This month on the Kanjikast, we catch up on the news and look ahead to Star Wars: Resistance!
Book Wars Pod, Episode 64: I Was in a Pod, How Are You?!
Our read of AFTERMATH: LIFE DEBT by Chuck Wendig continues this week! On this episode, we chat about light topics such as galaxy-wide trauma, the key differences between ending and winning a war, and how messed up it is that people can’t leave the Wookiees alone.
This podcast is NOT spoiler-free and covers chapters 21-30.
Book Wars Pod explores the Star Wars universe through the franchise’s non-screen media: the canon novels, comics, and video games. Check out our guide to past episodes, and subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and wherever else you cast your pods. You can also subscribe to the Tosche Station Radio Mega Feed on iTunes Google Play, or Stitcher for more great shows from our podcast network.
Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr for episode updates! Hosted by Kristen Sereci, Chris Sedor, and Kate Sedor. Art by Joe Butera. Music by Podington Bear.
This podcast has been brought to you in part by your support on Patreon!
Tosche Station Brewhouse #3: Biggs Darklighter’s Imperial Defector Stout
Welcome back to the Brewhouse! This month Alex from Star Wars Explained joins us to craft a Biggs Darklighter themed imperial stout utilizing Picobrew’s Model C system and Freestyle PicoPak Crafter. If you want to brew along with us, the recipe is below!
Imperial Stout
Characteristics: 7.6% ABV | 50 IBU | 77 SRM
Base Recipe: Imperial Stout
Grains:
- 72 oz. American Two-Row Pale
- 6 oz. Crystal 120L
- 10 oz. Roasted Barley
- 4 oz. Chocolate Malt
Hops:
- .9 oz. Summit as bittering
- .3 oz. Cascade as flavor
- .3 oz. Citra as aroma
Dry Hops:
- .4 oz. Amarillo
Next time, we’ll have Photoshop guru and resident Zuvio stan Heath Williams on the show!
The Tosche Station Brewhouse is part of the Tosche Station Podcast Network. Subscribe to the Brewhouse on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher. For more great shows from us, you can also subscribe to the Tosche Station Network mega feed on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher. We can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.
You can find Kristen on Twitter with the handle @itskeeks and you can find Brian with @LaneWinree.
Art by Heath Williams.
This podcast has been brought to you in part by your support on Patreon!
Holonet Blast #76
It’s Monday so it must be time for a NEWSSS roundup!
This week was a bit of a “slowdown”, news-wise, but The Hollywood Reporter blessed us with some good Bob Iger #content. Matthew Belloni of THR discussed all kinds of good stuff–that is, if you think fewer Star Wars movies coming out is good. He also (unsurprisingly) touched heavily on the new Disney streaming service, which he hopes will be a direct competitor to Netflix, citing their content as a “quality play” rather than a “volume play”. There’s also a bunch of #MeToo questions and answers if you want to hear how the Big Boss of the biggest media giant is dealing with *gestures* all of that. He didn’t give us much we didn’t know about Star Wars or Marvel, but he did confirm that for Star Wars he wants to rein in how much content is coming out and how quickly it comes. As someone who actually liked Solo, I’m feeling mixed emotions, but hopefully the deliberate deceleration will bring more diversity on and off-screen.
For you Marvel-Stans out there, I’m told this week brought us an exciting trailer for Captain Marvel. My head remains firmly in the Star Wars clouds, so while I’m not a great person to form an opinion on this one, people sure seemed to be excited on Twitter!
Like I said, light news week; nevertheless, we persist.
Till next time!
Vorkosicast Episode #9: Komarr
This month on the Vorkosicast, Robin and Nanci discuss Komarr.
This podcast has been brought to you in part by your support on Patreon! If you like what you hear, you can subscribe to the Tosche Station Book Club on iTunes or you can subscribe to the Tosche Station Radio Megafeed for all of our great Star Wars and geek culture content. We can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.
Western Reaches #38
Western Reaches returns from summer hiatus! Catch up on books, games, and more with Megan and Saf.
You can find Megan on Twitter with the handle @blogfullofwords and you can find Saf with @Wanderlustin. Be sure to subscribe to Western Reaches on iTunes/Google Play and subscribe to the Tosche Station Radio Mega Feed for more great shows, discussion, and commentary. This podcast has been brought to you by your support on Patreon!
