https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2022/07/expounded-universe-216-toka-and-fugue.mp3 Well heck, the last episode was certainly a bottle episode, never leaving Duttes Mer’s office, but this one is almost a bottle episode too, insofar as it’s set exclusively in a series of bars. Oh wait, that’s a pun too! Hooray! Lando gets started on his surprisingly vague assignment and we learn a little about the locals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Jul 06, 2022•58 min
https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2022/06/expounded-universe-rokur-gepta-i-hardly-know-er-gepta.mp3 Bottle episode time! These two entire chapters never leave the office of one of our two villains. This time around, we’re going to meet Duttes Mer, the regional governer of the Rafa star system, and his boss, A motherfucking lunatic SORCERER. That’s right, it’s time to bring in Rokur Gepta, Sorcerer of Tund, from back in the days when everything didn’t have to be force powers. Learn more a...
Jul 01, 2022•52 min
https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2022/06/expounded-universe-214-this-mynock-empty-yeek.mp3 Oh my goodness it is a new book, and instead of dealing with Corran Horn for even one more goddamn second, we can finally hang with the cool man with the capes, the Tuxedo Mask of Star Wars, it’s Lando Calrissian! This book series is very old (1983!) so get ready for a world free of the EU baggage, and a Lando free of owning a mining facility! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/a...
Jun 22, 2022•1 hr 1 min
https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2022/06/expounded-universe-213-i-jedi-wrapup.mp3 Time for the moment where we ask ourselves what the hell did we just read? A little bit of final thoughts and a lot of listener questions, plus the big announcement of what we’re gonna do next! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Jun 08, 2022•1 hr 16 min
https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2022/06/expounded-universe-212-i-jensaari.mp3 And the rocket ride comes to a sudden stop. And was Jef right last week? No! Jef was only about 1/5th right! Oh well, I guess those aren’t just the Yavin students, but what are they then? Surely no one would wait til the last 8 pages of a novel to introduce a HUGE new element of the Star Wars world, would they? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Jun 03, 2022•1 hr 19 min
https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2022/05/expounded-universe-i-vengeance.-i-the-night..mp3 As the title may suggest, this is a bit of a Batman set of chapters, as our hero sets about scaring all the pirates off the planet they live on. For reasons. I’m sure they make sense. I assume it somehow has to do with rescuing Mirax in the next… four chapters? What!? But for now we’re really focused on using psychic powers to scare pirates. Here we go. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megap...
May 25, 2022•1 hr 4 min
[/audio] https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2022/05/expounded-universe-210-i-dont-care-about-things.mp3 Another episode, another few weeks spent in pirate town. We have the big showdown with Remart, a whole chapter in Horn’s head (shudder) and we meet an exciting new coincidenc-I mean character, Elegos the Camaasi. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
May 20, 2022•1 hr 8 min
https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2022/05/expounded-universe-209-i-oceanbound.mp3 Chapter 36 opens with our new favorite phrase: “Several months later.” The languid pace of this rescue is wild, right? Anyway, all three chapters this week concern Corran’s attempts to impress a bunch of pirates. He hasn’t advanced on the case of his wife yet. The book has about 12 chapters left. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
May 11, 2022•1 hr 8 min
[/audio] https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2022/04/expounded-universe-208-aye-pirate.mp3 Okay, here we go! We’re done with the Jedi temple, we’re done with Grandpa’s house, time to finally rescue Mirax, all we gotta do is… join up with a pirate crew for at least a month WHAT IS THIS HOW DID THIS HAPPEN. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Apr 22, 2022•1 hr 7 min
https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2022/04/expounded-universe-207-i-not-a-jedi.mp3 Obviously Corran is feeling a little down on himself for spending two and a half months at the Jedi academy instead of just looking for his wife, so the most natural course of action is to go crash at his grandpa’s house for an impromptu family reunion and night on the town! Okay, fine other stuff is happening too, but that is the main thing that’s happening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphon...
Apr 13, 2022•59 min
https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2022/04/expounded-universe-206-i-died-offscreen.mp3 Ooh lots of ground to cover this week, as get this, Corran Horn is leaving Yavin 4! With about half of the book left, will we finally start the book? Also we get to deal with Exar Kun, and meet Booster Terrik! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Apr 09, 2022•1 hr 11 min
https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2022/03/expounded-universe-205-i-gonna-get-you-sucka.mp3 The cavalcade of guest stars visiting Fantasy Planet continues, as we are now getting a chance to meet Han (again, remember!?) and Leia, along with the Solo twins, make brief appearances to deal with the Luke being in a coma situation. Also, we finally meet Exar Kun! Gotta admit, it is sorta funny watching a straightforward evil tempting ghost deal with our pedantic overexplainer lead. But hey, you...
Mar 26, 2022•1 hr 15 min
https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2022/03/expounded-universe-204-i-try-to-say-goodby-and-i-choke.mp3 I can’t help but wonder just exactly how much of this book is Jedi school. It became increasingly weird to deal with a book about a missing wife, clearly in some form of mortal danger, where the answer was “Take a few college classes and then go look for her.” Anyway here I am, looking at Kyp and Mara Jade stories just being retold from this puffed-up ex-cop’s overly pedantic perspective....
Mar 16, 2022•1 hr 18 min
https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2022/03/expounded-universe-203-i-blueleaf-myself.mp3 I looked at how the book was and realized this first person gimmick was going to wear out its welcome sooner rather than later, even if the book makes it work a little. I just don’t have that tendency to self-narrate, and also there aren’t any sexy people in my editing space for me to describe at length every time I see them. For now, we’ll soldier on, as the Exar Kun investigation begins and a round o...
Mar 11, 2022•1 hr 7 min
https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2022/03/expounded-universe-202-i-sometric-exercise.mp3 Over and over I’m exposed to characters I’ve heard of, stories I faintly remember, but at each turn I’m confronted with the nagging fact that someone has been inserted into each scene. It’s Corran Horn, obviously, and as each story from Luke’s temple unfolds, he’s usually nearby, being slightly superior. How do I go on? How long til this book gets to the missing wife stuff? This is a weird plan, I re...
Mar 02, 2022•1 hr 18 min
https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2022/02/expounded-universe-201-i-camp-counselor.mp3 After a little too much time noodling around on Coruscant, I found myself excited to finally get to the Jedi Factory. Am I finally going to get connected to the few new recruits we met all the way back in Jedi Search? Before that, I reminded myself, it’s time to watch Corran Horn just fail again and again to read the room. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Feb 27, 2022•1 hr 4 min
https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2022/02/expounded-universe-200-i-jedi-search.mp3 Intrigued, I perused further into the book. “Nonsense!” I exclaimed! It’s already chapter 7! How is he still doodling around on Coruscant receiving praise from all his famous friends? Surely he must eventually go do something, I reasoned, pressing ever onward. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Feb 15, 2022•1 hr 2 min
https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2022/02/expounded-universe-199-i-wife-guy.mp3 I looked to the opening lines of the novel and couldn’t believe my eyes. A Star Wars novel written in first person? Reviewing my long years of reading other EU novels, I came to the inevitable conclusion that at least for myself, this was a first. Could I tolerate living directly between the lobes of this Corran Horn in this way? I would have to persevere to find out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit m...
