Bugger off with the midroll, no warning ads.

I used to love this podcast, but it has gone away from discussing books as a group. It is now mostly Craig just bringing in guests or feeding his own ego. I started listening because I loved the group discussions on novels but there hasn’t been anything worthwhile in months.

I chose to read the Prydain Chronicles & The Belgariad just because this podcast had discussions on these classic fantasy titles. They did not disappoint. I love listening immediately after each book , I pick up plot points and themes that I may have missed. The best part is getting to re-live the most exciting moments of the book!!

I love this show, but the best episodes are the ones where their host, Craig Hanks isn’t on. The content, approach, and panel are fantastic, but Craig’s negative, dismissive, dominating personality have resulted in me listening less and less.

I just started listening to the podcast. Thus far, my favorite episode was when Leopoldo Gout was on the show. He is so intelligent and cultured. I also loved the interview with Veronica Roth and Amy Lukavis, it was very nice hearing about how they write. They were also very fun guests. I also love when all the hosts are together and talking about books, it is like a more laid-back book club.

Petulant complaining about having to read books over and over.

This is such a wonderful podcast that covers fantasy and science-fiction. The book reviews serve as wonderful recaps, with a discussion from a handful of great people that make up the larger Legendarium group of folks. I also enjoy the interviews that give some wonderful insight into topics that authors and readers would like to hear about. Even if they’re covering a book that I haven’t read yet, I typically give it a shortened listen (until spoiler territory) to get an idea of whether I should add it to my TBR.

This pod needs women. Terrible. The interviews would be better without the interviewers.

Much like the characters they discuss, the cast of the Legendarium has grown both in number and in their development throughout the years. I am not always able to listen due to our diverging reading journeys, but I always love coming back to hear their wit and comradery in every episode. Oh, and the stand alone essay videos Craig does sometimes are pretty great too.

A lot of time is spent on sophomoric “jokes.” And then the podcasters are mean to each other… very cringe.

I Love Brent Weeks. They did some podcasts about the Night Angel Series. Now I Love the Show! F*** Farseer!

Just some people talking about fantasy books--I was having a kind of good time, until the main host guy started sneaking in misogynistic, homophobic jokes, and then constructing defenses of subtle racism. You know, most of it isn't like this, but some of it IS, so...I'd say it's a hard pass.

I was happy to hear about this podcast when I picked up the WOT during COVID. But was disappointed to see the second wheel of time episode contains a homophobic joke. Steered me off the podcast completely, and since life is short I will seek out a podcast that takes the time to consider the impact their words can have. Bad “jokes” aside, the podcast for the WOT is mostly filled with tangents, and I found it was not a good companion to the material. Others may disagree, but that is my review. Tor’s Read along blog is a more sophisticated deep dive and analysis for the story. I would avoid this one personally.

What will they complain about next? Everything so it seems.

This podcast is perfect for you if you read a ton of fantasy and sci-fi and want some good discussion. The guys are a little goofy but it’s all part of the fun. Todd cries and always has to pull over in his car to do so. Craig will be very opinionated and bring up Tolkien. And Ryan is the one I find myself agreeing with the most. Unfortunately I mix up Kyle and Ken. I thought they were the same person for the longest time. Anyway, great podcast!

Whether you are looking for a book club, in-depth commentary, or humor and wild tangents, the Legendarium has it all in just the right proportions. Years of episodes on classic and recent books. The only fantasy/sci-if podcast you will ever need.

The host of the Legendarium podcast, highlights all aspects of fantasy, science fiction and more in this can’t miss podcast! The host and expert guests offer insightful advice and information that is helpful to anyone that listens!

I’m really enjoying the content covered, and the style of this overall podcast. Knowledgeable conversations on so many different types of fantasy content are balanced with entertaining banter - for me, it never gets old. I only listen to episodes about things I’ve read or seen, but you have already led me to new books I’ve read or now WILL be reading. Thanks for the great cast!

podcast

I have just found and started listening to The Legendarium. I am enjoying listening to their BranSan content.

I recently found this podcast and I love it! I started reading the Wheel of Time at the beginning of 2020 and quickly learned I needed podcasts to help digest and remember allllll of that information! I like the Legendarium because of the broad strokes it takes encompassing all sci-fi and fantasy. I was very happy to see going through the backlog that they incorporated female perspectives. There were a couple WoT episodes I thought could benefit from it. Craig is pretty arrogant, but it doesn’t bother me aside from an occasional eye roll. Once I finish more book series I’m excited to go through the rest of the episodes!! Keep it up!!

would love to see craig, ryan, and kyle get together and do episodes covering the upcoming wheel of time tv show

Just started listening via recommendation from Daniel Greene, but I’m already loving it. Craig’s lotr knowledge is great.

