Stars and Swords: Footnoting Genre Fiction

This week, we conclude our discussion of Terry Pratchett's Mort with thoughts on Pratchett's precision as a stylist, tick-tock structure, and how much of the theme is on the page. Is sentimentality a good thing? Is Mort effectively sidelined in the final conflict? How do we embrace subjectivity over objectivity?To see the video version of this week's show, click here; to see the slides, click here!Footnotes:MortTerry PratchettAudiobooks (including the footnotes!)Follow Stars And Swords on YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.To join me for the live broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we return to Terry Pratchett's Mort to discuss perspective, the dualities of life on the Disc, and what is really going on with Death. Do we believe that everything is predestined? Who gets to tell the story? Does Ysabelle sparkle in the sunlight?To see the video version of this week's show, click here; to see the slides, click here!Footnotes:MortTerry PratchettAudiobooks (including the footnotes!)Follow Stars And Swords on YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.To join me for the live broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we dive into the Discworld with our first discussion of Terry Pratchett's Mort. Are the rules as unbreakable as they seem to be? Are ideas as dangerous? How does Death blow smoke rings? To see the video version of this week's show, click here; to see the slides, click here!Footnotes:MortTerry PratchettRhianna PratchettTerry Pratchett's Mort (BBC Radio 4)Audiobooks (including the footnotes!)Follow Stars And Swords on YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.To join me for the live broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we return from an extended hiatus to offer a short conclusion to our unit on William Gibson's Neuromancer. How are Zion and Istanbul connected? Is Wintermute right about the power of hate? Is the punk more important than the cyber?Footnotes:NeuromancerWilliam GibsonWilliam Gibson on BlueskyFollow Stars And Swords on YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.To join me for the live broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we continue our unit on William Gibson's Neuromancer. Are there only a few pathways to juvenile rebellion? How does the industrial become the post-industrial? How does Gibson's understanding of artificial intelligence hold up in 2025? To see the video version of this week's show, click here; to see the slides, click here!Footnotes:NeuromancerWilliam GibsonWilliam Gibson on BlueskyFollow Stars And Swords on YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.To join me for the live broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we begin our unit on influential science fiction with the first part of William Gibson's novel Neuromancer. Where does cyberpunk come from? How does Gibson complicate the mind-body problem? How do we know what's cool?To see the video version of this week's show, click here; to see the slides, click here!Footnotes:NeuromancerWilliam GibsonWilliam Gibson on BlueskyFollow Stars And Swords on YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.To join me for the live broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we conclude our spooky-season unit on The Haunting Of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. As Eleanor retreats from the story, how do we become aware of the perspective of the house itself? Is it possible to read Theodora as a villain? What, in the end, walks alone inside Hill House?To see the video version of this week's show, click here; to see the slides, click here!Footnotes:The Haunting Of Hill HouseThe Lottery And Other Stories (Shirley Jackson)The Letters of Shirley Jackson (Laurence Jackson Hyman)Follow Stars And Swords on YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.To join me for the live broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we continue our thirteenth unit on The Haunting Of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. What are the atomic units of identity, and how do they interact? How does the book operate with -- or without -- the queer subtext? Is there, at the most basic level, something supernatural about Hill House? To see the video version of this week's show, click here; to see the slides, click here!Next week, chapters six to nine of The Haunting Of Hill House, live on Patreon on Thursday, October 30th at 9PM Central Time. Footnotes:The Haunting Of Hill HouseThe Lottery And Other Stories (Shirley Jackson)The Letters of Shirley Jackson (Laurence Jackson Hyman)Follow Stars And Swords on YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.To join me for the live broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we begin our thirteenth unit with an introduction to The Haunting Of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. How