Books

New Overlords Podcast 497: RPGs vs LitRPG

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New Overlords Podcast-Artwork This week we start with some news and include a special edition of “the internet is wrong”. Then we do a dive into LitRPG books, RPG gaming as a genera, and how they relate. All that and more on this episode of the New Overlords Podcast with Sema and @MaxTheGrey.

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Catch us in Discord at https://newoverlords.com/discord for notes on when we record live and links to follow on X (formerly known as Twitter), Mastodon, BlueSky, Threads, Instagram, Twitch, WhateverNewNetworkOfTheDay, etc. etc.

 
If you’re looking for a gaming community, come join us in AIE. Our large, family friendly, casual, multi-game guild is always open to new members. Catch us for an invite on our guild Discord which you can find along with other good guild information at https://aie-guild.org

SWTOR Escape Pod Cast 391: The Rising Storm

SWTOR Escape Pod Cast-Artwork The Storm Strikes Back! We spend time summarizing and reviewing the second main novel in the High Republic series that we’ve been reading. That and more on this episode of The Escape Pod Cast for Star Wars The Old Republic with @AIESema, @MaxTheGrey and Astromech EPC-391. If you’d like to come join us in AIE, our multi-game guild is always looking for new members. Catch us for an invite on our guild Discord which you can find along with other good guild information at https://aie-guild.org/swtor/

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Catch the live podcast and chat room on Thursday nights around 10:30pm central at http://twitch.tv/newoverlords. Follow and subscribe on Twitter, YouTube, Twitch, etc. to hear podcast news and see our other guild streams.

Podcast theme music by an AI at jukedeck.com

SWTOR Escape Pod Cast 388: High Republic Wave 2

SWTOR Escape Pod Cast-Artwork This week we execute order 420 and talk about the launch of The High Republic, Wave 2 of Phase 1. We’ll be reading The Rising Storm for the month of July. That and more on this episode of The Escape Pod Cast for Star Wars The Old Republic with @AIESema, @MaxTheGrey and Astromech EPC-388. If you’d like to come join us in AIE, our multi-game guild is always looking for new members. Catch us for an invite on our guild Discord which you can find along with other good guild information at https://aie-guild.org/swtor/

MP3 Direct Download Link
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Catch the live podcast and chat room on Thursday nights around 10:30pm central at http://twitch.tv/newoverlords. Follow and subscribe on Twitter, YouTube, Twitch, etc. to hear podcast news and see our other guild streams.

Podcast theme music by an AI at jukedeck.com

SWTOR Escape Pod Cast 372: Light of the Jedi Review

SWTOR Escape Pod Cast-Artwork Book club wrap up… review time for the kickoff to the High Republic! We talk about that and more on this episode of The Escape Pod Cast for Star Wars The Old Republic with @AIESema, @MaxTheGrey and Astromech EPC-372. If you’d like to come join us in AIE, our multi-game guild is always looking for new members. Catch us for an invite on our guild Discord which you can find along with other good guild information at https://aie-guild.org/swtor/

MP3 Direct Download Link
YouTube Link

Catch the live podcast and chat room on Thursday nights around 10:30pm central at http://twitch.tv/newoverlords. Follow and subscribe on Twitter, YouTube, Twitch, etc. to hear podcast news and see our other guild streams.

Podcast theme music by an AI at jukedeck.com

SWTOR Escape Pod Cast 369: Light of the Jedi

SWTOR Escape Pod Cast-Artwork The High Republic is coming. We are starting a book club style discussion for the month of February. We talk about that and more on this episode of The Escape Pod Cast for Star Wars The Old Republic with @AIESema, @MaxTheGrey and Astromech EPC-369. If you’d like to come join us in AIE, our multi-game guild is always looking for new members. Catch us for an invite on our guild Discord which you can find along with other good guild information at https://aie-guild.org/swtor/

MP3 Direct Download Link
YouTube Link

Catch the live podcast and chat room on Thursday nights around 10:30pm central at http://twitch.tv/newoverlords. Follow and subscribe on Twitter, YouTube, Twitch, etc. to hear podcast news and see our other guild streams.

Podcast theme music by an AI at jukedeck.com

READ: The Golem and the Jinni

Golem_and_the_Jinni_book_coverThe Overlords command: READ The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker. The Overlords offer these words of encouragement: MYTHS, HISTORY, IMMIGRANT, HEBREW, ARABIC, NEW YORK

Synopsis on Wikipedia

Max says: As a 2014 Nebula Award nominee, this was automatically added to my reading list. The mix of Hebrew mythology, Arabic mythology and turn of the century immigrant New York make the set for this book pretty rich and unique. It’s slow in parts and light on action, preferring instead to focus deeply on the characters, but in a way that’s still compelling. It’s like a relaxing afternoon with a mix of cardamom tea and Kosher mandelbrot, if that makes sense. I like books that go off in new directions and build on stories and myths from varied cultures. A book that can mix them well, like this one, is a good find. Narration on Audible is done well. I’d slide the attribute sliders as such:

NOL-Read Sliders-The Golem and the Jinni

As always, I’m interested in everyone else’s review, other recommendations, etc. Thanks!

READ: Throne of the Crescent Moon

NOL-READ Cover-Throne of the Crescent MoonThe Overlords command: READ Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed. The Overlords offer these words of encouragement: ARABIC, SORCERY, GHULS, ALCHEMY, DERVISH, RELIGION, BEDOUIN, POLITICS

Synopsis and whatnot on Wikipedia

Max says: This book is somewhat unique in being a fantasy novel based on Middle Eastern mythologies. In a world of ghuls raised by black sorcery, an oppressive Khalif sitting on the throne, and holy Dervish wielding swords, the main character, Doctor Adoulla Makslood is an aging “Ghul Hunter” who’s on the edge or retirement. He’s trying to get out (and spend quiet days drinking cardamom tea), but they keep pulling him back in! I recommend it for the Middle Eastern mythology, good characters and their relationships, and slower paced but solid and entertaining story. The side story of the corrupt monarchy being fought by the Robin Hood styled ‘Falcon Prince’ seems to be groundwork the future, but I haven’t read any others in the series yet. Great Audible narrator if you go that route. I’d slide the attribute sliders for this one as such:

NOL-Read Sliders-Throne of the Crescent Moon

As always, I’m interested in everyone else’s review, other recommendations, etc. Thanks!