In which the big question is, who is this scared Merlin and what happened to his assurance? Preeti and Jenn debate authorial intent vs. impact, possible theories, the Saxon perspective, and also wow what a banger of a section. Next episode: Book IV, The Red Dragon: Sections 1-5 The Shieldwall Song (via Holly B): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5uKIgSRVlg Get more of Brett Parnell's music at bearinabarnnyc.com More from Heeral Chhibber at heeral.org Get merch: tar-valon-or-bust.printify.me/produ...
Aug 06, 2025•1 hr 18 min•Season 18Ep. 4
In which Preeti and Jenn spend an hour talking about 35 pages of text, because that's how they roll. Unreliable narrators, historical timelines, Parks and Rec comparisons, the works! But hey, at least it was only one recording session. Next section: Book III: The Wolf, Sections 7-12 inclusive Get more of Brett Parnell's music at bearinabarnnyc.com More from Heeral Chhibber at heeral.org Get merch: tar-valon-or-bust.printify.me/products and northingtron.redbubble.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.co...
Jul 23, 2025•1 hr 27 min•Season 18Ep. 4
Get ready, y'all! Three recording sessions later, Preeti and Jenn dive THE DEEPEST into The Falcon. Join them for parallel characters, big revelations, druids, and all the ugh to Uther. Next section: Book III: The Wolf, Sections 1-6 inclusive Dhonielle Clayton's The Belles British officers and batmen/servants trope (Frodo & Sam): https://www.reddit.com/r/tolkienfans/comments/1iuuez9/is_frodo_and_sams_master_and_servant_relationship/ Malka Older's Mossa and Pleiti series Get more of Brett Par...
Jul 06, 2025•2 hr 59 min•Season 18Ep. 3
In this extra-long episode, Preeti and Jenn dig into the language, atmosphere, and voice of The Crystal Cage: Prologue - Book I: The Dove. (We will fight you for baby Merlin!!!!!) Hild and Menewood, Nicola Griffith The story of Dinas Emrys and the two dragons (Help Jenn find the audio cassette she used to listen to! The opening lines included something like 'Storm clouds marched along the sky. Rain beat against the gray castle walls. Inside, a young boy woke.' It had a male narrator.) Next secti...
Jun 19, 2025•2 hr 30 min•Season 18Ep. 2
As they prepare to dive into their next reread, Preeti and Jenn talk about Mary Stewart as a writer, their personal history with her Arthurian Saga, and what they're expecting, excited for, and nervous about. Next episode: Prologue - Book 1: The Dove Nicola Griffith, Hild / Menewood Get more of Brett Parnell's music at bearinabarnnyc.com More from Heeral Chhibber at heeral.org Get merch: tar-valon-or-bust.printify.me/products and northingtron.redbubble.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy ...
Jun 04, 2025•43 min•Season 18Ep. 1
Preeti and Jenn recorded live with Patrons for a special retrospective, WoT readalikes, and Q&A! Read-Alikes: Dandelion Dynasty by Ken Liu Between Earth and Sky series by Rebecca Roanhorse Inheritance Trilogy by NK Jemisin (and then everything else) The Expanse series by James S.A. Corey Dead Djinn Universe series by P. Djeli Clark Beverly Jenkins, Vivid (for Romanda) The Kushiel series (incl the Joscelin book) by Jacqueline Carey The Thief / Megan Whalen Turner The Emily Wilde trilogy Babel...
May 22, 2025•1 hr 34 min•Season 17Ep. 11
A very special bonus episode! Jenn and musician Bryan Dunn reunite to nerd out over music in fantasy adaptations, from The Hills of Tanchico and Sing of Manetheren to songs from the Witcher, Game of Thrones, and Lord of the Rings; Bryan has two very excellent theories, involving Beyoncé and Ishamael respectively; and Jenn learns a bunch of things about vowel sounds. Nikhil Koparkar - Reddit AMA about The Hills of Tanchico ( https://www.reddit.com/r/WoTshow/comments/1k5d09u/im_nikhil_koparkar_com...
