Page Chewing is where books, comics, and conversations collide. From in-depth chats with authors and artists to lively discussions with fellow readers, we explore the craft of storytelling, the worlds we love, and the ideas that stay with us long after the last page.
Something is very wrong with Church.
In Chapters 21–25 of Stephen King's Pet Sematary, the mystery surrounding the burial ground deepens as Church returns from the dead—but something about him has changed.
This time, I'm discussing Jud's increasingly suspicious behavior, the strange atmosphere surrounding the burial ground, and the consequences of disrupting the natural cycle of life and death.
I'm also beginning to question whether Jud and Norma have a much deeper connection to the cemetery than we've been told.
Join me for another installment of the Page Chewing Pet Sematary read-along as we continue tracking our observations, questions, and predictions.
Next episode: Chapters 26–30.
Spoilers are limited to Chapters 1–25.
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What happens when a simple fantasy story written for your children grows into an interconnected multiverse spanning thousands of years?
In this episode of Beyond the Page, Steve welcomes author and retired Air Force veteran Terrence Rotering to discuss his ambitious Chronicle Series, an expanding collection of books blending epic fantasy, science fiction, military action, and Christian-inspired spiritual warfare.
Terrence shares how his writing journey began with stories for his sons and eventually evolved into a universe featuring seven interconnected worlds, time travel, wormholes, dragons, artificial intelligence, and a cosmic struggle between good and evil.
We explore the challenges of managing an enormous fictional universe, connecting characters across multiple timelines, and combining genres that don't always seem compatible.
Terrence also discusses how his decades of military experience influence his battle sequences, the role of faith in his storytelling, the unusual coincidences he calls "God winks," and his thoughts on AI and the future of publishing.
Plus, we talk about UFOs, favorite movies, the lessons learned from his first job, and why teaching others reminds us how much we still have to learn.
Join us for a conversation about imagination, inspiration, faith, and building a fictional universe that keeps growing.
Find Terrence: https://chroniclesoftrinian.com/
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This week on Panel Chewing #151, Steve and Jarrod kick things off with a conversation about the rising value of Green Lantern #87, the Lanterns television series, and the difficult balancing act of adapting beloved comic book characters for new audiences.
Then it's time to dig into this week's comics!
Steve returns to Absolute Superman #23, a series he desperately wants to love but can't seem to quit. Jarrod explores another Conan adaptation with The Cimmerian: Xuthal of the Dusk #1, and both of us try to make sense of the surprising direction taken by The Seasons: Hammerfist #2.
We also discuss Geiger #25, Denver #2, Conan the Barbarian #35, and Gangrene, with plenty of conversation about storytelling, artwork, and what makes a comic worth coming back to.
This Week's Comics
Absolute Superman #23
The Cimmerian: Xuthal of the Dusk #1
The Seasons: Hammerfist #2
Geiger #25
Denver #2
Conan the Barbarian #35
Gangrene
Picks of the Week
Jarrod: Hyde Street #13
The Butcher of Hyde Street takes center stage in another disturbing, unpredictable issue from Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis. With fantastic artwork and a story where no character feels safe, this series continues to impress.
Steve: American Caper #11
A completely outrageous blend of crime, satire, dark comedy, and unpredictable characters. This series keeps getting crazier, and with only one issue remaining, we're not ready to say goodbye.
Lone Wolf and Cub Read-Along
We continue our journey with Volume 19: The Moon in Our Hearts.
This volume gives us a different look at Ogami Itto. Is the ruthless assassin beginning to change? Are we seeing more compassion beneath his commitment to the road of demons?
We also discuss the remarkable artwork, Daigoro's relationship with his father, and the recurring symbolism of the moon.
Join us next week for Volume 20!
You can read along with us through Libby or Hoopla, depending on your library's availability.
Visit https://pagechewing.com for more conversations about books, comics, and storytelling.
Thanks for watching, and we hope you find your Pick of the Week!
#PanelChewing #ComicBookReviews #Comics #LoneWolfAndCub #AbsoluteSuperman
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In Chapters 21–25 of Stephen King's Pet Sematary, the mystery surrounding the burial ground deepens as Church returns from the dead, but something about him has changed.
This time, I'm discussing Jud's increasingly suspicious behavior, the strange atmosphere surrounding the burial ground, and the consequences of disrupting the natural cycle of life and death.
