Reading Against the Grain: One of the reasons some books dont work for us. A Critical Dragon 2026-09-23 | Reading Against the Grain: One of the reasons some books dont work for us.
Finale: Rings of Power Season 2 Ep. 08 Shadow and Flame with Philip Nemesis Chase A Critical Dragon 2024-10-09 | @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy (the nefarious Dr. Fantasy himself... or is he Sauron?) and I continue our spoiler discussions about Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season Two. This time we are discussing the eighth and final episode of Season Two, Episode Eight 'Shadow and Flame'. Delightfully I had just had some wisdom teeth removed the day before, so that was giving me a bit of trouble speaking. Previous Rings of Power Chats: S1 E1 youtu.be/dHJTxMRV2ss?si=BlZLGwvKKnUEBoYBS1 E2 - youtu.be/pNMUGsNwcLI?si=NeSxfA6OyXrcUFHYS1 E3 - youtu.be/xkFKpLwGnYA?si=hlCgpbFvmHVQSsxYS1 E4 - youtu.be/yRp847HVcXM?si=O58CU34UwrIGhkWES1 E5 - youtu.be/rjoM76zw0Ac?si=DxNDqEmBsm7srHLtS1 E6 - youtu.be/s_fhshj8yjM?si=Y2j1VpsfpOdPc8KrS1 E7 - youtu.be/KXkmJ5wqb-A?si=tQMRBZ3rPNtjKvmsS1 E8 - youtu.be/XnowLwr3bQ8?si=-8TTCgEEde3CCRq4S2 E1 - youtu.be/wyUBrbkPlF0?si=Fq4tjxblBLF55wkPS2E2 - youtu.be/r3abVCweCpU?si=xI6VH1wB5X7NrJsKS2 E3 - youtu.be/VooUChLwpBs?si=nmnl0caFEPL6vLJnS2 E4 - youtu.be/bVz4BzlD2nUS2 E5 - youtu.be/PAT44RDny7g?si=i9MsxgA4ebvkxoPDS2 E6 - youtu.be/WCHCDKwgAY0S2 E7 - youtube.com/watch?v=zuJEXbCVjdcS2 E8 - If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.#RoP #lotrrop #lotr
Rings of Power Season 2 Ep. 06 Where is He? with Philip Annatar Chase A Critical Dragon 2024-09-27 | @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy (the nefarious Dr. Fantasy himself... or is he Sauron?) and I continue our spoiler discussions about Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. This time we are discussing the fourth episode of Season Two, Episode Six 'Where is He?'. As a throwback, we also have added internet disruption... oh joy. I have not missed that. But thank you to Paul for the research in uncovering yet another image of the nefarious Dr. Fantasy. Previous Rings of Power Chats: S1 E1 youtu.be/dHJTxMRV2ss?si=BlZLGwvKKnUEBoYBS1 E2 - youtu.be/pNMUGsNwcLI?si=NeSxfA6OyXrcUFHYS1 E3 - youtu.be/xkFKpLwGnYA?si=hlCgpbFvmHVQSsxYS1 E4 - youtu.be/yRp847HVcXM?si=O58CU34UwrIGhkWES1 E5 - youtu.be/rjoM76zw0Ac?si=DxNDqEmBsm7srHLtS1 E6 - youtu.be/s_fhshj8yjM?si=Y2j1VpsfpOdPc8KrS1 E7 - youtu.be/KXkmJ5wqb-A?si=tQMRBZ3rPNtjKvmsS1 E8 - youtu.be/XnowLwr3bQ8?si=-8TTCgEEde3CCRq4S2 E1 - youtu.be/wyUBrbkPlF0?si=Fq4tjxblBLF55wkPS2E2 - youtu.be/r3abVCweCpU?si=xI6VH1wB5X7NrJsKS2 E3 - youtu.be/VooUChLwpBs?si=nmnl0caFEPL6vLJnS2 E4 - youtu.be/bVz4BzlD2nUS2 E5 - youtu.be/PAT44RDny7g?si=i9MsxgA4ebvkxoPDS2 E6 - S2 E7 - S2 E8 - If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.#RoP #lotrrop #lotr
Rings of Power Season 2 Ep. 04 Eldest with Philip Nemesis Chase A Critical Dragon 2024-09-16 | @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy (the nefarious Dr. Fantasy himself... or is he Sauron?) and I continue our spoiler discussions about Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. This time we are discussing the fourth episode of Season Two, Episode Two 'Eldest'. No Beowulf this time around. Previous Rings of Power Chats: S1 E1 youtu.be/dHJTxMRV2ss?si=BlZLGwvKKnUEBoYBS1 E2 - youtu.be/pNMUGsNwcLI?si=NeSxfA6OyXrcUFHYS1 E3 - youtu.be/xkFKpLwGnYA?si=hlCgpbFvmHVQSsxYS1 E4 - youtu.be/yRp847HVcXM?si=O58CU34UwrIGhkWES1 E5 - youtu.be/rjoM76zw0Ac?si=DxNDqEmBsm7srHLtS1 E6 - youtu.be/s_fhshj8yjM?si=Y2j1VpsfpOdPc8KrS1 E7 - youtu.be/KXkmJ5wqb-A?si=tQMRBZ3rPNtjKvmsS1 E8 - youtu.be/XnowLwr3bQ8?si=-8TTCgEEde3CCRq4S2 E1 - youtu.be/wyUBrbkPlF0?si=Fq4tjxblBLF55wkPS2E2 - youtu.be/r3abVCweCpU?si=xI6VH1wB5X7NrJsKS2 E3 - youtu.be/VooUChLwpBs?si=nmnl0caFEPL6vLJnS2 E4 - If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.#RoP #lotrrop #lotr
