Category Archives: Fandom

VoK 287: Westerosi Travelogue (Vol.1) – GOT locations in Northern Ireland


13043298_10156760163735524_8912818775732015234_n

In this episode Bina007 describes a recent road trip to Northern Ireland to visit Game of Thrones locations. It’s a beautiful country and seeing locations is a great motivation to get to otherwise quite obscure but lovely villages and parks. That said, it’s not yet very well set up to receive GoT tourism so this podcast aims to give you some pro-tips that we wish someone had told us before we’d set off!

[MP3] Download or play this episode directly
[Archive] View this episode’s page on Archive.org
[Forum] Join The Craziness!
[iTunes] Subscribe to us on iTunes
[Stitcher] Subscribe to us on Stitcher
[RSS] Podcast Feed

VoK 234: “I Am” by Leona Lewis (Album Review)


LeonaLewisIAM

Dagos_Rivers (Glen), hardcore ‘bunny’ (Leona Lewis calls her fans that, much to my chagrin) attempts a solo podcast to discuss the music, career, and fan obsession of X Factor champion; Leona Lewis, in particular her return to the music scene with her 5th Studio Album, ‘I Am’.

I also discuss the following topics:
-Artwork and the theme of the album
-My appreciation of music in 2006 – 2008
-The 411 on Leona Lewis
-I Am Track by Track review
-Trials and Tribulations for patient Leona fans
-The songs that got away: Burn, Halo, We Found Love, Strangers, etc.
-Anniversary / Christmas gifts

Running Time: 00:56:44
Credits: Edited by Dagos_Rivers

Links:
[MP3] Download or play this episode directly
[Archive.org] View this episode’s page on Archive.org
[Stitcher] Subscribe to us on Stitcher
[iTunes] Subscribe to us on iTunes
[RSS] Podcast Feed

VoK 223: Vassals Night Out – “Manly” Edition


VOK Guys Image

Join the VOK boys for the first (annual? decennial? never again?) Guys Night Out.

Hosts Shane (easttexasdirewolf), Augustine (linecom1), Matt (Varley), Michael (Mordion), Zach (Alias), Duncan (Valkyrist), Brett (White Raven), Patrick (Ser Patrick the Tall) & Greg (claudiusthefool) for an in-depth and critical discussion of facial hair, manly drinks, The Weather, & very briefly ASOIAF plus a myriad of other manly topics.

Contains spoilers for beards & A Song of Ice and Fire.

Edited by Shane

[MP3] Download or play this episode directly
[Archive] View this episode’s page on Archive.org
[iTunes] Subscribe to us on iTunes
[RSS] Podcast Feed

VoK 221: E3 2015 Recap


E3 Expo in Los Angeles

Join the impressionable VoK crew for their take on Electronic Entertainment Expo or E3 2015.

5:20 , Microsoft event
33:30 , Sony event
60:00 , Ubisoft Event
1:14:00, EA event
1:25:00, Bethesda Event
1:44:00, Nintando Event
2:02:00, Others

Credits:
Edited by Vikram (fortytwo)
Hosts: Fortytwo(Vikram), Alias(Zach) and Easttexasdirewolf(Shane)
Music: Gillicuddy

[MP3] Download or play this episode directly
[Archive] View this episode’s page on Archive.org
[iTunes] Subscribe to us on iTunes
[RSS] Podcast Feed

Links:
Shownotes

VoK 219: Ice & Fire Con 2015 Recap


IF Image 2

Join the Vassals that attended Ice & Fire Con 2015 for a recap of the weekend’s festivities.  Follow hosts Greg (claudiusthefool), Dan (witless chum), Jasmine (Jazzimen08), Thomas (FTWard) & John (Eigenvectorjon) for the play-by-play of the awesomeness and craziness of Ice & Fire Con.

Edited by Greg
Episode Image: The Nine Mistresses of Aegon IV

Links
VOK Bad Fan Fic

Summer Book Bingo Sheets (Refresh the page to get a new sheet)
Book Bingo Thread on the APOIAF Forums

[MP3] Download or play this episode directly
[Archive] View this episode’s page on Archive.org
[Forum] Episode Thread
[iTunes] Subscribe to us on iTunes
[Stitcher] Subscribe to us on Stitcher
[RSS] Podcast Feed

VoK 200: The Dance of the Vassals II


Daenerys

To celebrate their 200th podcast, the curators of VOK don their tokars, pack a crate of honeyed locusts, and take a trip down to the fighting pits of Meereen. Join Duncan (Valkyrist), Michal (inkasrain), Greg (claudiusthefool), Zach (alias), and Katie (Lady Griffin) for one-night only performance of Daenerys IX from George R. R. Martin’s A Dance with Dragons.

