Unseen Academicals: A Discworld and Terry Pratchett Podcast
Activity Overview
Episode publication activity over the past year
Episodes
15B - Small Gods, Part 2 - Books and New Sons
17 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The second episode examining Terry Pratchett's 1992's Discworld novel, Small Gods, examining the role of books and memory in fantasy fiction, ...
15A - Small Gods, Part 1: Consider the Tortoise
26 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The first episode on Terry Pratchett's thirteenth (and best) Discworld novel Small Gods (1992), looking at religious and folkloric depictions of t...
14C – Pyramids, Part 2b: Egyptian Representations
04 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The third and final episode tangentially related to Terry Pratchett's 1989 Discworld novel Pyramids, providing a crash course in Egyptian fantasy ...
14B – Pyramids, Part 2a: Mummy Madness
07 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tangential mini(ish) episode, inspired by Pyramids (1989), examining mummy fiction and Western representations of Egypt from their nineteenth-century ...
14A – Pyramids, Part 1: Progress and Prejudice
17 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We push the pop-filter to the limit this week, ptalking about Pterry Pratchett's seventh, unaffiliated, Discworld novel, Pyramids (1989), discussi...
Best Books in 2023
11 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Josh counts down the best books he read for the first time in 2023.
Best Albums of 2023
11 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Josh, Eden and Karlo from Heavy Blog is Heavy count down their favourite albums of 2023.
13C – Good Omens, Part 3: Faithful Adaptations
02 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A somewhat off-the-cuff conclusion to our Good Omens coverage, loosely discussing canonicity, adaptation theory and adaptations themselves, including ...
13B – Good Omens, Part 2: Apocalyptic Revelations
13 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Apologies for the delay, I would have recorded a shorter podcast, but I didn't have time... The second episode about Terry Pratchett and Neil Gai...
Arthur C. Clarke and Vegetarian Space Exploration
02 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Josh reads a section about Arthur C. Clarke from his book Vegetarianism and Science Fiction: A History of Utopian Animal Ethics, which is finally out ...
13A – Good Omens, Part 1: Antichrist Phenomenon
17 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The first episode on Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's 1990 novel Good Omens, looking at its creation and reception, along with its portrayal of p...
VV4 – Interview with the Vampre, Series 1
26 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"Vegetarian Vampire" expert Sophie Dungan joins Josh to talk about the first season of AMC's Interview with the Vampire television serie...
VV3 – Vegetarian Vampires After Discworld
26 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"Vegetarian Vampire" expert Sophie Dungan joins Josh to talk about the development of human-blood-abstinent vampires in literature and other...
VV2 – Vegetarian Vampires in Discworld
26 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"Vegetarian Vampire" expert Sophie Dungan joins Josh to talk about the development of human-blood-abstinent vampires in the Discworld series...
VV1 – Vegetarian Vampires Before Discworld
26 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"Vegetarian Vampire" expert Sophie Dungan joins Josh to talk about the development of human-blood-abstinent vampires in literature and other...
I Still Ate'nt Dead!
23 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
TL;DL: I'm officially shutting down the Patron page at the end of the month. All bonus content and future episodes will be moved over/put out on...
12C – Thief of Time, Part 3: About Time
02 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The long-awaited final episode on Thief of Time (2001), discussing Aristotle's conception(s) of humanity, religious and scientific conceptions o...
12B - Thief of Time, Part 2: Literary Links
24 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
An impromptu, stop-gap episode discussing some literary connection to Thief of Time, including works by Lewis Carroll, Charles Dickens, C. S. Lewis, M...
12A – Thief of Time, Part 1: What's in a Name?
19 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The first of two episodes on Thief of Time (2001), exploring Susan's character development and statistical showings, as well as the role of naming...
The Amazing Maurice (film review)
05 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Josh gives his thoughts on the new animated film adaptation of The Amazing Maurice (2022/23).
Best Books in 2022
02 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Josh is back on dry land, counting down the best books he read in 2022.
Worst Books in 2022
31 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Live from Josh's bathtub, it's a countdown of the worst books he read for the first time in 2022! Contact: [email protected]
11B – Hogfather, Part 2: Happy Hogswatch!
24 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Josh is back to talk some more about Hogfather (1996) and its connections to Christmas traditions, covering the history of the Tooth Fairy and Hogswat...
11A – Hogfather, Part 1: The Power of Belief
11 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Nadav Prawer joins Josh for the first part on 1996's Hogfather, examining Susan's character development, her contrasts to Teatime, the nature of ju...
