Is This Just Fantasy?

Have you ever wondered what the world would be like if Edward Cullen wasn't Mormon, or Xaden Riarson didn't have #believewomen in his Tinder profile? Then this is the episode for you, as Duncan and Geordie cover From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout.

They discuss a parade of bizarre and lazy worldbuilding, dangling plot threads, unusually basic wording errors, and possibly the shadiest love-story they've covered on the podcast so far (and that's saying something). Duncan found it so dry that he forgot the book existed until shortly before recording, and Geordie struggles with the fact he used to like it!

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A divisive episode. Duncan declares victory as Geordie is forced to hand in his membership to the 'pretencious nerd who doesn't like Brandon Sanderson books' club, because this one is a corker.

They cover Mistborn: The Final Empire, covering its excellent twists and implemenation of magic, its surprising themematic coherence and nuance, and Geordie has no choice to admit that this time, maybe worldbuilding is important to making a fantasy novel work. Its not all glaze though, they cover their complaints about the book's depiction of women, and the weird age gap between the love interests.

Has this turned Geordie around on Sanderson? And how long will Duncan be smug about it?

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At long last, the fellas cover one of the big daddies of epic fantasy. For Duncan its a return to an old-favourite, whilst Geordie experiences it for the first time. They discuss the start of Robert Jordan's saga: 'The Eye of the World.'

Geordie wrestles with explaining how a book can be boring 'but in a good way,' whilst Duncan keeps forgetting how much of what he thinks happens in this book, won't happen till books 2-4, and how many of his favourite characters still kinda suck. Geordie challenges the book's attempts at depiciting a matriarchal system, whilst Duncan struggles with how to keep telling Geordie that most of his complaints will be solved if he Just. Keeps. Reading. The. Books!

Apologies to fans of Nynaeve for butchering her name all episode. (How is it pronounced Nah-Neeve?!)

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Consumer warning: this episode contains no Condors. But it does contain an in-depth review of one of the most influencial yet unknown books the fellas have covered on the podcast, the first part of Jin Yong's Legend of the Condor Heroes - "the Chinese Lord of the Rings."

They cover the unbelievable Kung Fu action, the surprising blend of fantasy and real history, and the best plot twist they've encounter on the podcast yet. Duncan tries very hard to pronounce names correctly this time, whilst Geordie spends too much time on dubious "translate your name into Chinese" websites instead of actually releasing the episode on time.

Like the show? Follow us on Insta: @IsThisJustFantasyPodcast, or ask us a question via [email protected]

Ah, 2025. An impossibly long and packed year which just flew by. In their annual tradition, Duncan and Geordie take a look back at a year full of ambitious pulls, many surprises, and a couple of truly dire low-points (in terms of books, the podcast is obviously better than ever)!

They take a look at everything they've reviewed to select their Most Surprising, Most Disapointing, Favourite, Worst, and of course their Best book of the year. Will they be in agreement, or is their time for one last heated debate before the ball drops?

Merry Christmas and Good Yule! You must've been good this year because Santa Claus is delivering you the annual Is This Just Fantasy Christmas episode (and if you haven't, lock your doors. Krampus is coming.) This year the fellas cover Krampus: The Yule Lord by writer/artist Brom.

This episode: Geordie admits he's running out of Christmas episode ideas and has a little rant about depictions of valkyries, Duncan is horrified by Germanic Christmas traditions, and they both struggle not to call Santa "Father Christmas." Find out what they make of the high-highs and the boring low-lows of this dark retelling of Santa Claus-meets-American Gods-meets-Justified-meets-Jingle All the Way, the classic formula!

Look forward to next episode where they review all the books they've covered in 2025 and announce the beginning to 2026.

Don't ask: 'who's the biggest badass in fantasy?' Only fools ask that question. The real question is: 'how do you measure badassitude?' For years, nobody could answer this enigma. But finally, after months of tireless study and experimentation, Geordie has found it: an empiral, scientific system where we throw a list of the best fantasy heroes we've encountered on the podcast into a gauntlet of horror movies with the sole mission of protecting us.

This episode we ask the important questions like: which horror movie monsters can be defeated by a rabbit? Which fantasy heores would beat Shaggy from the live-action Scooby-Doo films or escape a Saw trap? Which heroes would chop their foot? Could the Overlook Hotel defeat Goku? And would Obi-Wan Kenobi be able to save Christmas? Find out now!

Its over at last. One of the most anticipated conclusions in history of the podcast. The fellas read and review Empire of the Dawn, the conclusion of Jay Kristoff's Empire of the Vampire trilogy. There's so much to discuss as they cover: the controversial change in illustrators, the exciting action, and a potentially devisive ending. Does the series stick the landing?

Duncan marvels that any book could beat out Fourth Wing for horniness, Geordie wonders just how many Elric of Melnibone references can be latched onto one character, Duncan becomes convinced that one of the main character's nickname is "Lackey" in an extremely mean-spirited joke, and Geordie fights for his life to stop this from being the longest episode by far - which means that Duncan and Geordie's debate over whether Wicked sucks or not will have to wait for another time.

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.