Podcast appearances and mentions of ace books

Healing the Modern Soul is a series about how clinical psychology will haave to change and confront its past if it is to remain relevant in the future. Part 1    Part 2    Part 3     Part 4      Healing the Modern Soul Appendix    The Role of Psychotherapy as a Third Space and Meaning-Making System   Psychotherapy can be seen as a third space that exists outside of the dogmas of both science and religion, serving as a bridge between our medical and spiritual needs. In this space, therapists and clients engage in a process of meaning-making that allows the inner world and understanding of the self to better reflect the reality of the outer world.   This process of meaning-making occurs through both conscious thought, which is aware of time and language, and implicit memory, which is only aware of our somatic and deep emotional cues that can only partially be known by the conscious mind. In this way, psychotherapy itself can be considered a kind of simulacra, a symbol that does not point to an original source of meaning, but rather serves as a guide to help individuals navigate their own unique experiences and challenges.   #PsychotherapyFuture #MentalHealthRevolution #ThirdSpacePsychology #IntegrativePsychotherapy #ScienceAndSpirituality #MeaningMakingProcess #ImplicitMemoryHealing #ConsciousAndUnconscious #SelfDiscoveryJourney #PsychotherapyEvolution #HealingTrauma #HumanExperienceInsights #CompassionatePsychotherapy #HolisticMentalHealth #TransformativePsychology Suffering Without Screaming In the first part of this series, we explored the concept of the modern world as a simulacrum, a copy without an original, and how this phenomenon is related to the increasing emphasis on hyper-rationality and objectivity in our culture. We also discussed how the work of philosophers and psychologists, as observed by Friedrich Nietzsche, can reveal their own fears and insecurities through their insistence on perfect logic and objectivity. In the second part of the series we discussed the need for a coherent sense of self in new therapy models and a dialectical relationship between the self and the world. William Gibson,  Memory Palace When we were only several hundred-thousand years old, we built stone circles, water clocks. Later, someone forged an iron spring. Set clockwork running. Imagined grid-lines on a globe. Cathedrals are like machines to finding the soul; bells of clock towers stitch the sleeper's dreams together. You see; so we've always been on our way to this new place—that is no place, really—but it is real. It's our nature to represent: we're the animal that represents, the sole and only maker of maps. And if our weakness has been to confuse the bright and bloody colors of our calendars with the true weather of days, and the parchment's territory of our maps with the land spread out before us—never mind. We have always been on our way to this new place—that is no place, really—but it is real. The Simulacra Effect and the Disconnect from Felt Experience The simulacra effect, as described by Jean Baudrillard, is a result of our culture's increasing emphasis on hyper-rationality and objectivity. As we prioritize logical and rational thinking over subjective experiences and emotions, we create a world that feels hyper-real, yet simultaneously disconnected from our authentic selves. Nietzsche recognized this phenomenon in the work of philosophers and psychologists who claimed to have discovered objective truths through pure logic and reason. He argued that the more these thinkers insisted on their own rationality and objectivity, the more they revealed their own madness and disconnection from reality. In today's world, we find ourselves in a similar situation. On the surface, everything appears normal and rational, but there is an underlying sense of wrongness or disconnection that we struggle to articulate. This is because our culture has taught us to prioritize objective, rational thinking over our subjective, felt experiences. As individuals and as a society, we must reconnect with our felt experiences to recognize and address the insanity that surrounds us. This requires us to embrace our emotions, intuitions, and subjective perceptions, even when they seem to contradict the dominant narrative of rationality and objectivity. Psychotherapy, as a discipline, must play a crucial role in helping individuals engage with their felt experiences, even if it means navigating the complex and often paradoxical relationship between the rational and the subjective. By doing so, therapy can help individuals develop a more authentic sense of self and a deeper understanding of their place in the world. The Dangers of Denying the Self in Psychotherapy Models In the second part of this series, we explored how different models of psychotherapy reveal their own assumptions and biases about the nature of the self and the goals of therapy. By examining these models through the lens of Nietzsche's critique, we can identify potentially dangerous or dehumanizing approaches to treatment. One particularly concerning example is Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), a common approach to treating autism spectrum disorders. In the ABA model, the self is reduced to a collection of observable behaviors, with little or no consideration for the individual's inner world, emotions, or subjective experiences. This approach is deeply problematic, as it essentially denies the existence of a soul or psyche in individuals with autism or other neurodivergent conditions. By focusing solely on external behaviors and reinforcing "desirable" actions through rewards and punishments, ABA fails to recognize the inherent humanity and agency of the individuals it seeks to treat. In contrast, a truly effective and ethical model of psychotherapy must acknowledge and support the development of a coherent sense of self, while also recognizing the existence of other selves in the world. Therapy should be a dialectical process, helping individuals navigate the complex relationship between their inner world and the external reality they inhabit. This is particularly important for individuals who may not fit neatly into the objective, outcome-oriented modes of expression and socialization that dominate our culture. Rather than discounting or suppressing their unique perspectives and experiences, therapy should encourage and support the development of their authentic selves. The Case of the Autistic Child and Neuromodulation To illustrate the importance of a holistic and integrative approach to psychotherapy, let us consider the case of an autistic child who experiences sensory overwhelm and distress when exposed to cold temperatures. In a traditional ABA approach, the focus would be on modifying the child's behavior through rewards and punishments, with the goal of reducing the outward expression of distress. However, this approach fails to address the underlying neural and sensory processing issues that contribute to the child's experience of overwhelm. By contrast, a neuromodulation approach, such as that described in the case study involving QEEG brain mapping, seeks to identify and target the specific areas of neural dysfunction that are contributing to the child's distress. In this case, the QEEG brain map revealed a disconnect between the thalamus, which processes sensory information, and the long-term memory regions of the brain. By using neuromodulation techniques to bridge this gap and facilitate communication between these areas, the therapists were able to help the child process and integrate their sensory experiences more effectively, leading to a reduction in distress and an increased ability to tolerate cold temperatures. This case study highlights the importance of looking beyond surface-level behaviors and considering the complex interplay of neurological, sensory, and emotional factors that shape an individual's experience of the world. By addressing these underlying issues, rather than simply trying to suppress or modify outward expressions of distress, psychotherapy can help individuals to develop a greater sense of self-regulation, resilience, and overall well-being. The Role of Implicit Memory in Shaping Our Sense of Self To effectively address the complexities of the modern soul, psychotherapy must also grapple with the role of implicit memory in shaping our sense of self and our relationship to the world. Implicit memory, also known as the unconscious or subcortical brain processes, encompasses the vast array of experiences, emotions, and assumptions that operate beneath the level of conscious awareness. These implicit memories can have a profound impact on our behavior, relationships, and overall well-being, often in ways that we struggle to understand or articulate. They may manifest as trauma responses, maladaptive patterns of thinking and behavior, or a pervasive sense of disconnection from ourselves and others. Effective psychotherapy must find ways to access and work with these implicit memories, helping individuals to process and integrate their experiences in a way that promotes healing and growth. Different Types of Memory and Therapeutic Approaches One key insight in understanding the role of implicit memory in psychotherapy is recognizing that there are different types of memory, each requiring distinct therapeutic approaches to effectively treat the associated trauma or dysfunction. Relational memory: This type of memory encompasses our assumptions about communication, identity, and how we want to be perceived by others. Individuals with attachment disorders or relational trauma may have impaired functional memory, leading to maladaptive patterns in their interactions with others. Therapies that focus on building secure attachments, such as emotionally focused therapy (EFT) or interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT), can be particularly effective in addressing relational memory issues. Visual-spatial memory: This type of memory is associated with flashbacks and vivid re-experiencing of traumatic events. While relatively rare, visual-spatial memory trauma can be highly distressing and debilitating. Treatments like eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and prolonged exposure therapy (PE) have been shown to be effective in processing and integrating these traumatic memories. Kinesthetic memory: This type of memory is stored in the body and is related to how we budget energy and respond to stress. Somatic therapies, such as sensorimotor psychotherapy and somatic experiencing, can help individuals reconnect with their bodily sensations and develop greater self-regulation and resilience in the face of stress and trauma. Cognitive-emotional memory: This type of memory is associated with self-referential processes, such as problem-solving, obsessing, and rumination. Cognitive-behavioral therapies (CBT) and mindfulness-based approaches can be effective in addressing maladaptive thought patterns and promoting more flexible and adaptive ways of relating to one's internal experience. By understanding the different types of memory involved in trauma and psychological distress, therapists can develop more targeted and effective interventions that address the specific needs of each individual client. The Complexity of the Unconscious and the Limitations of Language While different psychotherapeutic approaches have their own conceptions of the unconscious, it is important to recognize that implicit memory cannot be perfectly mapped or described using language alone. The unconscious is a vast and complex realm that operates beneath the level of conscious awareness, and our attempts to understand and articulate its workings will always be limited by the constraints of language and cognition. In many ways, the relationship between the conscious mind and the unconscious can be likened to that between a democratic government and its constituents. Just as a democracy relies on elected representatives to make decisions on behalf of the larger population, our conscious mind relies on simplified models and representations of the unconscious to guide our thoughts and behaviors. Similarly, the unconscious can be compared to a graphics processing unit (GPU) in a computer, which is optimized for handling complex and repetitive tasks, such as rendering images or processing large datasets. In contrast, the conscious mind is more like a central processing unit (CPU), which is better suited for handling novel and sequential tasks that require flexibility and adaptability. While the CPU (conscious mind) may be the "decision-maker," it relies heavily on the GPU (unconscious) to provide the raw data and processing power needed to navigate the complexities of the world around us. Attempting to understand the unconscious solely through the lens of conscious, language-based reasoning would be like trying to understand the inner workings of a GPU using only the tools and concepts of CPU programming. The Influence of Silicon Valley and Corporate Interests on Mental Health This brings us to the problematic assumptions underlying certain models of psychotherapy, which are deeply embedded in the broader cultural and economic forces that shape our understanding of mental health and well-being. In particular, the influence of Silicon Valley and corporate interests on the field of psychology has led to a growing emphasis on treating individuals as programmable entities, much like computers or robots. This perspective is rooted in the belief that with enough data and processing power, human behavior can be predicted, controlled, and optimized. We see this belief reflected in the development of large language models (LLMs) and other AI technologies, which are often presented as capable of replicating or even surpassing human intelligence and creativity. However, this view fundamentally misunderstands the nature of human consciousness and agency, reducing the complexity of the human mind to a set of algorithms and data points. The notion that robots can be made into people through advances in AI and computing power is deeply misguided, as it fails to recognize the fundamental differences between human consciousness and machine learning. At the same time, the idea that people can be reduced to robots through behavioral conditioning and programming is equally dangerous, as it denies the inherent humanity and agency of individuals. These assumptions are not only flawed but also deeply dehumanizing, as they prioritize measurable outcomes and "optimal" functioning over the rich and complex inner lives of individuals. By treating people as objects to be fixed or optimized, rather than as meaning-making beings with unique subjective experiences, we risk perpetuating a culture of alienation, disconnection, and suffering. The Danger of Prioritizing Suffering Over Healing The case of the autistic child also raises important questions about the goals and priorities of psychotherapy in the modern world. In a culture that prioritizes hyper-rationality, objectivity, and measurable outcomes, there is a risk of reducing the complexity of human experience to a set of behaviors to be modified or eliminated. This approach can lead to a dangerous prioritization of suffering over healing, where the goal of therapy becomes to help individuals endure their distress without expressing it, rather than to address the underlying causes of their suffering and promote genuine growth and transformation. The idea that therapy should aim to help people "suffer without screaming" is a deeply troubling direction for the profession to take. It reflects a dehumanizing view of individuals as objects to be fixed or controlled, rather than as complex, meaning-making beings with inherent worth and dignity. Instead, psychotherapy should strive to create a safe and supportive space for individuals to explore their experiences, to develop a greater understanding of themselves and their place in the world, and to cultivate the skills and resources needed to navigate life's challenges with resilience, authenticity, and grace. This requires a willingness to sit with the full spectrum of human experience, including the painful, messy, and often paradoxical aspects of the self and the world. It also requires a recognition of the inherent value and wisdom of each individual's unique perspective and life journey, and a commitment to honoring and supporting their growth and development in a way that is grounded in their own values, needs, and aspirations. Screaming without Suffering The simulacra effect, as described by Baudrillard and anticipated by Nietzsche, is a direct consequence of our culture's increasing emphasis on hyper-rationality, objectivity, and the denial of subjective experience. As psychotherapists and as a society, we must resist the temptation to reduce the complexity of the human mind to a set of behaviors or data points, and instead embrace the inherent messiness and uncertainty of the human condition. By reconnecting with our felt experiences, acknowledging the existence of the self and other selves in the world, and challenging the dominant paradigms of mental health treatment, we can begin to navigate the complexities of the modern soul and find a sense of authenticity and meaning in an increasingly disconnected world. This requires a willingness to engage with the paradoxes and contradictions that arise when we attempt to bridge the gap between the rational and the subjective, the individual and the collective, the inner world and the external reality. It is a difficult and ongoing process, but one that is essential if we are to create a more humane and fulfilling vision of mental health and well-being in the 21st century. As we have explored throughout this series, the role of psychotherapy in navigating the modern soul is both complex and essential. By embracing a holistic and integrative approach that recognizes the full complexity of the human experience, therapists can help individuals to develop a more authentic and meaningful sense of self, one that is grounded in their own unique values, experiences, and relationships. This process of self-discovery and healing is not always comfortable or easy, but it is necessary if we are to resist the dehumanizing forces of hyper-rationality, objectivity, and corporate interest that threaten to reduce the richness and diversity of human experience to a set of measurable outcomes and data points. Ultimately, the goal of psychotherapy in the modern world should be to help individuals to connect with their own inner wisdom and resilience, to find meaning and purpose in their lives, and to contribute to the creation of a more compassionate and authentic society. By working together to navigate the complexities of the modern soul, we can begin to heal the wounds of disconnection and alienation, and to create a world that truly honors the full spectrum of human experience. In the end, it is our capacity for love, empathy, and genuine human connection that will guide us through the challenges of the modern world. While pain and suffering may be inevitable, it is our ability to love and be loved that gives our lives meaning and purpose. As we strive to navigate the complexities of the modern soul, let us remember that we have the power to choose love over fear, connection over isolation, and authenticity over simulacra. For in doing so, we not only heal ourselves but also contribute to the healing of the world around us.  "Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom" -Viktor E. Frankl   References and Further Reading: Baudrillard, J. (1981). Simulacra and simulation. University of Michigan Press. Bhabha, H. K. (1994). The location of culture. Routledge. Deleuze, G. (1968). Difference and repetition. Columbia University Press. Gibson, W. (1984). Neuromancer. Ace Books. Freud, S. (1923). The ego and the id. W.W. Norton & Company. Jung, C. G. (1933). Modern man in search of a soul. Routledge. Nietzsche, F. (1882). The gay science. Vintage. Porges, S. W. (2011). The polyvagal theory: Neurophysiological foundations of emotions, attachment, communication, and self-regulation. W.W. Norton & Company. Schore, A. N. (2019). The development of the unconscious mind. W.W. Norton & Company. Siegel, D. J. (2010). The mindful therapist: A clinician's guide to mindsight and neural integration. W.W. Norton & Company. van der Kolk, B. (2014). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. Viking. Yalom, I. D. (1980). Existential psychotherapy. Basic Books. Žižek, S. (1989). The sublime object of ideology. Verso. Baudrillard, J. (1994). The illusion of the end. Stanford University Press. Deleuze, G., & Guattari, F. (1980). A thousand plateaus: Capitalism and schizophrenia. University of Minnesota Press. Foucault, M. (1975). Discipline and punish: The birth of the prison. Vintage Books. Lacan, J. (1966). Écrits. W.W. Norton & Company. Lyotard, J.-F. (1979). The postmodern condition: A report on knowledge. University of Minnesota Press. Saussure, F. (1916). Course in general linguistics. Columbia University Press. Derrida, J. (1967). Of grammatology. Johns Hopkins University Press. Nietzsche, F. (1887). On the genealogy of morality. Hackett Publishing Company. Heidegger, M. (1927). Being and time. Harper Perennial Modern Classics. Sartre, J.-P. (1943). Being and nothingness. Washington Square Press. Camus, A. (1942). The stranger. Vintage International.26. Dostoevsky, F. (1866). Crime and punishment. Penguin Classics. Kafka, F. (1915). The metamorphosis. Classix Press. Borges, J. L. (1944). Ficciones. Grove Press. Calvino, I. (1972). Invisible cities. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. Eco, U. (1980). The name of the rose. Harcourt. Damasio, A. (1994). Descartes' error: Emotion, reason, and the human brain. Putnam. Panksepp, J. (1998). Affective neuroscience: The foundations of human and animal emotions. Oxford University Press. LeDoux, J. (1996). The emotional brain: The mysterious underpinnings of emotional life. Simon & Schuster. Solms, M., & Turnbull, O. (2002). The brain and the inner world: An introduction to the neuroscience of subjective experience. Other Press. Fonagy, P., Gergely, G., Jurist, E. L., & Target, M. (2002). Affect regulation, mentalization, and the development of the self. Other Press. Stern, D. N. (1985). The interpersonal world of the infant: A view from psychoanalysis and developmental psychology. Basic Books. Tronick, E. (2007). The neurobehavioral and social-emotional development of infants and children. W.W. Norton & Company. Beebe, B., & Lachmann, F. M. (2014). The origins of attachment: Infant research and adult treatment. Routledge. Schore, J. R., & Schore, A. N. (2008). Modern attachment theory: The central role of affect regulation in development and treatment. Clinical Social Work Journal, 36(1), 9-20. Ogden, P., Minton, K., & Pain, C. (2006). Trauma and the body: A sensorimotor approach to psychotherapy. W.W. Norton & Company.  

