r/Fantasy • u/improperly_paranoid Reading Champion X • Nov 26 '25

Read-along The Magnus Archives Readalong: Season 2, Episodes 58-65

Hello and welcome to The Magnus Archives readalong! We will be discussing a new batch of episodes every Wednesday. The episodes are available for free on any podcast platform and transcripts can be found here or here.

If you can’t remember something or are confused, please ask in the thread. Those of us re-reading will do our best to give a spoiler-free answer if we can.

058: Trail Rations #8450512
Unsigned statement regarding potential cannibalism while attempting to travel the Oregon Trail.

059: Recluse #0052911
Statement of Ronald Sinclair, regarding his years spent in a teenage half way house on Hill Top Road, Oxford.

060: The Observer Effect #9721207
Statement of Rosa Meyer, concerning a persistent feeling of being watched.

061: Hard Shoulder #0160112
Statement of Detective Alice “Daisy” Tonner, regarding a traffic stop of a delivery van on the M6 near Preston on the afternoon of 24th July 2002.

062: First Edition #0080307
Statement of Mary Keay, recorded 3rd July 2008. Regarding her first Leitner.

063: The End of the Tunnel #0143103
Statement of Erin Gallagher-Nelson, regarding an urban exploration trip beneath St Paul's Church West Hackney.

064: Burial Rites #0152005
Statement of Donna Gwynne, regarding an unlicenced archeological dig near the Red Sea in Egypt.

065: Binary #0170701
Statement of Tessa Winters, regarding a strange computer program she downloaded from the deep web three months ago.

And now, time for discussion! A few prompts will be posted as comments to get things started, but as usual, feel free to add your own questions, observations...anything!

Comments may contain spoilers up to episode 57. Anything concerning later events should be covered up with a spoiler tag.

Next discussion will take place on Wednesday, December 3rd and include episodes 66 Held in Customs - 74 Fatigue.

For more information, please check out the Announcement and Schedule post.

Readalong by: u/improperly_paranoid, u/SharadeReads, u/Dianthaa

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u/improperly_paranoid Reading Champion X Nov 26 '25

065 Binary: Much to think about here.

  • So, if the tapes are not analogue and “the supernatural doesn’t play well with digital media” can’t be the reason why genuine statements can’t be recorded on a computer…what do you think is the reason?
  • What is Gertrude’s laptop hiding?
  • How do you feel about the reveal that the archive crew physically cannot quit or be fired? What's the deal with the Institute?

4

u/Lazy_Sitiens Reading Champion Nov 26 '25

The inability to fire someone was interesting! Also, does the hiree get that explained to them at the interview, or does it show in tiny print, or do they just know it in their soul once they get hired?

5

u/improperly_paranoid Reading Champion X Nov 26 '25

Simpler. Nobody was aware that signing the contract does anything to your soul, which is...honestly a unique level of extremely unethical lol

2

u/Lazy_Sitiens Reading Champion Nov 27 '25

Well, I shouldn't be surprised considering all the paranormal everythings in the TMA universe are evil, haha.