Podiobook Chat is a podcast interviewing podcasting novelists and other podibookers, especially those types who've made use of Podiobooks.com. Host Chris Moody rounds up all the usual suspects, getting interviews with, Scott Sigler, Mur Lafferty, Matthew Wayne Selznick, more. But he's also got a few new perpetrators, some authors you've never heard get grilled before.

Shows that you should be on the look out for, in this respect, include show #7 Kimberly Steele (author of Forever Fifteen) |MP3|, show #9 John Lenahan (author of Shadowmagic) |MP3|, and show #10 Phil Rossi (author of Crescent) |MP3|.

Podiobook addicts should subscribe to the podcast feed, listed below:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/podiobookchat

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: interview, podcast, podiobook

9:22 AM -- (0) comments

 


Received some nice goodies this week at SFFaudio HQ.

The Caves of Steel
By Isaac Asimov; Read by William Dufris
6 CD, 7 hrs - [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Published: 2007
ISBN: 9781400104215

It's nice to see this SF classic get the audio treatment.

A millennium into the future, two advancements have altered the course of human history: the colonization of the galaxy and the creation of the positronic brain. Isaac Asimov's Robot novels chronicle the unlikely partnership between a New York City detective and a humanoid robot who must learn to work together.


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

Aerial combat brings a thrilling new dimension to the Napoleonic Wars as valiant warriors rise to Britain’s defense by taking to the skies . . . not aboard aircraft but atop the mighty backs of fighting dragons.

When HMS Reliant captures a French frigate and seizes its precious cargo, an unhatched dragon egg, fate sweeps Capt. Will Laurence from his seafaring life into an uncertain future–and an unexpected kinship with a most extraordinary creature. Thrust into the rarified world of the Aerial Corps as master of the dragon Temeraire, he will face a crash course in the daring tactics of airborne battle. For as France’s own dragon-borne forces rally to breach British soil in Bonaparte’s boldest gambit, Laurence and Temeraire must soar into their own baptism of fire.

For a Few Demons More
By Kim Harrison; Read by Marguerite Gavin
14 CD, 17 hrs - [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Published: 2007
ISBN: 978006788384

Despite dating one vampire and living with another, Rachel Morgan has always managed to stay just ahead of trouble...until now. A fiendish serial killer stalks the Hollows, claiming victims across society, and the resulting terror ignites a vicious Inderland gang war. And when the vampire master Piscary is set free and the demonic Algaliarept dares to walk openly under the sun, even Rachel Morgan can't hide forever.

Quantico
By Greg Bear; Read by Jeff Woodman
11 CD, 13.5 hrs - [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America
Published: 2007
ISBN: 9780792748441

It's the second decade of the twenty-first century, and terrorism has escalated almost beyond control. The Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem has been blown to bits by extremists, and, in retaliation, thousands have died in another major attack on the United States. The War on Terror has reached a deadly stalemate. Now the FBI has been dispatched to deal with a new menace. A plague targeted to ethnic groups--Jews or Muslims or both--has the potential to wipe out entire populations. But the FBI itself is under political assault. There's a good chance agents William Griffin, Fouad Al-Husam, and Jane Rowland will be part of the last class at Quantico. As the young agents hunt a brilliant homegrown terrorist, they join forces with veteran bio-terror expert Rebecca Rose. But the plot they uncover--and the man they chase--prove to be far more complex than anyone expects.

posted by The Time Traveler of the Time Traveler Show

Labels: demons, dragons, Greg Bear, Isaac Asimov, Kim Harrison, Naomi Novik, robots, terrorism

5:39 AM -- (0) comments

 


ABC Radio National, Australia's public radio broadcaster, is going to be airing an abridged reading of Dracula by Bram Stoker. We'd like to tell you all about it, but there's very little to say. We'd like to point you towards the audio index where the novel would normally be archived for a full eight weeks after the broadcasts, but we can't. Reason is:

"Due to copyright restrictions this reading is unavailable as audio on demand."

Now of course it's plausible that this particular recording of Dracula, one of the most recorded audiobooks of all time, is covered by copyright. In fact, it'd be damn unlikely that it isn't covered by copyright. Few if any public broadcasters are using creative commons licenses. What the disclaimer should actually say is:

"Due to copyright restrictions, not normally present on our regular 21st century novels, this 19th century novel is unavailable for audio on demand."

Why then did RN choose a BBC abridgment of a public domain novel that has such restrictions? Why choose to air a classic novel, a freely available text, and get a version that precludes both "audio on demand" and podcasting rights? Why ABC? WHY?

Are we to assume the restrictions weren't a deal breaker in this case, because this particular abridgement is by far the best reading of Dracula ever recorded?!?!

Maybe it is. Listeners to the 2003 BBC broadcast of this version had the following to say about the production:

"Over the years, I have listened to many reading versions of Dracula. The problem with a single reader for the story is that it is not very convincing for a male reader to read Mina's diaries. I am glad this BBC version finally got it right. With many readers giving their account of the story, the realistic and scary elements have been added to give listener a better feel of the story unfold. I hope in the future,multi-readers production can be a standard practice."

"I also feel that in the case of Dracula, it is better to have multiple readers. The talented actors involved in this production have, in my opinion, brought this story vividly to life. It's particularly nice to hear James D'Arcy - he has a wonderful voice for radio."

"Now this is the kind of bedtime story you want, laced with blood, horror, and sexually charged gothic opulence. In this new adaptation of Bram Stoker’s classic, the various diary accounts of the four main characters are read by Michael Fassbender, James Greene, Gillian Kearney and James D'Arcy … Of course, you won’t sleep a wink."

Those lucky folks in Australia who've got the ability to listen live to all ten parts as they air can still enjoy it. Here are the details for all three of you lucky devils...

Dracula
By Bram Stoker; Read by Michael Fassbender, Gillian Kearney, James D'Arcy and James Greene
10 parts - [ABRIDGED]
Broadcaster: ABC Radio National
Broadcast: Weekdays, July 2nd - 13th @ 2pm (repeats 11pm)
The most famous of all vampire stories, first published in 1897 and never out of print since. Dracula tells of a vampiric count, pursued relentlessly by those who would see him destroyed.

