Mythmakers

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Open Sans';">Here’s a story that will encourage many of our listeners: SJ Poyton’s epic journey to publication has spanned nearly 20 years, and her perseverance has paid off with the release of her sci-fi children’s novel, Mammoth Rider. Think Jurassic Park, but much more plausible.<br><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;"><!-- [if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Open Sans';">In this episode, SJ and Julia Golding sit down to discuss the environmental themes behind the book, as well as the importance of including neurodiverse characters in a way that portrays their unique minds as simply being part of who they are, and even as a part of their gifts. SJ and Julia go on to decide how one should name a mammoth, before speculating about which mythical creature they would wish to introduce into the real world.<br><br>To learn more about SJ, and to order your own copy of Mammoth Rider, visit <a href="https://www.sjpoyton.com/">https://www.sjpoyton.com/</a> <br><br>(00:04) Introduction to SJ Poyton and <em data-start="3552" data-end="3567">Mammoth Rider</em><br data-start="3567" data-end="3570">(00:47) A 19-Year Journey to Publication<br data-start="3663" data-end="3666">(04:35) What <em data-start="3679" data-end="3694">Mammoth Rider</em> Is About<br data-start="3751" data-end="3754">(06:56) How Mammoths Could Help Fight Climate Change<br data-start="3806" data-end="3809">(09:05) Greenland, Nyala, and the White Mammoth<br data-start="3856" data-end="3859">(12:15) Neurodiversity in the Book and in SJ’s Life<br data-start="3960" data-end="3963">(17:10) Dyslexia Representation in Fantasy<br data-start="4005" data-end="4008">(21:01) Writing the Sequel to <em data-start="4038" data-end="4053">Mammoth Rider</em><br data-start="4113" data-end="4116">(26:08) Science Notes, Ethics, and Questions for Readers<br data-start="4172" data-end="4175">(26:56) Which Fantasy Creature Would You Bring Back?<br><br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">Website: </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/website">https://centre4fantasy.com/website</a></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"> <br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">Instagram: </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram">https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram</a></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"> <br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">Facebook: </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook">https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook</a></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"> <br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans&#3

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Open Sans'; color: black; background: white;">Saddle up and join the Round Table as Mythmakers embarks on a journey through some of the most famous retellings of King Arthur in celebration of Tolkien Reading Day. </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Open Sans';">Which author started the ball rolling, and who poetically kicked it on into the 19th century? <span style="color: black; background: white;">Where do the traces of these tales </span>become most apparent <span style="color: black; background: white;">in the works of Tolkien and C.S. Lewis? And who has continued the Arthurian tradition into modern times?<br><br>Finally, we turn to the screen—what is the most successful adaptation of them all? Tune in to see if you agree with our pick!<br><br>(00:00) Tolkien Reading Day and the Power of Arthur<br data-start="3439" data-end="3442">(03:09) Malory and the Rise of Arthur in Print<br data-start="3488" data-end="3491">(05:26) Arthur Pulls the Sword from the Stone<br data-start="3536" data-end="3539">(09:24) Keats and the Melancholy of Arthur<br data-start="3581" data-end="3584">(12:08) Tennyson, Avalon, and Echoes in Tolkien<br data-start="3631" data-end="3634">(15:15) William Morris and Arthur’s Expanding World<br data-start="3685" data-end="3688">(16:52) T.S. Eliot, Charles Williams, and the Modern Grail<br data-start="3746" data-end="3749">(22:22) Film, Comedy, and Reinventing Arthur<br data-start="3793" data-end="3796">(23:00) Tolkien and Lewis Through an Arthurian Lens<br data-start="3847" data-end="3850">(27:02) Modern Retellings and Julia Golding’s Own Arthur Stories<br data-start="3914" data-end="3917">(29:12) Why BBC’s Merlin Works So Well<br data-start="3955" data-end="3958">(30:43) Reading Arthur to Better Understand Tolkien<br><br></span></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">Website: </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/website">https://centre4fantasy.com/website</a></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"> <br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">Instagram: </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram">https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram</a></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"> <br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">Facebook: </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook">https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook</a></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"> <br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">TikTok: </span><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans

