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S2E9 The Alloy of Law: Cowboy Sherlock on Scadrial
The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson | Mistborn Era 2, Book 1 | Fantasy | SpoilerTakeThe boys keep the first 15 minutes spoiler-free for the undecided, after that, all bets are off.Ryan swore this…
S2E13 Coldwind: Do Not Bend. Do Not Break.
Cold Wind by Andrew Givler is out — and Hot Take Books has thoughts. A lot of them.In this episode, Rich and Ryan dive deep into book two of the Ironbound series, just days after its release. Castor…
S2E11 Riff Sesh: Cold Wind - Book 2 Ironbound (Spoiler Free)
Cold Wind by Andrew Givler | Ironbound, Book 2 | Fantasy | FastTakePicture this: you're on the treadmill, just walking, minding your business — then chapter 10 cranks the speed and suddenly the whole…
S2E2 Ironbound: Oaths, Iron, & Vengeance
Rich and Ryan are back with a book that might just scratch that Red Rising itch — Andrew Givler's Ironbound. Set in a Roman-inspired world where mythical metals bind warriors to elemental symbols,…
S2E9 Hot Take Movies: Project Hail Mary
Spoiler wall's up — you've been warned.Hot Take Movies is officially a thing, and the boys are kicking it off with their Book of 2025 now on the big screen. Rich gives Ryan Gosling high marks for the…
S2E8 Throne of Glass: Is she even an assassin?
Celaena Sardothien is supposed to be the most feared assassin in the world. So why does it feel like the tournament, the romance, and the royal drama are all happening around her while she watches…
S2E11 Warbreaker: Great Book, Wrong Universe
Spoilers hit around 15 minutes in — the boys keep it clean up front if you haven't read it yet. (The rest of this description has spoilers — come back once you've read it.)Rich makes the case for…
S2E10 Hero of Ages: Mistborn Era One's Victory Lap
Rich and Ryan close out Mistborn Era 1 with Hero of Ages — and their verdict lands somewhere between a standing ovation and a deeply loving complaint. Ryan went in riding the high of a book he…
S2E4 Well of Ascension: Vin Be Built Different
Full spoilers ahead — if you haven't read Well of Ascension, Ryan will personally escort you to the nearest bookstore.The boys cover everything: Zane and Vin burning through 300 guards at Hastings…
S2E8 FastTake: Well of Ascension
No cold open. No fluff. Just a straight shot of enthusiasm for a book the boys clearly had to talk themselves down from. Well of Ascension — Book 2 of Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn Era 1 — picks up…
S2E7 Mistborn: Flaring Metals and Overthrowing Governments
Rich and Ryan go full spoilers on Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn and somehow still find time to argue about buffet etiquette and cast the movie nobody asked them to produce. They dig into Vin's…
S2E6 FastTake: Mistborn
Rich and Ryan tackle Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn a fantasy heist story where metal-burning outlaws plot to topple a thousand-year-old tyrant. They break down the magic system, debate whether "the…
S2E5 Thorns, Feathers, and Bones: Crowns, Combat, and Chaos
Rich and Ryan have a new obsession, and they're not being subtle about it.Thorns, Feathers, and Bones by Anderson W. Frost, affectionately known as "Snowman" by the boys, has officially entered the…
S2E4 Riff Sesh: Thorns, Feathers, and Bones
No notes. No structure. Just vibes.Welcome to the first-ever Hot Take Books Riff Sesh. Rich and Ryan just finished Thorns, Feathers, and Bones by Anderson W. Frost and they need to talk about it…
S2E3 Fires of Vengeance: No Peace, Only War
Rich and Ryan are back in the den to break down Fires of Vengeance, Evan Winter's explosive follow-up to Rage of Dragons, and yes, the Red Rising comparisons are still flying.The boys dig into Tau's…
S2E2 Rage of Dragons: The World Burns
In this episode of Hot Take Books, Ryan and Rich go all-in on The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter—no shields up, full spoilers allowed.What starts as a candid confession about toxic traits…
S2E1 Fast Take: The Rage of Dragons
In this Spoiler Free episode, Ryan and Rich dive into their thoughts on The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter. This episode is designed for listeners who want to know exactly what kind of book this is…
S1E24 The Hotties 2025: Hot Take Books Year-End Awards
The tuxedos are on (well, Rich's is.....Ryan didn't get the memo), and the awards are ready. Welcome to The Hotties, Hot Take Books' first-ever year-end awards show, where Rich and Ryan hand out…
S1E26 Strength of the Few: Three Worlds, Too Many Problems, One Badass Alupi
Rich and Ryan tackle James Islington's Strength of the Few. Spoiler warning at 12 minutes for those who haven't read it yet!Vis gets replicated across three worlds and somehow none of them are having…
Royal Assassin: Duty, Desire, & Deep Frustration
In this spoiler-packed deep dive, Rich and Ryan dissect Royal Assassin with equal parts admiration, exasperation, and disbelief. This episode goes far beyond the Fast Take: we dig into Fitz’s stalled…
Frequently Asked Questions
Hot Take Books has published 45 episodes since June 2025, covering topics in Arts, Books.
Hot Take Books is currently highly active with new episodes every 2 weeks. Average episode length is 51m.
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