New media darling Matthew Wayne Selznick has wrapped up his unabridged podcast of Brave Men Run. At the very end of episode 17 he announced a couple of very cool things. First Brave Men Run will be available for purchase as an audiobook, an MP3-CD available through Lulu.com! Historians take note, this is the first commerical hard copy release of any podcast novel! Second, Matt also let slip that his NEW novel, a book called Light Of The Outsider will be coming out later this year again through Lulu.

Finding this out we just had to go straight to the source for more info, here's what we found out:

Matt has plans on podcasting Light of the Outsider too! Light of the Outsider is set in what Matt calls his "Shaper's World milieu" -- it's a fantasy genre novel "a totally original world" - if its anywhere as good as Brave Men Run we shall all be very happy campers indeed.

Matt's got plenty of other irons in the fire right now too, but perhaps the biggest scoop we can actually tell you about is the title of the next Sovereign Era novel, it will be called Pilgrimage. We're so excited!

You too can keep up with all the latest Matt Selznick News by subscribing to Matt's email list. And if you didn't have a chance to hear Brave Men Run it isn't too late run on over to Podiobooks.com and grab a subscription! You won't be sorry.

posted by Jesse 6:25 PM -- (0) comments

 


Happy birthday to us! It's SFFaudio's third birthday today and we're celebrating with cake. Want a piece? I sure hope it's chocolate. That'd be nice, but secretly I'm looking forward to all the cool birthday presents more, let's hope they're all unabridged this year!



Thanks so much to all the SFFaudio contributors and readers! We actually could have done it without you, but what fun would that have been?

posted by Jesse and Scott
10:07 AM -- (0) comments

 


Happiness is... a new episode of Kick-Ass Mystic Ninjas.





posted by Scott 1:35 PM -- (1) comments

 


Ringworld
By Larry Niven; Read by Tom Parker
Audible Download - 11 hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Published: 1999
Themes: / Science Fiction / Hard science fiction / Physics / Space travel / Aliens /

I've started this review several times. I'm honestly not sure what to say about this classic novel. In a word, it's wonderful. What else can I say? It was originally published in 1970, and won both the Hugo and Nebula Awards for Best Novel. Of course, the awards and all the accolades since were well deserved.

Blackstone Audio published this unabridged version in 1999, and I found it on Audible. Tom Parker does a fine job with this straight narration of the material. Not fantastic, but better than adequate. Once I eased into his flow, I had no problem maintaining attention, but I think a bit more could be asked in the characterization department.

The main character in Ringworld is a 200 year old human named Louis Wu, who is approached by a Puppeteer (one of an alien race) who in turn is building a team to visit a star system that has an fabricated ring around it. The complete team includes Louis Wu, the Puppeteer, a Kzin, and a human female. The reasons for all these choices become clear during the novel.

Niven's style is such that you can be awed, then titillated, then amused all on the same page. His characters are very comfortable with life, and talk physics like we discuss driving across town. After more than thirty years, the story remains interesting, and the ideas fascinating.

I highly recommend this audiobook, whether you've experienced Ringworld already or not. I enjoyed every minute.

posted by Scott 5:01 AM -- (0) comments

 


Paul Jenkins of The Rev Up Review has just celebrated his 1st year of podcasting! Congratulations Paul, your reviews are succinct, unflinching and always thoughtful. Those who aren't subscribed can check out his 20th, and latest show HERE.




posted by Jesse 6:26 PM -- (1) comments

 


Lots of interesting new releases out this month...

V for Vendetta
By Steve Moore; Read by Simon Vance
Available in Cassette, CD and MP3-CD editions

Click HERE to listen to an MP3 sample.

First King Kong now this, Blackstone Audiobooks is offering another unabridged Movie Tie-In audiobook...




Callahan’s Legacy
by Spider Robinson; Read by Spider Robinson
Available in Cassette, CD and MP3-CD editions
Click HERE to listen to an MP3 sample.

It looks like the powers that be at Blackstone have allowed Spider Robinson to read another of his novels. Woohoo! I sure hope they get the rights to his upcoming collaboration with Heinlein too...



CBC Audio has released it's fun 2004 summer Science Fiction humor miniseries...

Steve, The First
By Matt Watts; FULL CAST
2 CDs - [RADIO DRAMA]
Product ID: ERART00166

The show has a cool cast: Don McKellar, Mark McKinney and Matt Watts to name a few. I heard it when it aired originally on CBC Radio One.

And hey look, they decided to release Steve the Second too:

Steve, The Second
By Matt Watts; FULL CAST
2 CDs - [RADIO DRAMA]
Product ID: ERART00167

This is very neat, finally CBC is starting to release some of it commerically viable titles. I missed this one. I thought I'd missed it for good.




Podiobooks.com is releasing so many titles its hard to keep up, here's the latest batch:

Doctor Janeway's Plague
By John Farrell

A science-fiction thriller about an astronomer who discovers that a cosmic ray source may be responsible for an ancient plague. Perhaps this is comparable to Scott Sigler's latest novel?



Nina Kimberly The Merciless
By Christiana Ellis

A fantasy novel about a teenage barbarian princess who's not going to let anyone else control her. Look out world she's got a sword and knows how to use it!




Singularity
By Bill DeSmedt
A Science Fiction novel that takes as its premise that the real life cataclysmic Siberian explosion of 1908 was caused, not by a meteor or a comet, but instead by a microscopic black hole. Sounds intruiging!





Pirate Jack
By Alessandro Cima
A modern young man sets off on an adventure through time to find pirate treasure and bring it home and save the family boat business. Previously available from CandlelightStories.com. A fun adventure novel that's perfect for children too.




