E12. Kickstart 2025: Epic Reads and Exciting Events Await!
Join us as we dive into the excitement of the literary world with the release of Brandon Sanderson's latest installment, "Wind and Truth," part of the renowned Stormlight Archive series. This episode also features a spotlight on the much-anticipated republishing of the classic "Dragonlance Chronicles," reminding us of the enduring legacy of epic fantasy. We explore the thrill of rekindling our passion for reading after a break and discuss our plans to attend various upcoming events, including the brand new Geeks and Freaks convention in Maastricht. Our conversation touches on the intriguing possibilities of a crossover between Sanderson's Cosmere universe and Magic: The Gathering, sparking our imaginations about what such a collaboration could entail. With a mix of book recommendations and event previews, we invite you to stay enchanted and curious as we navigate the realms of fantasy together.
The podcast begins with a celebratory tone as the hosts welcome listeners to the first episode of the new year, expressing their eagerness to reconnect after a break. They outline the episode’s structure, which will explore three main topics: 'Tales from the Tome,' 'Lorebound,' and 'Epic Events.' The discussion kicks off with 'Tales from the Tome,' where the hosts dive into the literary world, highlighting Brandon Sanderson’s latest release, 'Wind and Truth.' This book, they explain, is significant in the Stormlight Archive series as it marks the conclusion of the first half of the saga. The hosts are particularly excited about its extensive length and the intricacies of its plot, which weaves themes of resurrection and the unique magic system present in Sanderson’s work.
In addition to Sanderson’s contribution, the hosts turn their attention to the nostalgic 'Dragonlance Chronicles,' discussing its impending republication and its foundational role in fantasy literature, particularly its ties to Dungeons and Dragons. Their conversation reveals their shared excitement for these classic tales, as they reminisce about the impact these stories had on the genre and the community. They also introduce Victoria Schwab’s 'Vicious,' drawing comparisons to Neal Shusterman’s 'Scythe,' which leads to a thoughtful exploration of the themes of power and morality in modern fantasy literature.
The next segment, 'Lorebound,' shifts focus to the latest news surrounding Sanderson’s universe, discussing rumors of a potential crossover with Magic: The Gathering. This revelation stirs excitement among the hosts, who delve into the implications of such collaborations in expanding the fantasy genre. They discuss the depth of Sanderson’s Cosmere universe, highlighting its significance and the breadth of stories it encompasses. Finally, the hosts transition into 'Epic Events,' where they highlight a range of upcoming conventions and gatherings in Belgium and the Netherlands, emphasizing the strong sense of community among fantasy enthusiasts. They conclude the episode by encouraging listeners to stay engaged and look forward to the exciting literary and community events that await them in the new year. The episode encapsulates a celebration of storytelling, community, and the magic of fantasy, leaving listeners with a sense of anticipation for future adventures.
Takeaways:
- The podcast kicks off the new year with excitement about upcoming books and events.
- Brandon Sanderson's fifth installment of the Stormlight Archive, Wind and Truth, has been released recently.
- Listeners can look forward to the republishing of the classic Dragonlance Chronicles series.
- Vicious by Victoria E. Schwab is highly anticipated, drawing comparisons to Neal Shusterman's Scythe.
- The episode highlights various upcoming fantasy and comic events in Belgium and the Netherlands.
- The hosts express their enthusiasm for exploring medieval festivals and unique literary events.
Companies mentioned in this episode:
- Brandon Sanderson
- Victoria E. Schwab
- Wizards of the Coast
Transcript
SA.
Speaker B:Welcome to episode 12, the first one of this new year.
Speaker B:So Happy New Year.
Speaker B: all a very Happy and healthy: Speaker A:Happy New Year.
Speaker B:Yeah, it's a bit awkward because it's been, well, a lot of weeks since our previous episode.
Speaker B:And I don't know about you, but I really missed recording and preparing this stuff.
Speaker B:So I'm all excited to finally get our first episode of the year.
Speaker B:So our 12th episod.
Speaker B:There was way too much to cramp in in this episode, but I mean, we had to make some decisions and we went with three segments.
Speaker B:So we will be covering three segments being Tales from the Tome, as always.
Speaker B:As always.
Speaker B:Then Lorebound and Epic events.
Speaker B:Oh, yeah.
Speaker B:So let's cut to the chase.
Speaker B:Let's start with Tales from Tome.
Speaker B:And no, I will not be doing a book review, although I did.
Speaker B:You know, I'm 10 pages short of finishing a book and I'm already halfway in another, but I'm really going to keep those for the next one.
Speaker B:So I have some proper book reviews.
Speaker B:Because even in this segment, Tales from the Tome, there is some exciting news.
Speaker B:So let's just start.
Speaker B:And the thing that really got me excited was a new book that had been announced quite a while ago, but it has been released very recently, which is by Brandon Sanderson, and it's Wind and Truth.
Speaker B:So we'll be covering that.
Speaker B:And another classic epic novel that is being republished, and that is Dragonlance Chronicles.
Speaker B:You did not know what the heck that was about.
Speaker B:No.
Speaker B:So it's ok.
Speaker A:I'm sorry.
Speaker B:I'll fill you in.
Speaker A:I don't know every book that is exists.
Speaker B:All right.
Speaker B:And then there's a new book that got you excited, which is Vicious.
Speaker B:Oh.
Speaker A:By Victoria E.
Speaker A:Schwab.
Speaker B:Oh, okay.
Speaker B:Oh, nice.
Speaker B:All right, cool.