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: ABC, Bram Stoker, vampires

1:50 AM -- (2) comments

 


The Saving of the World: Super Pal (Includes Jewels of the 11th Generation)
By Great Northern Audio Theatre; Performed by a FULL CAST
1 CD - Approx. 70 minutes [LIVE AUDIO DRAMA]
Publisher: Great Northern Audio
Published: 2005/2006
Themes: / Fantasy / Comedy / Superheroes / Meteors / Jewels / Space Travel / Children / Squeak Toys / Computers

A comet is heading towards Big City, but is it a job for Super Pal?

Great Northern Audio brings you the tale of the blue-glowing superhero, as told from those closest to him. The nurse who helped birth him, the girlfriend who likes the cape (nudge-nudge), his best friend growing up, even the crooks he brought down.

Meanwhile, the comet comes closer, and Super Pal is nowhere to be found. The mayor begins to look at other superheroes, but no help is available. One kinked their back while lugging an oil rig across the desert, and another is expecting a baby and is on light duty. You know, bank robbers.

What to do? Well, Super Pal does have a weakness for cats in trees….

The CD also includes The Jewels of the 11th Generation, a story of two zany treasure-hunters looking for the ultimate treasure. They certainly find more than that! Children, pirates- and… squeak toys? But where are the jewels? This is also a lot of fun and well-written. Mix that with excellent acting, including the talents of David Ossman of Firesign Theatre, and you know exactly why I enjoyed it so much.

These performances were a lot of fun. I loved the documentary-style interviews in telling the tale of Super Pal, and the jokes in Jewels made me laugh out loud a couple of times! Very witty, and hearing the audience respond now and then in the background really made it all the more enjoyable. For a live performance, it has a better sound than a lot of in-studio performances. A very enjoyable hour!

Both SuperPal and Jewels of the 11th Generation were part of live Great Northern Audio performances in 2005 and 2006. Definitely worth going over to Great Northern’s website and getting a copy today!

posted by Dani Cutler

Labels: comedy, fantasy, Great Northern Audio, Live audio cinema

2:35 PM -- (1) comments

 


Algernon Blackwood (1869 – 1951), as we mentioned earlier this week, is thought to be one of the early 20th century’s best supernatural authors. The good folks at LiteralSystems.org agree, and they've recorded an unabridged reading of Blackwood's The Empty House for your listening pleasure. Blackwood did write Horror stories, but he went along with the school of thought that placed of awe above terror in what makes a good Horror story.


The Empty House
By Algernon Blackwood; Read by Stefany Burrowes
1 |MP3| - Approx. 43 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LiteralSystems.org
Published: October 31st 2006
"Certain houses, like certain persons, manage somehow to proclaim at once their character for evil."

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: Algernon Blackwood, Online Audio

9:03 AM -- (0) comments

 


Second Shift, that highly original podcast audio drama we told you about last year starts-up again tonight for its second season with an online release party! Brad sez:

"We're going to kick off the season by holding a live chat where fans can talk with cast and crew while listening to the season premiere. Ever watched a TV show while talking on IM with a friend about it? This is just like that. We will release the episode during the chat, so everyone can download, listen and type "OMG!" together!

The chat will start between 9:00-9:15 p.m. EST, so show up then to make sure everyone's in. At 9:30, we'll release the episode on our site, and listen together.

To join the chat:
1) Go to http://chat.efnet.org
2) Enter whatever you want as a user name
3) Select "Other" on the menu
4) Type in "#secondshiftreleaseparty" in the dropdown

Or, if you're familiar with IRC, just join "#secondshiftreleaseparty" on efnet."

Catch up, or join in by plugging this feed into your podcatcher:

http://www.secondshiftpodcast.com/xml/2shift.xml

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: audio drama, fantasy, magic

12:27 PM -- (2) comments

 


Cory Doctorow has started recording Science Fiction author Bruce Sterling's The Hacker Crackdown. The book is non-fiction, but deals with some speculative fiction themes. About it Cory writes:

"I’ve been podcasting my fiction since September 2005, and I’ve basically caught up. There are a couple of novels in the can that will be coming into print shortly, and some collaborative stories, but apart from them, I’ve read it all. So now I’m reading other people’s stuff — at least while I get more in the can. I’m starting with Bruce Sterling’s brilliant, seminal book The Hacker Crackdown, a 1992 book that recounts the events that led to the founding of The Electronic Frontier Foundation, my former employer. Bruce released the book as a free electronic download nearly 10 years before I did the same with my first novel, Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom. This book changed my life — and the lives of countless others. It inspired me politically, artistically and socially. Last week, I saw Bruce at his home in Serbia and asked him if he minded my reading this aloud for the next 20 weeks or so. He gave me his blessing — so here it is."

Subscribe to the feed or download |MP3| the first installment:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/doctorow_podcast

Labels: Bruce Sterling, Cory Doctorow, podcast

2:41 PM -- (0) comments

 


Previously released on BBC Radio 4, and with a different reader, The Willows is a 100 year old supernatural Horror story is endorsed by none other than H.P. Lovecraft! Old H.P. described it as: 'The finest supernatural tale in English literature.' Blackwood, is well regarded as one of the 20th century’s foremost writers of supernatural fiction and as Lovecraft, said of him: ‘he is the one absolute and unquestioned master of weird atmosphere …[he] can evoke what amounts almost to a story from a simple fragment of psychological description. Above all others he understands how fully some sensitive minds dwell for ever on the borderland of dream, and how relatively slight is the distinction betwixt those images formed from actual objects and those excited by the play of the imagination.’