does Jackson's biography help us to understand the themes of this book? How do we understand Hill House in the gothic tradition? Is this the best first paragraph any book ever? To see the video version of this week's show, click here; to see the slides, click here!Next week, chapters two to five of The Haunting Of Hill House, live on Patreon on Thursday, October 23rd at 9PM Central Time. Footnotes:The Haunting Of Hill HouseThe Lottery And Other Stories (Shirley Jackson)The Letters of Shirley Jackson (Laurence Jackson Hyman)Follow Stars And Swords on YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.To join me for the live broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we conclude our unit on David Sodergren's The Haar. Where did cozy fiction come from? Is the satire effective? How do we understand Muriel's faith and final decision? To see the video version of this week's show, click here; to see the slides, click here!Next week, we begin Shirley Jackson's The Haunting Of Hill House, live on Patreon on Thursday, October 16th at 9PM Central Time. Footnotes:The HaarYou've Been Trumped (2011)Trump International Golf Links, ScotlandHaggis Wildlife FoundationFollow Stars And Swords on YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.To join me for the live broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we continue our spookily-seasonal unit on David Sodergren's The Haar. What is the role of memory in a story preoccupied with bodies? How is identity constructed? Is this book the first recorded instance of Cosy Gore?To see the video version of this week's show, click here; to see the slides, click here!Next week, we conclude David Sodergren's The Haar, live on Patreon on Thursday, October 9th at 9PM Central Time. Footnotes:The HaarYou've Been Trumped (2011)Trump International Golf Links, ScotlandHaggis Wildlife FoundationFollow Stars And Swords on YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.To join me for the live broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Welcome to spooky season, and our Modern Horror unit on David Sodergren's The Haar. What is the necessary context for this novel? How does the possibility space of a horror novel work in practice? Is Muriel Margaret McAuley the best protagonist we've studied?To see the video version of this week's show, click here; to see the slides, click here!Next week, we continue David Sodergren's The Haar, live on Patreon on Thursday, October 2nd at 9PM Central Time. Footnotes:The HaarYou've Been Trumped (2011)Trump International Golf Links, Scotland"Protected sand dunes to lose special status after environmental damage by Trump golf course." (London School of Economics)"‘People have seen through him and he’s not welcome’: Scotland tees up for Trump visit." (The Guardian)Follow Stars And Swords on YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.To join me for the live broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we conclude our discussion of Jane Austen's Sense And Sensibility. How does the text position WIlloughby as an interesting villain? Is there a moral lesson to be found in Marianne's last transformation? Is Edward enough for Elinor?To see the slides, click here! Don't forget to check out my new Tolkien-related show, Shire Reckoning!Next week, we begin David Sodergren's The Haar, live on Patreon on Thursday, September 25th at 9PM Central. Footnotes:Sense And SensibilityA Calendar for Sense and SensibilitySense And Sensibility (1995)Stars And Swords on Bookshop.orgThe Haar To join me for the live YouTube broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

 This week, we continue our discussion of Jane Austen's Sense And Sensibility. How are the Miss Steeles revealed to be undesirable types? Why does Mrs. Jennings set up a great conflict, then immediately resolve it? Just how feminist is Austen anyway? To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here! Don't forget to check out my new Tolkien-related show, Shire Reckoning!Next week, we finish Sense and Sensibility, live on Patreon on Thursday, September 18th at 9PM Central. Footnotes:Sense And SensibilityA Calendar for Sense and SensibilitySense And Sensibility (1995)Stars And Swords on Bookshop.org To join me for the live YouTube broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we continue our discussion of Jane Austen's Sense And Sensibility. How does Colonel Brandon's awkwardness communicate his honesty? How do we understand the backstory of Willoughby and Eliza? Is John Dashwood or Robert Ferrers worse?To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!Don't forget to check out my new Tolkien-related show, Shire Reckoning!Next week, Volume 3, Chapter I (37) to VII (43) of Sense and Sensibility, live on Patreon on Thursday, September 11th at 9PM Central.Footnotes:Sense And SensibilityA Calendar for Sense and SensibilitySense And Sensibility (1995)Stars And