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The Prancing Pony Podcast

The Prancing Pony Podcast

By: The Prancing Pony Podcast
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 The Prancing Pony Podcast is a weekly show about the Middle-earth legendarium of J.R.R. Tolkien, hosted - for six seasons - by Alan Sisto and Shawn E. Marchese. Now in its ninth season, Alan is joined by an all-star cast of co-hosts as he explores more of Middle-earth! Alan and all his co-hosts are passionate Tolkien enthusiasts, inviting listeners to enjoy their detailed exploration of Tolkien’s work, with smart but straightforward discussion and a healthy dose of self-effacing humor, pop-culture references, and bad puns. These are the folks you'd want to hang out with at a pub and talk Tolkien with!© The Prancing Pony Podcast Art Literary History & Criticism
Episodes
  • 393 – From Me to You (the Sceptre)

    393 – From Me to You (the Sceptre)
    Dec 14 2025
    Aldarion prepares to go from this misenchanted isle of daydreams filled with insolent women; Alan puts 10 pence in the Sara to get her take on said ‘insolent women’. Join The Man of the West and The Shieldmaiden of Rohan as we near the end of Aldarion and Erendis from Unfinished Tales. Aldarion lays out his demands to the King; to soften the blow (and quiet the rumors), Meneldur sends the Sceptre along, “with love, from me to you”; and a letter from Erendis leads Aldarion to a rant that proves she’s damned if she does, damned if she doesn’t. We admire Meneldur’s mic drop moment, decide Aldarion would claim to be a “high-value male” on today’s social media, and speculate about the population density of Númenórean ships. Also, Alan regrets not pronouncing the H. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    2 hrs and 12 mins
  • 392 – Help!

    392 – Help!
    Dec 7 2025
    Aldarion watches everyone celebrate and party from the sidelines; Alan painfully recalls his awkward teenage years, while Sara isn’t sure those are over. Join The Man of the West and the Shieldmaiden of Rohan as we begin the eighth of what is now eleven episodes on the story of Aldarion and Erendis in Unfinished Tales. Aldarion gives Ulbar’s wife a kingly gift meant for someone else, Gil-galad writes the best letter ever (and doesn't even use AI!), and Meneldur finds himself not so self-assured. We agree that looking for a ‘seat of power’ could be a problem, decide the question of Gil-galad’s parentage seems to vanish in the haze, and conclude that “follow your dreams and tread on anybody who gets in your way” might not be good advice. Also, Alan’s sports analogies still don’t help. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    2 hrs and 27 mins
  • 391 – By Grabthar’s Hammer, What a Book!

    391 – By Grabthar’s Hammer, What a Book!
    Nov 23 2025
    Join The Man of the West and The Shieldmaiden of Rohan for a very special conversation with Dr. Michael D.C. Drout, author of The Tower and the Ruin: J.R.R. Tolkien’s Creation, the new must-read book about Tolkien’s legendarium. Professor Drout builds the best dark towers ever, confesses his man-crush on Tom Shippey, and starts a fight with Alan about the talking fox. We discuss Jerry Springer in Middle-earth, laugh at a joke no one else laughed at, and whole-heartedly agree with Mike that “they cannot conquer forever.” This is a long and heartfelt conversation that every Tolkien fan should listen to — immediately before buying The Tower and the Ruin. Also, the title really is relevant, I promise. The Tower and the Ruin: https://amzn.to/49KAUzy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    2 hrs and 16 mins
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