Escape Artists

PodCastle => Episode Comments => Topic started by: Heradel on July 20, 2010, 05:07:30 PM

Title: PC114: Wolves Till The World Goes Down
Post by: Heradel on July 20, 2010, 05:07:30 PM
PodCastle 114: Wolves Till The World Goes Down (http://podcastle.org/2010/07/20/podcastle-114-wolves-till-the-world-goes-down/)

By Greg van Eekhout (http://writingandsnacks.com/)
Read by Dave Thompson (http://krylyr.livejournal.com/)
Originally Printed in Starlight 3. Read the text at Ideomancer (http://www.ideomancer.com/fy/Eekhout-Wolves/Eekhout-Wolves.htm)!

“Hey,” said my brother. “Down there.” Without waiting, he dove toward the sand where a dead Rotweiller rolled in the white foam. It had been a long flight and we were both ravenous. I angled in to follow, and soon we were absorbed in our feast.
A big gray gull challenged our salvage rights, screaming and beating us with his wings, but we tore him to shreds, ate him, then returned to the dog.
Later, my brother would be able to report every minute detail of the incident. He’d describe the precise markings on the gull’s bill, the way he favored his left foot over his right, the iron and salt taste of his blood.
But he wouldn’t be able to say why we’d killed him. He’s expert at the whats and whens and wheres, but he leaves the whys to me.
His name is Munin, Memory. I’m Hugin, Thought.

Rated R: Contains Violence and some gore.
Title: Re: PC114: Wolves Till The World Goes Down
Post by: ElectricPaladin on July 21, 2010, 05:44:32 PM
This story was great. I love the themes of honor and obligation, nobility and sacrifice, and free will battling with prophecy, so you can see that this story was basically written for me. The idea of a god making the ultimate sacrifice to spit in destiny's eye... it gave me chills. Still does. I should probably read Norse Code.
Title: Re: PC114: Wolves Till The World Goes Down
Post by: Swamp on July 21, 2010, 08:12:45 PM
I should probably read Norse Code.

Yes, you definately should!
Title: Re: PC114: Wolves Till The World Goes Down
Post by: Swamp on July 21, 2010, 08:20:34 PM
This epsiode was made of pure awesome!

1) a story by Greg van Eekhout - Awesome
2) a story about Norse mythology and Ragnarok - Double Awesome
3) told in the wry reading styles of Dave Thompson - "Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs" AWESOME

I loved the story, especially told through the POV of Hugin and Mugin.  I also loved the similarities and differences with Norse Code.  The two stories take simailar elements and go different directions with them.  Top notch programming here.
Title: Re: PC114: Wolves Till The World Goes Down
Post by: DKT on July 21, 2010, 08:26:34 PM
I should probably read Norse Code.

Yes, you definately should!

Worth your time, for sure.

Although I would stress, there are significant differences between the two. Frex: all the characters in this story are (at best) supporting parts in the book. And one of the main characters in the book is referenced as "dead" in this story, while the other does not exist.

Personally, I loved the differences because it makes each story very much they're own.

Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Norse-Code-Greg-Van-Eekhout/dp/0553592130/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1279744179&sr=1-2)/Indiebound (http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780553592139)

ETA: BOOK LINK!
Title: Re: PC114: Wolves Till The World Goes Down
Post by: Terri-Lynne on July 21, 2010, 10:47:25 PM
Like Dave, I read Greg's, "Norse Code" before I came across the short story that inspired it. I have to say, I'm glad now (Sorry, Greg!) only because the short lost nothing for having read the novel, and it served to remind me how much I loved the novel to begin with!

Kid v Squid is my next VanEekhout on the TBR pile, but I might have to skim through NC again, just to relive the...fun? of a more detailed Ragnarok.
Title: Re: PC114: Wolves Till The World Goes Down
Post by: Unblinking on July 22, 2010, 01:32:26 PM
Is it just coincidence that this Ragnarok story ran the same week as Drabblecast's Apocalypse-themed Trifecta?  :)

Anyway, I really liked this story, and I think I should pick up Norse Code as well.  I almost always like Van Eekhout's writing, and I love when a writer can take on the Divine with nonchalance like in this short story.  I've never read anything longer by him, but I'd be happy to shell out some bucks for a copy of the book.

I don't have too much else to say about the story--I just really liked it.  I especially liked the ending, destroying your own future to give everyone else hope for their own futures is an amazing gesture, and well written. 

On a side note, I have a co-worker named Baldur.  :P
Title: Re: PC114: Wolves Till The World Goes Down
Post by: Listener on July 22, 2010, 04:11:42 PM
Is it just coincidence that this Ragnarok story ran the same week as Drabblecast's Apocalypse-themed Trifecta?  :)

I was wondering...

A very good story, and a good reading.

I really don't have much else to comment right now.
Title: Re: PC114: Wolves Till The World Goes Down
Post by: DKT on July 22, 2010, 04:43:20 PM
Is it just coincidence that this Ragnarok story ran the same week as Drabblecast's Apocalypse-themed Trifecta?  :)

I was wondering...


