Eragon And Back Again

Nasuada is so metal.

Lucy and Darien are excited to learn more about Nasuada’s heritage in Brisingr chapter seven, "Trial of Long Knives,” and chapter eight, "Winged Tidings.”

Talking points include wondering where all the gold is coming from, being very excited about a preying mantis goddess, strategies for getting vaccines to hurt less, Angela appearing so early in the book, and everyone being very upset with Eragon.

Content Warning: This episode contains reference to self-harm, not in the context of suicide but in a manner that may be distressing to some listeners. No descriptive passages from the book are read out loud. The conversation about this element of the books ends at 36:56, however the resulting injuries are mentioned a few times later in the episode.

Sparks of Inspiration 

• Darien shares a Geode! She voiced the main character in a narrative audio drama, The Journal of Juniper J. Strahorn: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PpxSHPPVCI0OOfSIPiqsJ?si=eSzhqZn3Q6-dMuvTRa7K9A&utm_source=copy-link

• Lucy is enjoying her reread of Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse.

Share your Sparks of Inspiration or your thoughts about Brisingr with us on Instagram ⁠⁠@EragonPod⁠⁠ or send an email to [email protected] (Here it is, Owen!!)

Snag your own ⁠EABA merch!⁠

Enjoy our bonus episodes about Rebecca Yarros’ Fourth Wing and Iron Storm while also helping Lucy meet Toothless at Universal Epic Universe by supporting the show on Patreon:  ⁠https://www.patreon.com/EABA

Theme music by Jacob Hughes! Check out Jake on Instagram @j_cubhughes

Cover art by Luana Pastor

No portion of this episode may be used for generative AI or large language models training purposes or to create derivative works without express written permission from the creators and co-hosts Lucy Hart and Darien Smartt. 

A world with a bumblebee in it is a world worth being in.

Darien and Lucy witness the end of the Ra’zac in Brisingr chapter five, “Rider and Ra’zac,” and chapter six, "To Walk the Land Alone.”

Talking points include major Kingdom Hearts vibes, a curse to set the future in zone, a life saving beauty of a bumblebee, Eragon making some interesting dietary exceptions, Sloan being the worst, Eragon being so much like Brom, and the rights of a Dragon Rider.

Content Warning: This episode contains reference to self-harm and suicide.

Sparks of Inspiration 

• Lucy is inspired by the creative cursing in this very book!

• Darien got to interview Rick Riordan for her mythology podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1vtZDfTe9rWumpbg6pihr4?si=7-0frPodS_i4dgPQtujeMQ&utm_source=copy-link

Share your Sparks of Inspiration or your thoughts about Brisingr with us on Instagram ⁠⁠@EragonPod⁠⁠ or send an email to [email protected] (Here it is, Owen!!)

Snag your own ⁠EABA merch!⁠

Enjoy our bonus episode about Rebecca Yarros’ Fourth Wing AND Help Lucy meet Toothless at Universal Epic Universe by supporting the show on Patreon:  ⁠https://www.patreon.com/EABA

Theme music by Jacob Hughes! Check out Jake on Instagram @j_cubhughes

Cover art by Luana Pastor

No portion of this episode may be used for generative AI or large language models training purposes or to create derivative works without express written permission from the creators and co-hosts Lucy Hart and Darien Smartt. 

A new voice joins the podcast!

Lucy (she/her) and Darien (she/they) are delighted to have Braydon (he/him) from Fandom and Folklore on to discuss Brisingr chapter three, “Assault on Helgrind”, and chapter four, “Divergence.”

Talking points include correctly pronouncing Roran’s name, Darien immediately abandoning a bit, struggling to identify the formatting rules for the Ancient Language, a brief debunking of Medieval flat Earth beliefs, and Eragon making a decision that wasn't his to make.

Content Warning: This episode contains mention of and conversations about abusive family relationships.

Sparks of Inspiration 

• Braydon shouts out Meyers Briggs in character creation.

• Darien very much enjoyed The Ghostkeeper by Johanna Taylor.

• Lucy is loving the romance options in Fields of Mistra. 

Share your Sparks of Inspiration or your thoughts about Brisingr with us on Instagram ⁠⁠@EragonPod⁠⁠ or send an email to [email protected] (Here it is, Owen!!)

