Mostly void, partially stars Welcome to Night Vale episodes, volume 1

The podcast Welcome to Night Vale has brought millions of listeners periodic reports from the mysterious desert town of Night Vale. From the community radio broadcasts of Cecil Palmer, listeners are immersed in a world filled with eldritch civil servants, authoritarian yet hapless secret police, and the unspeakable horror of Librarians. The two newest volumes of episode scripts are now available for fans and the uninitiated alike, complete with introductions from the writers and actors who have helped bring Night Vale and its many denizens to life. We took a look at all four volumes here. Each volume also contains the script of one of the live touring shows in its entirety.Mostly Void, Partially Stars covers the first season of Welcome to Night Vale, introducing not only the intrepid community radio host Cecil Palmer, but other key characters such as the object of Cecil's love, the beautiful scientist Carlos; Old Woman Josie, whose house is a hangout for angels; and Khoshekh, the radio station cat who floats at a fixed point in the bathroom. While light on overarching plots, this volume does chart the birth of Cecil and Carlos' love, one of the early touchstones for Night Vale's fanbase.The Great Glowing Coils of the Universe contains the second season of Night Vale episodes, which center on the malicious corporation of Strexcorp, their quest to infiltrate and conquer Night Vale for their Smiling God, and the resistance mounted by Night Vale's citizens. A parallel plot line follows the mayoral race between Hiram McDaniels, a literal five-headed dragon, and the Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives in Your Home.The Buying of Lot 37 deals primarily with the aftermath of the election and the fight against Strexcorp, during which Carlos was lost in a mysterious desert otherworld, and the consequences of the purchase at auction of Lot 37 Cecil Palmer himself. Cecil wrestles not only with his sense of self but also with whether he and Carlos can figure out their long-distance, inter-dimensional relationship.Who's A Good Boy? focuses on both the trial of Hiram McDaniels for his attempt on the life of the mayor as well as on the mysterious and sinister activities of Chad, former Intern Maureen, a horde of motionless yet ominous figures, and some sort of dog? The history of the routinely fatal intern program comes back to haunt Cecil, meanwhile Night Vale struggles to integrate the displaced citizens of its former rival, the now-defunct town of Desert Bluffs.--Nell Keep Copyright 2019 Booklist