Feb 11, 2022•1 hr 10 min
https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2022/01/expounded-universe-198-street-of-shadows-wrap-up.mp3 Time to take the long view of this game, also answer some questions AND announce the next book. And let me tell you right here and now, it’s a doozy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Jan 28, 2022•1 hr 13 min
https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2022/01/expounded-universe-197-aurra-sings-final-clowning.mp3 The final four chapters! How does it all end, what with the murder being solved already? Well obviously by wrapping up the loose ends and setting up the next book. Messing with the team makeup, setting minor hints, all that good stuff. Is it good? Well, here’s an hour on that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Jan 20, 2022•1 hr 3 min
https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2022/01/expounded-universe-196-the-butler-did-it.mp3 Well, this generally acceptable (and again, selected entirely off the title) book just succeeded in making us madder than every one of these Star Wars books since The Consent Gun Kidnapping of Princess Leia, and I bet you’re eager to find out why. Oh also we find out who killed Ves Volette. You’ll never guess who. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Jan 14, 2022•1 hr
https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2022/01/expounded-universe-195-a-conspicuously-convenient-cathar.mp3 Laranth vs. Aurra Sing! In hindsight this is sorta depressingly predictable. Anyway they have a noir-grade showdown in the midst of a very weird festival, then Jax heads off to Dejah’s to once again be sexually frustrated by a 2003-era clubwear shimmer dress. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Jan 05, 2022•1 hr 8 min
https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/12/expounded-universe-194-aw-come-on-hes-just-a-little-guy.mp3 Whoa, two chapters in a row that are a continuous story? Don’t think we’ve seen that yet! Anyhoo, the gang is still in “sit around bickering” mode, until Den kickstarts things by getting arrested. Then it’s time to visit a bunch of fun aliens and… sorta just pretend to be detectives at them. You’ll see. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Dec 08, 2021•58 min
https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/12/expounded-universe-193-a-cragmoloid-never-forgets.mp3 We’re about 2/3rds of the way through the book, and for the first time ever any path that anyone is on seems like it might actually cross one of the other ones at some point (just not in this episode). So what is going on? Well, Jax and gang need a few bucks, and Typho information gathers from some colorful species of the Coruscant underworld. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone....
Dec 03, 2021•1 hr 6 min
https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/expounded-universe-192-two-side-stories.mp3 Den Dhur spends a little time wandering a big space market full of Wookiee Luau and disreputable merchandise, which he hates (Dhur hates everything), Typho adds bureaucrat to his already impressive roster of things that apparently were included with bodyguard training, and Sing finally racks up a win everyone can enjoy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Nov 25, 2021•1 hr 2 min
https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/expounded-universe-191-vindalian-wife-explainer.mp3 Doing things in the wrong chapter order? Why not? It’s pandemonium gone wild as Aurra Sing continues to brag and lose, and Jax shows his… questionable side. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Nov 19, 2021•58 min
https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/expounded-universe-190-the-typho-singalong.mp3 Back in action, just in time for the classic noir event of nursing a crappy drink in a low gin joint. Den and Laranth finally meet the Cephalon, and everyone’s around to talk lightsabers. Meanwhile, Typho can’t stop making it weird, Aurra Sing keeps overpromising. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Nov 10, 2021•1 hr 5 min
https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/expounded-universe-189-volette-are-you-okay-are-you-okay-volette.mp3 Oh no, where once there was only intrigue, now there is… MURDER! Who killed Ves Volette? Who else is working an angle? Rhaninn? Laranth? Certainly not our dear and trustworthy Den, who wanders the streets each night muttering about how he hates it! Also Aurra Sing is still hard in monologue mode, we need to get her in front of a protagonist fast before she Xizors out entirely. L...
Oct 27, 2021•1 hr 8 min
https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/expounded-universe-188-yo-dejah-pump-this-party.mp3 A whole chapter devoted to our secondary antagonist, the legendary Aurra Sing, known for… standing on that one rock in Phantom Menace. Also I think she’s probably in the cartoons. But she’s sure dangerous apparently! Meanwhile, paths begin to converge on Coruscant and Den has a lot of thoughts about the foulness of this city he calls home. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adc...
Oct 22, 2021•1 hr 14 min
https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/expounded-universe-187-walkin-in-memnis.mp3 And the plot… begins. Both chapters today deal with the psychic fallout of a massive event of destruction and death, so obviously the episode is all jokes. Very much in setup phase right now, surely these disparate elements will come together soon! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Oct 12, 2021•55 min
