Skip to content
PodcastsArtsIs This Just Fantasy?

Is This Just Fantasy?

Is This Just Fantasy?
Is This Just Fantasy?
Latest episode

122 episodes

  • Is This Just Fantasy?

    The Odyssey - (Emily Wilson)

    2026/07/30 | 1h 42 mins.
    For this year's annual Troy book (only slightly too late for the release of Christopher Nolan's adaptation) the fellas get together to read The Odyssey, as translated by Emily Wilson, a woman who hates Nolan's film more than Duncan hates 'The Sheepfarmer's Daughter,' or more than Geordie hates admitting that he actually likes Brandon Sanderson now.
    Tune in to find out if Wilson's plain, accessible and socially conscious version is right for you, to to hear Duncan explain why you should listen to Doctor Who as a radio-play, Geordie teaches the best method for blinding Cyclopes, and Duncan delivers a dramatic reading of his favourite.... naked fight scene?
    Like the show? Follow us on Insta: @IsThisJustFantasyPodcast, or ask us a question via isthisjustfantasypodcast@gmail.com
    Featuring:
    Intro and Outro Music: Fantasy Exploration Music | Chapter’s End
    Music provided by Dungeon Playlist - Emma Young and Jonathan Young
    Listen on YouTube
    Listen on other platforms
  • Is This Just Fantasy?

    Arthur High King of Britain

    2026/07/16 | 1h 28 mins.
    Finally Duncan gets to tell the story of King Arthur and his knights in the way he remembers it, in a classic, mostly faithful retelling by beloved children's author and horse terrorizer Michael Morpurgo. This time there's less bigotry and more lengthy explanations by Geordie about his favourite niche Arthurian myths.
    Tune in to learn the strange connection between Morgan le Fay, Charles the Great, Microsoft and the Master Chief, Duncan's confusion about the inclusion of a magic dog, a heated debated about whether Lancelot is based or not, and the potential of a real historical King Arthur (its not who you think.)
    Like the show? Follow us on Insta: @IsThisJustFantasyPodcast, or ask us a question via isthisjustfantasypodcast@gmail.com
    Featuring:
    Intro and Outro Music: Fantasy Exploration Music | Chapter’s End
    Music provided by Dungeon Playlist - Emma Young and Jonathan Young
    Listen on YouTube
    Listen on other platforms
  • Is This Just Fantasy?

    Ranking our Top 100 Books!

    2026/07/01 | 1h 34 mins.
    Pop the champagne, its time for the long awaited Top 100 Is This Just Fantasy Top 100 ranking spectacular, where Geordie and Duncan revisit and review all 100 novels they've read over the past four years, and finally determine the definitive greatest fantasy novel of all time.
    Some times the conversation is fraught. There are expected divisions - one day Geordie hopes he can forgive Duncan for his placement of the Muse of Nightmares, just as Duncan hopes he will eventually forget just where he placed Duncan's #1 book of the podcast.
    Tune in to hear the Is This Just Fantasy's definitive, scientific ranking, and how they finally do what they weren't brave enough to complete during their Top 50: actually choose the podcast's #1 book ever.
    Like the show? Follow us on Insta: @IsThisJustFantasyPodcast, or ask us a question via isthisjustfantasypodcast@gmail.com
    Featuring:
    Intro and Outro Music: Fantasy Exploration Music | Chapter’s End
    Music provided by Dungeon Playlist - Emma Young and Jonathan Young
    Listen on YouTube
    Listen on other platforms
  • Is This Just Fantasy?

    Peter Pan

    2026/06/10 | 1h 34 mins.
    To celebrate their 100th(ish) book covered on the podcast, Geordie has selected one of the all time greats. A story which defines fantasy in many ways: Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie.
    Listen as Duncan and Geordie make a bet, Duncan explains his radical Moorcockian theories of the Hook-Pan loop, Geordie explains how a book-on-tape changed his relationship with music, and they both try to figure out whether Mr. Darling is a genuine weirdo.
    Not one to be missed! And a ideal capstone to 100 books. Tune in next time for the much awaited Top 100 Rankings.
    Like the show? Follow us on Insta: @IsThisJustFantasyPodcast, or ask us a question via isthisjustfantasypodcast@gmail.com
    Featuring:
    Song: Tunetank - Clair De Lune (No Copyright Music)
    Music provided by Tunetank.
    Free Download: https://bit.ly/3PUMAnU
    Listen on Spotify: https://bit.ly/46nxy15
    Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
    Clips taken from:
    Hook (1991)
    Peter Pan (2003)
    Peter Pan Goes Wrong (TV Movie 2016)
    Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
  • Is This Just Fantasy?

    The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms

    2026/05/25 | 1h 23 mins.
    This time the fellas embark on a contraversial journey as they reckon with one of the most acclaimed modern Sci-Fi and Fantasy novelists, N.K. Jemison, but not about how seminal work: The Broken Earth trilogy. Instead they take a look at her debut and examine where she first showed promise, and in fact first dabbled in themes she would go on to examine again in the Fifth Season.
    Does she start her career strong? Did they make a mistake in choosing to look at this book instead of her later works? And just how sexy is this book supposed to be?
    Tune in to hear Geordie cover Jemison's unapologetic love of allegory, Duncan point out an incredibly obvious one he somehow missed, Duncan discussing the book's bizzare political system, and to not hear Geordie's 15-minute lecture on the origins of the Bible, which Duncan thankfully made him edit down to about 3.
    If you want to thank Duncan for his editorial oversight, follow us on Insta: @IsThisJustFantasyPodcast, or try our email: isthisjustfantasypodcast@gmail.com
More Arts podcasts
About Is This Just Fantasy?
The book club where we review all things fantasy! Join Duncan and Geordie as they embark on a quest to track the breadth and history of the fantasy genre, one epic at the time. Whether you're a fan of book-stopper tomes like Duncan, or lighter YA fantasy like Geordie, we want you to read-along with us. Episodes are released every two weeks, giving you enough to read the book (or skim the synopsis if you're just here for the banter.)
Podcast website

Listen to Is This Just Fantasy?, 99% Invisible and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app

Get the free radio.net app

  • Stations and podcasts to bookmark
  • Stream via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth
  • Supports Carplay & Android Auto
  • Many other app features