Fantasy For Our Time

The Art of Fantasy, Grimdark, and Tolkien’s Vision: Why We Keep Escaping Into These Worlds

Hello, fellow wanderers! 🌟 In this video, we’re diving deep into the heart of fantasy and the curious intersection between Grimdark and Tolkien’s mythopoetic storytelling. Yes, you heard that right—me, the self-professed Grimdark skeptic, is about to unpack this genre that I once claimed was something we should avoid (gasp!). But things have changed, and I’m here to explain why.
I recently dipped my toes into The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie, a book that was supposed to be drenched in moral grayness, blood, and nihilism, but it surprised me. I found characters I could root for, humor, and even empathy! So, what is Grimdark really? And does it belong in the canon of speculative fiction?
Join me as we explore the nuances of modern fantasy, Tolkien’s lasting influence, and how these stories help us escape—not in the “dull the pain” kind of way, but in a way that strengthens us for the real world. We’ll touch on the works of Abercrombie, Richard Swan, and, of course, Tolkien himself. Expect musings on the nature of escapism, the moral compass of Grimdark, and whether we’re still capable of writing hopeful, heroic fiction today.
Timestamps:
0:00 Let’s Talk About Escapism: Tolkien, Transcendence, and Resilience5:10 My Grimdark Journey: From Skeptic to The Blade Itself15:20 What Even Is Grimdark? A Look at Modern Fantasy’s Moral Landscape25:45 Tolkien vs. Modern Fantasy: Heroic Escapes vs. Bleak Realities35:30 The Justice of Kings & More Grimdark Reads: Where Does It All Lead?

Human-centric Sci Fi vs Lovecraftian Nightmares w/ Richard Rohlin

Hey dear friends! In this video, Richard and I dive deep into the evolving worlds of science fiction and fantasy. From Tolkien's carefully restrained magic to today's cosmic horror and existential threats, we explore how modern storytellers like Adrian Tchaikovsky are pushing the boundaries of what it means to be human in a vast, often terrifying universe. 🤯
Together, we’ll unpack how the "what if" scenarios of classic speculative fiction are running up against the limits of our current worldview, where space isn’t just empty—it’s often hostile, dark, and filled with lurking horrors straight out of Lovecraft’s nightmares. 🐙 But here’s the thing: amidst all the bleakness, we’re also talking about how these stories can still uncover beauty, hope, and purpose. 
I reflect on how storytelling, whether in epic space operas or grounded fantasy, is about rediscovering meaning beyond the nihilism, and how we might re-envision the cosmos not just as cold space, but as a light-filled place of mythic possibility. If you love world-building, cosmic philosophy, or just geeking out over sci-fi and fantasy, then grab a cup of tea (or something stronger, perhaps . . . ) and join us! ☕️
Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction & Overview2:35 From Tolkien to Tchaikovsky: The Shift in Storytelling8:50 Cosmic Nihilism & The Lovecraftian Turn in Sci-Fi16:22 The Search for Meaning in Modern Fantasy and Sci-Fi25:00 Why We Need to Re-Envision Space as the Light-Filled Cosmos33:45 The Future of Sci-Fi: From Found Texts to New Mythic Worlds

Touch the Darkness Again...

Could this be the Star Wars of our time?! . . . .  no. Definitely not. 
 
Together, Richard and I discuss the final episode of The Rings of Power and, yet again, it's mostly a ranting session. It seems as though this entire venture has been set up as a cinematic prequel to the Peter Jackson films, and - if that's the case - it's supremely disappointing. 
 
It's clear that the writers don't trust their audience. Between the wizard dual and the way in which Galadriel has done nothing essential to the plot, there seems to be a sense that, as long as they're writing about something "worthwhile", quality doesn't matter. There also seems to be some attempt to articulate a theological vision, but it's lacking. The pacing is arrhythmic and strange. Seemingly there is some effort to be reminiscent of medieval storytelling, but it falls short. 
 
Also, what's with all of the sympathy for the devil? This, above everything else, is a departure from Tolkien. This seems to be an issue of art vs propaganda disguised as entertainment. 
 
Will we watch season 2? We'll see . . . maybe we should just focus on Andor. 
 

The Shadow is a Passing Thing... Or Is It?

