Breakfast in the Ruins

Birthday Special 2025

18 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Another year, another Birthday Special... our sixth! It's Mike's birthday... it's Phil's birthday... it's the podcast's official state birthday... so ...

City of the Beast AKA Warriors of Mars

09 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Andy Darby joins me as we take D and Ts on the road to eons-old Mars to explore mysteries, machinations and mild disappointments. Check out Andy’s s...

The Ice Schooner - Part One

21 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Miles is back in Derry & Toms as we tackle another 60s Moorcock classic... The Ice Schooner. Lots to talk about here, and some pearls to clutch to...

Halloween Special 2025 - SLUGS by Shaun Hutson

31 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As voted for by our dear patrons, the subject for this year's Halloween Special is SLUGS! Shaun Hutson's breakthrough best seller has been on the poll...

Immortality Inc. by Robert Sheckley

21 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Author and game designer Tone Milazzo joins me in Derry & Toms as we look at another work by the late, great Robert Sheckley, his first novel Immo...

Bryan Talbot Part Two

02 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Bryan Talbot returns to Derry and Toms to talk to about Alice in Sunderland, Grandville and his upcoming release, The Case of Stamford Hawkmoor - and ...

The King of the Swords Part Two - The Vanishing Tower

19 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Simon is back to finish our look at the final instalment in the first Corum trilogy... The King of the Swords... and, as it runs ramraid style into th...

The Powysverse of Space 1999 w/ Mateo Latosa

05 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

THIS EPISODE: I'm joined in Derry & Toms by Powys Media's Mateo Latosa and, via ringer (Phil), Patricia Sokol, to talk about Space 1999 and the 20...

The Tiptoe Boys / Who Dares Wins

22 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

John is back in Derry & Toms to talk about another novelisation, but we're taking a break from Blakes 7 to focus on another early 80s obsession of...

Phoenix in Obsidian - Part Two

31 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We're finally back to finish our reportage on Phoenix in Obsidian (AKA The Silver Warriors). It's an epic tale of anguish and self-pity on an earth wh...

Phil's Choice - Revenge of the Manitou

11 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's our summer holiday special - and it was Phil's Choice. She reminded me that we had such a great time with The Devils of D-Day and the film of Mas...

(The Secret of) The Runestaff Part Two

21 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Dave returns to Derry & Toms to combat creeping fascism and technical issues, all whilst concluding our epic reportage on the final volume in The ...

The Sundered Worlds AKA The Blood Red Game

10 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Miles is back to discuss another of Moorcock’s 1960s SF titles, arguably the most influential of the lot when considering the origins of the Multive...

Slade in Flame

23 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Joe Banks, author of Hawkwind: Days of the Undergound, is back in Derry and Toms to enthuse about a film that was, for me, a shock revelation about on...

The Dying Earth

09 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

New guest co-host, author, gamer and podcaster Adrian Tchaikovsky joins me in Derry and Toms to look at Jack Vance’s The Dying Earth and discuss Van...

Hawk the Slayer

17 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes we don't have time to read a book. Sometimes we just wanna gas about ace things. This is one of those times so... Hawk the Slayer... featuri...

The Shores of Death

11 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Andy Darby is back to look at another of Mike's 60s SF takes... THE SHORES OF DEATH. Replete with sexual deviancy, epic parties and a massive tool of ...

Special Bulletin - Beware THE WOODLICE

02 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Graham is back in Derry & Toms to talk about his debut novel THE WOODLICE, as well as his influences, method, finding inspiration in Guy N Smith's...

PROJECT AVALON (Trevor Hoyle's Blakes 7 Part II)

25 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Seeing as John and I had such a good time with Trevor Hoyle's first Blakes 7 novelisation and series watch-a-long, we thought sod it... let's do anot...

Filming Elric!

10 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With news that the Apple TV/Skydance Eternal Champion series is "DOA", what better a time to talk to Chris Preyer, the man behind Elric: Chains of the...

Luther Arkwright Part One featuring Bryan Talbot

21 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tom Murphy of Colossive Press drops by Derry and Toms to discuss The Adventures of Luther Arkwright. Plus, Bryan Talbot joins us so we can quiz him ...

