<![CDATA[Big Bad Books]]>Mon, 16 Jan 2023 15:11:51 +0000Captivate.fmShame Cityhttps://artwork.captivate.fm/c9ae689d-8d8b-4db2-8224-552893f12368/haHuEcp-kRygVwIeCU3hGmfZ.jpgBig Bad BooksShame CityShame CityWith the help of their friends and otherwise useless English degrees, Isaac and Declan take on the ever growing world of truly awful writing, one chapter at a time. We read them so you don't have to!https://shame.cityyesepisodicI or AI? (Halloween Spooktacular)I or AI? (Halloween Spooktacular)In a terrifying divergence from form, the Big Bad Books Boys are taking a break from Old Uncle Cline's Almanac of References to explore the lengths, breadths, and depths of horror fiction. Not real fiction (??), mind you. No, more a collection of random snippets written either by a robot, or by an AI. Declan is left - as are you, dear listener, - to determine which is which.


]]>In a terrifying divergence from form, the Big Bad Books Boys are taking a break from Old Uncle Cline's Almanac of References to explore the lengths, breadths, and depths of horror fiction. Not real fiction (??), mind you. No, more a collection of random snippets written either by a robot, or by an AI. Declan is left - as are you, dear listener, - to determine which is which.


]]>d142ca05-5d75-4254-834a-7e134926bf2fSun, 16 Oct 2022 22:27:00 +000057:40yesfullIn a terrifying divergence from form, the Big Bad Books Boys are taking a break from Old Uncle Cline's Almanac of References to explore the lengths, breadths, and depths of horror fiction. Not real fiction (??), mind you. No, more a collection of random snippets written either by a robot, or by an AI. Declan is left - as are you, dear listener, - to determine which is which.Shame CityReal Estate: Chapter 18 (Ready Player Two)Real Estate: Chapter 18 (Ready Player Two)Ernest continues to defy all expectations, by setting a third consecutive chapter in the delightfully underwhelming world of Shermer, with still no end in sight!

This time we have RDJ being coerced, we’ve got DUBI and Doobage galore, and we have our most upsetting visit (yet) to the horrors of Gulag Caledonia.


]]>Ernest continues to defy all expectations, by setting a third consecutive chapter in the delightfully underwhelming world of Shermer, with still no end in sight!

This time we have RDJ being coerced, we’ve got DUBI and Doobage galore, and we have our most upsetting visit (yet) to the horrors of Gulag Caledonia.


]]>77783e5a-c2eb-4b1c-95e2-2599686d0517Sun, 07 Aug 2022 16:00:00 +000059:01yesfull116Shame CityPrevarication: Chapter 17 (Ready Player Two)Prevarication: Chapter 17 (Ready Player Two)It's been a minute since we checked-up on Wade and the Gunter Gang, but fortunately they're still on the very-interesting-and-not-remotely-laborious-to-read-about planet of Shermer!

In this chapter, we explore all the ways Cline doesn't want to share the answer to his good puzzles, witness a needle-drop for the ages, and PAUSE (in a gamer way) to discover what manner of horrors have befallen Gulag Caledonia.


]]>It's been a minute since we checked-up on Wade and the Gunter Gang, but fortunately they're still on the very-interesting-and-not-remotely-laborious-to-read-about planet of Shermer!

In this chapter, we explore all the ways Cline doesn't want to share the answer to his good puzzles, witness a needle-drop for the ages, and PAUSE (in a gamer way) to discover what manner of horrors have befallen Gulag Caledonia.


]]>fd1b61b7-76f2-4699-8cd4-d308855744dbSun, 17 Jul 2022 23:49:00 +000001:31:42yesfull115Shame CityJohn Hughes: Chapter 16 (Ready Player Two)John Hughes: Chapter 16 (Ready Player Two)Reeling from the shard-related revelations of last time, we were all ready for an action-packed chapter.

But Cline is a master of subverting expectations, and instead provided us with the most boring collection of pages ever! Join us as we traverse the medium-sized planet of Shermer dedicated to all things John Hughes.

