Hugo Nominees 2009

SFFaudio News

METAtropolisThe 2009 Hugo Nominations have been announced. Very interesting is the nomination of the METAtropolis audiobook in the Dramatic Presentation, Long Form category. It’s there competing against four films: The Dark Knight, WALL-E, Hellboy II, and Iron Man. I hope this nomination brings some attention to the growing audiobook industry – is it time for an Audio category? |Here’s the review we did of METAtropolis|

All of the novel nominees are available on audio, except for Charles Stross’s Saturn’s Children:

Anathem by Neal Stephenson (Audiobook from Macmillan Audio)
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman |More info in SFFaudio Review|
Little Brother by Cory Doctorow |More info in SFFaudio Review|
Saturn’s Children by Charles Stross
Zoe’s Tale by John Scalzi (Audiobook from Macmillan Audio, exclusive to Audible.com)

Congrats to all the nominees!

Posted by Scott D. Danielson

The Fix: Rocket Science 1958 – 1959

SFFaudio News

The Fix - Short Fiction ReviewPosted on February 1 at The Fix: Short Fiction Review is the latest Rocket Science column, which covers 1958 – 1959. The stories covered: “Or All the Seas with Oysters” by Avram Davidson, “The Big Front Yard” by Clifford Simak, and “That Hell-Bound Train” by Robert Bloch.
 
 
“Or All the Seas with Oysters” by Avram Davidson – No audio version known.

“The Big Front Yard” by Clifford D. Simak – No audio version known.

“That Hell-Bound Train” by Robert Bloch – Included in Gravely, Alternate World Recordings, 1976, read by Robert Bloch.
 
 
While I’m in 1958 and 1959, I should mention that the Hugo Winning novels from those years have both been published by Audible Frontiers:

1958 Best Novel or Novelette:
The Big Time
By Fritz Leiber; Read by Suzanne Toren
Audible Download – 4 hours 42 mins – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Audible Frontiers
Published: 2008
 
 
 

Audible Frontiers - A Case of Conscience by James BlishSFFaudio Essential1959 Best Novel:
A Case Of Conscience
By James Blish; Read by Jay Snyder
Audible Download – 7 Hours 55 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Audible Frontiers
Published: November 2008
|READ OUR REVIEW|
 
Also worth mentioning, but not audio related, is that I got my latest issue of Fantasy and Science Fiction in the mail yesterday, and in that issue is a reprint of “That Hell-Bound Train” by Robert Bloch. Great story!
 
Posted by Scott D. Danielson

Hugo Nominees avaialable as audiobooks

SFFaudio Online Audio - Worldcon 2007

Nippon 2007 Worldcon 65The result are out, attendees from throughout Japan and the world convened at the Pacifico Yokohama Convention Center and discovered the results of the 2007 Hugo Awards. Though the results can’t be changed you can still argue over them – at least for most of the categories. Here`s a roundup of all the titles the winning and nominated titles thus far adapted into audiobooks:

Best Novel:
(Science fiction or fantasy story of 40,000 words or more.)

Science Fiction Audiobook - Eifelheim by Michael FlynnEifelheim
By Michael Flynn; Read by Anthony Heald
14 CD, 17.5 hrs – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Published: 2007
ISBN: 9781433206115

Fantasy Audiobook - His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi NovikHis Majesty’s Dragon
By Naomi Novik; Read by David Thorn
5 CD, 6.5 hrs – [ABRIDGED]
Publisher: Random House Audio
Published: 2007
ISBN: 9780739354131

Glasshouse
By Charles Stross
No audiobook version available yet.

2007 Hugo Award WinnerRainbows End [WINNER]
By Vernor Vinge
No audiobook version available yet.

Blindsight
By Peter Watts
No audiobook version available yet.

Best Novella:
(Science fiction or fantasy story of between 17,500 and 40,000 words).