As “The Lord of the Rings” grew in popularity in the U.S., one book publisher took advantage of an odd copyright provision to issue an unauthorized version of the book, and this is the story of what followed. It's not too late to get a gorgeous Tolkien calendar: https://shop.mythenauswesternis.de/en Make sure to use discount code TOLKIENLOREPOD for 5% off! Other Links: Playeur (formerly Utreon): https://utreon.com/c/TolkienLorePodcast/ Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/c-355195 Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TolkienLore:f Twitter: https://twitter.com/jrrtlore Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tolkiengeek Xero Shoes (affiliate link): https://xeroshoes.com/go/TolkienGeek Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/EVKynAj2m9 (If link is expired contact me at tolkienloremaster@gmail.com and I'll send a fresh invite link). --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/joshua6469/support

Any novel set in Russia during the reign of Ivan the Terrible (1533–1584) is an instant draw for me; that is, after all, the setting for most of my own fiction. Throw in Baba Yaga, the wicked witch of Russian folklore, and give her a makeover, and I am hooked. Throw out the warts and the cackle, the flying mortar and pestle, the human skulls lighted from within, and even the appellation “Baba” (“granny,” but also “hag” or “crone”). These attributes, according to Gilmore, are part of a vicious plot to discredit her heroine, Yaga—the half-mortal, extremely long-lived daughter of the Earth goddess Mokosh. Born in the tenth century, before the introduction of Christianity cast the old Slavic deities into the shade, Yaga has become a noted healer who doesn't appear a day over thirty in 1560, when the story begins. Over the centuries, she has acquired a frenemy, Koshey (Koshchei) the Deathless, who for reasons that become clear during the novel has chosen to break his prior deal with Yaga and interfere once more in human affairs, pushing Tsar Ivan the Terrible along his path of suspicion and terror. The first victim is Tsaritsa Anastasia, a friend of Yaga's before Anastasia's selection as Ivan's first royal bride. It's that connection that draws Yaga into the fight. But the forces opposing her are immortal as well as mortal, complicating her efforts. It's all very well done, although the impact of Ivan's atrocities and of Koshey's insistence on violence as necessary to the survival of Russia is only heightened by Putin's ongoing aggression against Ukraine, which the author could not have anticipated when her book was accepted for publication. The history is mostly sound (allowing for the supernatural element) and the Russian correct, as one would expect of a native speaker. And there is the fun, for those in the know, of watching the author play with familiar (Little Hen, the hut on chicken feet) and new (Yaga's immortal helpers, the wolf Dyen and the owl Noch, named for Day and Night, respectively) tropes from this set of ancient myths. If you like fantastical takes on history or reexaminations of literary villainesses, this novel is for you. Olesya Salnikova Gilmore was born in Moscow, Russia, and raised in the United States. She writes historical fiction and fantasy inspired by Eastern European folklore. The Witch and the Tsar (Ace Books, 2022) is her debut novel. C. P. Lesley is the author of two historical fiction series set during the childhood of Ivan the Terrible and three other novels. Her latest book, Song of the Storyteller, appeared in January 2023. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/historical-fiction