Speaker B:All right, so cutting to the chase immediately with Brandon Sanderson new or newly released book, which is Wind and Truth.
Speaker B:And this is the fifth installment of the Stormlight Archive series.
Speaker B:So it's book five and it was released on December 6th, so towards the end of last year.
Speaker B:And actually he's ending the first half.
Speaker B:I mean, I didn't know it was going to be so epic.
Speaker B:I mean, this is just the first half of the series.
Speaker B:I mean, Sanderson said that the second half of his series he's going to finish writing up after the other Mistborn trilogy and the two Elantris sequels.
Speaker B: on all of that by the end of: Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:So this series is still not finished?
Speaker B:Oh, no, no.
Speaker B:No, and, you know, this one, this.
Speaker B:I mean, but you really should read them because they're really good.
Speaker B:Actually, I restarted.
Speaker B:That's the.
Speaker B:The second book I mentioned.
Speaker B:I restarted reading the Stormlight Archive just because I otherwise would just not be able to follow.
Speaker B:No, exactly.
Speaker B:And, and, And I'm afraid.
Speaker B:I'm.
Speaker B:I'm really afraid with these very lengthy epic fant in between two novels, you know, when you're waiting for the next one to be published, you read some other stuff, and sometimes there is, you know, several years in between, and when I just pick up the story where I left it, I'm like, and who is he?
Speaker B:And who's she?
Speaker B:And what are we doing here?
Speaker A:No, no, I feel you.
Speaker B:So that's why I said, oh, you know, heck, I'm going to just start all over.
Speaker B:But I mean, this new fifth installment.
Speaker B: book in Stormlord archive is: Speaker A:Good luck.
Speaker B:Yeah, and I was again assuming.
Speaker B:Assumptions are so bad for me, but I was assuming if I order it on paperback, it'll be the same edition like all the others I have, so it'll fit in nicely.
Speaker A:It doesn't.
Speaker B:It doesn't because it's like a big version.
Speaker B:It's not a pocket or regular paperback.
Speaker B:It's a large edition.
Speaker B:So I'm like, oh, shoot.
Speaker A: I mean,: Speaker A:How do you make that a paperback?
Speaker B:Yeah, more on that.
Speaker B:That later, actually.
Speaker A:But.
Speaker B:Okay, more on that later.
Speaker B:I mean, I won't go into details.
Speaker B:I know that you haven't read it, but I really, I mean, really highly recommend it.
Speaker B:I got some.
Speaker B:Some friends into that as well, and they're loving it.
Speaker A:Okay, so what is the Stormlight Archive about?
Speaker B:Well, you.
Speaker B:I mean, you.
Speaker B:You follow several protagonists, as always, and it's.
Speaker B:It's divided.
Speaker B:If you take this whole storyline that Brandon Sangerson has written, you have the Way of the Kings, and then you have Words of Radiance, you have Oathbringer, you have Rhythm of War.
Speaker B:But all these chapters, let's say, are books.
Speaker B:But the way they publish them, at least in paperback, they always follow, like the Way of the Kings, part one and two.
Speaker B:And then you have Words of Radiance, part one and two, and so on and so on.
Speaker B:And in Wind of Truth, it contains some sequences of flashbacks to the previous books and then current time, and it's always a different perspective of, in this case, assassins.
Speaker B:Yes, it's about the Assassin in White, but, I mean, I really don't want to spoil too much.
Speaker A:Otherwise I'm So all the books follow an assassin.
Speaker B:Not per se, but it's a big topic.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker A:The main topic is assassins.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And what is cool is that.
Speaker B:What element can I speak about?
Speaker B:There is a special, for lack of a better word, kind of force in which the protagonists or main characters, they can come back to life.
Speaker B:So they.
Speaker B:Yeah, but hang on.
Speaker B:So it's like a power they have been bestowed upon, and when they die, they have to come through a certain cycle to get, quote, unquote, reborn.
Speaker B:And it has something to do with very, very special swords made of very special fabric.
Speaker B:I mean, it almost sounds like lightsaber.
Speaker B:But it's not like that, right?
Speaker B:Not at all.
Speaker B:But it is really something special where stone can come to life.
Speaker B:So life can generate from stone.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:But I mean, it's so intricate.
Speaker B:But it's cool because that's the way, or that's at least what I really like in Sanderson's writing.
Speaker B:He's very original.
Speaker B:Because I hadn't come.
Speaker B:I mean, perhaps other readers might have read something similar, let's say, but not in anything that I had read before where, you know, this, to us, in a mate matter, you know, being stone.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Is actually full of life, and you can create life out of it, and then you have these characters that, once killed, can come back.
Speaker A:So, I mean, sounds complicated.
Speaker B:In the beginning, it's always like that.
Speaker B:You know, it's very complicated, and you cannot make heads or tails out of it, but after a while, you really get into it, and he has this ability to write his story, or stories plural, in a way that really gets you hooked, and you get more and more familiarized with what's going on, not only between different groups of protagonists, antagonists, but also the whole backstory and the history about it.
Speaker B:So, I mean, highly recommended.
Speaker B:So that's the first one that I wanted to highlight.
Speaker B: er I'm going to keep this big: Speaker B:I might have to go with the hardcover just for stability when reading.
Speaker B:But talking about a big tome, a big book, another one that I really was excited about is Dragonlance Chronicles.
Speaker A:I have no clue what that is.
Speaker B:Well, at least I had a clue.
Speaker B:But, you know, truth be told, I hadn't read them yet.
