Valerie Estelle Frankel has 6 audiobooks on Listento.it, narrated by 5 narrators, with an average listener rating of 3.2★ across 4 ratings. The most-rated is Winter is Coming.
Winter is Coming
Summary
Game of Thrones fans watch in delight as the epic battle of Lannister and Stark entangles the Seven Kingdoms. But only the sharpest notice how these houses echo Lancaster and York in the War of the Roses. Druids, Catholics, and even Zoroastrians wander through Westeros, reframing their religions for a new world of fantasy. But how medieval is Westeros? Did lady knights and pirates really battle across Europe? The audiobook Winter is Coming: Symbols and Hidden Meanings in A Game of Thrones explores all this and more, from the echoes of history to the symbols and omens our beloved characters. Who is Jon Snow's mother and why is she a secret? What is Daenerys's real power, unknown even to her? Will these two characters share a destiny? Where is the red priestess's real Light bringer and when will it arrive? Through dreams and prophecies, imagery and allegory, the deepest secrets of the series unfold, in an exploration friendly to watchers and listeners alike.
©2013 Valerie Estelle Frankel (P)2014 Audible Inc.
Symbols in Game of Thrones
Summary
With dogs, wolves, ravens, blood flies, and more, animal symbolism is endlessly significant in Game of Thrones. Why does Daenerys receive magical eggs? What does a hand symbolize or a horn? There are meaningful towers and water gardens stretching from the pyramids of Meereen to the infamous Iron Throne. Meanwhile George R. R. Martin's characters chomp on bloody beef, blood oranges, red wine, beets, and pomegranates between the inevitable bloodbaths. The intricately crafted world of the books and the show have endless depth. It's all revealed in this companion for fans of every flavor.
©2012 Valerie Estelle Frankel (P)2015 Valerie Estelle Frankel
How Game of Thrones Will End
Summary
As many know, Game of Thrones takes its story from many influences: the War of the Roses, Catherine de Medici, Norse and Celtic myth as well as medieval ballads. Modern readers find parallels with politics, the corporate world, and conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan. Will the story end like Lord of the Rings or completely invert it? How about King Arthur? Pop culture and parody author Valerie Estelle Frankel examines the sources and predicts a Game of Thrones ending for each one. What will the Ragnarok ending look like? Or the Narnia ending? Who will live, who will die, and how goofy can the war of ice and fire possibly get?
©2014 Valerie Estelle Frankel (P)2014 Audible Inc.
Joss Whedon's Names
Summary
Doctor Horrible, Jayne Cobb, Oz, Fitz-Simmons, Echo, Pike, Saffron, Kaywinnet, the Groosalugg, Skip, Satsu, Dana Polk, Perfect Jheung, Icarus, the Siphon, Edna Giles, Dandelion Naizen, and especially Buffy the Vampire Slayer. With Whedon's superhero names, goddess names, flower names, saint's names, and dozens of British names, he's filling his world with references from Shakespeare to manga, delighting fans who look closer. Which names repeat the most? Which characters have secret links? Examining Whedon's naming through his five shows, plus his movie scripts and dozens of comics, reveals fascinating patterns for his dedicated followers.
©2014 Valerie Estelle Frankel (P)2016 Valerie Estelle Frankel
Katniss the Cattail
Summary
Who was Cinna? What do the hawthorn and primrose symbolize? Or President Snow's roses and Peeta's bread? What about Katniss's last name? Bringing details from myths, herbal guides, military histories, and the classics, English professor and award-winning pop culture author Valerie Estelle Frankel sheds light on the deeper meanings behind Panem's heroes and villains in this hottest of YA trilogies. In her series, Collins not only weaves a heroic tale of deep complexity but harnesses the power of Shakespeare and Rome to retell an ancient epic of betrayal, violence, and glory on the stage of an apocalyptic future. The perfect treat for fans of all ages. Everything Hunger Games, packed into one volume. From Alma Coin to Wiress you'll learn about Why roses are a flower of death How 18 of the characters are used in Shakespeare's plays Katniss's nickname Catnip The meaning of "The Hanging Tree" Peeta's pearl and Katniss's salvation Effie the saint and Finnick the Irish hero
©2012 Valerie Estelle Frankel (P)2016 Valerie Estelle Frankel
Everything I Need to Know in Life I Learned from Joss Whedon
Summary
Joss Whedon has much to teach his fans, as he unfurls epics of sacrifice and heroism for superheroes and ordinary people. Firefly, like Alien: Resurrection, was his anti-authoritarian dystopia, while Buffy the Vampire Slayer emphasized girl power and individuality in a world of monsters. Dollhouse tackled identity, memory and the soul, reaching from fantasy into philosophy, just as The Cabin in the Woods satirized the nebulous "Greater Good." Now, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and The Avengers explore heroism, teamwork, and personal responsibility. Whedon has independent works too, all explored from the paranormal romance film In Your Eyes to his feminist skits for Equality Now. In comics, such as X-Men, Runaways, Sugarshock, and Buffy, he explores unconventional teams and chosen families. From Angel's quest for faith and redemption in a world of nihilism to the smaller stories of family and friendships in The Office, Glee, Parenthood, and Roseanne, not to mention Much Ado About Nothing, Whedon offers lessons to improve the world and our roles within it. This book compares themes, motifs, and archetypes across all his works, teasing out the common threads and the messages within.
©2015 Valerie Estelle Frankel (P)2015 Audible, Inc.