

The Worldbuilder’s Tavern
Emma Maione, Allison Alexander, and Christiana Jones
Welcome to The Worldbuilder’s Tavern — where great books meet creative minds.
Twice a month, we explore the worlds inside your favourite sci-fi and fantasy novels and build our own right alongside them. Whether you're constructing your next novel, TTRPG setting, or just love speculative fiction, pull up a chair at the Tavern!
Twice a month, we explore the worlds inside your favourite sci-fi and fantasy novels and build our own right alongside them. Whether you're constructing your next novel, TTRPG setting, or just love speculative fiction, pull up a chair at the Tavern!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 5, 2025 • 32min
3.12 Comedic Sci-Fi: Futurama
In this episode, we're talking about humour, worldbuilding, genre, and the animated TV showFuturama.
Proprietor's Pick:I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Comby Kimberly Lemming (Disclosure: we are a Bookshop.org affiliate, so if you purchase through this link we will earn a small commission AND you will support an indie bookstore!)
Intro and outro music: "The Tavern" by Michael Ghelfi
Visit the Tavern:Website |Discord
Listen to our Worldbuilding Workshop bonus episodes by joining ourPatreon
Support Haneen's family in Gaza

Feb 19, 2025 • 47min
3.11 YA Sci-Fi: Skyward
In this episode, we're talking about genre, the state of YA sci-fi in publishing, and the writing and worldbuilding in the young adult science fiction novel Skyward by Brandon Sanderson.
Proprietor's Pick: Red Rising by Pierce Brown (Disclosure: we are a bookshop.org affiliate, so if you purchase through these links we will earn a small commission AND you will support an indie book store!)
Intro and outro music: "The Tavern" by Michael Ghelfi
Visit the Tavern: Website | Discord
Listen to our Worldbuilding Workshop bonus episodes by joining our Patreon
Support Haneen's family in Gaza

Feb 5, 2025 • 43min
3.10 Comedic RPG: Fantasy High
In this episode, we're talking about the worldbuilding in the Dungeons & Dragons RPG comedy Fantasy High: Freshman Year, which is a Dimension 20 show produced by Dropout TV.
Proprietor's Pick: Highfire by Eoin Colfer (Disclosure: we are a Bookshop.org affiliate, so if you purchase through this link we will earn a small commission AND you will support an indie bookstore!)
Intro and outro music: "The Tavern" by Michael Ghelfi
Visit the Tavern: Website | Discord
Listen to our Worldbuilding Workshop bonus episodes by joining our Patreon
Support Haneen's family in Gaza

Jan 22, 2025 • 46min
3.9 Dark Fairy Tale: Nettle & Bone
In this episode, we're talking about the writing and worldbuilding in the fantasy novel Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher, and how the story feels like a fairy tale even though it is not a retelling.
Proprietor's Pick: All the Murmuring Bones by A.G. Slatter (Disclosure: we are a Bookshop.org affiliate, so if you purchase through these links we will earn a small commission AND you will support an indie bookstore!)
Intro and outro music: "The Tavern" by Michael Ghelfi
Visit the Tavern: Website | TikTok | Discord
Listen to our Worldbuilding Workshop bonus episodes by joining our Patreon
Support Haneen's family in Gaza

Jan 8, 2025 • 45min
3.8 Horror: A Quiet Place
In this episode, we're talking about the horror movie A Quiet Place.
Proprietor's Pick: Lucky Day by Chuck Tingle and Birdbox by Michael Louis Calvillo (Disclosure: we are a Bookshop.org affiliate, so if you purchase through these links we will earn a small commission AND you will support an indie bookstore!)
Intro and outro music: "The Tavern" by Michael Ghelfi
Visit the Tavern: Website | TikTok | Discord
Listen to our Worldbuilding Workshop bonus episodes by joining our Patreon
Support Haneen's family in Gaza

Dec 25, 2024 • 35min
3.7 Children’s Sci-Fi: Wall-E
In this episode, we're talking about environmental sci-fi, ecological themes, children's literature, and the Disney movie Wall-E.
Proprietor's Pick: A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers (Disclosure: we are a Bookshop.org affiliate, so if you purchase through these links we will earn a small commission AND you will support an indie bookstore!)
Intro and outro music: "The Tavern" by Michael Ghelfi
Visit the Tavern: Website | TikTok | Discord
Listen to our Worldbuilding Workshop bonus episodes by joining our Patreon
Support Haneen's family in Gaza

Dec 11, 2024 • 43min
3.6 Cozy Sci-Fi: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet
In this episode, we're talking about cozy science fiction and The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers.
Proprietor's Pick: Cascade Failure by L.M. Sagas
(Disclosure: we are a Bookshop.org affiliate, so if you purchase through these links we will earn a small commission AND you will support an indie bookstore!)
Intro and outro music: "The Tavern" by Michael Ghelfi
Visit the Tavern: Website | TikTok | Discord
Access bonus content and support us on Patreon
Support Haneen's family in Gaza

Nov 27, 2024 • 46min
3.5 Horror Romance: Someone You Can Build a Nest In
In this episode, we're talking about how horror and romance can go together (and whether cozy horror is a thing) in Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell.
Proprietor's Pick: Voyage of the Damned by Frances White
(Disclosure: we are a Bookshop.org affiliate, so if you purchase through these links we will earn a small commission AND you will support an indie bookstore!)
Intro and outro music: "The Tavern" by Michael Ghelfi
Visit the Tavern: Website | TikTok | Discord
Access bonus content and support us on Patreon
Support Haneen's family in Gaza

Nov 13, 2024 • 43min
3.4 Dark Fantasy: The Witcher
In this episode, we're talking about deconstructing tropes, dark fairy tales, costs of magic, monsters, and more in the dark fantasy TV show The Witcher.
Proprietor's Pick: Foul Days by Genoveva Dimova
(Disclosure: we are a Bookshop.org affiliate, so if you purchase through these links we will earn a small commission AND you will support an indie bookstore!)
Intro and outro music: "The Tavern" by Michael Ghelfi
Visit the Tavern: TikTok | Discord
Access bonus content and support us on Patreon
Support Haneen's family in Gaza

Oct 30, 2024 • 45min
3.3 Space Opera: All Systems Red
In this episode, we're talking about the novella All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries #1) by Martha Wells.
Proprietor's Pick: The Mercy of Gods by James S.A. Corey
(Disclosure: we are a Bookshop.org affiliate, so if you purchase through these links we will earn a small commission AND you will support an indie bookstore!)
Intro and outro music: "The Tavern" by Michael Ghelfi
Visit the Tavern: TikTok | Discord
Access bonus content and support us on Patreon
Support Haneen's family in Gaza