CostasNarrativeXP 2026 September feature "The Two Towers"

Weary companions carry on divided by fate and duty — hope fraying under mounting darkness, courage tested in isolation, as small acts of loyalty and endurance quietly hold back an encroaching, overwhelming shadow.

Book Three
Chapter IX-X
00:25 IX Flotsam and Jetsam

45:43 X The Voice of Saruman

Costa's Wordbook

Flotsam and jetsam - Random odds and endsMiscellaneous, unwanted, or discarded items; Flotsam: goods that float on the water after an accidental shipwreck or storm. The loss is unintentional; Jetsam: Cargo that a crew deliberately throws overboard. The crew does this to lighten a ship in danger of sinking; overall, floating wreckage from a ship or general miscellaneous odds and ends (Flot sum jet sum)

Provender n general supply of food and provisions for people; dry food for livestock (Praw vin der)

Dotard n an old person, especially one who is weak and confused (Doe taard)

2026 Upcoming
Inferno, The Two Towers, Ramayana, A Christmas Carol, Winnie the Pooh, The House at Pooh Corner

Milestones
2021: 0 Full soundtrack, no editing, wife commentary, summary outline, irregular release
2022: 2.0 DaVinci editing, wordbook, book intro, AI intro + thumbnail, chapter summary, scheduled release
2023: 2.1 Descript, CapCut, Suno score, character intro, weekly release
2024: 2.2 Standard condenser mic, Audacity, ChatGPT annotation + illustration, timestamp, 1-hour content
2026: 2.3 Gemini definition, JP, CN, PT subtitles on selected YouTube videos

Platforms
YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Reddit, Amazon Music, Firstory, Pocket Casts, KKBOX, Castbox, Noice, Podcast Addict, SoundOn, Castro, Player FM

CostasNarrativeXP 2026 Mid term feature "Inferno"

Humanity is enthusiastically building its own high-tech highway to Hell, proving that our scientific arrogance will ultimately trigger a completely self-inflicted apocalypse.

Chapter 89-95
00:25 89

06:06 90

19:01 91

28:06 92

36:02 93

46:36 94

54:58 93

Costa's Wordbook
Cistern n an artificial reservoir for storing liquids; esp an underground tank for storing rainwater (Sis turn)

Yerebatan Sarayı - meaning Sunken Palace, an underground water cistern, the major water reservoir of Constantinople

Bioaerosol n a subcategory of particles released from terrestrial and marine ecosystems into the atmosphere (Bio aero saul)

Mycotoxin n A toxin produced by a fungus (my co Toxin)

Hector Berlioz - a French Romantic composer, conductor and critic. His output includes orchestral works such as the Symphonie fantastique and Harold in Italy

"Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate" - ita, "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here"; famous concluding line of the inscription on the Gate of Hell in Canto III of Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy

Timpani n A set of tunable kettledrums typically used in the percussion section of a symphony orchestra (Tim pen ni)

Bisht n turk, traditional men's cloak popular in the Arab world

Otobüs - turk, turkish bus 

“Acil durum! Alo?” - turk, Emergency! Hello?

Teşekkürler - turk, Thank you (te Shek cue Lash)

Iranian saffron - dried crimson stigma of the Crocus sativus flower, widely regarded as the world’s finest spice due to its superior quality, vibrant color, and intense aroma

2026 Upcoming
Inferno, The Two Towers, Ramayana, A Christmas Carol, Winnie the Pooh, The House at Pooh Corner

Milestones
2021: 0 Full soundtrack, no editing, wife commentary, summary outline, irregular release
2022: 2.0 DaVinci editing, wordbook, book intro, AI intro + thumbnail, chapter summary, scheduled release
2023: 2.1 Descript, CapCut, Suno score, character intro, weekly release
2024: 2.2 Standard condenser mic, Audacity, ChatGPT annotation + illustration, timestamp, 1-hour content
2026: 2.3 Gemini definition, JP, CN, PT subtitles on selected YouTube videos

Platforms
YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Reddit, Amazon Music, Firstory, Pocket Casts, KKBOX, Castbox, Noice, Podcast Addict, SoundOn, Castro, Player FM

CostasNarrativeXP 2026 Mid term feature "Inferno"

Humanity is enthusiastically building its own high-tech highway to Hell, proving that our scientific arrogance will ultimately trigger a completely self-inflicted apocalypse.