Get more Braydon and Fandom and Folklore at https://open.spotify.com/show/3Dd2FOs3gsZGymUmWFA5Hx?si=Cffz1rsgTqGEvRm57AlK4Q&utm_source=copy-link

Snag your own ⁠EABA merch!⁠

Help Lucy meet Toothless at Universal Epic Universe AND listen to our bonus episode about The Adventure Zone: Balance by supporting the show on Patreon:  ⁠https://www.patreon.com/EABA

Theme music by Jacob Hughes! Check out Jake on Instagram @j_cubhughes

Cover art by Luana Pastor

No portion of this episode may be used for generative AI or large language models training purposes or to create derivative works without express written permission from the creators and co-hosts Lucy Hart and Darien Smartt. 

Thank you for your patience!!

Darien and Lucy are so excited to jump into Inheritance Cycle book three with Brisingr chapter one, "The Gates of Death”, and chapter two,”Around the Campfire.”

Talking points include wild speculations on the author’s opinions regarding organized religion, drawbacks to the elven transformation, some peak sibling representation, unpacking trauma with those you trust, Eragon's very convenient justification for pining after Arya, and the mystery of the missing subtitle.

Content Warning: This episode contains mention of and conversations about ableism, self-harm, cannibalism, and racism. 

Sparks of Inspiration 

• Lucy is inspired by Fruits Basket (2019) to resurrect an old project.

• Darien rethinks her writings on witches after a lecture by @sugarmaeisagoodwife

Share your Sparks of Inspiration or your thoughts about Brisingr with us on Instagram ⁠⁠@EragonPod⁠⁠ or send an email to [email protected] (Here it is, Owen!!)

Snag your own ⁠EABA merch!⁠

Help Lucy meet Toothless at Universal Epic Universe AND listen to our bonus episode about Godzilla: King of Monsters by supporting the show on Patreon:  ⁠https://www.patreon.com/EABA

Theme music by Jacob Hughes! Check out Jake on Instagram @j_cubhughes

Cover art by Luana Pastor

No portion of this episode may be used for generative AI or large language models training purposes or to create derivative works without express written permission from the creators and co-hosts Lucy Hart and Darien Smartt. 

Slight change of plans…

Check out our Instagram ⁠⁠@EragonPod⁠⁠ for visual aids from the episode! 

Brisingr begins on Wednesday, September 16!

Snag your own ⁠EABA merch!⁠

Help Lucy meet Toothless at Universal Epic Universe AND listen to our bonus episode about Reversal of the Heart by supporting the show on Patreon:  ⁠https://www.patreon.com/EABA

Cover art by Luana Pastor

No portion of this episode may be used for generative AI or large language models training purposes or to create derivative works without express written permission from the creators and co-hosts Lucy Hart and Darien Smartt. 

Some podcasts have mythology or true crime. 

We have… Dragons!

We're still on break, but we wanted to share something from The Dragons' Keep (before it was The Dragons' Keep) with our bonus episode about Lucy’s very favorite: How to Train Your Dragon! 

Just the first film this month. The sequels and TV show spin-offs (might) come later. For now, we’re examining all the reasons this might be the greatest animated movie of all time. 

Also, a brief Darien rant about live-action remakes represents an inherent disrespect of animation. 

Full spoilers for How to Train Your Dragon (2010) and How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell, as well as moderate spoilers for How to Train Your Dragon 2.

EABA will return for Brisingr on Wednesday, September 2!

Help Lucy meet Toothless at Universal Epic Universe AND enjoy more bonus episodes by supporting the show on Patreon:  ⁠https://www.patreon.com/EABA

Cover art by Luana Pastor

No portion of this episode may be used for generative AI or large language models training purposes or to create derivative works without express written permission from the creators and co-hosts Lucy Hart and Darien Smartt. 

A fond farewell to a fan favorite.

Darien and Lucy reflect on Eldest and celebrate being halfway through The Inheritance Cycle. 

Talking points include the future of the podcast, the requirements for discussing Eragon (2006) on the pod, external factors that contribute to publishing success, Top 10 Anime Betrayals, Greek v. Tolkenian heroes, Eragon's protagonist powers, old fandom lore, and the trouble with “growing with the characters.”

If you really need to hear us discuss the cursed Eragon movie, check out Fandom and Folklore: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Dd2FOs3gsZGymUmWFA5Hx

Skip to 46:43 to avoid minor end of the series spoilers.

Sparks of Inspiration 

• Oh my goodness, we forgot to do Sparks…

Share your Sparks of Inspiration or your thoughts about Eldest with us on Instagram ⁠⁠@EragonPod⁠⁠ or send an email to [email protected] (Here it is, Owen!!)

