Episodes

  • Don’t the Great Tales Never End? - LOTR: An Author's Journey, Bk 4 Ch 8

    Don’t the Great Tales Never End? - LOTR: An Author's Journey, Bk 4 Ch 8
    Jul 2 2026
    We are going on an adventure! Love The Lord of the Rings? Why not read along with us as we consider the books from the writer's point of view! Taking it chapter by chapter, novelist Julia Golding will reveal new details that you might not have noticed and techniques that will only go to increase your pleasure in future re-readings of our favourite novel. Julia also brings her expert knowledge of life in Oxford and English culture to explain some points that might have passed you by. 00:00 Introduction: Climbing the Stairs of Cirith Ungol 01:28 The Road as Character: An Unusual Opening 03:39 Beyond Caring: The Exhaustion of War 05:26 Minas Morgul: Imprisoned Moonlight and Corpse Light 09:53 Shadowy Meads: White Flowers and Perverted Beauty 15:40 The Army Departs: Beacons of Darkness 20:06 The Phial of Galadriel: Starlight Against Shadow 22:52 Frodo's Lament and the Shire's Echo 24:29 The Straight Stair and the Winding Stair 29:35 Don't the Great Tales Never End: Sam's Famous Speech 35:11 The Pieta Moment: Gollum's Fleeting Chance For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit: Website: https://centre4fantasy.com/website Instagram: https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram Facebook: https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook TikTok: https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok
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    39 mins
  • They Cannot Conquer for Ever! - LOTR: An Author's Journey, Bk 4 Ch 7

    They Cannot Conquer for Ever! - LOTR: An Author's Journey, Bk 4 Ch 7
    Jun 25 2026
    We are going on an adventure! Love The Lord of the Rings? Why not read along with us as we consider the books from the writer's point of view! Taking it chapter by chapter, novelist Julia Golding will reveal new details that you might not have noticed and techniques that will only go to increase your pleasure in future re-readings of our favourite novel. Julia also brings her expert knowledge of life in Oxford and English culture to explain some points that might have passed you by. 00:00 Introduction: The Journey to the Crossroads 01:53 Faramir's Farewell: Provisions and Prophetic Warnings 05:10 Blindfolds and Echoes: Parallels to Lorien 05:58 The Edge of Dreams: A Landscape on the Brink 08:07 Gollum's Grievance: The Storm About to Break 09:37 Flora and Darkness: Tolkien's Botanical Precision 11:55 Woodland Creatures: Hobbits Flitting Through Shadows 13:21 Frodo's Vision: Geopositioning and the Forlorn Towers 17:16 The Voice of Waters: Cold, Cruel, and Contrasting 19:42 The Thorny Hall: A Hollow Haven of Dead Branches and Spring Shoots 21:52 Sam's Dream and Shire Wisdom: Light Relief in Darkness 23:05 The Burden of Gollum: A Conversation Between Friends 26:09 The Crossroads: Ozymandias and the Fallen King 28:30 They Cannot Conquer Forever: A Crown of Flowers and Fading Light For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit: Website: https://centre4fantasy.com/website Instagram: https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram Facebook: https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook TikTok: https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok
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    31 mins
  • Rock Music in Narnia and 1980s Fantasy Highlights

    Rock Music in Narnia and 1980s Fantasy Highlights
    Jun 18 2026
    The rumour mill is turning! Early screenings of the upcoming Narnia film suggest that the soundtrack may be dipping into 70s and 80s rock. Nothing is certain yet—it could all be a red herring—but could it work, and if so, how? Join Jacob Rennaker and Julia Golding in today’s Mythmakers episode as they discuss the possibilities before turning their attention to the fantasy books of the 1980s, each sharing some of their favourite reads from one of the genre’s most influential decades. For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit: Website: https://centre4fantasy.com/website Instagram: https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram Facebook: https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook TikTok: https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok
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    48 mins
  • Then I Will Declare My Doom - LOTR: An Author's Journey, Bk 4 Ch 6