Recorded Books has a few new SF&F books we'd like to hear too:

A Brief History of the Dead
By Kevin Brockmeier; Read by Richard Poe
Available in both the CD and cassette formats - 8.75 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Listen to an excerpt in the RealAudio format HERE.
All residents of the City have recently died, and they will remain in the City only as long as someone still living on Earth remembers them. On Earth, the population has been devastated by a terrible pandemic. Laura Byrd, isolated at an Antarctic research station is the only person to have survived the pandemic. But she’s running out of time, supplies —and worst of all her memories are fading.

Hot new player Tantor Media has released a title I've been really looking forward to:

Woken Furies
By Richard K. Morgan; Read by William Dufris
Available in CD, and MP3-CD editions - [UNABRIDGED]
The third Takeshi Kovacs novel. Returning to his homeworld Harlan's World, Kovacs meets his eternal companions - betrayal, mystery, and revenge. Dufris is an SFFaudio favorite narrator so this should be an especially delicious treat!





posted by Jesse 11:25 AM -- (0) comments

 


SFSignal has pointed out that tonight I-Sci-Fi internet radio show will air an interview with Sten co-author Allan Cole about Lords Of Terror, which he co-wrote with Russian fantasy author Nick Perumov. The show starts @ 9:30 EST.




posted by Jesse 3:29 PM -- (0) comments

 




Though too modest to toot his own horn himself my co-editor and very dear friend Scott D. Danielson has made his very first professional sale and I think it is very newsworthy, even though it hasn't yet been adapted to audio (yet)! Scott sold his first ever short story to none other than the new online magazine Orson Scott Card's InterGalactic Medicine Show!

Adrift
By Scott D. Danielson
Publisher: Orson Scott Card's InterGalactic Medicine Show - Issue 2
Published: March 2006
"He was floating in dark space, stars all around. Then he noticed a dark patch of space, as if a dark hole had opened. The hole grew larger and larger, the stars disappearing, until he realized that he was looking at another ship. An immense, completely dark craft approached."

The print edition of Adrift appears today in issue #2 (that's the March 2006 issue). This also happens to be the same issue as Middle Woman (the story I REVIEWED back on March 1st - which was a story read by SFFaudio reviewer Mary Robinette Kowal). Adrift has a setting not unlike that of the H.P. Lovecraft Cthulhu Mythos, but is also influenced by the likes of Anne McCaffrey and William Gibson, if you can imagine that. Scott's prose is polished, shiny, poignant - had I known he had it in him I'd have been way too intimidated to email him all those years ago - this guy's a natural writer, talented quick and full of great ideas. Now as to the inspiration, were I to guess, I'd say Scott was inspired to write Adrift in particular for two main reasons:

1. Besides running SFFaudio Scott is working on another big site. His personal blog, SFFreader has primarily been a project in which he reads and comments on ALL of the Hugo and Nebula award winning short stories, novellas and novellettes. This neo-Hurculean task has already vastly deepened his already substantial knowledge of SF&F in the short form.

2. Additionally, a few months ago Scott and I had some discussions about what makes an SF story resonate with one person and not with another. When I asked Scott in a private skype conversation to "name a favorite Science Fiction story", he named The Star by Arthur C. Clarke - a very good story but one that didn't resonate with me the way it resonates with him. He then asked me to name one of mine and I named The Cold Equations by Tom Godwin - a story Scott hadn't read at that time. Scott got a hold of a copy of The Cold Equations, read it and felt the same way I had about The Star. There was a distinct gap between the two tales as well as a gap between our two feelings about the stories. In my estimation, the gap was the difference between a meaningful universe and a meaningless universe. I think Scott agreed, because in my view Adrift bridges the gap between The Cold Equations and The Star quite effectively. Now I ask you is this mere coincidence? Or is it meaningful to you?

Do yourself a favour and find out, Issue #2 of Orson Scott Card's InterGalactic Medicine Show is only $2.50 USD and is available now!

posted by Jesse
1:02 PM -- (0) comments

 


In conjunction with the next Kick-Ass Mystic Ninjas Podcast (set to be recorded this coming weekend) we're giving you the complete and total rundown of every Dune related audiotape and audio CD that we know of, it is a very long list and it continues to grow.

The Original Dune Books by Frank Herbert:
There are six original Dune novels by Frank Herbert, all of which have been produced in UNABRIDGED editions. The first novel has been released three times, with three different readers. All subsequent novels in the original six book series have been released only once and are now out of print and very costly to purchase.

Dune
By Frank Herbert; Read by George Guidall
16 Casettes - 24 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Recorded Books LLC
Published: 1998
ISBN: 0788763334
[CLICK HERE FOR OUR REVIEW]
Arguably the best reading of Dune ever recorded. George Guidall is a master narrator.




Dune
By Frank Herbert; Read by Scott Brick
18 Cassettes or 22 CDs - Approx. 27 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Books on Tape Inc.
Published: 2002
ISBN: 0736689591 (cassettes), 0736692401 (CDs)
The original masterwork as performed by Scott Brick, an excellent reader. This edition also includes the complete appendices and the "Terminology of the Imperium" sections. This edition also won the AudioFile Magazine Earphones Award.

Dune
By Frank Herbert; Read by Connor O'Brien
13 Cassettes - 19.5 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Books on Tape Inc.
Published: 1997
ISBN: 073663763X
This is the earlier Books On Tape edition, Connor O'Brien's performance is probably the least popular of the three UNABRIDGED audio editions of Dune released so far. This is out of print and very hard to find.



Dune Messiah
By Frank Herbert; Read by Connor O'Brien
6 Cassettes - Approx. 9 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Books on Tape Inc.
Published: 1997
ISBN: 0736640185
The immediate sequel to Dune. This is out of print and very hard to find.




Children Of Dune
By Frank Herbert; Read by Connor O'Brien
? Cassettes - ? Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Books on Tape Inc.
Published: 1997
ISBN: 0736640193
Third book in the original Dune sequence. This is out of print and very hard to find.