Speaker B:I mean, I haven't read them yet, but at least I knew of their existence.
Speaker A:To be honest, the first time you said dragonlance, I was like, either that's a movie or like a theme park.
Speaker B:Well, you're not that far off with movie, because actually.
Speaker B:And now you're getting towards the end of what I wanted to say.
Speaker B: But you know, In January of: Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:So entitled Dragons of Autumn Twilight.
Speaker B:That's the full title and it's an animated.
Speaker B: Which came out in: Speaker B:So.
Speaker B:Yeah, I mean there's that link.
Speaker B:But anyway, this is quite special in many respects.
Speaker B:The Dragonlance Chronicles is, as you would expect, a trilogy of fantasy novels.
Speaker B:But it's written by two authors.
Speaker B:So it's co.
Speaker B:Written by two authors being Margaret Weiss and Tracy Aikman.
Speaker B:And I mean this has been written in the mid-80s.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker A:Oh, okay.
Speaker B:So very classy.
Speaker B:Very long time ago for you.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:But I mean.
Speaker B:And so it takes place in.
Speaker B:In Dragonlance and the.
Speaker B:The series is the first set of Dragonlance novels which is then.
Speaker B:So the.
Speaker B:The Chronicles is then followed by Dragonlance Legends series.
Speaker B:But the books that will be republished, and that's the fun part, you know, they're being republished after so many years.
Speaker A:And when you say republished, it's.
Speaker B:It's not rewritten or anything.
Speaker B:They're not being edited.
Speaker B:It's not a RE edition.
Speaker A:It's still the same language as they.
Speaker B:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:It's so it's.
Speaker B:It's the same.
Speaker A:Because that must be like not the same English we are used to in.
Speaker B:A way for you.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Or at least it will be quite different from how others modern fantasy nowadays.
Speaker B:Yeah, yeah, sure.
Speaker B:I mean in the same way that when you read Lord of the Rings.
Speaker B:I mean.
Speaker B:Yeah, right.
Speaker B:I mean it's not that language, it's not that poetic, not that intricate, not that complicated.
Speaker B:But you will definitely recognize differences, a different style of writing.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:And as said, it's not a RE edition.
Speaker B:So they haven't edited or at least not to my knowledge, it's not being marketed in that way.
Speaker B:So I'm assuming again very dangerous.
Speaker B:But since it's not being marketed in the way it re edited, it's republished.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:And what they've done is the whole trilogy of Dragonlance Chronicles.
Speaker B:So the three books.
Speaker B:So trilogy will be published in one book.
Speaker A:Oh, okay.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B: I think if I'm not mistaken,: Speaker B:I was wise enough to take the hardcover.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Just for stability.
Speaker A:Right, yeah.
Speaker B:And depending on the region where you live, it has some different publication dates.
Speaker B:Anywhere between mid January actually.
Speaker B:I think one of the first.
Speaker B:Again this is to my knowledge one of the first republications will be actually, tomorrow being January 14th and here in Europe, we'll be getting them.
Speaker B:We'll be getting them two or three weeks later, the first week of February.
Speaker B:But definitely looking forward.
Speaker B:Now, as I said, the books, they're set in Dragonlands.
Speaker B:And the plot of Dragonlance Chronicles is centered around the conflict known as the War of the Lands, in which the heroes of the lands march to fight against Varimynard, the Lord of the Draconians.
Speaker B:I love that.
Speaker B:And the dark goddess Takis sounds actually Greek.
Speaker B:But anyway, so while the main events of the war are covered in the original trilogy of the books, some of the later released book occur during the same time period, like War of the Lands.
Speaker B:And which is cool, is that actually these books were written, let's say inspired by Dungeons and Dragons, because at that time, you know, again, we're mid-80s, Dungeons.
Speaker A:And Dragons was pretty popular.
Speaker B:Oh yeah, it was really popular upcoming.
Speaker B:And what they really wanted to do is to have some more in depth stories about those worlds.
Speaker B:And to my knowledge, these three first books in the Dragonlance series are the first real D and D stories.
Speaker A:They're also confirmed to be part of the D and D universe.
Speaker B:Well, you know, look behind you.
Speaker B:You have some source books and one of them is called Dragonlance.
Speaker A:Oh.
Speaker B:So that makes it pretty official.
Speaker A:Okay, fair enough.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:So, I mean, again, I'm really excited for multiple reasons and not to say the least, that, that, yes, I knew of them.
Speaker B:I knew the backstory and I knew the ties it had with D and D.
Speaker B:But to my shame, I hadn't read it up till now.
Speaker A:Me neither.
Speaker B:So it's definitely very high on my to read list.
Speaker B:I have a week's soft spot for epic fantasy of the 80s or 90s, so I'm really excited about that one.
Speaker B:Anyway, enough about this.
Speaker B:So you had also a book that you're excited to read?
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker B:Do tell.
Speaker A:I was thinking about reading Vicious by Victoria E.
Speaker A:Schwab, because from what I've heard about it, it gives me the same vibes as Scythe from Neal Shusterman.
Speaker A:So it's kind of like a fantasy, science fiction, urban fantasy type of book.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker A:And it's like, I say it's the same vibe as Scythe, but the premise is like completely different.
Speaker B:In what sense?
Speaker A:So Scythe is about this, our world, where we have surpassed, like, natural death.
Speaker B:Oh, yeah, I remember.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:We have the Thunderhead and basically does everything for you.
Speaker A:But then humans need to decide who dies, and those are the Scythes in here.