And stick around backstage for a discussion of the chapter, as well as some general Aftershow tomfoolery.

Warning: Contains spoilers for all published books in George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire

02:36 – Full Cast(le) Recording #9: One to Dread
36:43 – Daenerys IX (ADWD) Chapter Discussion
1:20:19 – Aftershow
2:08:14 – ???

Credits:
Edited by Valkyrist

[MP3] Download or play this episode directly
[Archive] View this episode’s page on Archive.org
[Forum] Episode Thread
[iTunes] Subscribe to us on iTunes
[Stitcher] Subscribe to us on Stitcher
[RSS] Podcast Feed

Links:
The Meereenese Blot

VoK 193: Video Game Roundtable (Vol.1)


gaming round table

The Crew talk about their favorite games, gaming console and games they are looking forward to playing in 2015.

1min 50sec – Dark Souls 2 Discussion
24mins 30sec – Hello Kitty Online
25mins 30sec – Honeypop
28mins – Valkyria Chronicles
43mins 50sec – Gaming Console discussion
51mins 20sec – Bayonetta
1hr 11mins – Darkest Dungeon
1hr 30mins – Metroid Prime
1hr 52mins – League of Legends
1hr 55mins – Star Wars Games
1hr 58mins – Antispated releases of 2015
2hr 15mins – Game of Throne Games and Mods (caution minor spoiler)

Credits:
Edited by Vikram (fortytwo)
Hosts: White Raven, Valkyrist, Alias, Khal Wadege, Shoeshiner, Patrick the tall, Ciao Gamer and Fortytwo
Music: Gablé , BoxCat , Bass Assassin , Bassinfected , Christian Bjoerklund , Flex Vector, Ghost

[MP3] Download or play this episode directly
[Archive] View this episode’s page on Archive.org
[iTunes] Subscribe to us on iTunes
[RSS] Podcast Feed

VoK 185: Book Club (Vol.4) – Ready Player One (by Ernest Cline)


VOKBC4IMG Join the Vassals of Kingsgrave for the fourth meeting of the VOK Book Club.  We leave the real world to enter the OASIS and discuss “Ready Player One” by Ernest Cline.

Join hosts Greg, Zach, Brett, Duncan, Paul & Alex as they debate how awesome the 80s actually were, how healthy it is to live in a virtual world even if you do have your own X-Wing fighter, the pros and cons of watching Highlander 200 times, and why you should always let the girl say, “I love you” first. We also ponder what the true nature of happiness is anyway.

Be sure to vote on the forums for the next pick of the VOK Book Club!

Note: The first 27 minutes of the discussion is spoiler free.  When you hear “The Safety Dance” playing that means we are moving to the spoiler-filled discussion.

Credits: Edited by Greg

Image created by Zach (Alias)

[mp3] Download or play this episode directly

[archive] View this episode’s page on Archive.org

[iTunes] Subscribe to us on iTunes

[RSS] Podcast Feed

VoK 170: Women in Geek Culture (Vol.2) – GamerGate


GamerGate

In Part 2 of VOK’s Women and Geek Culture series, hosts Alias, Beric175, inkasrain, No True Lady and Valkyrist bring passion, opinions and insight to GamerGate, the controversy that’s taken the internet by storm.

Credits:
Edited by No True Lady

[MP3] Download or play this episode directly
[Archive] View this episode’s page on Archive.org
[Forum] Forum Thread
[iTunes] Subscribe to us on iTunes
[Stitcher] Subscribe to us on Stitcher
[RSS] Podcast Feed

VoK 164: The World of Ice and Fire (by Martin, Garcia & Antonsson) – First Impressions


coffee_table_book

In this (not)161st podcast the crew gather around a coffee table to give their first impressions on GRRM’s The World of Ice and Fire. They lay down plans for more podcasts on this book. In after show they do an impromptu review on Brad Pitt’s Fury. Discussion is mostly kept spoiler free.

