Author: Eneasz

I got my cameo!!! Huzzah!

So we have come to that time again – where the podcast has caught up with the published material. Fortunately I am not unprepared! In two week’s time this podcast will be broadcasting the first chapter of Eliezer’s “Three Worlds Collide” – a first-contact story that just keeps the punches coming. It’ll air in seven parts, so it seems likely that Methods of Rationality will have more new material by the time it is completed. I’m trying out some new things with it – hopefully improvements. We’ll see!

Quite a few updates to previous episodes to report. Most notably – I completely redid the narration for Chapter 96. If you have the inclination, give it another listen and let me know if this is better or worse. It’s certainly different. I’m narrating all of Three Worlds Collide in a similar style, so hopefully it isn’t terrible.

In addition, all the Millicent lines have been updated with voice work from Novina Caine,  all of Harry’s dad’s lines have been replaced with Robert Doss’s work, and all of Harry’s mother’s lines have been replaced by Annie McCabe s contribution. Finally, Paula Rizzuto has added Lady Greengrass to her list of voices. Thank you again to all!

There are still a few minor roles available for those who wish to contribute, but it’s a fair bit of work to make these replacements, so please contact me first. I am actively seeking someone who can do a convincing Irish accent for the voice of Seamus Finnigan, I’ve been told my mutilated Scottish/Irish/English patchwork makes true Irishmans’ ears bleed. :)

I admit I am disappointed with this episode.

(spoilers for chapter 96 below)

I love this chapter, I find it very emotionally compelling. But listening to it, it fails to evoke that same reaction, even on a smaller scale. This is where Harry discovers he’s not alone in the world. Finally, a confirmation that there are others who understand death is to be rejected absolutely. At the grave of his parents, of all places. And the narration just… falls flat.

After a couple listens I think I know why. Over the past dozen episodes or so I’ve been drifting into more of an announcer-style of voice. As someone declaiming to an audience, perhaps. That has a distance to it which doesn’t fit with fiction, at least not the more intimate scenes. I need to soften a bit, as if reading to a younger sibling before bed.

Unfortunately there’s not enough time left to re-do this episode. Chapters 97 and 98 are already (basically) completed as well, but the tone of those chapters is rather different (much of 98 is proclamations, literally), so I don’t think I’ll be re-doing those. But I think I can get 96 re-recorded within a couple weeks, so I’ll be shooting for that.