Rings of Power Season 2 Ep. 02 Where the Stars are Strange with Philip Nemesis Chase A Critical Dragon 2024-09-09 | @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy (the nefarious Dr. Fantasy himself... or is he Sauron?) and I continue our spoiler discussions about Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. This time we are discussing the second episode of Season Two, Episode Two 'Where the Stars are Strange'. There may be a mention of Beowulf, sorry. Previous Rings of Power Chats: S1 E1 youtu.be/dHJTxMRV2ss?si=BlZLGwvKKnUEBoYBS1 E2 - youtu.be/pNMUGsNwcLI?si=NeSxfA6OyXrcUFHYS1 E3 - youtu.be/xkFKpLwGnYA?si=hlCgpbFvmHVQSsxYS1 E4 - youtu.be/yRp847HVcXM?si=O58CU34UwrIGhkWES1 E5 - youtu.be/rjoM76zw0Ac?si=DxNDqEmBsm7srHLtS1 E6 - youtu.be/s_fhshj8yjM?si=Y2j1VpsfpOdPc8KrS1 E7 - youtu.be/KXkmJ5wqb-A?si=tQMRBZ3rPNtjKvmsS1 E8 - youtu.be/XnowLwr3bQ8?si=-8TTCgEEde3CCRq4S2 E1 - youtu.be/wyUBrbkPlF0?si=Fq4tjxblBLF55wkPIf you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.#RoP #lotrrop #lotr
Finale: Philip and AP Answer Questions Part Three A Critical Dragon 2024-06-24 | Of use to readers, reviewers, and authors, this video is part three of answering viewer questions about Literary Analysis and Critical Reading. Dr. Philip Chase, (@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy ) and I share what we’ve learned about analyzing stories over the years. During the series, we will cover various topics, including story versus plot, narrative perspective, characters, setting and world building, symbols, tone and style, and themes. It is our hope that the tools and techniques we discuss will add enjoyment to people’s storytelling journeys and help advance critical reading skills.This is part three of answering viewer questions... because there were a lot of questions. If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.Analysing Stories Series:01. Introduction: youtu.be/HGRFj0VZbKM?si=xtV6-MOoJngf1sfg02. Narrative, Story, and Plot: youtu.be/vB-2n2FA1Es03. Narrators and Narrative Point of View: youtu.be/tzXUAte52lA?si=h-lLepoRxtF7Fd5Z04. Characters: youtu.be/YFzuhu2CYVo05. Setting and World Building: youtube.com/watch?v=0KbvEt4xqzk06. Symbols and Symbolism youtu.be/GKNbclL2_S007. Style, Tone, Irony, Genre, Audience youtube.com/watch?v=0UGYiZaiZTw08. Theme youtu.be/W4_RAfUwkG409. Q&A Part One youtu.be/jwGAJHT2vN410. Q&A Part Two youtu.be/tK4y8lAGQrs11. Q&A Part Three youtu.be/JMEATznlMng
Philip and A.P. Answer Your Questions About Literary Analysis - Part Two A Critical Dragon 2024-06-21 | Of use to readers, reviewers, and authors, this video is part one of answering viewer questions about Literary Analysis and Critical Reading. Dr. Philip Chase, (@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy ) and I share what we’ve learned about analyzing stories over the years. During the series, we will cover various topics, including story versus plot, narrative perspective, characters, setting and world building, symbols, tone and style, and themes. It is our hope that the tools and techniques we discuss will add enjoyment to people’s storytelling journeys and help advance critical reading skills.This is part two of answering viewer questions... because there were a lot of questions. If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.Analysing Stories Series:01. Introduction: youtu.be/HGRFj0VZbKM?si=xtV6-MOoJngf1sfg02. Narrative, Story, and Plot: youtu.be/vB-2n2FA1Es03. Narrators and Narrative Point of View: youtu.be/tzXUAte52lA?si=h-lLepoRxtF7Fd5Z04. Characters: youtu.be/YFzuhu2CYVo05. Setting and World Building: youtube.com/watch?v=0KbvEt4xqzk06. Symbols and Symbolism youtu.be/GKNbclL2_S007. Style, Tone, Irony, Genre, Audience youtube.com/watch?v=0UGYiZaiZTw08. Theme youtu.be/W4_RAfUwkG409. Q&A Part One youtu.be/jwGAJHT2vN410. Q&A Part Two youtu.be/tK4y8lAGQrs11. Q&A Part Three youtu.be/JMEATznlMng
