Fantasy for the Ages

Deadhouse Landing feels like the best fan fiction ever written… except the fan writing it is actually one of the creators!

In this spoiler-lite review, Jim dives into Ian C. Esslemont’s Deadhouse Landing, Book 2 of the Path to Ascendancy series, and explores how it brings the origins of the Malazan Empire to life.

For longtime Malazan fans, this book is an absolute TREASURE TROVE. We finally get to see the roots of the Malazan Empire, origin stories for a ridiculous number of familiar characters, more insight into Surly, and—perhaps best of all—more of the wonderfully entertaining relationship between Kellanved and Dancer.

After reading Steven Erikson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen and Esslemont’s Novels of the Malazan Empire, Jim has been working his way through the prequel material. And while Erikson’s Malazan novels often leave him impressed, wowed, and occasionally wondering whether he needs a philosophy degree… Esslemont’s books are just plain FUN.

And Deadhouse Landing may be Jim’s favorite Esslemont novel yet.

In this episode:
• Why Jim continued with Path to Ascendancy after Dancer’s Lament
• A spoiler-lite summary of Deadhouse Landing
• Seven reasons to LOVE this book
• The true roots of the Malazan Empire
• Origin stories for SO MANY familiar characters
• Why Jim finally understands Surly
• Why Kellanved and Dancer remain worth the price of admission
• The action, humor, and whimsical side of Malazan
• Three reasons this book might NOT work for you
• Why you absolutely should NOT start your Malazan journey here
• Jim’s final verdict on Deadhouse Landing

For Jim, Deadhouse Landing is like discovering the greatest collection of Malazan fan fiction imaginable—except it comes directly from Ian C. Esslemont, one of the two men who actually CREATED these characters, their histories, and this incredible world.

The result?

Dancer’s Lament was good.

Deadhouse Landing was FREAKIN’ FANTASTIC.

But there’s a catch: If you haven’t already read Malazan Book of the Fallen and the Novels of the Malazan Empire, Jim strongly recommends waiting. So much of the pleasure comes from recognizing these characters, places, relationships, and events—and suddenly understanding how everything you already know came together.

Malazan fans: Where does Deadhouse Landing rank among Esslemont’s novels for you? And who is your favorite character to encounter in their younger, pre-Empire form?

Let us know in the comments!

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#Malazan #DeadhouseLanding #IanCEsslemont #PathToAscendancy #MalazanBookOfTheFallen #EpicFantasy #FantasyBooks #BookReview #FantasyForTheAges

*Want to purchase books/media mentioned in this episode?*
Dancer’s Lament: https://t.ly/YEbhY
Deadhouse Landing: https://t.ly/rrC5Y
The Kharkanas Trilogy: https://t.ly/46mev
Malazan Book of the Fallen: https://t.ly/6JLnp
Novels of the Malazan Empire: https://t.ly/UpcYY

*Ways to connect with us:*
Follow Jim/Father on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/13848336-jim-scriven
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Email us: FantasyForTheAges@gmail.com

Jim’s Microphone: Blue Yeti https://tinyurl.com/3shpvhb4

0:00 - Opening
2:21 - Book Details
4:14 - Why Jim Read This
7:19 - Spoiler-Lite Summary
8:36 - Seven Reasons to LOVE Deadhouse Landing
15:06 - Three Reasons to Skip It
17:28 - Jim’s Final Thoughts
19:38 - Closing & Wrap-Up

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_Music and video elements licensed under Envato Elements:_
https://elements.envato.com/

Brian Lumley’s original Necroscope saga has reached its grand finale! After five books filled with vampires, psychic espionage, horrifying body transformations, alternate dimensions, and the increasingly complicated life of Harry Keogh, does Deadspawn actually manage to LAND THE PLANE?

In this spoiler-lite review, Jim takes a look at Deadspawn, Book 5 of Brian Lumley’s Necroscope series and the conclusion to the original five-book story arc.

And Lumley had a LOT to resolve.

