Tar Valon Or Bust

In which Preeti and Jenn revisit Guy Ritchie's King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, which is actually two different movies (one of which is actually a video game), and possibly the least "King Arthur" Arthurian movie ever created. Listen as they talk female characters, meta-narrative, folk songs in fantasy properties, and more.The Devil & The Huntsman, by Sam Lee and Daniel Pemberton: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGnfFW-vyzU&themeRefresh=1Jenn's Note: Also! We completely forgot until after we stopped recording that this episode is basically the 5-year anniversary of TVOB! Seems weirdly fitting, somehow.Next episode, Mid-December: The Green KnightJoin Preeti at Barnes & Noble in Atlanta for a Romance panel!Slash, The Game: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/148209/slash-romance-without-boundariesGet more of Brett Parnell's music at bearinabarnnyc.comMore from Heeral Chhibber at heeral.orgGet merch: tar-valon-or-bust.printify.me/products and northingtron.redbubble.com

In which Jenn and Preeti take back any nice things they ever said about Uther, have wildly different memories of this section, are gobsmacked by the fight but less enthused about the pages and pages of descriptions of wind, and talk a lot about word choice and authorial intent.Next episodes: Movie Break!Mid-November, King Arthur: Legend of the SwordMid-December, The Green KnightGet more of Brett Parnell's music at bearinabarnnyc.comMore from Heeral Chhibber at heeral.orgGet merch: tar-valon-or-bust.printify.me/products and northingtron.redbubble.comRead Preeti's story in the new anthology, For the Rest of Us

In which Preeti and Jenn discuss Merlin's (lack of) interiority, Mary Stewart's stylistic and mythological choices, and the Absolute Unit that is Ygraine.Next episode: Book V, The Coming of the Bear, Section 6 - The Legend of MerlinGet more of Brett Parnell's music at bearinabarnnyc.comMore from Heeral Chhibber at heeral.orgGet merch: tar-valon-or-bust.printify.me/products and northingtron.redbubble.comRead Preeti's story in the new anthology, For the Rest of Us

In which Jenn and Preeti talk about emotional disconnection, historical infodumps, Big Feelings about Ambrosius and Merlin, and quests. Next episode: Book V, The Coming of the Bear: Sections 1-5Get more of Brett Parnell's music at bearinabarnnyc.comMore from Heeral Chhibber at heeral.orgGet merch: tar-valon-or-bust.printify.me/products and northingtron.redbubble.comRead Preeti's story in the new anthology, For the Rest of Us

In which the big question is, who is this scared Merlin and what happened to his assurance? Preeti and Jenn debate authorial intent vs. impact, possible theories, the Saxon perspective, and also wow what a banger of a section. Next episode: Book IV, The Red Dragon: Sections 1-5The Shieldwall Song (via Holly B): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5uKIgSRVlg Get more of Brett Parnell's music at bearinabarnnyc.comMore from Heeral Chhibber at heeral.orgGet merch: tar-valon-or-bust.printify.me/products and northingtron.redbubble.com

In which Preeti and Jenn spend an hour talking about 35 pages of text, because that's how they roll. Unreliable narrators, historical timelines, Parks and Rec comparisons, the works! But hey, at least it was only one recording session.Next section: Book III: The Wolf, Sections 7-12 inclusiveGet more of Brett Parnell's music at bearinabarnnyc.comMore from Heeral Chhibber at heeral.orgGet merch: tar-valon-or-bust.printify.me/products and northingtron.redbubble.com

Get ready, y'all! Three recording sessions later, Preeti and Jenn dive THE DEEPEST into The Falcon. Join them for parallel characters, big revelations, druids, and all the ugh to Uther. Next section: Book III: The Wolf, Sections 1-6 inclusiveDhonielle Clayton's The BellesBritish officers and batmen/servants trope (Frodo & Sam): https://www.reddit.com/r/tolkienfans/comments/1iuuez9/is_frodo_and_sams_master_and_servant_relationship/Malka Older's Mossa and Pleiti seriesGet more of Brett Parnell's music at bearinabarnnyc.comMore from Heeral Chhibber at heeral.orgGet merch: tar-valon-or-bust.printify.me/products and northingtron.redbubble.com

In this extra-long episode, Preeti and Jenn dig into the language, atmosphere, and voice of The Crystal Cage: Prologue - Book I: The Dove. (We will fight you for baby Merlin!!!!!)Hild and Menewood, Nicola GriffithThe story of Dinas Emrys and the two dragons (Help Jenn find the audio cassette she used to listen to! The opening lines included something like 'Storm clouds marched along the sky. Rain beat against the gray castle walls. Inside, a young boy woke.' It had a male narrator.)Next section: Book II: The FalconGet more of Brett Parnell's music at bearinabarnnyc.comMore from Heeral Chhibber at heeral.orgGet merch: tar-valon-or-bust.printify.me/products and northingtron.redbubble.com