Okay. You got us. We totally planned out Apocalyptic Week in the Podosphere with Norm.  Totally

;)
Title: Re: PC114: Wolves Till The World Goes Down
Post by: alllie on July 23, 2010, 12:34:27 PM
I reread Neil Gaiman's American Gods not long ago. Between that,  Wolves Till The World Goes Down and Väinämöinen and the Singing Fish  I think I'm getting a Norse God overload!
Title: Re: PC114: Wolves Till The World Goes Down
Post by: kibitzer on July 24, 2010, 01:36:03 AM
On a side note, I have a co-worker named Baldur.  :P

Get away! Is he self-named or is that his birth name? (Assuming it's a he)

Anyway -- loved this story. It all chimed together very well: the way the characters were drawn, the dialogue, Dave's reading. I didn't see the ending coming.
Title: Re: PC114: Wolves Till The World Goes Down
Post by: Unblinking on July 26, 2010, 01:14:22 PM
On a side note, I have a co-worker named Baldur.  :P

Get away! Is he self-named or is that his birth name? (Assuming it's a he)

Anyway -- loved this story. It all chimed together very well: the way the characters were drawn, the dialogue, Dave's reading. I didn't see the ending coming.

Birth name.  He's Icelandic, named after his grandfather.  When I first met him, I couldn't stop thinking of "Baldur's Gate".   Now, after 5 years of working with him, the reverse is true:  when someone mentions Baldur's Gate, he comes to mind.  :P
Title: Re: PC114: Wolves Till The World Goes Down
Post by: mbrennan on July 27, 2010, 10:05:26 PM
Oh man, do I *heart* me some Norse mythology.  (I even wrote my senior thesis on Viking Age weapons, and learned enough of the language for translation purposes.)

Aside from a brief flash of disappointment that Hel didn't show up -- I have a weird soft spot for her ever since I played her in a game -- this story just made me grin from ear to ear.  I've read stories before of Odin and Loki scheming to get out of the Ragnarok trap; it was great to see Baldur be the one taking action this time.  Awesome!
Title: Re: PC114: Wolves Till The World Goes Down
Post by: goatkeeper on July 28, 2010, 01:33:37 PM
Is it just coincidence that this Ragnarok story ran the same week as Drabblecast's Apocalypse-themed Trifecta?  :)

I was wondering...


Okay. You got us. We totally planned out Apocalyptic Week in the Podosphere with Norm.  Totally

;)

the eerie coincidences never cease!  :P

Cool story, and yah folks if you liked this one you will definitely like Norse Code.
Title: Re: PC114: Wolves Till The World Goes Down
Post by: Kaa on August 01, 2010, 07:19:53 PM
Loved. This.

I finished Norse Code about three weeks ago, and so when I listened to this story, here, I couldn't help noticing just where in the novel he had woven bits of this story.

I liked both the novel and "Wolves Till the World Goes Down" quite a bit. Both deal with the same events, star some of the same characters, and are written by the same guy, but they tell two very different stories. At least they did to me. :)

More from Greg would be good. I really like his style.
Title: Re: PC114: Wolves Till The World Goes Down
Post by: Rain on August 02, 2010, 05:30:58 AM
I hate to be That Guy, especially since Greg van Eekhout is one of my favorite Escape Artists authors, but i did not like this story at all. Being from Denmark i have grown up hearing and reading all the myths about the Norse Gods, so i am probably a little sensitive as to how a story about them "should be". The story itself i dont have any high opinions on, it didnt really interest me but i didnt hate it either, the dialogie however made me cringe, it just didnt fir the characters at all.

I was planning to get Norse Code at some point but this story has really made me second guess whether to bother, again i normally love Greg van Eekhout's stories, but i wouldnt want to read a whole novel like this.  :-\
Title: Re: PC114: Wolves Till The World Goes Down
Post by: Paranatural on August 03, 2010, 01:39:55 PM
Rain: Never be afraid to be 'That Guy'. Not everything works for everyone. People who create things never get any better if all they ever hear is praise.

Now, my review:

I really loved the story. I don't really know the setting very well, so I didn't know if the characters were 'supposed' to be like they were. They just were, and the whole thing worked for me. The gods working to defy the universe...it was pretty cool.

Two other things:

'The end is extremely fricking neigh' - Loved that

An Osteomancer book! Damn right! That was one of my favorite concepts on escape pod, and to know a book is coming out about it...well, I'm excited.
Title: Re: PC114: Wolves Till The World Goes Down
Post by: eytanz on August 03, 2010, 05:27:32 PM
I liked this one. I'm familiar with Norse mythology only second hand - picking up bits here and there from stories, but never really reading any primary sources or studying it. So this was both fresh and familiar, and I could appreciate the events at the end as a break from the myth without it feels odd to me.
Title: Re: PC114: Wolves Till The World Goes Down
Post by: jjtraw on August 09, 2010, 06:33:06 PM
This story made me grin! Norse gods spitting in destiny's eye - damn good story. Definitely need to check out Norse Code.

Particularly enjoyed Dave's intro and outro to this story, too.

Double-extra good episode, all around.
Title: Re: PC114: Wolves Till The World Goes Down
Post by: DKT on August 10, 2010, 03:13:29 PM
An Osteomancer book! Damn right! That was one of my favorite concepts on escape pod, and to know a book is coming out about it...well, I'm excited.

Hey now - that was a PodCastle classic! One of the first ten stories run here ;)
Title: Re: PC114: Wolves Till The World Goes Down
Post by: yicheng on November 02, 2010, 03:15:57 AM
The concept is interesting, but it just felt a little...  diluted.  I've always though of the Norse Myths in terms of Wagner: the old pagan mythos, the sense of destiny, the irrational/heroic/violent feuds of blood and honor, the sense that it was better to die a violent and heroic death than to compromise and live in quiet desperation.  It just seemed like it was cheating the whole thing to say that Ragnarok doesn't happen because of some clever intrigue by Baldur of all people.

I am intrigued by Norse Code, however.
Title: Re: PC114: Wolves Till The World Goes Down
Post by: Fenrix on January 10, 2012, 11:38:06 PM
Added Norse Code to my "to read" pile and the first review was from Felicia Day. Kinda cool.