Book Club: Hekate by Nikita Gill
This month’s book introduces us to the life of the queen of all witches, the goddess Hekate. Written in verse, this novel provides a unique reading experience certain to twist your heart. A.J. Peterson joins as co-host to chat about the magic (Greek mythology!), favorite characters, and some of the truly grotesque punishments Greek gods create.
Light a candle, grab your familiar, and join us for this descent into the underworld.
What is weird SFF?
In this episode we try to define what exactly is "weird" Sci-Fi or Fantasy? Co-host A.J. Peterson joins along with Rain Sullivan (@writeasrainsullivan on IG), a self-described author of weird SFF.
Grab your most unusual mug, sink into a cozy chair, and join us for this informative episode!
Book Club: The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
This month we chat about the Hugo award-winning novel, The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett. A fantasy-murder mystery mashup, we get tastes of multiple genres that left us eager to see where this world goes.
Grab your sleuthing tools and join us for a discussion with spoilers of this creative book!
Mythology Retellings
Who doesn't love a book with gods and goddesses? These immortal, powerful beings create perfect drama and stories that leave us appreciating our humanity. From Greek mythology retellings to invented mythologies in secondary worlds, there's a book with gods for everyone.
Pour a cup of something powerful and settle in for this episode (toga optional).
Book Club: The Golem and the Jinni Interview with Helene Wecker
In this extra special book club episode, we chat with author Helene Wecker about her book, The Golem and the Jinni. Helene shares many behind-the-scenes aspects of the book and larger trilogy along with amusing anecdotes. You'll laugh and learn a few new things in this episode!
Channel Chava and grab your favorite pastry, a beautiful tin cup, and join us for this fun discussion.
The Love of Gods: Favorite Mythology Novels
Who doesn't love a book with gods and goddesses? These immortal, powerful beings create perfect drama and stories that leave us appreciating our humanity. From Greek mythology retellings to invented mythologies in secondary worlds, there's a book with gods for everyone.
Pour a cup of something powerful and settle in for this episode (toga optional).
Book Club: Circe by Madeline Miller
Circe by Madeline Miller is arguably one of the best modern mythology retellings.
We all know her as the witch from The Odyssey, but Miller’s portrayal gives us a deep insight in to the gods, Circe, and what it means to be human. This iconic witch touches on all aspects of mortal life, and we had so much fun chatting about her.
Light a candle, steep some herbs, and join us in the realm of the gods.
Favorite High Fantasy Books
The best fantasy takes you out of your life and on an adventure. High fantasy does this in another world. From botanical magic to dragons to dangerous mist, there’s a high fantasy world for everyone. In the latest episode of the More Magic Book Club podcast, we share our favorite high fantasy books so you can find the exact vibe you need for a perfect escape.
Grab a notepad and pen, pour a beverage, and settle in. You’re going to want to write this down.
Book Club: The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin
The Hugo award-winning novel, The Fifth Season, introduces an apocalyptic world with gifted characters and a dark reality. With themes of identity, oppression, prejudice, agency, and more, Jemisin’s acclaimed work provides many avenues for discussion.
Put on a pot of something that brings you joy and settle in for this episode. We have a lot to discuss!
Dragonlore: Dragon Book Series, Standalones, and History
From gold-loving villains to soulmate level partners, dragons have filled many roles in fantasy. But they don't exist solely in the pages of a fantasy novel. Dragons have been part of human culture for centuries, across continents. In this episode, we touch on the representation of dragons throughout history, their portrayal in our favorite books, and attempt to answer the question: could dragons have been real?
Grab a pint, pull up a chair, and settle in for this episode.
Book Club: A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan
Was Isabella ignorant or arrogant? Were they ethical researchers? We chat about this and more in our episode of A Natural History of Dragons! Slip on your tweed, elbow-patched jacket, pour a cup of tea, and settle in for this episode.
The Best Historical Fantasy Novels
One of our favorite fantasy subgenres is historical fantasy. The best books immerse you in an entirely different time period, have magic, and often leave you with a bit more knowledge than you started. It's a fun way to uncover new aspects of history to explore while also having all of the things that make fantasy so enjoyable.
In this episode, we share our favorite historical fantasy novels based on geography and time period. If you're looking for a specific historical vibe, this is for you!
Book Club: Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett
A cozy fantasy full of cats in 1920s Montreal—need we say more? If you loved Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter, join us in our discussion of cats, fantasy, time travel, magical objects, and more that we love from this world. And, of course, cuddle up with your favorite feline while listening.
Fantasy Books for Adults
Many people grow up reading fantasy, but stop once it’s time to enter “the real world”. But then you realize the real world is boring and you want dragons and witches and magical stones yet it’s hard to know where to start.
In this episode, we share adult fantasy novels perfect if you want magic but don’t want to follow a teenager on an adventure.
Book Club: The Incandescent by Emily Tesh
We enter the world of dark academia in The Incandescent by Emily Tesh, which follows a teacher in her daily life as she tries to educate—and protect—students at a magical high school.
If you love magical schools, demons, and wish we had more teacher protagonists, this episode is for you!
Fantasy Books for Hope: Live at Wintercon!
For this episode, Demi sat down with author A.J. Peterson for a special LIVE recording at Wintercon in Portland, OR. We discuss why fantasy is great for providing hope and share a few of our favorite book for processing real world issues, pure escapism, and stories that helped us learn more about ourselves.
If you're in need of hope, this is the episode for you!
Book Club: The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
A perfect January read, The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden brings all of the winter vibes in a top-tier Russian historical fantasy. From folkloric characters to lovable leads to an antagonist we love to hate, the discussion for this one spans many topics.
If you read The Bear and the Nightingale and want to spend more time in the icy world, then this episode is for you!
Books that Changed how we see the world
Fantasy may not be our world, but many books have changed how we see the world around us. In this episode, special guest Flavia Brunetti joins us to share the books that transformed how we think. If you’re craving a read that stays with you well beyond the last page, this is the episode for you!
Book Club: The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow
Harrow’s latest novel takes us on mind-twisting time loop through themes of power, war, love, parenthood, and more. The depths of this story have no limit, but we kept our discussion to just over an hour. If you loved The Everlasting, this is the episode for you!
Books that made us love fantasy
We often grow up loving fantasy. From the first time you encounter dragons to the first epic quest, those stories leave an impact. In this episode, we share the fantasy books that made us, and we want to know: what books made you love fantasy?