<p><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: #222222; background: white;">We are going on an adventure! Love The Lord of the Rings? Why not read along with us as we consider the books from the writer's point of view! Taking it chapter by chapter, novelist Julia Golding will reveal new details that you might not have noticed and techniques that will only go to increase your pleasure in future re-readings of our favourite novel. Julia also brings her expert knowledge of life in Oxford and English culture to explain some points that might have passed you by.<br><br>(00:00) A Chapter Built Around a Single Decision<br data-start="891" data-end="894">(02:00) Why the Black Gate Must Be Impossible to Enter<br data-start="948" data-end="951">(05:00) Mordor as a Living Landscape of Evil<br data-start="995" data-end="998">(08:00) Frodo’s Resolve and the Stakes of the Quest<br data-start="1049" data-end="1052">(11:00) Writing Into Uncertainty and Finding the Way Forward<br data-start="1112" data-end="1115">(13:30) Trust, Suspicion, and Gollum’s Divided Nature<br data-start="1168" data-end="1171" data-is-only-node="">(17:00) The Hidden Path and Foreshadowing What Lies Ahead<br data-start="1228" data-end="1231">(21:00) Tension, Stillness, and Delaying the Decision<br data-start="1284" data-end="1287">(26:00) Sam’s Perspective and the Power of Small Hope<br data-start="1340" data-end="1343">(29:00) Choosing to Trust Gollum and Moving Forward<br><br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">Website: </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/website">https://centre4fantasy.com/website</a></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"> <br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">Instagram: </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram">https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram</a></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"> <br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">Facebook: </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook">https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook</a></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"> <br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">TikTok: </span><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;">https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok</span></a></p>

<p><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: #222222; background: white;">We are going on an adventure! Love The Lord of the Rings? Why not read along with us as we consider the books from the writer's point of view! Taking it chapter by chapter, novelist Julia Golding will reveal new details that you might not have noticed and techniques that will only go to increase your pleasure in future re-readings of our favourite novel. Julia also brings her expert knowledge of life in Oxford and English culture to explain some points that might have passed you by.<br><br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">(00:00) Introducing the Passage of the Marshes<br data-start="1175" data-end="1178">(02:20) The Structure of the Chapter and Its Locations<br data-start="1232" data-end="1235">(04:30) Gollum as Guide and Contradictory Character<br data-start="1286" data-end="1289">(08:40) Food, Lembas, and Gollum’s Drama<br data-start="1329" data-end="1332">(14:00) Frodo and Sam’s Changing Relationship<br data-start="1377" data-end="1380">(17:00) Entering the Dead Marshes<br data-start="1413" data-end="1416" data-is-only-node="">(22:30) The Atmosphere and Worldbuilding of the Marshes<br data-start="1471" data-end="1474">(27:30) The Dead Faces Beneath the Water<br data-start="1514" data-end="1517">(31:10) The Ringwraith’s Overflight and Growing Fear<br data-start="1569" data-end="1572">(37:10) Gollum’s Inner Debate and the Road to Mordor<br><br>For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">Website: </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/website">https://centre4fantasy.com/website</a></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"> <br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">Instagram: </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram">https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram</a></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"> <br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">Facebook: </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook">https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook</a></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"> <br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">TikTok: </span><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;">https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok</span></a></p>

<p><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: #222222; background: white;">We are going on an adventure! Love The Lord of the Rings? Why not read along with us as we consider the books from the writer's point of view! Taking it chapter by chapter, novelist Julia Golding will reveal new details that you might not have noticed and techniques that will only go to increase your pleasure in future re-readings of our favourite novel. Julia also brings her expert knowledge of life in Oxford and English culture to explain some points that might have passed you by.