Wednesday, October 10, 2012

The Boiled Leather Audio Hour #14


Can you co-host also be your special guest? We’re about to find out, as Sean interviews me about my essay “Under the Bleeding Star: On the Role of Prophecy in Songs of Ice and Fire.” Before you do anything else, click the link to read it in its entirety at Nerdstream, where it’s been posted as a preview of the forthcoming essay-collection ebook Tower of the Hand: A Flight of Sorrows, featuring contributions from a whole bunch of snazzy TotH and A Podcast of Ice and Fire regulars. 
According to Sean, my essay attacks the issue of prophecy in the books from a novel and rewarding angle. Rather than another attempt at interpretation or an examination of prophecy’s literary or philosophical import, the essay traces prophecy’s direct impact on the story and on the world therein, through the observable deeds of the books’ major players. As I methodically lay out (Sean's words, again) how belief in prophecy has influenced such prominent political leaders as Daenerys Targaryen, Cersei Lannister, Aeron Greyjoy, Stannis Baratheon, and Rhaegar Targaryen, it becomes strikingly clear that without prophecy’s influence, the world would be a very different place. Reading the essay was a “eureka” moment for Sean, and were both excited to explore insights ourselves.
So go, read the essay, listen to our discussion of it, and buy A Flight of Sorrows when it hits Amazon this Saturday! 

4 comments:

  1. What happened to the comprehensive look at Westeros' notable women? The Cersei and Sansa episode was quite good.

    ReplyDelete
  2. We will continue it! We just don't want to do several podcasts with the same topic in a row.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I loved your essay and enjoyed your podcast. When you asked about suggestionson audio, is it possiblefor you guysto be on headsets and stream together so it doesn't sound like a fish bowl? I wasspeaking to my brother, complete computer geek, and he suggested that. I can have him email you to explain. As for myself, I am completely computer illiterate.

    ReplyDelete
  4. If he has any advise, it would be most welcome.

    ReplyDelete