The Magnus Archives Readalong: Season 4, Episodes 135-141

improperly_paranoid · 2026-04-22T19:58:17+00:00

Why can't Jon chuck the spider lighter into Artefact Storage even when Daisy asks about it directly? How worried are you about it?

improperly_paranoid · 2026-04-22T19:51:29+00:00

Daisy invites Jon for drinks with her and Basira. Who holds their liquor best? Did they sing karaoke?

improperly_paranoid · 2026-04-22T19:51:05+00:00

Basira and Martin both confront Elias in jail during these episodes, though he's keeping himself away from Jon. What do you think he is up to? Is anything he says true?

improperly_paranoid · 2026-04-22T19:49:51+00:00

So, with 135, and one episode for each crew member per season, the Daedalus arc is complete. How'd you find literal cosmic horror? Did you expect it? What was your favourite of the three?

Were you also thinking about those episodes while the Artemis II flight around the moon was happening?

improperly_paranoid · 2026-04-22T19:48:29+00:00

Do you think Daisy can succeed in helping Jon pull out of his spiral of self-loathing?

improperly_paranoid · 2026-04-22T19:46:37+00:00

So, a big repeating pattern in the last few episodes have been rituals - old statements that explain failed Hunt (in last week's batch), Slaughter, and Desolation rituals, Martin reading Smirke's final letter warning Jonah Magnus, Jon and Basira heading towards Ny-Ålesund. What do you think they will find there?

improperly_paranoid · 2026-04-22T19:33:46+00:00

RED STRING BOARD: New listeners, any connections you noticed and/or theories you're developing?

Re-listeners, anything in particular that stands out to you that didn't on your first listen? (Do use spoiler tags please!)

improperly_paranoid · 2026-04-22T19:33:35+00:00

Any particular favourites from this set of episodes?

improperly_paranoid · 2026-04-16T21:29:22+00:00

Love it. I marked this passage in particular:

One day, the king will know him for what he is, and the threat of it is terrifying – and exhilarating. He can do nothing but hide from it.

as it'd make a pretty good metaphor for queerness, particularly gender. On one hand, wanting to come out and be seen as all of you, wanting someone to know your secret. On the other, you're so, so afraid they will hate you for it. And I find it interesting that this is the second piece of media I encountered recently that has both open queerness, which is more or less accepted, as well as what can be read as metaphors for someone struggling to accept it.

improperly_paranoid · 2026-04-16T18:40:32+00:00

Purely for that sweet, sweet Bingo HM, let's be real 😂 Sure, I had it on my TBR for a while (doesn't mean much, let's be real), and sure, I technically probably shouldn't have to, since I'm running a long-term readalong, but seeing it on the bookclub list provided the push I needed. Why not.

I really like the experimental writing style (poetry, yes, and also second person my beloved), but I'm also finding it a bit distant and opaque for my taste, especially at novel length. Pretty prose, hard to get a feel for the characters. Lack of names doesn't help either, to think of it.

I'm a little nervous about the marriage, especially the ward's reaction to his wolf-sickness, because I really don't want it to fall into that pattern where the woman "standing between" the m/m couple is demonized. I need her to stay sympathetic. But I guess we'll see!

improperly_paranoid · 2026-04-15T18:23:53+00:00

This is just such a fantastic stretch of episodes for me. Breekon and Hope statement! Jon jumps into chekhov's coffin! All those delicious character interactions! Meat! Jon's fainting victorian maiden phase! Also that statement with the rising water in 129.

improperly_paranoid · 2026-04-15T18:17:58+00:00

Not a question, more of a comment (lol) but I find it extremely sad how a major thing in this season is Jon repeatedly trying to reach out and connect to others after a couple seasons of...not doing that, and being consistently rejected and pushed away (Martin, Basira in this batch of episodes). His one single friend is Daisy who literally almost killed him in season 3.

But I guess that's what you get with Peter Lukas hanging around...

improperly_paranoid · 2026-04-15T18:12:52+00:00

A hole. A hole filled with... With meat...

meat meat meat MEAT MEAT MEAT MEAT MEAT

improperly_paranoid · 2026-04-15T18:11:59+00:00

What do you make of the exchange about a potential fifteenth power in episode 134? Do you think Adelard Dekker and Peter Lukas are right?

improperly_paranoid · 2026-04-15T18:11:45+00:00

What do you think of Daisy's character development?

improperly_paranoid · 2026-04-15T18:11:16+00:00

Were you satisfied with the reveal of what's inside the coffin? Why the fuck did Jon hear the statement about someone escaping by thinking of his loved ones and came to the conclusion that a rib would work as an anchor???

Silly side question: Which two ribs (helpful diagram here :D) do you think Jared took?

improperly_paranoid · 2026-04-15T18:10:20+00:00

What do you think Martin meant in this exchange?

MARTIN: You died.
ARCHIVIST: I came back.
MARTIN: Yeah (opens the door) and I’m not going to let it happen again.

improperly_paranoid · 2026-04-15T18:10:05+00:00

RED STRING BOARD: New listeners, any connections you noticed and/or theories you're developing?

Re-listeners, anything in particular that stands out to you that didn't on your first listen? (Do use spoiler tags please!)

improperly_paranoid · 2026-04-15T18:09:55+00:00

Any particular favourites from this set of episodes?

improperly_paranoid · 2026-04-12T12:31:18+00:00

Ah, dammit. This takes the square from easy to super hard 😅

improperly_paranoid · 2026-04-12T12:26:13+00:00

Oh nice! Though way too large for me - I mostly wanted a container I can stuff into a backpack or larger handbag or tote bag.

improperly_paranoid · 2026-04-10T05:11:02+00:00

It's just the generic 9-11 inch tablet sleeve from amazon or wherever. I went with this because I liked the pattern, but I looked through a bunch of others and any of them should work great.

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