Fantology

#382 2025 Year in Review + Upcoming in 2026

26 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We review happenings in 2025 and look forward to 2026 fantasy and sci-fi content!Next Up: Pluribus Check us out on YouTube:https://youtube.com/c/Fanto...

#381 2025 Fantology Games

19 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The full Fantology 5 are on for an end of the year celebration. Play along at home and guess the mystery book titles and series descriptions!Next Up: ...

#380 The Running Man by Stephen King

12 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ben and Josh team up to review The Running Man, by Stephen King Next Up: 2025 Year in Review Check us out on YouTube:https://youtube.com/c/FantologyPo...

#379 The Strength of the Few by James Islington, Full Spoilers

05 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We're wrapping up our coverage of The Strength of the Few by James Islington with a full spoiler review of the book!Next Up: The Running Man by St...

#378 James Islington Interview, Full Spoilers The Strength of the Few

28 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have you read The Strength of the Few yet? Tune in as we pepper James Islington with spoiler questions!Next Up: The Strength of the Few by James Islin...

#377 Brigands and Breadknives by Travis Baldree

21 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Another Legends & Lattes followup! How did Brigands & Breadknives change the cozy fantasy formula and did it work?Next Up: James Islington int...

#376 A Judgement of Powers by Benedict Jacka

14 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Stephen Oakwood is back with a game changing third book. Light on action, but heavy on series importance!Next Up: Brigands and Breadknives by Travis B...

#375 11.22.63 by Stephen King

07 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As promised, Stephen made 11.22.63 his first Stephen King book. Tune in for a full review and our time travel strategies!Next Up: Daughter of the Othe...

#374 James Islington introduces The Strength of the Few. No Spoilers!

31 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

James Islington joins the show and previews his much anticipated new release, The Strength of the Few. No spoilers!Next Up: 11/22/63 by Stephen King C...

#373 The Lost War by Justin Lee Anderson

24 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Lost War by Justin Lee Anderson takes a massive swing on a game changing twist...and it works! Tune in for our full review.Next Up: Daughter of th...

#372 What Makes A Video Game Adaptation Work?

17 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Which stories have worked as video games and which haven't? What is it about the different mediums that drive successful stories?Next Up: Daughter...

#371 Katabasis by RF Kuang

03 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Nothing says Hell like graduate school! Katabasis is a dark academia that is probably more literary than fantasy. How well did it work?Next Up: Daught...

#370 Stephen King Recommendations

26 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Let's recommend one Stephen King book to Fantology host Stephen, who has committed to giving King a shot. Which one will he choose? Tune in!Next U...

#369 The Strength of the Few by James Islington NO SPOILERS

19 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Our most anticipated book of 2025! No spoilers here, but tune in for a preview of what you can expect in book two of The Hierarchy by James Islington ...

#368 Wednesday Season 2

12 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After way too long of a wait, Wednesday season 2 is out! Did the campy horror vibe continue to deliver?Next Up: The Strength of the Few by James Islin...

#367 The Science of Book Ratings

05 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How do we rate books? What boosts ratings and what tanks them? Can a book recover from a bad start? Will a poor ending forever taint a story? All ques...

#366 Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb

29 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Liveship Traders trilogy is a longtime favorite of Stephen's. But did Ben and Josh see Ship of Magic the same way in their recent introduction...

#365 Audible vs Authors

22 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Audible is moving in a concerning direction for authors - let's talk about what this means and what the future may hold. Thanks Daniel Greene for ...

#364 The Levels of Fantasy

15 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Fantasy has levels obviously, but how do we define them? We review Daniel Greene's method and offer some tweaks and then place our favorite series...

#363 Isles of the Emberdark by Brandon Sanderson

08 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The latest secret project goes deeper into the future, and more into science fiction than ever before! But is this a good thing? Tune in for the full ...

#362 Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

01 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It really is embarrassing that it's taken us this long to read what is already a sci-fi classic in Project Hail Mary. What makes it work so well? ...