I'm also beginning to question whether Jud and Norma have a much deeper connection to the cemetery than we've been told.
Join me for another installment of the Page Chewing Pet Sematary read-along as we continue tracking our observations, questions, and predictions.
Next episode: Chapters 26–30.
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What happens when a simple fantasy story written for your children grows into an interconnected multiverse spanning thousands of years?
In this episode of Beyond the Page, Steve welcomes author and retired Air Force veteran Terrence Rotering to discuss his ambitious Chronicle Series, an expanding collection of books blending epic fantasy, science fiction, military action, and Christian-inspired spiritual warfare.
Terrence shares how his writing journey began with stories for his sons and eventually evolved into a universe featuring seven interconnected worlds, time travel, wormholes, dragons, artificial intelligence, and a cosmic struggle between good and evil.
We explore the challenges of managing an enormous fictional universe, connecting characters across multiple timelines, and combining genres that don't always seem compatible.
Terrence also discusses how his decades of military experience influence his battle sequences, the role of faith in his storytelling, the unusual coincidences he calls "God winks," and his thoughts on AI and the future of publishing.
Plus, we talk about UFOs, favorite movies, the lessons learned from his first job, and why teaching others reminds us how much we still have to learn.
Join us for a conversation about imagination, inspiration, faith, and building a fictional universe that keeps growing.
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The Pet Sematary read-along continues with Chapters 16–20, and things are becoming increasingly unsettling.
Victor Pascow returns with a terrifying warning for Louis Creed, raising even more questions about what's happening in Ludlow and the mysterious Pet Sematary. Was Louis really dreaming? What does Pascow know? And what lies beyond the cemetery?
We also discuss Norma's health scare, Louis settling into his new life, and Stephen King's continuing exploration of mortality, grief, and the cycle of life and death.
As always, I'm reading Pet Sematary for the first time, completely spoiler-free, and using our six recurring questions to build an evolving notebook throughout the novel.
In this episode:
Victor Pascow's disturbing return
Louis's strange experience and the mysterious pine needles
Norma's health scare
The secrets surrounding the Pet Sematary
Recurring imagery involving the woods, mist, and weather
My predictions for what happens next
Next episode: Chapters 21–25.
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It's another weekly update from Page Chewing! This week I'm checking in on my progress through The Bonehunters, discussing the challenges of reading Malazan, and sharing why Tender Is the Flesh has become one of the most genuinely unsettling books I've encountered.
I'm also continuing my reread of R. Scott Bakker's The Second Apocalypse, exploring Stephen King's Pet Sematary, and enjoying the unexpected journey of Lone Wolf and Cub.
Beyond the books, I'm talking about upcoming Page Chewing videos, interviews, and the future of our read-along format.
I close with a memorable quote from The Thousandfold Thought about hope, regret, and the lessons of history.
What are you reading this week?
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After months of reading, Page Burners dives into Chapter 22 and an explosive finale that brings storylines stretching across the Malazan series crashing together in Malaz City.
Erikson has spent an entire book moving pieces across the board.
Now they've arrived in Malaz City.
Join us for our full-spoiler discussion of Chapter 22 and the finale of The Bonehunters as we try to make sense of what just happened and what it means for the future of the Malazan Empire.
The Deck has been dealt. The Fourteenth has come home. The Empire will never be the same.
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The Pet Sematary read-along continues with Chapters 11–15, and it feels like we've reached the moment when Stephen King's nightmare truly begins.
This is a relatively short section, but a major event involving Victor Pascow dramatically increases the creepiness and raises some big questions. Why does Victor know Louis's name? What exactly is wrong with the Pet Sematary? What does Jud know? And how much does the town itself understand about what's happening?
We also continue tracking the recurring ideas of death, grief, birth and the cycle of life while watching how those subjects affect Louis, Rachel and their family.
As always, I'm experiencing Pet Sematary for the first time and haven't seen the movies, so please keep all comments spoiler-free.
Next episode: Chapters 16–20.
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This week on the Friday Conversation, I'm joined by Jose from Fantasy Talks Live and author Alex French for an open discussion about genre burnout and whether fantasy is particularly susceptible to it.
We talk about massive series, thousand page books, taking breaks from our favorite genres, and why we inevitably seem to come back to fantasy anyway.
Along the way, the conversation expands into standalone fantasy novels, unfinished series, overly complicated worldbuilding and magic systems, science fiction, authors jumping between genres, and whether fantasy writers need to earn the right to ask readers to commit to a huge series.
