Shows
The Alcomancer - A Fantasy ReviewAlcomancer 12 - Raymond E. Feist's MagicianIn this episode our gaze lingers on Fantasy giant Raymond E. Feist and his 1982 debut Magician. The first installment of one Fantasy's longest running epics The Riftwar Cycle - which spans some thirty-odd books and as many years - Magician tells the story of Pug and his boyhood friend, Tomas, whose lives are forever changed when first they spy the wreck of a strange ship on the shore below their home of Crydee Castle. This discovery sets their feet upon the path to greatness and together the two must navigate the pitfalls of a world plunged into inter-stellar conflict, grappl...
2017-10-161h 18The Alcomancer - A Fantasy ReviewAlcomancer 11 - Glen Cook's The Black CompanyWar. War never changes… But the way we conceptualise and relate to it sure does! This episode we’re looking down the barrel at Glen Cook’s The Black Company (1984) the first installment of the eponymous series and a Grand-pappy of Grimdark as a fully realised sub-genre. Cook’s Black Company is a ragtag crew of lowlifes and ne’er-do-wells come elite mercenary unit bound together by the bonds of history, brotherhood and the certain knowledge that when shit hits the fan they’ll be the guys cleaning the upholstery. On tonight’s discussion, we get heavy on Realism and what it’...
2017-08-131h 17The Alcomancer - A Fantasy ReviewAlcomancer 10 - Ken Liu's Grace of KingsBack again from yet another adventure in far flung lands under alien skies we return with stories from the Islands of Dara. Stories which tell of a people beset by war, torn apart by ideals and of those amongst them who strive to build anew. On tonight’s menu its Ken Liu’s much acclaimed ‘The Grace of Kings’ (2015), the first installment of the Dandelion Dynasty series. We’ll be serving up hot topics such as the role of technology in Fantasy, the role of pig wrestling in military drills, and asking hard questions like what is a mechanical crub...
2017-07-301h 18The Alcomancer - A Fantasy ReviewAlcomancer 09 - Ursula Le Guin's A Wizard of EarthseaTired of the whiz-banging razzamatazz of Fantasy in the modern world we decided to cast our eyes back a ways to the unassuming adventures of Ged, a man alone amongst the deep waters of Earthsea, lost in contemplation and touched by a strange darkness.
In this episode we take to talking Magic, Taoism and the world of Ursula Le Guin’s A Wizard of Earthsea.
Be forewarned, we leave no rock unnamed and no spoiler unspoiled.And if you’re reading along or just hate surprises, next episode we’ll be reading from Ken Li...
2017-06-181h 05The Alcomancer - A Fantasy ReviewAlcomancer 08 - Mark Lawrence's The Prince Of ThornsThis week we take a tipple from the cup of Mark Lawrence’s Prince of Thorns, the first book in his Broken Empire series. Come and bare silent witness to our camaraderie.
We go over and over Lawrence’s treatment of evil protagonists and find it lacking. We love the idea of an unmitigated badass to follow around, stuffing our mouths with anachronistic food stuffs as we watch the carnage unfold. We just don’t want to be stuck with a 14-year-old who keeps telling us about everything they did.
Warning - the roa...
2017-05-211h 09The Alcomancer - A Fantasy ReviewAlcomancer 07 - R.A. Salvatore's The Crystal ShardAn episode jam-packed with changes and adventure - we welcome fan-fiction erotica historian Russ to the show to talk about the swashbuckling, genre-defining Crystal Shard by R.A. Salvatore. Dan talks about the collective nouns for goodly folk, and Mark offers gravelly insight into the evilest figure of the whole book - King Bruenor Battlehammer.
We talk about the challenges in translating DnD character sheets into stories, the difficulties in brewing tundra mead, and why Cattie-Brie shouldn't talk like a dwarf.
This episode contains spoilers.
Next episode's book is Mark Lawrence's debut novel Pri...
2017-04-301h 22The Alcomancer - A Fantasy ReviewAlcomancer 06 - Jim Butcher's Storm FrontHarry is a wizard, a lover, a fighter, a private eye and a dick.
This week we wet our beaks with ‘Storm Front’, the first in Jim Butcher’s long-running urban fantasy series: The Dresden Files. In this episode we get talking about pulp, crime, magic and take a good, hard look at the inner workings of Jim's mind.
Next episode - prepare for the pure, uncut and unadulterated fantasy of R. A. Salvatore's The Crystal Shard, a classic of the Forgotten Realms stable.
This episode contains spoilers.
2017-03-191h 43The Alcomancer - A Fantasy ReviewAlcomancer 05 - N. K. Jemisin's The Fifth SeasonThis episode is N. K. Jeminin's The Fifth Season, which is a departure from our regular fare. Modern and challenging, blending genres and influences and turning traditional fantasy on its head.
This episode contains spoilers.
2017-02-181h 33The Alcomancer - A Fantasy ReviewAlcomancer 04 - Scott Lynch's The Lies of Locke LamoraWe couldn't say enough good things about this novel so we got friend of the show and talented designer Matt in to help us out, who in exchange for making our show design look as wonderful as it did, was in no way contractually obliged to come on and talk about a book that he wanted to.
There aren't many books that out-perform Scott Lynch's The Lies of Locke Lamora in any way you care to name, or at least that's the view we're putting forward. We do try our very best to offer a counter-argument in wha...
2016-12-111h 51The Alcomancer - A Fantasy ReviewAlcomancer 03 - Patrick Rothfuss's The Wise Man's FearMark and Daniel discuss Fantasy author's shining light Patrick Rothfus and his second novel in the Kingkiller's Chronicle, The Wise Man's Fear.
They talk about why Fantasy authors can't write cool, why Denna gets the short straw, and cover the Best Spring Break Ever.
We would like to take this opportunity to say we won't be talking about what we're going to be doing in upcoming podcasts or on outro tracks - we promised The Princess Bride, we delivered Rothfuss. We planned for Sting, but we went back to synthpop as usual.
Oh, so...
2016-11-292h 06The Alcomancer - A Fantasy ReviewAlcomancer 02 - Joe Abercrombie's The Blade ItselfDaniel and Mark are back to follow up their stunning debut, which brought pleasure to very nearly dozens, to tackle Joe Abercrombie's The Blade Itself.
Despite this book being very popular for its modern take on the genre, we found it problematic, both in the story itself and what it represents moving forward for the fantasy genre. Nonetheless, we did our best to understand the appeal of Abercrombie's work.
Also Daniel starts to say 'the something itself' quite early and doesn't let up.
This episode contains spoilers.
This episode's outro 'Northern Boy, No...
2016-11-141h 37The Alcomancer - A Fantasy ReviewAlcomancer 01 - Robin Hobb's The Fool's AssassinIn this episode Mark and Dan tear open old wounds and wallow piteously through the pages of Robin Hobb’s grand return to the trials and tribulations of FitzChivalry Farseer - bastard assassin come bumbling father.
The Fool’s Assassin (2014) -book one of the ‘Fitz and the Fool’ series- follows Fitz as his hard won happy ending is gradually dismantled before his very eyes. Luckily we brought a big ol’ bottle gin to the party to help things along.
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In a genre known more for its blunt edge tr...
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