Read Between the Spines

Rachel, Haley, and I begin our journey into Book 1 of the Wheel of Time series, The Eye of the World.  We ponder events and mispronounce names...a lot.

00:00:00   Episode 1 Intro
00:00:46   Wheel of Time History
00:02:15   Prologue(s)
00:07:15   Duality
00:11:05   Are we sure we're not reading LOTR?
00:11:38   Aes Sedai
00:13:52   Wind Personification
00:15:15   Power of Names
00:19:28...

Haley, Michael, and I leave Two Rivers, head into Baerlon, and discuss the travels and characters encountered thus far. 

00:00:00 Intro
00:00:35 9-16...Where are we?
00:02:30 Monsters
00:03:30 Rand...do we like him, or...?
00:05:45 Moiraine's Show at the Ferry
00:07:15 Nynaeve's Age
00:08:00 Rand is Jealous
00:09:20 Min
00:11:00 Dreams and Creeps
00:12:35 Meaning in Action
...

Michael, Rachel, and I summarize and discuss Chapters 17-24. We learn some Two Rivers history, travel to scary places, meet more frightening characters, all before the group unintentionally separates. 

00:00:00 Intro + Podcast Adjustments
00:01:36 Ch. 17 Watchers and Hunters
00:07:44 Ch. 18 The Caemlyn Road
00:16:45 Ch. 19 Shadow's Waiting
00:27:15 Ch. 20 Dust on the Wind
00:35:30 Ch. 21 Listen to ...

We meet a nomadic group who lives by an interesting philosophy, say a few goodbyes (permanently?! surely not...), and hold out hope for a speedy reunion for our heroes. The danger is mounting...

Michael, Haley, and I learn we can easily take three hours to record an episode. Episode 4 Part II will cover the second half of our recording, covering Ch. 29 - 32. 

00:00 Intro
00:58 Ch. 25 The Traveling People
1...

We sing, we eat, we even fight...but we mainly run. Fast.

Michael, Haley, and I finish Episode 4 covering chapters 29 - 32.

00:00 Intro
00:58 Ch. 29 Eyes Without Pity
20:05 Ch. 30 Children of Shadow
35:51 Ch. 31 Play for Your Supper
41:07 Ch. 32 Four Kings in Shadow
56:20 Outro + Credits

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We meet more Darkfriends than we care to but more friends that we do, earn Loial-ties, and finally, reach our destination... Caemlyn. 

Michael, Haley, and I reach the half-way point of The Eye of the World, covering Ch. 33 - 36. 

00:00 Intro
01:11 Ch. 33 The Dark Waits
10:46 Ch. 34 The Last Village
25:06 Ch. 35 Caemlyn
34.08 Ch. 36 Web of the Pattern
54:52 Outro + Credits + A Taste of Learning<...

Our situation gets better for some, but questionably worse for others...future chapters will tell (which MOST of our hosts have not read during this recording, ahem!). 

Michael, Haley, and I experience one of the many anticipated reunions and finally set eyes upon the legendary False Dragon in The Eye of the World, covering Ch. 37 - 39. 

00:00 Intro
00:38 Ch. 37 The Long Chase
11:12 Ch. 38 Rescue
23:57...

We encounter an entirely different sort of Power from the True Source - politics. Threatened with a growing number of enemies, our reunited friends plan for the challenges ahead. 

Leave it to Michael, the middle school teacher, to remind Haley and I that these, are in fact, still kids, as we theorize the nature of the Eye of the World while discussing Chapters 40 - 42. 

00:00:00 Intro
00:00:58 Ch. 40 The Web T...

We take a magical portal to a hero's homeland, identify the group's stalker, and enter the realm of our sworn enemy. 

We were shown how terrible and fearsome darkness can be, but were reminded how beauty, hope, and nature can be found in all landscapes using one of the world's most effective weapons - perspective. 

Haley gets her horror fix and predicts one of more potentially accurate theories to d...