Speaker A:You follow the Story of Victor and Ellie.
Speaker A:And they used to be college roommates and they worked together and through their collaboration, they discovered that through near death experiences, they could gain these extraordinary abilities that make them very, very powerful.
Speaker A:But then they had a fallout during these experiments that they were doing, which turned them into enemies.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker A:And then a decade later, Victor finally manages to escape prison.
Speaker A:That is where the story, I assume, starts.
Speaker A:And he is going to hunt down Ellie to kill him.
Speaker A:Like I said, enemies.
Speaker A:Meanwhile, Ellie is on this fanatical mission where he is trying to eliminate these all superpowered individuals that have been created through near death experiences.
Speaker A:So the premise is completely different compared to Scythe, but it just gave me like the same kind of vibe.
Speaker B:Yeah, I get you, I get you.
Speaker B:All right.
Speaker B:Okay, cool.
Speaker B:And when is this due?
Speaker B:Or is it already out?
Speaker A:Oh, it's, it's been out for like quite a while.
Speaker B:Oh, okay.
Speaker B:Sorry, I didn't know that.
Speaker B:Okay, excellent.
Speaker B:So that's going to be on your to be read list as well?
Speaker A:Yes, yes.
Speaker A:A lot of friends have been talking a lot about it, and from what I've heard about, like, reviews, it is very, very positive.
Speaker A:So it made me kind of curious.
Speaker B:All right, cool.
Speaker B:Perhaps.
Speaker B:I mean, I know we've talked about this in our previous or last episode.
Speaker B:We'll definitely be reaching out to authors and if you're one one of those wanting to get your story published or already have some novels out, but in your own language being, you know, either French, German or Dutch.
Speaker B:Yes, we're really interested in hearing your story.
Speaker B:As said then, so last year, there are many hidden or, you know, unknown gems amongst those books and we just want to cover those, you know, so that they get more visibility, they get a bit spoken about.
Speaker B:But also I'm really wondering how that is, you know, to write in your own language and how it feels that, you know, you have to know that you don't get that kind of exposure if you don't write in English.
Speaker B:So is it really on purpose that you really want to write because of comfort, because it's your primary language, it's your mother tongue, right?
Speaker B:Either French, Dutch or German?
Speaker B:Or is it really because that's the best way for you to get the story across, you know, and, and what about, you know, translations?
Speaker B:I mean, that's just the obvious.
Speaker B:But I'm really curious to, to get in touch with authors that publish in their own language.
Speaker B:As said, there are so many really well written books and some gems amongst them that deserve to be better known.
Speaker B:Yes, but more on that later.
Speaker B:Absolutely.
Speaker B:All right, so that's on your book.
Speaker A:Excellent.
Speaker B:Now, in our second segment, Lorebound.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:I did notice that you talked about Brandon Sanderson in Tales of the Tome and now I see his name come back.
Speaker B:Exactly right.
Speaker B:Well, there has been some rumors, I mean, this is nothing new, but in recent days it got some, well, real attention actually.
Speaker B: s called Dragonsteel Nexus in: Speaker B:And he teased a bit about a possible crossover called his Cosm Universe beyond the same way.
Speaker B:So with.
Speaker B:When I say crossover, crossover with Magic the Gathering, that is.
Speaker B:So that really got me excited.
Speaker B:I mean, you had.
Speaker B:You bring two fantastic worlds together.
Speaker A:So what would that crossover entail?
Speaker B:Well, I think you have to look upon first.
Speaker B:You know, Magic of the Gathering started doing these crossovers a few years ago.
Speaker B:It's not that old.
Speaker B:I think it's from fairly recent.
Speaker B: Yeah,: Speaker B:I mean, they did Lord of the Rings, which was a direct hit, obviously.
Speaker B:I mean that was easy one.
Speaker B:And Dungeons and Dragons, I would assume the same.
Speaker B:Then they did one that I intentionally missed out.
Speaker B:SpongeBob.
Speaker A:Oh, yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:But I mean, I mean it's all good.
Speaker B:There's an audience for everything.
Speaker B:But I, I, you know, I skipped that one.
Speaker B:And so it's what we, what they call, you know, universe Beyond.
Speaker B:And then they can, they can tap into existing other realms, you know, such as Lord of the Rings has its realm.
Speaker B:D and D has it realm.
Speaker B:And there might be some talks going on between Wizards of the coast and Brandon Sanderson about his overarching universe.
Speaker B:And when we say universe, I, I already mentioned that it could be entitled something like Cosmere Universes Beyond.
Speaker B:And you have to understand, for those who are not familiar with with Brandon Sanderson's universe.
Speaker B:So what is Cosmere?
Speaker B:And you know, it's one of the most significant properties in modern fantasy.
Speaker B:Not my words.
Speaker B:I mean that's what people, more expert people tell about it.
Speaker B:And you know, it has such a deep lore and characters that are drawn out of Sanderson imagination and you know, the way he described and I just copy pasted it because these are his exact words, you know, how he describes his universe.
Speaker B:So the Cosmere is a fictional universe he created for many of his fantasy novels to take place within.
Speaker B:Currently, Elantris, Mistborn, Warbreaker, the Stormlight Archive, White sand and anything from Arcanum Unbound are part of the Cosmere.
Speaker B:So it's actually all of his work that entails currently 14 novels.
Speaker A:That's insane.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And seven novellas, four short stories, and three graphic novels.
Speaker B:So if.
