Sam and Dan review Green City Wars by Adrian Tchaikovsky.

SPOILER ALERT: This episode contains spoilers. We strongly recommend reading this book before listening.

Join us as we explore Green City Wars, a unique sci-fi adventure set in a world of genetically modified animals, ambitious world-building, and complex philosophical ideas. We discuss how Adrian Tchaikovsky blends science fiction with social commentary, creating a future society that is both fascinating and deeply unsettling.

We dive into the novel's unconventional narrative style, its sprawling cast of animal characters and the challenges of balancing expansive world-building with emotional connection. Along the way, we unpack the book's exploration of morality, environmentalism, technology, and the value of life, as well as its ideas around post-scarcity society, labour, and humanity's dependence on the mysterious drug, Plangent.

From the strengths of its imaginative setting to its pacing, plot reveals, and thought-provoking themes, we discuss what worked, what didn't, and whether Green City Wars lives up to the high expectations we've come to have for Adrian Tchaikovsky's work.

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Sam and Dan discuss Songs of the Dead by Brandon Sanderson and Peter Orullian.

SPOILER ALERT: This episode contains spoilers. We strongly recommend reading this book before listening.

Join us as we discuss why Songs of the Dead became a rare DNF (Did Not Finish) for both of us. We explore where the novel falls short, from its overly complex magic system and difficult-to-connect-with characters to a world that never quite feels as compelling as its ambitious premise suggests.

We also dive into the challenges of collaborative writing, questioning how much Brandon Sanderson's influence can be felt throughout the novel and whether the partnership ultimately works. Along the way, we discuss the integration of music and magic, the effectiveness of the world-building, the portrayal of London as a setting, and why the story struggles to establish meaningful stakes and relatable protagonists.

From fantasy tropes and genre conventions to the balance between originality and readability, we unpack why this was a book we couldn't bring ourselves to finish—and what we think other fantasy authors can learn from it.

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Sam and Dan review I Hear a New World, the second book in the Long London series by Alan Moore.

SPOILER ALERT: This episode contains spoilers. We strongly recommend reading this book before listening.

Join us as we return to the strange and surreal world of Long London to discuss whether I Hear a New World lives up to the promise of The Great When. We explore the novel's shifting structure, dense prose, and dreamlike narrative, as the boundaries between Long London and short London become increasingly blurred.

We also dive into the book's central themes of change, gentrification, and cultural transformation in post-war London, asking what Alan Moore is really trying to say about history, progress, and the city itself. Along the way, we debate the relationship between Dennis and Grace, the role of sex and desire in the story, and whether some of the novel's characters and plot developments feel fully realised or are laying the groundwork for future instalments.

From its rich symbolism and real-world cultural references to its atmospheric storytelling and unconventional approach to plot, we unpack what worked, what didn't, and where we think the Long London series is heading next.

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