Audio Renaissance (http://www.audiorenaissance.com) has announced its new releases for Winter 2005, and it looks like they are taking over some of the Fantastic Audio titles. These are all CD only releases, no cassettes at all, and every single one is completely unabridged. The titles announced include the three "Asteroids Wars" novels by Ben Bova with what appears to be dual narration. In either case, its great to see unabridged novels becoming the new accepted standard. Personally I'm not too upset at the limited format release, if it comes down to a choice between CDs and cassettes, these days I'd choose CDs, as they are more portable to the increasingly populare MP3 audiobook format.

The titles announced include the three "Asteroids Wars" novels by Ben Bova (a subset of the Grand Tour series):

The Precipice
By Ben Bova - Read by Scott Brick and Amanda Karr
10 CDs 12 Hours - [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Audio Renaissance
Published: February 2005
ISBN: 1593974906
The first novel of the Asteroid Wars. Once, Dan Randolph was one of the richest men on Earth. Now the planet is spiraling into environmental disaster, with floods and earthquakes destroying the lives of millions. Martin Humphries, fabulously wealthy heir of the Humphries Trust, also knows that space-based industry is the way of the future. But unlike Randolph he does not care if Earth perishes in the process. As Randolph-accompanied by two brilliant women astronauts-flies out to the Asteroid Belt aboard a fusion-propelled spacecraft, Humphries makes his move. The future of mankind lies in Randolph's hands.

The Rock Rats
By Ben Bova - Read by Ira Klaffey and Amanda Karr
9 CDs 10 Hours - [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Audio Renaissance
Published: February 2005
ISBN: 1593974922
The second novel of the Asteroid Wars. Visionary space industrialist Dan Randolph is dead-but his protégé, pilot Pancho Barnes, now sits on the board of his conglomerate. She has her work cut out for her-for Randolph's rival, Martin Humphries, still wants to control Astro and still wants to drive independent asteroid miners like Lars Fuchs out of business. Humphries wants revenge against Pancho-and, most of all, he wants his old flame, Amanda, who has become Lars Fuchs's wife. Before it ends, many will die-and many will achieve more than they ever dreamed was possible.

The Silent War
By Ben Bova - Read by Christian Noble and Amanda Karr
11 CDs 13 Hours - [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Audio Renaissance
Published: February 2005
ISBN: 159397504X
The third novel of the Asteroid Wars. When corporations go to war, standard business practice goes out the window. Astro Corporation is led by indomitable Texan Pancho Lane, Humphries Space Systems by the rich and ruthless Martin Humphries, and their fight is over nothing less than resources of the Asteroid Belt itself. Fighting escalates and the lines between commerce and politics, boardroom and bedroom, blur-and the keys to victory will include physics, nanotechnology, and cold hard cash. It's a breakneck finale that can end only in earth's salvation-or the annihilation of all that humankind has ever accomplished in space.

And the newest volume in the ongoing Ender Wiggin Saga:
Shadow Of The Giant
By Orson Scott Card; Read by TBA (To Be Announced)
9 CDs 11 Hours - [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Audio Renaissance
Published: March 2005
ISBN: 1593974965
Bean, once the smallest student at the Battle School, and Ender Wiggins' right hand, has grown to be a power on Earth. He served the Hegemon as strategist and general in the terrible wars that followed Ender's defeat of the alien empire attacking Earth. Now he wishes for a safe place to build a family-something he has never known-but there is nowhere on Earth that does not harbor his enemies-old enemies from the days in Ender's Jeesh, new enemies from the wars on Earth. To find security, Bean and Petra must once again follow in Ender's footsteps. They must leave Earth behind, in the control of the Hegemon, and look to the stars.