God Emperor Of Dune
By Frank Herbert; Read by Connor O'Brien
10 Cassettes - Approx. 15 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Books on Tape Inc.
Published: 1998
ISBN: 0736644229
Fourth book in the original Dune series. This is out of print and very hard to find.





Heretics Of Dune
By Frank Herbert; Read by John Edwardson
14 Cassettes - Approx. 21 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Books on Tape Inc.
Published: 1998
ISBN: 0736654534
Book five in the original Dune series. This is out of print and very hard to find.





Chapterhouse: Dune
By Frank Herbert; Read by John Edwardson
? Cassettes - ? Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Books on Tape Inc.
Published: 1998
ISBN: 0736643443
The last of the original Dune books written by Frank Herbert. This is out of print and very hard to find.




The Brian Herbert/Kevin J. Anderson "Prelude To Dune" Books:
A series of three novels set in the years leading up to the momentous events of Dune. These were the first new Dune books since Chapterhouse: Dune.

Dune: House Atredies
By Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson; Read by Tim Curry
? Cassettes - [ABRIDGED]
Publisher: Random House Audio
Published: 1999
ISBN: 0553526650
The first of the three prequel novels by Frank Herbert's son Brian and SF author Kevin J. Anderson.




Dune: House Harkonnen
By Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson; Read by Tim Curry
? Cassettes - [ABRIDGED]
Publisher: Random House Audio
Published: 2000
ISBN: 0553526669
The second of the three prequel novels.





Dune: House Corrino
By Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson; Read by Tim Curry
? Cassettes - [ABRIDGED]
Publisher: Random House Audio
Published: 2001
ISBN: 0553526677
The third of the three prequel novels.





The Brian Herbert/Kevin J. Anderson "Legends of Dune" Books:
The LEGENDS OF DUNE trilogy details the saga preceding the Dune prequels. Set well before the events of the Original Dune series.

Dune: The Butlerian Jihad,
By Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson; Read by Scott Brick
14 Cassettes or 20 CDs - 22 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Audio Renaissance
Published: 2002
ISBN: 1559277548 (Cassettes), 1559277556 (CDs)
First of the "Legends Of Dune" trilogy.





Dune: The Machine Crusade
By Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson; Read by Scott Brick
16 Cassettes or 22 CDs - 22 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Audio Renaissance
Published: 2003
ISBN: 1559279443 (Cassettes), 1559279451 (CDs)
Second in the "Legends Of Dune" trilogy.





Dune: The Battle of Corrin
By Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson: Read by Scott Brick
16 Cassettes or 22 CDs - 25 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Audio Renaissance
Published: 2004
ISBN: 1593974248 (Cassettes), 1593974256 (CDs)
Third and concluding book in the "Legends Of Dune" trilogy.
Both cassette and CD editions feature an interview with Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson.


The Brian Herbert/Kevin J. Anderson Sequel Novels:
Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson have recently announced plans to write and release two Dune sequel novels. The first of which will be set after Chapterhouse Dune. Here are the details as we know them...

Hunters of Dune
By Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson; Read by ????
20 CDs - 24.5 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Audio Renaissance
Published: (ANNOUNCED FORTHCOMING - Tuesday, August 22, 2006)
ISBN: 1593979754




Sandworms Of Dune
By Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson; Read by ???
Publisher: Audio Renaissance ???
Published: Tentatively scheduled for publication in 2007
ISBN: ???






Dune Audio Extras:
In addition to those "extras" listed below there have been several music soundtrack releases and kids movie-tie in releases related to the David Lynch Dune film and the two Sci-Fi Channel Dune miniseries.

Dune: An Interview with Frank Herbert and David Lynch
1 Cassette - 1 Hour [INTERVIEW]
ISBN: 0681308958
Date Published: 1983
Published by Waldentapes
[CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL REVIEW]
This is long out of print and very hard to find.





The Road To Dune
By Frank Herbert, Brian Herbert, and Kevin J. Anderson; Read by Scott Brick
8 Cassettes or 12 CDs - 14 hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Audio Renaissance
Published: September 2005
ISBN: 1593978235 (Cassettes), 159397776X (CDs)
[CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL REVIEW]
An intriguing collection of Dune "extras" that should please any fan of Frank Herbert. It includes:
-A short novel Spice Planet by Frank Herbert (a prototype of the original Dune)
-Deleted Scenes and Alternate endings from Dune and Dune Messiah.
-Letters and notes from Frank Herbert from the time when he was trying to get Dune published.
-Four short stories by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson:
1. "Whisper of Caladan Seas"
2. "Hunting Harkonnens"
3. "Whipping Mek"
4. "Faces of a Martyr"

Sandworms of Dune
By Frank Herbert; Read by Frank Herbert
1 LP - 41 Minutes 10 Seconds [UNABRIDGED EXPERPTS]
Publisher: Caedmon Audio
Published: 1978
Product #: TC 1565
This is long out of print and very hard to find.




Dune: The Banquet Scene
By Frank Herbert; Read by Frank Herbert
1 LP - 53 Minutes 34 Seconds [UNABRIDGED EXPERPTS]
Publisher: Caedmon Audio
Published: 1979
Product #: TC 1555
This is long out of print and very hard to find.




The Battles of Dune
By Frank Herbert; Read by Frank Herbert
1 LP - 62 Minutes 20 Seconds [UNABRIDGED EXPERPTS]
Publisher: Caedmon Audio
Published: 1979
Product #: TC 1601
This was re-released on a single cassette in 1994 by Harper Audio.




The Truths of Dune: Fear is the Mind Killer
By Frank Herbert; Read by Frank Herbert
1 LP - 45 Minutes 1 Seconds [UNABRIDGED EXPERPTS]
Publisher: Caedmon Audio
Published: 1979
Product #: TC 1616
This was re-released on a single cassette in 1994 by Harper Audio.