    Then I Will Declare My Doom - LOTR: An Author's Journey, Bk 4 Ch 6
    Jun 11 2026
    We are going on an adventure! Love The Lord of the Rings? Why not read along with us as we consider the books from the writer's point of view! Taking it chapter by chapter, novelist Julia Golding will reveal new details that you might not have noticed and techniques that will only go to increase your pleasure in future re-readings of our favourite novel. Julia also brings her expert knowledge of life in Oxford and English culture to explain some points that might have passed you by. 00:00 Introduction: The Forbidden Pool - A Pivotal Transition 01:12 The Two Towers as Tapestry: Light and Dark Contrasts 03:06 Alliterative Awakening: Faramir Rouses Frodo 04:40 Painting with Words: The Moon Over Gondor 09:26 The High Place Moment: Frodo's Vision Across Middle-earth 13:12 Boil and Bubble: Shakespearean Echoes and Gollum's Dive 14:19 The Battle of Wits Continues: Faramir's Staged Interrogation 16:57 A Brief Holiday from Darkness: Gollum at His Happiest 19:09 Frodo's Moral Dilemma: The Burden of Compassion 21:39 Locked Doors and Dark Rooms: Faramir's Judgment 28:11 The Path to Cirith Ungol: Warnings of Dark Terror 30:35 The Cleft Stick: No Good Choices Remain 32:21 Beyond Hope: Faramir's Farewell and Laughing at Old Grief 33:53 Closing Thoughts: Journey to the Crossroads Awaits For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit: Website: https://centre4fantasy.com/website Instagram: https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram Facebook: https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook TikTok: https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok
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    35 mins
  • Were you a friend of Boromir? - LOTR: An Author's Journey, Bk 4 Ch 5

    Were you a friend of Boromir? - LOTR: An Author's Journey, Bk 4 Ch 5
    Jun 4 2026
    We are going on an adventure! Love The Lord of the Rings? Why not read along with us as we consider the books from the writer's point of view! Taking it chapter by chapter, novelist Julia Golding will reveal new details that you might not have noticed and techniques that will only go to increase your pleasure in future re-readings of our favourite novel. Julia also brings her expert knowledge of life in Oxford and English culture to explain some points that might have passed you by. 00:00 Introduction: Window on the West - An Unusual Chapter 03:37 The Battle of Wits: Faramir's Interrogation Begins 07:09 Characterizing Through Point of View: Frodo Under Pressure 08:18 Were You a Friend of Boromir? The Pivotal Question 12:50 Boromir Was My Brother: A Game-Changing Revelation 14:11 The Poetic Vision: Boromir's Death as Anglo-Saxon Lament 18:04 Faramir's Wisdom: Works of Art and Their Imprint 22:27 The Detective at Work: Piecing Together Isildur's Bane 25:07 Gandalf the Grey: Names and the Archives of Minas Tirith 30:43 The Window on the West: A Vision of Beauty and Creativity 35:39 Grace Before Meals: A Rare Religious Moment 38:20 Springless Autumn: Gondor's Decline and Lost Hope 41:23 The Moment of Choice: Faramir Resists the Ring 42:31 Conclusion: The Highest Quality and Return to the Journey For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit: Website: https://centre4fantasy.com/website Instagram: https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram Facebook: https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook TikTok: https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok
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    44 mins
  • The Rainshadow Orphans: Naomi Ishiguro and Anime Inspired Fantasy