<br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"><br>(00:04) Welcome to Mythmakers and the Two Towers wrap-up begins<br>(01:00) Aragorn’s “odd negligence” and a sense of fate driving events<br>(02:49) Boromir’s deathbed scene and the shift into a heroic register<br>(03:53) Aragorn’s stage-like lament and Legolas’ clear-headed plan<br>(05:05) Entering Rohan: potted history, songs over books, and Anglo-Saxon echoes<br>(07:22) The Riders arrive: horses, “manes,” and cinematic choreography<br>(08:47) Back to the hobbits: Pippin moves from “luggage” to leadership<br>(10:16) Orc factions, wartime alliances, and the craft problem of “common speech”<br>(13:00) Gandalf returns: riddles, limits on power, and “the turn of the tide”<br><br>For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">Website: </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/website">https://centre4fantasy.com/website</a></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"> <br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">Instagram: </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram">https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram</a></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"> <br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">Facebook: </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook">https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook</a></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"> <br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">TikTok: </span><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;">https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok</span></a></p>

<p><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: #222222; background: white;">We are going on an adventure! Love The Lord of the Rings? Why not read along with us as we consider the books from the writer's point of view! Taking it chapter by chapter, novelist Julia Golding will reveal new details that you might not have noticed and techniques that will only go to increase your pleasure in future re-readings of our favourite novel. Julia also brings her expert knowledge of life in Oxford and English culture to explain some points that might have passed you by.<br><br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">(00:00) Beginning Book Four and Returning to Frodo and Sam<br data-start="2031" data-end="2034">(04:30) A Landscape of Confusion and Pathetic Fallacy<br data-start="2087" data-end="2090">(11:40) The Cliff Descent and the Elven Rope<br data-start="2134" data-end="2137">(16:30) Storm, Nazgûl, and Threads Connecting the Wider Story<br data-start="2198" data-end="2201">(22:45) The Arrival of Gollum<br data-start="2230" data-end="2233">(29:50) Pity Versus Precious and the Moral Turning Point<br data-start="2289" data-end="2292">(36:30) Frodo’s Authority and Gollum’s Oath<br data-start="2335" data-end="2338">(38:20) A Frustrating Chapter That Changes Everything<br><br>For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">Website: </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/website">https://centre4fantasy.com/website</a></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"> <br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">Instagram: </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram">https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram</a></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"> <br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">Facebook: </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook">https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook</a></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"> <br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">TikTok: </span><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;">https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok</span></a></p>

<p><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: #222222; background: white;">We are going on an adventure! Love The Lord of the Rings? Why not read along with us as we consider the books from the writer's point of view! Taking it chapter by chapter, novelist Julia Golding will reveal new details that you might not have noticed and techniques that will only go to increase your pleasure in future re-readings of our favourite novel. Julia also brings her expert knowledge of life in Oxford and English culture to explain some points that might have passed you by.<br><br>(01:37) Tolkien the tinkerer: Palantír added mid-writing <br>(04:22) Leaving Isengard <br>(06:20) Merry & Gandalf: humour, recovery, and raising the stakes again <br>(12:15) Warning notes and the danger winding up <br>(18:24) The Palantír confrontation <br>(22:05) Aragorn’s shift, kingship emerging <br>(29:30) Saruman’s fatal step <br>(34:40) Ending Book Three<br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"><br>For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">Website: </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/website">https://centre4fantasy.com/website</a></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"> <br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">Instagram: </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram">https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram</a></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"> <br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">Facebook: </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook">https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook</a></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"> <br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">TikTok: </span><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;">https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok</span></a></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">Today on Mythmakers, you’re invited to join us on a short visit to the world of fantasy romance. What's all the fuss about romantasy and where did it come from? What's the secret sauce (pun intended) of Fourth Wing? And why was the world so transfixed by Twilight back early 2000s?<br><br>Be sure to stay to the end to hear Julia’s recommendations of what you might like to read this Valentine's Day from the fantasy genre.