Dissecting Dragons

J.A. Ironside & M.E. Vaughan
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Authors J.A. Ironside and M.E. Vaughan talk about books, films and all aspects of speculative fiction, from the nuts and bolts of writing it, to its (occasionally) obscure origins.

  1. JAN 2

    Episode 466: The Better Angels of Our Nature - 2025 in Review

    2025 has felt like a bit of a slog for many people - including, at points, the dragons. But despite that, and despite some longstanding terrible events in the News, lost of amazing things have happened this year. As has become tradition, Jules and Madeleine take a look a selection of 'good news' items from 2025 - including developments in science, technology and medicine, wins in conservation and environmental preservation and even a bit of culture. Join us for an upbeat discussion of the best bits of the year.   Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

    1h 8m

  2. 12/26/2025

    Episode 465: Tinsel and Time Loops - Temporal Chaos at Christmas

    On the surface, you probably wouldn't immediately think of time travel when you think of Christmas stories, and yet there is a distinct connection which is hard to deny. Nor does it date to when Dr Who regularly began to deliver Christmas special episodes - it goes far further back than that. For the final episode in this year's festive selection, the dragons dive into why Christmas is the perfect setting for a time travel story. From liminal spaces where impossible deliveries take place in a single night to the chance to go back a right a wrong, learn from a mistake or take a missed opportunity, Christmas magic and temporal mechanics go hand in hand. Under the mistletoe this week - The Chronicles of St Mary's, A Christmas Carol, Torchwood and many more.   Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

    57 min

  3. 12/19/2025

    Episode 464: Krampus The Grinch and Holiday Mischief - Why Christmas Needs Villains

    Every enduring Christmas story has a villain woven in somewhere - whether that's King Herod in the nativity or Ebenezer Scrooge, the Grinch of Hans Gruber in Die Hard. Whether the audience is rooting for huge redemption arc or waiting for the bad guy to take a nosedive off the Nakatomi Plaza, there's something about a festive story that uniquely lends itself to a good villain. This week Jules and Madeleine delve into what makes a good Christmas villain; where do they come from? (The answer is surprisingly far back!) And how do you create your own? On the slab this week - A Christmas Carol, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, The Winter Smith and many more.   Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

    59 min

  4. 12/12/2025

    Episode 463: A Season of Giving - Gifts as Plot Devices in Speculative Fiction

    Sliding towards the festive season, Jules and Madeleine take a look at gifts. Everyone loves a present, right? But what does a present actually signify? Are they always good things or can they be sinister or manipulative? From fae gifts to mystical burdens, the dragons take a deep dive into the sort of present you can't exchange for something else on your xmas list.   Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

    1h 2m

  5. 12/05/2025

    Episode 462: Beauty is a Beast - the Problem with Ugly Characters in Speculative Fiction

    'Ugly' is a subjective term, of course. Tastes vary and opinions are heavily influenced by how we perceive someone or how much we like them. However, there are plenty of characters in speculative fiction who even on the page do not fit the parameters of being conventionally physically attractive. When those books are translated to the screen, often the 'it' actors of the moment are cast in these roles because they are often great characters. And this is where the cognitive dissonance sets in. Social media and the drive towards a physical ideal which can only be attained through wealth and extreme intervention adds another, somewhat more troubling dimension as platforms like Instagram directly influence beauty standards and celebrity popularity. Have we lost the ability to see a normal human as attractive? Find out in this week's episode. On the slab this week - Bridget Jones' Diary, Harker & Blackthorn, Game of Thrones, Howl's Moving Castle and many more.   Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

    1h 50m

  6. 11/28/2025

    Episode 461: The Girl with a Sword - strong female characters and the death of nuance

    Moving slightly away from spooky season and weird folklore, the dragons are clocking in with a writing episode. At the moment, Romantasy is the biggest whale splashing around in the sea of fantasy, partially drowning out other subgenres (at least temporarily). While romantasy is a lot of fun, it's caused further changes in the 'strong female character' trope which are less fun. This week, Jules and Madeleine revisit the subject, looking at what really defines 'strength' in character terms and how to best write your own female character, even with Romantasy putting a thumb on the scales. Under the microscope this week - Jane Eyre, Anne of Green Gables, The Hunger Games and many more.   Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

    1h 20m

  7. 11/21/2025

    Episode 460: Folklore of the Forgotten - Mythic Creatures Born From Obsolete Jobs

    How many jobs and professions have existed over the centuries which we now no longer know anything about? Who thinks about warreners and coopers? Fowlers and knocker-ups? And yet this now unnecessary work lingers in surname origins and in the strange tales that grow up around these jobs. This week, still feeling semi spooky and continuing their recent folklore deep dive, Jules and Madeleine take a look at the urban myths which sprang up and are still springing up, around jobs made obsolete by time and new technology. Why do with mythologise the mundane? What are the origins of folklore arising from old trades? And how can you use this in your writing? Find out in this week's episode.   Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

    1h 22m

  8. 11/14/2025

    Episode 459: The Ghost in the Machine - Folklore Meets Firmware in Speculative Fiction

    Still in the spooky zone, this week Jules and Madeleine take a look at the fascinating phenomenon of folklore being created in real time. There have always been parallels between technology and superstition, magic and science. As technology moves further into the non tangible realm of digital space, ghosts and other entities have begun to echo this shift. So what exactly is the part that folklore plays in this? Are all our ghosts going digital? And why do such disparate subjects actually go hand in hand? Find out in this week's episode.   Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

    1h 25m
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Ratings & Reviews

4.3
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Authors J.A. Ironside and M.E. Vaughan talk about books, films and all aspects of speculative fiction, from the nuts and bolts of writing it, to its (occasionally) obscure origins.

Information

  • Creator
    J.A. Ironside & M.E. Vaughan
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2016 . All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Dissecting Dragons