The Worldbuilder’s Tavern
Emma Maione, Allison Alexander, and Christiana Jones
Welcome to The Worldbuilder’s Tavern — where great books meet creative minds.
Twice a month, we explore the worlds inside your favourite sci-fi and fantasy novels and build our own right alongside them. Whether you're constructing your next novel, TTRPG setting, or just love speculative fiction, pull up a chair at the Tavern!
Twice a month, we explore the worlds inside your favourite sci-fi and fantasy novels and build our own right alongside them. Whether you're constructing your next novel, TTRPG setting, or just love speculative fiction, pull up a chair at the Tavern!
Episodes
Mentioned books
Sep 25, 2024 • 10min
3.0 Season Three is about Genre!
Season 3 is coming! We've added a couple new segments and will be talking about worldbuilding through the lens of genre.
Intro and outro music: "The Tavern" by Michael Ghelfi
Visit the Tavern: TikTok | Discord
Access bonus content and support us on Patreon
Jul 24, 2024 • 40min
2.22 Comedy and Characters in Pirates of the Caribbean
In this episode, we're talking about humour, character arcs, prologues, pirate mythology, and more in the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.
Proprietor's Pick: The Wicked Bargain by Gabe Cole Novoa
(Disclosure: we are a Bookshop.org affiliate, so if you purchase through these links we will earn a small commission AND you will support an indie bookstore!)
Intro and outro music: "The Tavern" by Michael Ghelfi
Visit the Tavern: Twitter | TikTok | Discord
Access bonus content and support us on Patreon
Support Haneen's family in Gaza
Jul 10, 2024 • 52min
2.21 Mechs and Feminism in Iron Widow
In this episode, we're talking about mechs, feminism, disability representation, and more in the novel Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao.
Proprietor's Pick: A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang
(Disclosure: we are a Bookshop.org affiliate, so if you purchase through these links we will earn a small commission AND you will support an indie bookstore!)
Intro and outro music: "The Tavern" by Michael Ghelfi
Visit the Tavern: Twitter | TikTok | Discord
Access bonus content and support us on Patreon
Support Haneen's family in Gaza
Jun 26, 2024 • 44min
2.20 Science in 3 Body Problem
In this episode, we're talking about nanofibers, science as a weapon, and supercomputers in the TV show 3 Body Problem.
Proprietor's Pick: Jumpnauts by Hao Jingfang
(Disclosure: we are a Bookshop.org affiliate, so if you purchase through these links we will earn a small commission AND you will support an indie bookstore!)
Intro and outro music: "The Tavern" by Michael Ghelfi
Visit the Tavern: Twitter | TikTok | Discord
Access bonus content and support us on Patreon
Jun 12, 2024 • 44min
2.19 Tension in 3 Body Problem
In this episode, we're talking about science gone haywire, confusing vs. interesting worldbuilding, and tension in the TV show 3 Body Problem.
Proprietor's Pick: Exordia by Seth Dickinson
Intro and outro music: "The Tavern" by Michael Ghelfi
Visit the Tavern: Twitter | TikTok | Discord
Access bonus content and support us on Patreon
May 29, 2024 • 40min
2.18 Mythology in Song of the Sea
In this episode, we're talking about sense of place, metaphor, mythology, and symbolism in the movie Song of the Sea.
Proprietor's Pick: The Selkie's Daughter by Linda Crotta Brennan
Intro and outro music: "The Tavern" by Michael Ghelfi
Visit the Tavern: Twitter | TikTok | Discord
Access bonus content and support us on Patreon
May 15, 2024 • 38min
2.17 False Utopia in Pet
In this episode, we're talking about writing a story based on a theme, age categories, oppressive systems, and utopian societies in the novella Pet by Akwaeke Emezi.
Proprietor's Pick: Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White
Intro and outro music: "The Tavern" by Michael Ghelfi
Visit the Tavern: Twitter | TikTok | Discord
Access bonus content and support us on Patreon
May 1, 2024 • 36min
2.16 Retro-Futurism in Fallout
In this episode, we're talking about factions, over-the-top worldbuilding, and retro-futurism in the TV show (based on the video game) Fallout.
Proprietor's Pick: Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Intro and outro music: "The Tavern" by Michael Ghelfi
Visit the Tavern: Twitter | TikTok | Discord
Access bonus content and support us on Patreon
Apr 17, 2024 • 43min
2.15 The Afterlife in The Good Place
In this episode, we're talking about humour, morality, and the afterlife in the TV show The Good Place.
Proprietor's Pick: How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler
Intro and outro music: "The Tavern" by Michael Ghelfi
Visit the Tavern: Twitter | TikTok | Discord
Access bonus content and support us on Patreon
Apr 3, 2024 • 46min
2.14 Gods, Realms, and Portals with Trudie Skies
In this episode, we're chatting with author Trudie Skies about deities, races, domains, magic, and expansive worldbuilding in The Thirteenth Hour, a gaslamp adult fantasy and the first in The Cruel Gods series.
Intro and outro music: "The Tavern" by Michael Ghelfi
Visit the Tavern: Twitter | TikTok | Discord
Access bonus content and support us on Patreon
Find Trudie Skies trudieskies.com
