The Worldbuilder’s Tavern
A podcast in which three nerds read sci-fi and fantasy novels, talk about their worldbuilding, and then guide you through building magic systems, monsters, spaceships, and more for your own stories.
Whether you're constructing your next novel, RPG setting, or just love speculative fiction, pull up a chair at the tavern!
A podcast in which three nerds read sci-fi and fantasy novels, talk about their worldbuilding, and then guide you through building magic systems, monsters, spaceships, and more for your own stories.
Whether you're constructing your next novel, RPG setting, or just love speculative fiction, pull up a chair at the tavern!
Episodes
Mar 19, 2025
3.13 Epic Fantasy: The Will of the Many
Mar 19, 2025
Mar 19, 2025
45 min
In this episode, we're talking about the writing and worldbuilding in the epic fantasy novel The Will of the Many by James Islington. Proprietor's Pick: Red Sister by Mark Lawrence (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 | Discord | TikTok Listen to our Worldbuilding Workshop bonus episodes by joining our Patreon Support Haneen's family in Gaza
Mar 19, 2025
45 min
Mar 5, 2025
3.12 Comedic Sci-Fi: Futurama
Mar 5, 2025
Mar 5, 2025
32 min
In this episode, we're talking about humour, worldbuilding, genre, and the animated TV show Futurama.
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
Mar 5, 2025
32 min
Feb 19, 2025
3.11 YA Sci-Fi: Skyward
Feb 19, 2025
Feb 19, 2025
46 min
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 19, 2025
46 min
Feb 5, 2025
3.10 Comedic RPG: Fantasy High
Feb 5, 2025
Feb 5, 2025
43 min
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
Feb 5, 2025
43 min
Jan 22, 2025
3.9 Dark Fairy Tale: Nettle & Bone
Jan 22, 2025
Jan 22, 2025
45 min
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 22, 2025
45 min
Jan 8, 2025
3.8 Horror: A Quiet Place
Jan 8, 2025
Jan 8, 2025
45 min
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
Jan 8, 2025
45 min
Dec 25, 2024
3.7 Children’s Sci-Fi: Wall-E
Dec 25, 2024
Dec 25, 2024
34 min
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 25, 2024
34 min
Dec 11, 2024
Dec 11, 2024
42 min
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
Dec 11, 2024
42 min
Nov 27, 2024
Nov 27, 2024
46 min
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 27, 2024
46 min
Nov 13, 2024
3.4 Dark Fantasy: The Witcher
Nov 13, 2024
Nov 13, 2024
43 min
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
Nov 13, 2024
43 min