10C – Soul Music, Part 3: Simply Susan
07 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Part three of our exploration of Soul Music (1994), examining Susan's side of the story and her engagement with heroic palimpsests, heroes' journeys, ...
A Life With Footnotes, by Rob Wilkins
18 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Josh shares some initial thoughts about Rob Wilkins' official biography, Terry Pratchett: A Life With Footnotes (2022). Contact: unseenacademicalspod...
Chronicles of Narnia Countdown
27 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Josh ranks C. S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia Books from worst to least terrible.
10A – Soul Music, Part 1: Magical Music
21 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Heavy Blog is Heavy Editor in Chief, Eden Kupermitz joins Josh to talk about 1994's Soul Music, focusing on the book's engagement with the literary tr...
Wotcher' Been Readin? August, 2022
01 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Wotcher' Been Readin? August, 2022
9B – Reaper Man - Part 2
06 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Part two on Reaper Man (1991), exploring prologues, disability studies, "vegetarian" vampires, bereavement, Alzheimer's, euthanasia/assisted dying and...
9A – Reaper Man - Part 1
13 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The first of two episodes on 1991's Reaper Man, exploring further representations of Death, dances Macabre and Morris, existentialism, pastoral romant...
8 – Mort
07 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We kick off our examination of the Death series with 1987's Mort, exploring evolving representations of Death, fantastical and comedic bildungsromen, ...
Wotcher' Been Readin? May, 2022
01 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Wotcher' Been Readin? May, 2022
Wotcher' Been Readin? April, 2022
25 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Another episode of our bonus pre-show Wotcher' Been Reading? wherein we discuss: The Books of Jacob by Olga Tokarczuk The Mortal Instruments seriesby ...
We Ate'nt Dead!
03 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A quick update about the podcast schedule. Contact: [email protected] Support: patreon.com/unseenacademicals
7B – Carpe Jugulum - Part 2
20 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Our long-awaited second episode on Carpe Jugulum, covering the literary development of the vampire from the early-nineteenth century through to the pu...
Wotcher' Been Readin? January, 2022
12 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Preview episdoe for our Patreon bonus show Wotcher' Been Reading? where Alice and I discuss the non-Discworld things we've been reading recent...
7A – Carpe Jugulum - Part 1
20 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Episode 7A of Unseen Academicals, discussing Carpe Jugulum and exploring Pratchett's subversion of the triple goddess, magpie rhymes, Gothic landscape...
Of the Devil's Party – Manfred, by Lord Byron
24 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Did you know Alice does another podcast called Of the Devil's Party, where they and their friend Rowan do a deep dive into dark hero archetypes? It'...
6 – Maskerade
09 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss Maskerade, exploring the origins triple goddess, the many guises of The Phantom of the Opera,distinctions between high and low culture, th...
A Midsummer Night's Dream by Neil Gaiman
11 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Our first ever bonus episode of Unseen Academicals, covering issue 19 of Neil Gaiman's comic series The Sandman: "A Midsummer Night's Dre...
5B – Lords and Ladies - Part 2
28 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Our second part on Lords and Ladies, exploring evolving literary and cultural representations of elves and fairies through the works of William Shakes...
5A – Lords and Ladies - Part 1
31 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The first of two episodes on Lords and Ladies (1992), covering quantum continuities, simulacra warrior queens, performative dressing, glamour, the eth...
4C – Witches Abroad - Part 3
03 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We wrap up our extended coverage of witches abroad with an examination of mirrors in feminist literature and fairytale revisions, the origins of Lilit...
4B – Witches Abroad - Part 2
12 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Oggisms continue as we explore the cultural impact and implications of fairy tales featured in the Genua section of Witches Abroad, including Cind...
4A – Witches Abroad - Part 1
29 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Episode 4A of Unseen Academicals, discussing the third book in the Witches Series, Witches Abroad (1991), and using it to explore the characterisation...
3 – Wyrd Sisters
01 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Episode 3 of Unseen Academicals, examining the second book in the Witches Series, Wyrd Sisters (1988), and using it to explore theories of humour, the...
2 – Equal Rites
04 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Episode 2 of Unseen Academicals, discussing the first book in the Witches Series, Equal Rites (1986) and using it to explore definitions and history o...
1 – Unseen Academicals
04 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Episode 1 of Unseen Academicals, discussing our titular Discworld novel, Unseen Academicals (2009), and using it to discuss Terry Pratchett's critical...