Tag Archives: richard wagner

Secret Mountain Sex Parties

One of the stories mentioned in Sabine Baring-Gould’s Curious Myths of the Middle Ages is that of Tannhäuser and the Venusberg, which is probably best known through Wagner’s opera. I wasn’t that familiar with it, so I looked into it … Continue reading

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You Should Have Put a Ring on It

The Wizard of Oz has been said to be the ultimate chick flick, as it’s about two women fighting over shoes. But then, J.R.R. Tolkien’s legendarium is one where a lot of world conflicts arise from jewelry, so maybe that’s … Continue reading

Posted in Arabian, Authors, Fairy Tales, Greek Mythology, Greek Philosophy, J.R.R. Tolkien, Magic, Music, Mythology, Norse, Philosophy, Semitic, Video Games, Zelda | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Nibbles of Nibelungs

Although I’ve been interested in classical mythology for most of my life, it was really Final Fantasy VI that made me want to check out the Teutonic hero Siegfried, a mysterious character in the game possibly intended to be the … Continue reading

Posted in Authors, Comics, Fairy Tales, Final Fantasy, German, Germany, History, J.R.R. Tolkien, Magic, Monsters, Mythology, Norse, Poetry, Video Games | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

The Ring Recycled

Expecting Someone Taller, by Tom Holt – Holt has written many books of weird fantasy, science fiction, and satire; but his main thing is bringing a fictional world into the modern one. This was actually his first comic fantasy, based … Continue reading

Posted in Authors, Book Reviews, German, Mythology, Norse, Tom Holt | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

We’re Certainly Dwarfs

So, is the plural “dwarfs” or “dwarves”? I believe the former is considered preferable, but J.R.R. Tolkien and I like the latter. Regardless, modern media tends to portray them fairly consistently, as diminutive but sturdy people with thick beards, who … Continue reading

Posted in Authors, C.S. Lewis, Christianity, Chronicles of Narnia, Discworld, Fairy Tales, Final Fantasy, J.R.R. Tolkien, Judaism, Language, Magic, Mythology, Norse, Religion, Terry Pratchett, Video Games | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Give Me That Old Norse Religion

While polytheistic religion is a definite minority nowadays, you can probably find groups and individuals worshipping any god or group of gods if you look hard enough. Worship of the old Norse pantheon is known as Asatru, or worship of … Continue reading

Posted in Mythology, Norse, Prejudice, Religion, Wicca | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Gabbin’ About Gabooches

The Gabooches are characters in John R. Neill’s Lucky Bucky in Oz, but it’s not entirely clear what a Gabooch actually is. They first show up when Bucky throws enchanted doorknobs at the Nomes, and they promptly turn into four … Continue reading

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The Vanderdecker Policy

Since the most recent book I’ve read involves the legend of the Flying Dutchman, I figure I should give an overview of that story. I actually thought I already had, but I can’t find it through a Google search. The … Continue reading

Posted in Book Reviews, Dragon Quest, Music, Mythology, Tori Amos, Video Games | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Don’t Sleep in the Ring of Fire

Brunhilda is a figure from Norse myths and legends who has somehow come into popular culture as a really fat woman. In fact, thanks to Wagner, she IS the singing fat lady of the saying. And while I certainly don’t … Continue reading

Posted in German, History, Middle Ages, Monarchy, Mythology, Norse | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Even Other Phreex Hate the Freakshow

Continuing with John Dough and the Cherub, I’m going to take a closer look at the Isle of Phreex, where Chick the Cherub lived before journeying with John Dough to Hi-Lo/Lo-Hi. This island in the Nonestic Ocean (exactly where is … Continue reading

Posted in Characters, L. Frank Baum, Oz, Oz Authors, Places | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments