Expounded Universe - podcast cover

Expounded Universe

Jef Aldrich and Jon Taylorsystemmasterypodcast.com
Jef and Jon review Star Wars expanded universe novels. Every week they discuss a few chapters at a time making their way through some of the strangest and most insufferable entries in the Star Wars canon.
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Episodes

Expounded Universe 186 – Take the I-5 to Coruscant

https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/expounded-universe-186-take-the-i-5-to-coruscant.mp3 Whoa, what the heck did we miss? A lightsaber fight with Xizor and Vader? Oh well! We’re diving headlong into the middle of a trilogy set in the aftermath of Order 66, as our detective Jedi hero Jax Pavan and his ragtag gang of gray jedi and hangers on end one adventure and start a new one! (book photo in German because I’m sick of converting webp images this morning) Learn more about your ad c...

Oct 08, 20211 hr 5 min

Expounded Universe 185 – Wrap It Up, Boys

https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/09/expounded-universe-185-wrap-it-up-boys.mp3 Time for the final episode! What did we think about the episode? How many questions do you have for us? What comes next? All this and more revealed! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 25, 20211 hr 6 min

Expounded Universe 184 – Making Balls Blue

https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/09/expounded-universe-184-making-balls-blue.mp3 We made it! Time for the attack on the mall, the witch fight, the obvious method by which Juliet’s endless story finally reaches some manner of end, all that stuff. Come along for the end of the ride! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Sep 14, 20211 hr 14 min

Expounded Universe 183 – Your Dad Has An Impressive Rack

https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/09/expounded-universe-183-your-dad-has-impressive-rack.mp3 Animal fight! Harmon and Dean start the long walk to Elizabeth’s house as Sam wanders around a mall for two chapters (which would be 20 seconds in an episode, easy). Do we check in with Juliet too and nothing really changes? You bet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Sep 10, 202156 min

Expounded Universe 182 – The Titular Canyon

https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/08/expounded-universe-182-the-titular-canyon.mp3 Holy cow, not only are they finally finding out who the bad guy is, but they even finally said “Witch’s Canyon!” It’s happening! Anyway, they walk around, remember their dad, and are antagonized by Harmon Baird, rapidly becoming the best character in the canon of the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Sep 01, 202155 min

Expounded Universe 181 – Mr. Terrific and Booster Old

https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/08/expounded-universe-181-mr.-terrific-and-booster-old.mp3 We’re back! Both of us are off various vacations and ready to get through this here Supernatural ghost story. So what happens? Well the brothers finally see some action while everything else remains in the sort of vaguely pre-opening credits thing where we meet a character and they die. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Aug 27, 20211 hr 5 min

Expounded Universe Special Edition – The Road to Sham-Bone-La

https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/08/expounded-universe-special-edition-sham-bone-la-1.mp3 Jon’s out of town but Jef and Claire are making content now? And holy cow is this ever some content warning content. Instead of trying to catch up on Witch’s Canyon, Claire provides some classic Supernatural fanfic as a springboard for a rousing discussion on fic, pairings, Wincest (that’s capitalized right) and a lot more. We won’t blame you if you sit this one out but come on you know you’re...

Aug 13, 20211 hr 24 min

Expounded Universe 180 – The Baird Necessities

https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/08/expounded-universe-180-the-baird-necessities.mp3 As tensions rise and the body count increases, the boys finally find an ally that knows anything at all! Will the not especially mysterious Harmon Baird, survivor of two ghost cycles, be the key the boys need to solve the puzzle once and for all? And do we have time for the what… seventeenth flashback about their dad? Of course we do! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Aug 04, 202158 min

Expounded Universe 179 – Sneaky Preev

https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/07/expounded-universe-179-sneaky-preev.mp3 Okay, now the killing has started in earnest. But the brothers are still busy thinking about hotel keys, gun cleaning, girls, just anything but the haunted town scenario. Can they get onto the right track? Can we? This episode is, to put it politely, shaggy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Jul 21, 20211 hr 8 min

