9: Second First Book of a Series

Recorded December 14, 2019

This week Nate and Ryan decide to put 2019 to rest by talking about some of their favorite things from the past year. With a number of trips, movies, games, and a brand new (used) car; it has been an eventful one. Then, not learning from the disaster that was Ume Pepsi, they subject themselves to another new drink: Peach and Pear Tea Soda. The media this week was their pick of favorite book they read that was published in 2019 -- The Bayern Agenda by Dan Moren. In their discussion of the book, they talk about character development, world-building, and snark. Basically, everything that makes this an excellent second first book in a series.

Favorite Games

• Ryan's Launched in 2019 Pick: Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers (expansion) - Amazon.com, Amazon.co.jp
• Nate's Played in 2019 Pick: Whirly Word
• Ryan's Played in 2019 Picks:
  • Valkyria Chronicles IV - Amazon.com, Amazon.co.jp
  • Monster Hunter World - Amazon.com, Amazon.co.jp
• Other favorites
  • Kingdom Hearts III
  • AI: The Somnium Files
  • The Outer Worlds
  • Cooking Fever
  • Mini Metro
  • Nioh 1
  • Phoenix Wright
  • Rime

Favorite Movies of 2019

• Nate's Pick: Mary Poppins Return - IMDb, Amazon.com, Amazon.co.jp
• Ryan's Picks:
  • Tenki no ko (Weathering With You) - IMDb
  • Avengers: Endgame - IMDb, Amazon.com, Amazon.co.jp
• Other favorites:
  • A Beautiful Day In the Neighborhood - IMDb, Amazon.com

Favorite Movies / TV Shows Watched in 2019

• Nate's and Ryan's Movie Pick: Spider-Man: Into the Spider Verse - IMDb, Amazon.com, Amazon.co.jp
• Ryan's TV Show Pick: Farscape - IMDb, Amazon.com, Amazon.co.jp
• Nate's TV Show Pick: For All Mankind - IMDb, Apple.com
• Other favorites:
  • Spacewalk - IMDb, Amazon.com
  • Atomic Blonde - IMDb, Amazon.com, Amazon.co.jp
  • The Time Traveler's Wife - IMDb, Amazon.com, Amazon.co.jp
  • The Orville - IMDb

Favorite Trips

• Ryan's Pick: Kobe, Miyajima, Himeji
• Nate's Pick: Hotel Karuizawa 1130
• Other favorites:
  • Izu Peninsula
  • Fukushima

Favorite New Thing

• Nate's Pick: Honda Stepwgn (Japanese link)
• Ryan's Pick: iPhone 11
• Other Favorites
  • iPhone 11 Pro

Peach & Pear Tea Soda

• Kirin Announcement (Japanese link)

The Bayern Agenda

• Amazon.com
• Amazon.co.jp
• Related media
  • The Caledonian Gambit (previous first book) - Amazon.com, Amazon.co.jp
  • The Aleph Extraction (future next book) - Amazon.com, Amazon.co.jp

Theme by Michael AD https://soundcloud.com/michael-ad/the-deep-end used with permission