Mythmakers

Season 6 of Mythmakers has been a whirlwind of captivating stories, thought-provoking discussions, and fascinating insights into the world of fantasy and beyond. As we reach the end of this season, we're taking a moment to reflect on some of the standout moments with a collection of clips from five fan-favourite episodes. Join Julia Golding as we journey to revisit a daring Young Adult heist set i...

How does one come up with an original idea for a fantasy story? Hannah Kingsley in her debut novel Soul Hate (due to come out in February 2025) has taken the trope of the ‘soul mate’ and asked the question: 'what if...you had a soul hate?' Join us on today’s episode of Mythmakers as she discusses with Julia Golding the origins of her story and the importance of giving her heroine...

Today, the Mythmakers podcast is setting sail with author Rose Black on a new fantasy pirate adventure for an adult audience: Fated Winds and Promising Seas (available on Hodderscape). Julia Golding discusses with Rose where the idea came from – and it’s not the usual place in this case! In a book about freedom and predestination, they go on to discuss representation in fantasy books a...

What would it be like to be the only human in a family of vampires? This is the dilemma that Helen Glynn Jones' character faces in the first part of her Ravens series: The Last Raven. Helen joins Julia Golding in today’s episode of Mythmakers to discuss the tradition of vampire myths around the world in the places she's lived, and in her own version as she imagines that being human is what m...

Author Tad Williams is well-known for his epic fantasy series, such as The Dragonbone Chair, as well as his sci-fi and urban fantasy works. He joins us today on the Mythmaker's podcast to talk to Julia Golding about The Navigator's Children, his conclusion to a vast epic, this part called The Last King of Osten Ard. This achievement has been compared to Tolkien's legendarium in its ambitious scope...

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 perfect fit for the Mythmakers podcast, join us for today’s episode where Julia Golding meets illustrator and author John Hendrix to talk about his entertaining graphic novel: The Mythmakers. This is the story of the friendship between J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, and not only is it a biography of their fellowship, but it also explores in the company of our guides, a lion and a wizard...

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...

Mermaids come with some watery baggage, which raises the question: just how does one do a fresh take on this iconic mythical creature? This was the challenge facing Berlie Doherty and Tamsin Rosewell - a writer and illustrator team. Find out their answers to this question in today’s episode of Mythmakers where they’ll be diving into the reinvention of mermaids in their fascinating conv...

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...

Today on Mythmakers, Julia Golding is joined by Professor Simon Horobin who has stepped into C.S. Lewis's shoes at Magdalen College, Oxford, and now he has written a beautiful book detailing Lewis's relationship with the iconic city. Join us as he discusses with Julia the peculiarities of college life in Oxford, the move to Cambridge later in life, Headington and the Kilns, as well as C.S. Lewis a...

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...

Hero or Villain? These archetypal characters are the stock-in-trade of the fantasy genre, and so you’ll definitely enjoy this newest poetry anthology compiled by Ana Sampson, an experienced curator of poetry collections, and illustrated by the instantly recognizable pencil of Chris Riddell, multi-award-winning illustrator and former UK Children's Laureate.   Today on Mythmakers, in conv...

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...

Have you enjoyed The Rings of Power Season 2? Join Julia Golding and Jacob Rennaker on today’s episode of Mythmakers as they offer their thoughts on the latest season of Amazon’s show. After sharing their initial impressions on the production and visual realisation, they delve deeper into the story choices, lore, and characters, before wrapping up with a rating out of 10 rings (what el...

Is it time that we revisit the category of 'New Adult' books again? Kate Dylan's fantasy heist story fits in this category, post YA but written for the reading tastes of the 20-something year old audience who've just graduated out that group. On today’s episode of Mythmakers, Kate will be engaging in a fascinating discussion with Julia Golding about why the themes of being on the edge, close...

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...

On today’s episode of Mythmakers, we’re meeting an exciting new writer coming out of the Bay Area. Hayley Dennings, author of This Ravenous Fate, has chosen the Harlem Renaissance for her vampire thriller and love story. Join us as she speaks with Julia Golding about her debut, the authors that inspired her and how she got published—this being her 5th book, an encouraging message...

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...

Welcome back to Mythmakers for our sixth season! Megan Whalen Turner began her career in 1996 and is still going strong as her series The Queen's Thief becomes available in the UK and the Commonwealth for the first time. US readers have been enjoying the series for years and she won the Newbury Award and Mythopoeia Award in recognition of her achievements. Take a listen as she tells our host Julia...

Season 5 of Mythmakers has been one of many adventures, and as the season comes to a close, we’re going to look back at 5 highlights from our most enjoyed episodes. Join us as we dive back into the rising popularity of the Romantasy genre, before revisiting the presence of Fantasy at the Oscars. Appropriately, we’ll then steer the conversation towards our favourite Tolkien topics of th...

As a fitting finale to our 5 th season of Mythmakers, we’re ending with Tolkien - namely his newly edited and augmented letters. Take a listen to Julia Golding and Jacob Rennaker's 10 out of 10 review of the edition, they’ll break it down to what we learn about Middle-earth, how Middle-earth influenced his view of our real world events, his relationships (particularly with his family)...

Imagine starting your journey as a fantasy writer in a media storm where you are greeted as the next J K Rowling. That's precisely what faced Samantha Shannon when her first novel The Bone Season was published while she was in her early 20s. Ten years on and an established writer, Samantha has re-edited the book and is celebrating this anniversary by finishing the fifth in the series. Join us on t...

Today on Mythmakers, the Oxford Centre for Fantasy meets the winner of the Golden Pencil Prize for the best Dutch children's book of the year, Yorick Goldewijk, as his novel debuts in English. Movies Showing Nowhere, a fascinating middle-grade novel about memories, loss and time travel, is set in a special cinema which takes the hero, Cate, on an unexpected journey. This book will also take Yorick...

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...