Author Topic: PC075: The Man Who Carved Skulls  (Read 11788 times)

Heradel

  • Bill Peters, EP Assistant
  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 2938
  • Part-Time Psychopomp.
on: October 29, 2009, 12:14:04 PM
PodCastle 75: The Man Who Carved Skulls

By Richard Parks.
Read by Wilson Fowlie.

“I married your mother for her skull. It’s no secret.”

Jarak put aside his rasps and gouges for the moment, resting his eyes and mind from the precise, exacting work his trade demanded. He didn’t mind his son’s persistent questions at such times. Akan was at an age when he should be curious and, if curiosity was a duty, Akan was a dedicated boy. It wasn’t as though Purlo the Baker, whose skull rested patiently on Jarak’s workbench, was in a hurry.

Akan nodded. “Mother is pretty,” he said. “Often men of the village speak about what a fortunate man Jarak the Skullcarver is.”

“Letis is indeed the most beautiful woman in Trepa and for seven leagues around. But that’s not the same thing. The ugliest man alive during your grandfather’s time turned out to have a skull of exquisite beauty, as your grandfather knew all along…

Rated R. for morbid themes. Happy Halloween!
« Last Edit: November 13, 2009, 05:59:54 AM by Heradel »

I Twitter. I also occasionally blog on the Escape Pod blog, which if you're here you shouldn't have much trouble finding.


Talia

  • Moderator
  • *****
  • Posts: 2682
  • Muahahahaha
Reply #1 on: October 30, 2009, 03:28:29 AM
I couldnt get over the fundimental selfishness of the mother. "Yes, I will let my son kill me so his life will be ruined so I can have the most beautiful skull as my husband promised me!"

Maybe I'm wrong, I'm not a mom, but it seems to me having a child would have changed her viewpoint over the years, lessened her obsession with the skull carving some. I donno. Just really struck me as very shallow that she took it down the path that she did.

Perhaps its just the culture is so alien. I mean, the culture I currently live in focuses on the family, on continuing the family, taking care of your offspring, focusing on the future.

This culture seems to focus more on the past.

At any rate.. I found all the characters inherently unlikeable - PERHAPS because of the cultural differences. But their behavior was so anathema to what I know of people, that I couldn't justify it.

Interesting cultural depiction, though.



Scattercat

  • Caution:
  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 4904
  • Amateur wordsmith
    • Mirrorshards
Reply #2 on: October 31, 2009, 04:24:04 AM
I think the most interesting aspect was the twist on the Deceiver/Enemy of God mythology.  I'm always fascinated by fantastic theologies, and extending "the world is a dream" into "the Enemy wants to waken the Sleeper and thus end the world" makes for a very interesting thought exercise.  I approve of the thwarted romantic love explanation, but I think there are others, bubbling just below the surface.  I love assimilating a new theology and philosophy; it's like a full steak dinner for the mind.

The actual characters in the actual were kind of meh.  I'm with Talia on them mostly being selfish, almost incomprehensibly so, and thus less empathetic. 

So for me, this was just another item to add to my list of Alternate Satans.  It was a novel enough twist that I'm content with that.



smithmikeg

  • Extern
  • *
  • Posts: 13
    • Life Without Robots
Reply #3 on: November 01, 2009, 05:30:02 AM
This story reminded me of the Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want".

quia ego sic dico


eytanz

  • Moderator
  • *****
  • Posts: 6109
Reply #4 on: November 01, 2009, 10:48:42 AM
I had a very similar reaction to Talia. This is, ultimately, a story of bad parenting - both parents are quite happy to let the son sacrifice himself in order to satisfy their own desires. Especially the mother, but it doesn't sound like the father tried to stop him or anything.

