. A. Corey’s fully realized Expanse universe. It just might help you forget about how bad Star Wars has been derailed and make you fall in love again with sweeping space sagas that can deliver on what the sci-fi genre is capable of. We’re slowly making our … Continue reading EP. 77 Mars is for Badass Marines, Venus is for Creepy Alien Cities | Caliban’s War by James S. A. Corey

We are finally here. We have crossed the lands of Mordor, braved the winter wastelands of Westeros, and survived Arrakis’s unforgiving and unending desert in a struggle to master fate itself and steer the course of the universe. WE NOW STAND BEFORE THE DARK TOWER. These other fictional worlds lie parallel in their own universes … Continue reading We Come at Last to the End (EP. 76) | THE DARK TOWER (DARK TOWER #7) BY STEPHEN KING

  The gunslingers just can’t catch a break. They face down insurmountable odds to save a town, but then Susannah goes off the deep end with the split personalities. Spoilers ahead.  

  In the quest for the Dark Tower, the gunslingers are drawn into a conflict where a town is being terrorized by wolves from the land of Thunderclap. Our heroes are reminded of the humanity they are fighting for and the terror that lies at the end of their journey. Spoilers ahead.

  This is a mesmerizing entry into the Dark Tower series. Roland Deschain is asked to save a town from a horrible fate, and he can no more deny these people than forget the face of his father. There is an impending sense of doom and betrayal and more loss as the gunslingers must keep … Continue reading Justice at the End of the World (Ep. 74) | Wolves of the Calla by Stephen King

Stephen King may be known for his horror novels, but over the span of his career he also shaped a very different type of story, one as ambitious and sprawling as the great fantasy epics of the 20th century. The Dark Tower series, now being adapted for film in 2017, follows the gunslinger, the last … Continue reading REIGNFALL – Journey to the Dark Tower Movie

This entry into the Dark Tower odyssey offers some of the most tense and fascinating exploits in Roland Deschain’s journey to the Dark Tower. It is in fact near the beginning of a journey that will span Roland’s lifetime  and it shows a boy in a trial to become a man. The game of Castles … Continue reading Love, Loss and Exile (Ep. 73) | Wizard and Glass (Dark Tower #4) by Stephen King

The Star Wars movie franchise is back and strong with the Force. So are the new “official” novels any good? Fans are divided, and it’s clear that the format of the book matters. Before Rogue One arrives in theaters, check out another band of rebels in “Star Wars: Aftermath” by Chuck Wendig laying the hurt … Continue reading REIGNfall – Star Wars Aftermath – Readers Hate It, Listeners Love it

  Tron had its heyday. The future is the Oasis. We were inspired by Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One to discuss how both games and books are home to some of the best fiction anywhere.

    Seriously good fantasy fiction ahead, light spoilers included. The end of the Earth is happening, again, and maybe for the final time. Some humans, who are more than human, are realizing they may have the power to change their planet’s fate, but it is an odyssey filled with pain and uncertainty. Ancient truths … Continue reading Dreams of a Better World – The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin BOOK TALK

    The humans of this world carry so much pain and sorrow with them. They are under perpetual threat of death by their own planet and must take on a resilience to survive threats that upend whole parts of the world. Yet there is hope, and it’s through the strength of one family that humankind may … Continue reading A Lifetime of Running, Then a Revolution (Ep. 72) | The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin

    Does it keep with the Star Wars spirit? Yes. Is it Empire Strikes Back good? No, but it could have been. Han is still a scoundrel, the new crew earns their keep, and the intrigue with the empire continues. But there are missed opportunities in the liberation of Kashyyyk, Chewie’s home planet and … Continue reading Gritty Good Fun | Star Wars: Aftermath Life Debt by Chuck Wendig BOOK TALK

    Some Star Wars movie regulars get into the action and we see what war on a planetary scale looks like (kind of). Solid entry into the galaxy far, far away.

    Ready Player One by Ernest Cline is essential science fiction reading; one of the most brilliant pieces of fiction we have ever read. It imagines our future by peeking just around the corner and showing how one new piece of technology could plausibly change everything about how we live.

    This sci-fi classic examines the trauma of war and how in the future, to ensure humankind’s survival, some soldiers must sacrifice almost all of their connections to the species.

    Dan Simmons, as we’ve noted, is a genius. This is his first horror novel we’ve picked up. There are nods to Stephen King’s “It” and vibes of “Poltergeist,” but this story is wholly its own. It’s a tale of bravery, friendship and dealing with loss. Simmons makes some memorable and gut-wrenching choices that leave … Continue reading Kids Combat Evil (Eps. 67-68) | Summer of Night by Dan Simmons

    OK, this tale has some teeth. Even though I was face palming during the first two thirds because it followed Frodo and Sam’s playbook almost exactly, there’s a great world to explore and some exciting action that make the latter part of the story all its own.

    The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood in many ways can be compared to George Orwell’s classic novel 1984. While the world of 1984 felt like a dystopian relic when I read it (albeit an especially scary, fascist dystopian relic), The Handmaid’s Tale disturbs me because it seems like a future that could be … Continue reading A Scary Freedomless Society (Ep. 63-64) | The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

    It’s no Walking Dead, but the high-octane action, death-defying escapes and survivalist tips make for a fun romp through zombie land, doubling as a user’s manual to the apocalypse.

