First Chapters

About First Chapters

Hosts Nina MacNamara (author, cohost of Pop Medieval) and Engineer Mike (avid reader) examine popular, obscure, and eccentric works of literature to see if they truly hook the average reader -- in the first few chapters.

Publisher

First Chapters Podcast

Category

arts · leisure

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

2 Jul 2023

Latest episode

4 Sept 2024

Latest episodes

16 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   4 Sept 2024

   Ep 16: The Silmarillion by JRR Tolkein

   On this very special episode of First Chapters, Engineer Mike and Nina are joined in Gray Cat Studios by a very special guest, Dr. Richard Scott Nokes (aka Professor Awesome of Pop Medieval fame)! He's here to get Nina through a classic work -- just in time for the second season of a certain elf-y show. Will Nina find dry, scholarly notes about epic high fantasy tolerable, or will she descend into the darkness and devour herself? Digressions: Doc's own eye of Sauron, Engineer Mike confusing authors for other authors (again), Warhammer 40k (again), nerd worlds colliding, the semi death of the Pop Medieval podcast, preferring extended versions of movies, the last season of GoT (again), the Silmarillion as kaballah, Nina mispronouncing words (again), improv jazz, the avot, Verner Vinge (again), putting some respect on Christopher Tolkein's name, and spoiling the second season of The Rings of Power with some canon truth bombs. Doc is reading: "The Virga Series" on Audible https://www.audible.com/series/Virga-Audiobooks/B09SM67VZ7 "The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England" by Brandon Sanderson https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60531410-the-frugal-wizard-s-handbook-for-surviving-medieval-england Engineer Mike is reading: "Bea Wulf" by Zach Weinersmith https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60316971-bea-wolf "The Mote in God's Eye" by Larry Niven https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/100365.The_Mote_in_God_s_Eye Nina is reading: "The Tolkein Companion" by JEA Tyler https://www.amazon.com/Tolkien-Companion-J-Tyler/dp/0517146487/

2. 

   14 Jul 2024

   Ep 15: Old Man’s War by John Scalzi

   Nina celebrates a milestone birthday, so Engineer Mike offers up Old Man's War by John Scalzi. Will she read it, or will she take offense? Digressions: Cyberpunk 20-something, the ridiculously named Rhode Island, the Biblical origins of Nina and Engineer Mike, the impending world tour, Crash and other less impressive works, a mini rant on Heinlein, the cult of the Raelians, self-insert characters, and old handheld technology in SF novels. Engineer Mike is reading: "Apostles of Mercy" by Lindsay Ellis https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/195790939-apostles-of-mercy (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/195790939-apostles-of-mercy) Nina is reading: "Justin Timberlake once admitted to getting 'completely plastered,' doing his fair share of drugs when there are 'no cameras around'" https://pagesix.com/2024/06/18/entertainment/justin-timberlake-once-admitted-to-getting-completely-plastered-doing-his-fair-share-of-drugs/ (https://pagesix.com/2024/06/18/entertainment/justin-timberlake-once-admitted-to-getting-completely-plastered-doing-his-fair-share-of-drugs/) And...the Raeliens Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ra%C3%ABlism (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ra%C3%ABlism)

3. 

   10 Jun 2024

   Ep 14: Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

   WHO LET THEY GOONS OUT THAT HOUSE? (Engineer Mike, that's who!) WHO OUT THERE TALKIN ALL THAT MOUTH? (That's Nina.) With many apologies to Beyonce, this week they're reading Piranesi, by Susanna Clarke. Digressions: Ghost tackling, Engineer Mike's para-social relationships, academic flexing, Platonic pontificating, evoking the Satanic Verses to make a point, praising short books, and "raw, uncut, Detroit-made talent." Engineer Mike is reading Virga: Cities of the Air by Karl Schroeder https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8478257-virga (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8478257-virga) Nina is reading Disney War by James B. Stewart https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/414096.Disney_War (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/414096.Disney_War)

4. 

   28 Apr 2024

   Ep 13: The Walking Drum by Louis L’amour

   Engineer Mike convinces Nina to read a book by an author your parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents all know. Will it swash her buckle, or walk her plank? Digressions: Weeb shit, "suck my dick, America," confusing Larry McMurtry with Louis L'amour, more weeb shit, the broad umbrella of the Western genre, Batman, everything coming back to Melville, and Engineer Mike bringing up Kushiel's Dart to Nina's annoyance. Engineer Mike is reading: Chain-Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/61190770 (https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/61190770) Nina is still reading: Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu Check out our website (and Nina's books) at GrayCatBooks.com (http://graycatbooks.com)!