Swords on Bookshop.org To join me for the live YouTube broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we continue our discussion of Jane Austen's Sense And Sensibility. How does Marianne embody the modernity of Austen's age? What are the social expectations surrounding courtship and engagement? Is Edward maybe sometimes kind of a loser?To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!Don't forget to check out my new Tolkien-related show, Shire Reckoning!Next week, Volume 2, Chapter VI (28) to XIV (36) of Sense and Sensibility, live on Patreon on Thursday, September 4th at 9PM Central.Footnotes:Sense And SensibilityA Calendar for Sense and SensibilitySense And Sensibility (1995)Stars And Swords on Bookshop.org To join me for the live YouTube broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we continue our discussion of Jane Austen's Sense And Sensibility. Does Willoughby make the perfect heroic entrance into the story? What draws Elinor and Colonel Brandon together? Is Barton Cottage secretly a metaphor for Marianne?To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!Don't forget to check out my new Tolkien-related show, Shire Reckoning!Next week, Volume 1, Chapter XV (15) to Volume 2, Chapter V (27) of Sense and Sensibility, live on YouTube on Thursday, August 21st at 9PM Central.Footnotes:Sense And SensibilitySense And Sensibility (The Norton Library)Sense And Sensibility (1995)Stars And Swords on Bookshop.org To join me for the live YouTube broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we begin our eleventh unit and our discussion of Jane Austen's 1811 novel Sense And Sensibility. How are Elinor and Marianne Dashwood compared and contrasted? How sharp is Austen's satire? What exactly makes a flannel waistcoat so unattractive?To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!Don't forget to check out my new Tolkien-related show, Shire Reckoning!Next week, we finish the first volume of Sense and Sensibility, live on YouTube on Thursday, August 14th at 9PM Central.Footnotes:Sense And SensibilitySense And Sensibility (The Norton Library)Sense And Sensibility (1995)'Leaving the Herd': How Queer Was Cowper? (Conrad Brunstrom)Stars And Swords on Bookshop.org To join me for the live YouTube broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we conclude the our study of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion with the back half of On the Rings of Power and the Third Age. How bad is Isildur's failure? How does Tolkien integrate the material from The Hobbit? Does Sam deserve more attention?To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!Don't forget to check out my new Tolkien-related show, Shire Reckoning!Next week, we begin Jane Austen's classic Sense and Sensibility, live on YouTube on Thursday, August 7th at 9PM Central.Footnotes:The SilmarillionThe Silmarillion Unit Production ScheduleStars And Swords on Bookshop.org To join me for the live YouTube broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we conclude the history of Númenor and the Second Age with some apocalyptically terminal punctuation, and then rewind to consider what's been happening in Middle-earth this whole time. Could Sauron have been redeemed? What are the powers of the Rings? Why is it called the Last Alliance?To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!Don't forget to check out my new Tolkien-related show, Shire Reckoning!Next week, the end of The Silmarillion and the feature story of the Third Age, live on YouTube on Thursday, July 31st at 9PM Central.Footnotes:The SilmarillionThe Silmarillion Unit Production ScheduleStars And Swords on Bookshop.orgThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Amazon)To join me for the live YouTube broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, the history of Númenor and the Second Age in the penultimate part of The Silmarillion, Akallabêth. How do we understand the different influences which inspire this part of Tolkien's secondary creation? Why do the Men of Westernesse have such a hard time reconciling themselves to death? Are the words Atalantë and Avallónë really just coincidental?To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!Don't forget to check out my new Tolkien-related show, Shire Reckoning!Next week, the end of The Silmarillion and the feature story of the Third Age, live on YouTube on Thursday, July 24th at 9PM Central.Footnotes:The SilmarillionThe Silmarillion Unit Production ScheduleStars And Swords on Bookshop.orgShire ReckoningThere And Back Again 72: Well, I'm BackThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Amazon)Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis (LucasArts) ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, the stories of Eärendil and the War of Wrath in Chapter XXIV of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion. How does Tolkien stick the landing in the story of Beleriand