The Dune Collection
By Frank Herbert; Read by Frank Herbert
4 Cassettes - Approx. 3 Hours 22 Minutes [UNABRIDGED EXERPTS]
Publisher: Harper Audio (Caedmon Audio)
Published: 1994
ISBN: 1559949570
This is a collection of four late-1970s LPs reissued in one package. Each key excerpt is melded with connective text written by Frank Herbert specifically for these recordings. The LPs were titled: Dune: The Banquet Scene, Sandworms Of Dune, The Battles Of Dune and The Truths of Dune: Fear Is The Mind Killer.

posted by Jesse
3:44 PM -- (0) comments

 


SF author William Shunn has a podcast! "William Shunn's ShunnCast Science Fiction and More" features interviews with, reviews by and the fiction of William Shunn. Irregularly scheduled but quite frequent, it is full of ecclectic audio from around the world, a lengthy Hour Of The Wolf interview with Shunn, a BBC Worldservice story with a short clip featuring Shunn and exerpts from Shunn's latest novella Inclination (which appears in the latest Asimov's Science Fiction magazine).

Enter the following URL in your favorite podcatching software to check it out for yourself:

http://www.shunn.net/feed.xml

posted by Jesse 8:35 PM -- (0) comments

 


A new hour long production of Metropolis airs on BBC Radio 4's Friday Play this coming Friday. That's on at 9pm UK TIME March 24th 2006.

"Thea von Harbou's novel became husband Fritz Lang's 1927 silent movie classic.Its terrifying vision of the future was born in an age of booming heavy industry. Peter Straughan's new version finds its hero, F.T. Fredersen, caught up in a nightmarish world all too recognisably drawn from the one we find ourselves in today."

Also of interest on BBC4 is the upcoming Book At Bedtime (a weekday evening book reading show) which will be airing an abridgement of The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova.

"When an Oxford academic is anonymously gifted a volume inscribed with the mark of Vlad Drakulya, there begins a terrifying and increasingly desperate quest for the monster's last recorded resting place."

Read by Colin Stinton and Barbara Barnes it airs at 10:45pm UK TIME. It'll run for 5 days from March 20th to March 31st 2006.

posted by Jesse 8:14 PM -- (1) comments

 


Anansi Boys
By Neil Gaiman; Read by Lenny Henry
2 MP3-CDs - Approx. 10 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Harper Audio
Published: 2005
ISBN: 0060836857
Themes: / Fantasy / Gods / Legends / Humor /

"It begins, as most things begin, with a song."

Some children revere their fathers like gods, Fat Charlie Nancy sure didn't, this despite his father actually being one. You see Mr. Nansi, made Charlie the butt of his many practical jokes - that is until he and his mother up-and moved away from the impecunious god. Now living in England as an adult Fat Charlie Nancy is engaged to be married and has a solid job working for a talent agent. His only problem is his future mother-in-law, who despite Charlie's every attempt, still treats Charlie like a maliflous odor. It is very unfortuate therfore when a phone call reveals that Charlie's father is dead. Even in death Mr. Nancy can embarass his son. In this case it is in the way he's died. It seems Mr. Nancy died while on stage, in a karaoke bar, with his hands on another bar patron's breasts. It is only when Fat Charlie returns to America for the funeral that he learns he may not be the only orphan that his father has left. Apparently all these years Fat Charlie has had a brother he's not known about! A brother named... "Spider"?!? Spider, along with inheriting his father's easy charm also got his father's 'special gifts'?!? When Charlie and Spider eventually do meet Spider decides to move into Charlie's flat. This is followed by him framing Charlie for embezzlement and stealing his fiance. Fat Charlie's only recourse is to fight dieties with dieties. So it's off to America again where he'll get an arachnivorous avian ally in the fight against his brother.

If you liked American Gods you'll like Anansi Boys too, I know I sure did, and for much the same reason - and perhaps for one more. I'd always thought American Gods was inspired by Douglas Adams' Long Dark Tea-Time Of The Soul; given that both novels feature the Norse god Odin walking the streets of modern world and being a bit out of sorts about the fact I think that's a pretty safe assumption. Need more proof? Gaiman, in his early career actually wrote a book about Adams, entitled Don't Panic: Douglas Adams & the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy it was part biography of Adams, part biography of his most famous novel. With Anansi Boys though, Gaiman proves himself truly and fully the worthy heir to Douglas Adams legacy. Gaiman writes as cleverly as Adams did, and now with Anasi Boys he starts making the jokes Adams could have made - something for the most part absent from American Gods. Though not aiming for all out hilarity, as Adams often did, Gaiman makes Anansi Boys quite, quite funny, and in ways that can only be described as Adamsonian. Both Gaiman novels are set in the same universe as each other but one needn't read American Gods first to enjoy and follow Anansi Boys.

Lenny Henry, the narrator, is an English television actor and comedian. He's an absolute delight to listen to. When I heard George Guiudall's reading of American Gods back in 2001 I was floored, so I was disapointedwhen I found out that he wouldn't be reading Anansi Boys. But imagine my delight when I was floored again by Lenny Henry's reading of Anansi Boys - Guidall and Henry's reading styles couldn't be more different, but they are both of that oh-so-stunning quality you hate to stop listening even for a minute. I pity those who sat down and read the paperbook version of Anasi Boys, they've really missed something special. Harper Audio has used light accenting of music here and there. It is quite wonderful.

posted by Jesse 3:25 PM -- (0) comments

 


Infection, Scott Sigler's third podcast novel has just commenced. Scott is the first podcast novelist to have three of his own podcast novels made for free giveaway.