#361 SFF Shipping Showdown

25 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Valentine's is a long way off, but don't tell our lovely contestants! Tune in for a quirky fantasy shipping game show.Next Up: Project Hail Ma...

#360 Murderbot Season 1, Episodes 6-10

18 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Murderbot season 1 has wrapped and we have thoughts! What would it take to improve this to a 10/10 show? And how are they going to adapt season 2?Next...

#359 Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb

11 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For too long Fantology has passed on reviewing Robin Hobb! That time comes to a close as Jake has started the Farseer trilogy. Tune in for reflections...

#358 Jade Legacy by Fonda Lee

04 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join us for a goodbye tribute to Kekon & the Kaul family. The Greenbone Saga has produced some all time characters for Stephen, but did Josh &...

#357 Reaper's Gale by Steven Erikson, Parts 3-4

27 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Witness! Jake and Stephen have finished Reaper's Gale. We discuss which plotlines exceeded expectations and which ones were exceedingly confusingNext ...

#356 Way of Thrones Fancasting ft. Friends Talking Fantasy

20 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Dylan from Friends Talking Fantasy joins the gang for a fancasting episode! Using an idea from Norwestcon, we're casting the Stormlight Archive ad...

#355 Murderbot on Apple+ Episodes 1-5

13 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Jake and Stephen review the first five episodes of Murderbot on Apple+. We chat through the humor and pacing of the show and debate if Alexander Skars...

#354 The Last of Us Season 2

06 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Season 2 of The Last of Us had plenty of shock and awe, but after seven episodes how did it measure up?Next Up: Reaper's Gale by Steven EriksonChe...

#353 The Wheel of Time on Prime CANCELLED

30 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Say it ain't so! The Wheel of Time has been cancelled. But why? Was this inevitable? And can the show be saved?Next Up: Reaper's Gale by Steve...

#352 Jade War by Fonda Lee

23 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We are continuing through the Greenbone Saga by Fonda Lee with book 2, Jade War. Stephen loves the series, but what do Josh and Ryan think?Next Up: Re...

#351 The Devils by Joe Abercrombie, Full Spoilers

16 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

 Jake and Stephen revisit The Devils, an entertaining new romp by Joe Abercrombie that will be up for best fantasy of the year!Next Up: Reaper's...

#350 Reaper's Gale by Steven Erikson, Parts 1 & 2

09 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Jake and Stephen are back into Malazan! Check out our first time reader impressions of the first half of Reaper's Gale Next Up: The Devils by Joe ...

# 349 Norwescon 47: Our experience as panelists

02 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Stephen and Jake were invited to attend Norwescon 47 as panelists! Tune in for our first big exposure to the world of SFF conventions.Next Up: Reaper'...

#348 The Wheel of Time Season 3 Episodes 7-8

25 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

That's a wrap for season 3 of The Wheel of Time. It wasn't perfect, but we definitely want to see more!Next Up: Reaper's Gale by Steven Er...

# 347 Worldbuilding A Las Vegas Urban Fantasy

17 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tune in as Josh details his urban fantasy series idea and Stephen tries to help him flesh it out!Next Up: Reaper's Gale by Steven Erikson Check us...

#346 The Wheel of Time Season 3 Episodes 4-6

10 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Season 3, Episode 4 was the best of the series! Did episodes 5 and 6 keep the momentum going? If aren't watching, check out The Wheel of Time on P...

#345 Mickey 7 by Edward Ashton vs Mickey 17

04 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Mickey 17 (movie) vs Mickey 7 (book) - how did they differ and which was better? And Robert Pattinson, take a bow!Next Up: Reaper's Gale by Steven...

#5 The Witcher Season 1

02 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I took a break from the books to watch Netflix's The Witcher. This review is from a book reader's perspective - and I'm happy to report it's a solid s...

#344 Severance Season 2 Finale

28 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Finally, some answers! We break down the ending to one of the best seasons of TV we've seen in awhile.Next Up: Reaper's Gale by Steven Erikson...