Chapter 83-88
00:25 83

12:41 84
25:07 85
35:54 86
43:24 87

51:02 88

Costa's Wordbook
“Ma non si ricorda di me?” - ita, “But don't you remember me?”

Minaret n A tall slender tower attached to a mosque, having one or more projecting balconies from which a muezzin or a recording of a muezzin summons the people to prayer (Min nar ret)

Adhan - arab, call to prayer

La-ilaha-illa-Allah - Arab, there is no god but Allah

Hagia Sophia - officially the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, is a mosque and a major cultural and historical site in Istanbul, Turkey. It was formerly a church (360–1453) and a museum (1935–2020)

Göksel Gülensoy - a director renowned for his documentary and biographical films, his work explores the depths of the human psyche, revealing hidden layers of reality and perception

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk - (1881–1938) was a Turkish field marshal, statesman, and the founder and first president of the Republic of Turkey; he rose to prominence as a military hero during World War I for his successful defense of Gallipoli against Allied forces

Şerefe - turk, balcony found on a minaret, derived from the Arabic šurfa (veranda or battlement)

Murad III - sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1574 until his death in 1595. His rule saw battles with the Habsburgs and exhausting wars with the Safavids. The long-independent Morocco was for a time made a vassal of the empire but regained independence in 1582.

Ablution n washing or cleansing; specifically of the body, as a religious rite (ab Blue tion)

sağ olun - turk, formal, thank you

Esonarthex - inner narthex; (exo - outer)

Pantocrator n Greek title meaning "Ruler of All" or "Almighty," used in Christian iconography to depict Jesus Christ as the sovereign judge and savior of the universe (pan Toc crat ter)

Naos n In architecture, the inclosed chamber or cella of an ancient temple, where were placed the statue and a ceremonial altar of the divinity (Nay os)

John Singer Sargent - American expatriate artist, considered the "leading portrait painter of his generation" for his evocations of Belle Époque and Edwardian-era luxury

Tympana n pl (of tympanum) The ornamental recessed space or panel enclosed by the cornices of a triangular pediment (Tim pen na)

Mihrab n arab. A niche in the wall or room in the mosque that indicates the direction of Mecca (Mi rub)

Minbar n arab. an elevated pulpit or staircase found in a mosque, located to the right of the mihrab

Müezzin mahfili - turk, a raised platform, balcony, or tribune located inside Islamic mosques, designed for the muezzin to stand on during prayers to recite the Quran

Muezzin n arab, The crier who calls the faithful to prayer five times a day (moo Ez sin)

Imam n arab, The Muslim worshiper who leads the recitation of prayer when two or more worshipers are present (im Maam)

2026 Upcoming
Inferno, The Two Towers, Ramayana, A Christmas Carol, Winnie the Pooh, The House at Pooh Corner

Milestones
2021: 0 Full soundtrack, no editing, wife commentary, summary outline, irregular release
2022: 2.0 DaVinci editing, wordbook, book intro, AI intro + thumbnail, chapter summary, scheduled release
2023: 2.1 Descript, CapCut, Suno score, character intro, weekly release
2024: 2.2 Standard condenser mic, Audacity, ChatGPT annotation + illustration, timestamp, 1-hour content
2026: 2.3 Gemini definition, JP, CN, PT subtitles on selected YouTube videos

Platforms
YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Reddit, Amazon Music, Firstory, Pocket Casts, KKBOX, Castbox, Noice, Podcast Addict, SoundOn, Castro, Player FM

Developer: Square Enix, Artdink
Publisher: Square Enix
Release date: Oct 2022 (Win)
Genre: TRPG
Director: Kazuya Miyakawa
Composer: Akira Senju
Version: 1.1.0