Also forthcoming, book five in The Wheel Of Time series:
The Fires Of Heaven
By Robert Jordan; Read by Kate Reading and Michael Kramer
32 CDs 39 Hours - [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Audio Renaissance
Published: April 2005
ISBN: 1559276062
Robert Jordan again plunges us into his extraordinarily rich, totally unforgettable world:
...Into the forbidden city of Rhuidean, where Rand al'Thor, now the Dragon Reborn, must conceal his present endeavor from all about him, even Egwene and Moiraine....Into the Amyrlin's study in the White Tower, where Amyrlin, Flaida do Avriny a 'Roihan, is weaving new plans. ...Into the luxurious hidden chamber where the Forsaken Rahvin is meeting withthree of his fellows to ensure their ultimate victory over the Dragon....Into the Queen's court in Caemlyn, where Morgase is curiously in thrall to the handsome Lord Gaebril. For once the Dragon walks the land, the fires of Heaven fall where they will, until all men's lives are ablaze. And in Shayol Ghul, the Dark One stirs...

Any listeners interested in pre-ordering any of these titles can join the SFFAUDIO Yahoo! Group where an exclusive 25% discount will be offered to members in early November 2004!
12:10 PM -- (0) comments

 


I consider myself lucky to have seen Posing as People last weekend in Los Angeles. If you are in the area, I urge you to check it out. Posing as People is a theatrical adaptation of three Orson Scott Card short stories - "Clap Hands and Sing", "Lifeloop", and "Sepluchre of Songs".

I am no professional theater critic, but I do have plenty of mainstream (community and professional) theater-going experience. I found Posing as People to be intimate, affecting science fiction presented in a medium in which I'd never seen it. I found the performances powerful, the material moving. It worked beautifully.

What does all this have to do with science fiction audio? Well, it stars Scott Brick, one of the finest narrators out there. He also wrote one of the adaptations. It also stars Stefan Rudnicki of Skyboat Road, who has skillfully produced and narrated many audiobooks, including Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game, a personal favorite of mine.

More info on the production (including a few reviews, some pictures, and some MP3 clips) can be found at Orson Scott Card's website. The production runs through October 16 at the Whitefire Theater in Sherman Oaks, CA.
12:11 AM -- (0) comments

 


Volitar: Murder, Mystery, Mayhem
Music by Andrew Engstrom; Dramatic scenes performed by a full cast
1 Music CD with dramatized connecting scenes - 47 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: www.volitar.com
Published: 2002
UPC: 803680208120
Themes: / Music / Science Fiction / Experimental / Mystery / Suspended Animation / Aliens /

"Well according to the Navi-computer we're right on target Mr. Braiden. We should be landing on Volitar in oh.... a quick year and a half."

The year is 2117. Mining moon owner Trevor Braiden, along with planetary geologist Dr. Desiree Lear, return to Volitar in search of a new mining site. Just hours after their arrival a bomb blast rips through the mining compound leaving Trevor bewildered from the loss of his best friend. Someone is trying to him, but why?

Tracks included:

1. Blast-off
2. Deep Freeze
3. Soul Searching
4. Landing
5. Gateway Theatre
6. Faces
7. The Secret
8. Just One Look
9. Machine Shop
10. Nightmare
11. Laser Research
12. The Fire of Section 17
13. Dead
14. Mourning
15. Desiree For Dessert
16. Free

Volitar's creator, Andrew Engstrom, wrote this concept album as a hybrid between science fiction audio drama and straight rock music CD. He personally wrote and played multiple instruments in all of the songs, sang in others, co-wrote the dramatic storyline and even performed the lead character's role. I'm of two minds on this one, I liked the idea, though I admit to not being a devotee of the concept album, but I didn't come away from it thoroughly convinced. The dramatic elements are probably most to blame here. Unfortunately Engstrom came up with a milieu and some characters but the story isn't quite finished. What little of it I could follow didn't make a whole lot of sense to me, and each of the eight dramatic scenes that it is composed of seemed to be written only as introduction to the following song. One example of this is where our characters go into a seedy bar, where an alien rock group is just taking the stage. Before the band starts to play one of the characters asks another to dance. - Cue the music track. - After that song finishes, they tell each other how much they enjoyed the dance they just had and ask to dance again...