Infection
By Scott Sigler; Read by Scott Sigler
PODCAST NOVEL - [UNABRIDGED]
STATUS: Commenced
"Perry Dawsey has a family history of violence, and madness, a destiny he has spent his whole life trying to avoid. When he wakes one morning to find seven strange rashes on his body, it’s the beginning of the end for his self-control. That’s bad enough for a regular person, but when you’re a 6-foot-5, 250-pound ex-University of Michigan linebacker, psychotic paranoia can be a bit of a problem."

posted by Jesse 1:05 PM -- (0) comments

 


The OTR Plot Spot has posted a cool adaptation of a classic Science Fiction story up for a very limited time. If you don't want to miss hearing it check out this week's LISTENING BOOTH right away. There you'll find The Wall Of Darkness by Arthur C. Clarke posted in MP3 format. This rare broadcast was created by SciFi Radio a series broadcast on NPR in 1989 and 1990. A new character was added to the plot but the drama is faithful to the original short story. Enjoy.

The Wall Of Darkness
By Arthur C. Clarke; Performed by a Full Cast
1 MP3 Files - 28 Minutes 50 Seconds [RADIO DRAMA]
Broadcaster: NPR / Sci-Fi Radio
Broadcast: December 3rd 1989
The universe consists of only one star and one planet. Circumscribing the planet is a mysterious impenetrable wall. When a rich man living on that planet engages his wealth into a project to scale and find out what is on the other side he'll find out what lies beyond and also the reason why it was constructed in the first place.

posted by Jesse 10:30 AM -- (0) comments

 


Domo-arigato Dr. Roboto! We're following up on our recent review of Daniel H. Wilson Ph.D's How To Survive A Robot Uprising: Tips On Defending Yourself Against The Coming Rebellion we've got links to some cool behind the scenes-style "special features" for you:

First, HERE's a cool MP3 interview with the author himself, it was conducted by Rick Kleffel of the long running review site The Agony Column.






Second, IT Conversations and Dr. Moira Gunn interviews Wilson, you can snag the MP3 HERE.







Third, Wilson is the featured guest on The NeoFiles Podcast (Show #21). The MP3 for which is right HERE.







And last, Google Video invited Wilson to speak about and read from his book at their Jan 2006 "Author Series." You can check out the audio (and the oh so useless video) of that event HERE.






posted by Jesse 5:33 PM -- (0) comments

 


Pendant Productions now has six different audio drama series on offer. I count five of them as definitely able to pique SFFaudio reader interest. The sixth is a James Bond one and as such almost qualifies as fantasy, right?

Pendant's series are created by a dedicated crew of authors, actors and fans. They are making audio dramas in a radio serial style first produced in the 1930s and 1940s. I think they are doing some amazing work, I hope you'll check them out!

Here are the details on each series:

Superman: The Last Son Of Krypton
The "Man of Steel" with those mild manners gets the star treatment in this ongoing monthly serial adventure based on the modern incarnation of the character in DC Comics.




Wonder Woman: Champion of Theysciria
The Amazon princess returns in this ongoing monthly serial adventure based on the modern incarnation of the character in DC Comics.





Batman: Ace Of Detectives
An ongoing monthly serial adventure based on the modern incarnation of Batman found in DC Comics. Alfred, Robin and the Bat himself battle criminals in Gotham.




James Bond: To The End
This is a limited series based on the character created by Ian Fleming. James Bond is of course a suave secret service agent for the British government. Part 6 of this limited series is already in the can, you can subscribe to the podcast using this feed:



Star Trek: Defiant
Set aboard the USS Defiant, last seen in Star Trek Deep Space Nine, this is a fan created Star Trek adventure with a whole new cast and cew! Chock full of the Star Trek Federation space ship sound effects - lots of bleeping and blooping - also found here is a well written, familial show. Lots of fun.


The Dixie Stenberg and Brassy Battalion Adventure Theater
The only all original series from Pendant so far, this is a light hearted "aerial adventure drama" inspired by such shows as Captain Midnight, Hop Harrigan, Adventures by Morse and Speed Gibson. The Dixie Stenberg and Brassy Battalion Adventure Theater is brought to you in part by Umket Industries.


posted by Jesse 1:30 PM -- (0) comments

 


Listen up chums! Andy Doan of the Spaceship Radio Podcast has a new interview with Brave Men Run author Matthew Wayne Selznick. It's a 22 minute interview with Matt about his excellent podcast novel. If after listening to the interview you consider giving Matt's novel just one chance I think you'll be hooked for the duration.

Click HERE to download the Mp3 direct.

posted by Jesse 1:36 PM -- (0) comments

 


How to Survive a Robot Uprising: Tips on Defending Yourself Against the Coming Rebellion
By Daniel H. Wilson; Read by Stefan Rudnicki
1 MP3-CD - 3 hours - [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Published: 2006
ISBN: 0786177128
Themes: / Science Fiction / Science Fact / Humor / Robots / Computers /

Today, scientists are working hard to bring these artificial creations to life. In Japan, fuzzy little real robots are delivering much appreciated hug therapy to the elderly. Children are frolicking with smiling robot toys. It all seems so innocuous... and yet, how can so many Hollywood scripts be wrong? How could millions of dollars of special effects lead us astray? So take no chances. Arm yourself with expert knowledge for the sake of humanity. Listen to serious advice from real robotics experts. How else will you survive the inevitable future in which robots rebel against their human masters?
-- Daniel H. Wilson

If you've been sitting up nights, concerned about this dangerous uprising of robots and other computerized gadgets against the human race, then this book is for you. In here, you'll find tips on how to outrun a two-legged robot and how to survive a high speed chase involving a robot car. The tools you'll learn to use will allow you to confuse, distract, and escape from all kinds of robots, from "toaster to Terminator".

Daniel H. Wilson, the author, is a Ph.D. candidate at the Robotics Institute of Carnegie Mellon University. He's written a fabulous, funny book that is both entertaining and informative. "Every scenario in these pages," he says, "is either possible or already being realized." In each section, Wilson describes the current state of a certain type of robotics, then, by describing how a human can defeat the technology, he reveals the limitations.

