Tag Archives: Eiffel

VoK 314: Balticon 2016 Recap


balticon50

The Vassals of Kingsgrave return not to review a book or a movie or a TV show, but to talk about Balticon, a science fiction and fantasy con that we attended this past May. Topics including meeting the illustrious George R. R. Martin, the various panels, and having lots of fun with the A Song of Ice and Fire fandom at large.

Join Matt (Eiffel), Jasmine (jazzimen08), John (eigenvectorjohn), and Zach (Alias) as they recap their con experience and hearing George read the newest Winds of Winter spoiler chapter.

Warning: Contains spoilers for all published books in George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series and unpublished spoiler chapters in The Winds of Winter. 

Credits:
Edited by Alias
Kellen the Undying by Drumurboy

[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 225: Book Club (Vol.5) – City of Thieves (by David Benioff)


City of Thieves

The Vassals of Kingsgrave gather for the 5th meeting of the VOK Book Club.  This time around we discuss City of Thieves by David Benioff; a chilling and yet darkly humorous tale of an impossible quest in a city under siege and a partnership between polar opposites.

Join hosts Greg (claudiusthefool), Alex (Lucky Charms), Zach (Alias), Matt (Eiffel), Dan (witless chum) & Scott (Skywaltzer) as they follow Lev & Kolya through their various trials and tribulations against cannibals, partisans, Germans, cold, hunger & chickens as they attempt the impossible; to find a dozen eggs.

Edited by Greg

Be sure to vote on the forums for the next VOK Book Club pick and the new Book Roundtable discussion.

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

VoK 180: Comic Book Club (Vol.3) – Planetary (by Warren Ellis & John Cassaday)


VOK180 Image
The third meeting of The Secret Book Club discusses the comic Planetary, written by Warren Ellis with art by John Cassaday published by Wildstorm Comics.
Please join the Fictionauts (Thomas, Greg, Shane, Matt and Scott) as we explore the secret history of this extraordinary work.
Along the way we try and answer many important questions.
Where IS Wallace? Why does Doc Brass need TWO belts? Which is the real REAL Nautilus? And most confoundingly, What the FUCK is up with Devis?
Credits
Edited by: FTWard
Image: Elijah Snow by John Cassaday
Music
Intro: “Sloop John B” written by Brian Wilson. Performed by Johnny Cash.
After Show: “Blackwater Bay” by Blackwater Bay https://soundcloud.com/blackwater-bay/blackwater-bay
After After Show: “Close (to the Edit)” written by Anne Dudley, Gary Langan, J.J. Jeczalik, Paul Morley and Trevor Horn. Arranged by Kevin Thompson. Performed by Yiyi Hsu, Howard Chen, Brian Shen and Sonia Stewart.
[MP3]Download or play this episode directly.
[Archive.org] View this episode’s page on archive.org.
[iTunes] Subscribe to us on iTunes.
[RSS] Podcast only feed.
[Forums] Podcast forums.

VoK 160: Comic Book Club (Vol.2) – Fall TV Shows


CBC 2

VoK 160: Comic Book Club Comics on TV Fall 2014

The third second Meeting of the Secret Book Club invites you to join our conversation about the current state of comics on television.

Thomas (FTWard), Greg (claudiusthefool), Shane (easttexasdirewolf) & Matt (Eiffel) discuss The Walking Dead, Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Arrow, The Flash and Gotham as well as some genuinely nerdy topics like the Top 5 Fighters in the DCU, who everyone’s favorite Flash is, the identity of Skye’s father, the nature of prostitution in Canada and of course Swamp Thing.

3:35 The Walking Dead

17:00 Marvel Agents of SHIELD

33:05 Arrow

49:50 The Flash

1:08:00 Gotham

1:28:00 After Show

 

Credits:
Edited by: FTWard
Image: Art by Al Plastino

Music: Various Artists

 

[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 129: Book Club (Vol.1) – The Ocean at the End of the Lane (by Neil Gaiman)


TheOceanAtTheEndOfTheLaneThe Vassals of Kingsgrave kick off the VOK Book Club with their discussion of The Ocean at the End of the Lane, by Neil Gaiman.