<br><br>(01:00) The Rise of Romantasy and Fourth Wing<br data-start="1720" data-end="1723">(02:00) Market Forces and Female Readership<br data-start="1823" data-end="1826">(04:40) Twilight and the Power of Restrained Desire<br data-start="1877" data-end="1880">(06:50) What Makes a True Fantasy Romance<br data-start="1921" data-end="1924">(09:20) Recommended Romantic Fantasy Reads<br data-start="1966" data-end="1969">(14:00) Writing Romance in the Finding Sky Series<br data-start="2018" data-end="2021">(15:10) Why We Read Romance and the Hope of Finding the Right Person<br><br><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: black; background: white;">For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="line-height: 107%; color: black; background: white;">Website: </span><span style="line-height: 107%; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/website">https://centre4fantasy.com/website</a></span><span style="line-height: 107%; color: black; background: white;"> <br></span></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="line-height: 107%; color: black; background: white;">Instagram: </span><span style="line-height: 107%; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram">https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram</a></span><span style="line-height: 107%; color: black; background: white;"> <br></span></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="line-height: 107%; color: black; background: white;">Facebook: </span><span style="line-height: 107%; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook">https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook</a></span><span style="line-height: 107%; color: black; background: white;"> <br></span></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="line-height: 107%; color: black; background: white;">TikTok: </span><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok"><span style="line-height: 107%; background: white;">https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok</span></a></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: #222222; background: white;">We are going on an adventure! Love The Lord of the Rings? Why not read along with us as we consider the books from the writer's point of view! Taking it chapter by chapter, novelist Julia Golding will reveal new details that you might not have noticed and techniques that will only go to increase your pleasure in future re-readings of our favourite novel. Julia also brings her expert knowledge of life in Oxford and English culture to explain some points that might have passed you by.<br><br>(00:00) The Ruins of Isengard and the Approach to Saruman<br data-start="3310" data-end="3313">(04:55) Saruman’s Voice and the Power of Persuasion<br data-start="3364" data-end="3367">(08:00) Resistance, Discernment, and the Cracks in Saruman’s Authority<br data-start="3437" data-end="3440">(10:29) Théoden’s Judgment and Saruman’s Fall from Power<br data-start="3496" data-end="3499">(14:03) Gandalf’s Mercy and the Failure of Pride<br data-start="3547" data-end="3550">(18:11) The Breaking of the Staff and the Palantír Revealed<br data-start="3609" data-end="3612">(22:04) Aftermath, Creative Discovery, and Seeds for What Comes Next<br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"><br>For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">Website: </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/website">https://centre4fantasy.com/website</a></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"> <br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">Instagram: </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram">https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram</a></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"> <br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">Facebook: </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook">https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook</a></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"> <br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">TikTok: </span><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;">https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok</span></a></p>

<p><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Open Sans'; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Open Sans'; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">In this two-part episode of Mythmakers, Julia Golding is joined once more by Andrew Head to review the full-cast Audible production of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Together, their discussion broadens to consider whether this form of audiobook, when not adapted for the actors, works or if it is simply distracting.<br><br>In the second part of today’s episode, accompany Julia on a deep dive into the recent report on the top ten grossing films of all time – where fantasy titles dominate. And as for the most famous film you've (probably) never heard of? Stay tuned to uncover that cinematic mystery!</span><br><br>(00:05) Entering the Wizarding World Through Sound<br data-start="2473" data-end="2476">(03:33) Full-Cast Audio and the Promise of Immersion<br data-start="2528" data-end="2531">(06:45) Casting Familiar Voices in New Roles<br data-start="2575" data-end="2578">(10:45) Music, Foley, and Building an Audio World<br data-start="2627" data-end="2630">(15:14) Comparing Full-Cast Drama to Classic Narration<br data-start="2684" data-end="2687">(19:22) When Dramatization Works — and When It Distracts<br data-start="2743" data-end="2746">(22:25) Revisiting Harry Potter as a Listening Experience<br data-start="2803" data-end="2806">(26:01) Fantasy, Spectacle, and the Global Box Office<br data-start="2859" data-end="2862">(30:21) Why Fantasy Continues to Dominate Film Culture<br><br></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: black; background: white;">For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="line-height: 107%; color: black; background: white;">Website: </span><span style="line-height: 107%; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/website">https://centre4fantasy.com/website</a></span><span style="line-height: 107%; color: black; background: white;"> <br></span></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="line-height: 107%; color: black; background: white;">Instagram: </span><span style="line-height: 107%; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram">https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram</a></span><span style="line-height: 107%; color: black; background: white;"> <br></span></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="line-height: 107%; color: black; background: white;">Facebook: </span><span style="line-height: 107%; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook">https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook</a></span><span style="line-height: 107%; color: black; background: white;"> <br></span></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="line-height: 107%; color: black; background: white;">TikTok: </span><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok"><span style="line-height: 107%; background: white;">https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok</span></a></span></p> <p><br><br><br></p>

<p><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: #222222; background: white;">We are going on an adventure! Love The Lord of the Rings? Why not read along with us as we consider the books from the writer's point of view! Taking it chapter by chapter, novelist Julia Golding will reveal new details that you might not have noticed and techniques that will only go to increase your pleasure in future re-readings of our favourite novel. Julia also brings her expert knowledge of life in Oxford and English culture to explain some points that might have passed you by.<br><br>(00:05) Setting the Scene<br data-start="1778" data-end="1781">(02:19) Maritime Imagery, Storm Metaphors, and Tolkien’s Symbolism<br data-start="1847" data-end="1850">(05:01) Hobbits, Food, and the Translation of Time<br data-start="1900" data-end="1903">(07:15) Growth, Ent-Draught, and Storytelling Perspective<br data-start="1960" data-end="1963">(09:37) Casting Away Treasure<br data-start="2025" data-end="2028">(13:51) The Ents’ Assault on Isengard<br data-start="2086" data-end="2089" data-is-only-node="">(19:44) Gandalf’s Return, Soundscapes, and Narrative Tempo<br data-start="2147" data-end="2150">(27:06) Wormtongue, Aftermath, and Foreshadowing the Shire<br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"><br>For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">Website: </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/website">https://centre4fantasy.com/website</a></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"> <br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">Instagram: </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram">https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram</a></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"> <br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">Facebook: </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook">https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook</a></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"> <br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">TikTok: </span><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;">https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok</span></a></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">What do the classical stories of myths and legends mean to us today? In this episode of Mythmakers, Dr. Lorna Robinson—founder of the Iris Project and director of the Rumble Museum at Cheney School in Oxford—joins Julia Golding to discuss her quest to bring these timeless tales to young people.<br><br>The conversation explores Lorna’s reinterpretation of Ovid's <em>Metamorphoses</em> in <em>The Birder</em>, a magical realism novel built around the idea that, as in the myths, people don’t die—they transform into other creatures or things.<br><br>The Birder is available now at <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Birder-Dr-Lorna-Robinson/dp/B0DNC7V79X">https://www.amazon.co.uk/Birder-Dr-Lorna-Robinson/dp/B0DNC7V79X</a>, alternatively you can ask your local bookshop to order a copy for you.<br><br>(00:05) Introducing Mythmakers and Dr Lorna Robinson<br data-start="2158" data-end="2161">(05:40) Widening Access to Myths Through Education<br data-start="2211" data-end="2214">(09:30) Young Readers, Modern Media, and Classical Stories<br data-start="2272" data-end="2275">(13:40) Cultural Literacy and Why Myths Still Matter<br data-start="2327" data-end="2330">(16:10) Writing <em data-start="2346" data-end="2358">The Birder</em> and Imagining Metamorphosis<br data-start="2386" data-end="2389">(20:10) Ovid, Magical Realism, and Belief in Ancient Stories<br data-start="2449" data-end="2452">(23:20) Environmental Themes and Future Writing Projects<br data-start="2508" data-end="2511">(25:00) Reading Ovid Today and Modern Retellings<br><br><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: black; background: white;">For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="line-height: 107%; color: black; background: white;">Website: </span><span style="line-height: 107%; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/website">https://centre4fantasy.com/website</a></span><span style="line-height: 107%; color: black; background: white;"> <br></span></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="line-height: 107%; color: black; background: white;">Instagram: </span><span style="line-height: 