Any novel set in Russia during the reign of Ivan the Terrible (1533–1584) is an instant draw for me; that is, after all, the setting for most of my own fiction. Throw in Baba Yaga, the wicked witch of Russian folklore, and give her a makeover, and I am hooked. Throw out the warts and the cackle, the flying mortar and pestle, the human skulls lighted from within, and even the appellation “Baba” (“granny,” but also “hag” or “crone”). These attributes, according to Gilmore, are part of a vicious plot to discredit her heroine, Yaga—the half-mortal, extremely long-lived daughter of the Earth goddess Mokosh. Born in the tenth century, before the introduction of Christianity cast the old Slavic deities into the shade, Yaga has become a noted healer who doesn't appear a day over thirty in 1560, when the story begins. Over the centuries, she has acquired a frenemy, Koshey (Koshchei) the Deathless, who for reasons that become clear during the novel has chosen to break his prior deal with Yaga and interfere once more in human affairs, pushing Tsar Ivan the Terrible along his path of suspicion and terror. The first victim is Tsaritsa Anastasia, a friend of Yaga's before Anastasia's selection as Ivan's first royal bride. It's that connection that draws Yaga into the fight. But the forces opposing her are immortal as well as mortal, complicating her efforts. It's all very well done, although the impact of Ivan's atrocities and of Koshey's insistence on violence as necessary to the survival of Russia is only heightened by Putin's ongoing aggression against Ukraine, which the author could not have anticipated when her book was accepted for publication. The history is mostly sound (allowing for the supernatural element) and the Russian correct, as one would expect of a native speaker. And there is the fun, for those in the know, of watching the author play with familiar (Little Hen, the hut on chicken feet) and new (Yaga's immortal helpers, the wolf Dyen and the owl Noch, named for Day and Night, respectively) tropes from this set of ancient myths. If you like fantastical takes on history or reexaminations of literary villainesses, this novel is for you. Olesya Salnikova Gilmore was born in Moscow, Russia, and raised in the United States. She writes historical fiction and fantasy inspired by Eastern European folklore. The Witch and the Tsar (Ace Books, 2022) is her debut novel. C. P. Lesley is the author of two historical fiction series set during the childhood of Ivan the Terrible and three other novels. Her latest book, Song of the Storyteller, appeared in January 2023. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/fantasy

Any novel set in Russia during the reign of Ivan the Terrible (1533–1584) is an instant draw for me; that is, after all, the setting for most of my own fiction. Throw in Baba Yaga, the wicked witch of Russian folklore, and give her a makeover, and I am hooked. Throw out the warts and the cackle, the flying mortar and pestle, the human skulls lighted from within, and even the appellation “Baba” (“granny,” but also “hag” or “crone”). These attributes, according to Gilmore, are part of a vicious plot to discredit her heroine, Yaga—the half-mortal, extremely long-lived daughter of the Earth goddess Mokosh. Born in the tenth century, before the introduction of Christianity cast the old Slavic deities into the shade, Yaga has become a noted healer who doesn't appear a day over thirty in 1560, when the story begins. Over the centuries, she has acquired a frenemy, Koshey (Koshchei) the Deathless, who for reasons that become clear during the novel has chosen to break his prior deal with Yaga and interfere once more in human affairs, pushing Tsar Ivan the Terrible along his path of suspicion and terror. The first victim is Tsaritsa Anastasia, a friend of Yaga's before Anastasia's selection as Ivan's first royal bride. It's that connection that draws Yaga into the fight. But the forces opposing her are immortal as well as mortal, complicating her efforts. It's all very well done, although the impact of Ivan's atrocities and of Koshey's insistence on violence as necessary to the survival of Russia is only heightened by Putin's ongoing aggression against Ukraine, which the author could not have anticipated when her book was accepted for publication. The history is mostly sound (allowing for the supernatural element) and the Russian correct, as one would expect of a native speaker. And there is the fun, for those in the know, of watching the author play with familiar (Little Hen, the hut on chicken feet) and new (Yaga's immortal helpers, the wolf Dyen and the owl Noch, named for Day and Night, respectively) tropes from this set of ancient myths. If you like fantastical takes on history or reexaminations of literary villainesses, this novel is for you. Olesya Salnikova Gilmore was born in Moscow, Russia, and raised in the United States. She writes historical fiction and fantasy inspired by Eastern European folklore. The Witch and the Tsar (Ace Books, 2022) is her debut novel. C. P. Lesley is the author of two historical fiction series set during the childhood of Ivan the Terrible and three other novels. Her latest book, Song of the Storyteller, appeared in January 2023. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literature

Any novel set in Russia during the reign of Ivan the Terrible (1533–1584) is an instant draw for me; that is, after all, the setting for most of my own fiction. Throw in Baba Yaga, the wicked witch of Russian folklore, and give her a makeover, and I am hooked. Throw out the warts and the cackle, the flying mortar and pestle, the human skulls lighted from within, and even the appellation “Baba” (“granny,” but also “hag” or “crone”). These attributes, according to Gilmore, are part of a vicious plot to discredit her heroine, Yaga—the half-mortal, extremely long-lived daughter of the Earth goddess Mokosh. Born in the tenth century, before the introduction of Christianity cast the old Slavic deities into the shade, Yaga has become a noted healer who doesn't appear a day over thirty in 1560, when the story begins. Over the centuries, she has acquired a frenemy, Koshey (Koshchei) the Deathless, who for reasons that become clear during the novel has chosen to break his prior deal with Yaga and interfere once more in human affairs, pushing Tsar Ivan the Terrible along his path of suspicion and terror. The first victim is Tsaritsa Anastasia, a friend of Yaga's before Anastasia's selection as Ivan's first royal bride. It's that connection that draws Yaga into the fight. But the forces opposing her are immortal as well as mortal, complicating her efforts. It's all very well done, although the impact of Ivan's atrocities and of Koshey's insistence on violence as necessary to the survival of Russia is only heightened by Putin's ongoing aggression against Ukraine, which the author could not have anticipated when her book was accepted for publication. The history is mostly sound (allowing for the supernatural element) and the Russian correct, as one would expect of a native speaker. And there is the fun, for those in the know, of watching the author play with familiar (Little Hen, the hut on chicken feet) and new (Yaga's immortal helpers, the wolf Dyen and the owl Noch, named for Day and Night, respectively) tropes from this set of ancient myths. If you like fantastical takes on history or reexaminations of literary villainesses, this novel is for you. Olesya Salnikova Gilmore was born in Moscow, Russia, and raised in the United States. She writes historical fiction and fantasy inspired by Eastern European folklore. The Witch and the Tsar (Ace Books, 2022) is her debut novel. C. P. Lesley is the author of two historical fiction series set during the childhood of Ivan the Terrible and three other novels. Her latest book, Song of the Storyteller, appeared in January 2023. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

The GET TO WORK HURLEY podcast is a monthly rant about the hustle of making a living as a writer of All of the Things. You can support this podcast each month as a Patron or make a one-time donation. EPISODE TWENTY FOUR: Mur Lafferty joins us to discuss her new book STATION ETERNITY (out Oct. 4th via ACE Books). … GET TO WORK HURLEY: Episode 24. With Guest Mur Lafferty! Read More » https://www.kameronhurley.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Sept-Pod-Audio.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window | Download The post GET TO WORK HURLEY: Episode 24. With Guest Mur Lafferty! appeared first on Kameron Hurley.

Agradece a este podcast tantas horas de entretenimiento y disfruta de episodios exclusivos como éste. ¡Apóyale en iVoox! Este es un caso apasionante. Como no quiero hacer hacer mucho spoiler, os daré algunas claves principales: # Tolkien escribe una obra maestra. # Wolheim, metido en el fandom de la CF de EEUU, abre una editorial con un compadre. # ESDLA se publica en EEUU en un momento "raruno" a nivel legal. # Wolheim encuentra un fallo en el sistema y se aprovecha... Mejor dadle al play. ¡Y muchísimas gracias por apoyar el Vuelo del Cometa! ¡Saludos! Escucha el episodio completo en la app de iVoox, o descubre todo el catálogo de iVoox Originals

Nous démarrons le printemps avec une nouvelle pépite estampillée US. Une comète dans la littérature interactive, aussi bien pour l'éditeur Ace Books, plus habitué à publier de la SF, que pour son auteur, qui ne publiera plus rien par la suite. Une aventure dans un monde dystopique et paranoïaque qui nous emmène dans une drôle d'enquête aux confins de la folie. Musique: Harvey Danger - Flagpole Sitta Cocteau Twins - Fifty-Fifty Clown Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PDVELH & Vous pouvez nous retrouver sur iTunes https://tinyurl.com/2xefx2j6 Sound Cloud https://tinyurl.com/4f3v7t94 Spotify https://tinyurl.com/2rmmmeed YouTube https://tinyurl.com/9cjazp45 Et notre Site Web http://tau-ceti.org/index.html

Wir schreiben das Jahr 1965. Der Herr der Ringe ist vor 10 Jahren erschienen, Tolkien lebt als Pensionär in Oxford und arbeitet an verschiedenen Projekten. Alles scheint friedlich, doch das trügt, denn in diesem Jahr ereignet sich ein folgenreicher Rechtsstreit. Ohne diesen hätte der Herr der Ringe vielleicht nie den Weltruhm erlangt, den er heute hat.

