Second Breakfast with Cam & Maggie

Discussion of The Tower of Swallows, Chapter 3

You thought all those narrative zoom-outs were a storytelling curveball? In this chapter we dive into Dandelion's brain and then jump forward hundreds of years as archaeologists discover the remains of our heroes in a museum setting. We've got updates and surprises across every major storyline and character, new spies popping up on every page, constant omens of death and danger, and a bird that fascinates Maggie to no end.

Pretty Little Liars video from Mike's Mic: https://youtu.be/Umjv8AEWaPg

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There are 1-star reviews for Skinamarink and there are 5-star reviews for Skinamarink. Nothing in between. This has to be the most polarizing horror movie in years, a fuzzed-out, ultra low-budget, experimental cascade of nightmarish atmosphere and gleefully opaque storytelling. Messy, provocative, frustrating, admirable - this one's a doozy. Let's dive into it!

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The early 2000s were a goldmine for epic fantasy on screen, with the Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Pirates of the Caribbean all lighting up the box office and winning our millennial hearts. And even though 2004's Van Helsing bombed both critically and commercially, it is an absolute delight! Cam and Tristan dive into this forgotten classic to discuss the unique flavor of gothic fantasy, the virtues of standalone genre movies, the role of earnestness in epic storytelling, Van Helsing as an Americanized 'Witcher' movie, and the infectious passion of 'popcorn movies'.

Here's the article we reference during the show: https://bloodknife.com/everyone-beautiful-no-one-horny/

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Discussion of The Tower of Swallows, Chapter 2

We've referenced Doctor Faustus. We've echoed Macbeth. But today we add another work of Elizabethan theater to our tool belt as Shakespeare's Henry IV becomes suddenly and powerfully resonant to the world of The Witcher. But before that, we work through Ciri's latest identity crisis. Who will emerge from Vizzy's swamp, Ciri, Princess Cirilla, or Falka? We wonder how the fate of the Rats will impact her decision. Longtime listener Peregrine helps us work through a discussion about shadow presences and narrative subconscious as we unpack Bonhart's eerie similarities to Geralt. Finally, we try to figure out where all of these menacing 'narrative zoom out' scenes are headed. Are we being watched? Is someone listening in? Let's talk it out!

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What's the recipe for the perfect sequel? Two parts outnumbered chase scene, two parts morally gray supporting cast, and two parts arguing with a philosophical muppet. The Empire Strikes Back is a dark, stark adventure seemingly born out of a bunch of what-if scenarios that upend and challenge everything that made the first movie great – and somehow make this film even greater.

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Discussion of The Tower of Swallows, Chapter 1

New year, new book, new infographic style! At long last, Ciri has returned – not Falka, but actually Ciri, and she's got a new single serving guest star whom we lovingly nicknamed Vizzy da Bomba. But who is this new man? Is he the narrator? The storyteller from last chapter? Sapkowski himself? Geralt? Regis?? Another unicorn?!?! We take a longer look at the new narrative preoccupation in this chapter, with its cutaway zoom-out scenes and underlying struggles with objectivity and the act of narration.

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Woohoo! It's our last episode of the year and you know what that means - it's time for the third annual Brekkies award show! We've got six winners across two categories: Best Work of Art Released in 2022 and Best Work of Art We Discovered in 2022. Get ready for surprises and snubs, honorable mentions, and a bonus little 'Year in Review' segment recapping the 103 (!) episodes that we released this year!

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For all you cheaters out there, here's a list of everything we mentioned in the episode:

House of the Dragon (2022 TV series on HBO) Barbarian (2022 horror movie, streaming on HBO Max) The Batman (2022 movie streaming on HBO Max) Terrifier 2 (2022 horror movie streaming on Screambox, or rent on Prime) The Whale (currently in theaters) Heartstopper by Alice Oseman (read for free on Webtoon, or order volumes 1-4) Stardew Valley (indie game available for Switch, Xbox, Steam, PlayStation, iOS, or Android here) The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern (order here) Fear of the Dawn by Jack White (2022 rock album, streaming everywhere) The Witcher series by Andrzej Sapkowski (available at most bookstores, including here) Hulk: Gray by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale (6-issue comic series, see buying options here) Barry Lyndon (1975 Kubrick movie, streaming on HBO Max) Tusk (2014 movie streaming on HBO Max) Funny Games (2007 movie available for rent on Prime) X (2022 movie available on Showtime and Prime) Pearl (2022 movie available for rent on Prime) The Banshees of Inisherin (2022 movie streaming on HBO Max)

Discussion of Baptism of Fire, Chapter 7

The finale of Baptism of Fire is here, and with it comes the biggest bout of Tolkien crossovers yet. We've got Black Riders, White Riders, Mirkwood, Gollum, the light/fire/ash cycle, the narrator question, Helm's Deep, Weathertop, birds – need we go on? At first glance this chapter didn't strike us as a "finale". It didn't answer any major questions or advance the greater narrative, but upon closer inspection there are a half dozen small, character-focused "finales" and resolutions that evolve our supporting cast. Merry Christmas Eve Eve, see you next Friday for the 125th annual Brekkies!

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It's the holiday season: a kaleidoscope of presents, tinsel, caroling, food, melancholy, guilt, broken childhood memories – and a sheep with no face. Today we're discussing Cam's new Christmas short story, Wooltide Cheer, which you can listen to here: https://www.cameronfucile.com/

Maggie and Tristan lead a conversation through Cam's creative process, from the real-life ornament that inspired the idea, the anxiety of finding a happy ending for a sad story, the freedom of writing without a plan, and the joy of finding your own character's voice. We also tackle the theory that all art is autobiographical, and use the story as a framework to discuss the intense attachment to ornaments that we develop, and our evolving relationships with holiday tradition as we age.

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Discussion of Baptism of Fire, Chapter 6

Yennefer is finally back – and she brought all of her emotional baggage with her. The mages gather again, and it goes a little better than last time. We discuss this chapter as an echo and restaging of the conclave, and a continuation of the recent novelistic scope. Yennefer and Geralt's connection grows stronger as they're both consumed by guilt. Ciri reemerges from under Falka's wrath.

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