PLUS we take another visit to the ever-prophetic Gulag Caledonia for some Very Good Philosophy!


]]>Reeling from the shard-related revelations of last time, we were all ready for an action-packed chapter.

But Cline is a master of subverting expectations, and instead provided us with the most boring collection of pages ever! Join us as we traverse the medium-sized planet of Shermer dedicated to all things John Hughes.

PLUS we take another visit to the ever-prophetic Gulag Caledonia for some Very Good Philosophy!


]]>7a94d6b6-1d60-4dcf-84b7-cc66e5f3149eSun, 12 Jun 2022 23:59:00 +000001:24:34yesfull114Reeling from the shard-related revelations of last time, we were all ready for an action-packed chapter. But Cline is a master of subverting expectations, and instead provided us with the most boring collection of pages ever! Join us as we traverse the medium-sized planet of Shermer dedicated to all things John Hughes.Shame CityPacing: Chapter 15 (Ready Player Two)Pacing: Chapter 15 (Ready Player Two)Another episode, another chapter, and after the white-knuckle excitement of the Ninja-Sega/Sega-Ninja rundown last time out, we’re in for even more excitement, as we finally see Wade in some death-defying combat, and uncover more of the mysterious past Halliday has been hiding.

Plus, we enter the realm of Gulag Caledonia, an all-too-divorced prediction of a future ravaged by God-forgetters. Not to be missed!


]]>Another episode, another chapter, and after the white-knuckle excitement of the Ninja-Sega/Sega-Ninja rundown last time out, we’re in for even more excitement, as we finally see Wade in some death-defying combat, and uncover more of the mysterious past Halliday has been hiding.

Plus, we enter the realm of Gulag Caledonia, an all-too-divorced prediction of a future ravaged by God-forgetters. Not to be missed!


]]>6cf93951-1906-4ac4-9b2e-8653269c1ad1Sun, 22 May 2022 16:00:00 +000001:28:47yesfull13Another episode, another chapter, and after the white-knuckle excitement of the Ninja-Sega/Sega-Ninja rundown last time out, we’re in for even more excitement, as we finally see Wade in some death-defying combat, and uncover more of the mysterious past Halliday has been hiding. Plus, we enter the realm of Gulag Caledonia, an all-too-divorced prediction of a future ravaged by God-forgetters. Not to be missed!Shame CityEkphrasis: Chapter 14 (Ready Player Two)Ekphrasis: Chapter 14 (Ready Player Two)After an Easter Gunting hiatus, we're back with another chapter. This one's heavy on the games and light on the story. Just the way we like it! Ernest puts us in the shoes of Wade in the cyber-shoes of Parzival who is, in turn, in the simulated-kicks of Kira Underwood: the coolest teen in Middletown (Ohio).


]]>After an Easter Gunting hiatus, we're back with another chapter. This one's heavy on the games and light on the story. Just the way we like it! Ernest puts us in the shoes of Wade in the cyber-shoes of Parzival who is, in turn, in the simulated-kicks of Kira Underwood: the coolest teen in Middletown (Ohio).


]]>c7b6605f-33a9-4c8b-a3b1-c841054dd74aSun, 24 Apr 2022 23:37:00 +000001:22:52yesfull12After an Easter Gunting hiatus, we're back with another chapter. This one's heavy on the games and light on the story. Just the way we like it! Ernest puts us in the shoes of Wade in the cyber-shoes of Parzival who is, in turn, in the simulated-kicks of Kira Underwood: the coolest teen in Middletown (Ohio).Shame CityGrief: Chapter 13 (Ready Player Two)Grief: Chapter 13 (Ready Player Two)As a famous, jewel-headed robot once said, what is grief if not love persevering? In this chapter, Cline ponders the very same question in the aftermath of the tragic circumstances which led to Mark Rylance crashing a plane into Art3mis. And his answer is not what you'd expect!


]]>As a famous, jewel-headed robot once said, what is grief if not love persevering? In this chapter, Cline ponders the very same question in the aftermath of the tragic circumstances which led to Mark Rylance crashing a plane into Art3mis. And his answer is not what you'd expect!


