Terry Pratchett famously said that “dark lords should be rationed” - but there is so much more to say about evil in fantasy than the cliche of the dark lord in a sinister tower at the bottom right of your map! On today’s episode of Mythmakers, Julia Golding and Jacob Rennaker look at the philosophical underpinnings of evil, starting with the Inklings. Moving from a discussion of the importance of the Fall in C.S. Lewis, to the purgatorial world of choices in Charles Williams, we complete this...

Join us on today’s episode of Mythmakers where we've boldly picked our top five moments in The Lord of the Rings novels! Have a listen as Julia Golding takes a closer look at each moment, diving into what exactly makes these five the top contenders. Agree with our choices? Let us know!   For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit: Website: https://centre4fantasy.com/website Instagram:...

Join in on today’s episode of Mythmakers as we dive into the surprising similarities between writing historical fiction and fantasy fiction. Julia Golding, whose adult historical novel ‘The Persephone Code’ comes out this week, reflects on her experience of writing both. We go through the research, locations, rule setting and much more that goes into this process. Is magic a new Newtonian Law of Physics? Are many fantasy worlds, from Dune to Star Trek, an act of historical imagination? And do...

What's all this fuss about romantasy? Accompany Julia Golding on today’s episode of Mythmakers on a quest for the origin of this sub-fantasy genre, and for the subsequent deep dive into Rebecca Yarros' breakout success: Fourth Wing. Can you find the recipe for a successful romantasy? Is it too late to join in the craze if you are a writer whose book fits in this genre? Listen now to find out! For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our...

Netflix’s 3 Body Problem has raised some questions as to whether or not it is right to move a story’s adaptation to a different country. Is it cultural appropriation or a justifiable reinterpretation? On today’s episode of Mythmakers, we’re taking a journey through Blade Runner, Matilda, and Wonka to HG Wells. Join the discussion as Julia Golding considers the pros and cons of moving a story to another cultural context. For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing...

What makes for a good adaptation of a beloved book series?  Today on Mythmakers, Julia Golding and Jacob Rennaker discuss the latest fantasy series to undergo a significant adaptation: Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. What are the strengths of the book? What went wrong - or right - in the movie adaptation in 2010? And what has Disney made of the challenge, particularly as this time Rick Riordan, the author, was part of the production team? Join us for this intriguing discussion! For...

On today’s episode of Mythmakers, Julia Golding reviews the latest Netflix fantasy film offering: Damsel, starring Millie Bobby Brown. Take a listen and see if you agree with her verdict! We’ll take a moment to think about the modern version of fairytale heroines - are they really so original?   For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit: Website: https://centre4fantasy.com/website Instagram:...

What effect has Peter Jackson’s filming of two Tolkien trilogies had on New Zealand? Has New Zealand skewed our appreciation of Tolkien's works? What would happen if future filmmakers chose other locations - or ventured into a CGI environment? Julia Golding has just arrived back from visiting this beautiful country, we invite you to join us as she and Jacob Rennaker discuss the growth of the film industry around one inspirational director. Listen in to find out the five top places to travel...

The Oscars are fast approaching and we’re starting off Season 5 of Mythmakers with Julia Golding and Jacob Rennaker discussing the intriguing history of awards and fantasy films. It may not be true that fantasy films don't receive recognition, but which ones tend to attract the votes? And why don't performances in fantasy films receive many nominations? Join us for a deep dive back in time to see which films and performances we would nominate! What would be your pick?...   For more...

As 2023 — and our fourth season of Mythmakers — draw to a close, we’re taking a look back at our 5 most popular episodes of the season. Whether you’re interested in vampires and werewolves, or the phenomenon of smaller than average folk being a story’s focus, or if you share our overwhelming fascination with the great J.R.R. Tolkien and his fellow Inklings, our season wrap up should pique all of your various fantasy interests! Join Julia Golding (and her guest speakers) as we take a look...

It would seem that every fandom is getting its own universe; First Marvel, then DC, Star Wars, Star Trek, Harry Potter and now the Whoniverse. Is this phenomenon good for the future of fantasy creativity? Which universes are flourishing, and which are exhausted? Join Julia Golding and Jacob Rennaker to consider this phenomenon and its effects, is it simply a cynical marketing pitch or do the roots of this idea reach back much further? If you’re interested in learning more on this topic,...

Dr Who is celebrating 60 years and getting its own Whoniverse - thanks to the BBC link up with Disney. To celebrate this most British of time travellers, Julia Golding is joined by two Dr Who experts, Steve Cole and MG Harris. Both have written for the Dr Who spin-off books Steve, in particular, is very involved in current and future plans, including things he is sworn to secrecy over - and his knowledge is encyclopaedic. Join us for our discussion of all the doctors from Dr Who’s inception...

