This is a fabulous find. Prof. Olsen covers great books (mostly by Tolkien) from a college level, making for fascinating discussions.

From the beginning of podcasts, I’ve been an avid listener of history and literature podcasts. Recently discovered, this podcast stands out. It covers old and new favorites of mine, some of which I’ve read many times over the last 5 or 6 decades. It is not just a lecturer - indeed, Dr. Olsen presents as a student who is learning as one among many - but there are many present who questions and comments he reads with named voices. I myself have learned so much that is new and fresh and insightful. For all who listen Plutarch’s words ring true: “The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled.”

Dr. Olsen is a joy to listen to and study with. You’ll get more out of a book than you ever imagined possible. There’s a whole community of people who are as passionate about speculative fiction as I am, and it’s so cool.

This is a great podcast! It’s taken from a series of discussions/lectures by Mythgard Institute regarding classic works of science fiction and fantasy novels. The lecturer, Dr. Corey Olsen, is thoughtful, articulate, passionate and very familiar with the material. These are University level analyses of literature available for free. Would recommend to anyone with an interest in “The Lord of the Rings,” “Dune,” and other related works.

The content is first rate, but although podcasts are apparently recorded weekly, they are only uploaded to iTunes about once a month, so if you subscribe you get 6-8 two hour episodes all at once. It’s too much to listen to all st once, and they take up a lot of space on your phone and clog up your podcast queues and it’s not worth the bother. It would be better if they could be uploaded more frequently.