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Books Undone

Books Undone

By: Livia J. Elliot
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About this listen

A literary analysis podcast, centred in speculative fiction.

Some books are more than a simple story. They hide timeless themes and allegories full of meaning that are always worth discussing—but doing so requires dedication and keen eye for details. Join Australia-based author Livia J. Elliot as she conducts literary and thematic analyses of speculative and literary fiction to find what lays beyond the plot, decipher their invisible meaning, and reflect on their symbolism. If you are a fan of fantasy or sci-fi books, new or old, traditional or self-published, this is the show for you!

Be mindful. Books Undone contains spoilers for the books discussed, which vary in each episode.

2023 Art Literary History & Criticism
Episodes
  • We Lie, Therefore We Think: The Linguistics of Deception in Embassytown

    We Lie, Therefore We Think: The Linguistics of Deception in Embassytown
    Jan 7 2026

    Embassytown is one of the most extraordinary linguistic thought-experiments in modern SFF. This episode explores how Miéville uses language—not just as a tool for communication, but as the very architecture of consciousness, politics, and power.

    We look at how signs and symbols shape meaning, why the Hosts can't lie, Avice’s role as a living simile and the moment language evolves into something new.

    If you love stories where words remake the world, this is for you.

    My substack: https://liviajelliot.substack.com

    My book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DNN94R17
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    1 hr and 13 mins
  • Broken Heroes, Broken Ethics: Guests Talk on Watchmen (by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons)

    Broken Heroes, Broken Ethics: Guests Talk on Watchmen (by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons)
    Dec 3 2025

    Watchmen: the greatest graphic novel ever written, a Rorschach test on morality where every character’s goodness is afflicted with greyness and nuance. Join me in a terrific group discussion with Jarrod (from The Fantasy Thinker), and Britton (from smectite).

    My Substack: https://liviajelliot.substack.com

    Get The Omens of War: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DNN94R17
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    1 hr and 7 mins
  • No Exit from Half-Life: Demiurges and Unanswered Questions in Ubik

    No Exit from Half-Life: Demiurges and Unanswered Questions in Ubik
    Nov 12 2025

    Joe, like Plato's escaped prisoner, is forced to confront a possibility that his world is not the 'real' one at all. In this podcast, I analyse Ubik's layered realities.

    Subscribe to my newsletter: https://liviajelliot.substack.com
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    54 mins
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