]]>089edeb9-525e-43f2-8e90-beccb3f1a52cSun, 03 Apr 2022 23:59:00 +000001:32:40yesfull11As a famous, jewel-headed robot once said, what is grief if not love persevering? In this chapter, Cline ponders the very same question in the aftermath of the tragic circumstances which led to Mark Rylance crashing a plane into Art3mis. And his answer is not what you'd expect!Shame CityLiability: Chapter 12 (Ready Player Two)Liability: Chapter 12 (Ready Player Two)After a brief, reading-based hiatus, we're BACK to continue our quest through Ready Player Two!

In this chapter, things are getting pretty real for dear old Wade. There's a lot on the line, but fortunately he is legally protected from any and all consequences by some ironclad End User License Agreements.


]]>After a brief, reading-based hiatus, we're BACK to continue our quest through Ready Player Two!

In this chapter, things are getting pretty real for dear old Wade. There's a lot on the line, but fortunately he is legally protected from any and all consequences by some ironclad End User License Agreements.


]]>0e6be10b-4563-48df-8d77-3bd704840d62Sun, 20 Mar 2022 23:58:00 +000001:23:17yesfull110Shame CityIntelligence: Chapter 11 (Ready Player Two)Intelligence: Chapter 11 (Ready Player Two)It’s the festive season, and to celebrate the coming of Claus, Cline has seen fit to gift us all with something we’ve been missing sorely: an actual story!

Revelations, twists, references, and over-explained simplicities are abound in this episode, which some critics are describing as “one hell of a chapter”.


]]>It’s the festive season, and to celebrate the coming of Claus, Cline has seen fit to gift us all with something we’ve been missing sorely: an actual story!

Revelations, twists, references, and over-explained simplicities are abound in this episode, which some critics are describing as “one hell of a chapter”.


]]>7ceff97b-1e8d-40bf-b33b-77d6d13b6d64Sun, 05 Dec 2021 23:27:00 +000001:17:24yesfull19It’s the festive season, and to celebrate the coming of Claus, Cline has seen fit to gift us all with something we’ve been missing sorely: an actual story! Revelations, twists, references, and over-explained simplicities are abound in this episode, which some critics are describing as “one hell of a chapter”.Shame CityDrama: Chapter 10 (Ready Player Two)Drama: Chapter 10 (Ready Player Two)After taking some time to process and reflect on the dense narrative clod of RP2, we're finally back with a new chapter. And what a chapter it is!

Open up your body and mind to Ernest's ping-pong prose as he pilots your unthinking telebot corpse through a hailstorm of revelations and plot twists which some critics have suggested he could have done with spreading out a bit.


]]>After taking some time to process and reflect on the dense narrative clod of RP2, we're finally back with a new chapter. And what a chapter it is!

Open up your body and mind to Ernest's ping-pong prose as he pilots your unthinking telebot corpse through a hailstorm of revelations and plot twists which some critics have suggested he could have done with spreading out a bit.


]]>f74b14c0-47db-4e42-8a1e-95b9d2cb1645Sun, 14 Nov 2021 23:19:00 +000001:11:39yesfull18After taking some time to process and reflect on the dense narrative clod of RP2, we're finally back with a new chapter. And what a chapter it is! Open up your body and mind to Ernest's ping-pong prose as he pilots your unthinking telebot corpse through a hailstorm of revelations and plot twists which some critics have suggested he could have done with spreading out a bit.Shame CityVictory?: Chapter 9 (Ready Player Two)Victory?: Chapter 9 (Ready Player Two)This is, being frank, the most boring chapter of the book so far!

After finally giving us a glimpse of puzzle last time, Cline brings us crashing back down to Earth harder than a SpaceX rocket with a death wish. We get a pained attempt at banter, followed up a dream so symbolic that Freud himself would be left quaking.


]]>This is, being frank, the most boring chapter of the book so far!

After finally giving us a glimpse of puzzle last time, Cline brings us crashing back down to Earth harder than a SpaceX rocket with a death wish. We get a pained attempt at banter, followed up a dream so symbolic that Freud himself would be left quaking.