We also ask a bigger question: what do we actually want to see fantasy do that we aren't seeing enough of right now?
As always with the Friday Conversation, we wander into a few unexpected places along the way.
Let us know in the comments:
Have you ever experienced genre burnout?
Can a fantasy series be TOO long?
And what would you like to see more of in modern fantasy?
Find more Page Chewing conversations, reviews, read-alongs, and discussions at PageChewing.com.
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In this episode of Beyond the Page, Steve sits down with poet and author Andrea W. LeDew to discuss Polemics, a collection that grew from years of blogging, poetry, essays, and reflections on contemporary American life.
Andrea talks about her path from studying English and practicing law to homeschooling, blogging, and eventually publishing her work. We explore writing as a way of processing difficult subjects, using satire and metaphor in poetry, and the challenge of creating work about current events that can still resonate years later.
Andrea also shares stories from living in Germany during the Cold War, visiting Berlin before the fall of the Berlin Wall, her approach to writing and revising poetry, the novel she's currently developing, and what she's learned about self-publishing and promoting poetry.
Plus, we get into abandoned knitting projects, unusual sandwiches, and what working at McDonald's taught her about the modern internet.
Find Andrea: https://books2read.com/polemics
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The Pet Sematary read-along continues with Chapters 6–10, and Stephen King is already turning our attention toward one unavoidable subject: death.
This time I'm looking at the developing friendship between Louis and Jud, the Creed family dynamic, Rachel's discomfort with death, our first trip to the Pet Sematary, and the increasingly eerie feeling surrounding Ludlow and the woods.
I'm also adding our first major prediction to the evolving notebook after a strange dream involving Louis, Gage, Church, and Disney World. Does it mean anything? I have absolutely no idea, but I'm calling my shot and saying we're going to see it matter later.
Next episode: Chapters 11–15.
Read along and share your own observations, questions, and predictions as we continue through Pet Sematary this October.
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Panel Chewing has officially reached 150 episodes!
We kick off this milestone episode with a question for comic collectors and readers: does the physical format of a comic matter? From standard issues and oversized magazine format books to tiny Lone Wolf and Cub editions, we talk about size, paper quality, price, collecting headaches and whether publishers like DSTLRY are using larger formats as a gimmick, or genuinely giving readers something better.
Then we realize something pretty important: this is episode 150. So we take a moment to thank everyone who's listened, watched and joined us along the way.
This week's reviews include:
Absolute Batman #24
Conan: Tides of the Tyrant King #1
Killer Influences #3
Black Tower: The Raven Conspiracy #2
Regicide #2
Solomon Kane: The Lion Errant #3
Terabytes #10
Black Star #3
The Eye Collector #4
Then it's time for our Picks of the Week.
Jarrod chooses A Mischief of Magpies #2, a surprisingly emotional portal fantasy from Simon Spurrier and Matías Bergara that digs into loneliness, trauma and the uncertain line between fantasy and reality.
Steve goes with Babs: The Long Road South #5 by Garth Ennis and Jacen Burrows, as the series continues mercilessly poking fun at fantasy conventions and especially poor Samwise Gamgee.
Finally, our Lone Wolf and Cub group read continues with Volume 18: Twilight of the Kurokuwa.
This volume leads us into some surprisingly complicated questions about Ogami Itto. Does he have any moral obligation to help people suffering around him? Is his claim that he walks the road of demons enough to absolve him of that responsibility? And just how important is Daigoro in keeping his father connected to his humanity?
We eventually realize that Daigoro may be something even more important:
He's Ogami's lifeline.
Thanks to everyone who helped us reach 150 episodes of Panel Chewing. Here's to whatever we end up reading, and tromboning, next.
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What are my favorite grimdark and dark fantasy books?
This isn't quite the usual list.
I'm counting down ten of the books and series that have stuck with me the most—from lesser-known indie fantasy to some familiar names that longtime Page Chewing listeners probably won't be surprised to see near the top.
We get into brutal worlds, morally complicated characters, dark humor, grief, violence, philosophy, unforgettable endings, and the books that have affected me enough that I literally needed to put them down and walk away for a while.
The list includes Obsidian Awakening, The Rift Cycle, The Hellborn King, Empires of Dust, The Winter Road, The Scroungers, Gunmetal Gods, Ash and Sand, Manifest Delusions and The Second Apocalypse, plus one honorable mention that longtime listeners may remember from my older lists.