Philip and A.P. Answer Your Questions About Literary Analysis - Part One A Critical Dragon 2024-06-19 | Of use to readers, reviewers, and authors, this video is part one of answering viewer questions about Literary Analysis and Critical Reading. Dr. Philip Chase, (@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy ) and I share what we’ve learned about analyzing stories over the years. During the series, we will cover various topics, including story versus plot, narrative perspective, characters, setting and world building, symbols, tone and style, and themes. It is our hope that the tools and techniques we discuss will add enjoyment to people’s storytelling journeys and help advance critical reading skills.This is part one of answering viewer questions... because there were a lot of questions. If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.Analysing Stories Series:01. Introduction: youtu.be/HGRFj0VZbKM?si=xtV6-MOoJngf1sfg02. Narrative, Story, and Plot: youtu.be/vB-2n2FA1Es03. Narrators and Narrative Point of View: youtu.be/tzXUAte52lA?si=h-lLepoRxtF7Fd5Z04. Characters: youtu.be/YFzuhu2CYVo05. Setting and World Building: youtube.com/watch?v=0KbvEt4xqzk06. Symbols and Symbolism youtu.be/GKNbclL2_S007. Style, Tone, Irony, Genre, Audience youtube.com/watch?v=0UGYiZaiZTw08. Theme youtu.be/W4_RAfUwkG409. Q&A Part One youtu.be/jwGAJHT2vN410. Q&A Part Two youtu.be/tK4y8lAGQrs11. Q&A Part Three youtu.be/JMEATznlMng
How to Analyse Stories: With Philip Chase Ep.08 Themes A Critical Dragon 2024-06-12 | Of use to readers, reviewers, and authors, this video introduces a series of discussions where the Nemesis, Dr. Philip Chase, (@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy ) and I share what we’ve learned about analyzing stories over the years. During the series, we will cover various topics, including story versus plot, narrative perspective, characters, setting and world building, symbols, tone and style, and themes. It is our hope that the tools and techniques we discuss will add enjoyment to people’s storytelling journeys and help advance critical reading skills.This episode delves a little deeper into literary themes, and how we interpret and discuss them.If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.Analysing Stories Series:01. Introduction: youtu.be/HGRFj0VZbKM?si=xtV6-MOoJngf1sfg02. Narrative, Story, and Plot: youtu.be/vB-2n2FA1Es03. Narrators and Narrative Point of View: youtu.be/tzXUAte52lA?si=h-lLepoRxtF7Fd5Z04. Characters: youtu.be/YFzuhu2CYVo05. Setting and World Building: youtube.com/watch?v=0KbvEt4xqzk06. Symbols and Symbolism youtu.be/GKNbclL2_S007. Style, Tone, Irony, Genre, Audience youtube.com/watch?v=0UGYiZaiZTw08. Theme youtu.be/W4_RAfUwkG409. Q&A Part One youtu.be/jwGAJHT2vN410. Q&A Part Two youtu.be/tK4y8lAGQrs11. Q&A Part Three youtu.be/JMEATznlMng
How to Analyse Stories: With Philip Chase Ep.06 Symbols and Symbolism A Critical Dragon 2024-06-07 | Of use to readers, reviewers, and authors, this video introduces a series of discussions where the Nemesis, Dr. Philip Chase, (@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy ) and I share what we’ve learned about analyzing stories over the years. During the series, we will cover various topics, including story versus plot, narrative perspective, characters, setting and world building, symbols, tone and style, and themes. It is our hope that the tools and techniques we discuss will add enjoyment to people’s storytelling journeys and help advance critical reading skills.This episode delves a little deeper into symbols, symbolism, and how we interpret and discuss them.If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.Analysing Stories Series:01. Introduction: youtu.be/HGRFj0VZbKM?si=xtV6-MOoJngf1sfg02. Narrative, Story, and Plot: youtu.be/vB-2n2FA1Es03. Narrators and Narrative Point of View: youtu.be/tzXUAte52lA?si=h-lLepoRxtF7Fd5Z04. Characters: youtu.be/YFzuhu2CYVo05. Setting and World Building: youtube.com/watch?v=0KbvEt4xqzk06. Symbols and Symbolism youtu.be/GKNbclL2_S007. Style, Tone, Irony, Genre, Audience youtube.com/watch?v=0UGYiZaiZTw08. Theme youtu.be/W4_RAfUwkG409. Q&A Part One youtu.be/jwGAJHT2vN410. Q&A Part Two youtu.be/tK4y8lAGQrs11. Q&A Part Three youtu.be/JMEATznlMng
Can a Reader be Wrong? Subjectivity and Invalid Readings A Critical Dragon 2024-06-03 | The interpretation of art involves subjectivity and a personal response, so can we ever be wrong? Can a reading of a text ever be invalid?I try to explain how I think about these questions, and while this is my own personal opinion, hopefully it inspires some thought as to what we are doing when we read and discuss texts. If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.
