Episodes

Season 5 of Mythmakers has been one of many adventures, and as the season comes to a close, we’re going to look back at 5 highlights from our most enjoyed episodes. Join us as we dive back into the rising popularity of the Romantasy genre, before revisiting the presence of Fantasy at the Oscars. Appropriately, we’ll then steer the conversation towards our favourite Tolkien topics of this season, hearing some of Julia Golding’s travel recommendations when touring the film sites of Middle-earth i...

Where in all the fantasy worlds is the best place to be a letter writer?

Where in all the fantasy worlds is the best place to have ESP?

Where in all the fantasy worlds is the best place to go to revisit memories?

We are going on an adventure! Love The Lord of the Rings? Why not read along with us as we consider the books from the writer's point of view! Taking it chapter by chapter, novelist Julia Golding will reveal new details that you might not have noticed and techniques that will only go to increase your pleasure in future re-readings of our favourite novel. Julia also brings her expert knowledge of life in Oxford and English culture to explain some points that might have passed you by. For more in...

Where in all the fantasy worlds is the best place to be Robin Hood?

We are going on an adventure! Love The Lord of the Rings? Why not read along with us as we consider the books from the writer's point of view! Taking it chapter by chapter, novelist Julia Golding will reveal new details that you might not have noticed and techniques that will only go to increase your pleasure in future re-readings of our favourite novel. Julia also brings her expert knowledge of life in Oxford and English culture to explain some points that might have passed you by. For more in...

Where in all the fantasy worlds is the best place to go on a caravan holiday?

We are going on an adventure! Love The Lord of the Rings? Why not read along with us as we consider the books from the writer's point of view! Taking it chapter by chapter, novelist Julia Golding will reveal new details that you might not have noticed and techniques that will only go to increase your pleasure in future re-readings of our favourite novel. Julia also brings her expert knowledge of life in Oxford and English culture to explain some points that might have passed you by. For more in...

Where in all the fantasy worlds is the best place to be a horse lord?

We are going on an adventure! Love The Lord of the Rings? Why not read along with us as we consider the books from the writer's point of view! Taking it chapter by chapter, novelist Julia Golding will reveal new details that you might not have noticed and techniques that will only go to increase your pleasure in future re-readings of our favourite novel. Julia also brings her expert knowledge of life in Oxford and English culture to explain some points that might have passed you by.

Where in all the fantasy worlds is the best place for fantasy island?

Amazon has released its teaser trailer and the first 'behind the scenes' video of The Rings of Power: Season 2. Join Julia Golding on today’s episode of Mythmakers to find out what appears to be included in this upcoming season. Do you share our hopes and fears that this series might not regain its mojo? Is it too sprawling, as Julia believes, or do you appreciate the epic scope? Let us know your thoughts! For the trailer breakdown by Nerd of the Rings visit the link: https://youtu.be/TfddhM-LM...

Very excitingly, Peter Jackson and Andy Serkis have announced that they are teaming up for a new film: The Hunt for Gollum. Join us on today’s episode of Mythmakers where Julia Golding will take us through the material that they will be drawing on and what the story possibilities are in this LotR prequel. Don't forget to let us know what you'd like to see included in the film! Since recording this episode, the fan-made film that Julia speaks about has been allowed back on YouTube by Warner Bros...

Today on Mythmakers we enter into the second part of our discussion of evil in fantasy stories, progressing on to contemporary fantasy stories, and beginning with Harry Potter. Who is the most interesting evil character in Rowling's world? See if you agree with Julia Golding and Jacob Rennaker’s picks! The discussion moves on to mad scientists, space operas, Star Trek, Dr Who, and Star Wars. While we can't cover everything, we do hope that you enjoy this in-depth tour of fantasy evil! Take a lis...

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 pa...

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: https://centre4fantasy.c...

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 yo...

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 awesome...

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 courses, ...

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 more in...

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: https://centre4f...

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 to a...

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 information on...