On this episode of Be the Serpent, we're talking about our favorite long-form stories -- epic fantasy, extremely long podcasts, and the slowest of slowburn fanfics.

Dark Lord of Derkholm by Diana Wynne Jones

The Chrestomanci series by Diana Wynne Jones

The transcript for this episode is available here. Hail the scribes: Sara, Magali, and Neharika!

On this episode of Be The Serpent, we're discussing economics-- no wait! Come back! It's going to be fun! Money in fantasy settings, alternative currencies, worldbuilding... All the stuff you like! Our tentpoles this week are  The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson, the movie In Time, and the fanfic “Freeport” by Maldoror_Chant.

(And if you haven't yet checked out the podcast's official Discord chat, you're missing out!)

The Henchmen of Zenda by KJ Charles

The Prisoner of Zenda by Anthony Hope

The transcript for this episode is available here. Thank you to our loyal scribes: Magali, Neharika, and Sara!

On this episode of Be The Serpent, we're discussing economics-- no wait! Come back! It's going to be fun! Money in fantasy settings, alternative currencies, worldbuilding... All the stuff you like! Our tentpoles this week are  The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson, the movie In Time, and the fanfic “Freeport” by Maldoror_Chant.

(And if you haven't yet checked out the podcast's official Discord chat, you're missing out!)

The Henchmen of Zenda by KJ Charles
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

The Prisoner of Zenda by Anthony Hope
Skies of Wonder, Skies of Danger, an anthology (including a short story by Macey)
Viable Paradise (a SFF writer’s workshop)
Aphra Behn
The History of Money by Jack Weatherford
Saikaku Ihara
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
The Hunger Games books by Suzanne Collins
The economics of slow-burn coffee shop AUs
Hopepunk
The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
The Folding Knife by K.J. Parker
Australian vs. American currency differences
The Discworld books by Terry Pratchett (esp. Making Money)
The Craft Sequence series by

On this special episode, we're not talking about a theme -- we're answering a cornucopia of amazing questions from our darling listeners! It's the one you've all been waiting for! It's the extravaganza!

Heroine Complex by Sarah Kuhn

Daemons

Click here to view the transcript of the show. Thank you to our scribes: Sara, Neharika, and Magali for their work! 

On this episode of Be the Serpent, we're discussing space empires! We talk a little bit about the history of empires, writerly tips for constructing an empire, and the problems of imperialism. The tentpoles this week are: Ancillary Justice (and the rest of the Imperial Radch trilogy) by Ann Leckie, Star Wars, and The Course of Honour by Avoliot

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Farscape

The transcript for this episode is available here. Thanks as always to the scribes, Magali, Neharika, and Sarah, for their help!

On this episode of Be the Serpent, we're discussing "Theft of Assets, Destruction of Property" by Helenish, Think of England by KJ Charles, and the television show Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, as well as a full buffet of romance tropes. And we're joined by a guest, the lovely Amanda Jean from The Hopeless Romantic podcast!!

Think of England by KJ Charles

Spirits Abroad by Zen Cho

This episode was transcribed by the amazing Sara, Neharika, and Magali! Find the transcription here.

On this episode of Be the Serpent, we're talking about historiography, propaganda, narrative control, Macey's misspent youth as a frozen meat salesperson, and some excellent pieces of fiction: "Written by the Victors" by Speranza, the Broadway show Hamilton, and The Fifth Season by NK Jemisin.

"Written by the Victors" by Speranza

The Lymond Chronicles (specifically The Ringed Castle and Checkmate) by Dorothy Dunnett

The transcript of this episode is available here. Thanks as always to Sara, Neharika, and Magali!

On this episode of Be The Serpent, we're talking about bisexuals in fiction. And because this is us, we have to come up with a taxonomy for them. So join us as we debate the merits and charms of the Chaos Disaster, the Sad Floppy Disaster, the Punch-You-in-the-Face Disaster, and the Terrifying, Competent Force of Nature Not-A-Disaster. The tentpoles this week are: The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue (Mackenzi Lee), The World That You Need series (Dira Sudis), and In Other Lands (Sarah Rees Brennan). 

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold (and the Vorkosigan Saga more broadly)

The transcript of this episode is available here. Thanks to Sara, Neharika, and Magali for their work! 

On this episode of Be the Serpent, we're talking about The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison, Jupiter Ascending, and "Dangerous if Unbound" by Astolat -- what do these have in common? Fealty relationships!

Disney princesses

Reflections: On the Magic of Writing by Diana Wynne Jones

The transcription of the episode is available here. Thanks as always to Sara, Neharika, and Magali for their work!

On this episode of Be the Serpent, we're talking about LIAR by Justine Larbalestier, Yuri!! On Ice, "The Women Men Don't See" by James Tiptree Jr, and the joys and delights of unreliable narrators. 

Spoilers, spoilers, spoilers

Lotus Blue (Cat Sparks)

The transcript is available here.