Through The Wind Door

"The artist deals with what cannot be said in words. The artist whose medium is fiction does this *in words*. The novelist says in words what cannot be said in words." - Ursula LeGuin

In 16 days, it will be the anniversary of the first time Toby and I Skyped on the subject of New Century. One year of discussing our favorite series. And there's no better way to mark the occasion than a Non-Quick Review of book 10, Stonespring Maidens.

Our hearts are full, and we are overcome with this journey of creators and fans. This was amazing to record, and heart wrending to edit. We love you all. Here's to another year of the same.

 

Infographic - Where to Start?: http://tinyurl.com/ccyz42ny

 

The New Century Multiverse books and audio dramas can be found on:

https://www.newcenturymultiverse.com

 

Intro is "Humanity" by Scott Holmes of FMA

Outro is "The Power of Two" by Indigo Girls

"...if we don't tell Hakka's story, then it fundamentally changes the story itself. Treating him only an an antagonist would be anathema to the nature of what Tiger's Eye is trying to do. And it needs to be here not just for those larger themes, but because his journey helps bring resolution to both Miguel's journey and Hrao's journey. And their journey's resolution to his."

Here, we start getting into the meat of our final chapters. What it means to go all the way back to the beginning with Hakka, what it means to suddenly flip the script and talk about Tiger's Eye's secret protagonist.

And we also start making our way through these defining moments of the young red tiger that would one day become a shaman. About learning the wrong lessons, or just finding your mentor lacking. 

 

To those of you that have not heard it: the Guardians of the Galaxy 2 speech referenced in the podcast: https://youtu.be/4U_2Qq-oLwk

Why No One Likes Ares: https://youtu.be/kfnc-iARu48

The Underworld/Death: https://youtu.be/Z4dAMMkqPoY

 

The New Century Multiverse Website:

https://www.newcenturymultiverse.com

The New Century Multiverse Podcast Feed:

https://newcenturyshow.podbean.com/

Fireside Alliance: https://firesidealliance.squarespace.com/

 

Intro is "The Legend of El Dorado" by Derek and Brandon Feitcher

Outro is "Breathe (2 AM)" by Anna Nalick

"So much of New Century's fiction is the confrontation of big, frightening concepts. Things that will drive people into existencial depression.  But the author - and by extention, Hrao - looks at that and finds something that you can hold onto. Leon may well be a country with a lack of compassion. But there are still people within it that are willing to nurture hope."

And here is the beginning of the end. Part 1 of our look at chapters 21-25, though this one really only focuses on the first of these chapters. We make further commentary on what is going on inside Captain Queensbury's head as well as speculation on her future. We also dive deep into the dashing Quincy Matthews and the final communion between Hrao and Doctor Shera. Tying off the major events of the last several chapters... and gearing up for a Tomorrow... born of all of Hakka's Yesterdays.

 

The New Century Multiverse Website:

https://www.newcenturymultiverse.com

The New Century Multiverse Podcast Feed:

https://newcenturyshow.podbean.com/

Fireside Alliance: https://firesidealliance.squarespace.com/

 

Intro is "The Legend of El Dorado" by Derek and Brandon Feitcher

Outro is "16th Century Man" from The Road to Eldorado, by Elton John and Time Rice.

"[Mohawk] has defined himself by his cruelty. And once his cruelty has been forcibly stopped and [the totems] he has stolen have been stripped away from him and given back to who it belongs to... what is Mohawk? In the end, we never know him by his true name. So, by the end of this, it's decided: 'We will not communicate with you. We are not going to suffer your presence any more, and we are denying you the spiritual close and the idea that you may come back in whatever form is next. Just go'. it is a complete disintegration of what Mohawk is and what he has done. In the end... Mohawk is nobody."

Part 3 of our look at... what was it? Chapters 16-20? Yes, those. Man, that was a lot of talking. looks ahead to the amount of talking on the final chapters 

...well.... shit. There's nothing for it, I suppose.