]]>a6216ca5-65c2-4a4f-8556-f75e49ed2068Sun, 26 Sep 2021 23:47:00 +000056:25yesfull17Shame CityProgress: Chapter 8 (Ready Player Two)Progress: Chapter 8 (Ready Player Two)The chapter for this episode finally delivered what we’ve all been waiting for: some genuine focus on the goddamn Shard Riddle.

We won’t lie to you… it’s not great. However, it did give us a chance to chat about puzzles, riddles, Dan Brown, The Robes of Anorak, Agatha Christie, twitch.tv/shamecity, and - lest we forget - The Internet’s Chuck Wendig.


]]>The chapter for this episode finally delivered what we’ve all been waiting for: some genuine focus on the goddamn Shard Riddle.

We won’t lie to you… it’s not great. However, it did give us a chance to chat about puzzles, riddles, Dan Brown, The Robes of Anorak, Agatha Christie, twitch.tv/shamecity, and - lest we forget - The Internet’s Chuck Wendig.


]]>88b414ac-051f-4eab-a08b-8cc0fbb794deSun, 05 Sep 2021 23:36:00 +000001:08:33yesfull16The chapter for this episode finally delivered what we’ve all been waiting for: some genuine focus on the goddamn Shard Riddle. We won’t lie to you… it’s not great. However, it did give us a chance to chat about puzzles, riddles, Dan Brown, The Robes of Anorak, Agatha Christie, twitch.tv/shamecity, and - lest we forget - The Internet’s Chuck Wendig.Shame CityMorality: Chapter 7 (Ready Player Two)Morality: Chapter 7 (Ready Player Two)It’s not often you can say a book reaches new lows when every single page of it has already been drivel, but Cline is a pioneer!

This episode’s chapter involves multiple, heinous breaches of morality and decency, on both Wade’s part and Ernest’s, further cementing the idea that they are, in fact, one and the same.


]]>It’s not often you can say a book reaches new lows when every single page of it has already been drivel, but Cline is a pioneer!

This episode’s chapter involves multiple, heinous breaches of morality and decency, on both Wade’s part and Ernest’s, further cementing the idea that they are, in fact, one and the same.


]]>faeb3442-c79d-4ca7-9db9-0b1f1c9fe669Sun, 22 Aug 2021 23:41:00 +000001:13:44yesfull15It’s not often you can say a book reaches new lows when every single page of it has already been drivel, but Cline is a pioneer! This episode’s chapter involves multiple, heinous breaches of morality and decency, on both Wade’s part and Ernest’s, further cementing the idea that they are, in fact, one and the same.Shame CityAbundance: Chapter 6 (Ready Player Two)Abundance: Chapter 6 (Ready Player Two)In this episode, the glow-up from the previous chapter is summarily (and immediately) undermined by a string of references so pointless that they strain even Cline’s tenuous grasp of emotional resonance.

The rest of the chapter consists of a couple dozen pages culminating in an ending so dramatic that it borders on being actual plot!


]]>In this episode, the glow-up from the previous chapter is summarily (and immediately) undermined by a string of references so pointless that they strain even Cline’s tenuous grasp of emotional resonance.

The rest of the chapter consists of a couple dozen pages culminating in an ending so dramatic that it borders on being actual plot!


]]>335e0e36-1314-4ba3-a935-4bd28e6d9868Sun, 08 Aug 2021 12:00:00 +000059:21yesfull14Shame CityErsatz Evolution: Chapter 5 (Ready Player Two)Ersatz Evolution: Chapter 5 (Ready Player Two)This episode features a glimmer of hope on the bibliographic horizon.

Old Ernie Cline appears to have dropped the references, dropped the weird techno-acronyms, and possibly embraced the idea of… character development?

Sure it’s still interminably dull, internally inconsistent, and entirely plotless. But baby steps, right?


]]>This episode features a glimmer of hope on the bibliographic horizon.

Old Ernie Cline appears to have dropped the references, dropped the weird techno-acronyms, and possibly embraced the idea of… character development?