These aren't necessarily the ten "best" grimdark books ever written. They're the ones that have meant the most to me.
What's on your list?
Books and series discussed include (Amazon Affiliate Links):
• Obsidian Awakening — Sienna Frost https://link.amazon/B0gz9gyrt
• The Rift Cycle — Halo Scot https://link.amazon/B06EKTHuz
• The Hellborn King — Christopher G. Brenning https://link.amazon/B0appWmMy
• Empires of Dust — Anna Smith Spark https://link.amazon/B05D0Uxfh
• The Winter Road — Adrian Selby https://link.amazon/B07PHpikK
• The Scroungers — Thomas J. Devens https://link.amazon/B02IzPtk9
• Gunmetal Gods — Zamil Akhtar https://link.amazon/B0crYuL4Z
• Ash and Sand — Richard Nell https://link.amazon/B07fNvleB
• Manifest Delusions — Michael R. Fletcher https://link.amazon/B0iUbz9tX
• The Second Apocalypse — R. Scott Bakker https://link.amazon/B0cYuIhxt
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In this episode of Beyond the Page, Steve talks with Eva Levina, author of the two book Death Is No Reason to Stop Living series, about her experience in a 25-year marriage that she describes as involving covert emotional abuse and the difficult journey of rebuilding her life afterward.
Eva discusses the subtle warning signs she says she missed, including gaslighting, constant criticism, sleep deprivation, manipulation and financial control. She also talks candidly about trauma bonding, therapy, learning to trust herself again, and the process of rediscovering the interests and ambitions she had put aside.
We also explore what it was like to turn those experiences into a memoir, why writing the books was so emotionally difficult, and why sharing her story ultimately became liberating.
This is a conversation about identity, survival, healing and allowing yourself to live again.
Find Eva: https://www.evalevinabooks.com/
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The Pet Sematary Read-Along begins!
For the first episode, I'm discussing Stephen King's introduction and Chapters 1–5 as the Creed family settles into their new home and Louis begins an unexpected friendship with their neighbor, Jud.
This is my first time reading Pet Sematary, and I've never seen any of the film adaptations, so I'm going into the story almost completely blind. Using the same evolving-notebook approach from the Blood Meridian read-along, I'll be tracking six questions throughout the book:
• What stood out?
• What am I noticing about the characters?
• What themes are emerging?
• What images, places, or ideas keep returning?
• What questions do I have?
• What do I think happens next?
Read along and share your own observations and predictions—but please keep the comments spoiler-free!
Next episode: Chapters 6–10.
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This week on Page Chewing, I’m wrapping up my September Blood Meridian read-along and looking ahead to October’s journey through Stephen King’s Pet Sematary.
I talk about how slowing down and reading Blood Meridian one chapter at a time completely changed my experience with the novel, what I’m currently reading—including The Warrior Prophet and Lone Wolf and Cub—and what’s coming up on Page Chewing.
I also share some thoughts on rewatching The Sopranos and One Hour Photo, including how differently One Hour Photo’s ideas about privacy hit in the age of social media.
Plus, I take a look at my beautiful hardcover edition of Elder Epoch from the Gunmetal Gods series.
What are you reading right now? And are you joining me for Pet Sematary this October?
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Think comic books are all superheroes, capes, and decades of confusing continuity? There’s a lot more to the medium than that.
In this episode, Steve shares 10 comics he’d recommend to someone who says, “I don’t read comics—where do I start?”
This isn’t a ranking of the greatest comics ever written. Instead, these are approachable recommendations covering fantasy, crime, science fiction, comedy, superheroes, and several very different flavors of horror.
The recommendations include (Amazon Affiliate links):
• The Sacrificers by Rick Remender & Max Fiumara Think comic books are all superheroes, capes, and decades of confusing continuity? There’s a lot more to the medium than that.
In this episode, Steve shares 10 comics he’d recommend to someone who says, “I don’t read comics—where do I start?”
This isn’t a ranking of the greatest comics ever written. Instead, these are approachable recommendations covering fantasy, crime, science fiction, comedy, superheroes, and several very different flavors of horror.
The recommendations include:
• The Sacrificers by Rick Remender & Max Fiumara Think comic books are all superheroes, capes, and decades of confusing continuity? There’s a lot more to the medium than that.