I loved this audiobook. Stefan Rudnicki did an excellent job capturing the mock-seriousness of the subject matter. How To Survive a Robot Uprising is both a primer on the current state of robotics science, and a hilarious send-up of science fiction involving robot rebellions. Rarely has science fact been mixed with science fiction to providing such an entertaining book. I'm eager to hear it again, and will as soon as I'm done typing.

posted by Scott

Labels: computers, Daniel H. Wilson, humor, robots, science fact, science fiction

5:23 AM -- (0) comments

 


Good news everyone. BBC7's the 7th Dimension will be following up with another classic Isaac Asimov short next Saturday! Those listeners outide the UK can use the BBC7 Listen Again service to catch it for 6 days following the broadcast! The reading will be...




The Last Question
By Isaac Asimov; Read by Henry Goodman
Approx 25 minutes - [UNABRIDGED]
Broadcaster: BBC 7 / 7th Dimension
Broadcast: Airing between Midnight (00:00) and 12:30am UK TIME (with a repeat at 6pm) on March 18th 2006
Asimov's classic "man versus machine" short story. In the not too distant future, technology has advanced to the point where global affairs are managed by a huge computer called Multivac which supposedly can provide the answers to all questions... such as... "Can entropy be reversed?"
Produced Gemma Jenkins.

posted by Jesse 11:42 PM -- (0) comments

 


BBC7's the 7th Dimension had a terrific Isaac Asimov short story on offer last night at midnight (UK time). Those listeners who missed it, or who live outside the UK can use the BBC7 Listen Again service to catch it for the next 6 days!




Jokester
By Isaac Asimov; Read by Henry Goodman
Approx 25 minutes - [UNABRIDGED]
Broadcaster: BBC 7 / 7th Dimension
Broadcast: Airing between Midnight (00:00) and 12:30am UK TIME on March 11th 2006
"Where does man's sense of humour come from? Discover the answer in this intriguing story by sci-fi master, Isaac Asimov. "



posted by Jesse 9:57 AM -- (0) comments

 


Merian C. Cooper's King Kong
By Joe DeVito and Brad Stickland; Read by a Full Cast
6 CDs - 6.75 hours - [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Full Cast Audio
Published: 2005
ISBN: 1933322497
Themes: / Science Fiction / Horror / Movie making / Gorillas / Dinosaurs /

Full Cast Audio has really perfected their style. The first audio I listened to by them was back in 2002 - I reviewed it for SFSite, and you can find it here. Their Full Cast style of audiobook narration was new to me, I was a little put off by it, though I enjoyed the book (as did my son).

Here we are in 2006, and Full Cast Audio presents Merian C. Cooper's King Kong, during which I marveled at the expert production. The skillful acting, the flawless editing, and the classic story make this a title not to be missed. Nobody does Full Cast Unabridged narration better than Full Cast Audio.

The story is familiar to nearly all of us. Carl Denham is a recklessly ambitious filmmaker in 1930's New York City. He gathers a crew and an actress (Ann Darrow) to sail to a secret destination where he can film his masterpiece. The crew finds the mysterious island, where they find King Kong in an adventure that turns dangerous in a big hurry.

I haven't seen the original King Kong film for many years, and it didn't have the effect on me that it did on so many others, including Peter Jackson. I have seen Peter Jackson's version, though. This version of the story is not a novelization of the Peter Jackson script. It is an expansion of the original novelization of Cooper's original Kong story.

posted by Scott 5:33 AM -- (0) comments

 


Hey the The Kick-Ass Mystic Ninjas have opened discussions for show 11; this stealthy band of Science Fiction geeks are going to be talking about the greatest Science Fiction novel ever written, that's right my little ronin, they're gonna be talking about Frank Herbert's Dune! Woo-hoo!

You can get in on the discussion HERE.

You can subscribe to the show using iTunes by clicking HERE.

posted by Jesse
12:10 PM -- (0) comments

 


Wahhh? Alien EthOS: The Ethics Of Sci-Fi is back and with a new show! I really thought they had pod-faded - given that their last show was podcast way back in early November 2005 I'm truly surprised they are back. Glad for it too because Show#5 is on "Religion and a Child’s Right to Life" with the SF media example being from the Babylon 5 episode entitled "Believers".

Click HERE to download Show #5 directly.

Or subscribe through iTunes by clicking HERE.

posted by Jesse
10:57 AM -- (0) comments

 


The First Men in the Moon
By H.G. Wells, performed by a full cast
2 Tapes, Approx. 2 hours – [AUDIO DRAMA]
Publisher: Alien Voices
Published: 1998
ISBN: 0671872281
Themes: / Science fiction / Aliens / Sociology / Space Travel /

Oars slap against water and thud against wood, waves lap against a small boat bobbing in the ocean, and shore birds scree along the not-too-distant shore. You close your eyes and are transported to another time and place, a sonic virtual reality in which two fisherman sit to either side of you, discussing the catch and the mysterious steel sphere that falls from the sky. Such richly detailed soundscapes draw you into this adaptation of H.G. Wells’ The First Men in the Moon, and whisk you along from the familiar sounds of earth to the speculative sounds of deep space and the moon.

The acting is uniformly excellent, as well, with Leonard Nimoy and John de Lancie leading a talented cast with their spot-on characterizations of Professor Caver and Mr. Bedford. These two form a buzzing, absent-minded scientist and cool, craven capitalist odd-couple who develop a spaceship built around gravity-blocking shutters and then fly it to the moon. The civilization they discover beneath the moon’s surface is, well, substantially alien. This tale isn’t quite Wells’, but it is told with such ebullience and impressive audio depth that you can’t help liking it. In fact, the genial enthusiasm that suffuses the entire production proves both the greatest strength and the greatest weakness of the work: It makes for fun listening, but it winds up blunting some of Wells’ sharper observations about humanity and reason.