Book Wars Pod, Episode 63: Gives Me Toaster Vibes
We’re continuing our read of AFTERMATH: LIFE DEBT by Chuck Wendig this week! Join us as we discuss the difficulties of being a powerful Imperial woman, the strengths and weaknesses of the Empire and the New Republic, and Leia’s transformation from idealist to jaded politician.
This podcast is NOT spoiler-free and covers chapters 9-20. It also mentions plot points from BLOODLINE by Claudia Gray (which we discussed in our episodes 4-8).
Book Wars Pod explores the Star Wars universe through the franchise’s non-screen media: the canon novels, comics, and video games. Check out our guide to past episodes, and subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and wherever else you cast your pods. You can also subscribe to the Tosche Station Radio Mega Feed on iTunes Google Play, or Stitcher for more great shows from our podcast network.
Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr for episode updates! Hosted by Kristen Sereci, Chris Sedor, and Kate Sedor. Art by Joe Butera. Music by Podington Bear.
This podcast has been brought to you in part by your support on Patreon!
Review: Mecha Samurai Empire
What would you do if you knew in your heart that you were meant to be a mecha pilot but the rest of the world repeatedly told you no? Would you give up or would you try and find a way to become a mecha pilot no matter how much extra work it might take? That’s the question set before Mac Fujimoto in Mecha Samurai Empire as he keeps fighting his way through the obstacles set before him because he wants to be a pilot for the Japanese Empire so badly. All of this is set against a fascinating geopolitical backdrop that will intrigue fans of both history and mechas alike and makes for an equally fascinating novel.
The second novel set in this universe, Mecha Samurai Empire stands on its own although, if you’re like me, you’ll most certainly feel inclined to go back and read the first once you reach the last page because you have to know more about this world. It’s an alternate reality where the Axis won World War II, divided up the United States, and tensions are rising between Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany in their own version of the Cold War. The book’s premise might sound familiar to some but author Peter Tieryas makes it his own. Let’s be blunt: in our current world, this can sometimes be a very uncomfortable book to read. Yes, the Nazis are the opposition and many within the United States of Japan really do not like them but they still won the war. It’s unsettling to read even though we know it’s fiction because of how real Tieryas makes everything seem even with the smaller details like how everyone in the United States of Japan has a Japanese name regardless of ethnicity or what sort of cuisine is popular. And yet despite the discomfort, it makes for a fascinating read.
Another part of what makes the book really works is the protagonist himself. Mac isn’t a typical underdog story and neither is he a shining paragon of perfection who just keeps being dealt a bad hand of cards. He feels like a typical guy who might be in your high school class with a dream career in mind but without the grades or connections to back it up. In the hands of a less talented author, Mac might have been a little more perfect and therefore, less real. That’s not to say that Mac doesn’t have a gift for mecha piloting because he certainly does. He just doesn’t get to skate by on talent alone and genuinely has to work for it. It’s a refreshing sort of character to read in a world filled with gifted and/or chosen ones.
The book’s biggest failing is that it feels like it’s building up to something huge (which it does) and then abruptly ends after this significant battle. I was left wanting to know what happens next because it feels like there’s more to Mac’s story. Judging by Tieryas’ website, it looks as if the next book set in this world will also be a standalone which is great for those who love reading this universe but potentially not so great for anyone who wants to know what happens to Mac next.
Mecha Samurai Empire is a book that you’ll want to devote a weekend to reading. From the fascinating yet unsettling world to the protagonist you can’t help but root for, it’s a well written story that’ll keep you thinking about it for days after you read the last page. Add in the giant robots and honestly, what’s not to love?
Thank you to ACE and Wunderkind PR for providing a copy of the book for review purposes.
Holonet Blast #75
Hello there! It’s time once again for our weekly roundup of news from a Galaxy Far, Far Away.
Han Solo comes home!
In the news likely to be most relevant to film fans, this week saw the release of Solo: A Star Wars Story in digital-only formats— including some services offering the film to home viewers in 4k resolution. The digital version has been released in advance of the September 25th premiere of Blu-ray and Ultra Blu-ray versions of the film.