We discuss topics in written fiction in our REIGNfall series. This week, we talk about two sources for borrowing books. Which one is better? We debate. Kind of.

There’s no shortage of choices in the zombie genre in print or on screen. This yarn takes the best of the genre – ethically impossible choices, scavenging 101, bandits and harrowing scrapes with the dead – to weave together a fun if not wholly original tale.

This new official post-RotJ (Return of the Jedi) tale is full of likable characters, a galaxy in flux, and a fun new robot that almost makes up for its clumsy battle droid cousins.

  New official Star Wars story. High expectations. Here we go.  

  This is a lifeless Star Trek parody that takes nihilism to the extreme. It’s not without its laughs, but it ends up being a hollow sermon on how life is what you make of it.

    The Dragon Reborn expands the mythology of the Wheel of Time series and its protagonists face increasingly powerful foes and dangers from every direction.

“For the world has grown full of peril. And in all lands, love is now mingled with grief.” This line is from the fantasy epic Lord of the Rings movie, but it beautifully portrays the sense of urgency and import in the third entry of Robert Jordan’s magnum opus, the Wheel of Time series. None … Continue reading A Fellowship Divided (Ep. 57) | The Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan (pt1)

Brace yourself for aftershocks with this one. This world’s culture and geography will rock you. Spoilers galore.    

Reign of Books Podcast is a discussion of our current reads and includes spoilers galore. Check out Book Talks in menu for short spoilercast on the book. The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin (pt2/finale), Ep. 56 The price of admission is well worth it, with the book showing us not only a compelling, frightening world but packing … Continue reading This Story’s Aftershocks are Hard to Shake (Ep. 56)

Welcome to REIGNfall, our weekly series on book topics where we talk fiction and ponder the world of storytelling. Sinking ships, space karate, chosen ones and much more. We love our fictional characters. They enthrall us with their adventures (or misadventures), their triumphs, losses, personal courage and funny lines. They make fiction what it is. … Continue reading REIGNfall – Irresponsible vs. Responsible Characters

Reign of Books Podcast is a discussion of our current reads and includes spoilers galore. Check out Book Talks in menu for short spoilercast on the book. The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin (pt1), Ep. 55     The Earth breaks frequently, and with devastating effect. Earthquakes, volcano eruptions and tsunamis all conspire to erase any trace of … Continue reading An Unstable World that Breeds Fear (Ep. 55)

Welcome to REIGNfall, our weekly series on book topics where we talk fiction and ponder the world of storytelling. We’re talking about Audiobook delights in this show. Audiobooks have a kind of sweet, long-lasting flavor. We just had a knockdown, drag out fight over digital vs paper (the verdict is still out), so we have to … Continue reading REIGNfall – Audiobook Delights

Welcome to REIGNfall, our weekly series on book topics where we talk fiction and ponder the world of storytelling. Listen: The age old debate of “paper or digital” rages on. Lots of emotions come out in this discussion. Feelings get hurt. But we talk it out, and surprising confessions are made. No books were harmed … Continue reading REIGNfall – Paper vs Ebooks (A Kinda Mature Debate)

REIGN Book Talks – We highlight our book reads and share what made us fans of the story. (aka spoiler cliffnotes) In Seveneves, Stephenson addresses how to keep a planet calm when the end is near (he alludes to lots of couplings), he immerses us in the technical challenges of space flight (orbital mechanics are geeky … Continue reading Last Humans Survive Outerspace and Each Other | Seveneves by Neal Stephenson BOOK TALK

Every part of this story rises to the occasion – from the intimate and personal decisions of the characters to the larger geopolitical struggle to execute the space mission to the daunting reality of life in the cold bleak wasteland that is outer space. Stephenson takes us on an the proverbial “unforgettable journey” with a … Continue reading REIGN 54 – Space As You’ve Never Seen It (Seveneves, pt2/finale)

Welcome to REIGNfall, our weekly series on book topics where we talk fiction and ponder the world of storytelling. In this episode we’re talking about book series and how slow (or quickly) it takes for them to be completed and come to market. What’s better for a book series? Get it written and get instant … Continue reading REIGNfall – How quickly should a book series come to market?

Seveneves is one of the most amazing, audacious and mesmerizing pieces of fiction I’ve ever read. Period. In the face of an extinction-level event, do we have what it takes to save the species? With current 21st century technology, we’re about to find out: We plan to send a few thousand people into space to … Continue reading REIGN53 – The Sky is Falling (Seveneves, pt1)

Welcome to REIGNfall, our weekly series on book topics where we talk fiction and ponder the world of storytelling. We know movie adaptations of games are pretty much disasters. Just look at Super Mario Brothers. Not even John Leguizamo could save that mess. And please don’t even mention Doom and Street Fighter. But we’re not talking … Continue reading REIGNfall – Game-to-Book Adaptations; Are They Worth the Read?

