The Agony Column has a couple of recordings:
SF Poet David Lunde reads poetry at SF in SF. |MP3|
SF in SF Panel with David Lunde, Patricia McKillip, and Terry Bisson. |MP3|
An interview with Patricia McKillip. |MP3|
You can subscribe to the feed at this URL:
http://trashotron.com/agony/indexes/tac_podcast.xml
Posted by Charles Tan
If You’re Just Joining Us interviews Tim Pratt. |MP3|
You can subscribe to the feed at http://feeds.feedburner.com/IfYoureJustJoiningUs
Posted by Charles Tan
Diplomatic Immunity
By Lois McMaster Bujold; Read by Grover Gardner
9 CDs – 11 hours – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Published: 2008
ISBN: 9781433213144
Themes: / Science fiction / Space Opera / Military / Diplomacy / Romance / Genetic Engineering / Intrigue /
Blackstone Audio has been publishing the entire Vorkosigan series read by Grover Gardner. There are several volumes out, and we’ve reviewed a couple of them (The Vor Game and Mirror Dance) before this one. I have little to add to the positive assessment of Gardner’s talent that the other reviews of this series have pointed out; I’ll just say that I enjoy his narration of these books very much. He’s got a dry tone that fits Miles Vorkosigan perfectly. A very pleasant listen.
In this particular volume, Miles is called into diplomatic action against the Quaddies, a genetically engineered race that we were introduced to in the novel Falling Free. In that novel, we learn that quaddies are genetically altered humans that have four arms and no legs which is an advantage if you live and work in zero gravity. The only problem? They were treated as slaves by the company that made them, and the novel is largely about their rebellion.
Diplomatic Immunity takes place 300 years after that one, and much has changed, though distrust for “downsiders” remains. Vorkosigan is called in when some citizens are captured and held by the Quaddies at their Graf Station. He meets with the representatives of the Quaddie government, hears their side of the story, then proceeds to uncover the truth while preventing a war.
Miles Vorkosigan is a fine character. He’s got flaws (and plenty of them) yet always manages to succeed despite them. His personality is entertaining, and the plot of this novel, in which Miles is called upon as both diplomat and detective, is just plain fun. Whenever I listen to one of these, I imagine how good a television series this would make. These novels are not meant to be masterpieces of hard science fiction – they are meant to be enjoyed, and enjoy them I do. I can’t wait to hear the next one, though I feel that listening to them in the original print publication order would add even more to the experience, the main reason being that the Miles I hear in this novel is not the same Miles I heard in The Vor Game, I expect due to events in the novels in-between.
Lois McMaster’s Vorkosigan novels have an interesting history on audio. A company named The Reader’s Chair originally came out with enjoyable unabridged versions read in tag team fashion by Michael Hanson and Carol Cowan. Unfortunately, the company didn’t survive. One of the first reviews I wrote when I got into reviewing audio was the Reader’s Chair audio version Falling Free, the Nebula Award winning novel that I spoke of earlier in the review. Click here to see it.
Posted by Scott D. Danielson
The latest Escape Pod podcast, #155, has an absolutely unmissable story! Tideline reminds me of the Anne McCaffery’s short story version of The Ship Who Sang – which is no small feat. This is emotionally resonant Science Fiction with a rich backstory. I’m not sure any of the ideas are particularly new, but the whole tale has an unshakable persuasive power. I felt manipulated, but not in an unpleasant way. Tideline is the first in a batch of four 2008 Hugo Nominated short stories that will be airing on Escape Pod. Steven Baxter Last Contact wont be included.
Tideline
By Elizabeth Bear; Read by Stephen Eley
1 |MP3| – [UNABRIDGED]
Podcaster: Escape Pod
Podcast: April 24th 2008
They would have called her salvage, if there were anyone left to salvage her. But she was the last of the war machines, a three-legged oblate teardrop as big as a main battle tank, two big grabs and one fine manipulator folded like a spider’s palps beneath the turreted head that finished her pointed end, her polyceramic armor spiderwebbed like shatterproof glass. Unhelmed by her remote masters, she limped along the beach, dragging one fused limb. She was nearly derelict. The beach was where she met Belvedere.
Subscribe to the podcast via this feed:
http://escapepod.org/podcast.xml
Posted by Jesse Willis
We are pleased to report that the big American election everyone was waiting for is over. And we won! Mary Robinette Kowal has won her position as Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Secretary!
It was a landslide win. HERE are the official results. We’re happy for Mary, and this bodes well for the SFWA’s future in general.
Posted by Jesse Willis
Produced as part of the 2nd Annual SFFAudio Challenge, Rebels Of The Red Planet is now a FREE UNABRIDGED audiobook! All props go to Paul Campbell of Estalvin’s Legacy and Cossmass Productions for the entirety of the production. Paul tells us he’s taking a holiday in Spain staring tommorow. After this marathon of audiobook narration we should probably pay for the whole trip. Instead, cheap bastards that we are, we’ll offer him something far less expensive, but far more esteemed than mere money – our sincere appreciation. We at SFFaudio salute you Paul Campbell – and thank you for the hours of rebellious Martian fun you’ve brought to life!
I’m going to listen to the whole novel straight away.
When Paul gets back from that trip, he can choose his prize from among the Challenge offerings. If you’re inspired by Paul’s acheivement, check out the challenge, there are plenty of prizes left and titles to be claimed.
Now, here it is, first published by Ace Books in 1961 and now available for the first time as an audiobook (and podiobook) we are pleased to present…
Rebels Of The Red Planet
By Charles L. Fontenay; Read by Paul Campbell
18 MP3 Files – 5 Hours 54 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Cossmass Productions / Podiobooks.com
Published: December 2007 – April 2008
MARS FOR THE MARTIANS! Dark Kensington had been dead for twenty-five years. It was a fact; everyone knew it. Then suddenly he reappeared, youthful, brilliant, ready to take over the Phoenix, the rebel group that worked to overthrow the tyranny that gripped the settlers on Mars. The Phoenix had been destroyed not once, not twice, but three times! But this time the resurrected Dark had new plans, plans which involved dangerous experiments in mutation and psionics. And now the rebels realized they were in double jeopardy. Not only from the government’s desperate hatred of their movement, but also from the growing possibility that the new breed of mutated monsters would get out of hand and bring terrors never before known to man.
Subscribe to the podcast feed:
http://cossmass.co.uk/series/rebelsredplanet/feed
Or download the individual files from HERE.
Or get a custom Podiobooks feed HERE.
Posted by Jesse Willis