Cosmere Casual
The Casual Readers' guide for the Cosmere-curious! New episodes published every other Tuesday, with extra episodes on off weeks if we can. The Cosmere is the shared universe for many of Brandon Sanderson's popular fantasy and sci-fi books, like Mistborn and the Stormlight Archive. We discuss Easter Eggs, callbacks, inter-series crossovers, and commentary on the the books. This is for folks who are NOT already superfans of the series - we explain and add context to the series, so you can make all the connections without re-reading, cross-referencing, or missing out.
Episodes
In this episode, Nick and AJ discuss how Tress of the Emerald Sea fits with the rest of the Cosmere!
This episode was recorded right before Isles of the Emberdark was released... which probably warrants an update... but spoilers for all other Cosmere books published so far (including Wind and Truth).
In this episode, Nick and AJ discuss and review Tress of the Emerald Sea (a Cosmere novel)!
This episode contains spoilers for Tress, but no other Cosmere books.
In this episode, Nick and AJ talk about Tress of the Emerald Sea!
This is our spoiler-free pre-read episode - what to know before going in to Tress, which is a (mostly) standalone Cosmere novel.
In this episode, AJ and Nick discuss the Alloy of Law, and how it fits into the broader Cosmere! This episode contains spoilers for all published Cosmere books.
In this episode, AJ and Nick do a deep dive into the world of Scadrial during Mistborn Era 2! We've got two separate topics that we dive into on this episode - the religions of Scadrial, and also, the Easter Eggs included in the Broadsheets!
The religion discussion includes spoilers up through Alloy of Law; the discussion of the broadsheets includes spoilers for all of Mistborn Era 2.
In this episode, AJ and Nick discuss Alloy of Law, Book 1 of Mistborn Wax and Wayne (aka, Book 1 of Mistborn Era 2, aka, Book 4 of Mistborn).
This episode contains spoilers for Alloy of Law.
In this episode, Nick and AJ get ready to read Alloy of Law! This is book 1 of Mistborn Era 2 (aka, Mistborn: Wax and Wayne), aka, book 4 of Mistborn overall.
This episode contains spoilers for all of Mistborn Era 1.
Discussion topics include:
- Foil hats
-Trade Paperbacks vs. Mass Market
-Steampunk
-Religions in Era 2
In this episode, Nick and AJ wrap up our discussion of The Way of Kings (Book 1 of the Stormlight Archive)! This episode is how The Way of Kings fits in with the Cosmere - and contains spoilers for the entire Cosmere so far.
In this episode, Nick and AJ talk about the ways that The Way of Kings foreshadows the rest of the Stormlight Archive!
Spoilers for the Stormlight Archives, through Wind and Truth (book 5).
In this episode, Nick and AJ do a plot recap of The Way of Kings, Book One in the Stormlight Archive! This episode contains spoilers for TWoK only.
In this episode, AJ and Nick dive in deep and take a close look at the setting of the Stormlight Archive, the world of Roshar! (there's barely any discussion of crabs.)
Spoilers for The Way of Kings, Book 1 of the Stormlight Archive.
In this episode, AJ and Nick spend an hour and a half discussing the Interludes of The Way of Kings (Book 1 in the Stormlight Archive).
This episode contains spoilers especially for WOK, and we give ~20 seconds of heads up before we start discussing spoilers for all Cosmere (especially Stormlight 1-5, Mistborn Era 1, Elantris, and White Sand).
Talking points:
- Looking good in white
- Worldbuilding and the Purelake
- Can I buy ...
In this episode, Nick and AJ finish another detour out of the Cosmere by discussing A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR), now that Nick has finished reading it!
In this episode, AJ and Nick discuss the Way of Kings, book 1 in the Stormlight Archives! This is a spoiler free discussion of the book.
Discussion points:
-Too many prologues!
-Illiterate men
-extremely alien world, unfortunately familiar social problems
-Themes (beyond but also including impossible to spell names)
-Tips for re-reading
In this extra episode, we discuss how Nick wants to be a more well-rounded reader...
... by reading A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas.
Discussion points:
- WHY ARE WE RECORDING THIS AS STORMLIGHT 5 JUST RELEASED
- Oh no, they're hot
- AJ prepares to violate Nick's privacy
- What's an ACOTAR, or Romantasy, anyway?
- Wait, is it just porn? (no)
- Tropes, premise, mostly-spoiler-free review
In this episode (totally an important one, not just us trying to remember how to record a podcast after the holidays), Nick and AJ take a minute to reflect on a full year of making Cosmere Casual!
In this episode, we discuss the short story "Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell" (well, really the setting, Threnody) and its place within the larger Cosmere! This is a full spoilers episode, especially for the Sunlit Man, with some references to Stormlight Archive.
Discussion points include:
- What's in a name? (AJ-will-regret-this-podcast-eventually)
- Placing this story chronologically in the Cosmere
- Threnodite Dias...
In this Episode, Nick and AJ discuss the short story "Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell" including spoilers for the story!
Trigger warning: the story and our discussion of it includes descriptions of child abuse.
Discussion points:
- Memes aren't always funny
- Silence as a Point of View character; also, anxiety
- Raising children in a dangerous world
- AJ wanted a full-length novel; Nick likes short stories
- Elements ...
In this episode, Nick and AJ give a spoiler-free review of Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell! Discussion points include:
- Nick is bad at jokes?
- Long-ass names
- Publication info: "Dangerous Women" and "Arcanum Unbounded" collections
- Ghost Stories - but the real monster is the Tax Collector
- AJ tries to convince Nick that the premise of the book is a spoiler
- Trigger Warnings
- AJ's and Nick's experiences reading and ...
In this episode, Nick and AJ review Mistborn: Secret History, and its place within the Cosmere! Full Spoiler discussion for everything published in the Cosmere as of 2024.
We discuss:
- hass alfed attempts at video. Spoiler warning: this one will ALSO not have video published.
- Khriss and Nazh
- Nick continues to rely on AJ for identifying romantic tension (or lack thereof!)
- Manifesting
- Hoid and his stories, vs what Khriss...
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