I love my parents dearly, and I will do much for them, but they will be appaled if I ever chose their happiness over my own. The way I was raised was always quite explicitly - "we give to you, as out parents gave to us, so that one day you may give to your children". I look forward to the day when I have my own children so that I can pay my debt to my parents forward. The characters' choices in this story are alien to me, far more alien than their society's treatment of the dead (which I actually found rather admirable).



stePH

  • Actually has enough cowbell.
  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 3906
  • Cool story, bro!
    • Thetatr0n on SoundCloud
Reply #5 on: November 01, 2009, 03:52:51 PM
I think the most interesting aspect was the twist on the Deceiver/Enemy of God mythology.  I'm always fascinated by fantastic theologies, and extending "the world is a dream" into "the Enemy wants to waken the Sleeper and thus end the world" makes for a very interesting thought exercise.  I approve of the thwarted romantic love explanation, but I think there are others, bubbling just below the surface.  I love assimilating a new theology and philosophy; it's like a full steak dinner for the mind.

Agreed, this was the best part of the story.

"Nerdcore is like playing Halo while getting a blow-job from Hello Kitty."
-- some guy interviewed in Nerdcore Rising


Gia

  • Palmer
  • **
  • Posts: 49
Reply #6 on: November 01, 2009, 06:53:24 PM
I think the most interesting aspect was the twist on the Deceiver/Enemy of God mythology.  I'm always fascinated by fantastic theologies, and extending "the world is a dream" into "the Enemy wants to waken the Sleeper and thus end the world" makes for a very interesting thought exercise.  I approve of the thwarted romantic love explanation, but I think there are others, bubbling just below the surface.  I love assimilating a new theology and philosophy; it's like a full steak dinner for the mind.

I also found the theology intriguing. I thought that it was appropriate that their goddess was called the Dreamer because all creator gods are dreamers in a sense, just as all destroyers are nightmares. The theology of dreams is especially effective in how it portrayed a greater existence beyond our own. I wonder how Somna and Gehun (sp on both?) interact in this greater existence (Are they lovers or is he just a stalker?) and who esle is there.

Mr. Fowlie, between this one and the dybbuk one you are now my favorite narrator. Hooray for you :). Akan's voice (when he was little) was so cute that I wanted to cuddle him.



Unblinking

  • Sir Postsalot
  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 8729
    • Diabolical Plots
Reply #7 on: November 03, 2009, 09:43:37 PM
Hi everybody!  I recognize some of you from over on Pseudopod where I've been remorselessly performing threadomancy for quite some time.  Alas, I've run out of Pseudopod stories to listen to, so now on to another Escape Artists output!

Anyway, this is the first Podcastle story I've listened to.  It had a lot of interesting ideas, including the chronicling of your life on your skull, the moral dilemma of the husband who must kill his wife to fulfill his betrothal promise to her.  I liked the theology here with the love story between the two deities--very cool.

But, like others, I found it hard to be sympathetic with these selfish characters.

All in all, not a bad story to be my first. 



DKT

  • Friendly Neighborhood
  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 4980
  • PodCastle is my Co-Pilot
    • Psalms & Hymns & Spiritual Noir
Reply #8 on: November 03, 2009, 09:49:44 PM
Yay! Nice to have you on this side of the boards, Unblinking :)


Pinwheel

  • Extern
  • *
  • Posts: 7
Reply #9 on: November 04, 2009, 01:09:11 AM
This seemed like a story that was written around a killer opening sentence.  (That's not a complaint.)



Unblinking

  • Sir Postsalot
  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 8729
    • Diabolical Plots
Reply #10 on: November 04, 2009, 04:14:43 PM
Oh, and since this is my first episode, I guess I"ll make some more general comments about the presentation.  Keep in mind these are biased because I've spent the last few months listening to Pseudopod.

-The mp3's don't alphabetize very nicely in order.  If I want to listen to them in any particular order there's a lot of scrolling back and forth.  and some of the episodes have the same number on them, both The Man Who Carved Skulls and The Curandero and the Swede are listed by filename as being episode 75, for instance.

