

Words About Books
Ben & Nate
Words About Books is a podcast where two wannabe writers read and discuss books. Read along with us, or just enjoy the show! New episodes every Sunday.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 5, 2025 • 2h 4min
Abandoning Jeff the Killer: Scars of Corruption
Well, hey guys, you know, they can't all be winners. Sometimes you try something thinking it will be fun and it turns into more of what we in the podcasting biz call "a learning experience." And that's what Jeff the Killer: Scars of Corruption is: a learning experience. Support the showBlue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/wordsaboutbooks.bsky.socialDiscord - https://discord.gg/6BaNRtcP8CThreads - https://www.threads.net/@wordsaboutbookspodcastInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/wordsaboutbookspodcastBlog - https://blog.wordsaboutbooks.ninja/

Sep 28, 2025 • 59min
Discussing Schismatrix by Bruce Sterling (Part 2)
I hope you're ready for part 2. We've got family abandonment, alien perversion, duels to the ego death, fish people, jellyfish people (they're different), and of course lots of drugs.Support the showBlue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/wordsaboutbooks.bsky.socialDiscord - https://discord.gg/6BaNRtcP8CThreads - https://www.threads.net/@wordsaboutbookspodcastInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/wordsaboutbookspodcastBlog - https://blog.wordsaboutbooks.ninja/

Sep 24, 2025 • 1h 29min
A Conversation About Overpopulation Fiction With John Bierce
Apologies, we had some issues with John's audio on this one. Ben and John sit down to discuss the time-honored tradition of Overpopulation Fiction. Is it dead? Is it more relevant than ever before? Can Ben ruin John's career by tricking him into bad-mouthing Taylor Swift? Support the showBlue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/wordsaboutbooks.bsky.socialDiscord - https://discord.gg/6BaNRtcP8CThreads - https://www.threads.net/@wordsaboutbookspodcastInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/wordsaboutbookspodcastBlog - https://blog.wordsaboutbooks.ninja/

Sep 21, 2025 • 1h 2min
Discussing Schismatrix by Bruce Sterling (Part 1)
This is without a doubt the strangest book I have ever read. I love it.Support the showBlue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/wordsaboutbooks.bsky.socialDiscord - https://discord.gg/6BaNRtcP8CThreads - https://www.threads.net/@wordsaboutbookspodcastInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/wordsaboutbookspodcastBlog - https://blog.wordsaboutbooks.ninja/

Sep 14, 2025 • 1h 60min
Discussing Yumi and The Nightmare Painter by Brandon Sanderson
Are you ready for the Sanderlanche?Support the showBlue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/wordsaboutbooks.bsky.socialDiscord - https://discord.gg/6BaNRtcP8CThreads - https://www.threads.net/@wordsaboutbookspodcastInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/wordsaboutbookspodcastBlog - https://blog.wordsaboutbooks.ninja/

Sep 7, 2025 • 1h 46min
Continuing to Discuss Mess Effect by Shamus Young until the end of time
This week nobody asked for this. Ben didn't. Nate didn't. The fans didn't. But yet here we are because SOMEBODY didn't write a book that would take 2 parts despite being 400+ pages. Blame that guy.Support the showBlue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/wordsaboutbooks.bsky.socialDiscord - https://discord.gg/6BaNRtcP8CThreads - https://www.threads.net/@wordsaboutbookspodcastInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/wordsaboutbookspodcastBlog - https://blog.wordsaboutbooks.ninja/

Sep 3, 2025 • 1h 2min
Talking About Tolkien - The Palantir (Towers, 3-11)
Pippin goes toe to toe with the will of Sauron. Gandalf wakes up to the screams.Support the showBlue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/wordsaboutbooks.bsky.socialDiscord - https://discord.gg/6BaNRtcP8CThreads - https://www.threads.net/@wordsaboutbookspodcastInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/wordsaboutbookspodcastBlog - https://blog.wordsaboutbooks.ninja/

Aug 31, 2025 • 1h 44min
Discussing Mess Effect by Shamus Young Part I
This week Nate tackles something very near and dear to his heart: Mass Effect. Also Shamus Young, a writer who had tragically passed away just a few short years ago. Ben is also here. Sometimes. He's around here. Occasionally he has some good observations that are born out of Nate failing to properly get his point across or describe Shamus Young's writing concepts and then he has to go back and add in a lot of post-recording footgate to better explain himself. This episode started with about 91 minutes of audio and after extensive cuts and recordings it now only has... 101 minutes... well, crap.Check out Shamus Young's work at https://www.shamusyoung.com/ and consider supporting the author on amazon. The book is currently on sale for $5!Support the showBlue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/wordsaboutbooks.bsky.socialDiscord - https://discord.gg/6BaNRtcP8CThreads - https://www.threads.net/@wordsaboutbookspodcastInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/wordsaboutbookspodcastBlog - https://blog.wordsaboutbooks.ninja/

Aug 27, 2025 • 48min
Talking About Tolkien - The Voice of Saruman (Towers, 3-10)
Saruman rolls a charisma saving throw with extreme disadvantage.Support the showBlue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/wordsaboutbooks.bsky.socialDiscord - https://discord.gg/6BaNRtcP8CThreads - https://www.threads.net/@wordsaboutbookspodcastInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/wordsaboutbookspodcastBlog - https://blog.wordsaboutbooks.ninja/

Aug 24, 2025 • 1h 29min
Discussing Mass Effect Revelation by Drew Karpyshyn
Ben finally tackles his Christmas present from Nate. Prepare to experience Mass Effect as you've never experienced it before! (Second hand from a guy who wasn't super interested in what he was reading)Support the showBlue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/wordsaboutbooks.bsky.socialDiscord - https://discord.gg/6BaNRtcP8CThreads - https://www.threads.net/@wordsaboutbookspodcastInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/wordsaboutbookspodcastBlog - https://blog.wordsaboutbooks.ninja/