The Willows
By Algernon Blackwood; Read by Lawrence Jackson
4 X 30 Minute Episodes - Approx. 2 Hours [UNABRIDGED?]
BROADCASTER: BBC7's The 7th Dimension
BROADCAST: Monday 25th to Thursday 28th, 2007 at 6:30pm (repeats 12:30am) UK Time*
Two friends on a canoeing trip down the Danube decide to spend the night on a small island in a remote stretch of the river between Austria and Hungary. Little by little, they realize that malevolent supernatural forces, embodied by the island's ubiquitous rustling willow trees, are at work against them, and what at first promises to be a straightforward camping expedition escalates into an ordeal of survival against a powerful agency from another dimension.

All four parts will be made available via the Listen Again service shortly after they air.

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: 7th Dimension, BBC, gothic horror, supernatural

10:48 PM -- (0) comments

 


The Sky People
By S.M. Stirling; Read by Todd McLaren
1 MP3-CD or 9 CDs - Approx. 10.5 Hrs [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Published: 2006
ISBN: 140015345X (MP3-CD), 9781400103454 (CDs)
Themes: / Science Fiction / Alternate History / Adventure / Venus / Dinosaurs / Neanderthals / Airships / Cold War / Pulp /


The Sky People fits into that alternate history sub-genre of SF but not in the usual way. Generally, alternate history tales follow the events of the real world with one event changed in the past that creates a different outcome and changes history from that point forward. This may be the South winning the Civil War or Mary, Queen of Scots, becoming the Queen of England. The departing point for this novel took place approximately 200 million years ago. But it didn’t occur so much on our own planet but on Venus and Mars. This means this alternate Earth’s history doesn’t change until the U.S. and Soviet Union start exploring interplanetary space.

The prologue features the landing of an American rocket ship on Venus in 1962. The planet's surface appears as a lush jungle - then running into view of the film camera is an exotic and beautiful scantily fur-clad female with her clan’s people.

The novel proper then begins 22 years later in 1988. The Cold War has changed from an arms race into a competitive interplanetary space race to explore and stake their claims on Venus and Mars. Marc Vitrac, a citizen of Jamestown, the U.S.-Commonwealth scientific colony, welcomes the newly arrived rocket passengers. Their mode of transportation from the landing site to Jamestown is on the back of dinosaurs through the jungle lushness of Venus.

Meanwhile, on the nearby Venusian continent, the Soviet bloc has set up their own scientific outpost. When one of their shuttle crash lands in the relative vicinity of Jamestown, a rescue party is put together to search for survivors. They travel via airship, and it does not fair well against the natural hostile environment. What’s more, there is a saboteur among the blimp’s crew.

The story grows more intriguing as Marc Vitrac and the stranded party of the airship meet with a clan of primitive humans. The two parties join forces to face off against a tribe of armed Neanderthals!

As you might imagine, this novel reads as a love letter to the early pulp master, Edgar Rice Burroughs. But it’s no mere pastiche of the creator of Tarzan, John Carter of Mars, and most pertinently, Carson of Venus. Stirling uses hard science justifications for his world building. And there’s also more of an emphasis on cultural diversity that you’d expect from a novel written in the 21st century. Sterling is a capable writer, whether it is a turning of a phrase or a description of lush imagery, he's able to handle it all without getting too far from the gloriously pulpy action. Burroughs is often mentioned in the book as being a major influence on the many of the denizens of the scientific colony.

What exactly happened those 200 million years ago isn’t exactly clear. Why is the planet's evolution so closely tied to that of Earth's? The reigning hypothesis in The Sky People is that aliens seeded the planets nearest Earth. There are mysteries here that are to be answered over the length of the trilogy.

Todd McLaren handles the dialects deftly without overemphasizing the accents. Some novels are well-suited to be adapted to audiobook, as if they were written for that treatment. The Sky People is one of these, it makes an ideal audiobook. The large ranch of characters with multi-cultural backgrounds enables Todd McLaren to apply his talent for dialect and keeping the listening experience fresh and varied. Sterling also writes with sounds effects—meaning, he literally writes "Unnnngg-OOOK!" for a bellowing dinosaur, so it's like the story has the sound effects built in, which McLaren gets to vocalize.

The Sky People is a rare pleasure—well-written, thrill-ride excitement, fun characters, lush settings, and all wrapped-up in a wonderful vocal performance. This is the first novel in a projected trilogy. I sincerely hope that Tantor Audio, with the talents of Todd McLaren, publishes the complete series.

posted by The Time Traveler of the Time Traveler Show

Labels: adventure, alternate history, Cold War, dinosaurs, Edgar Rice Burroughs, neanderthals, pulp, S.M. Stirling, Venus

12:46 PM -- (0) comments

 


The concluding episode of Canadia: 2056 airs today on all CBC Radio One stations across Canada. Tune in and listen @ 11:30am or listen using the Streaming Radio Map. And, just one day prior to the conclusion Canadia: 2056 earned an "honorable mention" for the 2007 Mark Time Awards.

Here's the official CBC Radio hotsheet description for the final show:

"An illegal upload adversely affects the computer. The Canadia finally reaches the planet Ipampilash, but Faverau and Pickens can't agree on what to do. Anderson and Lewis take matters into their own hands when the captain is unable to answer the call of duty. Faverau comes across a Canadian on board the USS Pickens and brings them back to the Canadia. Canadia 2056, this morning at 11:30 (noon NT) on CBC Radio One."

What will the ultimate fate of Canadia: 2056 be? We've got no idea. But Matt Watts has posted a bit of info to his site. Matt sez:

"Overall, I’m pretty happy with the quality of the writing. I think I managed to write a couple of great episodes (along with a couple of clunkers.) The two episodes that were co-written turned out great, and I’m glad I had Dave Tomlinson and Bryan Lee O’Malley to write them. I couldn’t have done it at all without Joe Mahoney as my story editor - Thanks, Joe. The cast and crew were fantastic to work with. The whole thing was a great ride, and I hope we get picked up for more. I left the story open ended and there’s nothing I’d like more than to do a second season."

And he's posted a pic of the 2056 cast and crew:



The series seems to have really struck a chord with listeners. One listener compared it with the original broadcast of The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, and I think that's a fair comparison, Matt Watts is not unlike a Canadian Douglas Adams.

