Bean and Peat are once again joined by Davinia (Dee) Evans, having talked about Scott Lynch's The Lies Of Locke Lamora last time around.

How she represents a new type of fantasy author; her own journey, from taking a copy of The Hobbit from the school library and having dreams of being published by Robert Jordan's publisher (Orbit), to the eventual publication of her Notorious Sorcerer trilogy.... with Orbit.

Along the way how Dee's own Notorious Sorcerer evolved from fan fiction, being raised on British comedy such as Monty Python, The Goodies, and Fawlty Towers (despite growing up in the tropics), and how the fantasy market is shifting away from exploration and towards finding the fantastical at home.

We're back with a new episode delving into Scott Lynch's debut novel, ths 2006 historical fantasy The Lies Of Locke Lamora, the first in Lynch's "Gentlemen Bastards" series. Set in the city of Camorr, the book introduces us to the Bastards, a group of elite con men who rob and inveigle the rich, and get tangled up in a new criminal mastermind trying to take over the city's underworld. The novel was nominated for several awards upon its release, winning the SF Site Readers' Choice Award in 2006.

Bean and Peat are joined by Australian fantasy author Davinia Evans, whose Notorious Sorcerer trilogy novels (Notorious Sorcerer, Shadow Baron and Rebel Blade) have seen her become one of the most exciting new voices in fantasy fiction.

Here they talk about how the setting of Camorr - an ersatz, mystical take on Venice - makes LOLL different from more traditional fantasy worlds, the character dynamics crafted by Lynch, and some highly innovative swearing.

Bean and Dan were once more joined by Tade Thompson, who relates to us his experiences of moving into the world of screenwriting, an entirely different beast than novel writing, and which comes with its own trials and networks to navigate.

He discusses the different writing techniques required, the different ways a manuscript works its way through production systems, and how a film or TV show actually gets made. He even has a little scoop for us towards the end of the episode.

Elsewhere, we discuss the perils and opportunities of the use of AI in writing, particularly the threat it poses to creative industries, but also where its limitations lie. As a psychotherapist, Tade also relays strong opinions about how a reliance upon AI can have effects upon human cognitive ability. As we meander through the conversation we cover upon Sith lords, breast-punching, and Dan's recycling.

Elsewhere, Sligo resident Montoolian McD'Gaskell attempts to win big big money but runs up against an unlikely obstacle: Google Gemini AI. Will Montoolian win enough cash to buy himself another beer? Listen on to find out...

Tade Thompson is the author of several modern science fiction hits, including the award-winning Rosewater trilogy, Far From The Light Of Heaven, and other works such as The Murders of Molly Southbourne, and Jackdaw, which has become one of Chronscast's favourite novels of recent years.