Canonical Nonsense: A Podcast Where Two Best Friends Talk About Some Books

On today’s pod, the Jos read After the Dragons by Cynthia Zhang. A novella that asks the question: what would a world with dragons look like if dragons lost their mythological and religious significance? It left the Jos with more questions than answers. Listen as they work through it on another exciting episode of Canonical Nonsense.

Canonical Nonsense: A Podcast Where Two Best Friends Talk About Some Books is made with Jetpack Podcast. Full show notes and every episode at https://canonicalnonsense.com/

For a first on the pod, Jo and JoJo enter the world of grimdark in the fantasy epic Blood of an Exile by Brian Naslund. What happens when a tech bro emperor tries to kill all the dragons, and the only people who can stop him are a hot scientist princess and a drunk dragon hunter? Listen along to find out.

Canonical Nonsense: A Podcast Where Two Best Friends Talk About Some Books is made with Jetpack Podcast. Full show notes and every episode at https://canonicalnonsense.com/

Canonical Nonsense returns to Mercedes Lackey’s Joust series for a third and final time with Sanctuary. The story picks up just after the ending of Alta, as our heroes make a new life for themselves and their dragons in the ruins of the forgotten city of Sanctuary. Every book in this series has been a knockout, and Sanctuary is no exception. Join us for this electric conclusion.

Canonical Nonsense: A Podcast Where Two Best Friends Talk About Some Books is made with Jetpack Podcast. Full show notes and every episode at https://canonicalnonsense.com/

This month on the pod, Jo and JoJo are reading their first listener suggested book with The Saint of Dragons by Jason Hightman. This is another retelling of the myth of Saint George and the Dragon. There are some really cool dragons in this one, so join the Jo’s as they discuss one more entry in nonsensical dragon canon.

Canonical Nonsense: A Podcast Where Two Best Friends Talk About Some Books is made with Jetpack Podcast. Full show notes and every episode at https://canonicalnonsense.com/

Today on the pod, Jo and JoJo decided to do something a little different. Fourth Wing has good ideas and good bones, but falls flat in execution. After reading it, the Jo’s had so many ideas for how to fix it that they created a Google doc to flesh out a new plot. Half fanfic, half writing exercise, please enjoy today’s episode where your two favorite Jo’s discuss what they would have written if they wrote Fourth Wing.

Canonical Nonsense: A Podcast Where Two Best Friends Talk About Some Books is made with Jetpack Podcast. Full show notes and every episode at https://canonicalnonsense.com/

Today on the pod, we finish Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. When we left off, Violet had just bonded not one but two dragons! But becoming a dragon rider isn’t the finish line; it’s actually the start of a new journey with new allies and old enemies. We had a LOT of thoughts about this book. Slip into your flight leathers as we talk about face-touching, knife play, dragon kinks, and so much more.

Canonical Nonsense: A Podcast Where Two Best Friends Talk About Some Books is made with Jetpack Podcast. Full show notes and every episode at https://canonicalnonsense.com/

Today, on the pod Jo and JoJo finally get around to reading the biggest dragon book in the world, Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. The Jo’s are trying to bring a new lens to this well-worn path. People have talked about the sex, people have talked about the romance, people have talked about the pens, but the Jo’s are more interested in exploring how Fourth Wing falls into the nonsensical dragon canon that they’ve been reading. There’s a lot to talk about, so we split this book into two episodes. Chapters 17 – 39 will be discussed in next month’s pod. Listen today and subscribe to hear the whole journey.

JoJo’s editor note – My audio is not great at the beginning, but it gets better. We do this for love and not money, and sometimes the recordings don’t go as planned, but we still want to share our love with you, the listeners. Thank you for your patience.

Canonical Nonsense: A Podcast Where Two Best Friends Talk About Some Books is made with Jetpack Podcast. Full show notes and every episode at https://canonicalnonsense.com/

This month, Jo and JoJo read one of the books that sparked Jo’s love of dragons. While she is now old enough to understand its flaws, this book still holds a special place in her heart. The Jos also discuss books made for children, the origin of dragons in different cultures, and how the most accurate part of the book was how dark academia can be.

Canonical Nonsense: A Podcast Where Two Best Friends Talk About Some Books is made with Jetpack Podcast. Full show notes and every episode at https://canonicalnonsense.com/

In this episode, Jo and JoJo read their first sequel! Alta by Mercedes Lackey depicts our main character, formerly Vetch now Kiron, and his dragon, Avatre, as they return to their home country of Alta. However, all is not as it seems, and the utopia that Kiron has dreamt of starts to crumble as he and his new friends discover the secrets of the ruling class. In Alta, Lackey continues her allegory of the American war in Iraq, with themes that include toxic nationalism, propaganda, and surveillance. Jo and JoJo continue to be pleasantly surprised by Lackey’s delicacy and nuance in her prose. Join us as we discuss how relevant this book still feels 20 years later.

Canonical Nonsense: A Podcast Where Two Best Friends Talk About Some Books is made with Jetpack Podcast. Full show notes and every episode at https://canonicalnonsense.com/

This month, Jo and JoJo were looking for fast and furious with dragons, but instead stumbled upon an underrated gem from a well known fantasy author, Mercedes Lackey. In Joust, Mercedes Lackey takes us to a desert land where two nations are engaged in an intractable war as one tries to colonize the other. Caught in the crosshairs of this conflict, a young serf named vetch attracts the attention of a dragon jouster, changing his life forever. These were some of our favorite dragons, so please listen along with us as we discuss Joust by Mercedes Lackey

Canonical Nonsense: A Podcast Where Two Best Friends Talk About Some Books is made with Jetpack Podcast. Full show notes and every episode at https://canonicalnonsense.com/