Expounded Universe 178 – Werewolf Out There, Juliet

https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/07/expounded-universe-178-werewolf-out-there-juliet.mp3 Jon seems fairly confident that this is all right on track, but as far as I can tell this book so far is like a lawnmower that won’t start. But hey, let’s pull the cord again! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Jul 16, 20211 hr 5 min

Expounded Universe 177 – Gazpacho Maleficus

https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/07/expounded-universe-177-gazpacho-maleficus.mp3 These chapters are just more tension building, so we went sorta crazy trying to fill the space by ourselves. Fair warning, I guess. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 02, 202158 min

Expounded Universe 176 – Sabre Metrics

https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/06/expounded-universe-176-chopping-mall-1.mp3 There’s trouble down by the old mall! But first there’s a bunch of flashbacks to Jeffrey Dean Morgan being mean to children, because this is based on season 1 stuff. Also Juliet is destined to be a major character since she’s back and… well she thinks based on nothing more than timing coincidence that the Winchester boys came to her farm and tore her cows apart by hand. For at least a second. Learn more ...

Jun 22, 20211 hr

Expounded Universe 175 – The Old Fuckin’ Hole

https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/06/expounded-universe-175-the-big-fuckin-hole.mp3 What the hell is this. Stock photo of first season Ackles and Padalecki, photoshopped into Joshua Tree? Jon is grabbing the reins and there’s nothing we can do about it now. Join us on a brand new adventure, as the Winchester Boys encounter a 40-year ghost story in a tiny Arizona town where a new mall is being built. Will they finally make out? Yes. I personally guarantee this is the book where the W...

Jun 17, 20211 hr

Expounded Universe 174 – Lock Down Wrap Up

https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/06/expounded-universe-174-maul-wrap-up.mp3 Questions, answers, thoughts, prayers, and also the announcement of the next book. Oh the next book. Why did I do what I did? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Jun 04, 20211 hr 10 min

Expounded Universe 173 – Zestfully Sheev

https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/05/expounded-universe-173-zestfully-sheev.mp3 And just like that it ends, not with a bang, but with a lightsaber twirl and a resounding “meh.” Not sure what we expected, everyone killable was dead already! But hey, we visit with Sheev again and you know how much we like that, I suppose. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

May 26, 202154 min

Expounded Universe 172 – A League of His Eogan

https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/05/expounded-universe-172-a-league-of-his-own.mp3 Just one more chunk of book left after this! People are dying at a pace I’d call impressive, but Maul and Eogan are still going strong, now on the lookout for new player Komari Vosa, who Maul needs to kill, or give a nuke to, or both? Hard to say. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

May 21, 202159 min

Expounded Universe 171 – The Blind Fighting Feat

https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/05/expounded-universe-171-the-blind-fighting-feat.mp3 Great set of chapters if you love pieces being moved around a board, I suppose! We learn a little about the worm, Sadiki is moving to a retreat stratagem, and Maul, well he’s just doing the sort of stuff he does. Maul stuff. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

May 07, 202159 min

Expounded Universe 170 – Kell Dragons Love Orange Soda

https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/04/expounded-universe-170-kell-dragons-love-orange-soda.mp3 Jabba is making his move! The collapse becomes ever more dramatic as new players enter with the same speed that old ones are dispatched. Maul meanwhile is the man in the box. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Apr 28, 202156 min

Expounded Universe 169 – DiVesto Slipher

https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/04/expounded-universe-169-divesto-slipher.mp3 The dizzying spiral of decay and chaos that perpetuates the writings of Joe Schreiber continues ever downwards. Characters are now dying left and right. We near the end as Maul just stomps around killing people and being dour. It’s great. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Apr 14, 202156 min

Expounded Universe 168 – Kicked in the Kabals

https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/04/expounded-universe-168-kick-in-the-kabals.mp3 Well, Maul finally finds his way to the “inner circle” but everyone in there is just commanding everyone else in there to kill everyone else in there, so that’s fun times. Also Jabba makes the scene! In the gross flesh! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Apr 09, 202156 min

Expounded Universe 167 – Iram So Far Away

https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/03/expounded-universe-167-iram-so-far-away.mp3 Is it me or do these fights get less interesting over time instead of more? We started with like a Yuuzhan Vong and a monster Wampa and now we’re fighting a Weequay and his shoulder bird? If I wanna get into fights with shoulder bird guys I’ll just go to any street festival and fight recumbent bike guys until the mid-boss spawns, thanks. Also Smight survived. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit mega...