On the plus side, this adaptation does an admirable job of streamlining Wells’ sprawling narrative to lead us effectively from the thrill of invention to the uncertainty of exploration, from budding friendship to estrangement, and from difficult first contact to horrifying understanding. But there are several missteps along the way. For one thing, the voyage to the moon has been clumsily appended with a comet rendezvous that cheerily ignores even Newtonian physics and leads to an incomprehensible predicament with the Caverite shutters. What’s more, a staged “revolution” on the moon is utterly unconvincing, and even more disappointing, the Grand Lunar is transformed from a rational genius to a power-mad egomaniac.

But the most important transformation is thematic. Wells’ original compares human terrestrial civilization with the formic lunar one to contrast life as we know it with his vision of a completely rational society. Both have distinct horrors: We have war and poverty, the Lunarites have de-evolved sub-races and casual deactivation of inconvenient units. In this production, the comparison seems more like one between Capitalism and Communism, and it reverses the threat at the end to be something like a Red Scare, which makes no sense when you consider which society has the more demonstrably violent past.

On the whole, this is a fun production and a treat to listen to. Enjoy it for what it is, but do not attempt to substitute it for a reading of the original.

posted by Kurt 7:37 AM -- (0) comments

 


The James Patrick Kelly Free Reads podcast has just launched chapter one of Jim's newly-Nebula-nominated novellete Men Are Trouble! Jim promises to post a chapter a week for eight weeks making this another unabridged audiobook verison of his great stories. Since Men Are Trouble is a female first person POV story he felt it "wrong" to read it himself, so he's hired actor Genevieve Aichele, Artistic Director of the New Hampshire Theatre Project to do the reading for him.

You can access the feedburner archives for Men Are Trouble (and his recently completed novella Burn too) at:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/freereads

posted by Jesse 2:19 PM -- (0) comments

 


This week's, Dragon Page Cover To Cover podcast features what may have been Octavia Butler's very last interview. Recorded just two weeks before her death Butler talks about her youth, her early novels and her latest too. Click HERE to download Show #208 directly. Or subscribe to the show's XML feed:

http://www.dragonpage.com/podcastC2C.xml


posted by Jesse
12:55 PM -- (0) comments

 


Run for the Stars
By Harlan Ellison; Read by Harlan Ellison
3 CD's - 122 minutes - [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: ReQuest Audiobooks
Published: 2005
ISBN: 1933299533
Themes: / Science Fiction / Alien invasion / Drugs / Insurgency /

It was recently announced that Harlan Ellison will be named an SFWA Grand Master at the Nebula Awards Weekend in May. Regular readers of this website should know that I'm thrilled with the decision, as Ellison is easily one of my favorite writers. He also happens to be one of my favorite narrators. His audiobooks are insistent, as if he is vocally grabbing your shoulders to make sure you have his full attention.

Ellison to me is Ellison - he's his own genre. He takes his main character and dangles him so far in the wind that the reader can't possibly imagine him coming back. Yet he does come back, but is invariably damaged along the way. It's painful to hear, how we treat each other. Very difficult to look at. But Ellison shows it to us, even here in his early work.

"Run for the Stars" is the story of a man named Benno Tallant, a drug addict who finds himself in a position to fight back against the Kyben, an occupying alien race. Unlike most alien invasion stories, this is happening to a colony that is not so friendly to Earth, which is the aliens' next stop. Tallant fights not only the aliens, but his fellow humans. And himself - the reader is never certain that he wants to save the Earth, or himself for that matter.

The audiobook also includes some commentary from Ellison about the origins of the story, and how it got published. Commentary like this in an audiobook really enhances its value in my eyes. I enjoyed it as much as I did the story itself.

"Run for the Stars" is a fabulous listen - the first title we've reviewed from ReQuest Audio. In the hopper are two other ReQuest titles - "Eye for Eye" by Orson Scott Card and "Tales from Nightscape" by David Morrell. You can find their website here. I hope to hear much more from them in the future.

posted by Scott 5:11 AM -- (0) comments

 


Hot on the heels of their blooper reel comes the actual story itself. Yep, the gents at the Yog Radio podcast have sat down and recorded their very first H.P. Lovecraft tale and released it as an mp3. Hopefully this will be the first of many more unabridged readings.

I should mention the best part, it is available for FREE...


The Music Of Erich Zann
By H.P. Lovecraft; Read by Finlay Patterson
1 MP3 file - 19 Minutes 54 Seconds [UNABRIDGED]
Podcaster: Yog Radio
Podcast: February 28th 2006
One step from vagrancy, our anonymous narrator, recalls a fellow lodger Erich Zann. They shared a decrepit building on a mysterious French street, but Zann's eerie music was not nearly as haunting as horror that chased him. First published in 1921, still powerful.


posted by Jesse 4:57 PM -- (0) comments

 


The NPR interview program Fresh Air, hosted by Terry Gross, has made the Dec. 14, 1993 interview with Octavia Butler available for online streaming. You can get it HERE in the RealAudio format.






posted by Jesse 4:32 PM -- (0) comments

 


The two latest two commisions for BBC7's The 7th Dimension start airing this weekend. They are:

Ralph
By Martin Jameson - [RADIO DRAMA]
AIRS: Saturday 6pm and 12midnight (UK TIME).
"A ghostly tale of an old lady and two children who become involved with terrifying occurences from the past."

Voices From The Grave
By Lynn Ferguson, David Varela, Dylan Ritson and Lucy Catherine - [RADIO DRAMA]
AIRS: Tuesday to Thursday 12.30 am (UK TIME).
"Four ALL NEW chilling dramas inspired by existing ghost stories from around Britain."

posted by Jesse 3:38 PM -- (0) comments

 


Hey look! BBC Radio 4 is broadcasting a new 4 part dramatisation of Terry Pratchett's Discworld novel Small Gods - it started Feb 28th.

