Best Nicholas Kotar Podcasts (2024)

1
Update on future episodes 3:56

7M ago3:56

3:56

In this mini-episode, composer Natalie Wilson shares some updates about the podcast and explains why there haven't been new episodes lately. After overcoming some significant technical issues, we are returning to a regular bi-weekly posting schedule at the end of March. Thanks for listening!By Nicholas Kotar

1
Vasilissa the Beautiful 26:47

8M ago26:47

26:47

A beautiful young girl named Vasilissa loses her mother to unexpected illness. Naturally, her father marries again. And the stepmother, although beautiful, just can't stand Vasilissa. Sound familiar? Yes, this might be the Russian version of Cinderella. But you've never heard a Cinderella like this. Animate dolls, huts on chicken feet, talking fire…

1
Vasilissa and the King of Underland 27:23

9M ago27:23

27:23

When a wander-lusting king accidentally breaks the laws of hospitality when quenching his thirst, he is forced to give his only son as a hostage to a dangerous king of the underwater lands. But this prince is no pampered ninny. He understands the value of hospitality and kindness. And so he gets some unlooked-for help...…

1
The Chestnut Roan 16:49

9M ago16:49

16:49

In our first story, I'm delving into the "Ivan the Fool" cycle. It's a fun, silly, but ultimately profound tale about how true wisdom and beauty is rarely skin deep. Please do share this podcast with your friends! We rely on your good word to get the story out into the world :)By Nicholas Kotar

1
Touch the Darkness Again... 1:46:03

2y ago1:46:03

1:46:03

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…

1
The Wooden Eagle

2y ago

—

A certain Tsar collects artisans like trinkets. And what do you think? Of course they all compete for his attention. But once a goldsmith and a carpenter argue so much they nearly come to blows. The Tsar, never one to avoid an exciting opportunity, orders them to create the greatest work of art ever made. The result? Well, a hero's journey, two thw…

1
The Shadow is a Passing Thing... Or Is It? 1:39:04

2y ago1:39:04

1:39:04

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…

1
There Is a Tempest in Me . . . 1:28:06

2y ago1:28:06

1:28:06

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. …

1
Without My Sword . . . What Am I? 1:33:20

2y ago1:33:20

1:33:20

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 …

1
Resilience and Courage Through Story: Accept Your Quest with Humility and Purpose 25:12

2y ago25:12

25:12

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 firs…

1
Resilience and Courage Through Story: Examining the Heart of Ideas You Hate 32:34

2y ago32:34

32:34

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…

1
Resilience and Courage Through Story: Finding Meaning in Solitude 31:12

2y ago31:12

31:12

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 …

1
Prince Ivan, the Witch Baby, and the Little Prince of the Sun

2y ago

—

Little Prince Ivan was born dumb, and his parents couldn't wait to have another child. Anything was better than a voiceless future Tsar! But you should be careful what you wish for. They did have another child. A girl. But she had iron teeth. And an unfortunate taste for... well, everything! This strange, wonderful story has some of the most unusua…

1
Resilience and Courage Through Story: Finding Your Mentor 41:10

2y ago41:10

41:10

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 answer…

1
What Aragorn Can Teach Us About the Deep Life 41:44

2y ago41:44

41:44

One of the biggest questions of our age is what we are to make of ourselves in a post-pandemic reality. If we allow it, hardship can unlock a deeply satisfying way of living; however, it requires an ability to live in the tension of survival and progress. When we are no longer reacting, there comes a moment where we commit to transforming our life …

1
What the Lord of the Rings Taught Me about Embracing Difficulty 40:02

2y ago40:02

40:02

We all have questions about what is the right way to live. Popular narratives seem to push a worldview of self-preservation no matter the cost. Is it better to avoid danger and difficulty? In our family lives? In our spiritual lives? Choosing the difficult path and engaging in self-sacrificial behavior benefits those around us. This is the story of…

1
Just Like Salt and Baba Yaga

2y ago

—

Today we're happy to share two shorter stories, one called "Just Like Salt" and the other the return of everyone's favorite villain: Baba Yaga.In the analysis section, Deacon Nicholas recommends a wonderful new book that has some fascinating things to say about early Christian poetry and imaginative fictions. Be sure to check out "She Who Loved Muc…

