Space-Cast! #52. Fellowship of the Trick
Transforming a work of literature into a trick-taking game is no mean feat, especially when that work is as influential as The Lord of the Rings. Today, we’re joined by Bryan Bornmueller, creator of the trick-taking versions of both The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers. Listen in as we discuss our background with both Tolkien and trick-taking, the difficulties of adaptation, and what’s coming next.
Listen here or download here. Timestamps can be found after the jump.
TIMESTAMPS
2:44 — Bryan Bornmueller, Tolkien and trick-taking
15:11 — bridging those tangents
23:30 — the inevitable comparison to The Crew
32:06 — adaptation into trick-taking
48:45 — leaning into the genre’s strengths
54:21 — solitaire modes
58:14 — release and reception
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Posted on December 22, 2025, in Board Game, Podcast and tagged Board Games, Office Dog, The Fellowship of the Ring: Trick-Taking Game, The Space-Biff! Space-Cast!, The Two Towers: Trick-Taking Game. Bookmark the permalink. 4 Comments.
SPACE-BIFF! 
A trick-taking adaptation of the First Law trilogy would be amazing.
It sure would be.
If the podcast you’re alluding to at the end there is Shelved By Genre, all year 2026 is going to be their Tolkien unit; since you didn’t mention it, I’m assuming you were unaware? (Unless there’s some other podcast running around where they do Gene Wolfe deep dives…)
Nah, it’s ReReading Wolfe.