Harry Keogh is changing. E-Branch isn’t entirely sure they can trust him. Old plot threads are returning. Vampirism continues to become stranger—and considerably more disgusting—and Lumley is pulling together ideas and conflicts stretching all the way back to the beginning of the series.

We’ll discuss:
• How Deadspawn pays off storylines from the previous four books
• Harry Keogh as…the villain?! Well, sort of. It’s complicated.
• The absolutely breakneck pacing
• Lumley’s endlessly inventive—and horrifying—approach to vampires
• Why the ending is BRILLIANT
• Why that same ending might also be a little TOO convenient
• Whether Deadspawn provides a satisfying stopping point for Necroscope

Jim committed to reading the original five-book Necroscope arc after loving the first book. Now that the journey is complete, was it worth it?

Ohhhhh, yes.

But is this really the end of Jim’s Necroscope journey?

For now…

Probably.

Have you read Deadspawn? Did Brian Lumley successfully stick the landing? And should Jim eventually continue into the Vampire World books?

Let us know in the comments!

Thanks as always to our Patreon supporters for helping Fantasy for the Ages continue to grow!: https://patreon.com/FantasyForTheAges

#Necroscope #Deadspawn #BrianLumley #HorrorBooks #VampireBooks #BookReview #HorrorFiction #FantasyForTheAges

Want to purchase books/media mentioned in this episode?
Deadspawn: https://t.ly/PyE6K

Ways to connect with us:
Follow Jim/Father on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/13848336-jim-scriven
Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/jMWyVJ6qKk
Follow us on "X": @Fantasy4theAges
Follow us on Blue Sky: @fantasy4theages.bsky.social
Follow us on Instagram: fantasy_for_the_ages
Follow us on Mastodon: @FantasyForTheAges@nerdculture.de
Email us: FantasyForTheAges@gmail.com

Check out our merch: https://www.newcreationsbyjen.com/collections/fantasyfortheages

Jim’s Microphone: Blue Yeti https://tinyurl.com/3shpvhb4
Jim’s Camera: Razer Kito Pro https://tinyurl.com/c873tc2n

0:00 - Opening
2:44 - Book Details
5:11 - Why Jim Read This
7:16 - Spoiler-Lite Summary
8:53 - Five Reasons You Would Enjoy Deadspawn
13:40 - Three Reasons to Pass
16:19 - Jim’s Final Thoughts
18:46 - Closing & Wrap-Up

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Music and video elements licensed under Envato Elements:
https://elements.envato.com/

What epic high fantasy series should EVERY fantasy fan experience at least once?

In this episode of Fantasy for the Ages, Jim and Zach each bring five completed epic high fantasy series to the table—creating a combined list of 10 series we believe deserve to be part of every serious fantasy reader's journey.

But this isn't simply a list of our 10 favorite series.

We're looking at significance. Influence. Worldbuilding. Characters. Scope. Innovation. Staying power. And, of course, whether the experience of reading these enormous stories is actually worth the hundreds—or thousands!—of pages they demand from us.

And because this is Jim and Zach we're talking about, we're not just presenting our picks and politely agreeing with each other. We'll debate the merits of each other's selections, defend the choices that need defending, and each of us has brought along ONE pick we suspect might be a little...controversial.

👀 Which choices will start an argument?

📚 Which legendary fantasy series are truly essential?

⚔️ And which ongoing series might someday force their way onto this list once they're actually FINISHED?

After revealing our 10 completed must-experience series, we'll also spotlight several works-in-progress that could eventually earn a place among epic fantasy's essential reads—assuming their authors stick the landing!

Then it's YOUR turn.

💬 What completed epic high fantasy series do you believe every fantasy fan should experience at least once?

💬 Which of our selections absolutely belongs?

💬 Which one would you kick OFF the list?

💬 And what ongoing fantasy series do you think will eventually deserve a spot?

Let the fantasy arguments begin!

👍 LIKE the video if you enjoy the discussion🔔 SUBSCRIBE and turn on notifications for more fantasy, science fiction, and horror content💬 DROP YOUR PICKS in the comments—and make your case!