0:00 Pre Podcast Discussion (minor spoilers for GoT season 5)
9:20 Podcast Begins
1:12:00 After show

Credits:
Edited by Vikram (fortytwo)
Hosts: Fortytwo, Valkyrist, Alias, Inkasrain and Claudiusthefool
Intro Music: “hmm ok” by Gablé
Various other music: BoxCat’s Discography

[MP3] Download or play this episode directly
[Archive] View this episode’s page on Archive.org
[iTunes] Subscribe to us on iTunes
[RSS] Podcast Feed
[Stitcher] Subscribe to us on Stitcher
[Forums] Podcast Forums

VoK 158: Movie Roundtable (Vol.2) – Horror Edition


VOK_Halloween2
[audio http://archive.org/download/VOK158MovieRoundtable2Horror/VOK158_MovieRoundtable2_Horror.mp3]

Happy Halloween vassals! The guys of VOK gather around the campfire to tell spooky stories and reveal their deepest, darkest fears. Join Duncan (Valkyrist), Zach (Alias), Greg (claudiusthefool), Glen (Dagos_Rivers), Thomas (FTWard), and Mattias (Beric175) as they discuss demonic ankle-biters, menstrual overkill, insect impregnation, cultured cannibals, manifest vampirism, and “The Sprinting Dead.”

7:27 – The Appeal of Horror Movies
21:52 – The Omen (Richard Donner, 1976)
39:41 – Carrie (Brian De Palma, 1976)
55:18 – The Fly (David Cronenberg, 1986)
1:17:53 – The Silence of the Lambs (Jonathan Demme, 1991)
1:43:51 – Ravenous (Antonia Bird, 1999)
2:02:18 – 28 Days Later (Danny Boyle, 2002)

Warning: Contains #SPOILERS# for all six films

Credits:
Edited by Valkyrist

[MP3] Download or play this episode directly
[Archive] View this episode’s page on Archive.org
[Forum] Episode Thread
[iTunes] Subscribe to us on iTunes
[Stitcher] Subscribe to us on Stitcher
[RSS] Podcast Feed

Links:
Gazing into the Abyss: The Uncanny Attraction of Horror Movies
Infographic: For Whom Would Your Favourite Horror Movie Vote?
9 Creepy Facts about The Omen
Carrie: The Musical (2012 Revival)

Roger Ebert’s Review of Ravenous
Why are Zombies still so Popular?

VoK 148: Podcast Roundtable


podcast_img

Make some room in your MP3 players, cause the vassals are reviewing their favorite Podcasts. They talk about how they got into podcasts, list their favorites and list podcast they hate as well.

Credits:
Edited by Vikram (fortytwo)
Hosts: Alias, Amberrocks, Valkyrist, Claudiusthefool and Fortytwo
Intro Music: “hmm ok” by Gablé
Various other music: Chris Zabriskie’s Discography

[MP3] Download or play this episode directly
[Archive] View this episode’s page on Archive.org
[iTunes] Subscribe to us on iTunes
[RSS] Podcast Feed

VoK 146: Jack the Ripper (Part 2) – It All Leads to Lizard People


images-7

Join Julia (NoTrueLady), Thomas (FTWard) and Bina007 in the second part of their investigations into the Whitechapel Murders of 1888. In this part, they discuss the main serious suspects in the Jack the Ripper case, some crackpot theories, and the cultural impact of the murders.

Ways to listen:
[mp3] Download or play this episode directly
[archive] View this episode’s page on Archive.org
[iTunes] Subscribe to us on iTunes
[RSS] Podcast Feed

Further reading on Jack the Ripper:
[Paul Begg’s book] A concise rundown of the facts with no spurious finger-pointing
[Emily Marsh] The woman who might’ve spoken to the author of the From Hell letter
[The Crawford Letter] The letter that mentions that Druitt’s family consider him to be the killer
[The Kosminski book] The best researched book making the case against Kosminski
[The Devil and the White City] A superb book on H H Holmes and the 1893 Chicago World Fair