The Walls Of The Universe by Paul MelkoThe Walls Of The Universe
By Paul Melko; Read by Paul Cole
5 MP3s -[UNABRIDGED]
Podcaster: Beam Me Up
Podcast: 2007
|Show 46 MP3 |Show 47 MP3| Show 48 MP3|
|Show 49 MP3| Show 50 MP3|

Inclination by William ShunnInclination
By William Shunn; Read by William Shunn
3 MP3s – Approx. 2 Hours 10 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Podcaster: Science Fic Shunn Podcast
Podcast: April 2007

Get all three parts:
|Part 1 MP3|Part 2 MP3|Part 3 MP3|

2007 Hugo Award WinnerA Billion Eves [WINNER]
By Robert Reed
No audiobook version available yet.

Lord Weary’s Empire
By Michael Swanwick
No audiobook version available yet.

Julian: A Christmas Story
By Robert Charles Wilson
No audiobook version available yet.

Best Novelette:
(Science fiction or fantasy story of between 7,500 and 17,500 words)

All The Things You AreAll The Things You Are
By Mike Resnick; Read by Paul Cole
4 MP3s -[UNABRIDGED]
Podcaster: Beam Me Up
Podcast: 2007
|Show 52 MP3| Show 53 MP3|
|Show 54 MP3| Show 55 MP3|

Yellow Card Man
By Paolo Bacigalupi
No audiobook version available yet.

Dawn, and Sunset, and the Colours of the Earth
By Michael F Flynn
No audiobook version available yet.

2007 Hugo Award WinnerThe Djinn’s Wife [WINNER]
By Ian McDonald
No audiobook version available yet.

Pol Pot’s Beautiful Daughter
By Geoff Ryman
No audiobook version available yet.

Best Short Story
(Science fiction or fantasy story of less than 7,500 words)

How To Talk To Girls At Parties by Neil GaimanHow To Talk To Girls At Parties
By Neil Gaiman; Read by Neil Gaiman
1 |MP3| – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: NeilGaiman.com
Published: April 2007
A tale of two boys going to a party and encountering those mysterious beings known as “girls.”

Escape PodKin
By Bruce McCallister; Read by Steve Eley
1 |MP3| – UNABRIDGED
Podcaster: Escape Pod
Podcast: May 2007

Escape Pod2007 Hugo Award WinnerImpossible Dreams [WINNER]
By Tim Pratt; Read by Matthew Wayne Selznick
1 |MP3| – UNABRIDGED
Podcaster: Escape Pod
Podcast: May 2007

Escape PodEight Episodes
By Robert Reed; Read by MarBelle
1 |MP3| – UNABRIDGED
Podcaster: Escape Pod
Podcast: May 2007

Escape PodThe House Beyond Your Sky
By Benjamin Rosenbaum; Read by Paul Tevis
1 |MP3| – UNABRIDGED
Podcaster: Escape Pod
Podcast: May 2007

Star Ship Sofa podcast tops iTunes U.K. Podcast Page

SFFaudio News - Worldcon 2007

iTunes StarShipSofa

The iTunes U.K. Podcast Directory main page has a bloody big ad up for StarShipSofa today!

Tony Smith, one-half of the SSS’s command crew tells me that each week now as many as 1800 subscribers downloading their podcast. You can download their latest show, Episode 54 |MP3|, which is all about the Hugo Nominated novels for this year. Tony’s got his money on Eifelheim by Michael Flynn, Ciaran‘s got his on Rainbow’s End by Vernor Vinge.

Jesse Willis

Audio Hugo Nominees

Escape Pod LogoEscape Pod continues what it started last year – they are offering audio versions of some of this year’s Hugo nominees. Available right now are these nominees for Best Short Story:
Impossible Dreams by Tim Pratt – |MP3|
The House Beyond Your Sky by Benjamin Rosenbaum – |MP3|
Eight Episodes by Robert Reed – |MP3|
Kin by Bruce McAllister – |MP3|

And over on Neil Gaiman’s site, you can get an audio version of the other Short Story nominee, How to Talk to Girls at Parties by Neil Gaiman