1
The Last Kingdom and The Green Monk 27:20

2y ago27:20

27:20

I've noticed a trend in entertainment recently. It seems as though some strange anachronistic lens has been placed over history regarding faith and religion. People of a Christian faith are often depicted as weak and feeble, while people of pagan religions are shown as powerful and successful. Why does entertainment depict the Christian God as effe…

1
When the Movie is Actually BETTER Than the Book 40:31

2y ago40:31

40:31

Today, I continue my examination of time in fantasy and sci-fi literature. What is time? Is it a line, a circle, or some combination thereof? Historically there are many ways to view it and interact with it; modernity seems to be much more concerned with managing it than experiencing it. Our current approach to time seems to be a revival of stoicis…

1
The Tale of Vasilisa Mikulishna

2y ago

—

This week we return to the world of mythical Kiev for another tale of the bogatyrs and... their wives? The Tale of Vasilisa Mikulishna is a wonderfully fun gender-swapping tale that puts masculine and feminine tropes on their head... only to put them all back in glorious order by the end. In the analysis section, Deacon Nicholas offers a real-life …

1
Time and Identity in Fantasy Literature 33:57

2y ago33:57

33:57

Today, in this old recording from 2019, I present an honest look at the concept of time as I reflect on a few pieces of fantasy literature. More specifically, we look at the idea of cyclical time and how it presents a highly depressing worldview where there is little to no way to redeem your own personal journey or that of your society, race, or an…

1
A Conversation with Bestselling Author Christian Cameron 1:27:11

2y ago1:27:11

1:27:11

Here's another throwback episode where I have an absolutely fascinating conversation with my friend Christian Cameron. Together we discuss a wide swath of topics including medieval cooking, wrestling, weapons, pilgrimages, pastries, armizare, and plenty of other fascinating stuff. We also dig into our shared love of history and some insider writing…

1
The Proud Bride

2y ago

—

In "The Proud Bride," we see the classic trope of the shrewish bride who is impossible to marry off (think King Thrushbeard and the Taming of the Shrew) being tamed by a trickster figure of a groom. But this time, it's the Russian fairy tale version. In the analysis, Deacon Nicholas reflects on some of the difficulties of the creative life by readi…

1
Secular Sci-Fi & The Transcendent 36:18

2y ago36:18

36:18

What does it mean to be human? How do we interact with the Divine or find meaning in a universe that sometimes seems completely devoid of meaning? It used to be that fantasy was the genre that most aptly responded to these monumental questions, yet I've realized that this is no longer the case! I've found that it is actually the contemporary, secul…

1
Violence and Catharsis in Fantasy Media 38:15

2y ago38:15

38:15

When is the violence we see on our screen or read in our books too much? There is no denying an increase in violence in our world and the usual scapegoat for such a thing is the media we consume; but, is modern media truly more violent than that of the past, or is it just of a different kind altogether? For example, The Iliad has more than its fair…

1
The Three Sons Serbian

2+ y ago

—

When a mysterious old woman visits the house of three brothers, unexpected gifts begin to abound. But the greatest gift is sometimes the smallest, least expected thing...In the analysis section, Deacon Nicholas continues his examination of the poetry of St Gregory the Theologian and finds some unexpected insight in a poem... about poetry.…

1
Cute Monsters and the Problem of Evil 39:20

2+ y ago39:20

39:20

Whatever happened to the good old days when we recognized that some things are ugly, some things are monsters and you can't fix them? In this episode, I address the increasingly prevalent phenomenon of cute monsters in fiction and why it is a symptom of a more significant breakdown of a concrete worldview in society. Monsters without teeth are real…

1
Ivan the Peasant's Son

2+ y ago

—

Ivan, the third son of a peasant family, refuses to be left behind when his brothers go to war against a dragonish monster. And a good thing, too! For his brothers prefer snoring to swordplay. After coming into a land scorched by the attacks of the monster, Ivan becomes the last man standing between the monster and the people of the Rus. But the tr…