I've personally received several emails requesting places where previous episodes can be downloaded. Unfortunately I'm not personally able to help you with these requests. But nothing is stopping you from trading files yourselves.

Other than that, for those who missed episodes, or would like to hear the show again all I can say is that the show may be re-run in years to come, or like the two previous CBC SF series by Matt Watts, they may be released on CD. We'll let you know when and where you can get Canadia: 2056.

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: audio drama, CBC, comedy, science fiction

8:28 AM -- (0) comments

 



Presented by The American Society For Science Fiction Audio
(ASFSFA)


The winners of the Mark Time/Ogle Awards have been officially announced! Boy it was difficult keeping my mouth shut for so long!

Mark Time Awards / Ogle Awards
Winners - 2007
Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Audio Production
http://www.greatnorthernaudio.com/MarkTime/MarkTime.html

Mark Time Award
SILVER

Through the Turnstiles
Produced by Sam A. Mowry
Written by Carole Dane
Willamette Radio Workshop
www.radiowork.com

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Canadia: 2056
Produced by Joe Mahoney
Written by Matt Watts
CBC Radio A & E
www.assortednonsense.com

Tears of the Tin God
Produced by Richard Sellers
Story by T. Ray Gordon
www.apexaudiotheatre.com

Ogle Award
GOLD

God of the Razor
Produced by Scott Hickey
Story by Joe R. Lansdale
The Grist Mill
www.amfmtheater.com
and
Dandelion Wine
Produced by Jerry Robbins, & Mark Vander Berg
Script by Ray Bradbury
The Colonial Radio Theatre On the Air
www.colonialradio.com

SILVER

HURF
Produced by Sam A. Mowry
Written by Craig Kenworthy
Willamette Radio Workshop
www.radiowork.com

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
In Science Fiction Audio

* Norman Corwin
* Ray Bradbury

A Gold and a Silver Mark Time Award, and a Gold and a Silver Ogle Award, will be awarded at CONvergence,, July 6-7-8 of 2007.

posted by Dani Cutler

Labels: fantasy, Mark Time, Ogle, radio drama, science fiction

12:05 PM -- (1) comments

 


Less than a week after we posted the story about the unproduced Norman Spinrad, audio drama that was written for Omni magazine, we have an update! It seems that the Mark Kalita and the good folks at Broken Sea Audio Productions have gotten the go-ahead from Spinrad!

Cool!

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: audio drama, Norman Spinrad, radio drama

11:50 AM -- (0) comments

 


In early 2002 a limited run series of chilling Science Fiction tales aired on BBC Radio 4. The series was entitled Chillers (or Chillers - Four Tales of Terror). The scripts were by Gold Sony award winning dramatist Mike Walker, the original stories were by top SF authors. Before today I'd recommended to everyone who'd listen, the first of these, Who Goes There?. It is the finest half-hour of Science Fiction Audio Drama I've ever experienced. But now the entire four episode series is available in the Zombie Astronaut's latest issue. I'm going to be savoring the rest thanks to ZA!

Chillers - Four Tales of Terror
Dramatized by Mike Walker; Performed by full casts
4 x 30 Minute Programs - Approx. 2 Hours [RADIO DRAMA]
Broadcaster: BBC Radio 4
Broadcast: Jan. - Feb. 2002

"Who Goes There?"
Based on story by John W. Campbell; Performed by a full cast
1 |MP3| - Approx. 28 Minutes [RADIO DRAMA]
Penned under the name Don A. Stuart, the novelette that this play was based on was first published in the August 1938 issue of Astounding Stories.
An alien being is found frozen in the ice of Antarctica. When it is thawed, it awakens, to become a threat to the small base camp. In fact, it's a threat to all life on earth, as it can change shape and absorb the life and bodies of every living thing it comes in contact with.

"I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream"
Based on story by Harlan Ellison; Performed by a full cast
1 |MP3| - Approx. 28 Minutes [RADIO DRAMA]
The Hugo Award winning short story this play was based on first appeared in the March 1968 issue of Worlds Of If.
This is a tale of five people kept alive by AM, a computer that came alive, waged war and won against mankind. It's hatred of mankind is so profound, that it kept these five alive only to torture them.

"Delta Sly Honey"
Based on story by Lucius Shepard; Performed by a full cast
1 |MP3| - Approx. 28 Minutes [RADIO DRAMA]
First appeared in a 1987 anthology entitled In the Field of Fire, which was a collection of SF and Fantasy stories dealing with Vietnam.
Taking place in the Vietnam War era, this is the story of a Southern country boy who exorcises his demons making late night broadcasts to phantom military units. Then, one answers.

"Corona"
Based on story by Samuel R. Delaney; Performed by a full cast
1 |MP3| - Approx. 28 Minutes [RADIO DRAMA]
First published in Fantasy And Science Fiction Magazine's October, 1967 issue.
This is the story of an injured man and a girl who seeks death to free her from the pain that comes from her telepathic ability. Their common bond is a pop musician who offers peace to both.

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: alien invasion, aliens, artificial intelligence, BBC, ghosts, Harlan Ellison, horror, John W. Campbell, Lucius Shepard, radio drama, Samuel R. Delaney, science fiction, telepathy

11:08 AM -- (0) comments

 


Cindy Woods, a repertory player and producer for the long running Arbiter Chronicles, has written in to claim The Defiant Agents by Andre Norton. Yep, this is one of the titles in our SFFaudio 'Make An Audiobook Challenge.'

Cindy is aiming to finish the recording by summer's end, though as an already busy contributor and editor for the Prometheus Radio Theatre podcast it may take a bit longer.

While this novel fits into the variously titled, "Time Trader," "Ross Murdock" and "Time War" series it is eminently readable on its own.