While I really and truly appreciated the enthusiasm and the follow through in production of the CD and fit and finish of the packaging, the content itself left me bewildered. The voice acting was only fair and for some scenes the actors sounded like they were simply reading their lines straight off the page. And though the album was recorded between 1998 and 2002, the music felt very 1985, with lots of heavy metal riffs and indecipherable or inaudible lyrics. Not my favorite. But then my tastes in music may not be yours; several other reviewers have noted how much they enjoyed the music. Musically it may work well for you. As far as the fiction goes ... I like to be able to follow the story. And I couldn't here. BUT, taking it in as a serious attempt at SF, that should be followable may have been a mistake on my part.

Becky Jo Engstrom, who plays one of the characters, noted in an exclusive audio interview available with the bonus eBook CD "The Making of Volitar," that they planned the CD as an homage to "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" and the 'B-movie' influences of their youth. So, if before you insert the CD and hit play, you tell yourself, 'this is light entertainment, just music with dramatic scenes' and not 'dramatic scenes with music', you may have a heck of a lot of fun with it! As an aside, special mention should go to artist, Bud Curtis (http://www.alaskagrafix.com/), who's responsible for the CD's digital imagery in the fold out packaging; he's done a terrific job! I found the bonus eBook quite interesting too, well presented and chock full of production details. Andrew Engstrom and his team seem like really cool people and I look forward to their follow up album tentatively titled "Volitar: War In Ganthros."
6:40 AM -- (0) comments

 


The latest incarnation of Amazing Stories magazine includes audiobook reviews in their content. They've published two issues so far, and it's a good magazine with a wide range of coverage: fiction, TV, movies, games... and audio! Find it on your newsstand or at Paizo Publishing's website.






12:12 PM -- (0) comments

 


DON'T PANIC!

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy radio saga continues this week on BBC Radio 4. Click here for BBC Radio 4's Hitchhiker page.

The episode will air on September 21 at 6:30pm (England time) and with repeats on Thursdays at 11:00pm. Each episode will be available online for 7 days after the Thursday repeat. Check their website for full details.
4:45 PM -- (0) comments

 


Dune
By Frank Herbert; Read by George Guidall
16 Cassettes - 24 hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Recorded Books
ISBN: 0788763334
Date Published: 1998
Themes: / Science Fiction / Politics / Space travel / Culture /

George Guidall is a tremendous narrator. His nuanced performances continually make his audiobooks easy on the ear yet insistent - his performances demand attention. Matched with the Frank Herbert's Dune... well, this is as good as it gets, folks. A detailed, meaningful, and entertaining piece of science fiction performed by a narrator with fine voice, excellent timing, and utmost attention to those very details... magnificent.

Dune is a masterpiece of world-building. In the novel, Frank
Herbert creates Arrakis, the desert planet that is also called Dune.
The natives of this planet are people called Fremen, a mysterious desert-dwelling people that the characters in this novel don't fully understand, at least at the beginning. They are proud people, and though a family from the galactic empire rules them, they project an aura of power and resiliency. Arrakis is important to the galactic empire because it is the world where Spice is mined. Spice is of supreme importance in Herbert's universe for a host of reasons I won't list here.

The fully realized culture of Arrakis is merely backdrop at the beginning of the novel, which immediately takes up the story of Paul Atreides, son of Duke Atreides. The Atreides family takes over as the ruling family of Arrakis from a rival family called the Harkonnens. From the moment they arrive on Arrakis, the Fremen treat Paul in a special way, since Paul fits the description of someone for which the Fremen have been waiting a long time. The story follows Paul from his departure from his home planet to his arrival on Arrakis and his eventual survival in the desert, during which much about the fascinating culture of the Fremen is revealed.