1
Caped Crusaders and the Common Good 37:39

2+ y ago37:39

37:39

Should we avoid violence in media? Are certain portrayals of violence in media better for us than others? This week I continue our discussion on violence as I examine Mat Reeves’ The Batman. Every iteration of Batman is an expression of very different eras of American history, from the campy, sometimes silly Batman of the 60’s to the bleak and, dar…

1
Special Episode: Sample Audiobook Chapter From Nicholas Kotar’s Raven Son series 31:59

2+ y ago31:59

31:59

Time, despite my best efforts to conquer it, has, yet again, conquered me! In all of my busyness, I wasn't able to sit down and record my next podcast so, in lieu of a fresh episode this week, I figured I would take this opportunity to share an audiobook chapter from my Raven Son series. Here is a description of the book: An evil omen clouds the sk…

1
The Third Son

2+ y ago

—

The Third Son, a Carpatho-Russian fairy tale, starts like the well-known parable of the talents. But this time, we're looking at it from the perspective of the lazy, third son who did nothing with the talent given to him. What happened to that poor son? Well, in this tale, he goes on a transformative journey where his own adventures and redemption …

1
Empathy vs Compassion: What Game of Thrones gets wrong (among other things) 42:33

2+ y ago42:33

42:33

Isn't empathy a good thing? Well, yes. In moderation. But we seem to live in a world where immoderate empathy is causing widespread victimhood. And our stories are reflecting this strange reality.By Nicholas Kotar

1
Season 3 Trailer

2+ y ago

—

After a long wait, In a Certain Kingdom is back! And thanks to the show's patrons, it will now be an ongoing bi-monthly podcast with no limit to the number of episodes. Not only that, but Nicholas Kotar is going to include stories not only from Russia, but from Ukraine, Carpatho-Russia, Georgia, Romania, and maybe a few others. In addition, wonderf…

1
Should We Be Inspired by the Masters or Subvert Them? 48:27

2+ y ago48:27

48:27

In this throwback episode, I officially get publicly and loudly angry about The Last Jedi. Seriously, though, paying homage to those masters who came before you is probably a better strategy than... whatever the heck the Last Jedi was... But this is more than Star Wars, people. I'm talking about the best new Sci-fi series I've read in a long time, …

1
The Power of Story: A Conversation with Author and Illustrator Vesper Stamper 55:52

2+ y ago55:52

55:52

In this wide-ranging conversation with YA author Vesper Stamper, we talk about the power of story, the ways trauma can lead to suffering, but how it can be a gift and can make the sufferer a gift to others. We talked about falling into stories you never expected to write, about the wisdom of children in dark times, and about dealing with distractio…

1
The Green Knight and the Secular Apocalypse 31:59

2+ y ago31:59

31:59

Generally, I like to focus on the ways that fantasy stories help form us and make us into better humans; but, is it possible for certain types of fantasy to be bad for us? In this episode, I unpack a recent trend to abandon the traditional hero's journey of pleasant catharsis for a new embracing of the beautiful chaos of reality - specifically, I f…

1
The Best Epic Sci-fi of the Last Decade: An Interview with Christopher Ruocchio 1:21:51

2+ y ago1:21:51

1:21:51

Let's be honest: it's a golden age for speculative fiction. The most fantasy and sci-fi streaming shows in ages! But then again, there's the Last Jedi and Star Trek: Discovery... Thank goodness for books. And one of the best new series I've read in a long time is Christopher Ruocchio's Sun Eater. In this interview, we talk about his influences, why…

1
Till We Have Faces: The Fulfillment of All Heroic Journeys 39:48

2+ y ago39:48

39:48

C. S. Lewis's final novel Till We Have Faces is a novelization and adaptation of the Roman myth "Cupid and Psyche." Rather than tell the story from Psyche's perspective, Lewis tells it from her sister's, a character with no name in the original myth. In this multi-layered and very difficult novel, the main character hears a strange pronouncement ab…

1
Communal Catharsis and the Last Unicorn 33:05

2+ y ago33:05

33:05

In this episode of "Fantasy for our Time," fantasy author Nicholas Kotar tackles the difficult task of addressing the war in Ukraine. As a creator of epic fantasy stories inspired by Russian fairy tales, and as someone with deep Russian roots, the complex narrative of the conflict has served to be a point of extreme internal tension. How can we res…

