On this very special episode of First Chapters, Engineer Mike and Nina are joined in Gray Cat Studios by a very special guest, Dr. Richard Scott Nokes (aka Professor Awesome of Pop Medieval fame)! He's here to get Nina through a classic work -- just in time for the second season of a certain elf-y show. Will Nina find dry, scholarly notes about epic high fantasy tolerable, or will she descend into the darkness and devour herself?

Digressions: Doc's own eye of Sauron, Engineer Mike confusing authors for other authors (again), Warhammer 40k (again), nerd worlds colliding, the semi death of the Pop Medieval podcast, preferring extended versions of movies, the last season of GoT (again), the Silmarillion as kaballah, Nina mispronouncing words (again), improv jazz, the avot, Verner Vinge (again), putting some respect on Christopher Tolkein's name, and spoiling the second season of The Rings of Power with some canon truth bombs.

Doc is reading: "The Virga Series" on Audible https://www.audible.com/series/Virga-Audiobooks/B09SM67VZ7

"The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England" by Brandon Sanderson https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60531410-the-frugal-wizard-s-handbook-for-surviving-medieval-england

Engineer Mike is reading: "Bea Wulf" by Zach Weinersmith https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60316971-bea-wolf

"The Mote in God's Eye" by Larry Niven https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/100365.The_Mote_in_God_s_Eye

Nina is reading: "The Tolkein Companion" by JEA Tyler https://www.amazon.com/Tolkien-Companion-J-Tyler/dp/0517146487/

Nina celebrates a milestone birthday, so Engineer Mike offers up Old Man's War by John Scalzi. Will she read it, or will she take offense?

Digressions: Cyberpunk 20-something, the ridiculously named Rhode Island, the Biblical origins of Nina and Engineer Mike, the impending world tour, Crash and other less impressive works, a mini rant on Heinlein, the cult of the Raelians, self-insert characters, and old handheld technology in SF novels.

Engineer Mike is reading: "Apostles of Mercy" by Lindsay Ellis https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/195790939-apostles-of-mercy

Nina is reading: "Justin Timberlake once admitted to getting 'completely plastered,' doing his fair share of drugs when there are 'no cameras around'" https://pagesix.com/2024/06/18/entertainment/justin-timberlake-once-admitted-to-getting-completely-plastered-doing-his-fair-share-of-drugs/

And...the Raeliens Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ra%C3%ABlism

WHO LET THEY GOONS OUT THAT HOUSE? (Engineer Mike, that's who!) WHO OUT THERE TALKIN ALL THAT MOUTH? (That's Nina.) With many apologies to Beyonce, this week they're reading Piranesi, by Susanna Clarke.

Digressions: Ghost tackling, Engineer Mike's para-social relationships, academic flexing, Platonic pontificating, evoking the Satanic Verses to make a point, praising short books, and "raw, uncut, Detroit-made talent."

Engineer Mike is reading Virga: Cities of the Air by Karl Schroeder https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8478257-virga

Nina is reading Disney War by James B. Stewart https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/414096.Disney_War