Growing up, reading fantasy books have always felt isolating. Especially being an Indian. But with this podcast, for everyone who appreciates the literature in this genre - you find a sense of community. No surprises but I found this podcast by stumbling across the Oathbringer video on YouTube and boy ! What a discussion that was ! The raw takes that everyone had ( Todd and Ryan :) ) immediately drew me in. Keep the level three conversations coming guys and thank you, for bringing us all together all over the world.

If they’ve done a podcast on some fantasy you’re interested you’ll love it. Dive into their library as many of your favorites have already been done!

I had to unsubscribe. Too gushy overall. It’s almost like a form of cognitive bias whenever they cover Sanderson. They want it to be everything they ever wanted and it becomes exactly that to them. Two of the contributors, especially, are so emotionally incontinent that it really detracts from everything else the podcast is trying to do. They were covering Brandon Sanderson like they’re in a group therapy session, not a dry eye in the house, when I thought the scenes were trite and poorly written. They were in tears over scenes where I rolled my eyes. Every stereotypical and cheesy character growth sequence or climax was panned as the best, most emotionally super-valent, soul-baring, heart-wrenching, pathos-inducing prose ever written. Get it together, Sanderson isn’t even that kind of author. I usually find it difficult to like almost any of his characters, simply because I don’t wish them to be something to me personally without earning that place. But this crew thinks western literature begins here, somehow.

I came to this podcast looking to refresh my cosmere knowledge before Rhythm of War comes out, and I have been very impressed! While it’s not entirely comprehensive, it’s fun listening to them process the books and make predictions and see the storm light archive come together. I can’t wait to listen when rhythm of war comes out. Overall, I’d definitely recommend this podcast to anyone who loves Brandon Sanderson and the cosmere, as well as anyone who is looking for a deeper dive into popular fantasy books in general.

Just an awesome podcast where each person on the show has a great respect for one another’s opinions but also are such good friends they can mess around with one another! Everyone has such a vast knowledge of not only the Fantasy genre but also writing in general. I’ve shared this with numerous friends whether they love fantasy books and have followed numerous series on this podcast or also just the occasional fantasy reader who wants in-depth discussion about what they just read! Just fantastic!

Each host brings their own lovable, quirky selves to this podcast. They have funny, insightful conversations about all things fantasy and science-fiction books with some movies and shows thrown in as well. Come for the books they discuss, stay for the hosts you'll come to love and adore.

Absolutely cool podcast! I can really appreciate the constructive breakdowns of your opinions and how you provide evidence to support them; without interjecting random negativity and childish trashing of material. Keep up the great work.

You come for the discussion on fantasy but you stay because of the relationship you develop with the panel. Funny, interesting, and very good at interacting with their listeners. 10/10

I actually have been listening to The Legendarium on a different format and had to go through the laborious task of finding my old itunes password for the express purpose of reviewing! I enjoy that their podcasts are not a timeline driven 'blow-by-blow' of what they're reviewing, it's much more theory/philosophically round table discussion. I started listening after a recommendation of another podcast I respect. I can't recommend them enough!

I found this podcast when looking for things on The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. The four members covering the series were very enjoyable with a lot of back and forth between them. After finishing the series, I am now listening to the original Lord of the Rings episodes that started it all. Any fan of the sci-fi or fantasy genre should give this podcast a try. You are sure to find something of interest.

I’ve been a voracious reader for my entire life. I’ve always loved finding a new friend who’s into fantasy books, or bringing that joyful obsession into someone’s life. This podcast is basically that—a group of buddies talking about the stuff that I love to read. Whether it’s Tod just sobbing sporadically throughout Oathbringer or Craig truly and justly shredding Ryan’s totally unsupportable rose-tinted view of the new Star Wars movies, it’s all great fun.

I was looking for a Tolkien bookclub to follow while I was re-reading Lord of the Rings. This satsified that itch, and delivered so much more content. I have been introduced to many new authors, artists, and podcasters while following The Legendarium.

One of the hardest things for a podcast to do is connect with its listeners. I believe that three things are needed to successfully do this: multilayered subject material, interesting authentic discussions, and hosts with strong and diverse personalities. This podcast stands out as king in regard to these three criteria. Craig, Ryan, Todd(my favorite host), Ken, Megan, Kyle, and others are fascinating to listen to and are never dry on material; whether it’s the subject of the podcast or a tangent. Highly, highly recommend.

