At long last. The fellas set out to explore the hottest title in the world of fantasy right now. Their most anticipated read since their Top 50 Books review, their most Dragon Riders of Perny book since Dragonriders of Pern, and their horniest by far since The Eye of Argon.

They cover: the steamy romance, the exciting pace, and just how unbelievably super special the heroine is, in one their nitpickiest episodes yet. They do not cover that this book is a real knock-off of Jennifer Armentrout's From Blood and Ash, so Geordie is making sure it gets included here.

Nothing could say it plainer: its a garbage book for garbage people. And Geordie and Duncan are total garbage.

The fellas wrap up their spooky month with the last halloween special, washing the taste of the Woman in Black out of their brains with an amazing collection of ghost stories, written by the creator of The Magnus Archives: Jonathan Sims. They reflect on the impressive change in mediums, as well as its somewhat heavy handed (yet nonetheless true) themes on capitalism, the environment and killing billionaires with steak knives.

Hear about their favourite stories in the anthology. For Geordie, its a tech-bro being menaced by a haunted Hal-9000, and for Duncan, a shame filled executive trying to purge the rot from within himself and his home. You might think that this is some Freudian insight into Duncan's psyche, but I think its just because he had a radiator leak recently.

Some traditions never get old. Once again Duncan and Geordie return to the dark world of Berserk to wrap up its incredibly named Millenium Falcon Arc with Falconia. Its one of Geordie's favourite and least favourite parts of the series, containing some of the best action ever depicted in fiction, some astonishing world-building, a drastic change to the series' status quo... but it also spent three years of publication just following Griffith, which is basically a crime. The fellas discuss the many surprises in this arc. From Farnese's character arc the introduction of the surprisingly cool Roderick, and Gut's incredible journey to letting go of hatred. Duncan loved this section so much, he even said it beat out the Golden Age. Please put the gun down.

Don't forget to check out all our previous episodes on Berserk and let us know what you think about this arc in the comments or on our social media.

In the first part of their (somewhat delayed) Halloween Booooook Club, the fellas dive in to what is supposed to be one of the most iconic and scariest books in British horror: The Woman in Black.... and find it to be a massive disapointment. A dry, laughably unscary drag completely upstaged by both of its famous adaptations. Tune in to hear Geordie unleash the frustrations of a difficult day on a deserving punching bag, and hear Duncan realise he'd really rather talk about the Magnus Archives. They also cover Duncan accidentally reading a censored children's version of the Force Awakens, and end the episode with undoubtably the most unexpected book choice in the entire podcast.

But before we get to the next book, its time to return to the world of Berserk.

Slather yourself in gingerbread and fail to solve a mystery, its time for Duncan and Geordie to cover 'Paladin's Grace' by T. Kingfisher. They discuss an excellent love story, and a real pallete cleanser from the hormonal teenage romantasies they've experienced up till now. Even if the political intrigue and mysteries promised by the blurb fails to materialise. This episode Geordie learns a surprising amount of Ancient Greek, Duncan tries to weird out Geordie by describing a video game, only to discover that its pretty de rigeour by anime standards, whilst Geordie forces Duncan to exactingly describe the book's steamiest scenes.

Next time.... things are getting spooky with the return of the annual October boooook club.

For the final time (and this time we mean it) the fellas are embarking on another sword and sorcery adventure with the introduction to Fritz Leiber's classic dynamic duo Fafhrd and Grey Mouser in 'Ill Met in Lankhmar.' The fellas rave about the story's humour and excitement and beautifully morbid setting, and appreciate the irony of a classic 'fridging' scene appearing right after they covered Gail Simone.

We at the Is This Just Fantasy Studio™ cannot condone the Fafhrd and Grey Mouser drinking game where you drink every time we mention Conan and Elric. Not without an ambulance.

Dear audience, we are aware that for the first time in the history of the podcast, Duncan has been able to pick the book three times in a row. We are also afraid that it may have driven him mad with power. He will be put back in his place again soon.

Can you ever really escape your fate? Not if Duncan has trapped you in a never ending cycle of sword and sorcery. Once again the fellas are going back to the Red Sonja well. Its the same author. Its the same character. Its... quite a few of the same plot beats as well, actually, but dumber this time. Duncan chose Red Sonja: Consumed, Gail Simone's first ever novel, and her second take on Red Sonja.

The fellas unpack some bizarre and kinda stupid plot points, Geordie's relates his worst trip to the theatre ever, Duncan gets bent out of shape about contradictions to Hyborian Era geography, whilst Geordie demonstrates eerie powers of prophecy, and comes to the radical conclusion that Lord of the Rings is a good book. Who knew?

They promise to never discuss Red Sonja again... until Duncan sees the movie.

Also, Duncan wants to make clear that comments about beloved nerd actor Felicia Day were made by only one host of this show.

Is it Halloween already? No? Then how come the fellas are reading a comic book?! That's because this time, as preperation for the release of the new Red Sonja movie, Duncan has taken the fellas back to the Hyborian Age, with Red Sonja, written by comic book legend Gail Simone.

Duncan leads the episode through the complicated canon of Red Sonja (and her endless reboots), whilst Geordie tries to figure out why Innsmouth fishpeople (with the colour pallette of Bikini Bottom) are here. They discuss action in western comics vs manga, a pretty bizarre ending, the legally important distinction between Red Sonja and Red Sonya, why Duncan chose a comic book when Gail Simone has just written a Red Sonja novel as her prose debut, and round out the episode with a quick game of 'Snog, Marry, Avoid."

Because for no obvious reason this has become tradition, its time for the annual Troy adaptation! (Which will they run out of first? Troy books, or fantasy novels set at Christmas?) Up till now those adaptations have mostly hinged on feminst reimaginings of the Illiad, and the commodification of women's bodies. But this time the fellas are gonna mix things up. They return to David Gemmel of Legend fame, looking for his burlier, alpha male account of the Trojan war and find... a book about the commodification of women's bodies, and men trying to be kind to each other?

Truly, the more things change....

From Eragon to Book-Tok sensations about mormon super-soldiers, This is the book which started it all. Dragonflight brought readers to the Planet Pern for the first time in the 60s, and brought Geordie and Duncan to one of the earliest depictions of dragon riding in fantasy. And... it is not at all what they expected. Duncan covers some of the dragons.... unexpected powers. whilst Geordie unpacks a feminist reading of 1960s bodice rippers, before making a shocking heel-turn at the end.

And, for the first time in years, the fellas have to ask that faithful question: Is This (just) Fantasy?