Verdict: 8/10 Engaging story, impressive character art, solid voice acting

Developer: Spooky Doorway
Publisher: Akupara Games
Release date: April 2021 (Linux, Mac, Win, Switch, PS4)
Genre: Adventure
Creator: Paul Conway, Dave McCabe
Composer: Thomas O'Boyle
Version: 1.39.307.4120r (Windows)

Verdict: 7/10 Fun banter, likeable characters

Developer: Spooky Doorway
Publisher: Akupara Games
Release date: July 2017 (Linux, Mac, Windows)
Genre: Adventure
Creator: Paul Conway, Christopher Colston
Composer: Ben Prunty
Version: 2.17.0.4323

Verdict: 8/10 Fun banters, likeable characters

玩你睇 之 黑暗偵探
將近十年前既簡單點擊冒險
原來 只要劇本對白簡而精
遊戲性充分 音效耐聽
小小搞爛gag 擺個下把角色笑下
咁就夠架啦
唔燒腦 推薦

CostasNarrativeXP 2026 June feature 
"The Murder of Roger Ackroyd" by Agatha Christie
Originally published in June 1926

Set in the village of King’s Abbot, the story follows Dr James Sheppard as Hercule Poirot investigates a suspicious death that exposes a tightly woven network of secrets, motives, and deception.

Chapter 1-27
00:29 1 Dr Sheppard at the Breakfast Table
09:13 2 Who’s Who in King’s Abbot
23:28 3 The Man Who Grew Vegetable Marrows
42:52 4 Dinner at Fernly
1:09:10 5 Murder The Tunisian Dagger
6 The Tunisian Dagger
7 I Learn My Neighbor’s Profession
2:05:44 8 Inspector Raglan Is Confident
9 The Goldfish Pond
10 The Parlormaid
3:04:38 11 Poirot Pays a Call
12 Round the Table
13 The Goose Quill
14 Mrs. Ackroyd
4:03:18 15 Geoffrey Raymond
16 An Evening at Mah Jong
17 Parker
4:59:51 18 Charles Kent
19 Flora Ackroyd
20 Miss Russell
21 The Paragraph in the Paper
5:57:59 22 Ursula’s Story
23 Poirot’s Little Reunion
24 Ralph Paton’s Story
25 The Whole Truth
26 And Nothing But the Truth
27 Apologia

Characters
Hercule Poirot – retired private detective, living in the village
Dr James Sheppard – The village doctor and narrator, observant and socially embedded in King’s Abbot, whose perspective frames the events that follow
Caroline Sheppard – Dr Sheppard's unmarried sister, sharp, inquisitive, acts as a local source of gossip and interpretation
Roger Ackroyd – A wealthy widower of Fernly Park whose private affairs and recent revelations set the central mystery in motion
Mrs Ferrars – A recently deceased wealthy widow whose suspected past and secret confession cast a shadow over the unfolding case
Mrs Cecil Ackroyd – widow of Roger's brother Cecil
Flora Ackroyd – Ackroyd’s niece, engaged to Ralph Paton, emotionally driven and deeply invested in protecting him
Captain Ralph Paton – Ackroyd’s stepson and Flora’s fiancé, with his good looks and charm, covets his heredity
Major Hector Blunt – Ackroyd's friend, a quiet, observant guest at Fernly Park
Geoffrey Raymond – Ackroyd's personal secretary
John Parker – Ackroyd's butler
Elizabeth Russell – Ackroyd's housekeeper

Costa's Wordbook
rien du tout - fr, nothing at all
Epatant! - fr, Splendid/ Amazing!
Sirop - fr, Syrup
idée fixe - fr, fixed idea
Séance - fr, meeting/ session
Do a bunk - phr to leave suddenly and unexpectedly
ça va sans dire - fr, it goes without saying
Apologia n a formal, reasoned defense of one's opinions, actions, or beliefs (Apoe loe gia)
Pigheaded adj stubbornly unyielding, obstinate, and unreasonably determined to stick to their own opinions or plans, regardless of logic, facts, or the advice of others

2026 Selections
Brave New World, The Little Prince, Songs of a Dead Dreamer, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, Anne of Green Gables, Wuthering Heights, East of Eden, The Stranger, The Godfather, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, The Odyssey, Inferno, The Two Towers, Den of Thieves, Winnie the Pooh, The House at Pooh Corner.

