Flights of Fantasy Podcast - Season 5, Episode 42: Brimstone by Callie Hart, PART 2 Released December 30, 2025

Main Theme and Purpose

This episode dives deep into the latter half of Callie Hart’s fantasy novel Brimstone, specifically unraveling the book’s major character arcs, magical mysteries, and the explosive story conclusion. Hosts Anna, Kim, and Christina share their candid reactions, favorite moments, and burning questions. Reading between the lines with humor and heart, they unpack both the swoony romance and the plot’s more challenging or confusing elements, never shying away from critique.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Spoiler Warning & Patreon Bonus Content (02:53)

• Christina warns listeners about spoilers for both Brimstone and Kingfisher POV bonus chapters.
• Announcement of three hours of bonus on-camera Brimstone content on Patreon, including in-depth chapter chats.

2. Serris as a Leading Lady (03:10–07:13)

• The hosts agree that Serris (FMC) is exceptionally likable, clever, and grounded compared to other fantasy heroines.
  • Quote [04:02, Anna]: “…she’s not obtuse when it comes to events and situations happening around her…She trusts her own mind and her gut and we really do appreciate that…”
• Key scenes showing her vulnerability and growth:
  • Her moment of realizing she’s found a new “family” after years of self-reliance and trauma.
    • Quote [04:33, Anna]: “…I was too tired. Tired of putting up the front. Tired of telling myself I had to deal with everything by myself. When for the first time since my mother died, I had people again. I wasn’t alone anymore…”
  • Her assertiveness at the ball when she uses magic to put Zovina in her place.
    • Quote [06:22, Kim]: “…You seem to confuse the dynamic between us Zovina. I am your master…”
    • The hosts absolutely loved this “iconic” moment.

3. Challenges with Serris’s Magic & Story Stakes (07:41–11:39)

• Hosts found Cerys’s magical arc (her alchemy and quicksilver powers) unsatisfying because:
  • There is little struggle or learning curve; new abilities emerge as needed.
  • Her power grows with each chapter, often removing tension or risk from the story.
    • Quote [09:12, Christina]: “…it does feel that when it comes to Cerys’ power and her magic, there doesn’t seem to be a limit to what she can do…”
  • Her triumphs—like splitting a god-sword or overcoming enemy attacks—are described as unearned.
    • Quote [10:29, Christina, joking]: “…you don’t divide something and end up with more. That’s not how division works.”

4. Hayden: The Useless Brother (11:38–14:02)

• The hosts express strong frustration with Serris’s brother Hayden, branding him “useless.”
  • His accusation that Serris works for Queen Madra (her oppressor) is described as “wild and unhinged.”
  • Serris’s retort about her sacrifices for him becomes a moment of cathartic power.
    • Quote [12:54, Kim]: “…It was a full time job keeping him out of trouble and taking care of him… I broke myself to look after you…”

5. Kingfisher: Character POV, Romance, and Complicated History (14:04–16:32)

• The hosts enjoy the new POV chapters from Kingfisher, making him more relatable and deepening understanding of his motives.
  • Quote [15:19, Anna]: “…having faith was like trying to remember a language I had once known as a child. No, it was worse. It was like trying to run with broken legs…”
• They acknowledge the romance’s sudden flip from “hate” to “obsessed,” but embrace it for its emotional payoff.

6. Romantic & Spicy Moments (18:00–22:17)

• Marriage Discussion: Fae traditions demand true-name exchange for marriage; Kingfisher's insecurity about not knowing his true name adds emotional depth.
  • Quote [18:44, Christina]: “…it doesn’t work that way, Osha. It doesn’t matter that you weren’t given a true name. I was. And unless I share it with you, the ceremony won’t take root…”
• First “I love you” Exchange:
  • Quote [20:04, Christina]: “…I lost the parts of myself that knew how to feel anything other than pain and sorrow centuries ago. But for better or worse, you have brought me back to life.”
• Playful bedroom scenes and declarations of strength through love.
  • Quote [21:54, Kim]: “…I’d spend the fortunes of the universe to protect you. I’d drain the seas dry, fell every tree…All I have is my life. It isn’t much, but I’d spend it and consider the price small if it meant keeping you safe.”

The Book's Climax: Plot, Mysteries, and Hot Takes

7. Hasrax: The Creepy New Character (22:47–24:05)

• Appears partway through the story, gives Serris a new rune with powers to break oaths or undo events.
• Only interacts directly with Serris, adding mystery and foreshadowing.

8. The Endgame: Fast Plotting, The “Wicker Wood”, and True Names (24:47–29:33)

• Chaotic Escape: The crew loses Kingfisher and Onyx through a shadow gate, prompting Serris to seek them by forcibly “falling asleep” (getting punched!).
• Dream Rescue and the Wicker Wood: Hasrax transports Serris to the Wicker Wood where Fisher is trapped in a tree and rescued in a bloody, magical scene.
• True Name Reveal: Serris sets Kingfisher free using info from a discovered paper, calling out his true name: Kaidan Greystar Finvarra (27:46).
  • The hosts are disconcerted by how easily everyone, especially Serris, slips into using the new name.
    • Quote [28:44, Kim]: “…It already took us an entire, like, book just to get through that and be like, his name is Kingfisher. And now you’re gonna try to gaslight us, Callie, and be like…‘Oh, it’s effortless. He’s always been Kaidan to me.’”