How to Analyse Stories: With Philip Chase Ep.04 Characters A Critical Dragon 2024-05-31 | Of use to readers, reviewers, and authors, this video introduces a series of discussions where the Nemesis, Dr. Philip Chase, (@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy ) and I share what we’ve learned about analyzing stories over the years. During the series, we will cover various topics, including story versus plot, narrative perspective, characters, setting and world building, symbols, tone and style, and themes. It is our hope that the tools and techniques we discuss will add enjoyment to people’s storytelling journeys and help advance critical reading skills.This episode delves a little deeper into characters.If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.Analysing Stories Series:01. Introduction: youtu.be/HGRFj0VZbKM?si=xtV6-MOoJngf1sfg02. Narrative, Story, and Plot: youtu.be/vB-2n2FA1Es03. Narrators and Narrative Point of View: youtu.be/tzXUAte52lA?si=h-lLepoRxtF7Fd5Z04. Characters: youtu.be/YFzuhu2CYVo05. Setting and World Building: youtube.com/watch?v=0KbvEt4xqzk06. Symbols and Symbolism youtu.be/GKNbclL2_S007. Style, Tone, Irony, Genre, Audience youtube.com/watch?v=0UGYiZaiZTw08. Theme youtu.be/W4_RAfUwkG409. Q&A Part One youtu.be/jwGAJHT2vN410. Q&A Part Two youtu.be/tK4y8lAGQrs11. Q&A Part Three youtu.be/JMEATznlMng
Song of the Mysteries Livestream - Epic Fantasy Discussion and Celebration A Critical Dragon 2024-05-24 | Janny Wurts' final book in the Wars of Light and Shadow Song of the Mysteries livestream celebration and discussion with Janny Wurts, John A. Douglas, P.L. Stuart, Blaise, Niko, Philip Chase, Johanna, Bryce and Steven Erikson. Janny Wurts Website: https://www.paravia.com/JannyWurts/in...Steven Erikson Website: malazanempire.com/sitePL Stuart Website: @thedrownedkingdomsaga7847 Phillip Chase: @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Nikos Book Reviews: @nikosbookreviews John A. Douglas: @AuthorJohnADouglas Bryce of Shelf Centered: @ShelfCentered Johanna Reads: @Johanna_reads Under The Radar SFF Podcast (Blaise Anacona): https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/sh...
How to Analyse Stories: With Philip Chase Ep.02 Narrative, Story, and Plot A Critical Dragon 2024-05-22 | Of use to readers, reviewers, and authors, this video introduces a series of discussions where the Nemesis, Dr. Philip Chase, (@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy ) and I share what we’ve learned about analyzing stories over the years. During the series, we will cover various topics, including story versus plot, narrative perspective, characters, setting and world building, symbols, tone and style, and themes. It is our hope that the tools and techniques we discuss will add enjoyment to people’s storytelling journeys and help advance critical reading skills.This episode delves a little deeper into plot, story, and narrative.NB: As I mention in the video, there was a section about diegetic levels and I was not happy with how I was simplifying some of the concepts. So if you would like a video on that, just let me know. If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.Analysing Stories Series:01. Introduction: youtu.be/HGRFj0VZbKM?si=xtV6-MOoJngf1sfg02. Narrative, Story, and Plot: youtu.be/vB-2n2FA1Es03. Narrators and Narrative Point of View: youtu.be/tzXUAte52lA?si=h-lLepoRxtF7Fd5Z04. Characters: youtu.be/YFzuhu2CYVo05. Setting and World Building: youtube.com/watch?v=0KbvEt4xqzk06. Symbols and Symbolism youtu.be/GKNbclL2_S007. Style, Tone, Irony, Genre, Audience youtube.com/watch?v=0UGYiZaiZTw08. Theme youtu.be/W4_RAfUwkG409. Q&A Part One youtu.be/jwGAJHT2vN410. Q&A Part Two youtu.be/tK4y8lAGQrs11. Q&A Part Three youtu.be/JMEATznlMng
What the Crawl from Star Wars can teach us about storytelling, writing, and adaptation. A Critical Dragon 2024-05-20 | The novelisation of Star Wars came out before the film premiered. Which creates an interesting paradox about 'original work', and complicates the notion of what the 'real story' is.But this is a short video looking at the 'Crawl' from the novel, from an early draft of the screenplay, and from the cinematic release to talk about how different media and different audiences can impact what is said and understood, and what information we can glean from the variations. If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.
Octavia Butlers Parable of the Sower and Reviewing versus Reader Response A Critical Dragon 2024-04-22 | Recently I had a commenter that said they had read Octavia Butler's Parable of the Sower and that it was badly written. Also, my nemesis Philip Chase recently made some comments about reviewing and Goodreads. So I thought this might be a good opportunity to talk about both subjects.How to evaluate text, and how that impacts what reviewing is. If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.
The Philosophy of Worldbuilding and My Problems with Star Trek: Discovery A Critical Dragon 2024-04-19 | It is no secret that I am not the world's biggest fan of Star Trek: Discovery, but are my major problems with the show justified? There are two major elements of Discovery that irk me.1. Inconsistent and incoherent 'rules' within the worldbuilding. 2. Plot overriding psychological realism, common sense, rationality, and logic. But this may be more a 'me thing' and not an aspect of 'bad writing' in so far as the type of narrative and what the narrative is trying to achieve often alters what we consider to be the 'rules' of good writing. If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.
Is the Wars of Light and Shadow by Janny Wurts Right for You? Lets Look at the Writing. A Critical Dragon 2024-04-10 | If you like Epic Fantasy then the Wars of Light and Shadow might be your next big read. But, in addition to genre, one of the most significant factors in whether or not we enjoy a book or series concerns how it is written. If you don't enjoy the style, quite often it doesn't matter how good the story is, you just can't get into it. So this video is a look at a non-spoiler section of Grand Conspiracy by Janny Wurts, and a brief discussion of some of the elements she puts in her writing. If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.