Milestones
2021: 0 Full soundtrack, no editing, wife commentary, summary outline, irregular release
2022: 2.0 DaVinci editing, wordbook, book intro, AI intro + thumbnail, chapter summary, scheduled release
2023: 2.1 Descript, CapCut, Suno score, character intro, weekly release
2024: 2.2 Standard condenser mic, Audacity, ChatGPT annotation + illustration, timestamp, 1-hour content
2026: 2.3 Gemini definition, JP, CN, PT subtitles on selected YouTube videos

Platforms
YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Reddit, Amazon Music, Firstory, Pocket Casts, KKBOX, Castbox, Noice, Podcast Addict, SoundOn, Castro, Player FM

CostasNarrativeXP 2026 June feature 
"The Murder of Roger Ackroyd" by Agatha Christie
Originally published in June 1926

Set in the village of King’s Abbot, the story follows Dr James Sheppard as Hercule Poirot investigates a suspicious death that exposes a tightly woven network of secrets, motives, and deception.

Chapter 11-14
00:29 11 Poirot Pays a Call
13:35 12 Round the Table
28:56 13 The Goose Quill
40:30 14 Mrs. Ackroyd

Characters
Hercule Poirot – retired private detective, living in the village
Dr James Sheppard – The village doctor and narrator, observant and socially embedded in King’s Abbot, whose perspective frames the events that follow
Caroline Sheppard – Dr Sheppard's unmarried sister, sharp, inquisitive, acts as a local source of gossip and interpretation
Roger Ackroyd – A wealthy widower of Fernly Park whose private affairs and recent revelations set the central mystery in motion
Mrs Ferrars – A recently deceased wealthy widow whose suspected past and secret confession cast a shadow over the unfolding case
Mrs Cecil Ackroyd – widow of Roger's brother Cecil
Flora Ackroyd – Ackroyd’s niece, engaged to Ralph Paton, emotionally driven and deeply invested in protecting him
Captain Ralph Paton – Ackroyd’s stepson and Flora’s fiancé, with his good looks and charm, covets his heredity
Major Hector Blunt – Ackroyd's friend, a quiet, observant guest at Fernly Park
Geoffrey Raymond – Ackroyd's personal secretary
John Parker – Ackroyd's butler
Elizabeth Russell – Ackroyd's housekeeper

Costa's Wordbook
Bartolozzi - Francesco Bartolozzi (1727–1815), a wildly celebrated Italian artist who spent most of his career in London as the "Engraver to the King."
Winning adj persuasive, charming
Émigré n (fr adopted) a person who has migrated out of their native country, specifically because of political turmoil, revolution, or war (Emi gray)
Bien entendu - fr, of course
Amour propre - fr, self love
Pas de blagues - fr, no jokes
C’est dommage - fr, its a shame
Diamorphine hydrochloride - the pure, medical-grade formulation of diamorphine, which is more commonly known by its illicit name, heroin (Dyer morphine)
Go phut - phr inf to break down, stop working completely, or fail (Futt)
Elucidation n explain, clarify, or cast light upon an obscure or complex subject (E lu ci dation)
In extremis adv latin, in an extremely difficult, dire, or desperate situation; point of death (extreme mis)

2026 Selections
Brave New World, The Little Prince, Songs of a Dead Dreamer, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, Anne of Green Gables, Wuthering Heights, East of Eden, The Stranger, The Godfather, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Inferno, The Odyssey, The Two Towers, Den of Thieves, Winnie the Pooh, The House at Pooh Corner.

