You're invited to sample my podcasts for free, but please note that new livestream episodes are Patreon-exclusive. If you like …
Fantasy for Our Time: Consolation of Grimdark: Why This Failed Quest Was More Satisfying Than Victory
Today, we embark on a perilous journey into the world of Grimdark fantasy, where heroes are fools, victories are tragic, and …
Fantasy for Our Time: Cinema as Sacred Art: Why Tolkien’s World Needs Wes Anderson’s Touch w/ Reno Lauro
Ever wondered if The Lord of the Rings could feel both quirky and profound? Could Wes Anderson bring Tolkien’s world to life …
Fantasy For Our Time: A Dune Deep Dive with Richard Rohlin
Paul Atreides, Duncan Idaho, and Hollywood’s Religious Problem At the time of this recording, it was my birthday, and - in true …
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Fantasy for Our Time: Surviving the Dark Forest: Lessons from Liu Cixin’s Sci-Fi Masterpiece
What if the universe isn’t just vast and indifferent but actively hostile—a cosmic battlefield where silence is survival? Welcome, …
Fantasy for Our Time: Inside the Kotarverse: Slow Productivity & Stories Worth Dying For
This is a special repost of one of my Craftsman’s Workshop Patreon streams, where I dive deep into a pivotal question: What makes …
Fantasy for Our Time: Cantos of Arcadia: Crafting America’s Post-Apocalyptic Myth
Imagine America’s collapse into myth. Today, we’re exploring “Cantos of Arcadia”—my sci-fi project that merges epic story, …
Fantasy for Our Time: Canon in Sci-Fi? The Case for Shards of Honor and The Vorkosigan Saga
Join me as I dive into Shards of Honor, the first book in The Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold! 
From the depths …
Fantasy for Our Time: Adrian Tchaikovsky on Giant Spiders, Sci-Fi, and the Unexpected Success of Children of Time
Welcome, fellow book lovers and sci-fi enthusiasts! In this video, I have the absolute pleasure of chatting with none other than …
Fantasy for Our Time: The Art of Fantasy, Grimdark, and Tolkien’s Vision: Why We Keep Escaping Into These Worlds
Hello, fellow wanderers! 
In this video, we’re diving deep into the heart of fantasy and the curious intersection between …
Fantasy for Our Time: Human-centric Sci Fi vs Lovecraftian Nightmares with Richard Rohlin
Hey dear friends! In this video, Richard and I dive deep into the evolving worlds of science fiction and fantasy. From Tolkien's …
The Craftsman’s Workshop: Slow Productivity, Cultivating Depth, and BIG Plans for 2025
Welcome to the Kotar-verse! (Someone in my Patreon community coined this term; it feels a bit silly, but I like it, and …
The Craftsman’s Workshop: Cantos of Arcadia
Today I reveal the story behind Cantos of Arcadia, which I like to think of as a sequel to That Hideous Strength and the epic tale …
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When Science Fiction is Smarter than The New York Times
One of my projects right now is exploring what a canon of speculative fiction for our time might look like. For context, check out …
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The Wood Between the Worlds: Does Grimdark Fantasy Belong in the Canon of Speculative Fiction?
Why Am I Reading Grimdark? Recently I decided, for reasons that will become clear later this summer (how’s that for a teaser?), …
The Craftsman’s Workshop: Cultivating Imagination
Spring is springing! Flowers are blooming, and life returns after the death of winter. How fitting for the end of Lent and the …
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The Craftsman’s Workshop: Slow Productivity and Better Stories
As you may have heard me say by now, my goal this year is simple: don’t be butter scraped over too much bread. In other words, I …
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Fantasy For Our Time: Touch the Darkness Again . . .
Could this be the Star Wars of our time?! . . . . no. Definitely not. Together, Richard and I discuss the final …
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