Noreascon: The 29th World Science Fiction Conventi…

Noreascon: The 29th World Science Fiction Convention Awards Banquet
Produced by William Desmond; Various Speakers
Two 33 1/3 RPM LPs – Approximately 90 minutes [UNABRIDGED EXCERPTS]
Publisher: Nesfa Inc.
Published: 1973 – Out Of Print
Themes: / Science Fiction / Awards / Fandom / Hugo Awards /

A set of two long-playing records of the Awards Banquet at the 1971 World Science Fiction Convention in Boston. The Toastmaster for the function was Robert Silverberg. In addition to the speeches by Guest of Honor Clifford D. Simak and Fan Guest of Honor Harry Warner, Jr., there is a eulogy for John Campbell given by Lester del Rey. Other speeches were given by the TAFF delegate (Mario Bosnyak) and the Bob Shaw Fan Fund winner (Bob Shaw). Awards were presented for First Fandom (received by Philinda Hammond for late father, John W. Campbell) and the P.A.T. Terry Award for Humour in SF. The Hugo Awards were presented by Isaac Asimov.

I had to find a working record player to play this set, something more difficult than I expected, but it was worth the wait. Recorded in real time, this is a collection of excerpts from the awards banquet, so there are some slow spots, a little dead air, but the energy and sheer voyeurism more than makes up for this. After all, listening to these LPs is for a science fiction fan what the Oscars are to a movie fan.

Toastmaster Robert Silverberg, who just this year (2004) has been named a “grand master,” sprinkles his 33 year old speeches with jokes, about Nixon, marijuana and other topical to 1971 themes – Silverberg also “roasts” many of his colleagues to his own and to the audience’s obvious delight. But Silverberg isn’t the only speaker. A somber and lamenting Lester Del Rey eulogized John W. Campbell and presented the first Fandom Award. Bob Shaw, specially imported to Boston just for the occasion made a brief speech full of warmth and humour and delightful Irish accent was a real treat! And Clifford D. Simak gave what sounded like a prepared speech – with some unfortunately insecure dentures. Simak’s unadulterated benevolence shone through – in his late 60’s by the time of this recording, he was the most eloquent speaker among all the honourees that night. Simak suggested in his speech that perhaps the “golden age”, wasn’t quite so golden as we all seem to remember and that the current ‘dry spell’ isn’t perhaps quite so dry. He extolled the virtues of the “new wave” and suggests that science fiction is stronger than it ever was, and that the expansion into the softer sciences of economics, ethics, sociology, etc. is actually a good thing. Simak’s conviction and good will brought genuine tears to my eyes and I wasn’t the only one moved. Simak’s speech was interrupted by spontaneous applause. After he’d concluded his speech he was again subject to a rousing and sustained round of applause and Silverberg said as Simak took his seat “He’s a good man, a pretty good writer too, we have a lot of good writers here tonight but he’s a good man”. We’ll miss you Cliff.

On Side 4 the serious handing out the “silver spaceships” began in earnest with Isaac Asimov as the dispenser. Asimov had even more fun with the microphone than did Silverberg, giving us a raunchy limerick and several references to himself as the worlds greatest science fiction author!

Larry Niven makes a brief vocalization too, after having been handed his Hugo for best novel (Ringworld), Niven said “I promised my wife I’d quit smoking right after this convention”. Thankfully Larry is still with us more than a third of a century later and no doubt we have his wife to thank for that.

Sound quality with this 1973 production is only fair, vinyl/needle friction combined with numerous microphone bumps, pops and hisses are only a minor annoyance, most speakers are easily heard, the audience laughs at all the jokes and everyone seems to be having a great time. The line drawing cover art is rudimentary and is taken from the program to the convention (click on the picture to see the expanded fold out cover), the inside of the 2 disc set is illustrated with black and white photos from Noreascon 1971. With only 300 of these record sets ever printed this is a mighty rare collectible, I’ll cherish mine until they invent that time machine these SF authors are always promising – then I can visit the convention myself!

Posted by Jesse Willis