The novel's premise posits a future "cold war" background in which the opposing Russian and U.S. governments use two of their subject peoples (Apache and Mongol) to colonize a distant planet. What starts off as two colonization programs soon escalates into an all-out proxy war. The Defiant Agents is a fun Science Fiction adventure tale from 1962. Here's the Manybooks.net description:

Alien technology scavenged by U.S. and Russian scientists has started a race to colonize planets outside our solar system -- and the U.S. scientists are losing! In a desperate move the American government decides to use a group of Apache volunteers in an experimental attempt to colonize a primitive planet, but before they can even begin their spaceship crashes on the planet Topaz...

And to help Cindy reach her Summer 2007 completion date here's our inspirational art:

Go Cindy! Go!

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: Andre Norton, colonization, indigene, science fiction

12:00 AM -- (0) comments

 


The Moth is a NYC non-profit storytelling organization designed to 'recreate the the feeling of sultry summer evenings in which a small circle of friends would gather to spin spellbinding tales to each other.' In April 2007, an event tied into the PEN World Voices international literature festival included a Moth venue. Invited to participate was master fantasist Neil Gaiman! Gaiman accepted and was asked to perform a true story inspired by this question:

"Where did you grow up and what was your home town street?"

Below is Gaiman's unscripted story based upon an event in his own life. There are no fantastic elements, but I found it very enjoyable, and I think you will too...

Home And Away
By Neil Gaiman; Read by Neuil Gaiman
1 |MP3| File - 15 Minutes [AN AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL STORY]
Provider: Pen World Voices / TheMoth.org
Recorded: April 26th, 2007 (New York City)

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: Neil Gaiman

10:13 PM -- (0) comments

 


Scott D. Farquhar from Prometheus Radio Theatre has written in with some exciting news. He tells me that his unabridged reading of Alan E. Nourse's novel Star Surgeon has been completed! This is one of the titles from in our SFFaudio Challenge! Scott took slightly longer than he'd expected to, but it was well worth the wait, the extra and attention Scott put into it has really paid off. The 1959 novel is now a 2007 audiobook!

This is one of those rare novels that tells its story from the point of view of an alien. One of those novels that make you dig deeper. It is the kind of Science Fiction that makes you think harder about human attitudes and prejudices, to really look beyond the surficial.

Star Surgeon is the story of Dal Timgar, a medical student, the first alien to attend a universally prestigious earth medical school. If Dal is to become the first fully-fledged star surgeon, he must fight the prejudices of his superiors, and then the rigors of an interstellar emergency.

This novel is widely respected by readers who've read it, and many think it represents Alan Nourse at his very best. In writing it, Nourse is expressing a subject dear to his heart as he himself was a doctor.

Star Surgeon
By Alan E. Nourse; Read by Scott Farquhar
14 Zipped MP3 Files or Podcast - 5 Hours 25 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: June 2007
When Dal Timgar, of all in his medical class, was denied assignment to a general practice patrol ship going out from Hospital Earth to serve the medical needs of the Galactic Confederation, it seemed to him that his eight years of study in the great medical center of the galaxy had ended in failure. He had worked hard and stood at the head of his class, but Dal was different from his medical colleagues in one important way. Born on a planet of a distant star, he was the first son of an alien race to attempt to become a qualified physician of Hospital Earth. Dr. Thorvold Arnquist, a power in Earth's medical council, is determined that Dal Timgar shall have an equal chance with his Earth-born classmates to prove his skill as a physician and to earn his rank as Star Surgeon. He succeeds in getting Dal assigned, under protest, to the patrol ship Lancet, where Dal is faced with the full responsibilities of a patrol physician as well as the hostility of some of his crewmates. As the Lancet responds to calls of all kinds on planets of distant and unknown star systems, Dal's skill and judgment as a surgeon are tested to the utmost. But it is not until he is confronted with a dreadful decision, which he alone must make, that Dal faces the final test--a test that will determine once and for all whether he is ever to become a Star Surgeon.

Subscribe to the podcast feed via this URL:

http://librivox.org/bookfeeds/star-surgeon-by-alan-edward-nourse.xml

Scott also sez:

"FYI... I'm doing another edit of the recording to submit to Podiobooks.com. It will be mostly the same, but I've cleaned up some minor issues and I'm adding only a bit of effects in some places like filters for loudspeaker and radio dialogue and such. Nothing really fancy, but just a bit cleaner and slicker. If I get a little batch of donations through podiobooks I may just have to pick another one to read....!"

Way to go Scott! Your hear that everybody? As soon as Podiobooks gets a copy of the revised edition of Star Surgeon hit that donation button!

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: Alan Nourse, aliens, medicine, science fiction

9:00 AM -- (1) comments

 


SFFaudio editor, and time traveling podcaster Rick Jackson has posted a story on his podcast's blog. He has good news! Wonder Audiobooks, Rick's classic SF short story audiobook company has got stories, both old and new, that will be appearing on Audible.com very soon...

Rick writes:

"Some of you, I know, are wondering where’s the next TT Show. Well, it’s coming. But not until next week. I’ve been busy getting audio stories ready for Wonder Audio. Some of you know that Wonder Audio is the audiobook company of the Time Traveler. Recently I have signed a contract with the ubiquitous Audible.com. I’ve been preparing some new recordings, as well as older ones, for release on Audible.

The next Time Traveler Show is going to have a fantastic story by Mack Reynolds that was first published in 1957 and never reprinted. It’s a lot fun and I’m really excited about it. It’s read by voice talent Jeremiah Costello, who kicks butt on it."

We'd known that Audible.com was making a big push to capture more Science Fiction audiobooks, previously announced was Scott Danielson and his Deuce Audio. I believe there are more companies out there considering contracts and we've heard very interesting back channel info about how this new Audible.com acquisition hunger came to happen. It seems that audiobooks of the fantastic persuasion are extremely popular, we'd have never guessed, and somebody (or bodies) pointed out SFFaudio to some of the big wigs at Audible! Thanks whoever you are! Just think of SFFaudio as the unofficial talent scout for the big league.

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: Mack Reynolds

8:37 AM -- (0) comments

 


The penultimate episode of Canadia: 2056 airs today on every CBC Radio One stations across Canada. Tune in and listen @ 11: 30am or hear it ONLINE via the Streaming Radio Map. Only one more episode left after today.