-I like it when the author's name is listed in the "artist name" data.  I file all the stories under the Podcastle album, so having the artist name be "Podcastle" does not give me any new information.  If the author name is there, then if I forget in mid-story one glance at my iPod and I remember that this was written by <insert name here>.

-I don't like the feedback about previous episodes being listed at the end.  Much of the reason for this is that I am listening to these first few in reverse order, so the feedback is for episodes I haven't listened to yet.  Also, I can read people's comments on the forums and I love to do so after I listen to a story, but it makes that kind of a redundant effort if some of the comments will also be re-listed in future stories.  Again, I may be biased, but on Pseudopod I enjoy Alasdair's intros and outros almost as much as the stories themselves.



Talia

  • Moderator
  • *****
  • Posts: 2682
  • Muahahahaha
Reply #11 on: November 04, 2009, 06:02:54 PM
I think you're probably out of luck about when the episode feedback is read, for a couple reasons. 

1) we've had discussions of intro formats here on the forums before. Most people (not all) tend to prefer a shorter intro and to get right into the story. This is purely a matter of taste. You can't please everyone.

2)its not terribly redundant -  Keep in mind you're only getting a couple snippets of the feedback discussions that go on here on the boards. Frequently the discussion threads are significantly more expansive.




Unblinking

  • Sir Postsalot
  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 8729
    • Diabolical Plots
Reply #12 on: November 04, 2009, 07:40:25 PM
I think you're probably out of luck about when the episode feedback is read, for a couple reasons. 

1) we've had discussions of intro formats here on the forums before. Most people (not all) tend to prefer a shorter intro and to get right into the story. This is purely a matter of taste. You can't please everyone.

2)its not terribly redundant -  Keep in mind you're only getting a couple snippets of the feedback discussions that go on here on the boards. Frequently the discussion threads are significantly more expansive.

I realize a change in format isn't going to occur simply because of one person's opinion.  But, since this lovely forum has been provided for me to give my feedback, that's my feedback.  :)



Talia

  • Moderator
  • *****
  • Posts: 2682
  • Muahahahaha
Reply #13 on: November 04, 2009, 07:48:36 PM
And I was just providing feedback on your feedback. Which prompted your feedback on my feedback of your feedback. And I'm not providing feedback on your feedback on my feedback of your feedback -

AHHHHHHHHH *mind melts*

;)



DKT

  • Friendly Neighborhood
  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 4980
  • PodCastle is my Co-Pilot
    • Psalms & Hymns & Spiritual Noir
Reply #14 on: November 04, 2009, 07:50:58 PM
Perhaps I should quote the feedback you've both given in my next feedback section?  ;)


Heradel

  • Bill Peters, EP Assistant
  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 2938
  • Part-Time Psychopomp.
Reply #15 on: November 04, 2009, 08:55:57 PM
Perhaps I should quote the feedback you've both given in my next feedback section?  ;)

I will not clean up any infinite feedback loops you create. There are some things a semi-omni-potent moderator will not touch.

I Twitter. I also occasionally blog on the Escape Pod blog, which if you're here you shouldn't have much trouble finding.


Unblinking

  • Sir Postsalot
  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 8729
    • Diabolical Plots
Reply #16 on: November 04, 2009, 09:03:38 PM
Perhaps I should quote the feedback you've both given in my next feedback section?  ;)

Metafeedback!  Recursion is a dangerous thing.  I'm afraid by even suggesting it, you'll begin to unravel the fabric of the space-time continuum--based on all the time travel movies I've seen, it's getting pretty tattered the way it is!



Unblinking

  • Sir Postsalot
  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 8729
    • Diabolical Plots
Reply #17 on: November 04, 2009, 09:05:06 PM
And I was just providing feedback on your feedback. Which prompted your feedback on my feedback of your feedback. And I'm not providing feedback on your feedback on my feedback of your feedback -

AHHHHHHHHH *mind melts*

;)

 ;D



DKT

  • Friendly Neighborhood
  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 4980
  • PodCastle is my Co-Pilot
    • Psalms & Hymns & Spiritual Noir
Reply #18 on: November 04, 2009, 09:17:00 PM
Perhaps I should quote the feedback you've both given in my next feedback section?  ;)

Metafeedback!  Recursion is a dangerous thing.  I'm afraid by even suggesting it, you'll begin to unravel the fabric of the space-time continuum--based on all the time travel movies I've seen, it's getting pretty tattered the way it is!