Snag your own ⁠EABA merch!⁠

Help Lucy meet Toothless at Universal Epic Universe AND listen to our bonus episode about Reversal of the Heart by supporting the show on Patreon:  ⁠https://www.patreon.com/EABA

Cover art by Luana Pastor

No portion of this episode may be used for generative AI or large language models training purposes or to create derivative works without express written permission from the creators and co-hosts Lucy Hart and Darien Smartt. 

Will we ever meet this red dragon?

Diego returns to join Lucy and Darien for reunions and big reveals in Eldest chapter 68, “Convergence,” chapter 69, “Eldest,” chapter 70, “Inheritance,” and chapter 71, “Reunion.”

Talking points include Roran being able to pull off all the one-liners, the most spectacular freefall, Murtagh’s dramatic return, Eragon not thinking about his supposedly dead friend for literally half the book, Roran’s big dramatic scene being in another POV, and embarrassing childhood confession, and what it means to be family.

Content Warning: This episode contains mention of suicide, sexual violence, blood, violence, and death in relation to war. 

Sparks of Inspiration 

• Diego is inspired by Kayla of https://twitch.tv/kaleisblue to write his own book!

• Darien was inspired (and made depressed) by Jennifer Saint's mythology retellings. 

• Lucy made an excellent breakthrough on her Geode!

Explore The Last Dragon Chronicles with Diego at https://open.spotify.com/show/1s4lvy8Qdoz9ZK70YWYKX1?si=4oLlR7OkTJSK2cZJNC8mTw

Share your Sparks of Inspiration or your thoughts about Eragon with us on Instagram ⁠⁠@EragonPod⁠⁠ or send an email to [email protected] (Here it is, Owen!!)

Snag your own ⁠EABA merch!⁠

Help Lucy meet Toothless at Universal Epic Universe AND listen to our bonus episode about Raya and the Last Dragon and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by supporting the show on Patreon:  ⁠https://www.patreon.com/EABA

Cover art by Luana Pastor

No portion of this episode may be used for generative AI or large language models training purposes or to create derivative works without express written permission from the creators and co-hosts Lucy Hart and Darien Smartt. 

Who do you call a monster?

Darien and Lucy dive into the endgame in Eldest chapter 65, “Nar Garzhvog,” chapter 66, “Witches Brew,” and chapter 67, “The Storm Breaks.” 

Talking points include Paolini challenging the idea of monstrousness in fantasy, Nasuada being an incredible leader, the tools we can equip to never see people as things, Angela living up to her reputation as a witch, what it looks like when a Rider goes to war, and a mysterious threat coming up the river. 

Content Warning: This episode contains mention of blood, violence, and death in relation to war. 

Sparks of Inspiration 

• Lucy commissioned some very good art of her D&D character. 

• Darien is devastated by the quality of The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow.

Share your Sparks of Inspiration or your thoughts about Eragon with us on Instagram ⁠⁠@EragonPod⁠⁠ or send an email to [email protected] (Here it is, Owen!!)

Snag your own ⁠EABA merch!⁠

Help Lucy meet Toothless at Universal Epic Universe AND listen to our bonus episode about Raya and the Last Dragon and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by supporting the show on Patreon:  ⁠https://www.patreon.com/EABA

Cover art by Luana Pastor

No portion of this episode may be used for generative AI or large language models training purposes or to create derivative works without express written permission from the creators and co-hosts Lucy Hart and Darien Smartt. 

Why is a raven like a writing desk?

Lucy and Darien get the band back together in Eldest chapter 62, “To Aberon,” chapter 63, “The Burning Plains,” and chapter 64, “The Clouds of War.” 

Talking points include fandom attempts to solve an unanswered riddle, the recent trend of mentioning Eragon's unknown father, a very cool setting for a final battle, Eragon showing off his new powers, a hug that didn't happen, clocking Eragon's continued nonsense regarding Arya, ANGELA OUR LOVE, and the hosts cementing themselves as Trianna Defenders. 

Sparks of Inspiration 

• Darien reflects on all the places that inspired her during her European vacation.
• Lucy was inspired by her favorite streamer to start playing Pokémon Leaf Green!

Share your Sparks of Inspiration or your thoughts about Eragon with us on Instagram ⁠⁠@EragonPod⁠⁠ or send an email to [email protected] (Here it is, Owen!!)

Snag your own ⁠EABA merch!⁠

Help Lucy meet Toothless at Universal Epic Universe AND listen to our bonus episode about Raya and the Last Dragon and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by supporting the show on Patreon:  ⁠https://www.patreon.com/EABA

Cover art by Luana Pastor

No portion of this episode may be used for AI training purposes or to create derivative works without express written permission from the creators and co-hosts Lucy Hart and Darien Smartt.