PODCAST · arts
First Chapters
by First Chapters Podcast
Hosts Nina MacNamara (author, cohost of Pop Medieval) and Engineer Mike (avid reader) examine popular, obscure, and eccentric works of literature to see if they truly hook the average reader -- in the first few chapters.
Episodes
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Ep 16: The Silmarillion by JRR Tolkein
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…
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Ep 15: Old Man’s War by John Scalzi
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...
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Ep 14: Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
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,...
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Ep 13: The Walking Drum by Louis L’amour
Engineer Mike convinces Nina to read a book by an author your parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents all know. Will it swash her buckle, or walk her plank? Digressions: Weeb shit, "suck my dick, America," confusing Larry McMurtry with Louis L'amour, more weeb shit, the broad umbrella of…
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Ep 12: Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu
Timely! Engineer Mike and Nina talk about the book on which the hit Netflix show is based. It's a "whammer" of book, but how far did Nina get? Digressions: throuples, teaching genital mutilation to our children, terrible Netflix movies, modern anti-intellectual parallels, Game of Thrones, are...
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Ep 11: A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge
In their most controversial episode yet, Engineer Mike and Nina debate the semantics of the word "chapter" with the book, Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge. Who is the author here, anyway? Digressions: Grammy winning singers, early '90's SF/horror movies, Buffy, cyber paganism, SF going through...
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Ep 10: Under the Skin by Michel Faber
Is this the first time Nina's LOVED a book? Digressions: Skarsgard (Mmm. Mmmhmmm), Scottish slang vs book slang, mouth breathing, the process of running a shady human farm, major body modifications, and Skarsgard (Mmm. Mmmhmm...). Engineer Mike is reading: A Masterpiece in Disarray: David Lynch's...
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Ep 9: Accelerando by Charles Stross
We're back with season two! Let's kick it off with a book by one of Engineer Mike's favorites. Do they have enough bandwidth to get through the first few chapters? TW: SA, animal abuse, and a spot on JP impression. Digressions: Female protagonists being gross, Engineer Mike's primary source, the...
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Ep 8: This Is What You Wanted by Nina MacNamara
A very special episode! As part of self-promotion and a demonstration of why she and Engineer Mike are doing this podcast in the first place, Nina discusses her latest book, This is What You Wanted. Does she accomplish this, or is this just pretentious nonsense?
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Ep 7: The City & the City by China Mieville
Nina and Engineer Mike put on their raincoats and invade a city somewhere in the former Soviet Block (they think) to solve a murder mystery. Can they get through the first chapter, or is this notorious author's prose too purple? Digressions: The Idol (again), the steampunk lifestyle, comparisons…
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Ep 6: The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin
Engineer Mike told Nina to read the wrong book! Can they roll with it, or will it blow up in their faces like a volcano? Digressions: Engineer Mike's hatred of democracy, making (podcast) relationships work when one party likes trash, the problem with trilogies, including TL;DRs in your books,...
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Ep 5: Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie
Engineer Mike complained enough and Nina finally picked up one of the most decorated books in SF history. TW: SA as a metaphor. Digressions: turgidity, pronouncing titles correctly, being an asshole in high school, Tenet feelings, Florida pronouns, Ursula K. Leguin guilt, Octavia Butler love, and...
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Ep 4: Gate of Ivrel by C.J. Cherryh
Nina struggles through the prologue of a dense but beloved recommendation from Engineer Mike. Will she walk through the Gate or turn around and head north? Digressions: Theoretical George R.R. Martin essays, a rant about The Idol, the problematic Arthurian book we don't talk about, the usefulness...
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Ep 3: The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders
Engineer Mike and Nina are caught in a teenage love triangle on a remote planet. Will they survive the darkness? Digressions: Eternal Youth, book awards vis-a-vis movie awards, more bad creative writing experiments, unrequited queer love, Sophie's sapphic choice, and how to talk about long,...
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Ep 2: Helsreach by Aaron Dembski-Bowden
Engineer Mike shoves Nina face-first into some delicious toxic masculinity with a Warhammer novel. Does it deserve the honor of a Chaplain or should it fall in battle? Digressions: BookTok drama (https://gizmodo.com/tiktok-sarah-stusek-three-rivers-goodreads-backlash-1850498236), Engineer Mike's...
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Ep 1: Dhalgren by Samuel R. Delany
In their inaugural episode, Engineer Mike challenges Nina to read the Samuel R. Delany SF epic. Will Nina agree with William Gibson or Harlan Ellison? Digressions: abundant breast descriptions, leather daddies, dandruff in your crotch, Joanna Russ, Herman Melville, pretentious pronunciations of...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Hosts Nina MacNamara (author, cohost of Pop Medieval) and Engineer Mike (avid reader) examine popular, obscure, and eccentric works of literature to see if they truly hook the average reader -- in the first few chapters.
HOSTED BY
First Chapters Podcast
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does First Chapters have?
First Chapters currently has 16 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is First Chapters about?
Hosts Nina MacNamara (author, cohost of Pop Medieval) and Engineer Mike (avid reader) examine popular, obscure, and eccentric works of literature to see if they truly hook the average reader -- in the first few chapters.
How often does First Chapters release new episodes?
First Chapters has 16 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to First Chapters?
You can listen to First Chapters on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts First Chapters?
First Chapters is created and hosted by First Chapters Podcast.
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