Speaker B:If you're looking for some lore, for some, you know, in depth stories, I think wizard of the coast, they got their work cut out.
Speaker A:Oh, for real?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:That's a lot of things to go through.
Speaker B:It's even more than a Wheel of Time.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Which in itself is already 14 books or something like that.
Speaker B:And here, I mean, it's almost double that if you add everything up.
Speaker B:And so where this got mentioned is actually, as I think I referred to it.
Speaker B:So during his Q and A session online, Q and A session on Dragonsteel, where silence speaks about his worlds and works, and you have this Q and A session which lasts like an hour.
Speaker B:And in the most recent one, or one of the most recent ones, actually, one fan finally had the audacity or the guts to ask the question, is there a possibility of magically the Ed Ring doing crossover with the Cosmere universe?
Speaker B:And this is his word for word reply.
Speaker B:He said, I would be open to the idea.
Speaker B:In fact, when they were first exploring universes beyond, before they kind of knew where they were going, they came to me and said, hey, would you ever be interested in doing one of these?
Speaker B:And his reply was, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
Speaker B:So I think it's fair to say that he's really excited and they took the first step, so they reached out to him.
Speaker B:I mean, up till now, nothing has been confirmed, nor by Sangason, nor by wizard of the Coast.
Speaker B:And I'm sure there are plenty of other fantasy lore or fantasy writers that would be very excited to work with Magic the Gathering.
Speaker B:But the fact that they reached out to him is, you know, it's a good telltale sign.
Speaker B:So for me, it's something really to look forward to.
Speaker B:My wallet disagrees, but we'll see what that is.
Speaker A:Talking about.
Speaker A:Wallet disagreeing.
Speaker B:What?
Speaker A:Our third segment.
Speaker A:Oh.
Speaker B:Oh, yeah.
Speaker B:Epic events.
Speaker B:Oh, dear.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:So we had the idea of, you know, at least mentioning one or two events that we might be going to, but we said, no, no, no, no, let's be a bit broader.
Speaker A:Let's pull up the calendar.
Speaker B:Yeah, exactly.
Speaker B:And the first few.
Speaker B:One that caught our attention, and I'm just Counting here, this 1, 2, 3, 3, 4, 5, 6.
Speaker B:To start with.
Speaker A:To start with.
Speaker B:So I'll just take one and you can roll out all the rest.
Speaker B:But one that got announced a few weeks ago, I think it's.
Speaker B:At least it caught my attention A few weeks ago.
Speaker B:So between I'd say Christmas and New Year Ish is a brand new event which takes place in Holland, in Maastricht, and it's called Geeks and Freaks.
Speaker B:And this will be 22nd and 23rd of February.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:And their positioning, so their tagline.
Speaker B:Because for me it's.
Speaker B:It's also new again, it's the first year that this would be rolled out.
Speaker B:So they marketed as something new, something special, something extraordinary is coming for all fans of horror, science fiction and fantasy.
Speaker B:Get ready for unique experience like never before.
Speaker B:And then they go on saying that, okay, this event is organized by Twilight Fantasy Production and that is a company based in South Limburg, which is in Holland.
Speaker B:And it's actually really on the border between Netherlands, Germany and Belgium.
Speaker B:Each event specializes in the realms of fantasy, cosplay, steampunk and Halloween.
Speaker B:So I'm.
Speaker B:Yeah, I mean there's a lot to cover.
Speaker A:It's a lot going on.
Speaker B:Yeah, it's a lot.
Speaker B:I'm really curious and I think it's fair to say that we'll be going at least one day, right?
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah, no, we are the 22nd.
Speaker B:22Nd.
Speaker B:So full report coming after that.
Speaker B:But there's more, right?
Speaker A:Yeah, unfortunately for our wallets, there is.
Speaker A:All right.
Speaker A:I must say, all of these events will be going on in Belgium or the Netherlands because we're not flying out to different countries.
Speaker B:No, the wallets are not that deep.
Speaker A:So the first one on the list is a very popular one in Belgium and it's called Facts, which will be going on in Gent.
Speaker A:So on this event there is so much that you can do here.
Speaker A:You have the obvious marketplace where there's a lot of stuff that you can buy, from figurines to books to manga to D and D stuff.
Speaker A:Cosplay stuff.
Speaker A:There's a lot.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And.
Speaker B:And to be, to be clear, I mean this is the first one because Facts organizes like two sessions.
Speaker A:Yes, exactly.
Speaker B:So the first one that you're mentioning is the spring edition, right?
Speaker B:In April.
Speaker A:In April, the 5th and 6th of April.
Speaker A:Yep.
Speaker A:What else do you have?
Speaker A:You have an artist alley.
Speaker A:You have like a contest for cosplayers.
Speaker B:Big one actually.
Speaker A:Yeah, a very big one.
Speaker A:Then you have like this one hall especially dedicated to Star Wars.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:I'm not sure whether they're going to be only Star wars, but I know that there's a hall also dedicated to all fan based organizations.
Speaker B:Yes, but I mean Star wars is always a big one.
Speaker A:The big one.
Speaker A:You have entire buildings that they Rebuilt there or like the robots.
Speaker B:Yeah, they do a lot about that.
Speaker B:And actually, the Meet and Greece section is quite.
Speaker B:Quite famous as well, because you get a lot of.
Speaker A:I think they already announced the actress of Sansa Stark would come.
Speaker B:Oh, would she?
Speaker A:Okay, I.
Speaker A:I think I did.
Speaker A:Saw her pictures.
Speaker B:I.