and First Age? How do we understand the consequences of the Oath of Fëanor and the Doom of the Noldor? Are there hints of a happy ending?To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!Next week, the story of the Second Age and the Fall of Númenor in Akallabêth, live on YouTube on Thursday, July 3rd at 9PM Central.Footnotes:The SilmarillionStars And Swords on YouTubeThe Silmarillion Unit Production ScheduleStars And Swords on Bookshop.orgPopulations of Middle Earth in the First Age - Part 1: The Elves To join me for the live YouTube broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, the last city falls but a new hope is born in Chapter XXIII of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion. How is Tuor different from the other heroes of the age? Why is the story, as presented in this book, so brief? Does Maeglin get the fate he deserves?To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!Next week, the end of the Quenta Silmarillion and the story of Eärendil in Chapter XXIV, live on YouTube on Thursday, June 26th at 9PM Central.Footnotes:The SilmarillionStars And Swords on YouTubeThe Silmarillion Unit Production ScheduleStars And Swords on Bookshop.orgAtlas Of Middle-Earth, Karen Wynn FonstadTo join me for the live YouTube broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, things come undone in Chapters XXII of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion. What do we make of the final fate of Húrin? How does the influence of Morgoth differ from that of the Silmarils? Could anything have saved Beleriand?To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!Next week, we discuss Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin in Chapter XXIII of the Quenta Silmarillion, live on YouTube on Thursday, June 19th at 9PM Central.Footnotes:The SilmarillionStars And Swords on YouTubeThe Silmarillion Unit Production ScheduleStars And Swords on Bookshop.orgThe Children of HúrinTo join me for the live YouTube broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we conclude the story of Túrin Turambar in Chapter XXI of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion. Who do we blame for the tragedy of the Children of Húrin? Does Nienor end her life on her own terms? Why is Túrin counted among the Elf-Friends?To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!Next week, we approach the end of the First Age with Of The Ruin of Doriath, Chapter XXII of the Quenta Silmarillion, live on YouTube on Thursday, June 12th at 9PM Central.Footnotes:The SilmarillionStars And Swords on YouTubeThe Silmarillion Unit Production ScheduleStars And Swords on Bookshop.orgThe Children of Húrin ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, the middle act of the story of Túrin Turambar in Chapter XXI of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion. Why is this version of Glaurung so different? What is the mythic power of a sword re-forged? How many names can one man have?To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!Next week, we conclude our discussion of Túrin with Chapter XXI of the Quenta Silmarillion, live on YouTube on Thursday, June 5th at 9PM Central.Footnotes:The SilmarillionStars And Swords on YouTubeThe Silmarillion Unit Production ScheduleStars And Swords on Bookshop.orgThe Children of Húrin ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, battle and bloodshed as we conclude the Nirnaeth Arnoediad and begin the story of Túrin Turambar in Chapters XX and XXI of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion. Why does foresight get so sharp at the moment of death? Is Morwen very good at naming children, or very bad? What are the literary and mythic inspirations behind Tolkien's most depressing story?To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!Next week, we conclude our discussion of Túrin with Chapter XXI of the Quenta Silmarillion, live on YouTube on Thursday, May 29th at 9PM Central.Footnotes:The SilmarillionStars And Swords on YouTubeThe Silmarillion Unit Production ScheduleStars And Swords on Bookshop.orgThe Children of HúrinThe Story of KullervoColor-Coded Item Quality in World of Warcraft ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we give up the promise of immortality as we reach the end of Chapter XIX and begin Chapter XX of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion. Why does the Lay of Leithian end where it does? Why are the sons of Fëanor so unkillable? Have we finally solved the mystery of the deadly hallowing?To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!Next week, we conclude our discussion of the battle of Unnumbered Tears and continue to the story of Turin in Chapters XX and XXI of the Quenta Silmarillion, live on YouTube on Thursday, May 22nd at 9PM Central.Footnotes:The SilmarillionStars And Swords on YouTubeThe Silmarillion Unit Production ScheduleStars And Swords on Bookshop.orgPopulations of Middle Earth