Death comes to all of us, when he came to Mort he gave him a job. 💀

Mort by Terry Pratchett is the fourth book in the Discworld series and the first introduction of DEATH. 

Mort find himself in the unique role as the apprentice grim reaper, learns about the different between reality and what is real, struggles to establish his identity and battles his conscience.

Jen and Ellie discuss perception versus reality, the evolution of Pratchetts writing style, and how a lot of these challenges are a lot easier if you're not a teenage boy. 

"Fae warriors: invaluable in a fight—and raging pains in her ass at all other times."

Queen of Shadows is the fourth book in the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas.

Aelin returns to Rifthold to find the city she once called home unrecognisable, clashing with Chaol who has been leading the resistance, and discovering Dorian is trapped by the Valg prince. 

Join Jen and Ellie as they discuss the changing world, the how character clashes are crafted to challenge the reader, and how likely they'd be able to fool someone into thinking they can dance...

(Back after our unplanned, unannounced, and untimely mid-series break! Turns out walking a Camino and running in the Alps will distract you from podcasting, who knew?)

"Once upon a time,” she said to him, to the world, to herself, “in a land long since burned to ash, there lived a young princess who loved her kingdom . . . very much."

Heir of Fire is the third book in the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas, and we see the world expand as Celaena seeks to bargain with Maeve, Queen of the Fae of Doranelle, and Chaol and Dorian struggle through their new realities in Rifthold where threats lie around every corner. 

Join Jen and Ellie as they discuss the craft of expanding a story world, whether they stood a chance against Maeve, and how they feel about the fantasy genres' blatant disregard for the Geneva convention!

The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J Maas is a collection of prequel novellas leading up to the first novel in the Throne of Glass series. 

We join Celaena Sardothien as her conscious gets the better of her and she starts rebelling against the King of the Assassins unknowingly starting her own downfall from her place as Adarlan's Assassin.

Join Jen and Ellie as they dive into the underworld, discuss what prequels add (or remove) from a narrative, and detour to the best horses for a desert. 

"Some things you hear with your ears. Others, you hear with your heart."

Crown of Midnight is the second book in the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas, and we stay with Celaena as she navigates going from Adarlans Assassin to the Kings Champion and finding where her allegiances lie.

Jen and Ellie discuss how the world expands, the use of tropes and construction of plot, and most importantly, would they jump through a portal to another dimension for a puppy?

"They’d gazed at him adoringly, while she just looked at him like a cat watching a mouse."

Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas is the start of the high fantasy series phenomenon that dominates booktok and bookstagram. We meet Celaena Sardothien, Adarlans Assassin and current slave in the Endovier salt mines, as she agrees to compete for Prince Dorian to be the Kings Champion in return for her freedom

Join Jen and Ellie as they look at the characters, writing style, and debate how well they'd do at assassin training.

Each spell was a mountain to be climbed anew. All I could carry with me from last time was the knowledge that it could be done.

Circe by Madeline Miller brings us back to ancient Greece and follows the nymph Circe, a powerful witch who is at war with her own divinity. A side character in the Odyssey, Circe takes centre stage as she stuggles with her exile and decides what kind of person she wants to be.

Jen and Ellie set out across the seas in search myth retellings, character development, and how they'd fair against a baby minotaur.

House of Flame and Shadow is the third book in the Crescent City series by Sarah J Maas. Bryce finds herself in ACOTAR world with the others trapped by the Asteri. They find the final pieces of the Asteri puzzle and figure out what to do with this new and dangerous knowledge.

Jen and Ellie return to Midgard and discuss character agency, progression and growth, before debating their chances of survival.

(Jen would like to apologise in advance.)

Father Earth is angry...

The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin brings us into a world where people can control the earth and everyone lives in fear of frequent yet unknowable extinction level events. Essun is a normal woman living a normal life which is torn apart on the same day the earth is ripped in two.

Jen and Ellie discuss the world building, concept of self and how peoples fears and beliefs are constructed by the society.

This is the way the world ends, for the last time. 

If you're thinking of branching out to some fiction and non-fiction this is a quick bonus episode with a couple of recommendations of our favourite non-fantasy books we read last year.
Back to your irregularly scheduled fantasy coverage soon...