Speaker B:I thought it was someone else.
Speaker B:It.
Speaker B:I have the.
Speaker B:The image of her on my eye.
Speaker A:Oh, no, I'm wrong.
Speaker A:It's Natalie Dormer.
Speaker A:I always mix those two up.
Speaker A:It's not Sansa's dark.
Speaker A:It's.
Speaker A:I forgot her name in Game of Thrones.
Speaker B:It's Margaret.
Speaker A:Margaret, yeah.
Speaker A:Margaery.
Speaker B:Margaery.
Speaker A:See, they look from afar.
Speaker B:They look alike from very far.
Speaker B:Without glasses, in the dark, they might look alike.
Speaker A:See, they were besties.
Speaker B:Oh, yeah, sure, they were besties.
Speaker B:Okay, so, yeah, two female actresses.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:So only Natalie Dormer, not the other one.
Speaker A:Yeah, my bad.
Speaker B:That's.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:There's more.
Speaker A:Yes, there is.
Speaker A:The next one on the list is an event we haven't been to before, which is Alfia, and that is in.
Speaker A:Ha.
Speaker B:Okay, so there is back in.
Speaker B:In the Netherlands, then.
Speaker A:Yes, exactly.
Speaker A:And this is on the 12th and 13th of April.
Speaker B:So it's a week later.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Oh, boy.
Speaker A:It's a week later.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker A:Wallets are gonna cry.
Speaker B:Not only the wallets, but.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker A:So what really caught my eye with this event is the fact that it's like a story.
Speaker A:So each event is a different piece of the story, and if you look it up, you can also see every other event that they have done.
Speaker B:So you mean that every.
Speaker B:Is it annual?
Speaker A:Yeah, it's every year.
Speaker B:So they've done for the past X number of years.
Speaker A:I don't know how many times it has been hosted, but you can look up the previous events to read the full story.
Speaker A:And this year, it would be kind of the finale in Haxelle.
Speaker A:I'm assuming that after that, they kind of round up this piece of the story and maybe move to a different location and either start again or just be like, oh, this is chapter two.
Speaker A:Now, I'm not sure what the idea is for next year, but.
Speaker A:So every event is like a different piece of the story, and then they keep on continuing.
Speaker A:And then you have, like, the typical things that you can find in a medieval fair, like a marketplace, performances, all that stuff.
Speaker A:And it's also hosted at a castle.
Speaker B:That's always a bonus.
Speaker B:That's a plus.
Speaker A:Amazing scenery.
Speaker B:Obviously, that's a bonus.
Speaker B:Yep.
Speaker A:All right, then the next on our list is Heroes Dutch Comic Con, which is like basically the equivalent of Facts, but in the Netherlands, because this one is also in Utrecht.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker A:And this would be.
Speaker A:I forgot the month.
Speaker B:That's okay.
Speaker B:We can always add it later in our notes.
Speaker B:But I mean, again, Utrecht.
Speaker B:And you have no clue whether it's.
Speaker B:It's the same.
Speaker B:No, it's probably not the same organization.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:And the Belgian Comic Con, I'm not sure.
Speaker A:But it is the 20th, the 21st and the 22nd.
Speaker A:Of June.
Speaker B:Of June.
Speaker B:Oh, okay.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:So May is one month where we get our.
Speaker A:Maybe.
Speaker B:Maybe.
Speaker B:All right.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:But I mean.
Speaker B:Yeah, I'm not too certain about that one, whether I would be going there.
Speaker B:Perhaps it's.
Speaker B:And June is going to be quite.
Speaker A:Yeah, June already busy for us as well.
Speaker A:For Heroes Dutch Comic Con, the only day I would be able to go is Sunday because of.
Speaker B:Which is the 22nd.
Speaker A:The 22nd, because for the rest I'm in London.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker B:Yeah, rub it in.
Speaker A:You're going to London too, in June.
Speaker B:Yeah, exactly.
Speaker B:That's why I'm saying that June is going to be different.
Speaker B:Difficult.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:For like Heroes Dutch Comic Con, you have the same stuff as you would find, in fact.
Speaker A:Okay, so cosplay, comics, gaming activities, merchandise, all that stuff.
Speaker A:Like I said, it's like the equivalent of facts.
Speaker B:That's what.
Speaker B:What you expect.
Speaker A:What I.
Speaker A:Yeah, that is my expectation.
Speaker A:It's like the very popular Comic Con in the Netherlands.
Speaker B:I'm always a bit.
Speaker B:I mean, as excited I am to discover a new type of event in a different location like the one you mentioned.
Speaker B:Elfja.
Speaker B:That really intrigues me that I really want to go there.
Speaker A:From the entire list, I must say I'm most excited for Alfea.
Speaker B:Well, exactly.
Speaker B:I totally share that feeling because.
Speaker B:Because Facts for many years, I mean.
Speaker A:It really raised the bar a comfort Comic Con for me because I know it.
Speaker B:Exactly.
Speaker B:But then again, it's.
Speaker B:Well, certain editions of Facts.
Speaker B:I mean, I've been going there for the last 20 years.
Speaker A:I guess I've been going there from the moment you've introduced me to it.
Speaker B:Exactly.
Speaker B:And I mean, I've seen this thing grow and it's amazing.
Speaker B:It's.
Speaker B:I mean, it's huge.
Speaker B:Over the whole weekend, I think Link, I'll have to look it up, but my memory tells me that during one weekend they host, or at least they welcome, I think up to 60,000 visitors.