In this episode, Steve shares 10 comics he’d recommend to someone who says, “I don’t read comics—where do I start?”
This isn’t a ranking of the greatest comics ever written. Instead, these are approachable recommendations covering fantasy, crime, science fiction, comedy, superheroes, and several very different flavors of horror.
The recommendations include:
• The Sacrificers by Rick Remender & Max Fiumara https://link.amazon/B03Y866kK
• Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees by Patrick Horvath https://link.amazon/B0chreKuc
• Assorted Crisis Events by Deniz Camp & Eric Zawadzki https://link.amazon/B03m4VzFI
• Where the Body Was by Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips https://link.amazon/B0g3b8ySs
• Babs by Garth Ennis & Jacen Burrows https://link.amazon/B0043qbFX
• Stray Bullets by David Lapham https://link.amazon/B093itu1n
• Invincible by Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker & Ryan Ottley https://link.amazon/B03TvFVDV
• Watchmen by Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons https://link.amazon/B07tucQpR
• Into the Unbeing by Zac Thompson & Hayden Sherman https://link.amazon/B0gBWfqHQ
• Crossed by Garth Ennis & Jacen Burrows https://link.amazon/B0dQpdW0S
Whether you already love crime novels, dark fantasy, weird science fiction, extreme horror—or maybe you actually do want superheroes—there should be something here to help you find your way into comics.
And if you’re already a comic reader: what ONE comic would you hand to someone who says they don’t read comics?
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After 23 chapters, the Blood Meridian read-along is complete—but the questions certainly aren't.
For this special concluding conversation, I'm joined by Steven Frye, author of Understanding Cormac McCarthy, to dig into some of the biggest questions I was left with after finishing Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian.
What exactly is Judge Holden? Why is he so interested in the kid? Does the kid actually change? What does his refusal to completely embrace the Judge's philosophy tell us about him? And what really happens in the jakes at the end of the novel?
We also discuss the Judge's philosophy of war, the possibility of reading him as a Gnostic figure, McCarthy's recurring imagery of fire, the role of nature and the desert, the Judge's mysterious ledger, the historical Glanton Gang, the dancing bear, recurring bird imagery, and whether Blood Meridian is really as nihilistic as it initially appears.
Steven also explains why the kid's resistance may matter even if it ultimately fails—and why Blood Meridian rewards readers who keep returning to it.
If you've followed the chapter-by-chapter read-along, this conversation brings together many of the questions we've been tracking from the beginning.
Topics include:
What is Judge Holden?
The Judge's philosophy of war
Why Holden singles out the kid
Mercy, resistance and the kid's moral development
What happens in the jakes
The mysterious epilogue
Fire throughout McCarthy's fiction
Nature and “optical democracy”
The meaning of the Judge's ledger
Cycles of violence
The historical Glanton Gang
Is Blood Meridian nihilistic?
Birds and recurring imagery
The dancing bear
What to watch for on a second reading
Find Steven: https://www.csub.edu/english/sfrye.shtml
On Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Steven-Frye/author/B001KHDZPE
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We start with Jarrod's thoughts on Supergirl, which leads us into a larger conversation about superhero movies, shorter theatrical windows, interconnected universes, and whether Marvel and DC would be better served by worrying less about the bigger universe and simply making good individual movies. 149
Then it's time for this week's comics, including Lost Fantasy #2, Absolute Cassandra Cain #1, Detective Comics #1113, Absolute Green Arrow #5, The Hab #4, and Hellraiser: Resurrections #1. There aren't any complete disasters in the stack, but there are definitely a few books hanging on by a thread. 149 149 149
That brings us to what we're calling our “light Picks of the Week.” Jarrod falls back on an old favorite with Savage Sword of Conan #16, while Steve goes with Viking Moon #4. Good comics? Absolutely. Books that blew us away? Not exactly. 149
But then there's Lone Wolf and Cub Volume 17: The Will of the Fang.
The series continues to ramp up as Ogami faces bounty hunters, former pupils, desperate peasants and the brutal winter itself. More importantly, we're beginning to see something unusual from Ogami: the stoic assassin is starting to crack. One confrontation in particular produces an emotional response unlike almost anything we've seen from him so far. 149 149
By the end, we realize the truth: Lone Wolf and Cub was our real Pick of the Week. 149
Join us for another week of comics, and now you can watch along with us again, too.
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