These guys get the very best authors in the genre (Brandon Sanderson, Brent Weeks, etc) and consistently have the best reviews on things. They get advance copies of all the good stuff so their reviews come out right when I’m ready to talk about my favorite books. Love the red team especially!

I came here specifically to reccomend the episode "240: Dealing with Burnout and HOW TO RECCOMEND FANTASY". Such an excellent primer on how to respond when people are curious about fantasy, but also great for a new fantasy-curious reader on how to sift through the excess of options that are present. I am personally guilty of putting people on the bench press on their first day at the gym (check the podcast for that reference). That said, I also enjoy the podcast otherwise. But really. Essential listening. Episode 240. Also: I'm hopefully review 199. Come on 200! Personal Tim Cook phone call!

Found this podcast a few years ago when I wanted to find discussions about Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time but ended up sticking around for the hell of it afterwards. Even ended up reading a book or two that they covered. They may not seem like it at first but the guys on the show can get into some really good discussions about the material they read from surface level stuff all the way down to deeper meanings. I recommend the podcast to any lover of fantasy books and if you like Brandon Sanderson you should feel right at home since they mention him at least once an episode.

I have never been a fantasy reader until discovery Brandon Sanderson. Found this pod starting my dive into his Cosmere and I honestly look forward to finishing a book and listening to them before I start my next one. Great pod with great insight into various fantasy series.

Really great fantasy book podcast! I burn through all my fantasy books pretty quick so it’s fun to hear other people’s thoughts on them. :)

I started listening to their podcasts when they covered the LotR and have been an avid listener since. When you listen to this podcast you feel like you’re in a room with a bunch of friends. Each host/co-host/panelist brings a different viewpoint into the discussion and they end up providing a lot of good insight that may have been overlooked. This podcast is also active online on their Facebook and subreddit.

This is a great podcast for all things concerning fantasy. After a long hiatus from reading fantasy, and a career break, I started back up again Spring 2019. I reintroduced myself to Brandon Sanderson and was quite excited to talk about his works with others...except that none of my friends could care less about fantasy books. So it's great to listen to a bunch of guys (and a couple of gals) show their excitement about the things I'm excited about. My favorite episodes are the Oathbringer ones where Ryan and Todd showed amazing vulnerability and enabled us listeners to connect to you guys more. Keep up the good work. Also, I would like to see more youtube uploads because I want to see more of Ken's recaps...please..

I found your podcast by typing “Name of the Wind”. While scrolling through your available episodes, I saw “Assassin’s Apprentice”, one of my all-time favorites. You said it was your #3 most voted for book to read, which leads me to believe your Patreons also love it. Then you all bashed it, making me think we have dissimilar interests. Too bad. I really wanted to find some kindred spirits.

There is an interminable fifteen minutes at the top of the episode where they engage in personal chit chat about things unrelated to the show. This is a lamentable trend among podcasts but here the hosts weren’t particularly interesting or funny and did not even bother to structure their discussion to let in a new listener. If I’ve never heard the show, I don’t know you, so you have to really work to make me care about what you did over the weekend. When they finally got to the book, it seemed none of the hosts had ever learned how to discuss things critically. One host’s take on the book was that it was “weird”. He seemed to have trouble articulating what he meant by that. Another host was clearer in his analysis but monologued at the other two, pushing his opinion on them until they caved and changed their mind. He was the only one who seemed particularly invested. The other two changed their views throughout the episode until it was tough to understand where they were coming from. Everyone brought personal anecdotes to bear that again seemed impossible to connect with as a new listener. I don’t think they’ve got a working book club here, let alone a podcast.

This is the best LOTRO podcast in Middle-earth and the Undying Lands. Genuinely hilarious. Good job!

So... hi fellas. I’ve listened to many episodes but this is my first feedback. I gotta say this though: Craig and Ryan duo podcast, a la Episode 156, is really a tight piece of work. You bounce off each other super well and I’d like to hear more like this. Love the WoT and Cosmere stuff but this was the best episode and it’s about the dynamic. Consider doing more duo work

Less Craig and more Todd please.

One of the few podcasts that actually reads fantasy books and then reviews them. So tired of people who want to review stuff without spoiling it.

Fun group of commentators with interesting and insightful views into the material. I started for the WOT series and everything else they’ve read/watched has been quality and entertaining. Keep it up!