Welcome back to Sound Bites where I highlight the best horror podcasts I’ve heard through the week. If you’re looking for content to haunt your earbuds, these podcasts are just what you need.
My Scream of the Week goes to:
These Fantastic Worlds
Like a lot of horror fans, my love of the genre first took hold when I started hearing myths from throughout the ages and across the globe. Stories about Medusa turning men into stone, Cerberus guarding the Underworld, and tales of Thor’s mighty hammer were just a few of my favourites. These tales contained monsters and magic, and, like the best horror stories, a happy ending wasn’t always guaranteed.
Recently on These Fantastic Worlds, host Jake Jackson wrapped up a 10-episode series devoted to Norse myths including tales of the Valkyrie, Ragnarok, Odin, Frigga, and, of course, Loki. Even knowing these stories almost by heart, I was still hanging on every word! The show reminds me of storytime in school, when I would be transported to other realms. Jake is a fantastic narrator, with terrific pacing and expertly weaves a sense of wonder into the tales. And if audio isn’t enough, you can get the book “Norse Myths” edited by Jake Jackson from Flame Tree Publishing, which serves as the basis for this particular series of episodes.
But These Fantastic Worlds is so much more than myths you already know, as the show also includes original fiction by Jake within the genres of science fiction and dark fantasy. Presently, there are 110 episodes which all run 15 minutes or less, making them the perfect size to listen to when you have a few minutes to disappear from the real world. You can also read along as a transcript is available in the show notes of each episode. The next series of creation myths Jake will be tackling are from Indian Mythology and I cannot wait to hear them.
You can find These Fantastic Worlds on most podcast platforms or use the links on Linktree
Encore Recommendation:
Tales to Terrify
Way back in 2020 one of the first fiction podcasts I recommended was Tales to Terrify and the show has only been getting stronger since then. I can’t possibly top their own description, so be prepared for “a weekly horror fiction podcast that gets under your skin, lays eggs and hatches writhing baby horrors nursed on your darkest fears.”
Be sure to check out Episodes 523 through 526 where guest host Meredith Morgenstern presents a special selection of stories for Women in Horror Month! And be sure to go back to Episode 516 featuring the creeptastic body horror “The Only Way Out is Through” written by Alex Laurel Lanz and read by Maurine McLean, where a prisoner witnesses the monstrous transformation of her cellmate.
With an average episode length of an hour, you’ll want to add this to your Friday routine for a great dose of horror. They’re also open for fiction submissions, so check out all the details on their site: www.talestoterrify.com
In Case You Missed It:
The Kingcast
If you’ve followed Scary’s Voices for a while, you’ll know I mostly cover smaller indie podcasts – nothing against larger shows, but discovering things that fly under the radar for most folks is part of why I enjoy reviewing so many podcasts. But every now and then, there’s an episode from the bigger names that I can’t ignore. And that’s exactly what happened this week with the Fangoria podcast The Kingcast, a show devoted entirely to the works of Stephen King.
On March 9, King himself appeared as a guest, discussing topics such as co-writing with Richard Chizmar, the highs and lows of film adaptations, and The Dark Tower universe. It’s a great episode and one you won’t want to miss.
If you’re new to The Kingcast, every Wednesday hosts Scott Wampler and Eric Vespe invite a guest to choose a work by King they’d like to discuss. Past guests have included Guillermo del Toro, Kate Siegel, and Stephen Graham Jones. These are in-depth conversations, so to avoid spoilers you’ll want to be familiar with the episode subject before diving in.
The Kingcast is available on most platforms or find them on Apple The Kingcast
That’s a wrap for this week’s Sound Bites!
As always, thanks so much to the awesome podcast listeners and creators who have been sending me terrific recommendations. Keep them coming via the comments section below, or direct messaging on Twitter or Instagram (links below). I can’t promise I’ll enjoy every podcast you throw my way, but I’ll give everyone a fair shot.
Remember, I’m all about scary things and spooky podcasts are what I’m after. Content focused on reviewing horror movies and horror books, true paranormal encounters, facts about cryptids, true crimes, and original scary stories are exactly what I want to hear.
Can’t wait to listen to all the dark podcasts you fine fiends suggest, and I hope you’ll join me next Friday for more Sound Bites.
J.A. Sullivan
J. A. Sullivan is a horror writer and paranormal enthusiast, based in Brantford, ON, Canada. Attracted to everything non-horror folks consider strange, she’s spent years as a paranormal investigator, has an insatiable appetite for serial killer information, and would live inside a library if she could.
As curator of “Scary’s Voices” on Kendall Reviews, an article series reviewing horror podcasts, Sullivan loves listening to all things spooky. If you have a horror podcast recommendation, let her know.
On top of contributing short stories to Kendall Reviews, her fiction has appeared in Don’t Open the Door (2019), It Came From The Darkness (2020), and she acted as an assistant editor for Black Dogs, Black Tales (2020). Other spooky tales and updates on her writing journey can be found on her blog.
You can follow J. A. on Twitter @ScaryJASullivan
Check out her blog https://writingscaredblog.wordpress.com
Find her on Instagram www.instagram.com/j.a_sullivan
Find her on Instagram www.instagram.com/j.a_sullivan
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