Matt Arnold @matt@penguicon.social

This concludes the #audiobook #podcast adaptation of UNSONG, a novel by Scott Alexander. In the next episode, I will offer some closing thoughts on the novel, and make some announcements.

https://unsong.libsyn.com/epilogue

A new episode of the #audiobook #podcast I narrate, UNSONG.
"Chapter 72, Part 2: And Builds A Heaven In Hell’s Despair"

Here ends Book 4. The next episode, the Epilogue, will conclude the novel.

"He sat on the Black Opal Throne like it was the most natural thing in the world. He had taken off his scarlet robes, and now wore the familiar black and silver. "Come," he said, and I moved slowly, foggily, like I was in a dream."

https://unsong.libsyn.com/chapter-72-part-2-and-builds-a-heaven-in-hells-despair

A new episode of the #audiobook #podcast I narrate, UNSONG. "Chapter 72, Part 1: And Builds A Heaven In Hell’s Despair" "Sohu pushed the heavy steel door open and entered the throne room." This is a serialized story narrated by Matt Arnold with the permission of the author, Scott Alexander. The original text is here: http://unsongbook.com/chapter-72-and-builds-a-heaven-in-hells-despair/ Episode 103 Duration: 20:10 ... https://unsong.libsyn.com/chapter-72-part-1-and-builds-a-heaven-in-hells-despair

A new episode of the #audiobook #podcast I narrate, UNSONG. "Chapter 71, Part 2: But For Another Gives Its Ease" "Then God spoke to Ana out of the whirlwind, and He said: "THE REASON EVIL EXISTS IS ..." This is a serialized story narrated by Matt Arnold with the permission of the author, Scott Alexander. The original text is here: http://unsongbook.com/chapter-71-but-for-another-gives-its-ease/ Episode 102 Duration: 20:10 ... https://unsong.libsyn.com/chapter-71-part-2-but-for-another-gives-its-ease

A new episode of the #audiobook #podcast I narrate, UNSONG. "Chapter 71, Part 1: But For Another Gives Its Ease"

"Opening the door to the Captain’s cabin, Ana saw a small room, dark and unadorned, with only a bare wooden bed. The Captain sat upon it, writing something, pages of notes strewn all about. He looked up at Ana, his face unreadable through the dark glasses. She hesitated for just a second, then spoke."

Episode 101

https://unsong.libsyn.com/chapter-71-part-1-but-for-another-gives-its-ease

The Centre for Applied Eschatology is a transdisciplinary research center dedicated to ending the world. They connect professionals from the public sector, private industry, and academia to develop new knowledge and apply existing research to curtail the world’s long-term future.

https://www.appliedeschatology.com/

A new episode of the #audiobook #podcast I narrate, UNSONG. "Chapter 70: Nor For Itself Hath Any Care"

"It was called Tava, or "sun mountain", by the Ute. El Capitan, meaning "the leader", by the Spanish. But its modern name "Pike’s Peak" comes from explorer Zebulon Pike, and his name in turn comes from the Biblical Zebulon, son of Jacob."

Episode 100

https://unsong.libsyn.com/chapter-70-nor-for-itself-hath-any-care

A new episode of the #audiobook #podcast I narrate, UNSONG. "Chapter 69: Love Seeketh Not Itself To Please"

Here begins Book IV.

"The alarms went silent. North American airspace went black. The lights went out. THARMAS went quiet, then released an arc of electrical energy which briefly lit the otherwise pitch-black room before dying back down. Sohu gave a horrible primal scream."

Episode 99

https://unsong.libsyn.com/chapter-69-love-seeketh-not-itself-to-please

A new episode of the #audiobook #podcast I narrate, UNSONG. "Chapter 68: Puts All Heaven In A Rage" Here ends Book III. "No analogy suffices. They came in like what they were, the greatest army ever collected, marching back home in in a frustrating mix of victory and defeat." This is a serialized story narrated by Matt Arnold with the permission of the author, Scott Alexander. The original text is here: https://unsongbook.com/chapter-68-puts-all-heaven-in-a-rage/ Episode 98 Duration: 9:32 ... https://unsong.libsyn.com/chapter-68-puts-all-heaven-in-a-rage

The discussion of these themes may interest you, even if you plan to never read the book. Be advised; trigger warnings about violence and depression. You could join my Patreon for a dollar, listen when it posts on Sunday, and then quit the Patreon. :)
For the rest of this year, the further episodes will be my favorite short stories from the same author, which I have been looking forward to.

https://www.patreon.com/unsongaudiobook

It includes an interview with the author, announcements of the future of the podcast, book recommendations, my reflections on the themes of the novel, the ability to change the world, finding patterns where none exist, random acts of violence, and despair. It also includes a very personally vulnerable account of how the novel makes me feel about the historical development of this century so far, the position of my life within that, and the place of you and I and each other.

You may recall I finished the 17 remaining chapters of the audiobook I've been narrating. I have had a buffer of months, so that's been great. Yesterday, the final chapter went up on my Patreon for advance listeners.

I just finished an hour-long retrospective episode. According to my time tracker, I have been writing, reworking, and editing this episode for almost 18 total hours in my text editor alone, to say nothing of the audio editor.

A new episode of the #audiobook #podcast I narrate, UNSONG. "Chapter 67: The Night Of Enitharmon’s Joy" "Only a few minutes before sunset now. The sea blazed orange. Fire Island rose as a dark line to the north. "James," said Ana. "We need to talk."" This is a serialized story narrated by Matt Arnold with the permission of the author, Scott Alexander. The original text is here: https://unsongbook.com/chapter-67-the-night-of-enitharmons-joy/ Please back my Patreon, so I can keep producing ep ... https://unsong.libsyn.com/chapter-67-the-night-of-enitharmons-joy

A new episode of the #audiobook #podcast I narrate, UNSONG. "Chapter 65: The Fruit Of My Mysterious Tree"

""Brenda Burns spoke the Fulminant Name and shot a lightning bolt at Malia Ngo. It missed by a fraction of an inch and lit her desk on fire. Clark Deas had been in the process of lunging over the desk to get at Malia; his grunted as his shirt caught fire and started hitting himself against the wall, trying to put it out."

https://unsong.libsyn.com/chapter-65-the-fruit-of-my-mysterious-tree