Tar Valon Or Bust

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 Preeti and Jenn discuss timeline wibbly-wobbliness, Merlin's misogyny, #JusticeForNiniane, and the only moment in which they sort of liked Uther.Next episode: Book IV, The Red Dragon: Sections 6-10Get 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 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

As they prepare to dive into their next reread, Preeti and Jenn talk about Mary Stewart as a writer, their personal history with her Arthurian Saga, and what they're expecting, excited for, and nervous about.Next episode: Prologue - Book 1: The DoveNicola Griffith, Hild / MenewoodGet more of Brett Parnell's music at bearinabarnnyc.comMore from Heeral Chhibber at heeral.org Get merch: tar-valon-or-bust.printify.me/products and northingtron.redbubble.com