#343 The Wheel of Time Season 3 Episodes 1-3

20 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Season 3 is definitively better... and the show is getting rave reviews! What has changed here? And is it sustainable?Next Up: Reaper's Gale by St...

#342 Daredevil: Born Again, Episodes 1-3

14 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The man without fear is back! But is Daredevil's return to the small screen a worthy follow up to the three season Netflix run? And no, nothing in...

#341 Severance Season 2 Episodes 1-7 Review

06 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This review of Severance through Season 2 Episode 7 is mysterious and important.Next Up: Reaper's Gale by Steven EriksonCheck us out on YouTube:https:...

#340 The Devils by Joe Abercrombie NO SPOILERS

28 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

No spoilers, but tune in for some hype and our take on what you can expect from one of the most anticipated books of the year, The Devils by Joe Aberc...

#339 The Wheel of Time Season 3 Primer + Trailer Review

21 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Wheel of Time is back for a make or break third season in March! The good news? They appear to be closely following some of the best source materi...

#338 Author Draft + Book Battle!

14 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Author faceoff! We each draft four SFF authors and pit their books against each other. Which team of authors has written the best books? Tune in!Next ...

#337 Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

07 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone else is talking about it, so we had to join in! Ben and the women of Fantology talk through Onyx Storm and form a tier list of the biggest sc...

#336 A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

31 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Shades of Magic series by V.E. Schwab has been popular for years, and we're finally getting to it! Tune in for our review of this maybe-urban ...

#335 Hyperion by Dan Simmons, Chapters 5-6 and Conclusion

24 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

All hail the Shrike! We have completed our pilgrimage through the first Hyperion book. Tune in for our opinions of the final two tales as well as some...

#334 Which subgenre has the best characters?

17 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Stephen, Jake & Ryan enter the arena to definitively decide if sci-fi, epic fantasy or grimdark has the best characters! Which genre do you suppor...

#333 Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson | Full Review Part 2

10 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This concludes our Wind and Truth coverage! We grade Josh's predictions and then empty our notebooks on the many, many talking points for Stormlight 5...

#332 Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson | Full Review Part 1

03 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Part 1 of our full review, including thoughts on negative booktube reactions, favorite moments, and Cosmere speculation Next Up: Wind and Truth, Full...

#331 Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson, Days 1-5

18 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Full review and recap of the action of days 1-5 of Wind and Truth. Spoilers ahead - but only for the first half of the book Next Up: Wind and Truth: D...

#330 Dragonsteel Nexus 2024 Recap

10 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We went to Dragonsteel Nexus! Tune in for an inside look at what the convention was like and a dramatic anecdote about how we secured the elusive hera...

#329 Wind and Truth Theories and Guarantees

05 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Wind and Truth is nearly here! Spend the last day of anticipation with us as we theory craft and issue some Fantology guarantees for what we'll see in...

#328 Wind and Truth: What you need to know

29 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Tune in for a full who's-who of the Stormlight Archive as we recap all the events leading up to the big release of Wind and Truth! Next Up: Theories ...

#327 The Daughters' War by Christopher Buehlman

22 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Looking for a dark fantasy world overrun with goblins that are actually terrifying? The Daughters' War is a worthy, albeit very different, prequel to ...

#326 Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch

15 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We tried a new urban fantasy! Tune in for our review of Ben Aaronovitch's Rivers of London book #1, aka Midnight Riot in the US Next Up: The Daughter...

#325 Jade City by Fonda Lee

08 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It is my honor to present, at long last, our first review of The Greenbone Saga. Check out our takes on Jade City, by Fonda Lee Next Up: The Daughter...

#324 Vampire Film Adaptations Through the Ages

31 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Happy Halloween! Let's talk about horror adaptations. What has worked, and what hasn't?Next Up: The Daughters' War by Christopher BuehlmanCheck us out...

#323 'Salem's Lot by Stephen King

25 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The October month of horror continues with our review of Stephen King's classic, 'Salem's Lot Next Up: The Daughters' War by Christopher Buehlman Ch...