Frank Herbert wrote a novel here that works on so many levels that it can be read several times. From one angle, you've got a novel about the effects of a Messiah on a culture. From another, you've got an ecological novel about survival in a desert and the ethical questions about whether to disturb that harsh but natural environment to make it more habitable for humans. Still another gives you a novel of brutal political intrigue as Harkonnen plots against Atreides (and vice versa) in the pursuit of the power that is ownership of the Spice. Each of these subplots is fully developed an intertwined with the others in this novel, which succeeds in every way in print and now succeeds again as an audiobook thanks to the wonderful performance of George Guidall.

posted by Scott D. Danielson 4:42 PM -- (0) comments

 


Audio Renaissance
Saucer: The Conquest by Stephen Coonts in both abridged and unabridged versions. This is a sequel to a novel about the discovery of a 140,000 year-old spacecraft. I missed the first one, but would like to hear if it exists on audio - Audio Renaissance does not carry it if it does. Kirkus calls Saucer "a comic, feel-good SF adventure."

First Meetings in the Enderverse by Orson Scott Card, read by Gabrielle de Cuir, Amanda Karr, and Stefan Rudnicki
I'm a fan of Orson Scott Card's Ender novels, so this was a real treat. It contains 4 stories, one of which is the original Ender's Game novella, the others stories from various places on the Ender timeline. All of Card's unabridged Ender novels are being re-released by Audio Renaissance.

Saturn by Ben Bova, read by Amanda Karr and Stefan Rudnicki and others
Here's the latest of Ben Bova's Solar System novels. I've heard Mars and Return to Mars, but I'm not sure how these novels are related to this one, Venus and Jupiter.


Blackstone Audio
Ringworld's Children by Larry Niven
I talked a bit about this last month, but it was really released in September, so here it is again.

Adventures in Time and Space with Max Merriwell by Pat Murphy
I've got this one in my to-be-heard pile and I'm eager to get to it. I know very little about Pat Murphy, but I see she won a Nebula Award for the novel The Falling Woman, which I don't think is available on audio.

Jesse: Pat Murphy won a hugo and a nebula for a short story called "Rachel In Love", which is a love story from the point of view of a chimpanzee. It's been recorded a couple of times. There was also a single cassette collection of her short stories published by Durkin Hayes called "Points Of Departure".


Brilliance Audio
Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, read by Jim Dale
I'm starting to see this one everywhere, but haven't received any feedback from anyone on it. It's aimed at the YA market - 9-12 year-olds - and is a prequel to Peter Pan. I may have to listen just to hear another Jim Dale performance. There's an audio sample on Brilliance's website.


Free Reads
James Patrick Kelly adds three more stories to Free Reads, a section of his site where you can download free audiobooks (MP3 format) of his stories. Included now are "Faith", "The Best Christmas Ever", and "Serpent".

Jesse: This is an awesome value - cool and funny stories read by James Patrick Kelly and all it costs you is guilt if you don't donate something to his future recording fund.


Harper Audio
The Neil Gaiman Audio Collection by Neil Gaiman, read by Neil Gaiman
This is an hour-long CD that contains readings of some children's books by Neil Gaiman. Included are: The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish, Wolves in the Walls, Cinnamon, and Crazy Hair.

Jesse: Looking forward to this collection. I was worried this was just another repackaging of Coraline and the two Seeing Ear pieces. Glad to see it is all new to audio!


Paperback Digital
As reported here early this month, Paperback Digital is online with two new MP3 format audiobooks for sale: Spirits in the Wires by Charles de Lint and 1634: The Galileo Affair by Eric Flint and Andrew Dennis. I haven't heard either of them, but they appear to be professionally done with William Dufris and Christine Marshall narrating. These books are available as downloads or on MP3-CDs.

Also from Paperback Digital is the X Minus One episode "Drop Dead" by Clifford Simak, which is available on Fictionwise.com, a site well-known for eBook sales. Paperback Digital is editing out commercials and doing what they can to improve the sound quality of several old radio shows. Next week they will be releasing these episodes:
The Green Hills of Earth and Destination: Moon by Robert A. Heinlein
The Orson Welles/Mercury Theatre Halloween broadcast of The War of the Worlds
The Orson Welles/Mercury Theatre broadcast of Bram Stoker's Dracula
With Folded Hands by Jack Williamson
Colony by Philip K. Dick
The Coffin Cure and Prime Difference by Alan E. Nourse
Protective Mimicry by Algys Budrys
The Merchants of Venus by A. H. Phelps, Jr.