5. 

   14 Apr 2024

   Ep 12: Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu

   Timely! Engineer Mike and Nina talk about the book on which the hit Netflix show is based. It's a "whammer" of book, but how far did Nina get? Digressions: throuples, teaching genital mutilation to our children, terrible Netflix movies, modern anti-intellectual parallels, Game of Thrones, are translators authors, and bad followups to great books Engineer Mike is reading: The Martian and Hail Mary by Andy Weir Nina is reading: A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn and Atlas of the Heart by Brene Brown Further reading about the Chinese Cultural Revolution: https://www.thoughtco.com/what-was-the-cultural-revolution-195607 (https://www.thoughtco.com/what-was-the-cultural-revolution-195607)

6. 

   24 Mar 2024

   Ep 11: A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge

   In their most controversial episode yet, Engineer Mike and Nina debate the semantics of the word "chapter" with the book, Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge. Who is the author here, anyway? Digressions: Grammy winning singers, early '90's SF/horror movies, Buffy, cyber paganism, SF going through its Cyberpunk Era, forgetting William Gibson, discussing the Cringe of Capitalized Nouns, pussy maps, whether the introduction counts as a chapter, a throwback to the Morgaine omnibus, and 80's deregulated cartoon commercials. Engineer Mike is reading: The Laundry Files by Charles Strauss https://www.goodreads.com/series/50764-laundry-files (https://www.goodreads.com/series/50764-laundry-files) Nina is reading: Under the Skin by Michel Faber https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/123063.Under_the_Skin (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/123063.Under_the_Skin )

7. 

   9 Mar 2024

   Ep 10: Under the Skin by Michel Faber

   Is this the first time Nina's LOVED a book? Digressions: Skarsgard (Mmm. Mmmhmmm), Scottish slang vs book slang, mouth breathing, the process of running a shady human farm, major body modifications, and Skarsgard (Mmm. Mmmhmm...). Engineer Mike is reading: A Masterpiece in Disarray: David Lynch's Dune. An Oral History https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/126132210-a-masterpiece-in-disarray (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/126132210-a-masterpiece-in-disarray) Nina is reading: All Systems Red by Martha Wells https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32758901-all-systems-red (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32758901-all-systems-red )

8. 

   24 Feb 2024

   Ep 9: Accelerando by Charles Stross

   We're back with season two! Let's kick it off with a book by one of Engineer Mike's favorites. Do they have enough bandwidth to get through the first few chapters? TW: SA, animal abuse, and a spot on JP impression. Digressions: Female protagonists being gross, Engineer Mike's primary source, the free art movement, 70's rock singalongs, everything coming back to "Neuromancer," Neoliberal economics dovetailing into pronatalism, and moving on from past works. Engineer Mike is reading: The Network Effect (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52381770-network-effect)by Martha Wells Nina is reading: Eileen (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23453099-eileen) by Ottessa Moshfegh (note, it's pronounced mosh-FEG)

9. 

   18 Nov 2023

   Ep 8: This Is What You Wanted by Nina MacNamara

   A very special episode! As part of self-promotion and a demonstration of why she and Engineer Mike are doing this podcast in the first place, Nina discusses her latest book, This is What You Wanted. Does she accomplish this, or is this just pretentious nonsense?

10. 

    20 Oct 2023

    Ep 7: The City & the City by China Mieville

    Nina and Engineer Mike put on their raincoats and invade a city somewhere in the former Soviet Block (they think) to solve a murder mystery. Can they get through the first chapter, or is this notorious author's prose too purple? Digressions: The Idol (again), the steampunk lifestyle, comparisons to shitty Luc Besson movies, fantastic satirical Amazon Prime shows, trying to decide on a genre for this book, and how to properly close a podcast episode properly. Engineer Mike is reading: Translation State by Anne Leckie https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/62873999 (https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/62873999) Nina is reading (and finished!): Hood Feminism Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36687229-hood-feminism (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36687229-hood-feminism)

11. 