But in the meantime, enjoy our conversations on the fate of Mohawk, Captain Beatrix, Doctor Shera and our aboriginal cats. Our thoughts on the look into the hearts and minds of secondary characters, and how we feel about growth and second chances.

And prepare yourselves for what is coming next.

 

The New Century Multiverse Website:

https://www.newcenturymultiverse.com

The New Century Multiverse Podcast Feed:

https://newcenturyshow.podbean.com/

Fireside Alliance: https://firesidealliance.squarespace.com/

 

Intro is "The Legend of El Dorado" by Derek and Brandon Feitcher

Outro is "Colossus" by Afrocelt Soundsystem

"Hakka is ultimately- he's a kid. Like, in a way that a lot of adults secretly are. Especially at the age I kind of was when I was reading him. There's a lot of people who don't mature past a certain point, and fortunately got the opportunity to do so. But he- he very much thinks he's an adult. He thinks he's the shaman of the tribe. Much like Baltus: 'i'm this important pillar'. But the difference between him and Baltus is that Baltus believes that despite all the evidence to the contrary. Whereas Hakka is almost the other way around." - Spencer

Part 2 of our glorious interview with Spencer. But as per the in joke of this episode, I have only two words to describe it:

"Hoof hands."

Enjoy.

 

The New Century Multiverse books and audio dramas can be found on:

https://www.newcenturymultiverse.com

 

Intro is "The Avengers" by Alan Sylvestri

Outro is "Starlight Brigade" by TWNP ft. Dave Avidan

"With all loss, almost all grief, all pain... this isn't a question of if you can. It's whether you really think it's worth doing it. Because you will keep going. Almost whether you like it or not." - Spencer, talking about coping in the aftermath of tragedy and trauma.

This is the day you've waited for, where we finally interview the noteworthiest of Nags, Spencer Leeb.

As with all our other New Century voice actors, we grill him on his origins, and discover he has a performative past. We get in deep discussing his longest running character, Frank Butler, and discuss Spencer's tendencies towards playing various kinds of soldiers. Comparing and contrasting them all, especially those new audiences are most familiar with, Rafe and Butler.

We also get into the antagonistic Baltus, and have some deep, serious conversations about running themes within his characters. There's laughs and sobering seriousness. And that's only the beginning, with even more conversation hot on it's heels.

 

The New Century Multiverse books and audio dramas can be found on:

https://www.newcenturymultiverse.com

 

Intro is "The Avengers" by Alan Sylvestri

Outro is "Center Stage" by Indigo Girls

...Mohawk took [Hrao's] agency... and this is the first concrete step to fucking taking it back. She will not let his actions define her.

 

Part of our discussion of Chapters 16-20, as we finally move away from the events of Chapter 16, and back to Miguel's narration. We discuss the difference in the capacity of for understanding the passage of time, because Miguel is used to thinking in discrete time units even if he cannot record them. And then we discuss the other weighty topic of these chapters: Miguel killing a lion in cold blood, and all the stuff that entails. How he reaches his lowest point, but has to come out the other side without time to properly come to terms with what he has done.

We also finally start to discuss one of the most heartwarming moments of the book, how it resonates even more in respect to the events a few chapters ago, and the unification of One Tribe accepting Miguel as one of them.

 

For those that make it to the outtakes: a picture of Toby and his hamster, Apple.

 

The New Century Multiverse Website:

https://www.newcenturymultiverse.com

The New Century Multiverse Podcast Feed:

https://newcenturyshow.podbean.com/

Fireside Alliance: https://firesidealliance.squarespace.com/

 

Intro is "The Legend of El Dorado" by Derek and Brandon Feitcher

Outro is "Together We Stand" by Scott Holmes of freemusicarchive.org

The parts of Tiger’s Eye that the story focuses on and we tend to remember and value are the feelings of freedom and the vibrancy of this other world, and the uplifting connections between people who were previously disconnected and have every reason to be at odds with one another. This moment [Hrao's rape] is the antithesis of that, framing it as the darkest point of opposition against all that is valued and celebrated within this narrative.