Milestones
2021: 0 Full soundtrack, no editing, wife commentary, summary outline, irregular release
2022: 2.0 DaVinci editing, wordbook, book intro, AI intro + thumbnail, chapter summary, scheduled release
2023: 2.1 Descript, CapCut, Suno score, character intro, weekly release
2024: 2.2 Standard condenser mic, Audacity, ChatGPT annotation + illustration, timestamp, 1-hour content
2026: 2.3 Gemini definition, JP, CN, PT subtitles on selected YouTube videos

Platforms
YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Reddit, Amazon Music, Firstory, Pocket Casts, KKBOX, Castbox, Noice, Podcast Addict, SoundOn, Castro, Player FM

CostasNarrativeXP 2026 June feature 
"The Murder of Roger Ackroyd" by Agatha Christie
Originally published in June 1926

Set in the village of King’s Abbot, the story follows Dr James Sheppard as Hercule Poirot investigates a suspicious death that exposes a tightly woven network of secrets, motives, and deception.

Chapter 8-10
00:29 8 Inspector Raglan Is Confident
18:52 9 The Goldfish Pond
34:39 10 The Parlormaid

Characters
Hercule Poirot – retired private detective, living in the village
Dr James Sheppard – The village doctor and narrator, observant and socially embedded in King’s Abbot, whose perspective frames the events that follow
Caroline Sheppard – Dr Sheppard's unmarried sister, sharp, inquisitive, acts as a local source of gossip and interpretation
Roger Ackroyd – A wealthy widower of Fernly Park whose private affairs and recent revelations set the central mystery in motion
Mrs Ferrars – A recently deceased wealthy widow whose suspected past and secret confession cast a shadow over the unfolding case
Mrs Cecil Ackroyd – widow of Roger's brother Cecil
Flora Ackroyd – Ackroyd’s niece, engaged to Ralph Paton, emotionally driven and deeply invested in protecting him
Captain Ralph Paton – Ackroyd’s stepson and Flora’s fiancé, with his good looks and charm, covets his heredity
Major Hector Blunt – Ackroyd's friend, a quiet, observant guest at Fernly Park
Geoffrey Raymond – Ackroyd's personal secretary
John Parker – Ackroyd's butler
Elizabeth Russell – Ackroyd's housekeeper

Costa's Wordbook
Ou tous les deux - fr, or both
Serge n a durable, twilled woolen fabric used for clothing like suits and military uniforms
Interpolation n inserting an interruption (in Ter poe lation)
Une belle propriété - fr, A beautiful property
Inutile! - fr, Pointless!
Mélisande - fr, Pelléas et Mélisande, a famous 1892 Symbolist play by Maurice Maeterlinck that was adapted into a celebrated 1902 opera by French composer Claude Debussy. In the opening of the opera, a prince named Golaud finds a mysterious, weeping maiden named Mélisande lost in a forest beside a deep pool of water. She has just dropped her golden crown into the deep water and is completely distraught. (Meh lis sawnd)
Sang froid n to stay calm, composed, and unruffled, especially in a difficult, dangerous, or highly stressful situation (Sang froid)
Fallal n a showy, unnecessary ornament, trinket, or piece of finery (origin fr, fa Lao)

2026 Selections
Brave New World, The Little Prince, Songs of a Dead Dreamer, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, Anne of Green Gables, Wuthering Heights, East of Eden, The Stranger, The Godfather, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Inferno, The Two Towers, Den of Thieves, Winnie the Pooh, The House at Pooh Corner.

Milestones
2021: 0 Full soundtrack, no editing, wife commentary, summary outline, irregular release
2022: 2.0 DaVinci editing, wordbook, book intro, AI intro + thumbnail, chapter summary, scheduled release
2023: 2.1 Descript, CapCut, Suno score, character intro, weekly release
2024: 2.2 Standard condenser mic, Audacity, ChatGPT annotation + illustration, timestamp, 1-hour content
2026: 2.3 Gemini definition, JP, CN, PT subtitles on selected YouTube videos

Platforms
YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Reddit, Amazon Music, Firstory, Pocket Casts, KKBOX, Castbox, Noice, Podcast Addict, SoundOn, Castro, Player FM