Join Rich and Ryan as they dive deep into the tangled web of 'Assassin's Apprentice.'
Get ready for a spicy conversation where they weigh the burdens of book one versus the pressures of the trilogy’s finale. Expect Hot Takes on the heavy lifting that protagonists do, and find out why Ryan believes book twos are just vibecatchers at the party—sipping cocktails while leaving the hard work to the first and last installments.
Spoiler alert: Regal is not to be underestimated, and neither is the emotional rollercoaster that Fitz goes through. The ending is a whirlwind of emotions and the character development might just convert the most hardened critics into fans.
Our dynamic duo tackle the magic system of Hobb's world, think of it like sprinkling a little fairy dust on a medieval drama.
Fitz juggles his forbidden powers while navigating the shadows of the court, and the fun doesn't stop there! Rich and Ryan explore the nuances of personal growth, mentorship, and Dootchies Vs. 'Dutchies'.
Mispronunciations aside, they keep the discussion flowing, blending humor with genuine insights. Want to know if the Farseer Trilogy should be on your TBR, your in the right place.
In this Fast Take episode, Ryan and Rich dive into The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang — a standalone military fantasy that blends elemental magic, family bonds, and the brutal cost of war. This spoiler-free review covers what makes the book worth reading, and what might hold some readers back. From the Avatar: The Last Airbender-inspired power system to gut-punch emotional moments and cinematic battle sequences, the hosts explore how this story balances high-stakes action with deeply human themes of legacy and grief.
Rated 7/10 – BUY, this one’s for readers craving an emotional standalone that hits hard and stays with you. But fair warning: it will rip your heart out and stomp on it.
Tune in for:
Why this feels more like “an amazing story” than just “an amazing fantasy”
The magic system and worldbuilding highs
How ML Wang’s self-published debut earned its viral BookTok fame
Whether it lives up to the hype
Hot Take Books: where we read hot books and give you hotter takes.
Ryan and Rich return to break down The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang in this full-spoiler deep dive, and it’s an emotional ride. From heart-shattering deaths to jaw-dropping battle sequences, they unpack why this standalone military fantasy has become one of the most talked-about books on BookTok.
They dig into everything: Misaki’s evolution from obedient wife to warrior, Takeru’s brutal yet redemptive arc, and Mamoru’s devastating sacrifice — plus how Wang’s Avatar: The Last Airbender-inspired magic system creates some of the best fight scenes they’ve read in years. Along the way, they debate the book’s modern-fantasy setting, the limits of standalones, and their campaign to convince Wang to write Book Two.
In this episode:
Why The Sword of Kaigen feels like the “adult Last Airbender” we’ve all wanted
Breaking down Misaki, Takeru, and Mamoru’s arcs (and tears)
That mid-book battle that changes everything
How generational trauma, duty, and communication drive the story’s emotional core
A passionate plea for The Sword of Kaigen 2: Hiroshi’s Revenge
Hot Take Books — where we read hot books and give you hotter takes.
What happens when the worlds of Red Rising and The Stormlight Archive collide? In this bonus crossover episode, Rich and Ryan fuse their two favorite series to answer the ultimate fan question: Which Orders of the Knights Radiant would Red Rising characters belong to?
From Willshaper ideals to Bondsmith vibes, to whether any of the Radiant Orders are even good enough for Sevro, the guys debate, argue, and laugh their way through the entire Radiant Order chart. Expect hot takes, mild blasphemy, and a whole lot of passion for both universes.
Spoiler Warning: Major spoilers for Red Rising (all books to date) and The Stormlight Archive (through Wind and Truth).
Hot Take Books is where sci-fi and fantasy fans come for deep dives, wild theories, and unfiltered opinions.
The spoiler walls are down, and the Radiants are on the couch. Rich and Ryan dig into Wind and Truth, Brandon Sanderson’s emotional (and occasionally chaotic) finale to Stormlight’s first arc.
