The Novel Series

Welcome back to 1980s Northern Italy.

Aaron and Jake return to Call Me by Your Name to explore its adaptations, discussing Luca Guadagnino’s acclaimed film, Sarah Maxwell’s graphic novel, and briefly touching on the Lil Nas X song inspired by the story. They dig into what changed from the original novel, what works (and what doesn’t), and give each adaptation their own 5-star rating. Plus, they hear from a listener of the bookclub.

Next time, the journey continues with Find Me, wrapping up our reading of André Aciman’s Call Me by Your Nameduology. And there’s still time to help us choose what series we dive into next: Dune or Dungeon Crawler Carl? Vote for your pick on our social media!

If you missed our previous episode, we discussed the Call Me by Your Name novel itself—so give that a listen before (or after) diving into this adaptation episode.

Aaron & Jake tackle book series, reading one book per episode, one episode a month, until they’ve completed the series.

New episodes on the 15th of every month.

The Novel Series book club will take on sagas & series, complete chronicles and tackle all prequels & sequels that come their way.

Fantasy, crime, sci-fi and more - no genre is off limits.

📚 Join the Book Club

Subscribe on your podcast platform of choice

Contact Us" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">⁠⁠⁠Email: [email protected]⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Follow @TheNovelSeries on Instagram⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Aaron @AaronRiceMedia⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Jake @ajek_reads⁠⁠⁠

Jake & Aaron dive into their first duology, the queer romance Call Me By Your Name series by André Aciman. While Jake has read both books before it's Aaron's first time reading the novels - although he has seen the film adaption.

We'll be completing this duet with the sequel book Find Me. We'll also have a couple of bonus episodes coming; we'll review the 2017 film adaption by Luca Guadagnino, comparing the novel to the movie and we'll also be bringing you an episode on the newly published graphic novel adaption by Sarah Maxwell, who also illustrated it.

Aaron & Jake also pitch which book series they'll be diving into next on The Novel Series. Have your say & vote on Spotify, Instagram stories & on their poll on Instagram.

Jake pitched Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman

- This 10-book series has 8 already published

- Currently being adapted for the small screen as a TV series

- It would be our first fantasy novel series

Aaron pitched the Dune series by Frank Herbert

- A 6-book series

- Currently being adapted for the big screen with the third film by Denis Villeneuve due to be released this December

- It would be our first sci-fi novel series

Share your thoughts on Call Me By Your Name, the film and graphic novel adaptions, Find Me and our book series pitches

Aaron & Jake tackle book series, reading one book per episode, one episode a month, until they’ve completed the series.

New episodes on the 15th of every month.

(Sorry about the very late upload of this episode!)

The Novel Series book club will take on sagas & series, complete chronicles and tackle all prequels & sequels that come their way.

Fantasy, crime, sci-fi and more - no genre is off limits.

📚 Join the Book Club

Subscribe on your podcast platform of choice

Email Us" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">⁠⁠⁠Email: [email protected]⁠⁠

⁠⁠Follow @TheNovelSeries on Instagram⁠⁠

⁠⁠Aaron @AaronRiceMedia⁠⁠

⁠⁠Jake @ajek_reads⁠⁠

Welcome back to the 18th November.

The Novel Series book club discuss the first 4 books published in English in the series On the Calculation of Volume by Solvej Balle. Books I & II are translated from the Danish by Barbara J Haveland, while III & IV are translated by Sophia Hersi Smith and Jennifer Russell. Published New Directions in the US & Faber & Faber in the UK. This is expected to be a 7-book series with book V to be published in English this November.

We’re joined by some of our Novel Guests, who discussed the books with us, Eleni (@books.andcaffeine.matter⁠) & Bob (⁠⁠@bobthebookerer⁠), from Youtube (⁠Bob The Bookerer⁠).

Next we’re diving into André Aciman's duology Call Me By Your Name & Find Me.

Then we’ll move onto a new book series. Send us your recommendations!

Aaron & Jake tackle book series, reading one book per episode, one episode a month, until they’ve completed the series.

New episodes on the 15th of every month.

The Novel Series book club will take on sagas & series, complete chronicles and tackle all prequels & sequels that come their way.

Fantasy, crime, sci-fi and more - no genre is off limits.

📚 Join the Book Club

Subscribe on your podcast platform of choice

⁠⁠⁠Email: [email protected]⁠⁠

⁠⁠Follow @TheNovelSeries on Instagram⁠⁠

⁠⁠Aaron @AaronRiceMedia⁠⁠

⁠⁠Jake @ajek_reads⁠⁠

⁠⁠Eleni @books.andcaffeine.matter⁠

⁠Bob @bobthebookerer⁠

Previous Novel Guests for this series:

⁠⁠Hannah @certifiedbookyapperhannah⁠⁠

⁠Lucy @bookz2026⁠

Welcome back to the 18th November.

The Novel Series book club discuss On the Calculation of Volume IV by Solvej Balle, translated from the Danish by Sophia Hersi Smith and Jennifer Russell. Published New Directions in the US & Faber & Faber in the UK. This is book 4 of a 7 book series.

Jake is our First Edition reader for this series, stepping into the world for the first time.

Bob (⁠@bobthebookerer), from Youtube (Bob The Bookerer), joins us as our Novel Guest.

We're moving onto aa new book series. Send us your recommendations!

We'll be posting a bonus episode of our book club roundtable with our novel guests for this series so far, discussing the entire book series of On the Calculation of Volume. Send us your thoughts & questions for that episode!