Speaker A:For the whole weekend.
Speaker B:I'll look it up the.
Speaker B:The correct number.
Speaker B:But that's what I know from.
Speaker B:From memory.
Speaker B:I might be wrong, but I wouldn't be Surprised?
Speaker B:Because I know that the latest editions or the last few editions were so crowded.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker B:And that's also the threshold.
Speaker B:It's really against my threshold because it.
Speaker A:Is so popular and they don't like their limit.
Speaker A:They should lower it because there's so like.
Speaker A:I get it, you want to sell more tickets.
Speaker A:But on the other hand, it's so crowded you can barely walk through.
Speaker B:Exactly, exactly.
Speaker B:And then it's less enjoyable.
Speaker B:And the other one.
Speaker B:Oh, shoot.
Speaker B:The name escaped me.
Speaker B:But we've been there last year.
Speaker B:Was it Elftopia?
Speaker A:Yes, exactly.
Speaker B:And that's actually the next one on.
Speaker B:On the list, Right, Exactly.
Speaker B:After Heroes.
Speaker B:Dutch Comic Con.
Speaker A:So the next one on our list is Elftopia.
Speaker B:I really enjoyed that one.
Speaker A:That one was really fun.
Speaker A:I must agree.
Speaker B:But I mean, the setting was there.
Speaker B:I mean, you had an amazing setting.
Speaker B:It was outdoors.
Speaker B:Yes, that is.
Speaker A:That would also be the same for Elfia, by the way.
Speaker A:It's.
Speaker A:It's the.
Speaker B:It's around the castle.
Speaker A:It's around the castle.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:It's not inside.
Speaker A:Around the castle.
Speaker A:Castle.
Speaker A:So it's also an outdoor setting because.
Speaker B:That makes a big difference.
Speaker A:It does make a big difference.
Speaker B:These type of events are best hosted during summer.
Speaker B:Which Elftopia is.
Speaker B:It's in August, right.
Speaker A:The 9th and 10th of August.
Speaker B:All right.
Speaker A:And it takes place in Oydonk.
Speaker B:In Oydong.
Speaker B:All right.
Speaker A:So what can you expect from Elftopia?
Speaker A:Well, about the same as in Elfia, except the whole story part.
Speaker A:So you have a marketplace, you have performances, you have games that you can play.
Speaker A:Like, I forgot the name, but it's like shooting with a bow and arrow.
Speaker B:Oh, what bow and arrow is there?
Speaker B:Yeah, Crossbow.
Speaker A:But doesn't it have a name like shooting with a bow and arrow?
Speaker B:It's bow and arrow.
Speaker B:Archery.
Speaker A:Archery.
Speaker B:Archery.
Speaker B:All right, yeah, sure.
Speaker B:I was going.
Speaker B:I was going through.
Speaker B:Oh, what?
Speaker B:What?
Speaker B:What, What?
Speaker A:It's like it has a name.
Speaker A:It has a name.
Speaker A:I know it has a name.
Speaker B:Killing people, but.
Speaker A:But more.
Speaker A:But also stuff like Dungeons and Dragons.
Speaker A:You can go play One Shot.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:I mean, it's quite similar in.
Speaker B:I mean, at facts, you can do the same thing, but the experience is totally different.
Speaker B:Because it's outdoors.
Speaker A:Exactly.
Speaker A:The vibe is completely different.
Speaker A:Just because it's outdoors.
Speaker A:That instantly changes the vibe.
Speaker B:Yep.
Speaker B:I agree.
Speaker A:I feel like facts and like, stuff like Heroes.
Speaker A:Dutch Comic Con, you really have more like a Comic Con feel to it because you're inside.
Speaker A:While if stuff with Elfea and Elftopia, I expect a more like Medieval Renaissance Fair.
Speaker B:Yep, exactly.
Speaker B:All right.
Speaker B:But there's more.
Speaker A:And then last on our list is Once again Facts, because they have two editions once again in Hyent, and it's on the 1st and 2nd of November in 20.
Speaker A:In this year.
Speaker B:Yeah, 25.
Speaker B:And.
Speaker B:And this is the.
Speaker B:The.
Speaker B:Their main event, let's say.
Speaker B:Because usually the spring event is a little smaller.
Speaker A:But honestly, that's sometimes why I enjoy it more.
Speaker A:Because it.
Speaker A:Because it's smaller, there will be less people.
Speaker B:Yeah, well, yeah, yeah, that's the theory that has been the.
Speaker B:The experience up till now.
Speaker B:But we'll definitely be going to the spring edition.
Speaker A:Oh, yes.
Speaker B:So we'll see.
Speaker B:Perhaps we might go to both.
Speaker A:And I might just maybe also be going to another Comic Con in London.
Speaker B:Oh, yeah, sure.
Speaker A:Rub it in again around November, October, with some friends.
Speaker A:I just don't know which Comic Con this is yet.
Speaker A:It's kind of a surprise.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:For me or for you?
Speaker A:For me.
Speaker A:I have no clue where we're going, but it's been a favorite Comic Con of one of our friends.
Speaker B:What's it called?
Speaker A:I have no clue.
Speaker B:Wow.
Speaker A:I have no clue what the name is.
Speaker B:Talk to your friends.
Speaker A:I think it's mcm, but I might be wrong.
Speaker B:MC Hammer.
Speaker A:Mcm.
Speaker B:Mcm.
Speaker B:All right.
Speaker A:But I might be wrong, but it has been one of his favorite Comic Cons for years, and he wanted to take us along sometime.