Here's the official CBC Radio hotsheet description:

"The captain takes drastic action when his relationship with the computer goes too far. Faverau gets a promotion. Anderson and Lewis try to modify the robot. The captain uncovers the real reason the Americans declared war on the Ipampilashians. As they approach the end of the mission, the relationships between the crewmembers intensify. Canadia:2056, this morning at 11:30 (noon NT) on CBC Radio One."

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: CBC, comedy, radio drama, science fiction

8:08 AM -- (0) comments

 


A golden age of audiobooks is upon us! Just look at these beauteous new releases for June and July! It's as if the gods of Science Fiction are smiling down upon us all!

First up, thanks to Tantor, is a long awaited Asimov mystery, with robots...

The Naked Sun
By Isaac Asimov; Read by William Dufris
7 CDs or 1 MP3-CD - 8 Hours 30 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Tantor Media
Published: June 2007
ISBN: 140010422X (CDs), 1400154227 (MP3-CD)
A millennium into the future, two advancements have altered the course of human history: the colonization of the Galaxy and the creation of the positronic brain. On the beautiful Outer World planet of Solaria, a handful of human colonists lead a hermit-like existence, their every need attended to by their faithful robot servants. To this strange and provocative planet comes Detective Elijah Baley, sent from the streets of New York with his positronic partner, the robot R. Daneel Olivaw, to solve an incredible murder that has rocked Solaria to its foundations. The victim had been so reclusive that he appeared to his associates only through holographic projection. Yet someone had gotten close enough to bludgeon him to death while robots looked on. Now Baley and Olivaw are faced with two clear impossibilities: Either the Solarian was killed by one of his robots---unthinkable under the laws of Robotics---or he was killed by the woman who loved him so much that she never came into his presence!

Then, we head back in time, courtesy of the good folks at Blackstone Audio, to

The Invasion Of The Body Snatchers
By Jack Finney; Read by Kristoffer Tabori
1 MP3-CD or 6 CDs - [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Published: June 2007
ISBN: 9780786169559 (MP3 CD), 9780786157815 (CDs)
On a quiet fall evening in the small, peaceful town of Mill Valley, California, Dr. Miles Bennell discovered an insidious, horrifying plot. Silently, subtly, almost imperceptibly, alien life-forms were taking over the bodies and minds of his neighbors, his friends, his family, the woman he loved—the world as he knew it.

Next, my fellow droogs, is a classic from Harper/Caedmon, never before released unabridged...

A Clockwork Orange
By Anthony Burgess; Read by Tom Hollander
7 CDs - 8 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Harper Audio / Caedmon
Published: June 2007
ISBN: 0061170623
A vicious fifteen-year-old droog is the central character of this 1963 classic. In Anthony Burgess's nightmare vision of the future, where the criminals take over after dark, the story is told by the central character, Alex, who talks in a brutal invented slang that brilliantly renders his and his friends' social pathology. A Clockwork Orange is a frightening fable about good and evil, and the meaning of human freedom. And when the state undertakes to reform Alex to "redeem" him, the novel asks, "At what cost?" *This edition includes both the controversial last chapter and Burgess's introduction "A Clockwork Orange Resucked."

Further, we travel with BBC Audiobooks America to the golden age of SF for one of the pillars of A.E. van Vogt's mighty career...

Slan
By A.E. van Vogt; Read by Oliver Wyman
6 CDs - 7 Hours 40 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America
Published: 2007
ISBN: 9780792748946
Jommy Cross is a slan, a genetically bred superhuman whose race was created to aid humanity but is now despised by normal humans. Slans are usually shot on sight, but that doesn't stop Jommy's mother from bringing him to see the world capital of Centropolis, the seat of power for Earth's dictator, Kier Gray. But on their latest trip to Centropolis, the two slans are discovered, and Jommy's mother is killed. Jommy, only 9 years old, unwittingly becomes caught up in a plot to undermine Gray, who may be more sympathetic to slans than the public suspects. The nonstop action and root-for-the-underdog plot has made Slan a science fiction favorite.

Now with a quick jump forward with Books On Tape, to the modern sequel...

Slan Hunter
By Kevin J. Anderson and A.E. Van Vogt; Read by Scott Brick
8 CDs - [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Books On Tape
Publication date: July 10, 2007
ISBN: 1415940320
"This startling SF adventure novel is a collaboration between the classic SF grand master A. E. van Vogt and contemporary master Kevin J. Anderson. At the time of his death in 2000, van Vogt left a partial draft and an outline for the sequel to his most famous novel, Slan. Now the story is completed by Anderson and is sure to be one of the most popular SF novels of the year. Slans are a race of superior mutants, smarter and stronger than homo sapiens and able to read minds. Thousands of years in the future on Earth, the Slan Wars are over, and the slans were largely wiped out, but people still fear and distrust them. They are now a persecuted minority who live in hiding from the greater population. Slan Hunter tells of this towering conflict in the far future, a war among the races of mankind, as humanity–all types of humanity–struggles to survive. Mutant Jommy Cross, the hero of Slan, and the other great characters from that book return, including Kier Gray, Gray’s beautiful daughter Kathleen, and the villainous John Petty. The final Slan War now begins."

And what Golden Age would be complete without a revist to an audiobook that's probably had more incarnations than your average time lord? Yep, it's Dune, this time done up in an unabridged multi-voiced version...

Dune
By Frank Herbert; Read by a full cast
? CDs - 27 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Audio Renaissance
Published: June 2007
ISBN: 1427201439
Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune is the story of the boy Paul Atreides, who would become the mysterious man known as Maud’dib. He would avenge the traitorous plot against his noble family—and would bring to fruition humankind’s most ancient and unattainable dream. A stunning blend of adventure and mysticism, environmentalism and politics, Dune won the first Nebula Award, shared the Hugo Award, and formed the basis of what is undoubtedly the grandest epic in science fiction. Frank Herbert’s death in 1986 was a tragic loss, yet the astounding legacy of his visionary fiction will live forever.