May 01, 2025•57 min
It's the end?!!! Well, an end. Join Preeti and Jenn for a very extended discussion on their feelings about how things get wrapped up, what they were very wrong about just one episode ago, and for what comes next for Tar Valon or Bust. Spoiler alert: There is more! Payal Mehta's Romance Revenge Plot is out now ! Merch: tar-valon-or-bust.printify.me/products and northingtron.redbubble.com [new designs available!] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Apr 23, 2025•2 hr 38 min•Season 17Ep. 10
Join Preeti and Jenn as they discuss this absolute JAW-DROPPER of a finale (also can someone please let us know when Season 4 is confirmed, and can that be AS SOON AS POSSIBLE). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 21, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Season 16Ep. 9
FEELINGS. JUST NONSTOP FEELINGS, Y'ALL. Next episode: Chapters 38 - Epilogue, airing (probably) next week. Bryan Dunn's album Zapgun! [Bandcamp] Payal Mehta's Romance Revenge Plot is out now ! Merch: tar-valon-or-bust.printify.me/products and northingtron.redbubble.com [new designs available!] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Apr 16, 2025•2 hr 13 min•Season 17Ep. 8
In which Preeti and Jenn have SO MANY FEELINGS about Perrin and his greatly accelerated, wildly changing (!?) storyline, plus some speculation about character changes for Dain and Galad, Lord Luc, and Loial. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 10, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Season 16Ep. 8
In which Preeti and Jenn theorize about Liandrin's plot arc, are extremely creeped out by Moghedien, can't get enough of Mat and Thom, still love Rand, and are mildly confused by Sammael. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 04, 2025•1 hr•Season 16Ep. 7
The hits keep on coming! Jenn and Preeti talk about how delighted they are with Lan and Moiraine, Egwene and the Wise Ones, Perrin and Faile ... basically everything except the White Tower shenanigans. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 04, 2025•51 min•Season 16Ep. 6
In which Preeti talks about ugly crying multiple times, Jenn confesses some feelings about wizard battles, Tragic Flaws are examined, and somehow that's only half of this chapter. Next episode: The second half-ish of Chapter 37 Payal Mehta's Romance Revenge Plot is out now ! Merch: tar-valon-or-bust.printify.me/products and northingtron.redbubble.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Mar 27, 2025•1 hr 40 min•Season 17Ep. 7
Preeti and Jenn are VERY INTO this episode, and also have so many feelings about how intense it is. Rhuidean, y'all!!! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 21, 2025•42 min•Season 16Ep. 5
Jenn and Preeti talk about how refreshing it is to have real motivations for villains and Perrin actually getting to develop as a character, disagree about Elaida (in more than one way), are concerned about Min, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 21, 2025•54 min•Season 16Ep. 4
Episode 2 continues with the shockers; Jenn feels like this is a much darker Morgase, everyone gets to be an Accepted, who needs Tear when you can have the Waste and Two Rivers already, and both Jenn and Preeti are SO EXCITED for Egwene to meet Bair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 17, 2025•45 min•Season 16Ep. 3
This new season starts off with a bang (litrully!), and Preeti and Jenn talk about some big changes to plot, some great character work, some dubious wigs, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 17, 2025•1 hr•Season 16Ep. 2
What a ride -- Preeti and Jenn suddenly care about Olver (!!?!?!), are very frustrated about Perrin, have their heart broken by Ituralde and Galad, and Rand is fighting The Nothing. Next section, airing next week: Chapter 37, up through the line which includes "Through a gateway, off the battlefield." In Preeti's edition (https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-memory-of-light-book-fourteen-of-the-wheel-of-time-robert-jordan/15554228?ean=9780765337856&next=t), it's at the top of page 709, about halfw...
Mar 13, 2025•1 hr 19 min•Season 17Ep. 6
Battles! Reveals! More battles! Sanderson makes it weird! Preeti and Jenn have, as per usual, talk about what falls flat (not the same for them, actually) and what works well in this uneven banger of a section. Next section (airing in 1 week): Chapters 31 - 36 Our updated recording plan: Book episodes will be weekly Show episodes for WOT S3 will go up the weekend after the episodes air Payal Mehta's Romance Revenge Plot is out now ! Merch: tar-valon-or-bust.printify.me/products and northingtron....