Is Strong Prose Always Better? A Critical Dragon 2024-04-08 | If we want to be better at evaluating prose, we have to be better at recognising that no one style or approach is 'best' in all circumstances, but we also need to be able to recognise these aspects and understand that they have their place and usefulness. Writing advice often stresses 'strong, concise, unambiguous' prose. But context, desired effect, and information communicated, are always important considerations. So this is a short exercise demonstrating some of the aspects of 'strong' 'direct' writing, all the way down to 'weak', ambiguous, writing complete with 'filler words'. If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.
Discussing Bookers 7 Basic Plots and the Strengths and Weaknesses of Structural Approaches A Critical Dragon 2024-04-01 | You might be familiar with the assertion 'there are only 7 basic plots', well, this is a video about them, and why this approach (basically a form of structuralism and not at all new) is not as simple and as straightforward as its proponents often make it. I also discuss Code 8: Part II (Director: Jeff Chan, 2024), Road House (Director: Rowdy Herrington, 1989), and Road House (Director: Doug Liman, 2024).If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.
Basic Introduction to What is Prose? A Critical Dragon 2024-03-25 | This is a short, basic video detailing what 'prose' means for Literature (capital L). I gloss over a LOT, but this wasn't intended to be a comprehensive guide, more a short video describing the the major points that might be of use to those that don't have a background in Literature. If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.
Spoiler Chat: Dune Part Two with Philip Chase the Ultimate Nemesis A Critical Dragon 2024-03-11 | @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy and I have a spoiler-filled chat about the new Dune film adaptation (Dune Part Two) by Denis Villeneuve and discuss our thoughts on it. Philip and I had a non-spoiler discussion about Dune: Part One over on his channel: youtube.com/channel/UCtggKwACpBTToxBqaUawByw/featured And the spoiler discussion of Dune: Part One is here: youtu.be/ZoH7uedzsuQIf you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.
Chatting with Malazan Author Ian C. Esslemont about the Impact of Games on Fantasy Fiction A Critical Dragon 2024-02-26 | Malazan Author Ian C. Esslemont, joined me for a discussion about the impact that ludic systems (games) have had on Fantasy fiction and reader expectation. As with all these sorts of discussions, we get side-tracked in exploring the topic, and it is more generally discursive rather than a pointed lecture about specifics. However, we had fun. We discuss as spects of Hard/Soft magic and SF, gaming narratives, gaming in narratives, and the reader expectations created by the rising prevalence of ludic narratives (computer games) in how information and the fictive world is presented to the reader. If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.
Discussing The Sandman: Dream Country with Varsha and Philip A Critical Dragon 2024-02-19 | Continuing our read through and discussion of The Sandman by Neil Gaiman, @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy and @ReadingByTheRainyMountain join me to talk about the issues bound up in Dream Country:#17 'Calliope'#18 'A Dream of a Thousand Cats'#19 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'#20 'Façade'Writer: Neil GaimanPencillers: Kelley Jones, Charles Vess, & Colleen DoranInkers: Malcolm Jones III & Charles VessLetterist: Todd KleinColorists: Robbie Busch & Steve OliffVideo 01 is on Varsha's Channelyoutu.be/YxGoW7N0bJM?si=sqpWUeMDR4m5Hpwj Video 02 is on Philip's Channelyoutu.be/ArOeIPZQpMo?si=pm5npm6R6KIl2YDQAn earlier video I had done on 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' can be found here: youtu.be/Tti-_AWZ-iIIf you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.
Being a Better Reader: Some Foundational Literary Terms A Critical Dragon 2024-02-14 | Part of getting better at reading and improving literacy is understanding and recognising the different techniques that writers employ. This is just a short video highlighting some of the basic techniques that we find in literature. once we know about them, we can recognise them and their use.Once we recognise them , then we can start engaging with what effects they are creating.Once we can identify the effects they create, then we can start asking why they are there.It is all part of the process of understanding the written words in front of us beyond a simple reading and understanding of the meaning of the sentence. If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.
Some Arguments I am Sick of Hearing About Narrative A Critical Dragon 2024-02-12 | "Modern Politics shouldn't be in Narrative". "Narrative shouldn't be didactic", and "Authors shouldn't insert their own opinions into their work" are three arguments that irritate me. Mainly because they are reductive and illogical positions.There is a great amount we can discuss, dissect, critique, and engage with when works exhibit any of these things, but their presence in literature, film, and television, are not indicators of poor quality, bad books, and these creators and authors have every right to include these things. But a few of my reasons for objecting to these particular statements are: Firstly, because they conflate what we personally might enjoy in a story with an over-reaching universal criteria that should be applied to all literature and narrative, when clearly that isn't true.Secondly, these arguments disregard the vast swathes of literature (both historical and contemporary) that do these things (or have done them) and are great stories. Thirdly, there are entire genres and subgenres in which all these practices are not only common but also desirable. Fourthly, personal expectations and preferences about one genre or even subgenre, are not foundational grounds for any of these statements. So I may have been in a bad mood when discussing these points, but a few people that I respect made variants of these arguments and I got irritated and wanted to discuss my perspective.But hey, this is just my opinion, so I guess that is just as valid as someone else's opinion. If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.
Critical Conversations: Chatting about Prose and Narrative A Critical Dragon 2024-02-05 | A Critic and a Writer in conversation? Could it possibly be true? Steven Erikson (Malazan Book of the Fallen) stopped by for a chat, and we decided to record a bit of our discussion. We were meant to be discussing prose and structure, but, as usual, we ended up being side tracked. I hope you enjoy this glimpse into how Erikson and I argue about various aspects of writing. He always thinks about writing first and foremost as an author, and I almost invariably come at the writing as a reader. It makes for a fun discussion of writing and thinking about writing as we each have different perspectives that don't always align. If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.