"There are gods everywhere on the Discworld but only a few people can see them. On the Discworld, gods need people more than people need gods."



posted by Jesse
3:25 PM -- (0) comments

 


Matthew Wayne Zelznick, the hottest new voice in long form podcast fiction, has polished off his first project, his novel Brave Men Run - A Novel Of The Soverign Era. In what is becoming a new tradition for podcast novels Matt promises to do a Q&A podcast. He's also promised a short story that tells part of the Brave Men Run story from another character's point of view in an upcoming podcast. Cool!

These are the kinds of bonus features that make the podiobooks format better than most audiobooks. You can text your questions or MP3 your questions to Matt at his email address: bravemenrunnovel@gmail.com. Matt says he will answer every question recieved between now and March 11th 2006.

posted by Jesse
1:04 PM -- (0) comments

 


James Patrick Kelly has just completed podcasting all 16 chapters his new novel Burn. Apparently the publisher of the dead-tree version, Tachyon Publications, has informed him that about 2/3 of the first printing have already sold. So that means you can still head on over THERE and buy a hardcopy if you hurry. Also, Jim will be accepting questions via email about Burn, for an upcoming special podcast Q&A, try to get the questions in over the next week or so. You can email him at jim@jimkelly.net and he's said questions in MP3 format are cool too.

So what's next? Good news, starting soon, Jim will be releasing his recently Nebula nominated novellette, Men Are Trouble (which first appeared in Asimov's (Jun04). Keen!

posted by Jesse
12:25 PM -- (0) comments

 


Hey if you haven't already subscribed today is the day to do it, you absolutely have to, because Steve Eley's awesome ESCAPE POD: The Science Fiction Podcast Magazine today features a Paul Di Filippo short story called Little Worker read by fellow SF author Jonathon (Sullydog) Sullivan. Its a "ribofunk" story, that's a cross between Cyberpunk and Biotech, and it is more proof that the future's so bright you've gotta grow nictating membranes!

If you have iTunes you can subscribe directly by CLICKING HERE.

posted by Jesse
12:05 PM -- (0) comments

 


Middle Woman
By Orson Scott Card; Read by Mary Robinette Kowal
1 MP3 File - 9 Minutes 57 Seconds [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Orson Scott Card's InterGalactic Medicine Show
Published: March 2006
Themes: / Fantasy / Fable / Dragons / 3 Wishes /Immortality /

This is the second "Audio Bonus" from Orson Scott Card's InterGalactic Medicine Show online magazine, the plan appears to be to offer one bonus MP3 story per issue. Cool!

Orson Scott Card's short fiction is connected to people in ways that other speculative fiction often isn't. Realistic character psychology always takes the lead over scenarios, but his scenarios always test his characters' psychologies - it makes for a special completeness rarely found in Speculative Fiction. Combine this with a refinement of prose, where every word is perfectly placed, and you get a little piece of magic in every OSC story. In this case, "Middle Woman" is a fable style fiction, another variation of that old saw "the three wishes". Originally published under OSC's pseudonym "Byron Walley", it takes the idea of moderation, something almost always absent from fables, and runs with it. It reminded me of a kinder, gentler version of Robert Bloch's classic "That Hellbound Train". Interestingly, it also offers a more restive solution to W.W. Jacob's "The Monkey's Paw". The setting is Eastern, and given the "middle" of the title I suspect it is working in the 'middle kingdom' style of storytelling. Whether I'm right about that or not you'll have to check it out yourself to decide.

Quite short, only 9 minutes, this is ably read by Mary Robinette Kowal who manipulates her voice in all the right ways to lend classic fairy tale reading to this modern fable. In addition to being a terrific narrator, Kowal is a professional puppeteer who also moonlights as speculative fiction author. "Middle Woman" is the Audio Bonus found in Issue Two of the online magazine Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show.

DISCLAIMER: Mary Robinette Kowal, when not reading stories aloud is an SFFaudio reviewer.

posted by Jesse
11:56 AM -- (0) comments

 


Voices: New Media Fiction is the first podiobook anthology, the brainchild of podcast legend Mur Lafferty. Chock full of spec-fic goodness this is a new collection of previously podcast fiction. When completed there will be stories from Jared Axelrod of The Voice Of Free Planet X, Patrick McLean of The Seanachai, Paul S. Jenkins of The Rev-Up Review, James Patrick Kelly of Free Reads, Jason Erik Lundberg of Lies and Little Deaths and J.R. Blackwell of 365 Tommorows, as well as the ubiquitous Cory Doctorow, and another 10 more!

The official Podiobooks.com announcement reads as follows:

"Milestone! We’re very happy to announce the release of Voices: New Media Fiction. Voices is edited by Mur Lafferty, and is only available from Podiobooks.com. It is also our 30th book

Voices: New Media Fiction brings together the pioneer short fiction podcasters. Experimenting from putting short-short fiction to novellas over their podcasts, these writers were the first to test the new medium for storytelling. Some wrote specifically for podcasts, some read previously published fiction, and some read entirely new stories. Some listeners asked if they could get just the stories in audio form, and that request brought about this podiobook. Cory Doctorow tells us a story about a post-apocalyptic government run by sysadmins and James Patrick Kelly narrates a story of a strange reconciliation. We’ve collected 18 stories for you, the first short fiction to go out over podcast, and look forward to bringing you more."

Stories already available from the collection include:

Wolf in the Park
By Patrick McLean
A man is hunted - or is it haunted - by a monstrous wolf.

Barry Koleman, Hero
By Mur Lafferty
Barry grows up a bitter man, denied the superpowers that are his birthright.

The Journey of Jonathan Cave
By Paul S. Jenkins
Jonathan awakens from stasis to discover he's on the last journey of his life.

Pandas Just Want to be Dogs
By Jared Axlerod
A man discusses desires and extinction with a panda.

Anda's Game
By Cory Doctorow
A young girl realizes there's more to her online gameplaying than just looting and leveling.

posted by Jesse
11:52 AM -- (2) comments