Mar 06, 2025•1 hr 17 min•Season 17Ep. 5
In which Preeti and Jenn give an update about episode drops for both book and show in the next month, talk about closing open loops, hate on Gawyn as usual, and have ALL THE FEELINGS about certain reunion/parting moments. Next episode: Chapters 25 - 30 Payal Mehta's Romance Revenge Plot is out now ! Merch: tar-valon-or-bust.printify.me/products and northingtron.redbubble.com NEOCITIES Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Feb 27, 2025•1 hr 41 min•Season 17Ep. 4
In this humdinger of a section, Preeti and Jenn talk pay-offs (Androl!), character moments (Rand!!), frustrations (Mat and Tuon!!! Battle scenes!!!!) and more. Next section: Chapters 17 - 24 inclusive Payal Mehta's Romance Revenge Plot is out now ! Love Y'All Fest Atlanta Merch: tar-valon-or-bust.printify.me/products and northingtron.redbubble.com NEOCITIES Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Feb 13, 2025•1 hr 49 min•Season 17Ep. 3
In which Preeti and Jenn talk (again) about pacing, some very good POV choices, character arcs, and still love Pevara and Androl but have some frustrations with their escapades. Next section: Chapters 10 - 16 inclusive Payal Mehta's Romance Revenge Plot is out now ! House of Harkness Merch: tar-valon-or-bust.printify.me/products and northingtron.redbubble.com NEOCITIES Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jan 31, 2025•1 hr 37 min•Season 17Ep. 2
In which Preeti and Jenn are shipping Pevara and Androl and also continue to have structural questions and issues but what else is new. Next episode: A Memory of Light, Chapters 4 - 9 inclusive Payal Mehta's Romance Revenge Plot is out now ! House of Harkness Merch: tar-valon-or-bust.printify.me/products and northingtron.redbubble.com NEOCITIES Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jan 16, 2025•1 hr 55 min•Season 17Ep. 1
In which Preeti and Jenn are not sold on some structural choices (SURPRISE), are very stressed out for Rand, and have a new favorite POV character even though this is the second to last book, what even!!! Next episode: A Memory of Light, Prologue - Chapter 3 inclusive Payal Mehta's Romance Revenge Plot is out now ! House of Harkness Merch: tar-valon-or-bust.printify.me/products and northingtron.redbubble.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jan 01, 2025•1 hr 41 min•Season 15Ep. 8
In which Jenn and Preeti have fewer pacing problems because SO MUCH IS HAPPENINGGGGGG! They still have questions, though (as always). Next section: Chapters 52 - end of the book (!) Payal Mehta's Romance Revenge Plot is out now ! House of Harkness Merch: tar-valon-or-bust.printify.me/products and northingtron.redbubble.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Dec 18, 2024•1 hr 36 min•Season 15Ep. 7
The Season 3 teaser is here, and Jenn and Preeti talk their way through (and around, and over, and under, and maybe somewhat to the side on an entirely different road) it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 10, 2024•13 min•Season 16Ep. 1
In this rollercoaster of a section, Jenn and Preeti talk about pacing, big pay-offs, anti-climaxes, secret plans, and how wrong they were about certain things. Next section: Chapters 44-51 Payal Mehta's Romance Revenge Plot is out now ! House of Harkness Merch: tar-valon-or-bust.printify.me/products and northingtron.redbubble.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Dec 04, 2024•1 hr 48 min•Season 15Ep. 6
In which we REALLY love some things (and not-so-much others), Jenn eats her words about Perrin's trial, and Mat is freaking epic. Next episode: Chapters 35-43 Payal Mehta's Romance Revenge Plot is out now ! House of Harkness Merch: tar-valon-or-bust.printify.me/products and northingtron.redbubble.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Nov 20, 2024•1 hr 57 min•Season 15Ep. 5
In which Preeti and Jenn discuss continued pacing issues with Perrin, whether or not Rand has become a Disney princess, and, above all else, the Trakands making Very Bad Choices. Next episode: Chapters 28 - 34 Payal Mehta's Romance Revenge Plot is out now ! House of Harkness Merch: tar-valon-or-bust.printify.me/products and northingtron.redbubble.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Oct 23, 2024•1 hr 29 min•Season 15Ep. 4