Rich thinks he spoiled himself halfway through the read—turns out he didn’t—and Ryan brings the internet’s wildest one-star reviews to the table. From Adolin’s armor glow-up to Dalinar’s divine identity crisis and Kaladin’s full-blown therapy arc, the boys cover everything Sanderson threw at the wall.
It’s equal parts laughter, lore, and light emotional damage as they ask the big questions: Was the ending earned? Is “group therapy” the tenth Radiant order? And why does every Sanderlanche need a feelings montage?
Messy, heartfelt, and hilarious—just the way a Hot Take Books SpoilerTake should be.
The six-star review madness has to stop. Rich and Ryan open this spoiler-free FastTake by calling out BookTok’s chaotic scoring habits before diving headfirst into Brandon Sanderson’s Wind and Truth, the long-awaited finale to Stormlight’s first arc.
It’s part rant, part celebration, and fully Hot Take Books energy. Rich compares the book to a Hall-of-Fame victory lap, Ryan swears it’s his most-highlighted read yet, and somewhere in there they debate whether a single jalapeño seed counts as “spice.”
They talk pacing, payoff, and why this series remains the cornerstone of the Cosmere—warts and all. Because Wind and Truth might not be perfect, but it’s bold, heartfelt, and ambitious as hell.
By the end, they land on the only comparison that feels right: this book is the chocolate-chip cookie of the Cosmere—warm, satisfying, and messy AF.
Buckle up folks, this one’s for the diehards. In our spoiler filled coverage of Rhythm of War, we go full deep dive into Brandon Sanderson’s fourth Stormlight Archive book. No safety nets, no spoiler warnings after this point—just raw, unfiltered takes.
We debate whether Rhythm deserves its “worst in the series” reputation (it doesn’t), break down Navani and Raboniel’s science-magic explorations, and gush about Adolin’s Shadesmar heroics. We’ll talk Kaladin’s brutal battle with depression, Shallan’s truths, Szeth’s absence, and why the plot twist at the end left us divided.
Expect hot takes, courtroom drama, Mortal Kombat-level finishing moves, and more Adolin worship than legally necessary. If you’ve read Rhythm of War, this is the spoiler-filled therapy session you didn’t know you needed.
The Stormlight Archive journey continues! In this Fast Take, Ryan and Rich dive into Rhythm of War—Brandon Sanderson’s fourth entry in the saga. We’re talking pacing, worldbuilding, villains, and why this book might secretly be the best in the series (yes, we said it). From Navani finally stepping into the spotlight to Kaladin battling his inner storms, this episode explores why Rhythm of War deserves more love than it gets.
Expect hot takes, a few mispronunciations we’ll never live down, and a spoiler-free breakdown that helps you decide if you’re ready to tackle 1,200 more pages of Roshar. We give it our signature Burn/Borrow/Buy rating (spoiler alert: it’s a Buy.)
So grab your coffee, or your audiobook, and join us as we argue, laugh, and maybe get a little too passionate about magical science.
Three Shallans walk into a bar… and the hot takes start pouring. In this full-spoiler deep dive on Brandon Sanderson’s Oathbringer, Rich tries to hold the line as the resident Stormlight skeptic while Ryan fully embraces the mob mentality. From Dalinar’s “You cannot have my pain” moment to Szeth’s Skybreaker glow-up, Adolin’s underrated greatness, and yes, all three Shallans, the pod unpacks what makes this book messy, massive, and absolutely unforgettable.
Is listening to an audiobook the same as reading? We kick things off with that spicy debate before diving into Brandon Sanderson’s Oathbringer. From slow-burn stretches to avalanche payoffs, we talk Dalinar’s big spotlight, Radiant struggles, and why the flashbacks are back in a big way. Spoiler-free, full of banter, and just enough to help you decide if it’s time to keep journeying through the Stormlight Archive.
🎧 SpoilerTake: Words of Radiance - Spoiler Warning!!!!!!
