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This long episode covers Dan Simmons’ The Terror, his 2007 fictionalisation of the disastrous 1845 Franklin expedition to find the Northwest Passage, in which the icebound sailors find themselves stalked by a terrible apparition. Call of Cthulhu, art and magic, morale, the hollow earth and arctic mysticism, and more. Book 00:26 // Synopsis 02:36 (in…Read more The Terror by Dan Simmons

This is the sixth and last episode in a short series about The Prisoner. This one’s about Andrew Pixley’s book /The Prisoner: A Complete Production Guide/ which was bundled into the 2007 remastered (and definitive?) version of the series by Network. Rather than an overview or episode guide it’s a contemporary production log and includes…Read more Prisoner 6: Andrew Pixley’s Production Guide

This is the fifth in a short series about The Prisoner, and this time it’s about Six of One and Max Hora’s contribution to the Prisoner shop in Portmeirion, and the two books (plus the map): The Prisoner Of Portmeirion and Village World. Music by Chris Zabriskie, used under Creative Commons Attribution License. Follow the…Read more Prisoner 5: Max Hora

Continuing the series of short episode on The Prisoner I’m going to draw your attention to Steven Paul Davies’ The Prisoner Handbook, an “Unauthorised Companion”. Music by Chris Zabriskie, used under Creative Commons Attribution License. Follow the link for more music on various platforms.

In the third episode I talk about GURPS: The Prisoner by David Ladyman, from 1990. Music by Chris Zabriskie, used under Creative Commons Attribution License. Follow the link for more music on various platforms.

Continuing the short series of Prisoner-related episodes, let’s discuss the 1988 DC comics series Shattered Visage. Music by Chris Zabriskie, used under Creative Commons Attribution License. Follow the link for more music on various platforms.

This is the first of a few short episodes on the ephemera surrounding The Prisoner. I’m pretty much starting at the end, with the 2009 6-episode miniseries that “reimagined” the Prisoner, with Jim Caviezel as 6, Sir Ian McKellen as 2, and also starring Ruth Wilson and Hayley Atwell (both of whom get a bad…Read more Prisoner 1: 2009 miniseries

This episode I cover Anna Kavan’s Ice, her last novel from 1967. A work of “slipstream fiction” with an unreliable narrator who pursues a woman over an hallucinatory landscape. I discuss the conventional and storygame opportunities, avatar-based gaming (via Dramasystem and Amazing Engine), and a nod to Wim Wenders’ Until The End Of The World.…Read more Ice by Anna Kavan

Let’s talk about J G Ballard’s climate fiction, focusing on The Crystal World and the short story that preceded it, The Illuminated Man. The Book 00:23 // Synopsis 03:39 // Remarks 14:31 (cosmic disaster, lit analysis (other people’s), temporal colonies, Annihilation etc.) // Other Media 36:56 Music by Chris Zabriskie, used under Creative Commons Attribution…Read more J G Ballard: The Crystal World and other climate fiction

This episode covers Lin Carter’s 1968 Sword & Planet adventure Tower At The Edge Of Time, with a bit of meandering into barbarians, Conan, the 1960s, Sword & Sorcery, Moorcock, Krull, Highlander II and more. intro 00:07 // synopsis 05:04 // remarks 15:52 (Sword & Planet, emergent worldbuilding) // media 30:55 (Princess Of Mars, Blades…Read more Sword and Planet: Lin Carter’s Tower at the Edge of Time, and more

The first Fictoplasm episode launched on August 22nd, 2016. This release marks a 10 year milestone! Yes, the podcast has been on hiatus for a few years… but I plan to follow this episode up with some new material covering New Wave authors, YA fiction, classic pulp, and more. This episode I’m covering Jack Vance’s…Read more 10th Anniversary, New Launch: Durdane by Jack Vance

This is the first episode in the Year of the Rabbit, in which I talk about The KLF: Chaos, Magic and the Band who Burned a Million Pounds by John Higgs and the relationship with Sword and Sorcery. 00:26 Intro // 02:50 The Book // 15:05 Remarks (Ancients and Sorcery) // 23:50 Media (1991’s games,…Read more Year of the Rabbit One: Sword and Sorcery and the KLF

Advent day 24: Moby-Dick by Herman Melville Music Music is by Chris Zabriskie: chriszabriskie.com // bandcamp // instagram // youtube

Advent day 23: The Broken World by Tim Etchells Music Music is by Chris Zabriskie: chriszabriskie.com // bandcamp // instagram // youtube

Advent day 22: The Thick Of It Music Music is by Chris Zabriskie: chriszabriskie.com // bandcamp // instagram // youtube