Before we choose the next novel series we're going to read a duology, a 2-book series. Jake has selected André Aciman's:

- Call Me By Your Name

- Find Me

Aaron & Jake tackle book series, reading one book per episode, one episode a month, until they’ve completed the series.

New episodes on the 15th of every month.

(Sorry about the late upload of this episode!)

The Novel Series book club will take on sagas & series, complete chronicles and tackle all prequels & sequels that come their way.

Fantasy, crime, sci-fi and more - no genre is off limits.

📚 Join the Book Club

Subscribe on your podcast platform of choice

Send Email">⁠⁠Email: [email protected]⁠

⁠Follow @TheNovelSeries on Instagram⁠

⁠Aaron @AaronRiceMedia⁠

⁠Jake @ajek_reads⁠

Bob @bobthebookerer

Previous Novel Guests for this series:

⁠Hannah @certifiedbookyapperhannah⁠

⁠Eleni @books.andcaffeine.matter

Lucy @bookz2026

Welcome back to the 18th November.

The Novel Series book club discuss On the Calculation of Volume III by Solvej Balle, translated from the Danish by Sophia Hersi Smith and Jennifer Russell. Published New Directions in the US & Faber & Faber in the UK. This is book 3 of a 7 book series.

Jake is our First Edition reader for this series, stepping into the world for the first time.

Lucy (@bookz2026), from Bookies' Favourite (@bookiesfavouritebookclub) joins us as our Novel Guest.

Volume III won the Nordic Council Literature Prize 2022 along side Volumes I & II, as well as being shortlisted for the National Book Award for Translated Literature 2025. It was also a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Fiction Award 2025, as well as the PEN Translation Prize 2026

Aaron & Jake tackle book series, reading one book per episode, one episode a month, until they’ve completed the series.

New episodes on the 15th of every month.

The Novel Series book club will take on sagas & series, complete chronicles and tackle all prequels & sequels that come their way.

Fantasy, crime, sci-fi and more - no genre is off limits.

📚 Join the Book Club

Subscribe on your podcast platform of choice

📷 Follow @TheNovelSeries on Instagram

Email Us" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">📧 Email [email protected]

Aaron @AaronRiceMedia

Jake @ajek_reads

Lucy @bookz2026

Previous Novel Guests for this series:

Hannah @certifiedbookyapperhannah

Eleni @books.andcaffeine.matter

Welcome back to the 18th November.

The Novel Series book club discuss On the Calculation of Volume II by Solvej Balle, translated from the Danish by Barbara J. Haveland. Published New Directions in the US & Faber & Faber in the UK. This is book 2 of a 7 book series.

Jake is our First Edition reader for this series, stepping into the world for the first time.

Eleni (@books.andcaffeine.matter) joins us as our Novel Guest.

Volume II won the Nordic Council Literature Prize 2022 along side Volumes I & III.

Aaron & Jake tackle book series, reading one book per episode, one episode a month, until they’ve completed the series.

New episodes on the 15th of every month.

The Novel Series book club will take on sagas & series, complete chronicles and tackle all prequels & sequels that come their way.

Fantasy, crime, sci-fi and more - no genre is off limits.

📚 Join the Book Club

Subscribe on your podcast platform of choice

📷 Follow @TheNovelSeries on Instagram

📧 Email [email protected]

Aaron @AaronRiceMedia

Jake @ajek_reads

Eleni @books.andcaffeine.matter

Welcome to the 18th November.

The Novel Series book club discuss On the Calculation of Volume I by Solvej Balle, translated from the Danish by Barbara J. Haveland. Published New Directions in the US & Faber & Faber in the UK. This is book 1 of a 7 book series.

Jake is our First Edition reader for this series, stepping into the world for the first time.

Hannah (@certifiedbookyapperhannah) from Bookies' Favourite bookclub podcast (@bookiesfavouritebookclub) joins us as our Novel Guest.

Volume I has been shortlisted for the International Booker Prize 2025, long-listed for the National Book Award for Translated Literature 2024 & won the Nordic Council Literature Prize 2022 along with Volumes II & III.

Aaron & Jake tackle book series, reading one book per episode, one episode a month, until they’ve completed the series.

New episodes on the 15th of every month.

The Novel Series book club will take on sagas & series, complete chronicles and tackle all prequels & sequels that come their way.

Fantasy, crime, sci-fi and more - no genre is off limits.

📚 Join the Book Club

Subscribe on your podcast platform of choice

📷 ⁠Follow @thenovelseries on Instagram⁠

📧 ⁠Email [email protected]⁠

Aaron @aaronricemedia

Jake @ajek_reads

certifiedbookyapperhannah

Welcome to The Novel Series book club!

Join Aaron & Jake as they tackle book series, reading one book per episode, one episode a month, until they’ve completed the series.

New episodes on the 15th of every month.

Starting with On the Calculation of Volume by Solvej Balle, the 7-novel Danish series.

They’ll read the first 4 volumes published in English, then move onto a new series. Returning when more of Balle’s works are published in English.

Every episode will feature a First Edition reader - someone brand new to the fictional world with no previous knowledge of the series. And they’ll also be joined by some super-fan Novel Guests from the fandom - someone that has already read all of the books & can share some inside details.

Aaron has already tackled the first chapter in this story on his literary award shortlist book club podcast Bookies’ Favourite, when it was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize.

The Novel Series book club will take on sagas & series, complete chronicles and tackle all prequels & sequels that come their way.

Fantasy, crime, sci-fi and more - no genre is off limits.

📚 Join the Book Club

Subscribe on your podcast platform of choice

📷 Follow @thenovelseries on Instagram

📧 Email [email protected]