Pfshaw. Been there, done that  ;D


Heradel

  • Bill Peters, EP Assistant
  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 2938
  • Part-Time Psychopomp.
Reply #19 on: November 04, 2009, 09:27:59 PM
>sudo
Password:
>kill -1

I Twitter. I also occasionally blog on the Escape Pod blog, which if you're here you shouldn't have much trouble finding.


eytanz

  • Moderator
  • *****
  • Posts: 6109
Reply #20 on: November 04, 2009, 09:37:04 PM
Perhaps I should quote the feedback you've both given in my next feedback section?  ;)

I dare you to quote Talia's latest feedback, out of context ;)



Unblinking

  • Sir Postsalot
  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 8729
    • Diabolical Plots
Reply #21 on: November 05, 2009, 04:12:28 PM
Perhaps I should quote the feedback you've both given in my next feedback section?  ;)

I dare you to quote Talia's latest feedback, out of context ;)

I'll up the ante and double dog dare you. 



shinyfab

  • Extern
  • *
  • Posts: 1
Reply #22 on: November 07, 2009, 12:40:42 AM
I had a very strong and immediate reaction to this story.  The mother was incredibly selfish, wanting nothing more than to be a beautifully carved skull, letting her selfishness dictate who she married, her life, and how she died.  To allow her selfish desire to push it so far as to rejoice at having her son take her life (thereby also taking his in the process) to ensure she gets her vain wish.  The son's counsel from the dreamer in the form of the bringer of nightmares should have been a telling warning to him.  I can't convince myself to listen to the story again or I might have more in depth analysis.  Essentially mommy dearest is about as high maintenance as a person can be, her cost high in the lives of her family.



Loz

  • Lochage
  • *****
  • Posts: 370
    • Blah Flowers
Reply #23 on: November 12, 2009, 10:33:32 PM
This was an okay story but I thought it had the potential to be much more, what with the society being a rather moribund one that, like Denethor in LotR, is devoting more and more effort to looking to the past until all there is is to hope to die quickly so that one can be memorialised the best, and the punishment for the worst crime is to be forced to tell the story of your past to anyone who cares to hear it, and where the devil character is one who is in love with the future and the hope of change. But while this premise was interestingly set-up I felt the story didn't really go anywhere. Maybe though that was the point, after all, the narrator himself settles down and accepts his fate and his punishment and doesn't challenge the status quo.



Listener

  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 3187
  • I place things in locations which later elude me.
    • Various and Sundry Items of Interest
Reply #24 on: November 18, 2009, 01:58:36 PM
This is probably the weakest Richard Parks story PC has run, mostly because his other ones were really, really good. I was wondering what the conflict in the story was going to be and I was kind of disappointed; it felt tacked-on, as if the author had come up with this really cool take on the necropolis concept and needed some way to put conflict or tension in it to make it more likely to sell. (I totally understand having to do that, BTW...) I liked the mythology, too -- dreamer vs nightmares, not necessarily a new take but still a good one, and the discussion between the MC and the Demon was nice. The "Demon isn't really evil" concept again isn't new but was done well.

Mostly what made this story weak for me was the conflict itself, and then the resolution didn't really do it for me either -- his punishment is to tell his story forever? Really? If I was him, I'd have been pretty pissed off, especially after the Demon said "won't things be better for the Dreamer if the pain of your parents is eliminated?"

So, y'know, great ideas but I didn't love it.

The usual great reading from W.F.

"Farts are a hug you can smell." -Wil Wheaton

Blog || Quote Blog ||  Written and Audio Work || Twitter: @listener42