November 2007 – SFFaudio

AUDIBLE FREE LISTEN: Primetime by Douglas Texter

OnlineAudio

A very short story from L. Ron Hubbard Presents – Writers of the Future – Volume 23 is Audible.com’s FREE LISTEN for the week of November 29, 2007. You can |LISTEN ONLINE|.

Primetime
By Douglas Texter; Read by Don Leslie
|LISTEN ONLINE| – Approx. 10 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Audible.com
Published: November 2007
“A gripping story that takes reality TV to a whole new dimension—through time travel. You climb into the trenches of the First World War and battle death with the soldiers through the lens of the camera, held by the time travelling journalist who is reporting history as it unfolds before him. There is only one catch; if the reporter doesn’t pull out in time, he gets “terminated” by the show producer according to Network policy. “Primetime” becomes the time-trap you can’t escape.

Posted by Jesse Willis

Review of Ascent by Jed Mercurio

SFFaudio Review

Ascent
By Jed Mercurio; Read by Todd McLaren
6 CDs – 7.5 7.5 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Published: 2007
ISBN: 9781400103683
Themes: / Science Fiction / Alternate History / War / Cold War / The Moon /

The sun swings behind the world. Night engulfs him. The dull metal craft plunges through space, its portholes pale beacons containing the silhouette of a man, and the only other lights are the stars themselves.

This alternate history novel is a faithful depiction of the Soviet Union’s race against the United States to put a man on the Moon. The sad reality is that it never happened this way, but that doesn’t nullify a tremendously magnetic story of how it very well could have done. The viewpoint character is Yefgeni Yeremin an orphan of WWII, a fighter pilot and a Korean air-war ace. His story is as compelling a depiction of a quasi-Nitzchean overman as I’ve seen in fiction. Yeremnin is a more human, more plausible kind of Ayn Randian character – but he’s also hard to empathize with. He’s a man who can’t quite break free of his upbringing, his colleagues, his country, but who despite this achieves what must be viewed as the ultimate in overcoming. The Ascent of the title is not just that of a man from the surface of the Earth, but of mankind from Earth and that which came before. Just as birth is the obvious, but arbitrary line in the moral sand of personhood, so too is the actual landing of a human being on the surface of the moon.

Ascent starts with a shock, builds brilliantly during the Korean War scenes and then plateaus. Mercurio tells a powerful story – the first half of the audiobook absolutely riveted the headphones to my head. That which follows is engaging, but not as impactful. Perhaps the tale could have been told in another manner. Perhaps part of the problem is in the novel form itself. I wonder if it might not have been better, shorter – as a novella say. Yeremnin too is hard to take at this length – he is a hard man, from a hard world, with little in him other than will. The technical jargon that predominates his space voyage, while I’m certain accurate, is burdensome, and the problems that face the protagonist are less thrilling than those in the first half of the book. The end, when it comes, simply…. is. It isn’t wrong for the book, but it isn’t right either. It may be that this kind of tale, with this kind of character, is not actually tellable another way. Todd McLaren helps, he does Russian accented English but doesn’t overplay it – this is a matter of fact delivery. I hope Mercurio can find another topic within Science Fiction with as much passion as that which he put into Ascent, this was a tremendously compelling listen.

Posted by Jesse Willis

LibriVox: The Shadows by George MacDonald

SFFaudio Online Audio

The Shadows
By George MacDonald; Read by Catherine Eastman
2 Zipped MP3s or Podcast – Approx. 1.5 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: November 27, 2007

Though no longer well known, his works (particularly his fairy tales and fantasy novels) have inspired admiration in such notables as W. H. Auden, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Madeleine L’Engle. The Shadows is one such fairy tale. The strange Shadows spend their existence casting themselves upon the walls and forming pictures of various sorts: mimicking evil actions of those who have done wrong in the hopes of causing their repentance, playing a comic dumb-show to inspire a playwright and dancing to inspire a musician, nudging a little girl to comfort her grandfather, and playing with a sick little boy as he waits for his mother to return home. For all that their forms are black, their hearts are of the whitest.

This fantasy for younger readers/listeners has a couple of things in its favor for adults other than just the historical interest in its author. The reader here, Catherine Eastman, does an outstanding job and the story is quite imaginative. Highly recommended for younger listeners and not too bad for adults either.

Complete Audiobook [zip], individual MP3s here.

And here’s the podcast feed:

http://librivox.org/bookfeeds/the-shadows-by-george-macdonald.xml

Posted by Dave Tackett

Challenger begins podcasting: Queen Of The Black Coast by Robert E. Howard

SFFaudio Online Audio

Are you ready to hear the first ever podcast of a Conan tale? Are you ready for some furious freebooting? What about serious corsairage? Would it bother you if it were buccaneering? Are you truly ready for the blazing prose of the undisputed master of pulp fiction in one of his best loved tales? If the answer is yes to all of these questions then prepare yourself for the first chapter in…

Queen Of The Black Coast
By Robert E. Howard; Read by Bill Hollweg
Podcast – [UNABRIDGED]
Podcaster: Broken Sea Audio Thursday
Podcast: Started November 29th
In the seacoast kingdom of Argos, after a brush with the Hyborian legal system, Conan hops aboard a southward bound ship. Off the coasts of Kush the ship is boarded by black corsairs under the Shemitish she-devil, Bêlit. Conan joins her crew, becomes her consort, and for a long time they harry the Hyborian and Stygian ports. During this stage of his career, Conan gains the name of Amra, the Lion, which is to follow him throughout his later life.
Chapter 1 |MP3|

