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    Tipsy Nerds Book Club

    The best in Science Fiction and Fantasy—with a twist. Whether you prefer dragons or aliens, your drinks shaken or stirred, Tipsy Nerds Book Club delivers lively and fun nerdy conversation every month. The first season focused on the NPR Best 100 Sci-Fi & Fantasy, but the Nerds now focus on more recent titles, movies, and streaming shows. The show also features author guests (past guests include bestselling authors such as Hugh Howey, J Todd Scott, and Darynda Jones). For fans of SFF genre, Tipsy Nerds podcast is the perfect antidote to the news-cycle blues.“Two tipsy nerds, one great story.”
    en-us62 Episodes

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    Episodes (62)

    The Princess Bride by William Goldman

    The Princess Bride by William Goldman

    In this episode, the Nerds discuss the beloved cult classic book (and movie), The Princess Bride (©1973 by William Goldman). Billed as a “classic tale of True Love and High Adventure,” the Nerds chat about romance, adventure, swashbuckling pirates, loveable sidekicks, and of course famous quotes—“I am Inigo Montoya…”
    Listeners, we want to hear your thoughts on this one! After you listen, pop over to social and give us your comments on the various questions we posed in this episode.

    Join the conversation on Instagram or Facebook, and let us know your thoughts on any of the media mentioned in our shows. https://www.instagram.com/tipsynerdsbookclub/ https://www.facebook.com/tipsynerdsbookclub

    Stardust by Neil Gaiman

    Stardust by Neil Gaiman

    The Nerds welcome 2024 by reading Stardust by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Charles Vess. Subtitled "Being a Romance with the Realms of Faerie," the Nerds are sipping a lovely, glittering gin drink while they discuss little hairy men, unicorns, flying pirate ships, falling stars, and a man who becomes a doormouse. By the end of the episode, the Nerds may have more questions than answers about this Gaiman book, so they pose some questions to listeners.

    Join the conversation on Instagram or Facebook, and let us know your thoughts on any of the media mentioned in our shows. https://www.instagram.com/tipsynerdsbookclub/ https://www.facebook.com/tipsynerdsbookclub

    A Christmas Carol by Dickens, with guest R.A. Busby

    A Christmas Carol by Dickens, with guest R.A. Busby

    We’re drinking the Nog of Christmas Yet to Come with our guest, author R.A. Busby, while we discuss the winter holiday classic, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. R.A. is a horror writer, so her perspective perfectly fits this spooky, ghostly holiday tale. So fill your nog cug and join the conversation as we chat Dickens' forever-relevant holiday masterpiece.

    Join the conversation on Instagram or Facebook, and let us know your thoughts on any of the media mentioned in our shows. https://www.instagram.com/tipsynerdsbookclub/ https://www.facebook.com/tipsynerdsbookclub

    Witch King, with author guest Martha Wells

    Witch King, with author guest Martha Wells

    The Nerds are excited to welcome Hugo and Nebula award-winning writer Martha Wells, author of the beloved Murderbot Diaries and now a new epic fantasy—Witch King. We hope you enjoy hearing our conversation with Martha as we dive into Witch King. 

    Join the conversation on Instagram or Facebook, and let us know your thoughts on any of the media mentioned in our shows. https://www.instagram.com/tipsynerdsbookclub/ https://www.facebook.com/tipsynerdsbookclub

    Descendant Machine with Gareth L. Powell

    Descendant Machine with Gareth L. Powell

    We're sipping a San Diego Sunset while we explore the far reaches of space in this sci-fi episode with special guest, author Gareth L. Powell. Robyn and I have followed Gareth on social for a while now, so it was a real pleasure to chat with him about his latest book. And what a great read it is! Chock full of all the things we love about sci-fi—futuristic tech, relatable characters, exploration, and intelligent spaceships. We especially enjoyed our discussion with Gareth about his take on AI—we think he just coined a new term. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we enjoyed recording it.

    Join the conversation on Instagram or Facebook, and let us know your thoughts on any of the media mentioned in our shows. https://www.instagram.com/tipsynerdsbookclub/ https://www.facebook.com/tipsynerdsbookclub

    Star Bringer—With Special Guests Tracy Wolff & Nina Croft

    Star Bringer—With Special Guests Tracy Wolff & Nina Croft

    Welcome to Season 5 of the Tipsy Nerds Book Club! The Nerds are excited to open their new season with special guests, bestselling authors Tracy Wolff and Nina Croft, authors of the new sci-fi romance STAR BRINGER (2023). We're sipping purple space-inspired, purple cocktails and discussing the book described as Firefly meets the Breakfast Club. 