Sure it’s still interminably dull, internally inconsistent, and entirely plotless. But baby steps, right?


]]>34b0cdcd-f4d3-498d-a3dd-dc42928819e4Mon, 26 Jul 2021 23:32:00 +000001:08:13yesfull13This episode features a glimmer of hope on the bibliographic horizon. Old Ernie Cline appears to have dropped the references, dropped the weird techno-acronyms, and possibly embraced the idea of… character development? Sure it’s still interminably dull, internally inconsistent, and entirely plotless. But baby steps, right?Shame CityAimlessness: Chapter 4 (Ready Player Two)Aimlessness: Chapter 4 (Ready Player Two)It’s episode two, and we’re looking at the fourth chapter of ‘Ready Player Two’.

You might think that, by now, we’d have a clear direction for the novel? Perhaps a core narrative? A singular focus? Well, consider this just another instance of Ernie Cline’s genre-bending originality, because we still don’t have a goddamn clue what’s actually happening!


]]>It’s episode two, and we’re looking at the fourth chapter of ‘Ready Player Two’.

You might think that, by now, we’d have a clear direction for the novel? Perhaps a core narrative? A singular focus? Well, consider this just another instance of Ernie Cline’s genre-bending originality, because we still don’t have a goddamn clue what’s actually happening!


]]>f1ec25a9-c6fe-41ce-a584-51596ef68560Sun, 11 Jul 2021 16:01:00 +000001:00:36yesfull12It’s episode two, and we’re looking at the fourth chapter of ‘Ready Player Two’. You might think that, by now, we’d have a clear direction for the novel? Perhaps a core narrative? A singular focus? Well, consider this just another instance of Ernie Cline’s genre-bending originality, because we still don’t have a goddamn clue what’s actually happening!Shame CityNice Guy: Chapters 1-3 (Ready Player Two)Nice Guy: Chapters 1-3 (Ready Player Two)Welcome to Big Bad Books!

Our first season is about Ernest Cline's 'Ready Player Two', and this inaugural episode looks at the first three chapters. Doesn't sound like much, does it? And yet these three chapters manage to cover several years, countless hate crimes, and a near-infinite procession of meaningless nostalgic references. Start as you mean to go on, I guess.


]]>Welcome to Big Bad Books!

Our first season is about Ernest Cline's 'Ready Player Two', and this inaugural episode looks at the first three chapters. Doesn't sound like much, does it? And yet these three chapters manage to cover several years, countless hate crimes, and a near-infinite procession of meaningless nostalgic references. Start as you mean to go on, I guess.


]]>e58aa642-a019-4e96-873d-500f56270d34Sun, 27 Jun 2021 17:56:00 +000001:15:01yesfull11Welcome to Big Bad Books! Our first season is about Ernest Cline's 'Ready Player Two', and this inaugural episode looks at the first three chapters. Doesn't sound like much, does it? And yet these three chapters manage to cover several years, countless hate crimes, and a near-infinite procession of meaningless nostalgic references. Start as you mean to go on, I guess.Shame CityBig Bad Trailer!Big Bad Trailer!Welcome to Big Bad Books!

Every other Sunday, Isaac and Declan—with the help of occasional friends and otherwise useless English degrees—take on the ever growing world of truly awful writing, one chapter at a time. We read them so you don't have to!

Launching June 27th, available everywhere!


]]>Welcome to Big Bad Books!

Every other Sunday, Isaac and Declan—with the help of occasional friends and otherwise useless English degrees—take on the ever growing world of truly awful writing, one chapter at a time. We read them so you don't have to!

Launching June 27th, available everywhere!


]]>ed1ff30d-5a04-42bc-bcc0-4a3cf5c2eef0Fri, 25 Jun 2021 13:33:00 +000001:18yestrailerWelcome to Big Bad Books! Every other Sunday, Isaac and Declan—with the help of occasional friends and otherwise useless English degrees—take on the ever growing world of truly awful writing, one chapter at a time. We read them so you don't have to! Launching June 27th, available everywhere!Shame City