Bu bolümde dinleyecekleriniz tedavi tavsiyesi değildir… Hele hele yatırım tavsiyesi hiç değildir. Ama illaki bir tavsiye istiyorsanız, ve hala dinlemediyseniz, Ünal Aypaz’ın muazzam Cheri Cheri Lady cover’ını dinleyin… Gününüz 10 kat güzelleşsin. Hatta CHERI yazıp 4632’e SMS göndermeyi de deneyin. Belki bir şeyler olur. Cover Art: Star Guard by Andre Norton, Ace Books - 1956 | Ed Emshwiller

[Warning] This episode contains explicit language and explicit themes. Listener discretion is advised. It is always good to revisit what helped inspire. It's been roughly five years since Danny returned to the realm of literature and one author that helped revitalize a lost love was Kelly McCullough. He has been there since the inception of The Broken Shelf but his series "The Fallen Blade" has not been discussed as much as the others. This fact had to be changed because it is in fact this series that led Danny to "Webmage" and later to The Broken Shelf. That said, this revisit was a tough one for Danny because the last five years have, frankly, morphed him into a better and different person. So, how does he feel about this series now? For the first half of the episode Danny goes solo and discusses the positives and negatives of the first book of the series: how and why the mirror antagonists works; how McCullough's dark fantasy is so vibrant in the darkness; the imaginative magic and brutal choreography; but also the negatives of pacing and depression. Then in the second half he is joined by Spangar and they debate the book. No matter what though, it is an interesting journey for the hosts and they discuss the intricacies of making great fantasy. ~Follow all the Legionaries on Twitter~ Danny: twitter.com/legionsarchive The Tsar: twitter.com/TsarAlexander6 Allen: twitter.com/blkydpease Spangar: twitter.com/LSFspangar ~Credits~ Original Soundcloud image provided by McCullough's website at: https://kellymccullough.com/the-fallen-blade-story/broken-blade/ Original cover art owned by Kelly McCullough, John Jude Palnecar, Judith Lagerman, Ace Books, The Berkeley Publishing Group, Penguin Books, Original "The Broken Shelf" symbol created and published by Danny Archive. New "The Broken Shelf" symbol created by CMart Graphics - follow IG @cmartgraphics Music - "Led Foot" Artist - Ethan Meixsell Provided free from YouTube Audio Library Podcast edited by Danny Archive using Audacity. Download Audacity here: www.audacityteam.org/ This podcast is fair use under U.S. copyright law because it is (1) transformative in nature, the audio is a journalistic commentary on popular media (2) uses no more of the original work than necessary for the podcast's purpose, the claimed duration is an edited clip for rhetoric, and (3) does not compete with the original work and could have no negative affect on its market. DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the materials (music/artworks). All rights belong to the original artists. If you are the content owner and want to remove it, please contact me at legionssoulfood@gmail.com. Thank you! ~Follow Kelly McCullough~ Twitter: twitter.com/KellyDMcC Website: kellymccullough.com/ ~Do Us A Favor~ Hey! At the time of publishing episode eighty of The Broken Shelf, the podcast became available on TuneIn, Stitcher, Google Play, and iTunes. That said, if you downloaded the podcast via anything else other than Sound Cloud, maybe check out our Sound Cloud, give us a follow, and listen to a few more of our other tracks. Sound Cloud was there from the beginning for us and no matter what the others provide it was and is our host. Thanks! Sound Cloud: @user-377177156

The Land that Time Forgot - Edgar Rice Burroughs - Book 23 Title: The Land that Time Forgot Overview: The Land That Time Forgot is a fantasy novel by American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs, the first of his Caspak trilogy. His working title for the story was "The Lost U-Boat." The sequence was first published in Blue Book Magazine as a three-part serial in the issues for August (vol. 27 #4), October (vol. 27 #6), and December (vol. 28 #2) 1918. The complete trilogy was later combined for publication in book form under the title of the first part by A. C. McClurg in June 1924. Beginning with the Ace Books editions of the 1960s, the three segments have usually been issued as separate short novels. Published: 1924 Series: Caspak Series, Caspak #1 Author: Edgar Rice Burroughs Genre: Action & Adventure Fiction, Science Fiction, Lost World Novel Episode: The Land that Time Forgot - Edgar Rice Burroughs - Book 23 Part: 1 of 1 Length Part: 3:49:29 Book: 23 Length Book: 3:49:29 Episodes: 1 - 10 of 10 Successor: The People That Time Forgot Narrator: Ralph Snelson Language: English Rated: Guidance Suggested Edition: Unabridged Audiobook Keywords: adventure, hero, struggle, camaraderie, danger, morality, selflessness, moral integrity, character, love, forgiveness, authority, rules, freedom, romance, exploration Credits: All LibriVox Recordings are in the Public Domain. Wikipedia (c) Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. WOMBO Dream. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/free-audiobooks/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/free-audiobooks/support

The Oakdale Affair - Edgar Rice Burroughs - Book 22 Title: The Oakdale Affair Overview: The Oakdale Affair is a short contemporary mystery novel by American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs. It was written in 1917 under the working title of "Bridge and the Oskaloosa Kid", and is a partial sequel to The Mucker (1914 and 1916). It was adapted into a silent film in 1919 starring Evelyn Greeley. Bridge, the protagonist, was a secondary character in the earlier work. It was first published in Blue Book Magazine in March 1918. Its first book publication paired it with an unrelated tale, "The Rider", in The Oakdale Affair and The Rider, issued by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. in February 1937 and subsequently reprinted by Grosset & Dunlap in 1937, 1938, and 1940. The story's first independent book publication was in a paperback edition from Ace Books in July 1974. Subsequent hardcover editions were issued by Buccaneer (1977) and Ameron; a subsequent paperback edition was issued by Charter (1979). Most editions omit the original ending, consisting of the last 174 lines of the magazine version, though the Buccaneer and Charter editions restore it. Published: 1921 Series: Contemporary Novels Series, Mucker #3 Author: Edgar Rice Burroughs Genre: Action & Adventure Fiction, Crime & Mystery Fiction, Novel Episode: The Oakdale Affair - Edgar Rice Burroughs - Book 22 Part: 1 of 1 Length Part: 4:04:27 Book: 22 Length Book: 4:04:27 Episodes: 1 - 15 of 15 Narrator: Ralph Snelson Language: English Rated: Guidance Suggested Edition: Unabridged Audiobook Keywords: adventure, hero, struggle, camaraderie, danger, morality, selflessness, moral integrity, character, love, forgiveness, authority, rules, freedom, romance, exploration Credits: All LibriVox Recordings are in the Public Domain. Wikipedia (c) Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. WOMBO Dream. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/free-audiobooks/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/free-audiobooks/support

The Lost Continent - Edgar Rice Burroughs - Book 18 Title: The Lost Continent Overview: Beyond Thirty is a short science fiction novel by American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs. It was written in 1915 and first published in All Around Magazine in February 1916, but did not appear in book form in Burroughs' lifetime. The first book edition was issued by Lloyd Arthur Eshbach's Fantasy Press fanzine in 1955; it then appeared in the collection Beyond Thirty and The Man-Eater, published by Science-Fiction & Fantasy Publications in 1957. The work was retitled The Lost Continent for the first mass-market paperback edition, published by Ace Books in October 1963; all subsequent editions bore the new title until the Bison Books edition of March 2001, which restored the original title. Published: 1955 Series: Other Speculative Fiction Series, Other Works Series, Beyond #1 Author: Edgar Rice Burroughs Genre: Science Fiction Episode: The Lost Continent - Edgar Rice Burroughs - Book 18 Part: 1 of 1 Length Part: 4:29:16 Book: 18 Length Book: 4:29:16 Episodes: 1 - 9 of 9 Narrator: Lucy Lo Faro Language: English Rated: Guidance Suggested Edition: Unabridged Audiobook Keywords: adventure, hero, struggle, camaraderie, danger, morality, selflessness, moral integrity, character, love, forgiveness, authority, rules, freedom, romance, exploration Credits: All LibriVox Recordings are in the Public Domain. Wikipedia (c) Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. WOMBO Dream. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/free-audiobooks/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/free-audiobooks/support

Out of Time's Abyss - Edgar Rice Burroughs - Book 25 Title: Out of Time's Abyss Overview: Out of Time's Abyss is a science fantasy novel by American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs, the third of his Caspak trilogy. The sequence was first published in Blue Book Magazine as a three-part serial in the issues for August (vol. 27 #4), October (vol. 27 #6), and December (vol. 28 #2) 1918, with Out of Time's Abyss forming the third installment. The complete trilogy was later combined for publication in book form under the title of The Land That Time Forgot (the title of the first part) by A. C. McClurg in June 1924. Beginning with the Ace Books editions of the 1960s, the three segments have usually been issued as separate short novels. Published: 1963 Series: Caspak Series, Caspak #3 Author: Edgar Rice Burroughs Genre: Action & Adventure Fiction, Science Fiction, Science Fantasy Episode: Out of Time's Abyss - Edgar Rice Burroughs - Book 25 Part: 1 of 1 Length Part: 3:42:51 Book: 25 Length Book: 3:42:51 Episodes: 1 - 5 of 5 Predecessor: The People That Time Forgot Narrator: Ralph Snelson Language: English Rated: Guidance Suggested Edition: Unabridged Audiobook Keywords: adventure, hero, struggle, camaraderie, danger, morality, selflessness, moral integrity, character, love, forgiveness, authority, rules, freedom, romance, exploration Credits: All LibriVox Recordings are in the Public Domain. Wikipedia (c) Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. WOMBO Dream. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/free-audiobooks/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/free-audiobooks/support