And finally we conclude with respected first novel in a new fantasy series that Books On Tape is offering...

His Majesty's Dragon
By Naomi Novik; Read by Simon Vance
9 CDs - [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Books On Tape
Release Date: June 26, 2007
ISBN: 1415940142
Aerial combat brings a thrilling new dimension to the Napoleonic Wars as valiant warriors rise to Britain’s defense by taking to the skies ... not aboard aircraft but atop the mighty backs of fighting dragons. When HMS Reliant captures a French frigate and seizes its precious cargo, an unhatched dragon egg, fate sweeps Capt. Will Laurence from his seafaring life into an uncertain future–and an unexpected kinship with a most extraordinary creature. Thrust into the rarefied world of the Aerial Corps as master of the dragon Temeraire, he will face a crash course in the daring tactics of airborne battle. For as France’s own dragon-borne forces rally to breach British soil in Bonaparte’s boldest gambit, Laurence and Temeraire must soar into their own baptism of fire.

My ears are tingling just thinking about all these!

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: A.E. van Vogt, Anthony Burgess, Frank Herbert, Isaac Asimov, Jack Finney, Kevin J. Anderson, Naomi Novik, new releases

11:37 AM -- (0) comments

 


Radio station KPFA's "cover to cover OPEN BOOK" program has posted a 1/2 hour speech given by Kurt Vonnegut in 1970. Have a listen |MP3| to what one listener described this way: "After a rather fumbling introduction by the KPFA announcer, a somewhat rambling but interesting lecture by KV. He describes The Big Space Fuck among other matters...from 1970, with the scary words pre-empted by the sound of a plate smashing."

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: Kurt Vonnegut

10:00 AM -- (0) comments

 


Norman Spinrad, the respected SF author, has posted the complete text for a short unproduced radio play on one of his websites. Spinrad is probably best known as the author of one of the best hours of television ever produced (he wrote the script for "The Doomsday Machine" episode from the original Star Trek television series). The play's called Voice Over. About it, Spinrad writes:

"A little 3-5 minute radio play, commissioned by OMNI for the anniversary of Orson Welles' WAR OF THE WORLDS broadcast. Never produced for broadcast. Any radio station interested, can contact me by e-mail here. Money need not change hands."

Interested parties can contact Spinrad by email.

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: audio drama, Norman Spinrad, radio drama

9:51 AM -- (2) comments

 




Alas, my friends I bear sad tidings.... Seeing Ear Theatre is dead!

If you'd been putting off listening to the wonder that was Sci-Fi Channel (U.S.'s) bold experiment, Seeing Ear Theatre, you've made a horrible, irrevocable mistake. As we predicted, and dreaded, the long abandoned, much loved and now much missed Seeing Ear Theatre website is no longer offering their archives in the RealAudio format. If you click on any of the audio links now you'll only hear an error message.

I'm really hoping for a reprieve here, but I'm afraid its not very likely. The site had been abandoned for so long, and we'd all gotten so used to the access to the comfy old shows that were still archived there. But, as the web-architecture for the site has been aging unattended for more than six years we really can't say its was all that unexpected. Its still possible the files are on file somewhere, and just now inaccessible for some reason, but I don't like our chances of seeing a fix.

Goodbye SET, you were the best of your kind, you were unique, ahead of your time, you will be sadly missed.


posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: audio drama

11:11 PM -- (1) comments

 


"Der Himmel ueber dem hafen hatte die farbe eines fernsehers, der auf einen toten kanal eingestellt ist."



If regular old Neuromancer is just too prosaic for your discerning tastes might I recommend the German language radio drama version?

Have a listen to a sample RealAudio track, its an urbane, laid-back delivery of William Gibson's familiar story in audio dramatization form. The production is speckled with subtle musical cues and unexpected lines in English. It's awesome. Thanks to Carsten Schmitt for the tip-off!

The entire drama is available on a 3-CD set through Der Audio Verlag (which translates into "The Audio Publishinghouse"). Also in the Der Audio Verlag catalogue are more German language radio dramatizations of the works of Isaac Asimov, Stanislaw Lem and many others. Especially cool sounding is the one titled Erinnerungsmechanismus by Philip K. Dick (which translates back into English as "Memory Mechanism") There's something comforting about the idea that radio drama is alive and well in Germany... aber es drückt mich nieder, daß mein Deutscher nicht bis zur Aufgabe ist.

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: commentary, cyberpunk, Isaac Asimov, Philip K. Dick, radio drama, Stanislaw Lem, William Gibson

11:11 PM -- (0) comments

 


CBC producer Joe Mahoney, on his blog, has dropped two dates for the summer 2007 rebroadcasts the two earlier comedy Science Fiction series he had a hand in making:

Monday July 23rd to Friday July 27th for Steve the First

and Monday July 30th to Wednesday August 1st for Steve The Second.

Unfortunately, Joe still doesn't have have much info on when J Michael Straczynski's CBC Radio series The Adventures of Apocalypse Al will air. Joe writes:

"...there was talk of taking the ten five minute episodes [of The Adventures of Apocalypse Al] and stringing them all together and perhaps broadcasting them as two twenty-five minute long episodes… on two consecutive Saturday mornings, perhaps. But that’s probably just idle talk and speculation. Plus it was designed to be broadcast in five minute segments… I’m not sure it would sustain at a greater length."

Hey CBC honchos, why not make The Adventures of Apocalypse Al the world's first ever public radio drama podcast? 5 minute episodes would work splendiferously as podcast!

Not only would this be cooler than hell, it'd be a great way to gauge the effectiveness of advertising a CBC podcast on CBC radio stations to see what kind of traffic flow such a campaign would make. I'm willing to bet it'd be huge PR coup too. C'mon guys we need our JMS!

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: CBC, comedy, podcast, radio drama, science fiction

12:51 PM -- (2) comments

 


BBC Radio 3 has re-aired a fascinating documentary from November of last year...