Entropic Dice Report - Games and Grog

09 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the first time in several years I recently managed to make it to one of the UK's premier RPG gatherings, GROGMEET, a joyous celebration of rolepla...

(The Secret of) The Runestaff - Part One

29 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Dave, frontman of Space Rock Colossus SÖNUS, is back in Derry and Toms to tackle the final volume in the first Hawkmoon saga... The Runestaff (AKA Th...

The Coming of the Terraphiles Part Three

15 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's 2025, but we're tying up some 2024 business with Miles and finally rampaging to the potentially multiverse-shattering conclusion of Moorcock's Do...

EPISODE 101

30 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We're back for our last show of 2024 and it's dropping in that weird 'between time' when I'm sick of festive food and just craving a tin of beans, but...

BIRTHDAY SPECIAL 2024 - EPISODE 100 (featuring Michael Moorcock)

17 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's Mike's birthday... It's Phil's birthday... It's our centenary... For this one, we have a very special guest. It's Michael Moorcock! Also, me and ...

The King of the Swords Part One

09 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Simon Perrins is back in Derry and Toms to pick up the third instalment of the first Corum trilogy. Many delights await as Mike puts his foot down on ...

The Book Lovers - a Conversation with Steve Aylett

22 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Steve Aylett, Moorcock's favourite modern absurdist and one-man genre, drops by Derry and Toms to talk about his work, satire and his latest novel The...

Warhounds and Witch Hammers (MM & RPGs VIII maybe?)

12 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

For this almost-delve into Moorcock's dark and inspired quest fantasy The Warhound and the World's Pain, I'm joined by author, playwright and Games Ma...

Halloween Special 2024 - Guy N Smith's SABAT

30 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The patrons spoke and this year's full-bore Halloween Special is Sabat - The Graveyard Vultures (and more) by Guy N Smith... It's fair to say that thi...

SLIMER (Halloween 2024 continues)

21 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this, our third (?) Halloween episode for 2024, we tackle the book Loz describes as, "crass, bluff and gittish"! It's SLIMER... our second experien...

The House on the Borderland (Halloween 2024)

14 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We are firmly in our Halloween groove. The eco-horror of Pisces Rising may have given us a light step into the season, but now we're up to our necks i...

Breakfast with Robert (a Prelude to Bastable)

08 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this bonus fix-up episode, I meet up with our pen-pal Robert MacMillan in a coffee shop in Bradford to set the scene for our journey into the worl...

PISCES RISING (Tales From Pops's Coffee Table)

04 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's October already so it's time for Graham to return for our traditional Halloween period of exploring killer critter features and, from time to ti...

BARBARIAN BINGO -Thongor and Brak

12 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

From the North he came, to seek knowledge and fortune. Cast out by his tribe for offending Ulfr, God of the Wastes, he is driven by mirth, restrained ...

BEFORE ARMAGEDDON

03 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

New traveller Liam Jones drops by Derry & Toms to discuss one of his favourite things... Victorian Invasion literature... as we tackle the Moorco...

Hither Came Conan

16 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Dave is back in Derry & Toms to talk about some stories that were as formative for him as they were for me back in our teens... The Robert E Howar...

Moorcock & RPGs Part VII - Reflections on The Void

06 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Pig-bombs, priests in daisy dukes, dressing down the Theocrat of Pan Tang and getting torn apart by dogs are just some of the highlights as I’m join...

The Coming of the Terraphiles - Part Two

17 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Miles is back to carry on our deep dive into Mike's Who/Multiverse mash-up and also talk about Ncuti's first run, the Timeless Child arc, writing Who ...

The Land That Time Forgot

27 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Allister Thompson returns to Derry and Toms as we hurtle back to 1918 and brave the cold waters of the Atlantic to take a look at The Land That Time ...

(The Coming of) The Coming of the Terraphiles

06 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

FINALLY! After all this dancing around the subject of Michael Moorcock writing for the iconic Doctor Who IP and talking Alien and Quatermass and Blake...