The People that Time Forgot - Edgar Rice Burroughs - Book 24 Title: The People that Time Forgot Overview: The People That Time Forgot is a fantasy novel by American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs, the second of his Caspak trilogy. The sequence was first published in Blue Book Magazine as a three-part serial in the issues for August (vol. 27 #4), October (vol. 27 #6), and December (vol. 28 #2) 1918, with The People That Time Forgot forming the second installment. The complete trilogy was later combined for publication in book form under the title of The Land That Time Forgot (properly speaking the title of the first part) by A. C. McClurg in June 1924. Beginning with the Ace Books editions of the 1960s, the three segments have usually been issued as separate short novels. Published: 1963 Series: Caspak Series, Caspak #2 Author: Edgar Rice Burroughs Genre: Action & Adventure Fiction, Science Fiction, Lost World Novel Episode: The People that Time Forgot - Edgar Rice Burroughs - Book 24 Part: 1 of 1 Length Part: 3:49:04 Book: 24 Length Book: 3:49:04 Episodes: 1 - 7 of 7 Predecessor: The Land That Time Forgot Successor: Out of Time's Abyss Narrator: Ralph Snelson Language: English Rated: Guidance Suggested Edition: Unabridged Audiobook Keywords: adventure, hero, struggle, camaraderie, danger, morality, selflessness, moral integrity, character, love, forgiveness, authority, rules, freedom, romance, exploration Credits: All LibriVox Recordings are in the Public Domain. Wikipedia (c) Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. WOMBO Dream. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/free-audiobooks/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/free-audiobooks/support

The Monster Men - Edgar Rice Burroughs - Book 8 Title: The Monster Men Overview: The Monster Men is a 1913 science fiction novel by American author Edgar Rice Burroughs, written under the working title "Number Thirteen". It first appeared in print under the title of "A Man Without a Soul" in the November 1913 issue of All-Story Magazine and was first published in book form in hardcover by A. C. McClurg in March 1929 under the present title. It has been reissued a number of times since by various publishers. The first paperback edition was issued by Ace Books in February 1963. The book features prominently the theme of a scientist trying to create an artificial human being, familiar with the classic Frankenstein. Published: 1929 Series: Other Speculative Fiction Series, Science Fiction #1 Author: Edgar Rice Burroughs Genre: Science Fiction Episode: The Monster Men - Edgar Rice Burroughs - Book 8 Part: 1 of 1 Length Part: 6:01:26 Book: 8 Length Book: 6:01:26 Episodes: 1 - 17 of 17 Narrator: Mark Nelson Language: English Rated: Guidance Suggested Edition: Unabridged Audiobook Keywords: adventure, hero, struggle, camaraderie, danger, morality, selflessness, moral integrity, character, love, forgiveness, authority, rules, freedom, romance, exploration Credits: All LibriVox Recordings are in the Public Domain. Wikipedia (c) Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. WOMBO Dream. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/free-audiobooks/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/free-audiobooks/support

It's October, so you know what that means? It's time to get SPOOKY! We're kicking off Spooky month with one of Henna's favorite's: Project Blue Book. Do you believe in UFOs? Music from filmmusic.io "Tyrant" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) License: CC BY (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Anna's Sources: Dunbar, Brian. “Hypersonic X-43A Takes Flight.” NASA, NASA, www.nasa.gov/missions/research/x43-main.html. History.com Editors. “Red Scare.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 1 June 2010, www.history.com/topics/cold-war/red-scare. “Kenneth Arnold UFO Sighting.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 29 Sept. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_Arnold_UFO_sighting. “Kenneth Arnold.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Sept. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_Arnold. “Lead in Paint.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 30 July 2019, www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/prevention/sources/paint.htm. “Northrop YB-35.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 4 July 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_YB-35. “Orographic Lift.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 25 Aug. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orographic_lift. Paur, Jason. “Oct. 14, 1947: Yeager Machs the Sound Barrier.” Wired, Conde Nast, 10 Sept. 2018, www.wired.com/2009/10/1014yeager-breaks-mach-1/. “Prospector.” Prospector Noun - Definition, Pictures, Pronunciation and Usage Notes | Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com, www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/english/prospector. “Red Scare.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 23 Sept. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Scare. “Speed of Sound.” ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, www.sciencedaily.com/terms/speed_of_sound.htm. “Vought XF5U.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 27 Aug. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vought_XF5U. Waldek, Stefanie. “History's Most Infamous UFO Sightings.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 6 July 2017, www.history.com/news/historys-most-infamous-ufo-sightings. Henna's Sources: Apple, Charles. “UFOs over Washington: The First Report of 'Flying Saucers'.” Spokesman.com, The Spokesman-Review, 23 June 2020, www.spokesman.com/stories/2020/jun/23/ufos-over-washington-first-report-flying-saucers/. “Close Encounter.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 5 Aug. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Close_encounter. “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 2 Oct. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Close_Encounters_of_the_Third_Kind. Hall, Richard H. The UFO Evidence. Vol. 1, The National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP), 1964. https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP81R00560R000100010001-0.pdf Jackson, Matthew. “Little-Known Sci-Fi Fact: How a Misquote Created the UFO Term 'Flying Saucer'.” SYFY WIRE, SYFY WIRE, 24 June 2015, www.syfy.com/syfywire/little-known-sci-fi-fact-how-misquote-created-ufo-term-flying-saucer. “Lubbock Lights.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 10 Sept. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lubbock_Lights. “National Investigations Committee On Aerial Phenomena.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 9 Sept. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Investigations_Committee_On_Aerial_Phenomena. Ott, Tim. “J. Allen Hynek.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 22 Jan. 2020, www.biography.com/scientist/j-allen-hynek. “Project BLUE BOOK - Unidentified Flying Objects.” National Archives and Records Administration, National Archives and Records Administration, www.archives.gov/research/military/air-force/ufos. “Project Blue Book.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 21 Sept. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Blue_Book. Ruppelt, Edward J. The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects. Ace Books, 1956.

In this episode by debut author Alina Boyden. Her new historically-inspired Fantasy novel is STEALING THUNDER, available May 12th from ACE Books.    It follows Razia, a sought-after dancer and courtesan with a wealthy and powerful clientele. She is also a thief, stealing from clients in cooperation with her found family of hijras.   But though her late night thievery poses constant danger, her greatest fear is the reveal of her past identity. Because Razia was once the crown prince of a nearby kingdom. She escaped her hateful father to live life as a women, as her true self, on her own terms.   When a new client, an influential prince himself, takes a great interest in her, Razia is thrust again into royal politics and conflict. Revelation of her royal origin could bring violence and death by her father’s orders, but her precarious situation may also give her the chance to steal back the single thing she loved and lost from her past life. 

[Warning] This episode contains explicit language and explicit themes. Listener discretion is advised. It's difficult to fathom that a few nerds with a complete disregard for literature in their youth would grow up to find the love in books and invest time into developing and programming a weekly podcast. There are many things that drive a person forward, and for the lead host, Danny, he truly needed something in his life to fill the gaps and push him to be a better person. That goal was The Broken Shelf. But how did The Broken Shelf come to be? What event ignited the fire inside of him to read again? That thing is the very book he and Spangar will be reviewing. Butcher is a masterful author, and his ingenuity and dialogue forged a path for the literary cousins to expand their horizons and purchase loads of books - something they never imaged themselves ever doing. This is the story of The Broken Shelf, a short, maybe not all that important journey, but one that Danny and Spangar want to continue fighting for by giving one of their favorite books even a smidgen of the respect it deserves. To anyone who has every listened to The Broken Shelf - we thank you! Tune in every Tuesday for a new episode of The Broken Shelf. ~Follow all the Legionaries on Twitter~ Danny: twitter.com/legionsarchive The Tsar: twitter.com/TsarAlexander6 Allen: twitter.com/blkydpease Spangar: twitter.com/LSFspangar ~Credits~ Original Sound Cloud image provided by Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Furies-Calderon-Codex-Alera-Book/dp/044101268X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1574803670&sr=1-1 Original Cover Art owned by Jim Butcher, Steven Stone, Rita Frangie, Ace Books, The Berkeley Publishing Company, and Penguin Books. The Broken Shelf symbol created and published by Danny Archive. Outro Song - "Love Now" Artist - Eveningland Provided free from YouTube Audio Library Podcast edited by Danny Archive using Audacity. Download Audacity here: https://www.audacityteam.org/ This podcast is fair use under U.S. copyright law because it is (1) transformative in nature, the audio is a journalistic commentary on popular media (2) uses no more of the original work than necessary for the podcast's purpose, the claimed duration is an edited clip for rhetoric, and (3) does not compete with the original work and could have no negative affect on its market. DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the materials (music/artworks). All rights belong to the original artists. If you are the content owner and want to remove it, please contact me at legionssoulfood@gmail.com. Thank you! ~Follow Jim Butcher~ Facebook: www.facebook.com/Author.Jim.Butcher/ Twitter: twitter.com/longshotauthor Website: www.jim-butcher.com/ ~Do Us A Favor~ Hey! At the time of publishing episode eighty of The Broken Shelf, the podcast became available on TuneIn, Stitcher, Google Play, and iTunes. That said, if you downloaded the podcast via anything else other than Sound Cloud, maybe check out our Sound Cloud, give us a follow, and listen to a few more of our other tracks. Sound Cloud was there from the beginning for us and no matter what the others provide it was and is our host. Thanks! Sound Cloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-377177156

Priest of Bones is a new release by Peter McLean published by Ace Books. It is the first book in the War for the Roses series and clocks in at 352 pages long. Cameron and Christ have a fun talk about the book and about our reviewing philosophy during the podcast.