107%; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram">https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram</a></span><span style="line-height: 107%; color: black; background: white;"> <br></span></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="line-height: 107%; color: black; background: white;">Facebook: </span><span style="line-height: 107%; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook">https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook</a></span><span style="line-height: 107%; color: black; background: white;"> <br></span></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="line-height: 107%; color: black; background: white;">TikTok: </span><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok"><span style="line-height: 107%; background: white;">https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok</span></a></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: #222222; background: white;">We are going on an adventure! Love The Lord of the Rings? Why not read along with us as we consider the books from the writer's point of view! Taking it chapter by chapter, novelist Julia Golding will reveal new details that you might not have noticed and techniques that will only go to increase your pleasure in future re-readings of our favourite novel. Julia also brings her expert knowledge of life in Oxford and English culture to explain some points that might have passed you by.<br><br>(00:00) Introduction & The Road to Isengard as a Transitional Chapter<br data-start="279" data-end="282">(02:40) Gimli and Legolas: Rivalry, Relief, and Friendship<br data-start="462" data-end="465">(09:24) Burial, Honor, and Moral Order After Battle<br data-start="516" data-end="519">(13:23) The Haunted Forest, the Huorns, and Unseen Judgment<br data-start="639" data-end="642">(21:43) The Ents Revealed and Worlds Beyond Men<br data-start="741" data-end="744">(28:29) The Ruin of Isengard and the Shadow of Orthanc<br data-start="798" data-end="801">(38:48) Reunion at Isengard: Merry, Pippin, and Restored Fellowship<br><br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">Website: </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/website">https://centre4fantasy.com/website</a></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"> <br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">Instagram: </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram">https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram</a></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"> <br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">Facebook: </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook">https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook</a></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;"> <br></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;">TikTok: </span><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Open Sans',sans-serif; background: white;">https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok</span></a></p>

<p data-start="153" data-end="651">In a bit of festive fun, join Julia Golding and Jacob Rennaker in this episode of Mythmakers as they explore how Christmas appears in the works of Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. From the icy rule of the White Witch to a surprise visit from Father Christmas in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, they dig into the lore behind Narnia’s wintry themes. Then it’s on to Tolkien’s Father Christmas Letters and a look at how Yule is celebrated in Middle-earth.<br><br>Listen in to find out where they’d each choose to spend the festive season—and let us know if you agree!<br><br><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">(00:00) Welcome to Mythmakers Christmas episode<br>(03:10) Old Yule vs Christmas in Narnia<br>(06:05) Gift-giving contrast: wants vs needs<br>(10:05) Myth, primary/secondary worlds, and “eucatastrophe” moments<br>(19:20) Tolkien’s Father Christmas Letters introduced<br>(23:22) North Pole adventures, goblins, war echoes, and deeper worldbuilding<br>(32:33) Middle-earth and Yule<br>(37:47) Sir Gawain and the Green Knight <br>(44:35) Choosing Narnia or Middle-earth<br><br></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: black; background: white;">For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="line-height: 107%; color: black; background: white;">Website: </span><span style="line-height: 107%; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/website">https://centre4fantasy.com/website</a></span><span style="line-height: 107%; color: black; background: white;"> <br></span></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="line-height: 107%; color: black; background: white;">Instagram: </span><span style="line-height: 107%; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram">https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram</a></span><span style="line-height: 107%; color: black; background: white;"> <br></span></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="line-height: 107%; color: black; background: white;">Facebook: </span><span style="line-height: 107%; background: white;"><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook">https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook</a></span><span style="line-height: 107%; color: black; background: white;"> <br></span></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="line-height: 107%; color: black; background: white;">TikTok: </span><a href="https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok"><span style="line-height: 107%; background: white;">https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok</span></a></span></p> <p data-start="153" data-end="651"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"> </span></p>