Fantasy Swearing and Swearing in Fantasy A Critical Dragon 2024-01-29 | While I am still recovering and not quite back to full strength, I thought I would talk about a fun topic that @CannataJeff raised with his co-host Lana Bachynski on the DLC Book Club - Swearing in Fantasy and why it sometimes isn't convincing. I avoid swearing for the vast majority of the video, so if you are looking for me swearing, this isn't really the place. I do discuss some different ways of categorising swearing that Prof. Steven Pinker outlines in his work, and how that can help us identify why and how fantasy swear words can sound silly, rude, or authentic. If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.Non-Spoiler Discussion of Swearing in Fantasy - DLC Bookclub - HOUSE OF CHAINS - MALAZAN BOOK OF THE FALLEN - Chapters 15-17youtube.com/watch?v=1G1fgswCsoY&ab_channel=JeffCannataSteven Pinker: The Stuff of Thought: Language as a Window into Human Nature youtube.com/watch?v=U654Kw6oVA4&ab_channel=TheEthanwashereGeorge Carlin: Seven Wordsyoutube.com/watch?v=5ssJtD08vCc&ab_channel=TheUnreliableTV
Discussing Inspiration and Imitation with Malazan Authors Esslemont and Erikson A Critical Dragon 2024-01-15 | I had a chat with Malazan authors Ian C. Esslemont (Novels of the Malazan Empire and Paths to Ascendancy) and Steven Erikson (Malazan Book of the Fallen, Kharkanas, and Witness) about aspects of inspiration and imitation when it comes to writing and narrative. We discussed some of their inspirations, but also were the dividing line is when it comes to writing. Discussion of Zack Snyder's recent film Rebel Moon may have come up... as well as Glen Cook's Black Company, and we might just have referenced the great Malazan Controversy of Elric 😂If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.
Blue Eye Samurai - The Western and the Eastern A Critical Dragon 2024-01-08 | I recently had the pleasure of watching Netflix's animated show Blue Eye Samurai. While I greatly enjoyed the series, what interested me a bit more was how easily an 'Eastern' can become a 'Western' and vice versa.So this is just a short chat about how underlying elements can link narratives, even if their expression and specific details are different. If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.
Some Reasons Why We Think That The Critics Are Always Wrong A Critical Dragon 2024-01-03 | In starting off the New Year and talking about narrative in all its forms, I thought that I might broach the subject of the oft claimed 'The Critics are ALWAYS Wrong' comment that we so often see flung around with wild abandon, no sense of irony (because in critiquing the critics we become the critic... critic Inception), and an absolutist sense of righteousness. So here are some thoughts about why there is sometimes a disconnect between fan and critic, and hopefully it leads to some productive conversation in the new year. If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.
Rebel Moon ... A rant-ette to open the New Year. A Critical Dragon 2024-01-01 | Over the Break I watched Zack Snyder's Rebel Moon. If you enjoyed it, I wish you well, you might want to skip this one. For those of you who may have had an experience closer to mine, I try to break down why the film didn't work for me. If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.
Talking About Tropes: Tropes, Fridging, and Wheel of Time (The TV Show) A Critical Dragon 2023-12-27 | I have been thinking a bit about how we talk about tropes, and how our approach to understanding, discussing, and even identifying tropes, can often influence our view of narrative. So here are my thoughts on it. As always, these are my thoughts on how to approach these things, and we live in a wonderous world in which multiple opinions and perspectives exist. If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.
Wars of Light & Shadow: Addressing a Few Complaints A Critical Dragon 2023-12-20 | Recently I discussed Fugitive Prince (Book 4 of The Wars of Light and Shadow) by Janny Wurts with @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy and @Johanna_reads .In the comment section, a commenter had expressed their displeasure/dissatisfaction with the series thus far, and had made a number of points explaining why. While every reader is perfectly entitled to like or dislike a story, and nothing I say can make you like something you don't, I thought was a good opportunity to discuss different aspects of reading and how we think about the narrative in front of us. So I have attempted to address a number of the concerns that they raised and how I personally think about them, reading concepts that they relate to, and how our individual approaches to understanding narrative and what we personally bring to the table can shape our understanding of the story in front of us. To be very clear, they are absolutely entitled to have their perspective of the series, to say what they dislike about it, and this is in no way an attempt to say they are wrong in their approach, but they framed many of their complaints in terms of how some aspects are not believable when I believe they are. So I am explaining how I approach a text. If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.
The First Two Paragraphs of The Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey A Critical Dragon 2023-12-18 | Another Prologue-ish Analysis, this time Anne McCaffrey's The Dragonriders of Pern. Authors use all sorts of techniques to make their writing impactful, powerful, concise, and efficient, and it is not always about short sentences. The first two paragraphs of McCaffrey's writing are a masterclass in how to evoke the fantastic, communicate incredible amounts of detail to the reader, and how to imply a vast amount of information to create interest, ease, and context. Excerpt from Dragonflight, the first book of the Dragonriders of Pern at Penguin Random House Canada. If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.