    Join the conversation on Instagram or Facebook, and let us know your thoughts on any of the media mentioned in our shows. https://www.instagram.com/tipsynerdsbookclub/ https://www.facebook.com/tipsynerdsbookclub

    SILO, the Apple TV+ show based on Hugh Howey's bestselling novel, WOOL

    SILO, the Apple TV+ show based on Hugh Howey's bestselling novel, WOOL

    The Nerds are happy to once again discuss Hugh Howey's amazing worldbuilding in this episode discussing SILO, the Apple TV+ production of Howey's bestselling book, WOOL. Listeners may recall that the Nerds had Hugh Howey as a guest on the show in episode 4 of season 1 in 2019.  What a fun episode that was! Lots of bourbon and tequila involved (and a Texas windstorm that left Robyn with no internet for half of the show!). SILO does not disappoint. So pour a drink and catch up with the Nerds as they chat briefly about Silo, and about what's next for the show.

    Join the conversation on Instagram or Facebook, and let us know your thoughts on any of the media mentioned in our shows. https://www.instagram.com/tipsynerdsbookclub/ https://www.facebook.com/tipsynerdsbookclub

    John Dies at the End by Jason Pargin

    John Dies at the End by Jason Pargin

    The Tispy Nerds close out their Season 4 by discussing a listener recommendation JOHN DIES AT THE END, by Jason Pargin. The Nerds are sipping strong cocktails called The Sauce in honor of the trippy drug that leads to the adventure in the book.
    Billed as a comedy/horror novel, Natalie asks Robyn if the book was funny or scary, or both? Mix a drink and join this discussion of a "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure—meets—Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" romp.
    The Nerds also give a short preview of what's in store for Season 5 of Tipsy Nerds, and hints of a bonus episode that will release in the summer of 2023.

    Join the conversation on Instagram or Facebook, and let us know your thoughts on any of the media mentioned in our shows. https://www.instagram.com/tipsynerdsbookclub/ https://www.facebook.com/tipsynerdsbookclub

    The Three-Body Problem and Three Boozy Cocktails

    The Three-Body Problem and Three Boozy Cocktails

    The Nerds welcome guest Jason Rico from the Sh*t We've Read podcast to help us wrap our minds around the modern masterpiece of sci-fi, The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin. We're sipping boozy cocktails while we ponder the three-body problem, warfare in eleven dimensions, and whaleiens. A fun discussion about one of the most important and thought-provoking books the Nerds have ever featured. 

    Join the conversation on Instagram or Facebook, and let us know your thoughts on any of the media mentioned in our shows. https://www.instagram.com/tipsynerdsbookclub/ https://www.facebook.com/tipsynerdsbookclub

    Season of the Dragon with guest Natalie Wright

    Season of the Dragon with guest Natalie Wright

    Robyn Dabney pilots this episode as we celebrate the release of Season of the Dragon, a new epic fantasy from our own Natalie Wright. Robyn created an amazing cocktail she's calling the Nixan Fig to get us in the mood for this epic new dragon story. Listen to find out what Robyn thought of the book and to hear Natalie's inspiration for the story. Hika!

    Join the conversation on Instagram or Facebook, and let us know your thoughts on any of the media mentioned in our shows. https://www.instagram.com/tipsynerdsbookclub/ https://www.facebook.com/tipsynerdsbookclub

    Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler

    Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler

    We poured a strong drink we're calling a Pyro Potable for this amazing but bleak book. Parable isn't a fun, light-hearted beachy read, but the kind of book that you feel like a better human being because you read it. We're peeling this onion and perhaps have more questions than answers in this episode—so listen in, then find us on social and help us out! What did you all think of this book? And if you have answers to our questions, we want to hear them! 

    Join the conversation on Instagram or Facebook, and let us know your thoughts on any of the media mentioned in our shows. https://www.instagram.com/tipsynerdsbookclub/ https://www.facebook.com/tipsynerdsbookclub

    Dark Matter by Blake Crouch with special guest CD Tavenor

    Dark Matter by Blake Crouch with special guest CD Tavenor

    The Nerds are stepping into quantum conundrums with a bestselling sci-fi thriller, Dark Matter, by Blake Crouch. This 2016 book was optioned by Sony for the screen. Hear what the Tipsy Nerds and their guest, author CD Tavenor, thought of Crouch's treatment of the multiverse theory of quantum physics. The libations need to be strong to wrap our heads around this one, so pour yourself a strong one and strap in!

    Join the conversation on Instagram or Facebook, and let us know your thoughts on any of the media mentioned in our shows. https://www.instagram.com/tipsynerdsbookclub/ https://www.facebook.com/tipsynerdsbookclub

    Tipsy Nerds Book Club
    en-usJanuary 26, 2023

    Enjoying the Bleak Midwinter, the Darkest Night with Robyn Dabney and The Utburd

    Enjoying the Bleak Midwinter, the Darkest Night with Robyn Dabney and The Utburd

    The Nerds are sipping spiked hot cocoa and a drink inspired by the horror of The Utburd, a new story by our own Robyn Dabney, the first story in a new Gothic Horror anthology, Bleak Midwinter: The Darkest Night. Wrap yourself in a warm blanket, spike that coffee or cocoa with something to warm the cockles, and dive into a great new addition to midwinter reading lists.