Blake's 7 by Trevor Hoyle

15 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Join my co-conspirator John and me as we board the Civil Administration ship London where our brutally oppressive crew sets the speed to Time Distort...

The Blade in the Angel's Shadow w/ Andy Darby

30 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Andy Darby is back in Derry and Toms to talk about his all-new novel, The Blade in the Angel's Shadow! Enochian madness, brutal sieges, swordplay and ...

QUATERMASS

16 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Andrew Nette returns to Derry and Toms as we continue to muse over some formative telly, novelisations and other stuff but on this occasion to talk ab...

ALIEN: When IPs collide (Colony Wars and Cold Forges)

02 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In our continued deliberations about tackling Michael Moorcock's Doctor Who novel The Coming of the Terraphiles, several questions about the pitfalls ...

The Weird of the White Wolf

19 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Loz returns to Derry & Toms to talk about the remaining tales we haven't covered that complete Michael Moorcock's The Weird of the White Wolf.  ...

New Edges For Old Heroes w/ Oliver Brackenbury

27 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Oliver Brackenbury returns to Derry & Toms to talk about the next phase of his excellent mag New Edge Sword and Sorcery. Moorcock talk, uncovering...

Options (Robert Sheckley)

20 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Derek AKA Imrryr returns to Derry and Toms to talk about fellow New Yorker Robert Sheckley, the late master of SF satire and absurdist parables, and ...

The Time of the Hawklords

29 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

So it turns out there's a 'Britain is Fucked' novel about Hawkwind tonning around in a van fighting ghosts and squares with guns that shoot their musi...

Snowcastles - A (Belated) One-Shit Book for Xmas

10 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Clarky the Cruel returns to Derry and Toms to revive the One-Shit Book (books that could potentially be read on one visit to the throne) format as we ...

Birthday Special 2023 - w/ Joe Monti of Saga Press

18 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this Birthday Special double-bill of salutations, Joe Monti (editorial Director at SAGA Press) drops by D&Ts to engage in day-drinking, Moorco...

The Queen of the Swords Part Two

07 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Simon Perrins (artist, graphic designer and co-host of Can I Pod With Madness) returns to Derry and Toms so we can finally conclude our re-read of the...

Memoriam & Other Realms of Chaos with Karl Willetts

17 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Power up your voxcaster, recite a litany of protection and light a lho stick as beer lover, wargamer and death metal LEGEND Karl Willetts braves the I...

Halloween Special 2023 - James Herbert’s DOMAIN

27 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Miles and Phil brave nuclear Armageddon, mutant rats, zoom meltdowns and horrific rabies treatment to join me in Derry & Toms and check out our pa...

The Legacy of Guy N Smith - a Conversation with Tara Paulsson

20 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this, the second blow of that one-two punch of GNS brain matter, Graham and I welcome Tara Paulsson to Derry and Toms to talk about her Dad and his...

CRABS ON THE RAMPAGE (Guy N Smith Re-revisited)

19 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Graham and Phil return to Derry and Toms to tackle our third adventure in the company of the mighty Professor Cliff Davenport in the first of a one-t...

Phoenix in Obsidian (The Silver Warriors) Part One

13 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Phil returns to Derry & Toms to tackle the second Erekosë volume - Pheonix in Obsidian, also known as The Silver Warriors in the USA. Misery, per...

Letters From Hollywood

15 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Chris (AKA Dirk the Dice) returns to Derry and  Toms to discuss Michael Moorcock's sort-of-memoir of his time in LA and wider California in Letters F...

The Fireclown (The Winds of Limbo)

29 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Andy Darby shakes off the Monkey for an evening and drops by D and Ts to take a look at one of Moorcock's 60s SF tales, The Fireclown (later retitled ...

The Fungus by Harry Adam Knight - an Uncosy Catastrophe

02 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Graham returns to Derry and Toms to pick up the chat regarding another Uncosy Catastrophe, on this occasion recommended by listener Paul Miles... 1985...

The Sword of the Dawn Book Two

14 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Dave returns to Derry & Toms to pick up our thread with The Sword of the Dawn Book Two, the third instalment in Michael Moorcock's epic The Histor...