How Series Alter Narrative Structure: Intrusion Fantasy and Alternate History A Critical Dragon 2023-12-13 | I have been watching For All Mankind, an alternate history science fiction TV Show about the Space Race initially set in the 1960s, but as the seasons have progressed, it has moved further and further away from an alternate history with close parallels to our reality, into something more akin to a straightforward science fiction show. This got me thinking about the impact of 'Series as an influence of how we perceive the narrative in front of us. I have previously discussed Farah Mendlesohn's concept of the Intrusion Fantasy from her work Rhetorics of Fantasy, and how Urban Fantasy series often start that way, but soon move past it to something more akin to Secondary World fantasy. By analogy, I think that something similar happens with Alternate History stories. If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.
Prologue Analysis - Assassins Apprentice by Robin Hobb (Farseer and Realm of the Elderlings Book 1) A Critical Dragon 2023-12-11 | As per usual I take a look at what Hobb is doing in the opening of this book, but this time around I talk a bit about we can misread what is on the page because of assumptions we make and project onto the text, word choice, the effects created, and what we know about the narrator and the story that is being promised. And yes, this is the first 4 paragraphs of chapter one of Assassin's Apprentice rather than a 'prologue' but it is the first four paragraphs of the start of the novel. If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.
Being A Better Reader: Surface Level Reading and Literalism A Critical Dragon 2023-12-06 | I wanted to talk about some aspects of reading that can be detrimental to our understanding and appreciation of text. A lot of these are inter-related and it is when they build on one another that we see how powerfully they impact our evolution as readers. This video is a short discussion of aspects of literalism and surface level reading that can impact our ability to understand and appreciate literature that employs focalisation, subtext, and context. If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.
What the biopic Gran Turismo can teach us about story. A Critical Dragon 2023-12-04 | The racing biopic Gran Turismo is a nice example of how story functions and can help us understand the various decisions that go into making narrative, not just adaptations.You don't need to have seen the film to follow the discussion here. Intro and Music by Professor TripIf you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragon
My Explanation of the Ending of Loki Season Two - And it isnt about the God of Stories A Critical Dragon 2023-11-20 | The Finale of Loki Season Two has had some people speculating about Loki as the God of Stories, and yet that 'explanation' made no sense to me. So this is me trying to explain what I understood about the end of the story, and how I envisage what the story was telling us. It was a Comics Explained video that told me about Atlez. He makes a compelling argument, and I am inclined to believe him on this. youtube.com/watch?v=G7G6MykBBdIIntro and Music by Professor TripIf you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragon
Chatting with Jeff and Lana of the DLC Bookclub about Reading, Fantasy, and Malazan A Critical Dragon 2023-11-06 | I recently had the absolute pleasure of having a chat with the Dynamic Duo of the DLC Podcast, Jeff Cannata and Lana Bachynski. The DLC Bookclub (@CannataJeff ) has just finished their read along of Memories of Ice, Book 3 of Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen, following their discussions of Gardens of the Moon and Deadhouse Gates. I am a huge fan of their discussions that combine humour, insight, and great personal responses to the material. I can't recommend it enough. We had a pretty relaxed chat about reading, Malazan, some of the differences between narrative in literature and in gaming. I had a wonderful time meeting them and chatting with them, and I hope that you enjoy the discussion too. Intro and Music by Professor TripIf you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragon
Transparent Prose: What it is and isnt... A Critical Dragon 2023-10-30 | This is the last time I try to record outside. I can't fix the audio... sorry. So I recently had a video that was demonetized by YouTube but I am not sure why. It was focused on overly elaborate prose (using a word beginning with 'P' that sounds a bit like pretend...tious). Anyway, I thought I would approach the topic again but from a different angle. So this time I am discussing Transparent Prose, or Windex Prose, or Window Prose... basically prose that does not 'intrude', and some of the assumptions that we make about it. Yes, I talk about Brandon Sanderson, but also Ernest Hemingway and George Orwell. By the way, there is a great post by Elizabeth Bear that talks a lot about aesthetics, style, and how style and voice interact with story, and how we often have false dichotomies in which voice is seen as antithetical to story. matociquala.livejournal.com/841864.htmlIntro and Music by Professor TripIf you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonSome further reading that might be of interest:data.oecd.org/pisa/reading-performance-pisa.htmoecd.org/skills/piaac/Country%20note%20-%20United%20States.pdf (In particular see page 13. Interesting reading.)bbc.com/news/education-29885222 An interesting and short article on the subject of literacy. wired.co.uk/article/analysis-of-news-articles for some breakdown of 'reading ages' in regards to news articles. Admittedly Wired isn't a great source, but it refers to the research done by others.
Believability - The Tension Between the Willing Suspension of Disbelief and Realism A Critical Dragon 2023-10-25 | Is 'Realism' the only lens with which to view narrative? Wellllll we ignore realism all the time, from action, to comedy, to romance, and on and on... The key to this is the willing suspension of disbelief.Yet there is always a tension between what is 'real' and what narrative requires in terms of what is persuasively 'believable' and that is where suspension of belief steps in. In a lot of modern discussions about narrative there is a tendency to focus on Realism and mimetic representation of the 'real' as the only objective metric. If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.