    3 Oct 2023

    Ep 6: The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin

    Engineer Mike told Nina to read the wrong book! Can they roll with it, or will it blow up in their faces like a volcano? Digressions: Engineer Mike's hatred of democracy, making (podcast) relationships work when one party likes trash, the problem with trilogies, including TL;DRs in your books, characters losing limbs and or digits, and how to make sure your podcast stays fresh. Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/31817749 (https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/31817749) Engineer Mike is reading "How Samuel R. Delany Reimagined Sci-Fi, Sex, and the City" https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/07/10/samuel-r-delany-profile (https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/07/10/samuel-r-delany-profile ) Nina is reading the Female Fashion Advice Circle Jerk subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/ffacj/ (https://www.reddit.com/r/ffacj/)

12. 

    23 Aug 2023

    Ep 5: Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie

    Engineer Mike complained enough and Nina finally picked up one of the most decorated books in SF history. TW: SA as a metaphor. Digressions: turgidity, pronouncing titles correctly, being an asshole in high school, Tenet feelings, Florida pronouns, Ursula K. Leguin guilt, Octavia Butler love, and an epic Engineer Mike rant. GoodReads link: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/17333324 (https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/17333324) Engineer Mike is reading: Oil! by Upton Sinclair https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54847.Oil (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54847.Oil) Nina is reading: Luckiest Girl Alive https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22609317-luckiest-girl-alive (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22609317-luckiest-girl-alive)

13. 

    31 Jul 2023

    Ep 4: Gate of Ivrel by C.J. Cherryh

    Nina struggles through the prologue of a dense but beloved recommendation from Engineer Mike. Will she walk through the Gate or turn around and head north? Digressions: Theoretical George R.R. Martin essays, a rant about The Idol, the problematic Arthurian book we don't talk about, the usefulness of Homeric Greek according to Nina, science fiction versus fantasy according to Engineer Mike, the benefits (and disadvantages) of third person extremely limited point of view, world building versus character building, another problematic fantasy series that we also don't talk about, and a possible book follow up! GoodReads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57084.Gate_of_Ivrel (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57084.Gate_of_Ivrel) Engineer Mike is reading: a meaty tome (TBD) and Provenance by Anne Leckie https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36361644-provenance (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36361644-provenance ) Nina is reading: "The Idol has a serious The Weeknd problem" https://www.avclub.com/the-idol-has-a-serious-the-weeknd-problem-1850578251 (https://www.avclub.com/the-idol-has-a-serious-the-weeknd-problem-1850578251)

14. 

    17 Jul 2023

    Ep 3: The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders

    Engineer Mike and Nina are caught in a teenage love triangle on a remote planet. Will they survive the darkness? Digressions: Eternal Youth, book awards vis-a-vis movie awards, more bad creative writing experiments, unrequited queer love, Sophie's sapphic choice, and how to talk about long, annoying books with romance when you're not the target audience. GoodReads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37534907-the-city-in-the-middle-of-the-night (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37534907-the-city-in-the-middle-of-the-night )

15. 

    2 Jul 2023

    Ep 2: Helsreach by Aaron Dembski-Bowden

    Engineer Mike shoves Nina face-first into some delicious toxic masculinity with a Warhammer novel. Does it deserve the honor of a Chaplain or should it fall in battle? Digressions: BookTok drama (https://gizmodo.com/tiktok-sarah-stusek-three-rivers-goodreads-backlash-1850498236 (https://gizmodo.com/tiktok-sarah-stusek-three-rivers-goodreads-backlash-1850498236)), Engineer Mike's knowledge of book awards, Warhammer liturgy, a shoutout to Granga, getting young boys to read in the least gay way possible, masculine rituals of acceptance, accidental religious propaganda, and the imperial industrial complex. GoodReads page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6949471-helsreach (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6949471-helsreach)

16. 

    2 Jul 2023

    Ep 1: Dhalgren by Samuel R. Delany

    In their inaugural episode, Engineer Mike challenges Nina to read the Samuel R. Delany SF epic. Will Nina agree with William Gibson or Harlan Ellison? Digressions: abundant breast descriptions, leather daddies, dandruff in your crotch, Joanna Russ, Herman Melville, pretentious pronunciations of fantasy novels, and how to impress your college professors. GoodReads page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40963358-dhalgren (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40963358-dhalgren)

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

3.0 / 5

1 ratings

Spotify

1.0 / 5

1 ratings

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.