Join hosts Greg (claudiusthefool), Leigh (LordManderBlee ), Brett (White Raven), Zach (Alias), Amber (amberrocks), and Matt (Eiffel) as they analyze the short but powerful novel, touching on what it really means to be a helpless child in a world of adult cruelty; the responsibility of Gods (old or new) to their creations; the power of memory; and how easily we can forget the most formative events of our childhood.

Please be sure to vote on the forums for our next Book Club pick!

Credits:
Edited by claudiusthefool
Image taken from the US Hardcover Edition published by William Morrow 2013. Design by Adam Johnson, photo by Lane Coder/Gallery Stock.

[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 60: LOTR ReRead (Part 3) – The Treason of Isengard


images

The ongoing quest to re-read Tolkien’s fantasy classic continues as the Fellowship of Vassals tackles Book Three of Lord of the Rings aka The Treason of Isengard.

In this  third episode, Nadia, Eiffel aka Matt, Shellfish aka Peter, Amanda aka MiddleCyclones,  Joanna aka JoThirteen, Brett aka Whiteraven and Bina007 enumerate their love for all things Rohan!

Beware of Spoilers: This podcast discusses Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and the Silmarillion in detail.

00:00 Introduction to the Fellowship and Bina’s geeky key stats.

05:00 JoThirteen leads a discussion on Chapter One – The Departure of Boromir – Should this chapter have been in the previous book? How were orcs and trolls made? Why does Aragorn keep Boromir’s betrayal secret?

13:00 Eiffel leads a discussion of Chapters Two and Five – The Riders of Rohan and The White Rider – Is Saruman deliberately trying to look like Gandalf? How come Gimli is happy to ‘ride bitch’? Is Aragorn every funny? Does Gandalf know about the Entmoot? Is it weird that Saruman is abroad before battle?

49:00 Whiteraven leads a discussion of Chapters Three and Four – The Uruk-Hai and Treebeard – is cutting off a hand harder than swinging a sword? Poor Orcs! Did the movie misrepresent Ents?  What happened to the Entwives?

1:05:00 MiddleCyclones leads a discussion of Chapter Six – The King In The Golden Hall – in which we express our Hama-love for seemingly hours; Theoden compared to Mufasa and/or the Arthurian Fisher-King;  why do they let Wormtongue go?

1:22:00 Nadia leads a discussion of Chapter Seven – Helm’s Deep – Do the movies rob Treebeard and Theoden of their agency? The Elves show up! Erkenbrand doesn’t! The absurdity of Aragorn parlaying with the Orcs!

1:45:00 Bina007 leads a discussion of Chapters Eight and Nine – The Road to Isengard and Flotsam and Jetsam – On the new no-nonsense Gandalf the White and the importance of chilling out.

1:54:00 Shellfish leads a discussion of Chapter Ten – The Voice of Saruman and Chapter Eleven – The Palantir – what is the nature of Saruman’s power? Would Theoden have fallen?  How Theoden has all the best lines. Does Saruman know Gandalf has the Ring? Was Saruman always bad? Is it credible that Gandalf doesn’t know about the Palantir?

Edited by Bina007 using extracts of music from the official soundtrack to The Two Towers composed by Howard Shore.

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

VoK 50: LOTR ReRead (Part 1) – The Return of the Shadow


Book Cover

Join our doughty Fellowship of Podcasters as they level up and discuss Tolkien’s high fantasy novel at almost as slow a pace as Frodo’s quest to destroy the Ring.

In this first episode, EastTexasDirewolf, Teddard, Nadia, Shellfish, Eiffel and Bina007 discuss the events of Book One of The Fellowship of The Ring: The First Journey/The Ring Sets Out.