9. Triumvirate and the Immortality Quagmire (29:56–32:13)

• Discussion about whether beheading major antagonists (Malcolm, Belacan) actually kills them and what would happen if Queen Madra dies—are the others truly “dead enough?”
• Quote [32:01, Kim]: “…I need a status update. Like, we’re playing a video game and you can see, like, ‘Oh, I only have 30% life left.’ Where are we at with them?”

10. Onyx: The Fox's (Temporary) Death & What It Means for Stakes (32:14–37:44)

• Onyx dies heroically saving Serris. Serris then bargains with Hasrax and uses her new rune to undo his death.
• The hosts debate whether his resurrection cheapens the emotional cost and stakes of war.
  • Quote [35:36, Kim]: “…Even I am like, I’m not gonna go so far as to say I wish Onyx had died…But again, you’re just removing all of the stakes. I was reading this scene and I honestly was like, she’s not gonna kill him…”
• The group wants the narrative to justify Onyx’s return with plot consequences.

Final Act: Big Mysteries, Endgame Theories, and Wild Revelations

11. The Ajin Gate, Quicksilver Pool, and… Hell? (39:15–41:43)

• Fisher and Serris travel through portals, arrive at a corrupted quicksilver pool—that, unlike others, stays open. Fisher was thrown into it at age 11.
• They descend (literally) into hell, meet a vengeful dragon mother, and the god Styx with his twin sons (Crave and Githrin).
• It’s revealed only “half-gods may wield shadows”—a huge hint about Fisher’s true parentage.
  • Quote [42:06, Kim]: “…They also make a point to say that Fisher should not have shadow magic. They say only half gods may wield shadows.”

12. Cliffhanger: Fisher’s Claim & Implications (42:21)

• Fisher to the gods: “I’ve come for a dragon, as is my right. Summon our Father. Tell him I’ve come to make a trade.”
• The hosts are floored, speculating about his lineage—human, fae, god, or all three?

13. The Math Isn’t Mathing: Timeline and Parentage Plot Holes (42:47–47:02)

• Anna meticulously lays out a timeline contradiction involving Fisher’s age, his mother’s death, and his sister Everlane’s existence.
  • Quote [44:04, Christina]: “…The age gap between Fisher and Everlane is 247 years. That is canon. The math isn’t mathing…”
• The hosts debate whether Quick Silver’s time distortion could explain it, but none are convinced.

14. Styx, Finryn, and Fisher’s Parentage (47:06–50:15)

• They question if Finryn (Fisher’s “father”) and Styx (the god in hell) are the same—it’s left ambiguous.
• Kim suggests “father” could refer to a “maker,” not a biological parent—mirroring how vampires call their creators “father.”

15. Who Is the God-Blessed Herald? (50:26–52:54)

• Was Fisher recruited by the gods to become a “silver-eyed herald” but turned them down? Are the power upgrades about him, or Serris—or both?

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (By Timestamps)

• On Serris’s character
  [04:33, Anna]:
  "I was too tired. Tired of putting up the front…for the first time since my mother died, I had people again. I wasn't alone anymore."
• On the stakes of magic
  [09:12, Christina]:
  "…it does feel that when it comes to Cerys’ power and her magic, there doesn’t seem to be a limit to what she can do."
• On heroic sacrifice and family drama
  [12:54, Kim]:
  "…I broke myself to look after you…And then you have the audacity to turn around and accuse me of the most heinous thing…"
• On true names and the Kingfisher twist
  [18:44, Christina]:
  "…It doesn’t work that way, Osha. It doesn’t matter that you weren’t given a true name. I was…" [28:44, Kim]:
  "…And now you’re gonna try to gaslight us, Callie…"
• On good romance writing
  [20:04, Christina]:
  "I lost the parts of myself that knew how to feel anything other than pain and sorrow centuries ago. But for better or worse, you have brought me back to life."
• On the plot hole
  [44:04, Christina]:
  "…The age gap between Fisher and Everlane is 247 years. That is canon. The math isn’t mathing."
• Cliffhanger
  [42:21, Kingfisher/Kaiden]:
  “I’ve come for a dragon, as is my right. Summon our Father. Tell him I’ve come to make a trade.”

Flow and Tone

The hosts keep the discussion honest, critical yet caring, and peppered with good-natured sarcasm and laughter. They readily celebrate swoony moments and sharp writing, but are just as eager to identify what didn’t work for them. They throw in pop culture references (Tiger King, video games, Kim Kardashian memes) and book-nerd in-jokes to keep the energy high and accessible.

Useful for Listeners Who Haven’t Read or Listened

• Explains character motivations and the logic (or lack thereof) behind plot twists.
• Highlights both romance and world-building.
• Raises the important, lingering questions for future books (parentage, magic’s limits, the true stakes of resurrection and power).
• The hosts' predictions and critiques offer jumping-off points for book club debates.

Sections for Quick Reference

• 03:10 — Serris’s character highlights
• 07:41 — Power creep and lack of magical stakes
• 11:38 — Sibling drama with Hayden
• 18:00–22:17 — Major romantic moments
• 22:47 — Introduction of Hasrax & runes
• 24:47–29:33 — Climactic action, unlocking Kingfisher
• 29:56–32:13 — The immortal villains debate
• 32:14–37:44 — Onyx’s brief death and resurrection
• 39:15–41:43 — Going to hell, meeting dragons and gods
• 42:47–47:02 — Timeline/parentage “math” discussion
• 47:06–52:54 — Godly lineage theories

In sum:

This episode is a lively, immersive book club session offering both adoration for Hart’s character work and sharp, insightful (and often hilarious) critique of her plotting and world logic as Brimstone barrels toward its cliffhanger conclusion.