Cultural echoes:
[Pandora’s Box] The 1929 Louise Brooks movie in which Lulu is killed by Jack The Ripper
[Penny Dreadful] The contemporary TV show featuring Jack the Ripper as one of many aspects of gruesome Victoriana
[The Crimson Petal and the White] Michel Faber explores everything bizarre about Victorian attitudes toward women, sex and prostitutes

VoK 145: Jack the Ripper (Part 1)


images-8

In the first part of our Jack the Ripper discussion, Julia (NoTrueLady) and Bina007 discuss the social conditions at the time of the Whitechapel Murders and make their observations on the deaths of the victims – claimed and canonical. They then discuss the main members of the police investigation and the alleged Ripper letters.  Finally, Thomas (FTWard) teleports in from the future to give us his take on the victims and the Ripper letters.

Warning – this podcast contains discussion of violence and prostitution that some listeners may find disturbing or offensive.

Ways to listen:
[mp3] Download or play this episode directly
[archive] View this episode’s page on Archive.org
[iTunes] Subscribe to us on iTunes
[RSS] Podcast Feed

VoK 131: CricketCast (Vol.1) aka “The Bowler’s Holding the Batsmen’s Manwoody!”


download

In the first ever CricketCast, the Vassals discuss everything from Test Matches to T20 – spot-fixing to Bodyline – and recreate the Tourney of the Hand from Game of Thrones as commentated on by the Test Match Special team. And special bonus geek-cred to the first commenter who guesses the origin of this episode’s sub-title!

Podcasters: BrumRiverlander (Kelvin); Bina007; VKalra23 (Vidur); MadScientist22 (Surya); Jed O’White Hart (Jed); the Podcast Umpire aka Teddard (Eddie); and our guest ‘Murcan Mordion (Michael).

Editor: VKalra23.

[MP3] Download or play this episode directly
[Archive] View this episode’s page on Archive.org
[iTunes] Subscribe to us on iTunes
[RSS] Podcast Feed
[TMS] BBC Test Match Special

VoK 120: Full Cast(le) Recording #5 – A Krewk through the Heart! (CockneyMoot 2014)


th

The Cockney vassals recreate the mythic lost Full Cast(le) Recording of Storm of Swords, Tyrion Chapter 9.  The cast is as follows:

  • Narrator – Bina007
  • Lord Tyrion Lannister – Jed O’White Hart aka The Podcast Bard and host of Cockneymoot 4
  • Lord Jaime Lannister – Brum Riverlander aka Kelvin
  • Lord Varys – Teddard aka Eddie
  • Lum The Guard – Brum Riverlander aka Kelvin
  • Lester The Guard – Mactire aka Ollie
  • Shae Da Funny Whore – Mactire aka Ollie
  • Lord Tywin Lannister – Big Ged

The main show begins at 2m and the cookie monster impressions at 29m.  Naturally this chapter is thoroughly spoiled!

[MP3] Download or play this episode directly
[Archive] View this episode’s page on Archive.org
[iTunes] Subscribe to us on iTunes
[RSS] Podcast Feed

VoK 112: Vassals Night Out – “My Lady, It’s Too Hot!” Edition


download

In our first ever Vassals Night Out, the Ladies of VOK don their PJs, open a bottle of Dornish red, and talk shit about hot guys, cute girls, podcast crushes and whether not liking ASOIAF would be a dealbreaker.

The all star cast features: Tanja (Scilens), Jesicka (Jesicka309), Nadia, Alix (Aiwendil), Bina007,  Nadine (Erinyes), Michal (Inkasrain),  Katie (Lady Griffin), and Amber (Amberrocks).

3m Intros and Earnest discussion of all things geek & feminism, HBO’s boobage count, the depiction of sexual violence in the show, and whether George writes women well, with a side discussion on Westerosi female grooming.

63m The ladies discuss which Westerosi characters they  most resemble, would like to hang out with, as well as the Hottest Manly Men in Westeros- show and book edition; KILFs and relationships we love to ship.

124m The ladies move on to their fellow podcast hosts to discuss their Podcast crushes, and which Vassal would be most useful in the event of a Zombie apocalypse.

165m Aftershow discussion with Jesicka309 and Scilens.

WARNING – This podcast contains spoilers for Game of Thrones, A Song of Ice and Fire and Hunger Games as well as many references to boobs.

Credits:
Edited by Bina007 using lovely audio clips from The New Statesman and with music from Cyndi Lauper.