Part 1 of our discussion on Tiger's Eye, chapters 16-20 (or 16-21 in the audiodrama). And this one is a doozy, discussing one of the hardest hitting moments in the New Century ouvre.

This episode focuses mostly on the events in chapter 16 itself. We talk about some of the elements of the chapter that hearkened back to other pieces of media like the 1977 miniseries "Roots" (remade more recently in 2016). And we also discuss how the central theme of communication is finally brought to focus now, during this dark hour. About how Hrao rises above despair and uses the knowlege that she has gained in order to rally the aboriginal cats, to the goal of One Tribe. But this conversation is bracketed by a discussion of rape in media, as this is one of the distinguishing events of this chapter.

Trigger Warning: For those to whom any discussion of rape might be triggering in any way, the timestamps to avoid such conversation is 24:24 to 1:05:55. (This means a bulk of the episode is verboten, but everyone needs to make their own call.)

We hope we have done our best to address such a serious subject, and that you are also able to come with us on this journey. But if not, less fraught fare will be available next week.

 

Roots - The Golden Cannon: https://youtu.be/fZWiEi1XBv8

Levar Burton's speech about the Roots remake: https://youtu.be/43F7BFETmyg

Anansi Tells A Story: https://youtu.be/BgOH-3vcWro

Why is it we made a joke about different versions of Tiger's Eye having different faces: https://tinyurl.com/y88m8ngf

 

The New Century Multiverse Website:

https://www.newcenturymultiverse.com

The New Century Multiverse Podcast Feed:

https://newcenturyshow.podbean.com/

Fireside Alliance: https://firesidealliance.squarespace.com/

 

Intro is "The Legend of El Dorado" by Derek and Brandon Feitcher

Outro is "Secure Yourself" by Indigo Girls

"...at the end of the day, the effect of his decision is not as important as what it means to Miguel. And what it means for Hrao, that he came back for her. He may or may not have saved her life. But the significance is that he tried."

Our final episode covering chapters 11-15 of Tiger's Eye! This one is choc full of discussion on a number of different topics:

• A further analysis of all our three new lion characters, and positing comparisons between ego, superego, and id.• Miguel's decisions and imagination, and how his culture plays into understanding the world of Rama.• A digression into Miguel correctly gendering Hrao, and the role of gendered language.• Further analysis of Miguel and Hrao's developing relationship, muddied by imperfect communication.

All this and more, and we're only half way done with the book. The second half? Will only get denser.

 

The New Century Multiverse Website:

https://www.newcenturymultiverse.com

The New Century Multiverse Podcast Feed:

https://newcenturyshow.podbean.com/

Fireside Alliance: https://firesidealliance.squarespace.com/

 

Intro is "The Legend of El Dorado" by Derek and Brandon Feitcher

Outro is "December" by Sara Bareilles

And that's what negative space is when it comes to narration. It's your understanding that what you're being told isn't an omnicient third person narrator whose job is to insure you are given every detail. It's a character *telling* you this. And that character will have their own biases and thing that will inform what they choose to tell and not tell you. That is just as much a part of the characterization as the events of the plot that you see in it.

 

Digging deeper into our topic list for chapters 11-15, we get back into discussing Miguel's story. I end up learning some more about my cohost above and beyond our recorded conversations, and how they influence both his reading of the media he likes and the difficulties he has expressing his thoughts sometimes. We also talk about the metaphor of the lions of Albion and what it means for them to be the overarching threat to our aboriginal cats instead of humanity as was implied in previous chapters.

 

The New Century Multiverse Website:

https://www.newcenturymultiverse.com

The New Century Multiverse Podcast Feed:

https://newcenturyshow.podbean.com/

Fireside Alliance: https://firesidealliance.squarespace.com/

 

Intro is "The Legend of El Dorado" by Derek and Brandon Feitcher

Outro is "The Boy in the Bubble" by Paul Simon