Subscribe to the podcast feed:

http://brokensea.com/feed

Posted by Jesse Willis

StarShipSofa has MP3 fiction: London Bone by Michael Moorcock

SFFaudio Online Audio

It seems the StarShipSofa boys blagged their way into a goldmine of goodness from none other than Michael Moorcock! There’s already been a “gonzo” podcast about their Paris adventure. Still to come is a video (and audio – we hope) edition of the actual extended interview. And, today saw the release of some fiction – an unabridged reading of a 1997 Moorcock short story called London Bone. This tale comes in as the first of a new regular (or semi-regular) feature of Wednesday podcast releases of short stories on SSS.

London Bone
By Michael Moorcock; Read by MCL
1 |MP3| – Approx. 1 Hour [UNABRIDGED]
Podcaster: StarShipSofa.com
Podcast: November 28th 2007
My name is Raymond Gold and I’m a well-known dealer. I was born too many years ago in Upper Street, Islington. Everybody reckons me in the London markets and I have a good reputation in Manchester and the provinces. I have bought and sold, been the middleman, an agent, an art representative, a professional mentor, a tour guide, a spiritual bridge-builder. These days I call myself a cultural speculator.

Posted by Jesse Willis

New Arrivals – Christmas “Card” and more

Science Fiction Audiobook Recent Arrivals

The holiday season is upon us. Don’t forget that favorite stocking stuffer―audiobooks. The gift of the word that can be heard!

A War of Gifts
By Orson Scott Card; Read by Scott Brick and Stefan Rudnicki
2 CDs, 2.5 hrs – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Published: 2007
ISBN: 9781593976316
LISTEN TO A CLIP!

The children come from many nations and many religions; and while they are being trained for war, religious conflict between them is not on the curriculum. But Dink Meeker, one of the older students, doesn’t see it that way. He thinks that giving gifts isn’t exactly a religious observation, and on Sinterklaaus Day he tucks a present into another student’s shoe.

This small act of rebellion sets off a battle royal between the students and the staff, but some surprising alliances form when Ender comes up against a new student, Zeck Morgan. The War over Santa Claus will force everyone to make a choice. This audiobook is a must-give stocking stuffer for every Ender fan on your Christmas list.

Magic Kingdom for Sale – Sold
By Terry Brooks; Read by Dick Hill
12 CDs -14 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Brilliance Audiobooks
Published: 2007
ISBN: 9781423350125

Landover was a genuine magic kingdom, with fairy folk and wizardry, just as the advertisement promised. But after he purchased it, Ben Holiday learned that there were a few details the ad had failed to mention.

The kingdom was in ruin. The Barons refused to recognize the king, and the peasants were without hope. A dragon was laying waste the countryside, while an evil witch plotted to destroy everything.

Ben’s only followers were the incompetent Court Magician; Abernathy, the talking dog who served as Court Scribe; and the lovely Willow – but she had a habit of putting down roots in the moonlight and turning into a tree. The Paladin, legendary champion of the Kings of Landover, seemed to be only a myth and an empty suit of armor.

Metal Swarm; Book Six in the Saga fo Seven Suns
By Kevin J. Anderson; Read by David Colacci
16 CDs -19 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Brilliance Audiobooks
Published: 2007
ISBN: 9781597372275

For years, the alien Klikiss robots have pretended to be humanity’s friends, but their seeming “help” allowed them to plant an insidious Trojan Horse throughout the Earth Defense Forces. Now, in the aftermath of a devastating war, swarms of ancient black robots built by the lost insectoid Klikiss race continue their depredations on helpless worlds with stolen and heavily armed Earth battleships.

Among the humans, the Hansas’ brutal Chairman struggles to crush any resistance even as King Peter breaks away to form his own new Confederation among the colonies who have declared their independence.

And meanwhile, the original, voracious Klikiss race, long thought to be extinct, has returned, intent on conquering their former worlds and willing to annihilate anyone in the way.

Stoneheart; Book One in the Stoneheart Trilogy
By Charlie Fletcher; Read by Jim Dale
Playaway Digital-10 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Scholastic
Published: 2007.

Here’s an audiobook we received from Playaway. We reviewed the Playaway earlier this month. Read the review.

We also have a special discount code for first time purchasers.

To receive 20% off, just go to www.playawaydigital.com and during checkout enter this code:

SFFaudio20

This title is also available as a 6 CD set from the publisher, Scholastic. And yes, Jim Dale is the ever-popular narrator of the Harry Potter series.

A city has many lives and layers. London has more than most. Not all the layers are underground, and not all the lives belong to the living. Twelve-year-old George Chapman is about to find this out the hard way. When George breaks the head from a stone dragon he awakes an ancient power that has been dormant for centuries. Now that George has disturbed the fragile truce between the warring statues of London, he is forced into a race for survival where nothing is what it seems and and it´s never clear who to trust. And this is just the beginning as the statues of London awake…

posted by The Time Traveler of the Time Traveler Show