AMBIENT ARCANA

AMBIENT ARCANA

Strange and unusual stories from history, literature, myths and legends.

Episodes

February 25, 2026 19 mins

 What would you do if you suddenly found your worst enemy completely at your mercy? Would you take revenge? Would you forgive?" Here are two stories that explore what happens when, out of the blue, the opportunity for vengeance arrives.

"One Of These Days" by Gabriel García Márquez

"Razor" by Vladimir Nabokov

All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar

Narration by Jim Billbrough

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A man finds himself struggling against an invasive intelligence taking over his mind and trying to eradicate everything the man had previously revered and admired in Stefan Grabiński’s “Strabismus.”

Translated by Miroslaw Lipinski

All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar

Narrated by Jim Billbrough

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 Once again we spend the Yuletide season high up in the Himalayas with three stories from Albert Leroy Shelton's 1925 book Tibetan Folk Tales:

"The Wiley Poor Man," "The Story Of The Two Devils," and "The Story Of The Violinist."

All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar

Narration by Bob Familiar and Jim Billbrough

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November 28, 2025 27 mins

 In this episode we explore what happens when a mild-mannered man is not only addicted to train travel but is actually transformed into a bold and charismatic person each time he rides the rails...and the consequences he must face when the ride comes to an end.

"In the Compartment' by Stefan Grabiński

Translated by Miroslaw Lipinski

All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar

Narrated by Jim Billbrough

Train sound effects by Pon...

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 This Halloween, in the grand tradition of horror duo team-ups such as “Frankenstein Meets The Wolfman,” “Billy The Kid vs Dracula,” and “Sharktopus X Whalewolf,” we bring you David Mulholland and Robert Billbrough performing Edgar Allan Poe’s OG dungeon crawl - “The Cask Of Amontillado.” Robert Billbrough as Montresor David Mulholland as Fortunato Music by Man Tray: Kelvin Weston, John Gunther, and Paul Billbrough Music Production...

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September 23, 2025 18 mins

 In this episode a selfless Nightingale sings her heart out to create a Red Rose for a lovelorn Student, but is he truly worthy of such a precious gift?

It's Oscar Wilde's poignant tale of blood thirsty horticulture - "The Nightingale and the Rose."

All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar

Narration by Joey Pesce

 

Nightingale recordings by Pro Sound Effects

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August 26, 2025 32 mins

 In this episode we present a twisted tale of twin brothers. The younger brother -a murderous, narcissistic hedonist who will stop at nothing to get what he wants; the older brother -a man who enjoys wearing silk kimonos, taking early morning walks in the garden, and neatly folding his towels after every use. Physically identical except for a small mole on the younger brother's thigh - a mole with a suspiciously sinister looking go...

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It's Family Values Gone Wild in Ambrose Bierce's Dark Comedy

"A Bottomless Grave."

Narration by David Mulholland

Music by Man Tray

Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar.

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June 24, 2025 26 mins

Have you ever felt like a helpless pawn being manipulated by mysterious and hidden higher-dimensional beings?

If so then this is the episode for you!

It's Nebula Award Winning Author Bob Leman's  trans-dimensional, mind and body altering trip through an almost endless game of bizarre, sanity shattering, yet seemingly mundane tasks:

"Instructions."

All Music, Audio Production, and Narration by Bob Familiar

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May 8, 2025 29 mins

 This is a special episode of Ambient Arcana marking the 80th Anniversary of V.E. Day - Victory in Europe Day - May 8th, 1945 when Germany officially surrendered to the Allied Forces ending World War II in Europe.

A reading from “Jeep Show” by Robert B. O’Connor. Jeep Show is the story of entertainment specialist Jim Tanzer who finds himself trapped in the front lines during the Battle Of The Bulge. The unexpected German assault ca...

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April 22, 2025 27 mins

 We finish our current coverage of the works of British author Robert Aickman with a story that explores what happens when the face looking back at you in the mirror is not your own.

"Le Miroir" by Robert Aickman

All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar

Narration by Jim Billbrough

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March 25, 2025 12 mins

 In this episode two young British women, serving in the 'Woman's Land Army' during WWII,  decide to skip a dour farmer's Christmas party only to discover there are worse ways to spend the Holiday in Robert Aickman's

"The Coffin House."

 All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar

 Narration by Jim Billbrough

 

 

 

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February 27, 2025 22 mins

Mod dress? Thigh-boots? Impossibly long worm-infested hallways?

It's Robert Aickman's  strange tale of a mysterious, ageless woman orbiting the life of a hapless man:

"Laura."

All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar

Narrated by Alex Fitzsimmons

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January 29, 2025 23 mins

In this episode we explore the heavy price of turning back the hands of time with Philip K. Dick's "The Cookie Lady."

 

All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar.

Narration by Jim Billbrough

 

 

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December 31, 2024 20 mins

Once again we spend our Holiday Season at the Top Of The World with yet more stories from

Albert Leroy Shelton's 1925 book "Tibetan Folk Tales"

All music and audio production by Bob Familiar

Narrated by Bob Familiar and Jim Billbrough

 

 

 

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In this episode we take the ultimate trip as we follow Ernie Valdemar on his final journey.

Edgar Allan Poe’s story of Mesmeric Malpractice - 

“The Facts In The Case Of M. Valdemar”

All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar

Narration by Jim Billbrough

 

 We’ve based our narration on Basil Rathbone’s abridged version of this story ...

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October 28, 2024 23 mins

 Just when we thought we were done with Bradbury he pulls us back in! “The October Game” a disturbing Halloween horror story where the terrors are real…or are they?

All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar.

Narration by Jim Billbrough.

Additional Voices by Izzy Q. and The Artist Known As Φ.

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September 30, 2024 14 mins

 We say goodbye to Summer with a late season tale of first love, tragic loss, and grim reunion. It’s Ray Bradbury’s classic macabre tearjerker - “The Lake.”

All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar

Narration by Clark Goodpaster

Lake wave audio recording provided by Pro Sound Effects

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In this episode we explore two stories of Retrofuturism by science fiction/fantasy icon Ray Bradbury:

“The One Who Waits” - A lonely old soul gets closer to the new neighbors in the worst possible way.

“The Pedestrian” -  A solitary man walks the empty streets of a TV dominated dystopia.

All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar

Narrated by Bob Familiar and ...

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 In this episode we tell a tragic story of forbidden love and dire consequences- “The Legend of U Raitong” as described by Mrs. K.U. Rafy in her 1920 collection “Folk-Tales Of The Khasis.”

All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar

Narration by Jim Billbrough

While researching this story we found two more recent translations of “U Manik Raitong” by contemporary Khasi authors, both of which are worth checking out:

...

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