in the First Age - Part 1: The Elves ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, Beren and Lúthien reach the end of their story in Chapter XIX of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion. Why do our heroes keep trying to disguise themselves? Where does Lúthien's sleep-magic come from? Is Huan the Hound an under-celebrated character?To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!Next week, we conclude our discussion of Beren and Lúthien and chapter XIX of the Quenta Silmarillion, live on YouTube on Thursday, May 15th at 9PM Central.Footnotes:The SilmarillionStars And Swords on YouTubeThe Silmarillion Unit Production ScheduleStars And Swords on Bookshop.orgCastle PanicMiddle-Earth: Shadow Of Mordor Launch Trailer ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, love and tragedy in Chapter XIX of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion. Why is the tale of Beren and Lúthien such an important story? Are oaths always a bad thing? Why has no-one written a network TV sitcom about Thingol and Melian?To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!Next week, we conclude our discussion of Beren and Lúthien and chapter XIX of the Quenta Silmarillion, live on YouTube on Thursday, May 8th at 9PM Central.Footnotes:The SilmarillionStars And Swords on YouTubeThe Silmarillion Unit Production ScheduleStars And Swords on Bookshop.org ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we see the fall of Fingolfin and a new war in Beleriand in Chapter XVIII of the Quenta Silmarillion in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion. How do we understand Tolkien's perspective on race? How much direct intervention can we credit to Manwë? What is Maeglin's problem with Men?To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!Next week, we discuss the most important story in Tolkien's legendarium, Beren and Lúthien in chapter XIX of the Quenta Silmarillion, live on YouTube on Thursday, May 1st at 9PM Central.Footnotes:The SilmarillionStars And Swords on YouTubeThe Silmarillion Unit Production ScheduleStars And Swords on Bookshop.orgDr. Dimitra FimiJoseph Fink (@planetoffinks.bsky.social‬)J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia: Scholarship and Critical Assessment (Michael D.C. Drout)Off Book: The Improvised Musical Podcast ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we establish Maeglin in Gondolin and the Men in the West as we move through the end of Chapter XVII of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion. Does the Maeglin apple fall far from the Eöl tree? Why are the connections and distinctions between languages so important? What did the elves learn from the Valar when it comes to welcoming new arrivals?To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!Next week, we reach the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin in chapter XVIII of the Quenta Silmarillion, live on YouTube on Wednesday, April 24th at 9PM Central.Footnotes:The SilmarillionStars And Swords on YouTubeThe Silmarillion Unit Production ScheduleStars And Swords on Bookshop.org ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we get into the weeds as we attempt something ambitious, only to spend the whole episode in and around Nan Elmoth with the story of Maeglin in Chapter XVI of the Quenta Silmarillion. Why is the suppression of language so important? How does Tolkien's essentialism change the way we understand this book? How much dramatic irony are we supposed to detect in the wisdom of our heroes?  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we fast forward four hundred years, then rewind to see what really happened as we try to make it to the end of Chapter XV of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion. What does Glaurung have in common with the Balrogs? Why does Ulmo whisper instructions to Turgon and Finrod? Does this book really pass the Bechdel-Wallace test?To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!Next week, we continue our journey with everything to the end of Chapters XVI and XVII of the Quenta Silmarillion, live on YouTube on Wednesday, April 10th at 8PM Central.Footnotes:The SilmarillionStars And Swords on YouTubeThe Silmarillion Unit Production ScheduleStars And Swords on Bookshop.orgLOTRProject.comThe Bechdel-Wallace Test ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we face battle and bloodshed in Beleriand in Chapters XIII and XIV of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion. Is Fëanor's fate inevitable? How do we understand the rescue of Maedhros in the context of the Doom of the Noldor? Why do we get so much geography?To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!Next week, we continue our journey with everything to the end of Chapter XV of the Quenta Silmarillion, live on YouTube on Wednesday, April 2nd at 8PM Central.Footnotes:The SilmarillionStars And Swords on YouTubeThe Silmarillion