The Friends journey into the brutal heart of Christopher Buehlman’s The Daughter’s War, the grimdark prequel to The Blacktongue Thief. They unpack the stark tonal shift between the two novels—where Buehlman trades snark for sorrow, and swagger for survival. The spotlight falls on Galva, whose stoic presence in The Blacktongue Thief is given heartbreaking depth as her backstory unfolds through war, trauma, and fractured family loyalties. From hive-minded goblins to the emotional cost of legacy, the hosts explore what makes The Daughter’s War such a powerful, if punishing, read—and why some readers might not be ready for just how dark this prequel gets.

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Sink your teeth into the wild world of revived dire wolves—yes, they were real—and the viral tweet that sparked “Dire Wolf Day.” From George R.R. Martin holding a genetically resurrected pup to speculation about military mammoths and Jurassic Park parallels, things get weird fast. The Friends also wade into the fandom frustration over The Winds of Winter and defend authors’ rights to, well, do other stuff. We round out the episode with thoughts on Patrick Rothfuss, a nod to Mark Lawrence’s latest projects, and a grateful look at your YouTube comments—coin flips, interruptions, and all.

Note from Charles: Audio is a bit rough from 2:06-5:20, sorry about that! Thank you for listening!

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@friendstalkingfantasy

Join The Friends as they dive into the 2025 r/Fantasy Book Bingo Card! In this episode, we walk through some of the most exciting (and challenging) categories, offering fantasy book recommendations for each square. Whether you’re hunting for a perfect “Knights and Paladins” read or struggling to find a book with “High Fashion,” we’ve got you covered.

Highlights include:

⚔️ Knights and Paladins – Buhlman, Sanderson, and Grossman

💎 Hidden Gems – Angry Robot standouts like The Last Shield

📜 Published in the 1980s – The Black Company and Alanna

📖 Epistolary reads – Piranesi, The Martian, Time War

👨‍👧 Parent Protagonists – The Witcher, Saga, The Fifth Season

🏳️‍🌈 LGBTQ+ Leads, Self-Published Hits, Short Story Collections, and more!

We also share our thoughts on the “Last in a Series” square (spoiler-free!), the mysterious “Not a Book” category, and how Severance or playing Catan might just count. Let us help you fill your card with fantastic reads!

Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@friendstalkingfantasy

Visit our Website: https://www.theftfpodcast.com/