GOR Blimey!!!

29 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Miles of the Casual Trek Podcast returns to Derry & Toms as we turn flagellant and cast our eyes over the first in John Norman's GOR series (and the C...

Tales From Strange Cupboards - Moorcock and RPGs Part VI

19 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For our latest exploration of multiversal gaming, friends of the show Dave and Steve bring games mastering knowledge and expertise to Derry and Toms ...

Black Swords & Storyboards - a Conversation with Goran Gligović

06 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Goran Gligović stopped by Derry and Toms to discuss his art and influences, as well as his work on the recently kickstarted Black Sword Hack: Ultimat...

The Queen of the Swords Book One

15 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Simon returns to D&Ts to look at the first part of the second volume of the adventures of Corum, Prince in the Scarlet Robe and tell us all about his ...

The Fortress of the Pearl Part Three

28 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Loz returns to Derry & Toms to brave the final gate (and the depredations of the beer slate) as we conclude our re-read of Michael Moorcock's 1989 Elr...

The Final Programme Phase IV - The Last Days of Man on Earth

06 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We're back in Derry and Toms in the company of Joe Banks to take a look at Robert Fuest's 1973 film take on Moorcock's The Final Programme (AKA The La...

New English Library - Bikermania

24 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Andrew Nette returns to Derry & Toms to look at the legendary UK publisher of horror, science fiction and alarmingly violent but sociologically savvy ...

The War of the Worlds

07 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Allister Thompson, musician and author of The Music of the Spheres, is back in Derry & Toms to talk about the scientific romance and hardcore disco pr...

The Sword of the Dawn - Book One

27 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Dave AKA SÖNUS returns to Derry & Toms and we pick up the exploits of Dorian Hawkmoon and his amusing companion Huillam D'Averc in The Sword of the D...

James Herbert’s The Dark - The Nature of the Uncosy Catastrophe Part One

13 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Graham and Miles join me in Derry & Toms to delve into more James Herbert disaster action and muse over the glut of uncosy catastrophes coming out of ...

New Edge Sword & Sorcery Magazine

01 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Oliver Brackenbury drops by Derry & Toms to give us the low down on New Edge Sword & Sorcery, his new anthology magazine heading to Kickstarter around...

The Fortress of the Pearl - Part Two

25 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Loz returns to Derry & Toms to pick up our coverage of The Fortress of the Pearl, muse on Elric's 'nice guy' characterisation, grumble at Jack Three-B...

The Devils of D-Day 2: Manitou Boogalou

06 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

After falling foul of birthday libations first time around, we're back to finish our exploration of Graham Masterton's The Devils of D-Day.   The ...

Moorcock, Art & Comics II - Saga of the Man Elf

30 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Simon is back in Derry & Toms to carry on our chinwagging and this time we're joined by Guy Lawley, author of Saga of the Man Elf. This 1989 five issu...

Birthday/Xmas Special 2022 - The Devils of D-Day (Part I)

20 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Another year has flown by and we return to Derry and Toms for our fourth annual Phil and MM birthday special and celebrate another year on the planet....

Moorcock, Art & Comics (and more) PART I

25 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Simon Perrins joins me in Derry and Toms to discuss Moorcock, art, comics, Tolkien, TV adaptations, role-playing games, tortured poet musicians we ado...

Halloween Special 2022 - THE FOG (James Herbert)

30 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Phil and Graham return to Derry and Toms to gas about James Herbert's second novel, 1975's The Fog. One year on from The Rats he's back terrorising ...

Me and the Monkey - Chronicles of the Monkey God Vol. I

24 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Andy Darby joins me in virtual Derry and Toms to talk his tales of the Monkey God, Moorcock, and lots of other stuff including reminiscences about Jo...

The Black Corridor

17 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

  Derek AKA Imrryr joins me in Derry and Toms to discuss this choice piece of 60s SF courtesy of Moorcock and Hilary Bailey, as well as his new...

The Mad God’s Amulet Book Two

30 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Dave (AKA SÖNUS) is back in Derry and Toms to pick up the second and concluding part of our quest for The Mad God's Amulet.   Join us as we disco...