Speaker A:So maybe this year we'll go.
Speaker A:But nothing has been confirmed yet.
Speaker B:Okay, and what about.
Speaker B:Because you've mentioned it on several occasions, but now you.
Speaker B:You failed to mention it.
Speaker B:Weren't you going to do some larp?
Speaker A:Yes, that is also still on the agenda.
Speaker A:I mean, I have so broke.
Speaker A:Listen, that ticket cost a lot of money.
Speaker B:Oh, yeah, right.
Speaker B:Because you already have your ticket.
Speaker A:Yes, I have my ticket.
Speaker B:Commitment.
Speaker A:I.
Speaker A:Last week I got my confirmation mail that my character has been accepted.
Speaker B:But you have not.
Speaker B:No, no.
Speaker B:Just kidding.
Speaker B:And when is this again?
Speaker A:This is around the end of July.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker A:I'm really, really excited.
Speaker A:It will be a event of three days, and we will be sleeping in a castle.
Speaker B:Oh, nice.
Speaker B:And refresh my.
Speaker B:My memory.
Speaker B:Where exactly is it?
Speaker B:Where is the castle?
Speaker B:Country would do, but just.
Speaker B:Just know.
Speaker A:It's in Belgium.
Speaker B:It's in Belgium.
Speaker B:Okay, fine.
Speaker A:I'm not.
Speaker B:You have a poor memory, just like your dad.
Speaker A:I'm sorry.
Speaker B:It's okay.
Speaker B:It's okay.
Speaker B:But you're going in July.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker B:So that's another thing to look out for.
Speaker B:And I mean, even though we spoke about these 6ish events.
Speaker B:There's more but we won't be covering them here.
Speaker B:But at a certain point we have to decide do we expand it and take the more literature oriented events because there's plenty of those as well.
Speaker B:Do we take the more and that's dangerous.
Speaker B:Well, dangerous path to go on for me.
Speaker B:More like science fiction because you have dedicated events for that as well.
Speaker B:It's less of my thing to read.
Speaker A:I mean so I'm.
Speaker A:For me it's.
Speaker A:I want to explore the more medieval festivals.
Speaker B:Yep.
Speaker A:Especially because there are a lot of medieval festivals in Bologna.
Speaker B:Yep.
Speaker B:But that's the French part.
Speaker A:Yes, that's the French part of Belgium.
Speaker A:But those don't get marketed as much so they're like hidden gems.
Speaker A:And that's why I really want wish to explore them a little bit more.
Speaker B:Oh, okay.
Speaker B:Well, we'll add it to our calendar.
Speaker A:Our wallets are gonna cr.
Speaker A:Crying.
Speaker B:Oh, we have to.
Speaker B:We'll have to buy a second wallet for that.
Speaker B:Oh, anyway, before I forget, I.
Speaker B:I almost almost forgot that we'll still be covering some games.
Speaker B:Not in this episode.
Speaker B:I mean we're almost at the end of.
Speaker B:Of this first episode of the year.
Speaker B:But I know that we.
Speaker B:We've mentioned on.
Speaker B:On several occasions.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker B:And.
Speaker B:And we're definitely going to deliver on it being different mechanism of games.
Speaker B:So stepping out of what we apparently always mention being the Gathering.
Speaker B:Dungeons and Dragons always the same too.
Speaker B:But obviously we play other stuff, but also stuff that we don't know yet, or at least we haven't played yet.
Speaker B:Speaking for myself, which is 13th age, which is Warhammer, Pathfinder, Gloomhaven.
Speaker B:So we're.
Speaker B:Yeah, definitely going to cover that and it's going to be interesting because the idea is to approach it from a really newbie novice, which I am, and hopefully have someone that has some experience in that and would be able to give us the highlights and get us really hyped about it.
Speaker B:So that's what we also have in store for upcoming events.
Speaker B:So yeah.
Speaker A:There's also another roleplay system that I've been hearing a lot about that I'm very interested in.
Speaker A:It's not as popular as Pathfinder or Warhammer.
Speaker A:And it comes from a comic actually.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker A:From the comic Die, as in.
Speaker B:Oh yeah, you mentioned this already.
Speaker A:Exactly.
Speaker B:Yeah, you mentioned this.
Speaker A:And I'm actually going to play in a campaign from Die.
Speaker B:Oh, when is this?
Speaker A:Somewhere this next semester.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:Our DM has promised us a campaign within this universe, within this, with this mechanic.
Speaker A:So I'm really really excited to try out this different roleplay mechanic.
Speaker A:Okay, well, so it's basically think Dungeons and Dragons, but your character sheets will just look completely different because it uses a different mechanic.
Speaker B:Well, make sure to take some notes and get a full review upon your first experience.
Speaker A:I'm so excited for it.
Speaker B:Cool.
Speaker B:Cool.
Speaker B:Well, I think it's a lot to look forward to, and I'm really happy that we finally got to record our first episode of the year.
Speaker B:I was really missing this.
Speaker B:Really missing this.
Speaker A:I was missing it, too.
Speaker B:Good.
Speaker B:So let's make an appointment in, let's say, two weeks for our next episode.
Speaker B:And in the meantime, if you have any questions, any ideas, if you want to reach out, if you're a gamer, writer, reader, just reach out.
Speaker B:And till next time.
Speaker A:Till next time.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:Take care.
Speaker A:This concludes our episode, so until next.
Speaker B:Time, stay enchanted, stay curious, and keep the fantasy alive.