Midnight Tides From a Re-Read Perspective - Full Series Spoilers Malazan Book of the Fallen 05 A Critical Dragon 2023-10-23 | Rereading the Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson is not just about experiencing the full context of the events, but also about seeing the narrative from a new perspective. This is a video discussion about a couple of elements of Midnight Tides (MBotF 05) MBotF from a re-read perspective and how knowledge of who the ultimate narrator of the series is gives readers a different view of the events, their meaning, and a new way to interpret what is happening on the page. While not a definitive list, I hope it gives some food for thought on how the full context can help us see events and characters from a different perspective, and re-evaluate the importance of various events given our newly acquired knowledge. If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.
Why I Started Reading Fantasy - Well, one of the reasons. A Critical Dragon 2023-10-20 | Recent events have made me think about why I started reading Fantasy in the first place, and where my love of Fantasy may have come from. So this is just a short video to talk about that, and to talk about a partial defence of escapism, and why, sometimes, it is necessary. Intro and Music by Professor TripIf you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragon
Being a Better Reader: We are not always the audience. A Critical Dragon 2023-10-18 | I wanted to talk about some aspects of reading that can be detrimental to our understanding and appreciation of text. A lot of these are inter-related and it is when they build on one another that we see how powerfully they impact our evolution as readers. This video is about how assumptions about our place as 'the reader' can negatively impact our perception of the text, and even cause us to misread the text. If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.
Narrative Techniques and a Malazan Primer: Discussing Writing with Ian C. Esslemont A Critical Dragon 2023-10-16 | A Critic and a Writer in conversation? Could it possibly be true? Night of Knives is the first book of the Novels of the Malazan Empire series by Ian C. Esslemont. Esslemont took the time to sit down with me to talk through the opening few paragraphs.I always enjoy chatting about books with their authors as often their perspective on what they were trying to do can deepen my own understanding of text and narrative. Intro and Music by Professor TripIf you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragon
Discussing Liminal Magic as an Alternative to Magic System with Janny Wurts A Critical Dragon 2023-10-11 | Janny Wurts joined me to discuss an alternative to Magic Systems, and that is magic in the liminal spaces. Unfortunately there were some connection and audio issues, and I can only apologise to Janny for messing up such a great conversation. Janny selected some passages from other fantasy authors (and I snuck one in from her own work) so that we could discuss how these authors created magic on the page and how it works in a fundamentally different way to the common 'magic system'. So if you are interested in magic in fantasy novels, or even just in how authors evoke the sense of the fantastic, I hope that you find the examples interesting. I am also reading through Janny Wurts' War of Light and Shadow with Philip Chase and Johanna Reads.The Discussion of Book One The Curse of the Mistwraith is on Philip's channel: youtu.be/rcEQvxJLyWw?si=kvyCRZoMXmzA7gSZThe Discussion of Book Two Ships of Merior is on Johanna's channel:youtu.be/iWDWUuKOvyg?si=2zJIPTJfHycFrlAXThe Discussion of Book Three Warhost of Vastmark is here:youtu.be/OCgtwuPy_00If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.
Wheel of Time Season Finale: What Was Meant To Be A Critical Dragon 2023-10-09 | @Philip Chase and I continue to try to remain relevant in today's fast moving cultural media landscape by talking about the Wheel of Time TV Show as if we have any idea of what is going on.This video has us trying to make insightful comments about Amazon's The Wheel of Time: Season Two Episode Eight: What Was Meant To Be.This is the season finale, and will be the last discussion Philip and I will have on the subject, but I could make one more on my full season thoughts if anyone is interested. The Episode One discussion is on Philip's Channel. youtube.com/watch?v=cheY20oGhkU Episode Two: youtu.be/wGjN2UmsF8oEpisode Three: youtube.com/watch?v=8tRd5efMwUoEpisode Four: youtu.be/HRQY9AfpojIEpisode Five: youtu.be/UY1ucGv9zpM?si=sE8dCQonf0k1qEf7Episode Six: youtu.be/4-G2I3qqxxUEpisode Seven: youtube.com/watch?v=nqRLUUdMDKsIf you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.
Being a Better Reader - Out of Context: The Potential Importance of Context to Understanding A Critical Dragon 2023-10-04 | I wanted to talk about some aspects of reading that can be detrimental to our understanding and appreciation of text. A lot of these are inter-related and it is when they build on one another that we see how powerfully they impact our evolution as readers. This video is about the potential importance of context, and how taking scenes out of context can negatively impact our ability to engage with a text. If you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.
Warhost of Vastmark Discussion with Johanna and The Nemesis Philip Chase A Critical Dragon 2023-10-02 | It should come as no surprise that I am greatly enjoying Janny Wurts' series The Wars of Light and Shadow. I was joined by @Johanna_reads and @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy for a discussion of Book 3 Warhost of Vastmark. Warhost is the conclusion of Arc 1 of Wurts' series, and in some editions is the second half of Book 2 Ships of Merior. We have a short 'Non-Spoiler discussion' followed by a more in-depth spoiler discussion of the book and we focused on some of the scenes that really stood out to us. The Discussion of Book One The Curse of the Mistwraith is on Philip's channel: youtu.be/rcEQvxJLyWw?si=kvyCRZoMXmzA7gSZThe Discussion of Book Two Ships of Merior is on Johanna's channel:youtu.be/iWDWUuKOvyg?si=2zJIPTJfHycFrlAXIf you would like to buy me a coffee or a book, Support me on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/criticaldragonIntro and Music by Professor Trip.