    Join the conversation on Instagram or Facebook, and let us know your thoughts on any of the media mentioned in our shows. https://www.instagram.com/tipsynerdsbookclub/ https://www.facebook.com/tipsynerdsbookclub

    Dream of the Endless: The Sandman by Neil Gaiman

    Dream of the Endless: The Sandman by Neil Gaiman

    The Nerds invite you to the world of Dream as they discuss the graphic novel that put Gaiman on the map: The Sandman, first published by DC Comics in 1988. The Tipsy Nerds are sipping luscious, creamy cocktails, one with absinthe, the other with tequila. Shaken or stirred, mix it up and join the conversation about this enchanting story. 

    Join the conversation on Instagram or Facebook, and let us know your thoughts on any of the media mentioned in our shows. https://www.instagram.com/tipsynerdsbookclub/ https://www.facebook.com/tipsynerdsbookclub

    Rings of Power: Doing Tolkien Proud or a Billion Dollar Bomb?

    Rings of Power: Doing Tolkien Proud or a Billion Dollar Bomb?

    You all know Robyn is a LotR super fan, so of course, we've got to have a chat about Amazon Original's production of Rings of Power. What did the Nerds think of it? Does Robyn think the show does Tolkien proud? Natalie doesn't know a harfoot from a hippie, so what were her thoughts of the production?
    You have to stick around for the 35+ minute mark to hear what Natalie said about Jeff Bezos that Robyn still regrets hearing due to the image it left in her mind! 
    Grab a beverage and join the conversation. 

    Join the conversation on Instagram or Facebook, and let us know your thoughts on any of the media mentioned in our shows. https://www.instagram.com/tipsynerdsbookclub/ https://www.facebook.com/tipsynerdsbookclub

    Sipping Banjax and Bitter: Slade House by David Mitchell

    Sipping Banjax and Bitter: Slade House by David Mitchell

    Welcome to Season 4 of TNBC! We begin the new season with a literary haunted house tale that's short but hits the sweet spot. Join Robyn and Natalie as they sip cocktails and dig deep into the layers of this seductive tale of lost souls.

    Join the conversation on Instagram or Facebook, and let us know your thoughts on any of the media mentioned in our shows. https://www.instagram.com/tipsynerdsbookclub/ https://www.facebook.com/tipsynerdsbookclub

    Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

    Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

    The Nerds are ready for a whimsical read, and who does modern fables, myth, and magic better than Neil Gaiman? Join the Nerds as they discuss Gaimain's first novel, Neverwhere, released in 1996. Robyn has lots of questions for listeners in this episode, and is on the hunt for any information you have about a particular line in the book and how it may—or may not—relate to Neuromancer, the 1984 book by William Gibson. Are you nerdy enough to answer her questions? Listen to find out.

    Join the conversation on Instagram or Facebook, and let us know your thoughts on any of the media mentioned in our shows. https://www.instagram.com/tipsynerdsbookclub/ https://www.facebook.com/tipsynerdsbookclub

    Tipsy Nerds Book Club
    en-usApril 08, 2022

    The Green Knight

    The Green Knight

    Sipping drinks called Knight's Honor and Green Death, Robyn and Natalie discuss the 2021 release, Green Knight, starring Dev Patel. Unsure whether the movie is a mess or a masterpiece, the Tipsy Nerds break it down. Naked giants, a talking fox, and a "violated green sash"? The Nerds are tackling a movie unlike anything else in the fantasy film genre. Is it too big a detour from the 14th-century source material, or is it a brilliant commentary on the modern-day? Listen to the episode then join us on social to share your thoughts on the Green Knight.

    Join the conversation on Instagram or Facebook, and let us know your thoughts on any of the media mentioned in our shows. https://www.instagram.com/tipsynerdsbookclub/ https://www.facebook.com/tipsynerdsbookclub

    The Convergence is Nigh: Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

    The Convergence is Nigh: Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

    This week the Nerds are excited to discuss a fascinating new epic fantasy story while they sip cocktails inspired by the book. Join the Nerds as they chat about Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse. Robyn says the novel has one of the best opening chapters she's ever read, and both Natalie and Robyn thought the last third of the book was unputdownable. Like so many authors and stories, though, this one isn't without some controversy and/or detractors, and the Nerds discuss that as well. What are your thoughts on Black Sun?

    Join the conversation on Instagram or Facebook, and let us know your thoughts on any of the media mentioned in our shows. https://www.instagram.com/tipsynerdsbookclub/ https://www.facebook.com/tipsynerdsbookclub

    Tipsy Nerds Book Club
    en-usMarch 04, 2022