We survived Heir of Fire—barely. In this episode, we tackle the slow start, the suddenly NASCAR-paced second half, and the very real problem of every man in this book purring. We talk cousin love, messiah complexes, flying witches, bubble battles, and the unkillable fantasy dog. Plus: why the ending felt like a CW fever dream, and what it means when your protagonist is too perfect to care about.

Also featuring:

• Star Wars tangents
• Below Deck fanfic
• YA fantasy scorecards
• And our next read: Train Dreams by Denis Johnson.