1
The Consolation of Fantasy 22:51

2+ y ago22:51

22:51

In this first episode of "Fantasy for our Time," fantasy author Nicholas Kotar explains his premise for the podcast. This isn't a review podcast, though there will be discussions of fantasy books old and new. Using a framework developed on the Science Fiction podcast by Damien Walter, Kotar critiques works of classic and new fantasy (and occasional…

1
Fantasy For Our Time Teaser 4:28

2+ y ago4:28

4:28

Join me in my cozy corner of the internet to learn what you can expect from my new podcast!By Nicholas Kotar

1
The Return of Ilya Muromets

3y ago

—

As the Tatar horde lords it over Kiev, Ilya slowly digs himself out of his prison. There is no one else left between Batu-khan and total domination. Batu decides to try to woo Ilya, instead of keeping him imprisoned. But Ilya will have none of it, and Batu orders him to be executed. At the place of execution in the field of Kulikovo, the rebirth of…

1
Ilya Muromets and Batu Khan

3y ago

—

Ilya Muromets's fateful words to Vladimir prove true. A massive army led by the terrifying Batu-Khan approaches Kiev, intent on destroying it and feasting in its streets. Vladimir, in his terror, agrees to let the Tatars into the city, in return for his life.But Ilya Muromets will have none of it. He attacks the army on his own, and almost defeats …

1
Ilya Muromets Quarrels with Prince Vladimir

3y ago

—

After the untimely death of Sukhmann the young warrior, Ilya Muromets is furious with Vladimir of Kiev. He plans to take revenge on the prince, but Vladimir manages to pacify him for a short time. But the boyars of Kiev are at it again. Jealous of Ilya's preferred position in court, they slander Ilya Muromets to Prince Vladimir. The hot-headed prin…

1
Sukhmann the Young Warrior

3y ago

—

When Sukhmann the young warrior comes to Vladimir's feast, he feels a sudden desire to thank his host with a special gift. A white swan caught with his own two hands. But his hunting does not go at all as he planned. Unexpectedly, he is faced with a new enemy of the Rus. A never-before seen fighting force called the Tatars.…

1
The Daughter of the Tsar of the Sea

3y ago

—

Sadko is a young musician. The best in Novgorod! But he's also one of the poorest. This is the lot of the true artist. No one understands him, he feels. No one except the beautiful river near his city. Well, it turns out that the river does understand him. Not only that, but she (yes, she!) is intent on marrying him!There is no analysis this week, …

1
The Wedding of Dobrynia, son of Nikita.

3y ago

—

Dobrynia, son of Nikita, fresh off his victory over the dragon, finds a mysterious set of hoof prints in the forest. He follows them, and finds a mysterious warrior. But who that warrior actually is, he could never have guessed...In the analysis section, Deacon Nicholas reads an email from a listener that adds some interesting nuance to the ongoing…

1
The Story of Nikita the Tanner

3y ago

—

In our second dragon-themed tale, Kiev the great city's perfect existence is darkened by a terrible dragon. It promises not to destroy the city, but only if the people offer it a beautiful maiden once a month. Finally, it's the princess's turn. Her only hope of avoiding a terrible death is a humble tanner living in obscurity outside the city. But h…

1
Dobrynia Nikitich and the Dragon

3+ y ago

—

In the court of Kiev, there are three famous warriors. We've already met Ilya Muromets. We haven't yet met Dobrynia Nikitich or Alyosha Popovich. It's time for Dobrynia's story, a mythic tale of a dragon who likes to steal princesses, a young warrior out to clear his name, and a battle that will literally cleave the earth in two. In the analysis se…

1
The Story of Volga Vseslav'evich

3+ y ago

—

After Ilya Muromets was healed by the three wanderers, they warned him against ever picking a fight with several famous fellow-warriors. One of those was Volga Vseslav'evich, renowned for his strength, but even more for his cunning. This is his story, a tale filled with deep magic, deeds of renown, and the triumph of virtue over power.In the analys…

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