Special guest Joey Royale of Drinking & Dragons joins us to discuss Fritz Leiber’s Swords in the Mist! (Please also see the Episode 3 and Episode 18 show notes for additional information about the saga of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser) Swords in the Mist (Ace Books, 1968) by Fritz Leiber was originally published in paperback as the third book in Ace Books’ complete seven volume saga of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. The stories is this volume are “The Cloud of Hate” (1963), “Lean Times in Lankhmar” (1959), “Their Mistress, the Sea” (1968), “When the Sea-King’s Away” (1960), “The Wrong Branch” (1968), and “Adept’s Gambit” (1947). “Adept’s Gambit” was the very first Fafhrd and Gray Mouser story written in 1936, only to be rejected for publication in Weird Tales magazine. It did not appear in print until after World War II in the hardcover collection Night’s Black Agents (Arkham House, 1947). H.P. Lovecraft himself read “Adept’s Gambit” in manuscript after Leiber’s wife Jonquil opened a correspondence between the Leibers and Lovecraft that lasted until Lovecraft’s death in early 1937. Lovecraft became a great champion of “Adept’s Gambit”, calling it “remarkably fine & distinctive bit of cosmic fantasy”. The draft that Lovecraft read and critiqued is now lost, but we do know that Leiber removed the overt Cthulhu Mythos references in the story and eventually created the world of Nehwon rather than continuing to set Fafhrd and the Mouser’s adventures in the Mediterranean and Near East of Antiquity. The other particularly notable story in Swords in the Mist is “Lean Times in Lankhmar”, which was originally commissioned by Cele Goldsmith for the all-Leiber November 1959 issue of Fantastic magazine. Leiber’s career had hit the doldrums in mid-1950s partly due to alcohol problems, so Goldsmith’s commissioning of “Lean Times in Lankhmar” was significant step in bringing back Fafhrd and the Mouser. New tales of Nehwon would appear regularly after that up until the late 1980s, enshrining the Twain as Leiber’s most beloved creations. Jeffrey Catherine Jones provided the cover art for Swords in the Mist, opting to create an overall mood of mystery and epic adventure rather than a literal depiction of a scene from any of the stories. Once again though, the trade dress of later printings constrained and compromised the overall effect: TSR continued to hold the role-playing game license for Lankhmar during the 1990s, publishing the following adventures for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, 2nd Edition: LNA1: Thieves of Lankhmar (1990), LNA2: Newhon (1990), LNA3: Prince of Lankhmar (1991), LNQ1: Slayers of Lankhmar (1992), LNR1: Wonders of Lankhmar (1990), and LNR2: Tales of Lankhmar (1991). Additionally, Lankhmar: City of Adventure was updated for AD&D 2E in 1993 and it was followed by the sourcebook Rogues in Lankhmar in 1995. TSR’s last Lankhmar product was the boxed set Fritz Leiber’s Lankhmar: The New Adventures of Fafhrd and Gray Mouser (1996), which was both a campaign setting and a stand-alone game featuring a stripped-down version of the AD&D 2E ruleset. TSR self-destructed shortly thereafter in 1997 so that was the end of Lankhmar in Dungeons & Dragons. That wasn’t the end of Fafhrd and the Mouser’s adventures in roleplaying though, but once again that’s a story for another day…. Reading Resources: Swords in the Mist (Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser Book 3) (trade paperback/Kindle ebook) Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser publication order reading list - Michael Curtis and the Goodman Games crew have compiled an original publication order reading list for the DCC Lankhmar Kickstarter, helpfully highlighting stories they consider “essential reading”. Additional Reading: Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser: Cloud of Hate and Other Stories collects the 1973 DC Comics series Sword of Sorcery, featuring adaptations and original tales of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser by comics legends Denny O'Neil, Howard Chaykin, Walt Simonson, and Jim Starlin.

Conan the Freebooter (Lancer Books, 1968) by Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp, was part of the first comprehensive paperback edition of the Conan saga. Conan the Freebooter  was the eighth volume published, although it is third in the internal chronology--later printings of the series numbered the books in chronological order. When Lancer went out of business in 1973, Ace Books picked up and completed the series, keeping it in print until the mid 1990s. As with the other Lancer/Ace Conan books, series editor de Camp filled in gaps in Conan’s timeline by expanding Howard’s unpublished notes and fragments, re-writing non-Conan stories, and writing entirely new stories. For the purist, the Howard-only stories in Conan the Freebooter are “Black Colossus” (1933), “Shadows in the Moonlight” (AKA “Iron Shadows in the Moon”, 1934), and “A Witch Shall be Born” (1934). In 1955, L. Sprague de Camp rewrote the then unpublished Howard story “Hawks over Egypt” as “Hawks over Shem”, changing the setting from Cairo in AD 1021 and adding the fantastic elements to turn it into a Conan tale. “The Road of the Kings” received the same treatment, being transferred to the Hyborian Age from the Ottoman Empire in AD 1595. Both of the original Howard stories were suppressed after de Camp’s rewrites and would not see print until they were collected in the small-press hardcover The Road of Azrael (Donald M. Grant, 1979). John Duilo contributed possibly the worst Conan cover ever, an anatomically nonsensical depiction of Conan’s battle with the great gray man-ape from “Shadows in the Moonlight”: The sad thing is that Duilo was normally an exceptional illustrator, as evidenced by the moody romanticism of his Western art and the sleazy verve of his men’s magazine covers. The later Boris Vallejo cover interpreting the climax of “A Witch Shall be Born” is much better, but static in comparison to the furious energy of Frank Frazetta: In both “Black Colossus” and “A Witch Shall be Born” we see Conan as a cunning strategist who leads thousand of men into battle. It’s easy to imagine Gary Gygax and company playing out these Hyborian Age conflicts in the pre-Dungeons & Dragons miniatures wargame Chainmail (1971) or in the later Swords & Spells (1976) ruleset. Other story elements from Conan the Freebooter that stand out as being proto-D&D include Shevatas the “thief among thieves” from the prologue to “Black Colossus” and gray man-ape of “Shadows in the Moonlight” is certainly the “APE, Carnivorous” of the AD&D Monster Manual (1977). As always, Robert E. Howard’s stories remain the motherlode of swords & sorcery inspiration…. Reading Resources: The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian (Conan of Cimmeria Book 1) The Bloody Crown of Conan (Conan of Cimmeria Book 2) TPB (trade paperback) The Bloody Crown of Conan (Conan of Cimmeria Book 2) (Kindle ebook) These books are part of the Del Rey/Ballantine 3-book trade paperback series collecting the Conan stories in the order they were written by Robert E. Howard, often going back to his original typescripts. Also included are many of Howard’s Conan story drafts, note, and fragments, but none of the posthumous revisions and new stories by de Camp, Carter, et al. “Black Colossus” and “Iron Shadows in the Moon” both appear in the first volume and “A Witch Shall be Born” appears in the second volume. http://freeread.com.au/@RGLibrary/RobertEHoward/REH-Conan/@Conan.html is an online public domain repository of all of the Conan stories that were published during Robert E. Howard’s lifetime and several posthumously published works that are out of copyright. Additional Reading: Sword Woman and Other Historical Adventures collects Robert E. Howard’s original versions of “Hawks over Egypt” and “The Road of the Eagles”, untouched by L. Sprague de Camp. Gaming Resources: Sharp Swords & Sinister Spells (PWYW RPGNow affiliate link) Sharp Swords & Sinister Spells Addendum (PWYW RPGNow affiliate link)

Every now and then, writing gets “sidetracked by life.” Just ask John Stith. After a productive stretch of writing mystery-tinged science fiction novels in the 1980’s and 1980’s, life got in the way. So writing took an understandable hiatus. But now, John Stith is back and looking forward to the publication, later this year, of his first full-fledged mystery, a novel called Pushback. John E. Stith is the author of eight novels, including Redshift Rendezvous, a Nebula Award nominee, and Manhattan Transfer, a Hugo Award Honorable Mention. Several of his works with Ace Books and Tor Books have been bought by the Science Fiction Book Club, optioned for film, and translated into numerous languages. He has optioned several feature-film screenplays, and has sold to television (Star Trek). As you’ll here on the interview, the hiatus wasn’t completely wasted. John kept thinking about writing and he read novels more critically – all with the purpose of getting better at his craft so he was ready once it was time to write again. John Stith's website Intro music by Moby Outro music by Dan-o-Songs

Casey and Cameron discuss Blackwing by Ed McDonald. Blackwing is the debut novel by Ed McDonald. It was published in 2017 by Ace Books and is 360 paperback pages long.

Swords Against Death (Ace Books, 1970) by Fritz Leiber was originally published in paperback as part of Ace Books’ complete seven volume saga of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. Although Swords Against Death is second in the series chronology, it was actually the fifth book published. The stories is this volume are “The Circle Curse” (1970), “The Jewels in the Forest” (1939), “Thieves’ House” (1943), “The Bleak Shore” (1940), “The Howling Tower” (1941), “The Sunken Land” (1942), “The Seven Black Priests” (1953), “Claws from the Night” (1951), “The Price of Pain-Ease” (1970), and “Bazaar of the Bizarre” (1963). “The Jewels in the Forest” was the very first Fafhrd and Gray Mouser story to appear in print, under its original title “Two Sought Adventure” in Unknown magazine in 1939. The subsequent four stories also appeared in Unknown, which was cancelled in 1943 due to wartime paper shortages. A further handful of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser stories including “Claws from the Night” and “The Seven Black Priests” trickled out over the next two decades. In 1957 all of the Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser stories to date except “Adept’s Gambit” (1936/1947) were collected in the Gnome Press hardcover Two Sought Adventure. This collection was later expanded to provide the spine of Swords Against Death.

