The Alcomancer - A Fantasy Review

Episodes

1. 12

   Alcomancer 12 - Raymond E. Feist's Magician

   In this episode our gaze lingers on Fantasy giant Raymond E. Feist and his 1982 debut Magician. The first installment of one Fantasy's longest running epics The Riftwar Cycle - which spans some thirty-odd books and as many years - Magician tells the story of Pug and his boyhood friend, Tomas…

   more
   Oct 16, 2017

   1h 18m
2. 11

   Alcomancer 11 - Glen Cook's The Black Company

   War. War never changes… But the way we conceptualise and relate to it sure does! This episode we’re looking down the barrel at Glen Cook’s The Black Company (1984) the first installment of the eponymous series and a Grand-pappy of Grimdark as a fully realised sub-genre. Cook’s Black Company is a...

   Aug 13, 2017

   1h 17m
3. 10

   Alcomancer 10 - Ken Liu's Grace of Kings

   Back again from yet another adventure in far flung lands under alien skies we return with stories from the Islands of Dara. Stories which tell of a people beset by war, torn apart by ideals and of those amongst them who strive to build anew. On tonight’s menu its Ken Liu’s much acclaimed ‘The…

   more
   Jul 30, 2017

   1h 18m
4. 9

   Alcomancer 09 - Ursula Le Guin's A Wizard of Earthsea

   Tired of the whiz-banging razzamatazz of Fantasy in the modern world we decided to cast our eyes back a ways to the unassuming adventures of Ged, a man alone amongst the deep waters of Earthsea, lost in contemplation and touched by a strange darkness. In this episode we take to talking Magic,...

   Jun 18, 2017

   1h 05m
5. 8

   Alcomancer 08 - Mark Lawrence's The Prince Of Thorns

   This week we take a tipple from the cup of Mark Lawrence’s Prince of Thorns, the first book in his Broken Empire series. Come and bare silent witness to our camaraderie. We go over and over Lawrence’s treatment of evil protagonists and find it lacking. We love the idea of an unmitigated badass to...

   May 21, 2017

   1h 09m
6. 7

   Alcomancer 07 - R.A. Salvatore's The Crystal Shard

   An episode jam-packed with changes and adventure - we welcome fan-fiction erotica historian Russ to the show to talk about the swashbuckling, genre-defining Crystal Shard by R.A. Salvatore. Dan talks about the collective nouns for goodly folk, and Mark offers gravelly insight into the evilest...

   Apr 30, 2017

   1h 22m
7. 6

   Alcomancer 06 - Jim Butcher's Storm Front

   Harry is a wizard, a lover, a fighter, a private eye and a dick. This week we wet our beaks with ‘Storm Front’, the first in Jim Butcher’s long-running urban fantasy series: The Dresden Files. In this episode we get talking about pulp, crime, magic and take a good, hard look at the inner workings...

   Mar 19, 2017

   1h 43m
8. 5

   Alcomancer 05 - N. K. Jemisin's The Fifth Season

   This episode is N. K. Jeminin's The Fifth Season, which is a departure from our regular fare. Modern and challenging, blending genres and influences and turning traditional fantasy on its head. This episode contains spoilers.

   Feb 18, 2017

   1h 33m
9. 4

   Alcomancer 04 - Scott Lynch's The Lies of Locke Lamora

   We couldn't say enough good things about this novel so we got friend of the show and talented designer Matt in to help us out, who in exchange for making our show design look as wonderful as it did, was in no way contractually obliged to come on and talk about a book that he wanted to. There…

   more
   Dec 11, 2016

   1h 51m
10. 3

    Alcomancer 03 - Patrick Rothfuss's The Wise Man's Fear

    Mark and Daniel discuss Fantasy author's shining light Patrick Rothfus and his second novel in the Kingkiller's Chronicle, The Wise Man's Fear. They talk about why Fantasy authors can't write cool, why Denna gets the short straw, and cover the Best Spring Break Ever. We would like to take this...

    Nov 29, 2016

    2h 06m
11. 2

    Alcomancer 02 - Joe Abercrombie's The Blade Itself

    Daniel and Mark are back to follow up their stunning debut, which brought pleasure to very nearly dozens, to tackle Joe Abercrombie's The Blade Itself. Despite this book being very popular for its modern take on the genre, we found it problematic, both in the story itself and what it represents...

    Nov 14, 2016

    1h 37m
12. 1

    Alcomancer 01 - Robin Hobb's The Fool's Assassin

    In this episode Mark and Dan tear open old wounds and wallow piteously through the pages of Robin Hobb’s grand return to the trials and tribulations of FitzChivalry Farseer - bastard assassin come bumbling father. The Fool’s Assassin (2014) -book one of the ‘Fitz and the Fool’ series- follows…

    more
    Oct 31, 2016

    1h 38m