Mar 31, 20211 hr 2 min

Expounded Universe 166 – Smight Walks With Rhythm

https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/03/expounded-universe-166-smight-walks-with-rhythm.mp3 Time for a bit of the old “surprisingly goopy for Star Wars” violence as gang leaders start tearing guards to bit. Meanwhile Maul just keeps cleaning up loose ends. Is this book the original escape room? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Mar 27, 202154 min

Expounded Universe 165 – Hootkins and the Blowfish

https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/03/expounded-universe-165-hootkins-and-the-blowfish.mp3 Lots of setup this time, but we do meet an exciting new character. Or maybe just some nameless bruiser? Who knows at this point? It’s like 90% red herrings in this prison by weight. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Mar 17, 20211 hr

Expounded Universe 164 – Hot Darth Flavored Water and the Chocolate Aqualish

https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/03/expounded-universe-164-hot-darth-flavored-water-and-the-chocolate-aqualish.mp3 The big fights just keep coming, and this time we’re diving into some filth water with Darth Maul (at this point I’d frankly be surprised if there were even one Maul-less match in this book) and discovering yet more secrets about the mysterious Iram Radique. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Mar 12, 202152 min

Expounded Universe 163 – Bone Bird is the Word

https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/03/expounded-universe-163-bone-bird-is-the-word.mp3 Things are about to get cryptic. Turns out our Chadra-Fan buddy Coyle is some sort of statue-crafting bone mystic, and things are just devolving into riddles and puzzles. But even as things slow down briefly, there’s promise of a cool battles soon to come! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Mar 03, 202159 min

Expounded Universe 162 – Warden Caught Me Jagganath

https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/02/expounded-universe-162-warden-caught-me-jagganath.mp3 The story is in high gear now! Artagan and his son begin to effect their daring escape but it sure goes wrong! Also there’s spies all over, so that’s sorta cool. Who is this Iram Radique, and why is everyone so worried that he keeps making grenades? Aren’t grenades pretty easy to buy? Well, we’ll find out! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Feb 27, 202150 min

Expounded Universe 161 – Danger Danger, Ghost Voltage!

https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/02/expounded-universe-161-danger-danger-ghost-voltage.mp3 One thing about these books, they move along. The last episode ended with Maul promising to deal with the gangs, this one starts with him doing it. Then a bunch of other stuff happens too. Guard intrigue, hacking, and holy crap we leave the prison to see some other characters you might know and love, if only the Jedi would or maybe not, since they are not a story the Jedi would tell you. Lear...

Feb 17, 20211 hr 2 min

Expounded Universe 160 – If You Wampa Be My Lover

https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/02/expounded-universe-160-if-you-wampa-be-my-lover.mp3 We’re back! And it’s time for the next big showcase this book has to offer, which is obviously slickly describes scenes of Darth Maul killing gross monsters. You’ll never guess what it is this time (don’t look at the show title special edition contest). But there’s more intrigue and behind the scenes action in here too! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Feb 12, 202156 min

Expounded Universe 159 – I’m A Frayed Knot

https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/01/expounded-universe-159-im-a-frayed-knot.mp3 Maul is starting gang fights as we start to meet our colorful and disposable cast of prison fightin’ guys and the weirdos in charge. Can Maul find Zero? Well yeah, probably, but there’s 67 chapters in this thing, so it may take a few episodes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Jan 29, 20211 hr 4 min

Expounded Universe 158 – Science Fair Volcano

https://systemmastery.files.wordpress.com/2021/01/expounded-universe-158-science-fair-volcano.mp3 Okay, here we go. If this one isn’t exciting I don’t know what will be. It’s Darth Maul, he’s in a gladiatorial mega-prison, and it’s by the guy who wrote Red Harvest, the zombie book we did a while back. All the elements are there! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Jan 20, 202159 min
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