Conan of Cimmeria (Lancer Books, 1969) by Robert E. Howard, L. Sprague de Camp, and Lin Carter was part of first comprehensive paperback edition of the Conan saga. Conan of Cimmeria was the seventh volume published, although it is second in the internal chronology--later printings of the series numbered the books in chronological order. When Lancer when out of business in 1973, Ace Books picked up and completed the series, keeping it in print until the mid 1990s. As with Conan, series editors de Camp and Carter filled in gaps in Conan’s timeline by expanding Howard’s unpublished notes and fragments, re-writing non-Conan stories, and writing entirely new stories. For the purist, the Howard-only stories in Conan of Cimmeria are “The Frost Giant’s Daughter” (written in 1934, first published 1953, definitive version published 1976), “Queen of the Black Coast” (1934), and “The Vale of Lost Women” (first published in The Magazine of Horror, 1967). The de Camp and Carter originals in Conan of Cimmeria are “The Curse of the Monolith” (first published in the magazine Worlds of Fantasy in 1968 as “Conan and the Cenotaph”), “The Lair of the Ice Worm”, and “The Castle of Terror”. “The Blood-Stained God” is a de Camp rewrite of a then unpublished Howard story “The Curse of the Crimson God”, with de Camp changing the setting from early 20th century Afghanistan and adding the fantastic elements to turn it into a Conan tale. “The Blood-Stained God” first saw print in the hardcover collection Tales of Conan (Gnome Press, 1955). The final story in this volume “The Snout in the Dark” was completed by de Camp and Carter from synopsis and story fragment found in Howard’s notes. For the curious, the untitled synopsis and fragment can be found in the appendices of The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian (Del Rey/Ballantine Books, 2003). In addition to the Conan influences on Dungeons & Dragons cited in Episode 2, Conan of Cimmeria was the probable source of the Monster Manual’s remorhaz, a sort of ice centipede inverse of the remora from “The Lair of the Ice Worm”. “The Frost-Giant’s Daughter” probably deserves equal credit along with the first Harold Shea story “The Roaring Trumpet” for the Dungeons & Dragons treatment of frost giants, which first appeared in the original 1974 edition and were fully detailed in the Monster Manual (1977). Frost giants would become iconic D&D foes with the publication of TSR’s second D&D module, 1978’s G2: The Glacial Rift of the Frost Giant Jarl, the middle module of the Against the Giants trilogy.

At first glance John Bellairs’s The Face in the Frost is a bit of an anomaly, both in his own body of work and in Appendix N. It is the only Bellairs work cited by Gary Gygax in Appendix N, and ended up being Bellairs’s first and only fantasy novel directed at adults. Bellairs began work on The Face in the Frost in the late 1960s after reading J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. He created his protagonist Prospero as a reaction to the might and nobility of Gandalf, rendering Prospero and his fellow wizard Roger Bacon as more down to earth, crotchety, and occasionally downright fearful of their circumstances. The Face in the Frost was published in hardcover by Macmillan in 1969, with quirky pen-and-ink illustrations by his friend Marilyn Fitschen that reinforced the alternating whimsy and dread of the story. The book did well enough for Bellairs to turn to full-time writing, with his next work The House with a Clock in its Walls was also a dark fantasy, although set in the late 1940s. Supposedly Bellairs had difficulty selling The House with a Clock in its Walls until a publisher suggested rewriting it as a young adult (YA) book. The House with a Clock in its Walls proved to be a huge critical and sales success, so much so that Bellairs would remain best known as a YA author for the rest of his career, completing a total of 15 books for young readers. It’s interesting that The Face in the Frost did not differ dramatically in mood and tone from Bellairs’ gothic mysteries for young readers, yet it was never re-marketed as a YA work. Ace Books published The Face in the Frost in paperback in 1978, but its odd man out status as Bellairs’s only substantial adult work may have contributed to it going out out of print after Bellairs’ death in 1991. It was then only available only in specialty press editions until it was finally republished in 2014 by Open Road Media, although unfortunately without Marilyn Fitschen’s illustrations. The Ace Books paperback cover by Carl Lundgren (also the cover artist of Dragon magazine issues 50 & 68) renders Prospero as an archetypal high fantasy wizard and captures some of the eeriness but none of the whimsy of The Face in the Frost. It’s unclear when Gary Gygax first encountered The Face in the Frost, but it may have been fresh on his mind as he was writing Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. In The Players Handbook Gygax explicitly states that magic-users must consult their spellbooks in order to memorize their spells, which echoes Prospero’s habit of studying his spellbook at night before the next day’s journey and adventures. In contrast the Original Dungeons & Dragons box set merely states that a given spell (slot) may only be used once a day--no mention is made of memorization or spell preparation. It appears that Gary Gygax wanted to provide a narrative and theoretical underpinning to what may have originally been a game balance decision. He found much of his answer in Jack Vance’s The Dying Earth, but The Face in the Frost may have helped to reinforce his design choice. To the dominant Vancian strain and the acknowledged influence of de Camp and Pratt’s Enchanter books may we now add The Face in the Frost as a direct influence on the AD&D magic system?

In retrospect, the publication of Philip José Farmer’s The Maker of Universes (Ace Books, 1965) marks the beginning of the most productive and rewarding phase of Farmer’s writing career. It can hardly have seemed that way at the time, as Farmer was toiling away as a technical writer in Scottsdale, Arizona to support himself and his family. Even though Farmer had been a published writer as of 1946 and had even won his first Hugo Award in 1953 (as “Best New SF Author or Artist”), commercial success had eluded him so far. Robert Wolff, the initially aged, paunchy, and disillusioned protagonist of The Maker of Universes is obviously a stand-in for Farmer at that point in his life---fortunately Farmer and his wife Bette appear to have been very happy together in real life, as their marriage lasted over 67 years until his death in 2009. The Maker of Universes is one of Farmer’s most personal works, with callbacks to the whole range of his youthful enthusiasms, from Ancient Greek and Native American myths and legends, Edgar Rice Burroughs-style pulp, and Lord Dunsany’s sense of mystery and wonder among others. Interestingly, in Farmer’s introduction to the 1980 Phantasia Press special edition of The Maker of Universes he cites Gulliver’s Travels, Alice in Wonderland, and Through the Looking Glass as stronger influences on the book than the more obvious high adventure of Burroughs. Farmer would later write in his introduction to the THOAN, Les Faiseurs d’Univers RPG, that he had first received “impressions” of the World of Tiers while he was laid low with a fever at the age of 18 and believed them to be actual visions from an alternate universe. One has to wonder if Farmer is being utterly serious or so drily tongue-in-cheek as to make no difference…. The cover of the original Ace Books paperback features a wonderfully composed if not entirely accurate depiction of Podarge the Harpy by the versatile and prolific Jack Gaughan The Ace Books reprints from 1977 onward featured Boris Vallejo’s unmistakably beefcakey rendition of Robert Wolff along with an accurately wing-armed Podarge Given The Maker of Universes’ galloping pace and mad invention, it’s no wonder that Gary Gygax found it a particular inspiration for Dungeons & Dragons. Like many other Appendix N works, The Maker of Universes makes no particular distinction between science fiction and heroic fantasy, much to its benefit. The motley crew that eventually assembles around Robert Wolff and Kickaha the Trickster is recognizable as a proto-adventuring party and the World of Tiers itself is the classic dungeon writ (very) large, with each successive level an environment of greater threat and adventure.

Edgar Rice Burroughs’ first Pellucidar book At the Earth’s Core was part of the supernova period at the beginning of his writing career, wherein he managed to write 25 novels between 1911-1915! The serialization of At the Earth’s Core in All-Story Weekly magazine in 1914 represents the extraordinary feat of launching three major literary franchises in a mere three years, following on the Mars/Barsoom series and the Tarzan series. Pellucidar's Hollow Earth setting with its weird timeless eternal day and its menagerie of threats from the chillingly alien Mahars, the brutish Sagoths, and various pre-historic megafauna remains one of the most sustained acts of invention in fantastic fiction to this day. Although At the Earth’s Core was popular enough to be published in hardcover starting in 1922 and re-serialized in 1929, it doesn’t seem to have been in print after 1940. Certainly, David Innes is a likeable protagonist, but he lacks the larger-than-life qualities of John Carter of Mars or Tarzan of the Apes. Other suspects for At the Earth’s Core’s lapse into relative obscurity would be the World War II paper shortage, followed by Burroughs’ death in 1950. At the Earth’s Core was first published in paperback by Ace Books in 1962, making it an early factor in the great Edgar Rice Burroughs revival of the 1960s. The lush and colorful cover by Roy Krenkel would certainly have helped it stand out on the racks: The Frank Frazetta cover that graced At the Earth’s Core later Ace Books printings from the early 1970s through the 1980s depicts the horrible anticipation of the Mahar temple sequence. The Pellucidar series is terrific worldbuilding but it did not leave as obvious an imprint on early Dungeons & Dragons as Burroughs’ Mars/Barsoom series, other than in its pulp ethos and sense of high adventure. The general pulp ethos was certainly present in Dave Cook and Tom Moldvay’s X1 - The Isle of Dread module which was included in 1981’s Dungeons & Dragons Expert Set. The Isle of Dread would pave the way for TSR’s Known World/Mystara setting and its undeniably pulpy/Burroughsian Hollow World sub-setting.