And a huge THANK YOU to our Patreon supporters for helping make Fantasy for the Ages possible!: https://patreon.com/FantasyForTheAges

#FantasyForTheAges #EpicFantasy #HighFantasy #FantasyBooks #FantasySeries #BookTube #FantasyBookTube #FantasyRecommendations #MustReadFantasy #FantasyReaders

⸻

Ways to connect with us:
Follow Jim/Father on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/13848336-jim-scriven
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Follow us on "X": @Fantasy4theAges
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Check out our merch: https://www.newcreationsbyjen.com/collections/fantasyfortheages

Jim’s Microphone: Blue Yeti https://tinyurl.com/3shpvhb4
Jim’s Camera: Razer Kito Pro https://tinyurl.com/c873tc2n

0:00 - Opening
3:10 - Episode Explanation
6:36 - Our Ten Essential Completed Series
46:51 - One Honorable Mention
48:44 - Works in Progress That May End Up Worthy
58:48 - Wrap-up & Conclusion

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Music and video elements licensed under Envato Elements:
https://elements.envato.com/

Can you really take a cyberpunk novel seriously when it has a cover like THAT? 😆

As it turns out...YES. You absolutely can.

In this spoiler-lite Fantasy for the Ages review, Jim dives into L3X1 by R.C. Grabowski, an independently published cyberpunk science-fiction adventure that surprised him with fantastic worldbuilding, intense action, an intriguing mystery, and a cast of characters he genuinely enjoyed.

But there’s a catch.

Jim gave L3X1 only 3 stars on Goodreads—and he’s actually frustrated about it. Because underneath some questionable sexualization, shallow relationships, spectacularly over-the-top violence, and possibly the greatest plot armor in the history of cyberpunk, there’s a novel Jim thinks could have been a FIVE-STAR read.

So what went right? What went wrong? And why, despite his criticisms, is Jim absolutely interested in reading the sequel?

Join us for a spoiler-lite look at an indie cyberpunk novel that deserves some attention!

📚 BOOK DISCUSSED:
L3X1 by R.C. Grabowski
Cyberpunk / Science Fiction / Action Thriller
Book 1 of the planned L3X1 Trilogy

IN THIS EPISODE:
⚡ Fantastic cyberpunk worldbuilding
🔫 Intense, cinematic action
🤖 Infiltrators, augmentation & futuristic technology
🕵️ A mystery that gets more intriguing as the story unfolds
😂 Humor amid the violence and chaos
🔥 The sexual content that seriously hurt Jim’s rating
🛡️ And plot armor so powerful it may qualify as its own cybernetic enhancement

A huge THANK YOU to R.C. Grabowski for reaching out and providing Jim with a beautiful signed deluxe edition of the book. As always, receiving a review copy has no impact on our opinions or ratings.

Have you read L3X1? If so, did the sexualized elements bother you, or did you see them as part of the novel’s deliberately over-the-top cyberpunk aesthetic? And are you ready for Book 2? Let us know in the comments!

👍 Like the video
🔔 Subscribe and turn on notifications
💬 Join the conversation below
❤️ And a huge THANK YOU to our Patreon supporters for helping make Fantasy for the Ages possible!: https://patreon.com/FantasyForTheAges

#L3X1 #RCGrabowski #Cyberpunk #ScienceFiction #IndieBooks #BookReview #SciFiBooks #CyberpunkBooks #FantasyForTheAges

*Want to purchase books/media mentioned in this episode?*
LEX1: https://t.ly/jpUId

*Ways to connect with us:*
Follow Jim/Father on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/13848336-jim-scriven
Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/jMWyVJ6qKk
Follow us on "X": @Fantasy4theAges
Follow us on Blue Sky: @fantasy4theages.bsky.social
Follow us on Instagram: fantasy_for_the_ages
Follow us on Mastodon: @FantasyForTheAges@nerdculture.de
Email us: FantasyForTheAges@gmail.com

