We are firmly in our Halloween groove. The eco-horror of Pisces Rising may have given us a light step into the season, but now we’re up to our necks in it and our choices for this year not only include the winner and one of the runners-up from this year’s patron poll, but we’re also taking a look at one that has featured on past polls but never reached the top…
William Hope Hodgson’s classic of weird fiction and cosmic dread… The House on the Borderland.
Author, editor and musician Allister Thompson is back for this one (check out his musical retrospective and his debut novel The Music of the Spheres), and this was a pretty deep reading (by my standards anyway). We also touch on Lovecraft and some musical interpretations, including one by Nostalgia and Borderlands by Tactile, an extract of which can be heard at the end of the show.
It’s October already so it’s time for Graham to return for our traditional Halloween period of exploring killer critter features and, from time to time, discovering new author rabbit holes to tumble down. This time, it’s PISCES RISING by NEL stalwart Peter Cave and his one-time collaborator Margaret Wredden.
Fantastic creation myths combine with brutal deaths, drinking bitter in a pub in Lowestoft, and a sadly underfeatured octopus called Bluey.
New traveller Liam Jones drops by Derry & Toms to discuss one of his favourite things… Victorian Invasion literature… as we tackle the Moorcock-edited anthology Before Armageddon, a collection of Victorian and Edwardian imaginative fiction.
Liam also teaches me about the Parisian dandy criminals, the Apaches! (Who I must now write into my next game…)
And if you’re interested in the illustrations Liam mentions that accompanied The Great War in England of 1897, here are a couple of examples:
Very cool!
At some point we’ll take a look at volume II – England Invaded
Dave is back in Derry & Toms to talk about some stories that were as formative for him as they were for me back in our teens… The Robert E Howard Conan stories, The Phoenix on the Sword and The Scarlet Citadel.
Dave also gives us an update on the latest SÖNUS news and we delve into some of the murkier aspects of the pulp of the time. But mostly we enjoy the head smashing and the surprisingly textured and erudite version of the Cimmerian in those first two stories.
Although this is our first Conan focused episode, Phil and I did look at The Tower of the Elephant way back in the early days in our first Happy Birthday Michael Moorcock episode back in December 2019.
Miles is back to carry on our deep dive into Mike’s Who/Multiverse mash-up and also talk about Ncuti’s first run, the Timeless Child arc, writing Who fiction, engaged Tom vs couldn’t give two shits Tom and loads of other stuff no doubt.
Join us!
And be sure to check out the Casual Trek Podcast too.
Clarky the Cruel returns to Derry and Toms to revive the One-Shit Book format (books that could potentially be read on one visit to the throne) as we look at SNOWCASTLES by Duncan McGeary.
We consider wizard contracting standards, when barbarians aren’t barbarians and just what the hell is under Greylock’s fur…? We don’t read the sequel but we do wonder why those people look like they’re out of a 1970s public information film for children.
Check out Clarky’s blog for updates on his various gaming and reading activities, as well as an end-of-year review and his plans for 2024. Visit the Duncan McGeary webpage for details of his more recent novels and short stories and his author’s blog.
In this Birthday Special double-bill of salutations, Joe Monti (editorial Director at SAGA Press) drops by D&Ts to engage in day-drinking, Moorcock talk and chew the fat about editing amazing fantasy and various other bits n’ bobs. Also, Joe gets Crabs.
Then Phil and Loz join me for a serious* roundtable. Whilst we drink mucky booze and engage in a hastily and lazily bashed together but closely contested Moorcock-related quiz, Phil disses my gourd, Loz dumps on steampunk and a particularly challenging beer punches us in the temple (thanks Ash).
Simon Perrins (artist, graphic designer and co-host of Can I Pod With Madness) returns to D&Ts so we can finally conclude our re-read of the second Corum adventure, The Queen of the Swords.
Between wading gods, crackles from beyond the veil and other interventions from the old gods of chaos, we managed to get through books two and three of this adventure intact. So join us for small talk about Moorcock, fighting fantasy books, Loz’s Lovecraft formula and our favourite close-harmony choir of chaos oddballs…
The artist whose name we couldn’t remember, responsible for the Berkley edition covers as above, is David McCall Johnston.
Simon is, of course, the geezer behind the visual identity of BITR too. Find him on Instagram and check out his store.
Also, have a look at Karmanal of Zert by Blaze Atoms – Here’s some info from their bandcamp page (sadly I can’t find any evidence of their “Swords & Space Wizards” demo – if you know of it… LET ME KNOW):
“This is an instrumental, almost completely mixed preview of the version of “Karmanal of Zert” that will appear on the upcoming “Swords & Space Wizards” demo in early May 2016. This recording is completely unadvertised and uploaded solely so Michael Moorcock himself can hear it. So if you found it, good job. 🙂
lyrics
all music conceived, composed and arranged by Aaron DiDonato
all guitar, bass, and drums performed and recorded by Aaron DiDonato
lyrics (when vocals are added) adapted from the chapter “The Frozen Army” in the book “The Queen of the Swords” by Michael Moorcock (1971)
Looming in the distance Over the valley now, come the hopping things Bouncing, several-legged creatures Multiversal nomads, indestructible beings
Knowing not of mortality Pledging no allegiance to Law or Chaos Knowing not true existence Having no souls
The Karmanal of Zert are coming The Karmanal of Zert, yeah, are coming for you The Karmanal of Zert are coming
Here they come – look up and see
They lope down the slopes of the hills Seeking the Champion Eternal they’ve been sent to kill – to kill Altering the fates of untold civilizations On untold planes of existence – parallel dimensions of the Earth
Massive fangs clash, huge eyes roll Many tentacles lash, fighting for Cosmic control Doing the bidding of the Chaos Lords While in another time and plane they are fighting for Law
Fighting for no purpose, no sought-after end Fighting indifferent to consequence
The Karmanal of Zert always sing before they feast – always The Karmanal of Zert always sing before they feast – hear them sing
Maim Slay Feast
The Queen of the Chaos Swords’ laughter fills the sky
Maim Slay Feast
The Queen of the Chaos Swords’ laughter fills the sky As the Eternal Champion prepares to die
Prepare to die
Hear the Karmanal of Zert sing Hear them, hear them (repeat)
Power up your voxcaster, recite a litany of protection and light a lho stick as beer lover, wargamer and death metal LEGEND Karl Willetts braves the Immaterium to warp over to Derry and Toms and discuss Memoriam, becoming the vocalist in Bolt Thrower, Warhammer and his three rules of beer…
Memoriam’s latest release is Rise to Power and it and their back catalogue is available at all good stockists.
I also wistfully recall my first exposure to Bolt Thrower with the epic and massive game changer for British metal… Realm of Chaos
Miles and Phil brave nuclear Armageddon, mutant rats, zoom meltdowns and horrific rabies treatment to join me in Derry & Toms and check out our patron-selected Halloween double-bill of James Herbert’s Domain and Bruno Mattei’s Rats: Night of Terror.
So paint your windows white, lock the dogs and cats outside, get safely ensconced in your inner sanctum and JOIN US!
Breakfast in the Ruins Podcast 