Jesse: Coming out of the blue as it did, Paperback Digital is the most exciting and surprising news in Science Fiction and Fantasy audiobooks so far this year!


Recorded Books
Swords of Night and Day, a science fantasy by David Gemmell and narrated by Christopher Kay. I'm unfamiliar with this, but it's part of a something called the Drenai series.


Last, but certainly not least, here's what Audible.com has added in the last month, many of which were mentioned above:
An updated edition of First Meetings by Orson Scott Card
Saucer: The Conquest by Stephen Coonts
Saturn by Ben Bova
High Druid of Shannara: Tanequil by Terry Brooks
Dune: The Battle of Corrin by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson
Ringworld's Children by Larry Niven
Children of the Mind by Orson Scott Card
The Dragon's Son by Margaret Weis
Stalking Darkness (Nightrunner #2) by Lynn Flewelling
Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke
Several titles from Brian Jacques' Redwall series
Bimbos of the Death Sun and Zombies of the Gene Pool by Sharyn McCrumb
Titles from the Wingman series by Mack Maloney
Golem's Eye by Jonathan Stroud
Titles from the Deathstalker collection by Simon R. Green
Collections of Arthur C. Clarke's stories (The Nine Billion Names of God, The Songs of Distant Earth, etc.)

Wow! An excellent month for science fiction audio. Happy listening!
12:36 PM -- (0) comments

 


Martian Time-Slip
By Philip K. Dick; Read by Tom Parker
6 Cassettes - 9 hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
ISBN: 0786113529
Date Published: 1998
Themes: Science Fiction / Mars / Politics / Time-travel / Mental Illness / Aliens / Philosophy /

On the arid colony of Mars the only thing more precious than water may be a ten-year-old schizophrenic boy named Manfred Steiner. For although the UN has slated "anomalous" children for deportation and destruction, other people--especially Supreme Goodmember Arnie Kott of the Water Workers' Union -suspect that Manfred's disorder may be a window into the future.

While the Mars of our reality is a fascinating planet in its own right, the Mars of fiction is far more accessible, and nearly as alien! Ray Bradbury’s Mars was a walk through the pastoral and allegorical mind of Bradbury's youth. Edgar Rice Burrough's Mars, a fantasyland where many buckles were swashed and princesses were saved. But Philip K. Dick's Mars is the strangest of them all, a place where everyday reality is malleable and where political corruption continues as it does on Earth. Martian Time-Slip, as read exceedingly well by Tom Parker, is a poignant and utterly fascinating journey both across the newly colonized Martian landscape and through the lives of its varied central characters. A journey not to be missed, I have no doubt that eventually the real colonists on the real Mars will be reading Philip K. Dick's Martian Time-Slip - and a few of them may even be listening to Parker's excellent performance of this amazing novel.

More and more it seems you can count on Blackstone Audio to pick a great book, match it with an appropriate narrator and follow through with high production values. Martian Time-Slip just adds to this reputation. It comes in a library style clamshell binding with a cool cover featuring the original art from the paperback release. And to top it all off this superb production includes every single word in the book, including the teaser back cover. There is little else to say except: Martian Time-Slip, highly recommended!

posted by Jesse Willis 6:53 AM -- (0) comments

 


Here's an interesting episode of WNYC's The Brian Lehrer Show:

"When Life Imitates Science Fiction"
Wednesday, January 07, 2004, 13 Minutes
LINK TO THE WNYC SHOW: http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/episodes/01072004
When did science fiction and reality become indistinguishable? Guest Steven Shaviro discusses the relevance of science fiction stories of Philip K. Dick, William Burroughs, K.W. Jeter, and Bruce Sterling to modern life.
12:15 PM -- (0) comments

 


On Venus, Have We Got A Rabbi!
by William Tenn; read by William Tenn
56 minutes - [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: WNYC Radio ["Spinning On Air" with host David Garland].
Published: Nov. 22nd 2002 [LISTEN TO THE ARCHIVED SHOW IN REALAUDIO at WNYC]
Themes: Science Fiction / Satire / Humor / Jews / Religion / Venus /

"Milchik, the TV repairman, speaks for all Jews on Venus and in the Universe."