The characters are changed by the war and it’s a reflection of the devastation that years of conflict cause. British soldier Raybould Marsh and Warlock William Beauclark make comprises that cause innocent people to be killed. They are continually faced with decisions that would drive lesser men insane, but in the process they sacrifice a … Continue reading REIGN Ep52: Standing Against Titans (Bitter Seeds pt2, finale)

These are the European book covers – blame the marketers. The book is serious subject matter… Bitter Seeds is a vivid reminder of Great Britain’s brave men and women during WWII as they held the line in Europe. But in this sweeping alternate history tale about the high cost of war, the death toll comes … Continue reading REIGN Ep51: The High Cost of War (Bitter Seeds, pt1)

Welcome to REIGNfall, our weekly series on book topics where we talk fiction and ponder the world of storytelling. Books are judged by their covers. But we take their titles to task. We find some pretty bad book names, and talk about just how mediocre they get. We cry foul on some of them. (We find out even … Continue reading REIGNfall – Bad Book Titles

Weekly book topics on fiction of all shapes and sizes. Book covers are like a gateway into great stories. They become intertwined with the experience of any great tale and can instantly transport you back into what you loved most about the story. So we picked some iconic book covers to go alongside our favorite movie posters and album … Continue reading REIGNfall – Book Covers Matter

Listen to Episode: I want to focus on Roland now. Many unanswered questions remain about this gunslinger and his mysterious past. The world has moved on, but this hard-as-nails cowboy continues to travel the long miles of its wastelands, in search of hope or answers of some sort. As iconic characters go, he ranks up … Continue reading REIGN Ep. 50 – Bunkers, Insane Trains and Death (The Wastelands pt2/finale, Dark Tower series book3)

Listen to Episode Roland has the toughest luck. He’s been chasing the Dark Tower for years, decades, centuries even? He’s had to suffer and endure seeing the collapse of his civilization, losing all his friends, and wandering the scorched Earth trying to find his path to the Dark Tower, which he is mysteriously drawn to. … Continue reading REIGN Ep. 49: Welcome to the Rest of Your Life (The Wastelands pt1; Dark Tower series book3)

Listen to Episode: This book is “Castaway” for the space age. It’s a story of struggle and survival on a hostile world that astronaut Mark Watney is forced to make his home. A spoiler free(ish) video review is here: Man vs. Mars | The Martian BOOK REVIEW  Some of my favorite parts (spoilers ahead): when Mark had to … Continue reading REIGN Ep. 48 – There’s Only So Much I Can Do (The Martian, part 2, finale)

Listen to Episode: This book is stunning. You read the first-hand account of astronaut Mark Watney, who is stranded on Mars alone with no means of communication with Earth or hope of escape. It would take years for a rescue mission to arrive. His survival instinct is extraordinary and he uses all his experience, intellect and training … Continue reading REIGN Ep. 47 – The MacGyver of Mars (The Martian pt1)

Listen to Episode:   The conclusion to the Great Hunt was impressive with its grand stage setting and gripping confrontations. The story feels urgent with the odds seemly stacked against our group, which now faces powerful ageless forces separately and on different fronts. Spoilers: My favorite part by far is the introduction of the marauder … Continue reading REIGN Ep. 35 – Confronting Evil Head On (The Great Hunt, WOT book 2, pt3)

Listen to Episode:   (Spoiler-light) The wielding of an uncontrollable power takes Rand down a dangerous path, where many will seek to either use or destroy him. The group of friends from the Two Rivers are forced to separate and each of their journeys is amazing. The hunt itself is wild and wondrous and Rand battles foes, other … Continue reading REIGN Ep. 34 – Let’s Just Survive This in One Piece (The Great Hunt, WOT book 2, pt2)

Listen to Episode: The Great Hunt, book two in the Hugo-nominated Wheel of Time series, picks up right where the first book left off. This presents a rich exploration of the characters’ conflicts and motivations that each must face in this next leg of the journey. There’s no fast forwarding of the narrative with convenient resolutions … Continue reading REIGN Ep. 33 – Get Your Hunt On (The Great Hunt, WOT book 2, pt1)

Listen to Episode:   My buddy Jon put the question out there: Should we even finish this book? I voted yes because 1- I thought, against all hope, it might get better and 2- we couldn’t legitimately warn people away from it if we didn’t finish it ourselves. And, quite honestly, as I read on, … Continue reading REIGN Ep. 32 – I Guessed the Ending, But Who Cares (Diablo, The Sin War Book1, pt2, finale)

Listen to Episode:   Uldyssian is the hero, I think, and his friends are trying to help him, we think. The women seemingly have nothing more to do than be mysterious or fawn over him. The story goes from point A to point B, introduces some characters who are quickly dispatched, our main character develops some … Continue reading REIGN Ep. 31 – Fantasy That Fizzles Bad (Diablo, The Sin War Book 1, pt1)

Listen to Episode:   The fate of life, free will, a higher level of existence and harmony with the universe is pared down to these two simple words: Choose Again. The finale to Dan Simmons’ science fiction masterwork is shocking, poignant and one of the most grippingly emotional human stories I have ever read. I felt a … Continue reading REIGN Ep. 30 – Choose Again (Rise of Endymion, pt3, finale)