In this episode, dear friend Richard Rohlin and I continue our discussion on  The Rings of Power, picking up with episodes 6 and 7. We try to open up by focusing on the positives, but, as per usual, chaos ensues!
While there does seem to be minimal progress in the maturation of the show and its characters, we still see forced romantic tensions where friendship would do - is this a painful display of our current culture? Yes. 
After a large detour where we blame Peter Jackson for everything, criticize cinematography, and obsess over Christian Bale for some reason, we finally get to the question of why the showrunners are so obsessed with the Orcs? The creators of the show are very keen on giving these characters, evil characters, a culture, and a story covered in optimism while they clearly give characters like the elves a pessimistic treatment, portraying them as the antagonist oppressors. Again, has society inverted so far as to make this a normal means of storytelling? Yes. 
At last, we close with some predictions and hot takes. Please, let us be wrong!

There Is a Tempest in Me . . .

Once again I'm joined by Richard Rohlin for a lively discussion about the Rings of Power! Together we discuss . . . well, many things; but, perhaps most peculiarly, whether elves are more like rechargeable batteries or glow-in-the-dark frisbees. 
While the series is wrought with problematic elements, we do manage to find genuine moments of delight. Design, art, music, and story - all give us some consolation. Seeing the writers allow an active god to be the motivation for a character is a huge deal!
The ultimate question we must ask ourselves throughout this show is, would this authentically fit in the Tolkien legendarium? There are many issues within each episode where it seems that the writers are trying to build a tower with no foundation, reducing the mythos to the bare minimum and making tone-deaf statements about current politics. 
While we may be hyper-critical of the show, we hope you find some encouraging material to enhance your reading of Tolkien. 
 

Without My Sword . . . What Am I?

At last, what you've all been waiting for . . . I discuss The Rings of Power! 
My friend Richard Rohlin joins me for a wonderful conversation about the new series: what we like, what we don't like. Like so many of us, I was set up to hate the show on the front end; however, I must say - it's not THAT bad. 
Sure, parts of it feel like an AI rendering of a Tolkien story. Sure, the show has little grasp on symbolism or transcendence. Sure, there are issues with conflicting types of journeys. But, all in all, I did find myself rooted in this world and even moved at certain points. 
If you've been hesitant to give it a watch, I say go for it. As this is the first installment of my series on The Rings of Power, make sure you come back to work through it with us next time. 
Oh, and, yes, every episode from here on out will be fresh, exciting content - I even open up with some life updates from yours truly. I will be having plenty of adventures coming up!

Resilience and Courage Through Story: Accept Your Quest with Humility and Purpose

This is the final video of my series on accepting unexpected hardships and using stories to help overcome them in a lasting way.
Using Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings as our model, we've finally come to the crux of the matter. Time to accept our quest.
But this is a delicate and difficult thing. It can only be done after you've finished the first six steps of becoming a deeper person. And there are plenty of temptations to power and pride along the way.
As usual, Russian fairy tales give us subtle and wise guideposts on how to extend our deep hearts outward to others and accept our quest to live the deep life, as Aragorn did, with humility and purpose.

Resilience and Courage Through Story: Examining the Heart of Ideas You Hate

Welcome to week three of our series exploring how good stories can help us survive difficulty and come out stronger, living a deeper and more fulfilling life.
In our first two videos, we discussed how to find a mentor and the importance of solitude for the deep life. Continuing using Aragorn's life as a model, we're entering the danger zone: how to engage with ideas you don't like or disagree with.
This can be like entering the woods of Baba Yaga in the Russian fairy tales. And so, no surprise, the stories can help us a great deal in getting through this particularly dark wilderness...

Resilience and Courage Through Story: Finding Meaning in Solitude

Welcome to the second episode in my series on finding resilience and courage during unexpectedly difficult times, all through the wisdom of fairy tales and classic literature. Last week, we discussed how we can find a mentor. But find him or not, the next step in overcoming difficulties is harder. We must embrace solitude. The stories have much to say about this, but not all of what they say is easy to hear...

Resilience and Courage Through Story: Finding Your Mentor

In an age of information overload, we need, more than ever, to find someone to help us make sense of it all. But there are self-proclaimed experts, life coaches, and just plain hucksters everywhere! What're we to do? Well, maybe we need to take a page out of Russian fairy tales. Just as Ivan the Prince found his frog princess in a swamp, our answers just might be found in the place we least expect...
In this episode, I talk about expert fatigue, our desire to optimize everything and how it might be impacting our lives negatively, and how stories teach us the proper way of working on ourselves so that when the mentor we need does show up, we're ready to listen.