*Check out our merch:* https://www.newcreationsbyjen.com/collections/fantasyfortheages

Jim’s Microphone: Blue Yeti https://tinyurl.com/3shpvhb4
Jim’s Camera: Razer Kito Pro https://tinyurl.com/c873tc2n

0:00 - Opening
2:15 - Book Details
4:05 - Why Jim Read This
5:46 - Spoiler-Lite Summary
7:21 - Six Reasons You May Want to Read L3X1
12:41 - Three Reasons to Pass
15:35 - Jim’s Final Thoughts
17:55 - Closing & Wrap-Up

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_Music and video elements licensed under Envato Elements:_
https://elements.envato.com/

Four books into Brian Lumley’s *Necroscope* series, you might think we’d have a pretty good handle on psychic espionage, conversations with the dead, and some of the nastiest vampires in horror.

Apparently Brian Lumley disagrees. 😳

In this spoiler-lite review, Jim dives into *Deadspeak*, Book 4 of the original five-book *Necroscope* arc—and the larger story is becoming clearer, stranger, and considerably more dangerous.

Harry Keogh has a BIG problem: what happens when the Necroscope loses the very powers that made him the Necroscope?

And more importantly...

*WHAT IN THE WORLD IS HARRY THINKING?!*

Jim discusses:

• 🧛 Why Lumley’s vampires remain unlike almost anything else in vampire fiction
• 💀 What happens when Harry Keogh has to operate without his usual abilities
• 🧠 How the psychic-spy elements continue to distinguish *Necroscope* from other horror series
• 📚 How *Deadspeak* builds brilliantly upon the first three books
• 🩸 The expanding history and mythology of Lumley’s vampires
• ⚡ Why the brisk pacing makes this series so ridiculously easy to keep reading
• 🤔 Why parts of *Deadspeak* clearly point toward the original arc’s conclusion in Book 5
• 😱 And the decision Harry makes that had Jim practically yelling, “NO, HARRY! NO!”

*This review is SPOILER-LITE.* We’ll discuss the premise, characters, themes, and Jim’s overall reaction without revealing the book’s biggest surprises.

If you’ve read *Deadspeak*, where does it rank among the original *Necroscope* novels for you? And please keep the comments spoiler-friendly for readers still making their way through the series!

👍 Like the video if you enjoy our content.
🔔 Subscribe and turn on notifications for more fantasy, science fiction, and horror.
💬 Tell us what you think of *Deadspeak* in the comments.
Support Fantasy for the Ages through our Patreon: https://patreon.com/FantasyForTheAges

*Fantasy for the Ages* — discussing great fantasy, science fiction, horror, and everything in between.

#Deadspeak #Necroscope #BrianLumley #HorrorBooks #VampireBooks #BookReview #Horror #FantasyForTheAges

*Want to purchase books/media mentioned in this episode?*
Deadspeak: https://t.ly/zoFif

*Ways to connect with us:*
Follow Jim/Father on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/13848336-jim-scriven
Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/jMWyVJ6qKk
Follow us on "X": @Fantasy4theAges
Follow us on Blue Sky: @fantasy4theages.bsky.social
Follow us on Instagram: fantasy_for_the_ages
Follow us on Mastodon: @FantasyForTheAges@nerdculture.de
Email us: FantasyForTheAges@gmail.com

*Check out our merch:* https://www.newcreationsbyjen.com/collections/fantasyfortheages

Jim’s Microphone: Blue Yeti https://tinyurl.com/3shpvhb4
Jim’s Camera: Razer Kito Pro https://tinyurl.com/c873tc2n

0:00 - Opening
2:17 - Book Details
3:33 - Why Jim Read This
4:50 - Spoiler-Lite Summary
6:22 - Six Reasons to Enjoy Deadspeak
11:07 - Three Reasons to Pass
13:08 - Jim’s Final Thoughts
15:22 - Closing & Wrap-Up

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_Music and video elements licensed under Envato Elements:_
https://elements.envato.com/