Beware of Spoilers: This podcast discusses Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and the Silmarillion in detail.

00:00 Introductions – how we got into the books

08:00 How we rate Fellowship compared to the other two volumes and whether we faff about too much with Tom Bombadil

12:00 EastTexasDirewolf leads a discussion of the The Prologue and Chapters 1-6 (Frodo finally leaves the shire and runs into elves, black riders and Tom Bombadil).  We debate:

  • whether Tolkien’s directions are a bit Quaithe-y;
  • whether pipeweed is in fact weed;
  • the endearing xenophobia of hobbits;
  • Gandalf as the Doran of Middle Earth;
  • whether Gollum eats babies;
  • the alleged creepiness of Sam and Frodo’s friendship;
  • whether Fatty Bolger is bonkers or a badass;
  • and the nature of the evil in the forest.

41:00 Eiffel leads a discussion of Chapters 7-12 in which we discuss:

  • the nature of wights;
  • Tom Bombadil’s mad pick-up lines;
  • how Gandalf is susceptible to the Ring;
  • how the Black Riders are weaksauce;
  • the misremembered tactical idiocy of going to Weathertop;
  • how far Frodo has free will;
  • the insane badassery of Glorfindel;
  • how Elves are kind of Cylon-y – hobbits not so much;
  • what’s the use of gods anyway?

1:20:00 Final thoughts on Book One.

Credits:
Edited by Bina007

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

Links:
The Tolkien Professor

VoK 47: Mass Effect series (BioWare)


wallpaper-011-femshep-1600x1200

To Discuss Bioware’s Mass Effect Series , Katie (Lady Griffin) is joined by Zach (Alias), Eddie (Teddard), Matt (Eiffel), and Peter (Shellfish).

2:00 Introductions and Icebreakers
11:00 Trilogy Highlights
34:00 Mass Effect 3 Ending
58:00 Multiplayer, Paragon and Renegade, and The Future of Mass Effect
1:08:00 Aftershow – Snakes and Scorpions, Badasses and Dumbasses

Warning: Contains plot spoilers for all Mass Effect games and downloadable content. Minor spoilers for the novel Mass Effect: Revelation by Drew Karpyshyn.

Credits:
Edited by Katie
Intro: ‘The Old Machines’ by Rig
32:40: ‘I’m Proud of You’ by Sam Hulick
58:36: ‘Staggered Injection’ (Purgatory Bar Music) by Ekstrak
Outro: 1:09: DJ Harbinger – Surrender Shepard!
All Mass Effect clips belong to Bioware and Electronic Arts, Inc. All fanworks belong to their respective owners.

[MP3] Download or play this episode directly.
[Archive.org] View this episode’s page on Archive.org.
[Mirror] Download from mega.co.nz
[iTunes] Subscribe to us on iTunes
[RSS] Podcast only feed.
[Forum] Podcast Forums.

VoK 43: The Hobbit – An Unexpected Journey [2012] (Review)


the-hobbit

Approached out of the blue by the wizard Eiffel the grey, fortytwo finds himself joining the company of forum dwellers LordManderblee, Shellfish, Easttexasdirewolf and Teddart to review Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit 1: An Unexpected Journey. Their journey will take them through treacherous spoiler filled territory of Hobbit the book, LoTR trilogy and other Tolkien Lore; lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs, Sorcerers and sexualized dwarves !!!

Beware of spoilers, the following podcast discusses the movie Hobbit 1, Hobbit the book and Lord of the Rings Trilogy.

Credits:
Edited by Fortytwo
The Misty Mountain by Howard Shore

[MP3] Download or play this episode directly.
[Archive.org] View this episode’s page on Archive.org.
[Mirror] Download from mega.co.nz
[iTunes] Subscribe to us on iTunes
[RSS] Podcast only feed.
[Forum] Podcast Forums.

Links:
Dwarf Cheat Sheet
Tolkien Professor
Peter Jackson’s Youtube Channel
Hobbit Contract