For our second seasonal episode Ralph and Liz discuss Susan Cooper’s The Dark Is Rising as part of the worldwide #thedarkisreading hashtag. Show Notes The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper Elizabeth Lovegrove and Ralph Lovegrove Synopsis 00:35 Themes 10:50 Comparisons with The Box Of Delights Winter and isolation Myth and prophecy Time travel Transformed…Read more Episode 310: The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper

Just in time for Christmas, Ralph and Liz discuss the book and TV series of the children’s fantasy The Box of Delights by John Masefield. Show Notes The Box of Delights by John Masefield Adapted for the BBC by Alan Seymour Synopsis 01:05 Themes 10:15 Pagan myth vs. warring magicians Sapphire and Steel vs. Dr…Read more Episode 309: The Box of Delights by John Masefield

Ralph briefly returns to Jeff Vandermeer’s Southern Reach trilogy. Show Notes The Southern Reach trilogy (Annihilation, Authority, Acceptance) by Jeff Vandermeer. Annihilation episode recap 01:05 Authority 04:35 Acceptance 08:40 RPG bit (Call of Cthulhu, Cthulhu Dark and Lovecraftesque) 11:45 Music credits “Cylinder Three“ from Cylinders by Chris Zabriskie chriszabriskie.com // bandcamp // free music archive

Liz, Becky, Paul and Josh discuss turning your favourite fiction into RPGs at the Dragonmeet panel on December 2nd 2017 Show notes “Turning your favourite fiction into roleplaying games” Dragonmeet, London, Saturday 2nd December 2017 Elizabeth Lovegrove, Paul Mitchener, Josh Fox, Becky Annison (chair) Music credits “Another version of you” from Thoughtless by Chris Zabriskie…Read more Episode 307: Fictoplasm at Dragonmeet

Ralph and Tim discuss Lloyd Alexander’s Prydain, a more manageable Middle Earth, the power of recurring characters and emotional growth. Show Notes The Chronicles of Prydain (The Book of Three, The Black Cauldron, The Castle of Lyr, Taran Wanderer, The High King) by Lloyd Alexander Tim Harford and Ralph Lovegrove Synopsis 1:30 Themes 9:30 The…Read more Episode 306: The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander

This episode Ralph talks about C.L. Moore’s hero Jirel of Joiry, and Liz talks about the anthology Dragons and Warrior Daughters. Show Notes Black God’s Kiss and other stories by C.L. Moore Dragons and Warrior Daughters by Jessica Yates (ed) Elizabeth Lovegrove, Ralph Lovegrove Part One Black God’s Kiss 00:10 Synopsis 0:40 Themes 5:10 RPG…Read more Episode 305: Black God’s Kiss by C.L. Moore

This episode Liz, Ralph and guest Rhiannon Lassiter experience a magical awakening in Margaret Mahy’s The Changeover Show Notes The Changeover by Margaret Mahy Rhiannon Lassiter, Elizabeth Lovegrove, Ralph Lovegrove Synopsis 2:55 Themes 6:30 RPG bit 22:40 Liz’s game 22:45 Rhi’s game 26:55 Ralph’s idea 30:57 Closing 42:36 Music Credits “Is That You Or Are…Read more Episode 304: The Changeover by Margaret Mahy

We discuss Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale. Content warning: themes of abuse, rape and infertility. Show Notes The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood Becky Annison, Elizabeth Lovegrove, Ralph Lovegrove Synopsis 2:00 Themes 13:50 Children of Men (PD James) Apocalypse: scarcity Dystopia: control of information RPG bit 32:45 Rise and Fall The Academics Music…Read more Episode 303: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

Interview with Roz Morris, author of Not Quite Lost, Lifeform Three and My Memories Of A Future Life Show Notes Introduction to Roz Morris 00:35 Literary inspiration 01:25 Genre 04:40 The Bridge by Iain Banks Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury Blindness by Jose Saramago (note: the film I was struggling to remember is Perfect Sense,…Read more Episode 302: Interview with Roz Morris

We open our third season on Halloween with a look at werewolves. Show Notes Our analysis of the werewolf in book, film and television, plus roleplaying games. Becky Annison, Elizabeth Lovegrove, Ralph Lovegrove Introduction and scope 00:15 Books section (Becky) starts at 01:35 Kelly Armstrong (Women of the Otherworld) Patricia Briggs (Mercy Thompson) Gail Carriger…Read more Episode 301: Werewolves