Long anticipated answers are revealed about our favorite stone-faced warder hero, as well as a look into his heart. Michael, Haley, and I travel into the fringe of the Dark One's realm and experience no shortage of monsters. The penultimate episode of season one covers Chapters 47 - 49 of The Eye of the World. 

00:00:12 Intro
00:00:27 Ch. 47 More Tales of the Wheel
00:23:12 Ch. 48 The Blight
00:45:10 Ch. 4...

Our hero may fight Darkfriends, Trollocs, even the Forsaken, but can he fight his destiny? In our finale, we find lost relics, meet a mystical being, and enter an uncertain and dangerous future.

Haley, Michael, and I discuss our differing preparation methods for recordings, as well as finally finish, The Eye of the World, covering Ch. 50 - 53. 

00:00:00 Intro
00:00:28 Lessons from the Year
00:06:32 Ch. 50 ...

*SPOILER WARNING: Skip minutes 10:00-13:00 to avoid spoilers from the novel, Rhythm of War, the fourth installment of The Stormlight Archives."


After finishing all recordings for Season 1, Michael, Haley, and I discuss what we did, or did not, enjoy about The Eye of the World, the differences between listening to the audiobook versus reading the story, and discover how often the importance of stories is a reignin...

We're back for a second season! What are we reading? Project Hail Mary, by Andy Weir. You'll hear a familiar voice, Haley, joined by our first guest host of the season, Jack McCrary! We find ourselves disoriented, undergoing flashbacks, and...in space? Discussions and predictions abound in our first episode covering Chapters 1-3. 

00:00:00 Intro
00:01:04 Welcome back!
00:07:55 Ch. 1 
00:25:51 Ch. 2

Welcome back, Michael, our beloved host from Season 1! Kim Campbell graces us with her bubbly and inquisitive nature as our second guest host of the season. This episode, Ryland's memory continues to return and shares the heart of his mission with us. Michael relates to Ryland through teaching, Kim questions the size of a cubic meter, and we all contemplate the true size of our galaxy, in our second episode covering Chapters 4...

I'm sure none of us were shocked to discover aliens, this is a space book after all! But twice?! Join Keagan, Gabi, and I in uncovering just what Ryland saw when he encountered ANOTHER spaceship...12 lightyears from home. We also play, quite possibly, the most epic game of catch in the universe.

Episode 3 covers Ch. 7 - 9 of Project Hail Mary, by Andy Weir. 

00:00 Intro
01:51 Opening Thoughts
05:48 Ch...

Is there anything creepier than hearing a knock when you are convinced no one should be near you? Our brave Dr. Grace answers the door nevertheless, and we are introduced to another hero. It is also evident that sleep is necessary even in the midst of extraterrestrial meet and greets.

Rachel, Chris, and I discuss the relationship between music, math, and human emotion, ponder the meaning of art without vision, and reflect ...

While Michael and I are joined by guest host, Trinity Hardy Stukey, Ryland Grace is busy getting a new roommate. As we continually follow Ryland's journey into the stars and into his past, we attempt to understand neutrinos and recognize this story's ode to companionship, in our discussion of Chapters 13 - 15 of Project Hail Mary, by Andy Weir.

Though guessing at future plotlines can be as probable as Ryland and ...

We struggle to understand time and Mom points out how fast Ryland is running out of it.  Pressured with the weight of his mission, Rocky and Ryland set out for a new planet - Adriaaaaaan! 

Haley, Shelly, and I (with a few guest appearances from our Episode 1 guest host!) grasp at straws during the science bits and rip on the story at the rest. Although Haley can barely stand the flashbacks, all in all, we enjoyed Chapters ...

Finally! Someone to explain time dilation! Our guest host, Rahul, illuminates us on some of the more complicated sciences of space travel, and Lex enjoys the soapbox tangent she embarks on regarding her favorite subject, evolution. 

Rahul Bhakta joins Rachel and I in discussing Chapters 19 - 21 of Project Hail Mary, by Andy Weir. We find Rocky and Ryland planning their visit to Adrian's atmosphere, searching for yet a...