Study 174 - The Crawling Horror
Author Robin D. Laws joins us to discuss The Crawling Horror by Thorp McClusky, a protoplasmic pulp tale that prefigures Body Snatchers and The Thing! It's totally vombic!
Special thanks to our reader, Craig Johnson of Chad Vader and Welcome to the Basement!
Show notes:
And in this one they talk about ghost chiropractors!
Who Goes There? (and Part Two)
And don't forget to back Strange Stories: The Roleplaying Game!
Extra Credit 049 - Deathstalker 2025
Deathstalker got a remake and it's a vast improvement! Tune in as we discuss versions old and new - or suffer the consequences!
Check out Borrowing Blockbusters: Barbarian Movies and Conansploitation
Next up in August: THE CRAWLING HORROR by Thorp McClusky!
Classic Cast: Beowulf
Join us for a very special, super-sized 'cast covering the epic poem Beowulf, brought to you by Strange Stories: The Roleplaying Game!
Check out the original episode from 05/26/2015!
Special thanks to our reader, Andrew Leman, and our composer, Reber Clark.
EXTRA special thanks to our illustrious guests, Mr. Bob Hanske and Dr. Catherine Batt!
Study 173 - Draco, Draco
A hero fights a dragon to save a sacrificial maiden; but all is not as it seems in Draco, Draco by Tanith Lee!
Special thanks to Kristyna Baczynski. Support her book, Another Realm. DO IT!!
And while you're supporting good stuff -- STRANGE STUDIES: THE ROLEPLAYING GAME!
Check out Six Sought Adventure: A Half-Dozen Swords And Sorcery Short Stories Worth Your Summer Reading Time
Next up: DEATHSTALKER!
Strange Stories: The Roleplaying Game
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Study 172 - The Barrow Troll
A ruthless warrior schemes for cursed treasure in The Barrow Troll by David Drake!
Special thanks to reader Mike Mason of Chaosium! Check out:
And don't forget to hit up the pre-launch page for Strange Stories: The Roleplaying Game!
Feedback 049 - Squid Man Returns!
We're reading your comments about Satan's Hounds, cats in space, Rosetta stones and SQUID MAN!! OCTOPUS MAN!! SQUID MAN!! YEAH!!
Episode 171 - The Phoenix on the Sword
We're joined by guest Kenneth Hite as we cover the very first Conan the Barbarian story by Robert E. Howard, The Phoenix on the Sword! It's a super-sized episode for Thewly!
Special thanks to our magnificent reader, Travis Bedard!
Mentioned in the episode:
The Hyborian Age, an essay by Robert E. Howard
The original Weird Tales issue featuring this story, with the first Conan illustration by Jayem Wilcox
The Robert E. Howard poetry project, coming soon from Reber Clark!
And don't forget to follow our pre-launch page for Strange Stories: The Roleplaying Game!
WE WILL BE OFF NEXT WEEK, returning 7/14 with our Feedback show.
After that - it's David Drake's The Barrow Troll, then Draco, Draco by Tanith Lee, and we'll even be having an extra credit look at the new Deathstalker film as well as the originals!
Extra Credit 048 - Satan's Hounds
The tables are turned as Lackey runs a solo RPG for Fifer, and the results are ridiculous!
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Classic Cast: The Enchanter's Apprentice
Last year, we tried out a meditative solo roleplaying game - listen in!
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Here's a link to the original episode with comments.
The Lactantius reference is from Episode 34 - The Festival.
This adventure of the mind is from the world of THE COLOSSUS!
Study 170 - The Game of Rat and Dragon
Humans mind-meld with cats to fight interstellar monsters in The Game of Rat and Dragon by Cordwainer Smith! Join us as we launch into MEOWterspace!
Special thanks to our magnificent reader: Ryan Negron!
Check out the story (with illustrations) in the original Galaxy Magazine from 1955!
And here's the article from Johns Hopkins magazine on the insane life of this author, who wrote the book on psychological warfare for the US government!
Study 169 - The Mainz Psalter
Belgian ale? Belgian waffles? How about some Belgian Lovecraft? Join us as we discuss Jean Ray's tale of cosmic horror on the high seas: The Mainz Psalter!
Special thanks to our excellent reader, artist Jack Hughes!
Deeper Cut: Jean Ray and Weird Tales from the always-fantastic Deep Cuts in a Lovecraftian Vein!
Don't forget to FOLLOW our roleplaying game pre-launch page!
Outro Music: Going Down (instrumental)
Feedback 048 - Gargoyles All the Time
We're discussing your thoughts on Greek mythology, Arthurian legend, delicious bird seed and MORE! Tune in!
Next up: The Mainz Psalter by Jean Ray
Study 168 - Founding Father
A space traveler wrestles with the need for human companionship... and LOSES! Join us as we discuss the pastoral sci-fi story Founding Father by Clifford D. Simak!
Special thanks to reader Jason Compton! You can also catch him on This Week in Retro as well as The Retro Adventurers!
Check out this interview with Simak from the 1971 World Science Fiction Convention in Boston!
Our past Clifford Simak shows: Desertion and The Street That Wasn't There
Up next: The Mainz Psalter by Jean Ray
Extra Credit 047 - Poe Talk and Reading with Sean Branney and Andrew Leman
Sean Branney and Andrew Leman of The H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society swing by to tell us why they thought it would be fun to audiobook The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe!
Conversation followed by a full reading of The Imp of the Perverse!
Next week: Founding Father by Clifford D. Simak
Study 167 - Changeling
We're investigating a weird tale by Scottish author Dorothy K. Haynes: Changeling, the story of a young girl stolen by a witch and living among the fae.
Special thanks to our reader, France Leigh Hadrysiak!
Next up: An extra credit episode on Poe featuring Andrew Leman and Sean Branney of the HPLHS (plus a bonus full reading)!
Study 166 - The Voyage of King Euvoran - Part 2
We're in the home stretch of The Voyage of King Euvoran by Clark Ashton Smith, wherein we face the horrors of BIRD COURT!
Special thanks to our reader Andrew Leman! New from the HPLHS and featuring Andrew: The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe Audiobook!
Check out Inside the World Taxidermy Championships
Next up: Changeling by Dorothy K. Haynes and an extra-credit chat with the fellas at the HPLHS!
Feedback 047 - Demon-Possessed Gravy Boats
We're digging through the virtual mailbag for your thoughts on Shirley Jackson, Witches and Sweathog Necromancy! Tune in!
Next up: The Voyage of King Euvoran concludes! Look for it Friday or Saturday at the latest!
Study 165 - The Voyage of King Euvoran - Part 1
A king loses his crown and his bald spot is exposed! Join us as we chart his quest to regain his royalty in The Voyage of King Euvoran by Clark Ashton Smith!
Special thanks to our reader Andrew Leman! New from the HPLHS and featuring Andrew: The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe Audiobook!
Here's that story about Paul McCartney from Louder.
Next up: The Voyage Concludes!
Extra Credit 046 - Shirley Jackson, Witches and Häxan
We're having a good ramble about Shirley Jackson and witches in media -- plus some NightMan! Grab a pointed hat and join us!
Don't forget to grab SCOPE CREEP by DRACULATER, available May 1st for Bandcamp Friday -- sales go directly to the musicians!
Other mentions in this episode:
11 Things You Probably Didn't Know about Shirley Jackson
Shirley Jackson: Possibly a Witch, Definitely Played the Zither
The Haunted Mind of Shirley Jackson
Also, have a look at Thelma!
And of course, NIGHTMAN: Do You Believe in Magic?