But wait, there’s more!
In addition to the theatrical version of the film, many of the available digital versions of Solo also include much-anticipated bonus material including behind-the scenes documentary shorts and a roundtable discussion featuring director Ron Howard and several members of the Solo cast.
Deleted scenes are always a particular favorite of mine, and starwars.com treated us to a preview this week. THIS SCENE between Han and Chewbacca, featuring a snowball fight, has already worked its way onto the list of my heart’s favorite Han Solo moments. And THIS ONE showing a piece of how Han went from ace pilot wannabe to muddy Mimban foot soldier provides meaty and tension-filled context.
And that’s not all!
This week, starwars.com also gave us a special look behind the scenes of the creature department. THIS SHORT VIDEO lifts the veil over one of the most special and specialized departments responsible for making the Star Wars films what they are. The creature shop and the practical effects they provide do so much to add to the breadth and depth of the galaxy far, far away, and watching how they make that happen is a fascinating glimpse into what it’s like to be on a Star Wars film set.
Onward, to the Resistance!
With the premiere of Star Wars: Resistance less than a month away, audiences are being teased and titillated by fantastic tidbits of what’s to come. This week, USA TODAY reminds us that the show will primarily be focused on the comings and goings of a group of pilots “with a need for speed” (cue collective squeal from the crew here at Tosche Station) and takes its influences from films like Top Gun and The Right Stuff (another squeal from our end). Our staff is counting the days until the premiere– be sure to check in here for our initial reactions soon after the October 7 airing.
VIPs get first dibs on Cloud City
In a move that Lando himself would likely find fantastic, this week LEGO gave first access to the new Betrayal at Cloud City set to its VIP customers. The set, available widely on October 1, features several scenes from the famous floating mining colony featured in The Empire Strikes Back and comes in at more than 2800 pieces. If you’re a collector of Star Wars LEGO sets, or a LEGO fan in general, you’ll want to give this one serious consideration. Containing four new minifigs (Leia’s red dress!!) and two space vehicles (Slave I and a Cloud Car), there is plenty of fun and drama for all ages.
Celebration!
With Star Wars Celebration Chicago just seven short months away, ReedPop and Lucasfilm announced this week that two favorite hosting personalities will be returning to the stage for April’s convention. Both David Collins (Galaxy Stage) and Amy Ratcliffe (Behind The Scenes Stage) have confirmed their return to Star Wars‘ marquee fan event in 2019. Tickets to Star Wars Celebration Chicago are still available, but going fast. Be sure to purchase yours soon!
And in related, and also completely awesome news:
The incredible organizers of New York Comic Con have added a last minute panel to their schedule. A Celebration of Female Writers in a Galaxy Far, Far Away will be just that. Authors Mur Lafferty (Solo: A Star Wars Story) Delilah S. Dawson (The Perfect Weapon; Star Wars: Phasma), Katie Cook (Star Wars: Search Your Feelings), Justina Ireland (Star Wars: Lando’s Luck), and Amy Ratcliffe (Star Wars: Women of the Galaxy) will come together on Saturday, October 6th at 5:PM at Shop Studios to talk about all things Star Wars. Tickets to the panel are $20/person (not included with NYCC admission) and the price includes your choice of a book by one of these amazing authors (supplies are limited). A New York Comic Con badge is not required for attendance. Keep your eyes on the Tosche Station Twitter for your chance to get in for free!
That’s all the news we have for this week. Check in every Monday for the latest from the galaxy far, far away. As always, send news tips to Tosche Station and send happy Han Solo headcanons to @MandaTheGinger.
MTFBWY!!
TSR #196: Aces
This week on TSR: We’re back from Dragon Con, our first look at Captain Marvel, you might be the killer, and we stan Team Fireball and the Aces of Colossus.
TSR is the flagship show of the Tosche Station Network. If you like what you hear, subscribe and leave a review on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play. For more great shows from us, you can also subscribe to the Tosche Station Network mega feed on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play. We can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.
Nanci and Brian are the co-founders of ToscheStation.net and the Tosche Station Network. You can find Nanci on Twitter with the handle @Nancipants and you can find Brian with @LaneWinree.
This podcast has been brought to you in part by your support on Patreon!