Unit Production ScheduleStars And Swords on Bookshop.orgLOTRProject.comTo join me for the live YouTube broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In this bonus Q&A, we address the issue of inheritance among the immortal elves, the lost story of Lady of Lothlórien, the political infrastructure of The Shire, and the official power ranking of the Valar!On Thursday, we continue our journey with Chapters XIII and XIV of the Quenta Silmarillion, live on YouTube on Thursday, March 27th at 8PM Central.Footnotes:The SilmarillionStars And Swords on YouTubeThe Silmarillion Unit Production ScheduleStars And Swords on Bookshop.org ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we continue our discussion of The Silmarillion with Chapters XI and XII, including the creation of the sun and the moon, the securing of Valinor, and the awakening of Men. How do we understand moral philosophy in a world of eucatastrophe? How do we judge the action (and inaction) of the Valar? To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!Next week, we continue our journey with Chapters XIII and XIV of the Quenta Silmarillion, live on YouTube on Thursday, March 27th at 8PM Central.Footnotes:The SilmarillionStars And Swords on YouTubeThe Silmarillion Unit Production ScheduleStars And Swords on Bookshop.orgDeontological EthicsImmanuel KantJohn Stuart MillTo join me for the live YouTube broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!Stars and Swords: Footnoting Genre Fiction is a Next Word production, written and produced by Alastair Stephens. Copyright © 2024 Stars and Swords. All Rights Reserved. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we continue our discussion of The Silmarillion with the end of Chapter IX and all of Chapter X, including the Doom of the Noldor, a quick recap of three thousand years of the elves back in Beleriand, and some cosmic renovation. Is Mandos really a Theatre Kid? What’s so special about Lúthien Tinúviel anyway? Is it time for the dwarves to reclaim the word “cumbrous”?To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!Next week, we continue our journey with Chapters XI and XII of the Quenta Silmarillion, live on YouTube on Sunday, March 16th at 2PM Central.Footnotes:The SilmarillionStars And Swords on YouTubeThe Silmarillion Unit Production ScheduleStars And Swords on Bookshop.orgLOTRProject.comTo join me for the live YouTube broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!Stars and Swords: Footnoting Genre Fiction is a Next Word production, written and produced by Alastair Stephens. Copyright © 2024 Stars and Swords. All Rights Reserved. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we continue our discussion of The Silmarillion with the end of Chapter VIII and all of Chapter IX, including the the darkening of Valinor, the theft of the Silmarils, and the violence and tragedy which follows. Are any of Fëanor’s decisions defensible? How do we understand acts of creation which can’t be repeated? Is Tulkas still the MVP of the Valar?To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!Next week, we continue our journey with chapters ten and eleven of the Quenta Silmarillion, live on YouTube on Sunday, March 9th at 2PM Central.Footnotes:The SilmarillionStars And Swords on YouTubeThe Silmarillion Unit Production ScheduleStars And Swords on Bookshop.orgTo join me for the live YouTube broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!Stars and Swords: Footnoting Genre Fiction is a Next Word production, written and produced by Alastair Stephens. Copyright © 2024 Stars and Swords. All Rights Reserved. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we continue our discussion of The Silmarillion with the the forging of the Silmarils, domestic discord in the House of Finwë, and the secret origins of Tolkien’s most terrifying creation. Does anyone make a good choice in Valinor? Are the Valar living up to their responsibilities? What is Ungoliant, and where does she come from?To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!Next week, we continue our journey with chapter nine of the Quenta Silmarillion, live on YouTube on Thursday, February 27th at 7PM Central.Footnotes:The SilmarillionStars And Swords on YouTubeThe Silmarillion Unit Production ScheduleStar Wars Ring TheoryTo join me for the live YouTube broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!Stars and Swords: Footnoting Genre Fiction is a Next Word production, written and produced by Alastair Stephens. Copyright © 2024 Stars and Swords. All Rights Reserved. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we continue our discussion of The Silmarillion with the logistics of crossing the Great Sea, our introduction to Fëanor and the family of Finwë, and the subtlety of Melkor. What’s the most desirable property in Eldamar? Is Fëanor a hero, a villain, or both? What qualifies Manwë to judge Melkor?To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!Next week, we continue our journey with chapters seven and eight of the Quenta Silmarillion, live on YouTube on Thursday, February 20th at 8PM Central.Footnotes:The SilmarillionStars And Swords on YouTubeThe Silmarillion Unit Production ScheduleLOTRProject.comTo join me for the live YouTube broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!Stars and Swords: Footnoting Genre Fiction is a Next Word production, written and produced by Alastair Stephens. Copyright © 2024 Stars and Swords. All Rights Reserved. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In this bonus episode, we discuss the location of the Far Heaven, the nature of the Ainur, the absence of dwarves and a vision of medieval utopia. We’ll continue our journey with chapters six and seven of the Quenta Silmarillion, live on YouTube on Thursday, February 13th at 8PM Central.Footnotes:The SilmarillionStars And Swords on YouTubeThe Silmarillion Unit Production ScheduleThe Tolkien ProfessorExploring J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit (Corey Olsen)The Lord of the Rings LorecastThe Prancing Pony PodcastJ.R.R. Tolkien: Author of the Century (Tom Shippey)To join me for the live YouTube broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!Stars and Swords: Footnoting Genre Fiction is a Next Word production, written and produced by Alastair Stephens. Copyright © 2024 Stars and Swords. All Rights Reserved. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we continue our discussion of The Silmarillion with the secret origins of dwarves and ents, the battle against Melkor and the Sundering of the Elves across Middle-Earth. What distinguishes good creativity from bad? Who (and what) has a soul? How many names can we possibly remember?To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!Next week, we continue our journey with chapters five and six of the Quenta Silmarillion, live on YouTube on Thursday, February 13th at 8PM Central.Footnotes:The SilmarillionStars And Swords on YouTubeThe Silmarillion Unit Production ScheduleEldamo.orgBeauty And The Playboy Prince (Justine Lewis)To join me for the live YouTube broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!Stars and Swords: Footnoting Genre Fiction is a Next Word production, written and produced by Alastair Stephens. Copyright © 2024 Stars and Swords. All Rights Reserved. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we continue our unit on The Silmarillion and discuss the Days Before Days, time and space (and calendars and maps), and the paradox of free will. How do we understand the geography of Middle-Earth? How are elves and men different, according to the elves? What instruments do each of the Valar play, and what do their mansions looks like?To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!Next week, we begin the main events with chapters three, four and five of the Quenta Silmarillion, live on YouTube on Thursday, February 6th at 8PM Central.Footnotes:The SilmarillionStars And Swords on YouTubeThe Silmarillion Unit Production ScheduleThe Consolation Of PhilosophyBeauty And The Playboy Prince (Justine Lewis)To join me for the live YouTube broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!Stars and Swords: Footnoting Genre Fiction is a Next Word production, written and produced by Alastair Stephens. Copyright © 2024 Stars and Swords. All Rights Reserved. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In this special bonus episode, test your knowledge of the Valar and the Maiar, the relationships between them, and a few other things besides! It’s all for fun and the points don’t matter, but let me know how you did. To see the video version of this episode, click here!I’ll be back on Thursday with chapters one and two of the Quenta Silmarillion, live on YouTube on Thursday, January 30th at 8PM Central.Footnotes:The SilmarillionStars And Swords on YouTubeStars And Swords on BlueskyThe Silmarillion Unit Production ScheduleTo join me for the live YouTube broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!Stars and Swords: Footnoting Genre Fiction is a Next Word production, written and produced by Alastair Stephens. Copyright © 2024 Stars and Swords. All Rights Reserved. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we continue our unit on The Silmarillion and discuss the Valaquenta, spheres of authority, intertexting already and The Diagram. What do the Valar tell us about what Tolkien thought important? How is this pantheon connected to the those of the classical world, and how is it unique? What do sibling and spousal relationships mean for the Valar?To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!Next week, we begin the main events with chapters one and two of the Quenta Silmarillion, live on YouTube on Thursday, January 30th at 8PM Central.Footnotes:The SilmarillionStars And Swords on YouTubeThe Silmarillion Unit Production ScheduleThe Unpronounceable Name Of Taniquetil, OiolossëBeauty And The Playboy Prince (Justine Lewis)To join me for the live YouTube broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!Stars and Swords: Footnoting Genre Fiction is a Next Word production, written and produced by Alastair Stephens. Copyright © 2024 Stars and Swords. All Rights Reserved. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we continue our unit on The Silmarillion and discuss the Ainulindalë, aesthetics and philosophy, the subcreative process and the Secret Origins of Melkor. How do we understand the different perspectives enfolded in this creation myth? Does Tolkien convincingly resolve the paradox of free will? Why don’t the Valar talk about their battles?To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!Next week, we continue with the second part of The Silmarillion, the Valaquenta, live on YouTube on Thursday, January 23rd at 8PM Central.Footnotes:The SilmarillionStars And Swords on YouTubeThe Silmarillion Unit Production ScheduleThere And Back Again: Exploring Tolkien’s Middle-EarthTengwar Artano fontDon’t You Know Me By Now?The Last Star In HollywoodTo join me for the live YouTube broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!Stars and Swords: Footnoting Genre Fiction is a Next Word production, written and produced by Alastair Stephens. Copyright © 2024 Stars and Swords. All Rights Reserved. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we begin our unit on J.R.R. Tolkien’s posthumous work of mythology and history, and discuss reading strategies, layers of narrative and the creative impulse. Is the Professor the best letter writer in history? Did Christopher Tolkien really intend this book to be definitive? How is Middle-Earth different from Star Trek?To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!Next week, we dive into the text with the first part of The Silmarillion, the Ainulindalë, live on YouTube on Thursday, January 16th at 8PM Central.Footnotes:The SilmarillionStars And Swords on YouTubeThe Silmarillion Unit Production ScheduleThe Voyage Of Earendel The Evening StarThe Shores Of FaeryThe Tolkien ProfessorTolkien’s World from A to Z: The Complete Guide to Middle-Earth (Robert Foster)The Lord Of The Rings: A Reader’s Companion (Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull)There And Back Again: Exploring Tolkien’s Middle-EarthTo join me for the live YouTube broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!Stars and Swords: Footnoting Genre Fiction is a Next Word production, written and produced by Alastair Stephens. Copyright © 2024 Stars and Swords. All Rights Reserved. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we overcome treachery to win the war in chapters ten to fifteen of C.S. Lewis’ Prince Caspian and discuss the Narnian timeline, fear as an alienating force, and the worst of Susan. Why is Aslan larger now? Could Nikabrik and his allies resurrect the White Witch? Is evil always self-defeating? To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!Next week, we begin our discussion of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Silmarillion with an introductory lecture, live on YouTube on Thursday, January 9th at 8PM Central.Footnotes:Prince Caspian (C.S. Lewis)Stars And Swords on YouTubePlanet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C. S. Lewis (Michael Ward)Companion To Narnia (Paul F. Ford)The Renaissance of Wonder In Children’s Literature (Marion Lochhead)BeaglepussBagpussTo join me for the live YouTube broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!Stars and Swords: Footnoting Genre Fiction is a Next Word production, written and produced by Alastair Stephens. Copyright © 2024 Stars and Swords. All Rights Reserved. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we assemble our forces and call for help in chapters five to ten of C.S. Lewis’ Prince Caspian and discuss the medieval perspective on past and future, the oracular power of centaurs, and the difference between beasts. What is represented by each of Caspian’s companions? Who raised Aslan’s How? How did Edmund learn so much 21st century slang?To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!Next week, we conclude our unit on Prince Caspian with chapters ten through fifteen, live on YouTube on Thursday, January 2nd at 8PM Central.Footnotes:Prince Caspian (C.S. Lewis)Stars And Swords on YouTubePlanet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C. S. Lewis (Michael Ward)Prince Caspian and the Voyage of the Dawn Treader (IMDb)Prince Caspian Remastered (YouTube)Of Other Worlds (C.S. Lewis)To join me for the live YouTube broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!Stars and Swords: Footnoting Genre Fiction is a Next Word production, written and produced by Alastair Stephens. Copyright © 2024 Stars and Swords. All Rights Reserved. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★