Moorcock and RPGs Part V - Stormbringer Redux!

05 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Ted AKA @tedankhamen joins me in Derry and Toms for the second leaf of our Summer diptych musing on Moorcock, gaming and whatever else enters our eye...

Moorcock and RPGs Part IV - Sandboxing the Multiverse

27 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We're back in Derry and Toms to talk gaming again, this time with CLARKY THE CRUEL. Dave gets shocked by the crap number of TV channels we had in t...

The Art of Bob Haberfield (1938 - 2021)

30 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After 40 years of obsessing over the Mayflower covers of Bob Haberfield, Dave and I get to wig out and talk to Ben Haberfield about his Dad's life, ar...

The Winds of Gath (EC Tubb) - an Old Pier Bookshop Special

19 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Phil returns to Derry & Toms as we visit Morecambe's (and perhaps the world's) premier second hand book vendor to select a candidate for the first ev...

The Mad God’s Amulet - Book One (Hawkmoon)

17 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Dave AKA SÖNUS returns to Derry and Toms to dive into the fast-paced and very metal, yet weirdly just OK-ish first part of The Mad God's Amulet, seco...

The Fortress of the Pearl - Part One (Elric)

09 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Loz returns to Derry & Toms to revisit an old adversary, Michael Moorcock's The Fortress of the Pearl. Join us and marvel at our declining energy. ...

My Experiences in the Third World War

16 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

  Finally, we're back at Derry & Toms to take a look at the 1980 Moorcock collection My Experiences in the Third World War. Along the way Phil and I ...

To Rescue Tanelorn / SÖNUS - Usurper of the Universe

05 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Dave AKA SÖNUS is back in Derry & Toms to celebrate the release of his second cut - USURPER OF THE UNIVERSE - out now on Forbidden Place Records. As ...

Birthday Show 2021 - Reflections on 2 & a bit years of Breakfasting in the Ruins

18 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Another year down and this is our third show celebrating Mike Moorcock and Phil's birthdays. It's also the Breakfast in the Ruins podcast's second bir...

Guy N Smith Revisited - Crabs‘ Moon

14 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

After the Halloween Special we couldn't stay away. Phil needed to know how the Crabs came to be. Where did they come from? What do they want?   So...

Dangerous Visions and New Worlds w/ Andrew Nette

19 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Andrew Nette, journalist, writer and lover of all things pulp, joins me in Derry and Toms to talk about his new book Dangerous Visions and New Worlds ...

Halloween Special 2021 - Night of the Crabs by Guy N Smith

31 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The patrons have spoken.   This year's Halloween Special looks at the classic New English Library killer critter classic, Night of the Crabs by Gu...

The Final Programme Phase Three

04 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Hussein is back in Derry & Toms to triumphantly conclude our epic coverage of The Final Programme. We talk parties... get older... and add Rhyll to th...

Days of the Underground w/ Joe Banks

31 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We're back in Derry and Toms Once again via the Ladbroke Grove counter-culture scene, this time in the company of journalist and author Joe banks as w...

The Music of the Spheres

29 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Musician and author Allister Thompson navigates the frozen Northern Wastes (Canada) to join me in Derry and Toms and talk about Moorcock, music, writi...

Wizardry and Wild Romance

29 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Grognard Files host Dirk the Dice joins me at Derry and Toms to investigate Wizardry and Wild Romance, Moorcock's critical appraisal of the field of ...

Moorcockian Music - SÖNUS and Imrryr

11 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In search of Moorcock-tinged sonic experiences and the stories behind them we pack up and hit the road on a coast to coast trip across the USA to talk...

Moorcock and RPGs Part Three - A Deep Fix?

11 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In the third and final part of our Moorcockian RPG triptych Rob (aka OldShabbyGamer), host of the Confessions of a Wee Tim'rous Bushi podcast, joins m...

Dannus - The Dark Straits of Reglathium (a one-shit book?)

21 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Tash is back in Derry & Toms as we embark upon an epic quest to the Jennithusian Continent to search for the perfect one-shit book! Is it Mike Sirota'...