[MP3] Download or play this episode directly
[Archive] View this episode’s page on Archive.org
[iTunes] Subscribe to us on iTunes
[RSS] Podcast Feed
[My Lady!] Brienne-Margaery Fanfic
[Stansa!] Who knew?! Sansa-Stannis Fanfic

And finally, here’s that wince-inducing pic of pasty Jon Snow:

jon

VoK 109: Ice & Fire Con 2014 Recap


VoK Ice & FireThe Vassals of Kingsgrave recap the 2nd Annual Ice and Fire Con at Ravenwood Castle in New Plymouth, Ohio. Join Greg (claudiusthefool), Jasmine (jazzimen08), Michael (Mordion), and Thomas (FTWard) as they cover the events of their A Song of Ice and Fire-themed weekend, including very long car rides; panel discussions; various Game of Thrones drinking games; cosplay; board game tournaments; Cards Against Westeros; trivia contests; auctions; a Game of Thrones dance party; and of course meeting Amin and Ashley (from A Podcast of Ice and Fire) in real life.

Warning: Contains spoilers for all published books in George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, HBO’s Game of Thrones, as well as one spoiler chapter from The World of Ice and Fire, and all of the craziness of Ice and Fire Con 2014.

Credits:
Edited by claudiusthefool

[MP3] Download or play this episode directly
[Archive] View this episode’s page on Archive.org
[Forum] Forum Thread
[iTunes] Subscribe to us on iTunes
[RSS] Podcast Feed

VoK 100: The Dance of the Vassals


VassalsOfKingsgrave

After six weeks of bitter fighting, the lords of DragonCast, KrakenKast and WolfCast lay down their battered steel in honour of Vassals of Kingsgrave’s 100th episode.

Join VoK curators Bina (Bina007), Glen (Dagos_Rivers), Duncan (Valkyrist), Katie (Lady Griffin), and veteran hosts Michal (inkasrain) and Zach (Alias), as they review the seventh episode of Game of Thrones’ fourth season, entitled “Mockingbird.” And stick around for the Aftershow, where they’ll be performing a chapter reading of “Sansa VII” from A Storm of Swords.

Warning: Contains spoilers for all published books in George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire

02:28 – “Mockingbird” (S04E07) Review
1:02:19 – Messages from House Manwoody
1:08:21 – Full Cast(le) Recording #3: A Castle in the Snow
1:46:23 – The VoK Shareholder’s Luncheon [contains #SPOILERS# for Godzilla (2014), Richard II, War Horse, Legend of Korra, and Tetris]
2:51:43 – ???

We’d like to offer a huge thanks to lead curator Vikram (fortytwo), who couldn’t make the episode, as well all of the other regular hosts, contributors and our growing listenership. And lots of love to Amin and the APOIAF crew, for all of their support. Long live HOUSE MANWOODY!

Credits:
Edited by Valkyrist

[MP3] Download or play this episode directly
[Archive] View this episode’s page on Archive.org
[Forum] Episode Thread
[iTunes] Subscribe to us on iTunes
[RSS] Podcast Feed

VoK 72: Interview with Remy J. Verhoeve (author of “Waiting for Winter”)


WaitingForWinter
In this episode, Valkyrist interviews author and blogger, Remy J. Verhoeve, about his new book – Waiting for Winter: Re-Reading “A Clash of Kings,” Part I. Topics covered include: the politics of the A Song of Ice and Fire fandom; fresh insights and lingering mysteries in book 2; and the culture of “fan theorizing” that Martin’s series has inspired.

Due to equipment problems, the audio quality is not the best, but it has been cleaned up as much as possible. The episode also features several cameo appearance’s from Remy’s infant son.

Warning: Contains #SPOILERS# for all published books in the A Song of Ice and Fire series, as well as the 2005 film Oldboy (???)

Credits:
Edited by Valkyrist

[MP3] Download or play this episode directly
[Archive.org] View this episode’s page on Archive.org
[Forum] Episode Thread
[iTunes] Subscribe to us on iTunes
[RSS] Podcast Feed

Links:
Waiting for Winter: Re-Reading “A Clash of Kings,” Part I (Amazon)
Stormsongs (Remy’s Blog)
Jaime, Azor Ahai & the God of War