Weird Tales - The Strange Life Of H.P. Lovecraft
Radio Broadcast - Approx. 45 Minutes [DOCUMENTARY]
BROADCASTER: BBC Radio 3
BROADCAST: Sunday June 10th 2006 @ 20:00 - 20:45 (UK TIME)

"Geoff Ward examines the strange life and terrifying world of the man hailed as America's greatest horror writer since Poe. During his life Lovecraft's work was confined to lurid pulp magazines and he died in penury in 1937. Today, however, his writings are considered modern classics and published in prestigious editions. Among the writers considering his legacy are Neil Gaiman, S.T. Joshi, Kelly Link, Peter Straub and China Mieville."

This is available via the 'Listen Again' right now and the link should be around for the next 5 days or so.

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: BBC, documentary, fantasy, H.P. Lovecraft, horror

10:06 AM -- (0) comments

 




One week from today a bold new tradition begins! Gregg Taylor and his stupendous crew of audio dramatists begin podcasting their Decoder Ring Theatre SUMMER SHOWCASE. Every 2nd Saturday throughout the summer will see a brand new Decoder Ring production. Here's the Summer Series rundown:

June 16: The Magic of the Movies by Tim Prasil (suspense)
June 30: The Crasher by Tim Prasil (suspense)
July 14: Deck Gibson and the Stardust Dancers by Matt Wallace (space adventure)
July 28: Deck Gibson and the Last Squadron Fighter by Matt Wallace (space adventure)
Aug 11: I.D. 0 by Gregg Taylor (sci-fi noir)
Aug 25: Slick Bracer and the Giant Nap by Eric Deckers (comedy-mystery)

Even though only three of these shows are SFFaudio related I'll be listening to each and every one! Gregg and crew are creating unbeatable audio drama year round. And, if you're not already a fan of either The Red Panda or Black Jack Justice be sure to have a peek at the new Wikipedia entry for Decoder Ring too.

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: adventure, audio drama, noir, pulp, science fiction

1:36 PM -- (2) comments

 


Mister Ron's Basement podcast has completed the serialization of the 1880 novelette Fortunate Island by Max Adeler. Ron has even built a special webpage that makes it easy to listen to. The tale concerns a contemporary American professor (contemporary to 1880) and his daughter who find themselves stranded on "a mysterious island filled with castles, knights, and descendants of King Arthur's kingdom." Apparently, Adeler was convinced that Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court published eight years after Fortunate Island, had plagiarized much from his tale. Mister Ron himself thinks there are "certainly some compelling arguments to be made for Adeler's case." Have a listen and decide for yourself.

Fortunate Island
By Max Adeler; Read by Ron Evry
8 MP3s - Approx. 4? Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Podcaster: Mister Ron's Basement
Podcast: Apr - May 2007
This novelette originally appeared as "Professor Baffin's Adventures" in Beeton's Christmas Annual (1880). All subsequent printings are under the title Fortunate Island


And don't forget, you can subscribe to Mr. Ron's podcast, and visit the basement daily, via this feed:

http://slapcast.com/rss/revry/index.xml

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: fantasy, Max Adeler, podcast

11:54 AM -- (0) comments

 


Though BBC7 doesn't offer a single podcast [GRRR!], the do have one endearment that we can appreciate... re-runs! BBC Radio 7's the 7th Dimension is re-broadcasting the ten part abridgment of Brave New World. Aldous Huxley's dystopian classic, first published in 1932, depicts an ominous,l but not wholly repulsive vision of future society. This abridged version has been previously broadcast on both BBC7 and BBC4.


Brave New World
By Aldous Huxley; Read by Anton Lesser
10 X 15 Minute Episodes - Approx. 2.5 Hours [ABRIDGED]
BROADCASTER: BBC7's The 7th Dimension
BROADCAST: Monday to Friday at 6:45pm (repeats 12:45am) UK Time*
A nightmare vision of the future, where humans are battery farmed and cloning and consumerism is rife.

All ten parts will be made available via the Listen Again service shortly after they air.

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: Aldous Huxley, drugs, dystopia, genetic engineering, sociology

10:52 PM -- (0) comments

 


Escape 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

Cross-posted from SFFreader by Scott D. Danielson

Labels: Benjamin Rosenbaum, Bruce McAllister, Hugo Awards, Neil Gaiman, Online Audio, podcast, Robert Reed, Tim Pratt

10:51 PM -- (0) comments

 


Okay, before you click anything, first note, Mark Butler has placed an important disclaimer on his website, Mark's Place, about these readings:

THESE BOOKS ARE COPYRIGHTED AND THESE FILES MAY NOT BE LISTENED TO WITHOUT FIRST BEING PURCHASED IN PRINT FORM. BY CLICKING ON THE LINKS BELOW YOU AGREE THAT YOU ARE A LEGAL OWNER OF A VERSION OF THESE BOOKS.

For those poor saps who haven't already got 'em, paperbook or pulpmag copies of both of these out of print beauties can often be found on either eBay or Abebooks.com.

First up is, Doc Savage: Birds Of Death, which was originally published in Doc Savage Magazine's October 1941 issue. It follows The Man Of Bronze and his associates as they "battle strange yellow canaries whose mere song can kill a man and then bring him back to life!" This pulpy romp takes you from the streets of New York to the deepest darkest jungles.

Narrator, and Savage enthusiast, Mark Butler sez:

"I read this book into the microphone, trying to give the proper emphasis to the words and convey the feelings being written about. I'm not very good with different voices so the various characters sound a lot alike. But the story shines through my attempts. I've also added a lot of sound effects. Its not an 'audio adaptation' but I think it really enhances the audio."

Doc Savage: The Birds Of Death
By Kenneth Robeson (AKA Lester Dent); Read by Mark Butler
14 MP3 Files - Approx. 3 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Source: Mark's Place
Posted: 2004
Doc's musical accomplishments are almost as well known as his scientific genius - but even he can't match the peculiar talent of the strange yellow canaries whose sweet music is the song of death!

Chapter 01 |MP3| Chapter 02 |MP3| Chapter 03 |MP3|
Chapter 04 |