Tom's Terror Trove

Rodion, Raskolnikov, Limbus. The literary origin(s) of a statuesque axe murderer

РАСКО́ЛAnother deep dive into the doleful denizens of Limbus Company's bus. Although in this case we are dealing with a feverishly cheerful and multifarious (I have a feeling I'm going to abuse that adjective) individual, set free from their mind body and spirit-bindings. Let's not forget Sonya, hy0umon of negotiable affection-flipped freedom fighter. Let us cling to the needles that pierce the flesh of our shared reality.Narrated and produced by Thomas BarkerIf you'd like to chip in a couple of dollars to help with hosting and production costs, I'd be enormously grateful.https://ko-fi.com/tttReferences:Blake, E. (2006). Sonya, Silent No More: A Response to the Woman Question in Dostoevsky’s “Crime and Punishment.” The Slavic and East European Journal, 50(2), 252–271. https://doi.org/10.2307/20459250https://limbuscompany.wiki.gg/wiki/Rodion#PersonalityCurtler, H. M. (2004). The Artistic Failure of Crime and Punishment. Journal of Aesthetic Education, 38(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.2307/3527358Beebe, M. (1955). The Three Motives of Raskolnikov: A Reinterpretation of Crime and Punishment. College English, 17(3), 151–158. https://doi.org/10.2307/495737Schmidt, D.P. (2023, June 8). casuistry. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/casuistryQueries, comments? Write to me at: tuomasva@outlook.comWatch this episode on Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLU9gAlZeexHnFHASayT0nGM17V4hCSzSi

Gregor, Kafka, Limbus. An inquiry into Gregor Samsa(ra), and the parallels between sinner and salaryman

"If anyone’s doing the heavy lifting, it’d be us... Hey! Manager Bud! More incoming!"In this episode, I take a look at suffering and redemption in The Metamorphosis, philosophical pessimism, and how Gregor in Limbus Company might be Georg Bendeman, the happiest Gregor yet, or even Kafka himself. Reincarnation is a heck of a thing.Plus of course the traditional (I've done it three, now it's definitely a tradition) interlude dub!Narrated and produced by Thomas BarkerIf you'd like to chip in a couple of dollars to help with hosting and production costs, I'd be enormously grateful.https://ko-fi.com/tttReferences:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophical_pessimismRyan, M. P. (1999). Samsa and Samsara: Suffering, Death, and Rebirth in “The Metamorphosis.” The German Quarterly, 72(2), 133–152. https://doi.org/10.2307/408369Kafka: The Metamorphosis,  translated by Willa and Edwin Muir https://limbuscompany.wiki.gg/wiki/Gregorhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Kafkahttps://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/on-translating-kafkas-the-metamorphosisQueries, comments? Write to me at: tuomasva@outlook.comWatch this episode on Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLU9gAlZeexHnFHASayT0nGM17V4hCSzSi

The Crawling World. Episode 10: Dreaming Spires

New friends are made, and the true magnitude of the trials ahead begins to manifest, as the pilgrims arrive at the ancient and forbidding City. But with sickness and potential conspiracy threatening their safety, is there anyone left they can turn to?Part 10 of a 10-part dark fantasy full-cast audio drama.Andrew Winson as Fork-in-the-Road, Dream Voicehttps://andrewwinson.com/Thomas Barker as Athamaswww.thomasva.comJesse D. Hill as Longarm, Halvardefunktknight@gmail.comEmily Morse-Lee as Wide-Eye, Gate Guard@TheRealGChu.bsky.socialMelissa Carrington as Split-Heel, Mysterious Voice@melissac-va.bsky.socialVirtue as Hears-Whispers, ScoutX: @VirtueVestigialAsha Lear as Finnhttps://www.castingcall.club/asha_learProduced and written by Thomas BarkerQueries, comments? Write to me at: tuomasva@outlook.comWatch this episode on Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLU9gAlZeexHnFHASayT0nGM17V4hCSzSi

Whither the Boughs? The Origin of Limbus Company's MacGuffin

Mysterious, tree-like branches with the power to actualize the feelings, wishes, and psyches of people. The primary objective of the LCB is to gather them up.In this episode, I nearly get over my skis in examining the literary origins of the Golden Boughs of Limbus Company, particularly looking at the book of the same name by Sir James George Frazer, and the Aeneid, by Vergil.Plus of course the traditional (I've done it twice, now it's a tradition) interlude dub!Narrated and produced by Thomas BarkerIf you'd like to chip in a couple of dollars to help with hosting and production costs, I'd be enormously grateful.https://ko-fi.com/tttReferences:WOOD, G. (1982). Frazer’s magic wand of anthropology : interpreting “The Golden Bough.” European Journal of Sociology / Archives Européennes de Sociologie / Europäisches Archiv Für Soziologie, 23(1), 92–122. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23999226 Weber, C. (1995). THE ALLEGORY OF THE GOLDEN BOUGH. Vergilius (1959-), 41, 3–34. http://www.jstor.org/stable/41587127https://www.sacred-texts.com/pag/frazer/https://limbuscompany.wiki.gg/wiki/Rivers#cite_note-LC_47-1https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Aeneid_(Conington_1866)/Book_6#cite_ref-1https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/a/aeneid/poem-summaryhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intertextuality#Queries, comments? Write to me at: tuomasva@outlook.comWatch this episode on Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLU9gAlZeexHnFHASayT0nGM17V4hCSzSi

"Unseen - Unfeared" by Francis Stevens

He stooped to laugh again, and his mirth was yellow-toothed -- menacing.“Have no fear!”  he reiterated, and with that stretched his hand toward the wall, there came a click and we were in black, impenetrable darkness.A rumination on the nature of evil, and the ability to see things FROM BEYOND, courtesy of a groundbreaking writer of dark fantasy. This story was first published in 1919.Narrated and produced by Thomas BarkerIf you'd like to chip in a couple of dollars to help with hosting and production costs, I'd be enormously grateful.https://ko-fi.com/tttQueries, comments? Write to me at: tuomasva@outlook.comWatch this episode on Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLU9gAlZeexHnFHASayT0nGM17V4hCSzSi