“They peered in at the merry-go-round which lay under a dry rattle and roar of wind-tumbled oak trees. Its horses, goats, antelopes, zebras, speared through their spines with brass javelins, hung contorted as in a death rictus, asking mercy with their fright-colored eyes, seeking revenge with their panic-colored teeth.”

Chapter 18, page 73, Something Wicked This Way Comes,
this selection is from ISBN 0-380-97727-3. Avon Books, Hardcover, June 1999.
copyright (c) 1962, 1997 by Ray Bradbury.

Why do so many people who have read Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury consider it a classic, and one of their favorite novels? What is it about this tale of good vs. evil, carnivals and side shows, that stays with us?

This is the story of two children, Will Halloway, and Jim Nightshade. They are both thirteen years old, born minutes apart, living across the street from each other, best friends. This is their adventure, an adventure that will take them to a carnival with a Ferris wheel, a mirror maze, an illustrated man, and the most beautiful woman in the world, an adventure that will forever change them and the town they live in.

The cast of characters include:
A lightning-rod salesman.
A dust witch.
A father working as a janitor working in a library who feels that he failed his son when he needed him most.
And the two men who run the carnival, Mr. Dark and Mr. Cooger.

Some characters in the novel long for the past.
Others have an eye to the future.
And the ever-pressing present rolling forward that no one can avoid.

And wishes do come with a price.

Troy Harkin and David Clink will look at the novel, the movie, the comic book, the short story it was all based on, and try to provide the answers.

We are introducing a new segment with this episode:
“These are a few of our favorite words”
This is where Troy, David and their special guest will read short excerpts from their favorite passages in the novel.

Our special guest is Sandra Kasturi. See author photo and bio below..

Sandra Kasturi is an award-winning poet, writer, and editor, with work appearing in many places including ON SPEC, several Tesseracts anthologies, and 80! Memories & Reflections on Ursula K. Le Guin.

Her two poetry collections are: The Animal Bridegroom (with an introduction by Neil Gaiman) and Come Late to the Love of Birds (both from Tightrope Books).

Sandra recently won second prize in The New Quarterly’s Nick Blatchford Occasional Verse Contest. She is also the winner of the Sunburst Award for her story “The Beautiful Gears of Dying” and ARC Magazine‘s Poem of the Year Award for “Old Men, Smoking.”

Back to School. Just the thought of it strikes fear into the hearts of children everywhere. But for some, it is something to look forward to.

It is September, and we have bought our school supplies, and are ready for the next grade.

What’s the connection between schools and science fiction, fantasy, and horror?

Troy Harkin and David Clink will look at the linkages, the places we wish we had gone, like Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; Sunnydale High School; Brakebills University for Magical Pedagogy; Starfleet Academy; The Jedi Praxeum. Perhaps the greatest question of all – do you want to attend a school that is on top of a Hellmouth?

Our special guest is Maaja Wentz. See author photo and bio below..

Maaja Wentz is a Toronto teacher-librarian who writes mystery and speculative fiction. School closures inspired Maaja to write the Saltwater Spy School series. Imagine Sponge Bob Squarepants meets James Bond featuring a wannabe spy hermit crab overcoming childhood fears.

Feeding Frenzy: Curse of the Necromancer won a Watty award. In the sequel, a rival magic faction has taken control of Loon Lake, cursing Tonya’s allies with amnesia and framing her mother for murdering a man who was already dead. To free her mother, Tonya must find the real killer while navigating secret university magic classes surrounded by her worst enemies.