#322 The Rings of Power Season 2 Full Review

18 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Tune in for a full spoiler review of season 2 of Rings of Power with Justin, our Tolkien lore extraordinaire. How did you like season 2? Next Up: The...

#321 An Instruction in Shadow by Benedict Jacka

15 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

New release alert! An Instruction of Shadow is a strong second entry in Benedict Jacka's Stephen Oakwood series. The first half of our review is non-s...

#320 I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

11 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Our October horror romp continues! This time we're checking out zombies? in I Am Legend, by Richard Matheson Next Up: The Daughters' War by Christoph...

#319 Dracula by Bram Stoker

04 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Spooky season! We throw it way back to the classics with the dawn of vampires, credit to Bram Stoker Next Up: The Daughters' War by Christopher Buehl...

#318 Hyperion by Dan Simmons Chapters 3 & 4

27 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this Hyperion installment, we are covering the poet and the scholar's tales. Which stories did you enjoy the most? Our choice was unanimous! N...

#317 The Land of the Living and the Dead by Shauna Lawless | No Spoilers + Full Spoilers

17 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Gael Song trilogy has come to an end with The Land of the Living and the Dead by Shauna Lawless. How happy are we with the conclusion? Tune in! N...

#316 The Rings of Power Season 2 Episodes 1-4

13 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We're halfway through season 2 of The Rings of Power. Has season 2 been an improvement? Tune in for our takes!Next Up: The Land of the Living and ...

#315 We play the Cosmere RPG Beta Adventure

06 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This is a long one! We play through a full one-shot of the bridge nine beta adventure of Sanderson's recently announced Cosmere RPG. Tune in if yo...

#314 Murderbot 6 & 7 by Martha Wells

30 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Mission complete! We are up to date with the Murderbot Diaries. Tune in for our review of Fugitive Telemetry and System Collapse. Next Up: Cosmere RP...

#313 Wind and Truth: Prologue & Chapters 1-6 by Brandon Sanderson

23 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Full Cosmere spoilers! We chat through the pre-released prologue and chapters 1-6 of Wind and Truth. Next Up: Murderbot Diaries 6-7 by Martha Wells ...

#312 Hyperion by Dan Simmons - Part 2

16 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Our journey through Hyperion continues! Tune in for discussion of part two, the soldier's tale. Next Up: Murderbot 6 & 7 by Martha Wells Che...

#311 House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 8

09 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Season 2 is complete! Was the finale really as much of a disappointment as the internet says? Next Up: Murderbot Diaries 6-7 by Martha Wells Check u...

#310 House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 7

02 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Lowborn bastards riding dragons? Has Rhaenyra gone too far? Is there any hope for the greens to beat her now? We discuss. Next Up: Murderbot Diaries ...

#309 House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 6

26 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Another dragon has been claimed! But is this good for the blacks or greens? Also, is Rhaenera "too good"? Next Up: Murderbot Diaries 6-7 by Martha W...

#308 House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 5

19 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The action slowed down in episode 5, but we were still entertained! Tune in to hear what most intrigued us. Next Up: Murderbot Diaries 6-7 by Martha ...

#307 House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 4

19 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The biggest dragon set piece that we've seen on the show yet? Who isn't here for it?? Next Up: Murderbot Diaries 6-7 by Martha Wells Check u...

#306 House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 3

05 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The best scene in the season so far...and maybe the whole show? Tune in to hear why!Next Up: Murderbot Diaries 6-7 by Martha WellsCheck us out on YouT...

#305 House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 2

28 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Episode 2 was heavy on character, light on action... until that big ending! Tune in to see how it landed for us. Next Up: Murderbot Diaries 6-7 by Ma...

#304 House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 1

21 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Episode 1 launched season 2 off, all gas no brakes! But is it possible that the show is actually pulling some punches? Next Up: Murderbot Diaries 6-7...

#303 House of the Dragon Season 2 Hype

14 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome back to Westeros! We couldn't be more excited to be back in the lovely land of blood and fire. Tune in for our general hype for S2 of Hous...

#302 Hyperion Part 1 by Dan Simmons

07 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ben may have called it a bad recommendation, but that didn't stop Fantology from starting this sci-fi epic! Tune in for a primer on Hyperion and o...

#301 We Are Legion (We Are Bob) by Dennis E. Taylor

31 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

At long last, Fantology has entered the Bobiverse! Tune in to get our opinion on this quirky sci-fi tale.Next Up: Hyperion by Dan Simmons, Part 1Check...

#300 Can a bad TV/Movie adaptation ruin a SFF IP?

24 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Can a bad adaptation forever soil the taste of a treasured story? Can a good adaptation elevate a previously disregarded tale? We debate! Next Up: We...

#299 Shogun Season 1

17 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Shogun was an absolute masterpiece. Tune in to hear Ryan and Stephen gush about the show! Next Up: Episode 300?!? Check us out on YouTube: https://y...

#298 Network Effect by Martha Wells

10 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Network Effect is just what we wanted as Murderbot fans: a full length book! Tune in to see if we liked it as much as the initial novellas.Next Up: Sh...

#297 Secret Project 5 Preview

03 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We know A LOT about Secret Project 5 already! Tune in to hear all about the first 3 prerelease chapters and our theories for what the to expect in [Ti...

#296 Fallout Season 1

26 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Another solid video game adaptation? Fallout is the best video game show since The Last of Us. Tune in to hear why! Next Up: Murderbot Diaries 5-7 by...

#295 Dune 1984 vs Dune 2024

19 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We watched the David Lynch 1984 Dune. Let's compare the original to the modern version! Does anything in the cult classic stand the test of time? ...

#294 3 Body Problem - Season 1

12 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Netflix's 3 Body Problem adaption is one of the most ambitious sci-fi projects we've ever seen. Tune in to see how well it landed! Next Up: 1...

#293 The Murderbot Diaries 1-4 by Martha Wells

05 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Murderbot Diaries are a masterclass in novella structure. The contained individual stories with a larger continuous arc makes for great reading! P...

#292 Will we ever see another Harry Potter level phenomenon?

29 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We welcome our friend Jeff to discuss the future of entertainment. Will we ever see another Harry Potter level phenomenon?Next Up: The Murderbot Diari...

#291 Dreams of Fire by Shauna Lawless

22 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Dreams of Fire is a fantastic prequel novella in The Gael Song Saga that is perfect as either a first entry into the world or a follow up for an estab...

#290 Dune: Part Two

15 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Dune Part 2 was awesome. That's a given. But how awesome? How does it compare to The Lord of Rings?Next Up: Dreams of Fire by Shauna Lawless Check...

#289 The Bonehunters by Steven Erikson, Part 2/2

09 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Stephen and Jake have finally finished The Bonehunters! Check out our review and best attempts to unravel some Malazan mysteries.Next Up: Dune: Part 2...

#288 Really really bad SFF book recommendations

01 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ever received a review so bad that it forever changed your personal review of the author of said recommendation? Tune in to hear our experiences! Nex...

#287 Empire of Silence by Christopher Ruocchio

23 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Tune in for our full review of Empire of Silence, book one of The Sun Eater series by Christopher Ruocchio! Next Up: The Bonehunters by Steven Erikso...

#286 Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere Tier List

16 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Who doesn't love a good tier list? Fresh off the Year of Sanderson, we update our ratings of all of Brandon's books. Play along at home with t...

#285 Light Bringer by Pierce Brown

09 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Light Bringer continues the momentum of Dark Age! It also continues to emotionally devastate us. Tune in to hear how!Next Up: Empire of Silence by Chr...

#284 Echo: Full Review of Marvel's TV Series

02 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Marvel's latest offering, Echo, has received a wide range of reviews. We don't like any of them! Tune in for a nuanced take on the show.Next U...