Mythmakers

What do the classical stories of myths and legends mean to us today? In this episode of Mythmakers, Dr. Lorna Robinson—founder of the Iris Project and director of the Rumble Museum at Cheney School in Oxford—joins Julia Golding to discuss her quest to bring these timeless tales to young people. The conversation explores Lorna’s reinterpretation of Ovid's Metamorphoses in The Bird...

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 l...

In a bit of festive fun, join Julia Golding and Jacob Rennaker in this episode of Mythmakers as they explore how Christmas appears in the works of Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. From the icy rule of the White Witch to a surprise visit from Father Christmas in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, they dig into the lore behind Narnia’s wintry themes. Then it’s on to Tolkien’s Father Chri...

We may be in a golden age for audiobooks, but for those with sight impairments they have always been essential. Blind writer and returning guest Andrew Head joins Julia Golding on once again on today's episode of Mythmakers to share his thoughts on the audiobook biographies of Tolkien, Lewis, and the Inklings. Be sure to tune in as Andrew and Julia delve into the Mrs Moore controversy so have a li...

Our friend from Australia, Andrew Head—a blind writer and devoted audiobook listener—joins Julia Golding once again on today's episode of Mythmakers to explore the world of Philip Pullman through audio. Together, they dive into the pros and cons of semi-dramatised audiobooks: Are they a help or a hindrance? Which are the best Pullman titles? Their conversation then takes a deeper turn...

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 l...

This year marks 75 years since The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe arrived in bookshops, so join us on this anniversary episode of Mythmakers as Julia Golding and Jacob Rennaker discuss the origins of the book and consider how it stood out among its literary contemporaries before we reflect on its enduring legacy today. If you have an opinion on this, have a listen and join the conversation to le...

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 l...

In this episode of Mythmakers, join Julia Golding for a review of the newly released full-cast production of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone from Pottermore and Audible. Does this reimagined version enhance the magic, or distract from the original charm? Tune in to hear Julia’s take on the production quality, narration choices, and ultimately whether this edition is worth addi...

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 l...

Netflix is bringing The Chronicles of Narnia back to our screens with Greta Gerwig at the helm for the first two films in the series. Interestingly, the adaptation begins with The Magician’s Nephew, opting for chronological order rather than the order in which the books were written. In this episode of Mythmakers, Julia Golding and Jacob Rennaker dive into what we know so far about the creat...

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 l...

We’re thrilled to welcome Marisa Linton to this episode of Mythmakers. A former student from our writing course and a valued member of one of our writers' groups, Marisa recently won the Times Chicken House Fiction Competition for her YA fantasy title The Binding Spell, and she’s now stepping into new territory with the release of her first adult fantasy detective novel, The Circle of...

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 l...

Joining us on Mythmakers today is Darren Simpson, author of Thirst—a spooky folkloric tale for readers aged 11 and up. In conversation with Julia Golding, Darren shares how he crafted the eerie world of his novel, drawing inspiration from myths and legends while carefully navigating messaging, naming, and the challenges of writing and editing. But that’s not all, as his book is po...

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 l...

An exciting new voice has arrived in the epic fantasy genre. In this episode of Mythmakers, Julia Golding is joined by author Marvellous Michael Anson—known as Marve—to discuss her trilogy, The Firstborn of the Sun. Marve shares how her Nigerian heritage has shaped her writing, the role of her grandmother as the source of oral storytelling, and how to handle romance without heading dow...

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 l...

We’re kicking off Season 8 of Mythmakers with a relevant and enchanting conversation, as Julia Golding welcomes Helle Norup back to the podcast. Having just published the second book in her children’s series, The Changeling Child, Helle’s feisty heroine, Saga, is an environmental campaigner—so we’re taking the opportunity to explore the long and evolving relationship...

Big news for Tolkien fans was the release of Andy Serkis unabridged version of The Lord of the Rings with Harper Collins on Audible. In this episode of Mythmakers, Julia Golding reviews the recording, comparing it to the BBC dramatised version from 1981 and the Robert Inglis reading of 1990. Which version has the best songs? Who dares to dip into the appendices? Is there a rival to Andy's Gollum?...

Where would you rate The Return of the King in the trilogy? Join Julia Golding and Jacob Rennaker on today's episode of Mythmakers as they take a deep dive into the script and movie-making choices of the adaptation of the concluding part of The Lord of the Rings. What are your perfect moments - and your fails? Julia and Jacob disagree over one big scene - whose side are you on? Where are the oppor...

Middle films are always the most difficult. In this episode Julia Golding and Jacob Rennaker continue their reconsideration of the Peter Jackson trilogy, turning their attention to The Two Towers. They consider the perfect moments and the fails, with one serious criticism which could definitely to revisited if a filmmaker takes it on again. Remember with them the wonder of Rohan, the storming of I...

20 years from now someone somewhere will surely be considering having another go at The Lord of the Rings on film. In this episode of Mythmakers, Julia Golding is joined by academic and Tolkien fan Jacob Rennaker to look back at the Peter Jackson adaptation of The Fellowship of the Ring, considering the script choices and casting, the cuts and the visual realisation. What were the moments that cou...

We are so used to thinking of Tolkien being all about the past - old languages, old stories and no post-Shakespearean literature going into his cauldron of story-making, but of course that is wrong. Meet Dr Holly Ordway, whose fantastic book, Tolkien's Modern Reading, is a scholarly and entertaining exploration of the breadth of books in many genres that Tolkien was reading. From The Land of Snerg...

The oddest Inkling - that's Charles Williams, poet, playwright, novelist, editor, theologian and occult practitioner. If you think the Inklings are summed up by Oxford dons, Lewis and Tolkien, think again, because Williams added an extraordinary influence to the group. Today on Mythmakers Julia Golding is joined by world expert on Charles William, Dr Sørina Higgins, who has edited a modern...