    The Rainshadow Orphans: Naomi Ishiguro and Anime Inspired Fantasy
    May 28 2026
    We were delighted to welcome Naomi Ishiguro to the podcast to discuss the first book in her new trilogy, The Rainshadow Orphans. Her world is inspired by Japanese culture, involving three brave young people, undocumented workers in a found family, the young son of the emperor, and the outsider who has become mixed up with a terrifying gang. Although written as an adult novel, Naomi explains how the students she once taught at high school were also very much in her mind while writing. The conversation ranges from how to create characters, plot and stylistic choices, via anime and snacks. We end with a flight on dragonback. To order your own copy of The Rainshadow Orphans, visit: For UK readers: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-rainshadow-orphans/naomi-ishiguro/9781398562400 For US readers: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-rainshadow-orphans-naomi-ishiguro/1148779915 (00:00) Introducing Naomi Ishiguro and The Rain Shadow Orphans (01:14) Childhood Stories, Disney Animation, and a Love of Fantasy (05:17) What Readers Can Expect from The Rain Shadow Orphans (07:47) Space, Belonging, and the Politics of the Island (11:16) Writing After the Pandemic and Finding a New Creative Direction (13:47) Building an Anime-Inspired Fantasy World (18:45) Eastern Dragons, Weather Magic, and Representation (21:40) The Main Characters and the Heart of Found Family (30:28) Discovering Plot, Structure, Drama, and Shakespearean Influence (45:00) Snacks, Comfort, Dragon Travel, and Final Reflections For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit: Website: https://centre4fantasy.com/website Instagram: https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram Facebook: https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook TikTok: https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok
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    52 mins
  • Something Hot Out of the Pot - LOTR: An Author's Journey, Bk 4 Ch 4

    Something Hot Out of the Pot - LOTR: An Author's Journey, Bk 4 Ch 4
    May 21 2026

    We are going on an adventure! Love The Lord of the Rings? Why not read along with us as we consider the books from the writer's point of view! Taking it chapter by chapter, novelist Julia Golding will reveal new details that you might not have noticed and techniques that will only go to increase your pleasure in future re-readings of our favourite novel. Julia also brings her expert knowledge of life in Oxford and English culture to explain some points that might have passed you by.

    (00:35) Introducing “Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit”
    (02:40) Turning Away from the Black Gate
    (06:50) Entering Ithilien and the Return of Hope
    (10:40) Ruins, Lost Landscapes, and Tolkien’s Sense of History
    (12:20) Ithilien as Tolkien’s Poetic Garden
    (17:20) Sam’s Hunger and the Comic Relief of Cooking
    (19:00) Sam’s Love for Frodo
    (20:10) Rabbits, Hobbit Culture, and Sam’s Travelling Kitchen
    (22:00) Gollum, Potatoes, and the Clash of Tastes
    (26:00) The Cooking Fire and the Arrival of Faramir’s Men
    (31:00) Faramir, Boromir, and the Hidden Rangers of Gondor
    (36:30) The Skirmish in Ithilien and Sam’s First Sight of an Oliphaunt
    (42:30) Wonder, Danger, and the Chapter’s Lasting Charm

    For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit:

    Website: https://centre4fantasy.com/website
    Instagram: https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram
    Facebook: https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook
    TikTok: https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok
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    42 mins
  • The Best Fantasy Books of the 1990s

    The Best Fantasy Books of the 1990s
    May 14 2026

    What an extraordinary decade for fantasy! In the first instalment of a decade by decade look at fantasy publishing, in this episode Julia Golding and Jacob Rennaker begin with a period that gave us countless instant classics. Each shares their top three picks—will you agree with their choices? Tune in to find out!

    (00:04) Revisiting the Fantasy Reads of the 1990s
    (02:31) Major Fantasy Titles of the Decade
    (05:28) Adding Game of Thrones and Good Omens to the List
    (07:51) Defining “Best” as Books Worth Returning To
    (09:19) Jacob’s Number Three: Star Wars and Heir to the Empire
    (12:03) Julia’s Number Three: J.D. Robb’s In Death Series
    (15:07) Jacob’s Number Two: Northern Lights / The Golden Compass
    (19:34) Julia’s Number Two: Garth Nix’s Sabriel
    (23:36) Why Harry Potter Tops Both Lists
    (28:54) Final Rankings and an Invitation to Listeners

    For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit:

    Website: https://centre4fantasy.com/website
    Instagram: https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram
    Facebook: https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook
    TikTok: https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok
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    31 mins