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 landscape
- RPG bit 22:55
- Ralph’s idea: The Dark Is Rising meets The Hunger Games meets Power Rangers/Chronicle
- Liz’s idea: The Dark Is Rising without the supernatural
- Dialect
- Alas Vegas and Yet Already
- Last words 34:30
Music Credits
“Is That You Or Are You You?” from Reappear by Chris Zabriskie
“But Enough About Me, Bill Paxton” from Direct To Video by Chris Zabriskie
chriszabriskie.com // bandcamp // free music archive
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 Who
- The RPG bit 25:05
- Night Witches, Malandros, Tales from the Loop
- A Taste for Murder
- Monsterhearts
- The Just City by Jo Walton
- Coming soon: The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper
Music Credits
“Is That You Or Are You You?” from Reappear by Chris Zabriskie
“But Enough About Me, Bill Paxton” from Direct To Video by Chris Zabriskie
chriszabriskie.com // bandcamp // free music archive
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 power of myth
- Emotional character development
- The Cauldron born
- Annuvin and other remote places
- Sense of scale
- Recurring characters and motifs
- RPG bit 45:05
- Recurring NPCs
- Short vs. Long term campaigns (and getting old)
- Cross genre and transposing characters
- The political landscape
- BECMI D&D, Pendragon, Ars Magica
- Descents, ascents, Unknown Armies
Music Credits
“Is That You Or Are You You?” from Reappear by Chris Zabriskie
“But Enough About Me, Bill Paxton” from Direct To Video by Chris Zabriskie
chriszabriskie.com // bandcamp // free music archive
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 You You?” from Reappear by Chris Zabriskie
“But Enough About Me, Bill Paxton” from Direct To Video by Chris Zabriskie
chriszabriskie.com // bandcamp // free music archive
It’s one year since we released our first episode! We talk about the coming season 3, plus our son’s favourite book…
Show Notes
Liz and Ralph with some pre-Season 3 ramblings, plus Don’t Wake The Bear, Hare! by Steve Smallman and Caroline Pedler
Season 3 ideas 02:10 // Synopsis 07:50 // Themes 09:45 // Liz’s game 14:50 // Dread 18:05 // Ralph’s game 18:55 // Before the Storm 21:55
Music credits
“Cylinder Nine” from Cylinders by Chris Zabriskie
chriszabriskie.com // bandcamp // free music archive
