After far too long, we finish up this series with The Dragon Republic Eipsode 6. This book dealt with some heavy things. I had the next book in the series on the schedule for this month, but I need a bit of a pallette cleanser before moving on. So, I’m reading Legends and Lattes instead.
What are those heavy themes? War, the cycle of violence, societal poverty, the role of religion in all of these things, and of course, the current political climate in America. I try to make sense of it all. But, not a lot of it even makes sense to me, so how am I supposed to do that, right?
Give it a listen and let me know what you think. What did I do right? What can be improved? I want to make this work and take constructive criticism well. With no additional delay, download and listen to The Dragon Republic Episode 6. I can’t wait to hear what you think.
Only 2 weeks late to make it for the end of Frightober comes Frankenstein Episode 4. The books wraps up the tragic story of a man and his creation. The actions of the man doom them both to a live and death of loneliness, despair, and ultimately no hope. The book handles this end with aplomb and apt metaphors all around.
The creature, though, shows his humanity over his creator one last time before the book ultimately ends with an ambigious fate for the man. Does he die? Will he be doomed to live this wretched life? Can he ever find happiness and a sense of purpose? I think we can all relate to that last one and the others on some level or another.
Give it a listen and let me know what you think. What did I do right? What can be improved? I want to make this work and take constructive criticism well. With no additional delay, download and listen to Frankenstein Episode 4. I can’t wait to hear what you think. Note: I used this page for my discussion questions when taking notes.
The penultimate (I never used that word in the podcast!) Frankenstein Episode 3 only a few days before Halloween. This one took longer than expected, but I wrote 3 and 4 close together, so I will be able to get the last episode out on Halloween and beat my Frightober deadline.
This part of the book is the absolute meat of the story. So much to talk about and so much that connects to modern day. That’s not necessarily a good thing, but it’s good to talk about things, right? Ultimately, I leave it where I usually do. Humans suck, but I have faith that we can suck much less than we do.
Give it a listen and let me know what you think. What did I do right? What can be improved? I want to make this work and take constructive criticism well. With no additional delay, download and listen to Frankenstein Episode 3. I can’t wait to hear what you think. Note: I used this page for my discussion questions when taking notes.
I’m a bit sick, so I didn’t know if I would get to Frankenstein Episode 2. But, I persevered and here it is! This secton of the book blew me away with a huge surprise that I never expected. As a consequence, is Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein the most faithful adaptation? I don’t know but it’s up there.
I connect Victor’s asshattery to the “male lonliness epidemic” of today. There are also some thoughts about MAGA, the US Justice System, and society in general. I don’t understand how people can’t recognize this for the absolute classic that it is. I think the positive side is overwhelming, but it should be unanimous. Mary Shelley wrote and entertaining story that makes you think. If you haven’t read it, you must.
Give it a listen and let me know what you think. What did I do right? What can be improved? I want to make this work and take constructive criticism well. With no additional delay, download and listen to Frankenstein Episode 2. I can’t wait to hear what you think. Note: I used this page for my discussion questions when taking notes.
Without releasing the final episode of The Dragon Republic, I moved on to Frankenstein Episode 1. What can I say? Frightober waits for nobody! Not even me. These episodes look like they might be a bit shorter than recent ones. Instead of giving a recap, I assume that you’ve at least seen one of the many on screen interpretations of the story.
As a result, I only give my thoughts on the letters that make up the prologue up to Chapter 5 in the book. Having dealt with the slow roll of modern stories, it surprises me some that we get the creature so early in the book. But, that gives me a chance to discuss the good doctor’s guilt in the eventual monster’s heel turn, so to speak.
Give it a listen and let me know what you think. What did I do right? What can be improved? I want to make this work and take constructive criticism well. With no additional delay, download and listen to Frankenstein Episode 1. I can’t wait to hear what you think. Note: I used this page for my discussion questions when taking notes.
Okay, working tirelessly to bring you these final two episodes. For real, this time. I finally put together a schedule that should help me to juggle all of these projects for the next month or so. Then, I will do the same for November. Because you deserve The Dragon Republic, Episode 5 and 6.
These chapters represent change. Everyone undergoes some type of change. In addition, the things happening in the chapters echo similarly in today’s American society. Because I waited, I get to talk about dumb stuff like the “Department of War” and even dumber stuff like how everyone lost their minds for a week after Charlie Kirk got shot.
Give it a listen and let me know what you think. What did I do right? What can be improved? I want to make this work and take constructive criticism well. With no additional delay, download and listen to The Dragon Republic Episode 5. I can’t wait to hear what you think.
Two episodes in one week?! Can we make it 4 in 2 and finish this thing out to get back on track for the end of the year? Only time will tell. For now, though, here’s The Dragon Republic Episode 4. Continuing from the last episode, things are even crazier than that.
The Republic Army is in shambles. There’s some high level assassinations. New information comes to light that may upend everything and lead to a new world order. All that, plus colonialism, the dime store Nazi shit in America, and a discussion of religion. Who ever said this is polite company. Come argue with me!
Give it a listen and let me know what you think. What did I do right? What can be improved? I want to make this work and take constructive criticism well. With no additional delay, download and listen to The Dragon Republic Episode 4. I can’t wait to hear what you think.
Well, after a month and a half, I got a chance to rest and recharge in Europe, which I might consider my home away from home now. I can’t explain it, but I felt so much better over there. I know nothing’s perfect, but I want to live there. Anyway, all that time allowed me to regroup on the podcast and bang out some notes for The Dragon Republic Episode 3.
It gets real in this section of the book. Like, really real. Like, almost to the point of me having to take a break from the book because it felt a little too real. I cover this in the dicussion, but that’s what dystopia and historical fiction are supposed to do. They teach about the past and hold up a mirror to current society. And, let me just say, yikes!
Give it a listen and let me know what you think. What did I do right? What can be improved? I want to make this work and take constructive criticism well. With no additional delay, download and listen to The Dragon Republic Episode 3. I can’t wait to hear what you think.
Okay, finally back with Dragon Republic Episode 2. I thought that summer might bring some stability to the show and it may yet. I put together a schedule that hopefully works for this month and then I can spend some time while we are in the UK trying to figure out how things might go for the rest of the year. Thank you for your patience.
This episode (in addition to tweeting birds, a squeaky fan, and a train in the distance, hey that’s what you get when you forget to close the window while recording), this section explores the relationships of the characters and sets up the main plot points. TLDR: Everyone is using Rin and she just loves the attention.
Give it a listen and let me know what you think. What did I do right? What can be improved? I want to make this work and take constructive criticism well. With no additional delay, download and listen to The Dragon Republic Episode 2. I can’t wait to hear what you think.
Back again after a month’s absence. But, I’m out of school and should be able to update more regularly. Perhaps the summer will build up momentum again like it sometimes does into the fall. Whatever the case, I am here with The Dragon Republic Episode 1. A dark start after a dark finish for a dark time in the world right now. I usually don’t like these types of books/movies/TV shows under these circumstances, but maybe it will help me to work my way through the horrors of reality.
Give it a listen and let me know what you think. What did I do right? What can be improved? I want to make this work and take constructive criticism well. With no additional delay, download and listen to The Dragon Republic Episode 1. I can’t wait to hear what you think.