The boys dive all the way into Words of Radiance, and it’s nothing but hot takes, arguments, and love for Sanderson’s epic. Rich struggles with his score, Ryan calls him out for Stormlight gaslighting, and both agree this book fixes nearly every critique they had of The Way of Kings.
From Parshendi lore and radiant orders to Kaladin hitting rock bottom, Shallan’s lies and truths, and that unforgettable duel, this one is packed with chaos. Add in hot takes on Rock, debates on whether Adolin’s big moment was satisfying enough, and yes even some shots fired at the Stormfather—and you’ve got the most unfiltered pod breakdown of Words of Radiance out there.
Scores, banter, and maybe a little slander—it’s all here.
Catch us on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@hottakebks?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
And
Insta - https://www.instagram.com/hottakebooks/reel/DMf-0HbxtQ7/
🎧 FastTake: Words of Radiance - Spoiler-free, full banter, and all the chaotic energy you’ve come to expect.Rich has a villain origin story brewing (his words, not ours). He also can’t help but call out Ryan for falling way too hard for Stormlight even though, somehow, their ratings end up almost identical.Do the boys think this one paces better than The Way of Kings? Why is Ryan in full-blown Sanderson mode? And are they a little delusional for talking like Brandon himself is secretly listening to their very small podcast?Catch us on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@hottakebks?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
Spoiler-free - The Stormlight Archive- Full series review.
Trying to decide if you should go all in on this legendary series? We’ve got just the content to help you figure that out.
The boys talk about one of the greats writing one of the best fantasy series of all time—The Stormlight Archive. Rich complains about the sheer volume of text and audio it takes to finish it, Ryan struggles to move on to other books, and somehow Sanderson gets compared to LeBron James—Ryan TOTALLY gets it because he’s a huge sports guy.
The boys go deep on how they’d improve The Way of Kings hint: it could be way shorter. But they also give plenty of praise for its originality and the overall impact of the story. Spoilers everywhere, hot takes guaranteed.
The boys clearly hold long books to a very high standard—and The Way of Kings is no exception. They’ve got thoughts, they’ve got opinions… and yes, they’ve got “notes” on how it could be even better. But when this one hits the ending, it really delivers. All completely spoiler-free.
FastTake is live
Empire of Silence – FastTake
The boys break down Empire of Silence in this spoiler-free FastTake—and for the first time ever, the combined score lands below a 5. Even more surprising? Rich is actually higher on the book than Ryan.
We talk Hadrian Marlowe: a main character you get to know like someone you went to high school with. The problem? You might not want to run into him at the reunion.
Is this a bold character study… or just a boring one? Tune in for the hot takes and find out if Empire of Silence is worth the journey or one you can skip on your way through the stars.
Empire of Silence: Brooding in Space – SpoilerTake
Hadrian Marlowe might be a legend, but we're not sold. In this spoiler-filled episode, the boys break down why the main character feels more like a dramatic space linguist than a sci-fi hero—and why all that brooding never really leads anywhere.
Rich gives some credit to the worldbuilding, but Ryan hits page 300 wondering when things will pick up..... and finishes the book still asking.
We dig into the pacing, the lack of urgency, and how Empire of Silence keeps telling us Hadrian is fascinating... without giving us enough to actually feel it.
The boys are back to break down Project Hail Mary and it's all spoilers, space friends, and score regrets. Rich realizes in real time that his rating might be way too low, and they dig into why the book’s flashback format worked so well. It’s no surprise that two guys who started a podcast just to keep talking to each other fell hard for one of the greatest fictional friendships of all time. Come for the chaos, stay for the Eridian impressions.
Join Rich and Ryan as they launch into Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir in this spoiler-free FastTake. They talk science and space bromance while breaking down what worked, what surprised them, and whether this book is worth your precious reading hours. No spoilers just unfiltered opinions and maybe a few accidental physics lessons.