Dr Who is celebrating 60 years and getting its own Whoniverse - thanks to the BBC link up with Disney. To celebrate this most British of time travellers, Julia Golding is joined by two Dr Who experts, Steve Cole and MG Harris. Both have written for the Dr Who spin-off books Steve, in particular, is very involved in current and future plans, including things he is sworn to secrecy over - and his knowledge is encyclopaedic. Join us for our discussion of all the doctors from Dr Who’s inception...

60 years on from the death of CS Lewis how is his legacy viewed? We’ll look at him as writer, academic and as a Christian apologist. Join us to find out why he is like camembert and to discover the hidden Lewis novel that you've probably not read - and yet it is arguably his best work for adults. Why has he attracted detractors, from his own biographer A.N. Wilson to Philip Pullman - and what are they missing? Was he racist or misogynistic? We debate! But mostly, we appreciate his literary...

We are set for outer space as Julia Golding talks to the award-winning science fiction writer David D. Levine. David shares his journey into science fiction writing and guides us through a deep dive into the pulp fiction of the mid-20th century - so get your boy, babe, and bug-eyed monster ready! David is not just a writer, but an expert on sci-fi, so there is a lot to learn as the conversation skims from westerns, to Star Trek, Blake's Seven, Dr Who, Star Wars and Bladerunner to some lesser...

We are set for outer space as Julia Golding talks to the award-winning science fiction writer David D. Levine. David shares his journey into science fiction writing and guides us through a deep dive into the pulp fiction of the mid-20th century - so get your boy, babe, and bug-eyed monster ready! David is not just a writer, but an expert on sci-fi, so there is a lot to learn as the conversation skims from westerns, to Star Trek, Blake's Seven, Dr Who, Star Wars and Bladerunner to some lesser...

As Halloween approaches Julia Golding and Jacob Rennaker discuss the fantasy origins of two of our favourite spooky creatures - Vampires and Werewolves. Who was the inspiration for the first vampire novel? What are the origins of werewolves? Stop press - there is both a vampire and a werewolf in Tolkien’s works - but where? What evolving metaphors have the two creatures been associated with, ranging from romance, to slavery, to the feudal system and to puberty! Julia and Jacob exchange tips...

Join us for a very special episode of Mythmakers: an Inklings style reading of our finalists in the inaugural Oxford/Pushkin Children's Fantasy Prize. Meet all of the talented writers who made it to the finals and stay tuned to hear who our winner is! For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit: Website: https://centre4fantasy.com/website Instagram: https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram Facebook:...

Join Julia Golding and Jacob Rennaker as they discuss the issue of scale when writing fantasy. Starting small by thinking of smaller than average people at the heart of a story, follow us as we travel from Aristophanes “The Frogs” all the way to Barbie, with an in-depth discussion of the inner lives of hobbits. Does being small equate to being simple in Middle-earth? Does being big make you less intelligent in fantasy literature? What are the challenges, and potential, if you play with scale...

Internationally acclaimed fantasy author, Anna Waterworth, pays a visit to the Mythmakers studio to talk about her latest book, The Girl who Grew Wings. She discusses with Julia Golding the origins of the novel and the retelling of ancient myths, particularly in her case the story of Icarus. How do you handle dark material when writing for younger audiences? What was the editing process like? Anna and Julia discuss the value of the reset – of going back to the beginning and starting again....

It is a dangerous business going out of your front door, according to Bilbo - but so is studying Tolkien! On today’s episode, Julia Golding reports on current scholarship on Tolkien, thanks to the Tolkien's Words and Worlds conference at Corpus Christi College on the 2nd and 3rd of September of this year. What is the big mystery behind Tolkien's name? What is so special about the Fields of Cormallen? And who did C.S. Lewis dislike so much he spent a decade writing rude poems about him? Take a...

Today’s episode of Mythmakers is the third part of our series looking into four of the main Inklings members. In the second part of our Inklings Evening, where our esteemed guests recreated the type of literary discussion that the original group would have engaged in, Colin Duriez takes us through Tolkien's participation in the group and how he, a veteran writer on books about Tolkien and Lewis, came to be an enthusiast. Join us as Colin reads from the Notion Club papers, leading to a...

Have you ever wished that you could be a fly on the wall at a meeting of the original Inklings? We certainly have! Last year we invited four experts to represent four of the main Inklings at a special evening at Merton College Oxford to recreate the kind of discussion the original group might have had. Today’s episode focuses on our first guest: Owen Barfield, standing in for his grandfather, the first and last Inkling also by the name Owen Barfield. Join us to hear about the first fantasy...

We interrupt our 4-part Inklings series to bring you our honest review of the Lord of the Rings musical on today’s Mythmakers episode! Join us as Julia Golding reviews the revival of The Lord of the Rings musical at the Watermill Theatre and draws some comparisons with The Rings of Power series. What is the ideal approach to adaptations of Tolkien’s material? Is a smaller scale preferable to grandeur? Why did the musical originally fail when it was on at Drury Lane in 2007, but now has...