William Tenn (aka Philip Klass), gets the royal treatment he so well deserves on David Garland's WNYC radio show. Remarkably well prepared, Garland teases out some delightful and informative anecdotes and stories from Tenn, it makes for a riveting interview. Garland has also seen fit to gift us with a delectable reading of one of Tenn's stories read by the author himself!

William Tenn's stories always have the same effect on me, as the story progresses a smile grows wider and wider across my face. On Venus, We Have A Rabbi! is laugh out loud funny. Perhaps knowledge of Jewish history would be helpful, I don't know, but I enjoyed the heck out of it. And thankfully unlike another WNYC reading, this novelette is free of music, Tenn's hilarious reading of his own story is almost perfect. He stumbles only once over one word, but otherwise he reads his tale like a professional narrator.

I sure hope Garland keeps up the great programming. Radio like this makes me wish I lived in New York.
6:17 AM -- (0) comments

 


The Crazy Dog Audio Theatre has started a new series on Ireland's RTE Radio 1 called Diabolic Playhouse. The first episode aired on Saturday, September 4th, and can be heard now on the Diabolic Playhouse page on RTE Radio 1's website. The next show will be broadcast this Saturday at 8:02pm Irish time, or 3 in the afternoon on the U.S. East Coast, 12 noon on the U.S. West Coast, and can be heard live by clicking the "Listen Live" link on RTE Radio 1's main page.
11:32 AM -- (0) comments

 


Paperback Digital is now live and online with their first two titles: Spirits in the Wires by Charles de Lint and 1634: The Galileo Affair by Eric Flint and Andrew Dennis. Their website is at http://www.paperbackdigital.com.
11:27 AM -- (0) comments

 


The Hugo Awards were given yesterday (September 4, 2004) and here are the results:

Best Novel: Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold

Best Novella: "The Cookie Monster" by Vernor Vinge

Best Novelette: "Legions in Time" by Michael Swanwick

Best Short Story: "A Study in Emerald" by Neil Gaiman

Best Related Book: The Chesley Awards for Science Fiction and Fantasy Art: A Retrospective by John Grant, Elizabeth L. Humphrey, and Pamela D. Scoville

Best Dramatic Presentation, short form: Gollum’s Acceptance Speech at the 2003 MTV Movie Awards

Best Dramatic Presentation, long form: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Best Professional Editor: Gardner Dozois

Best Professional Artist: Bob Eggleton

Best Semiprozine: Locus, Charles N. Brown, Jennifer A. Hall, and Kirsten Gong-Wong, eds.

Best Fanzine: Emerald City, Cheryl Morgan, ed.

Best Fan Writer: Dave Langford

Best Fan Artist: Frank Wu

A big surprise to me was that Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form award. Gollum's Acceptance Speech? Come on, people. The Firefly episode entitled "The Message" was deserving of the award. If you get a chance to see that series, do! You won't be disappointed - it's excellent, and available on DVD. A feature film is in the works.

The only item here represented on audio (or about to be represented on audio) is Lois McMaster Bujold's Paladin of Souls. Blackstone Audio has published the first volume in that series, entitled The Curse of Chalion, and will publish Paladin of Souls soon.

Congratulations to all the nominees and award winners!
2:08 PM -- (0) comments

 


Books on Tape was purchased a couple of years ago by Random House. Last week, they decided to close the rental division of the company. Most of the unabridged titles that have been produced during that time were available in retail editions on the Random House Audio imprint - I expect that will continue to be the case. Questions abound regarding their backlist, which includes books by Isaac Asimov, Robert Jordan, Frank Herbert, and Terry Brooks.

Right now, the company is selling their used rental copies at rental prices - that is, whatever they charged to rent a title is now the purchase price. While supplies last, as they say.
2:05 PM -- (0) comments