The Hobbit first came to Oxford University professor J.R.R. Tolkien when he was grading papers in the early 1930s. Coming upon a blank page in an exam book, he suddenly wrote “In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.” Tolkien worked on The Hobbit for the next several years before submitting it for publication in 1936 as a children’s book to George Allen & Unwin, then known mainly as an academic publishing house. The publisher Stanley Unwin paid his ten-year-old son Rayner a shilling to review the manuscript, which he reported on as follows: "Bilbo Baggins was a Hobbit who lived in his Hobbit hole and never went for adventures, at last Gandalf the wizard and his Dwarves persuaded him to go. He had a very exiting (sic) time fighting goblins and wargs. At last they get to the lonely mountain; Smaug, the dragon who guards it is killed and after a terrific battle with the goblins he returned home — rich! This book, with the help of maps, does not need any illustrations it is good and should appeal to all children between the ages of 5 and 9." Young Rayner Unwin’s recommendation convinced his father to publish The Hobbit in hardcover in 1937, to strong sales and critical acclaim. Stanley Unwin asked Tolkien for a sequel to The Hobbit as early as December 1937, a request that would take over 15 years to come to fruition as The Lord of the Rings. During that long process, Tolkien would revise The Hobbit for the first time to bring it into closer agreement with developments in The Lord of the Rings, especially in the depiction of Gollum and the One Ring. Although The Hobbit had been available in the U.S. from 1938 in hardcover, it had not been published in U.S. paperback by the mid 1960s, partly because of Tolkien’s distaste for the “degenerate” paperback format. This all changed when Ace Books put out an unauthorized U.S. paperback edition of The Lord of the Rings in 1965 after finding what they perceived to be a copyright loophole. Ballantine Books rushed to put out authorized U.S. paperback editions of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit in 1965. Tolkien made additional revisions to both works both for his own satisfaction and to cement their U.S. copyright status, with The Hobbit’s third edition appearing in 1966. The most common version of The Hobbit available during the Appendix N era would have been the 45th printing and onwards of the Ballantine Books revised paperback, featuring a lovely watercolor cover illustration by Tolkien himself of Bilbo’s escape from Mirkwood astride a barrel. Gary Gygax denied that Tolkien’s works were a particular influence on the development of Dungeons & Dragons, but he certainly would have been conscious of the desire of prospective players to experience the trappings of Middle-earth. Many denizens of Middle-earth including Hobbits, Ents, Orcs, and Balrogs were present in the “Fantasy Supplement” of Chainmail (1971), Gary Gygax’s medieval miniatures wargame that was the immediate predecessor to Dungeons & Dragons. The Tolkienian references continued in Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson’s original Dungeons & Dragons (1974) box set until the Tolkien estate caught wind of this. To avoid copyright and trademark violations, TSR modified or removed Tolkienian references from Chainmail and Dungeons & Dragons in 1977, with Hobbits becoming Halflings, Ents becoming Treants, and Balrogs becoming Type VI Demons, etc.

Swords and Deviltry (Ace Books, 1970) by Fritz Leiber was originally published in paperback as part of Ace Books’ complete seven volume saga of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. Although Swords and Deviltry is first in the series chronology, it was actually the fourth book published. Leiber and his lifelong friend Harry Otto Fischer created Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser in an exchange of letters in 1934, basing the pair loosely on their own friendship, with Fischer as the diminutive Mouser and Leiber as the towering Fafhrd. The first story featuring the Twain (as they are often called) to appear in print was “Two Sought Adventure” AKA “The Jewels in the Forest” in 1939 in Unknown magazine. A handful of further Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser stories trickled out over the next two decades until Cele Goldsmith commissioned brand-new stories for Fantastic magazine starting in 1959, which lead to the Ace paperback collections of the late 1960s. Other than the continued interest in Robert E. Howard’s Conan stories, this new appreciation of Leiber’s fantasy fiction was one of the biggest contributors to the sword and sorcery renaissance of the 1960s. In fact, Leiber is credited with coining the term “sword and sorcery” in 1961 when Michael Moorcock called for a name for the type of fantasy fiction that Howard, Leiber and others were coming to exemplify. By the time Swords and Deviltry was published Leiber had been writing tales of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser for over 30 years, but it is only in this book that he revealed their full origins in the stories “Induction” (1957), “The Snow Women” (1970), “The Unholy Grail” (1962), and “Ill-Met in Lankhmar” (1970). Swords and Deviltry featured a typically moody Jeffrey Catherine Jones cover, although the effect is compromised by the trade dress of later printings: Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser’s gaming history actually predates their first publication, as Leiber and Fischer created a complex three-dimensional board game in 1937 to amuse themselves and help them visualize the Twain’s stomping grounds of the city of Lankhmar and the world of Nehwon. This game was later re-developed and published by TSR as Lankhmar in 1976. Leiber and Fischer weren’t mere hands-off IP licensors, however. Leiber would contribute a witty conversation with Fafhrd and the Mouser about wargaming in the very first issue of The Dragon (1976), followed by the short story “Sea Magic” in issue 11 (1977). Fischer’s short story “The Childhood and Youth of The Gray Mouser” then appeared in issue 18 (1978). Lawrence Shick and Tom Moldvay gave Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser their first Advanced Dungeons & Dragons write-up in issue 27 of The Dragon (1979). The Twain and various other denizens of Nehwon were given a whole chapter in James M. Ward’s and Robert J. Kuntz’s Deities & Demigods (1980), with memorably gritty illustrations by Jennell Jaquays. Future notes on the Fafhrd and Gray Mouser series will cover later TSR Lankhmar publications, post-TSR licensees and other games that have been directly influenced by the city of Lankhmar. Stay tuned!

Conan (Lancer Books, 1967) by Robert E. Howard, L. Sprague de Camp, and Lin Carter was part of first comprehensive paperback edition of the Conan saga. Conan was the fifth volume published, although it is first in the internal chronology--later printings of the series numbered the books in chronological order. When Lancer when out of business in 1973, Ace Books picked up and completed the series, keeping it in print until the mid 1990s. In a now controversial move, series editors de Camp and Carter filled in gaps in Conan’s timeline by expanding Howard’s unpublished notes and fragments, re-writing non-Conan stories, and writing entirely new stories, thus jump-starting the Conan pastiche era. For the purist, the Howard-only stories in this collection are “The Hyborian Age, Part 1” (1936), “The Tower of the Elephant” (1933), “The God in the Bowl” (1952, Howard’s original version first published 1975), and “Rogues in the House” (1934). Regardless of the editorial controversies, the Lancer/Ace series was the only widely available source of Howard-penned Conan stories for nearly three decades, sustaining the sword and sorcery boom from the late ‘60s to the mid ‘90s. Robert E. Howard’s furious prose and the now-iconic Frank Frazetta cover illustrations on many of the volumes have cemented Conan the Cimmerian in popular culture. Frazetta had clearly read and internalized the dynamism of the Conan stories, as shown by his cover painting of Conan’s epic struggle with Thak the apeman from “Rogues in the House”. As Dungeons & Dragons was created in the era of peak Conan, it is natural that Conan’s presence would be felt, starting with a write-up in Robert Kuntz and James M. Ward’s OD&D supplement Gods, Demi-Gods & Heroes (1976). Gary Gygax himself would write up Conan as he appeared in various stages of his career in Dragon magazine issue 36 (1980)--a treatment that presaged the eventual AD&D Barbarian class in Dragon issue 62 (1982) and Unearthed Arcana (1985). Conan the Cimmerian has since remained a perennial roleplaying game property, both with TSR and other publishers, but that’s a story for another day….

Serpant's Storm (Ace) by Benson; The Wise Man's Fear (Daw) by Rothfuss Authors Patrick Rothfuss and Amber Benson will be vigorously debating urban fantasy vs epic fantasy, as well at taking questions and chatting about whatever else comes to mind. We're excited to have these two creative folks here at Skylight Books to do one of our rare Speculative Fiction events. Patrick Rothfuss burst onto the fantasy literature scene with the 2007 publication of his debut novel The Name of the Wind.  This first book of a planned three-book epic fantasy series called The Kingkiller Chronicle drew comparisons to the works of several of the top modern writers in the genre as well as the groundbreaking classic The Lord of the Rings. Readers quickly caught on to Rothfuss and as word of The Name of the Wind spread, he developed a cult-like following, attracting big crowds at bookstores and convention appearances. The paperback edition of The Name of the Wind debuted on the New York Times Mass Market Paperback Bestseller List and has been consistently selling ever since. At 700 pages, The Name of the Wind took Rothfuss seven years to write, and readers have been waiting to enjoy its highly anticipated sequel for four long years. The Wise Man's Fear: The Kingkiller Chronicle, Day Two (DAW) was published on March 1st, 2011 and debuted at #1 on the New York Times Hardcover bestseller list. Patrick Rothfuss teaches at the college he grew to love as a student, and acts as advisor for the College Feminists and the local Fencing Club. When not reading and writing, Pat wastes his time playing video games, holds symposia at his house, and dabbles with alchemy in his basement. Amber Benson's Calliope Reaper Jones series published by Ace Books is an action-packed adventure that demonstrates Benson's colorful imagination and wit. Not only is she a talented actress and a wonderful writer, she also produces and directs her own work!  She co-created, co-wrote, and directed the animated supernatural web-series Ghosts of Albion with Christopher Golden, followed by a series of novels including Witchery and Accursed, and the novella Astray.  Benson and Golden also co-authored the novella The Seven Whistlers.  As an actress, she has appeared in dozens of roles in feature films, TV movies, and television series, including the fan favorite role of Tara Maclay on three seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  Benson wrote, produced, and directed the feature films Chance and Lovers, Liars, and Lunatics. Photo of Patrick Rothfuss by Jamie Rothfuss. THIS EVENT WAS RECORDED LIVE AT SKYLIGHT BOOKS APRIL 8, 2011.

After working his way up through the publishing trade during the 1950s and 1960s, Tom Doherty became publisher of Tempo Books in 1972 and later Ace Books. In 1980 he established his own publishing firm Tom Doherty Associates Inc., with the help of several investors including silent partner Richard Gallen (of Dell Emerald Books fame), and with it the Tor Books imprint. Early Tor titles included Norton's Forerunner; Fred Saberhagen's Water of Thought; Poul Anderson's Winners, Starship, Explorations and Guardians of Time; Keith Laumer's The Breaking Earth, Beyond the Imperium, and The House in November; Harry Harrison's Planet of No Return and Planet of the Damned; Roger Zelazny and Fred Saberhagen's Coils; and Steve Barnes and Larry Niven's Belial Honours during the early/mid eighties included The Prometheus Award for The Probability Broach by L. Neil Smith (1982) and the Nebula Award for Best Novel for Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game (1985). In 1986 Doherty sold his company to St. Martin's Press and TDA/Tor Books became a division of the larger company. Over time the portion of non-SF "mainstream" titles at Tor grew, to a point where,  by 1993, they made up more than half the list. As a result a new imprint, Forge Books, was established in order to better market these titles. Tom does a much better job of charting the history of his career and these companies than I have here. Listen and learn how and why he has enjoyed such success; you can just tell how much fun he's had in the business.