AMBIENT ARCANA

“The October Game” by Ray Bradbury

 Just when we thought we were done with Bradbury he pulls us back in! “The October Game” a disturbing Halloween horror story where the terrors are real…or are they?
All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar.
Narration by Jim Billbrough.
Additional Voices by Izzy Q. and The Artist Known As Φ.

“The Lake” by Ray Bradbury

 We say goodbye to Summer with a late season tale of first love, tragic loss, and grim reunion. It’s Ray Bradbury’s classic macabre tearjerker - “The Lake.”
All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar
Narration by Clark Goodpaster
Lake wave audio recording provided by Pro Sound Effects

“The One Who Waits” and “The Pedestrian” by Ray Bradbury

In this episode we explore two stories of Retrofuturism by science fiction/fantasy icon Ray Bradbury:
“The One Who Waits” - A lonely old soul gets closer to the new neighbors in the worst possible way.
“The Pedestrian” -  A solitary man walks the empty streets of a TV dominated dystopia.
All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar
Narrated by Bob Familiar and Jim Billbrough

“The Legend of U Raitong, The Khasi Orpheus”

 In this episode we tell a tragic story of forbidden love and dire consequences- “The Legend of U Raitong” as described by Mrs. K.U. Rafy in her 1920 collection “Folk-Tales Of The Khasis.”
All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar
Narration by Jim Billbrough
While researching this story we found two more recent translations of “U Manik Raitong” by contemporary Khasi authors, both of which are worth checking out:
“Khasi Myths, Legends & Folk Tales” by Bijoya Sawian
(No direct link to the story on Google Books, but open the Table of Contents and follow the link to “U Manik Raitong”)
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Khasi_Myths_Legends_Folk_Tales/Unr2BEAEezoC?hl=en
…and
“U Manik Raitong” by Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih from his book “Around the Hearth: Khasi Legends”
U Manik Raitong - Monash Indigenous Studies Centre
  Apologies to the Khasi people for any mispronunciation of Khasi names or places in this episode. To balance things out we mispronounced some English words as well.

“The Story Of An Hour” and “A Pair Of Silk Stockings” by Kate Chopin

Two stories about the elusive dream of freedom- A secret dream suddenly dashed and a dream unlooked for fulfilled.
Kate Chopin’s “The Story Of An Hour” and “A Pair Of Silk Stockings.”
Narrated by Arline Billbrough
Music by Paul Billbrough
Produced by Bob Familiar
 

“In A Grove” by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa

In 1950 Akira Kurosawa merged two of Ryūnosuke Akutagawa’s short stories together to make his classic film “Rashomon.”Last episode we covered the story that gave the film it’s name and in this episode we explore the story of the murder at the heart of that film, told by seven characters with seven different, often conflicting accounts:
“In A Grove” by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa
Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar
Narrated by Mandy Familiar, Bob Familiar, Joey Pesce, Shannon Wilson, Jace Wilson, Danielle Barry, Matt Gruenberg, and Jim Billbrough

“Rashōmon” by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa

 In this episode we contemplate whether it is better to accept death with your morals intact or to survive by any means necessary.
Ryūnosuke Akutagawa’s “Rashōmon”.
Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar
Narrated by Jim Billbrough
 
Some sound effects in this episode were licensed from
Pro Sound Effects
240 Kent Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11249
licensing@prosoundeffects.com

Three Stories by Jorge Luis Borges

 A trio of strange and beautiful fever dreams by Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges-“The Rejected Sorcerer,” “The Circular Ruins,” and “The Two Kings and The Two Labyrinths.”
All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar
Narrated by Jim Billbrough
We’d like to express our thanks to Jon Fredette of “The Oddcast” podcast for his advice and encouragement on this episode. If you like Ambient Arcana there’s a good chance you’ll like ”The Oddcast.”
Here’s a link to Jon’s homepage featuring his podcasts, music, and more: https://www.jonfredette.com/
 
Some other useful links:
 
https://bobfamiliar.bandcamp.com/
 
https://www.facebook.com/ambientarcana
 
ambientarcana@gmail.com
 
 

“Gods Of The North” A Conan The Cimmerian Story

In this episode we chase away the winter blues with a bloody sword in Robert E. Howard’s coldest Conan story - “Gods of The North” (aka. “The Frost-Giant’s Daughter”).
All Music and Music & Audio Production by Bob Familiar
Narration by Rick Weidner, Danielle Barry, Matt Gruenberg, Mandy Familiar, Bob Familiar, and Jim Billbrough
 
Some useful links:
 
https://bobfamiliar.bandcamp.com/
 
https://www.facebook.com/ambientarcana
 
ambientarcana@gmail.com
 

“Mother Sauvage” by Guy de Maupassant

Bonne année! Joyeux 2024!
We start our Third Season with a fiery French tale of one woman’s burning need to find balance in a hostile universe. It’s Guy de Maupassant’s torrid tale of red hot revenge! -
“Mother Sauvage.”
All Music and Music & Audio Production by Bob Familiar
Narrated by Veronica and Joey Pesce, Bob Familiar, and Jim Billbrough
Recorded by Joey Pesce and Bob Familiar
If you think we judged Robert W. Chambers a bit harshly on his anti-German attitudes here’s a link to his WWI novel “In Secret” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/5748
Not to be confused with a recommendation.
 
Some useful links:
 
https://youtube.com/@bobfamiliarmusic
 
https://bobfamiliar.bandcamp.com/
 
https://www.facebook.com/ambientarcana