Voyagers
By Ben Bova; Read by Stefan Rudnicki
12 CDs -13 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Sample: Click here
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Published: 2006
ISBN: 0786167424
Themes: / Science Fiction / Alien Contact / Space Program / Politics / Religion /

Voyagers is a superior first contact novel. It was originally published in 1981, but it holds up extremely well, especially since our space program has not changed all that much in the past 26 years. But the novel's setting is the now that was then, which means the United States and USSR are the two superpowers and the only two countries with space programs.

The book starts off in a similar way to Clarke's Rendezvous With Rama. An alien craft has been detected, and it's in the solar system. Those in the know have no clue what the ship wants - are the aliens hostile or friendly? What does this mean for humanity?

From there the story takes a tack similar to another Clarke novel - 2010: Odyssey Two, but Clarke's book was published a year after Bova's. The United States and the USSR decide to cooperate rather than fight. The underlings (i.e. the folks doing the actual work) are ready and willing to do so, but the politicians spend their time pulling the other way. Other internal arguments include everything from "when should we tell the public" to "who gets to go".

Throughout the novel, Bova takes the time to look around at the world's reaction as they are informed. Rumors fly and some factions of humanity take action based on those rumors. In short, Bova gives us a fascinating and plausible account of the world's reaction to first contact. Widespread panic? Don't think so.

All of this builds up to a truly powerful conclusion. The final two CDs of this audiobook contain the most affecting first contact narrative I've ever heard or read. I couldn't help but to play them both again immediately upon finishing, and I've resolved myself to keeping them on my iPod indefinitely so that I'm sure to have them with me next time I find myself in a quiet moment under a starry sky.

Stefan Rudnicki continues to impress with this narration, in which he performs many different voices with many different accents, all effective. Though Bova's story is Clarke-like, there is much more to work with in the character department than in Clarke's stories, and this allows Rudnicki the opportunity to shine. Also effective in the audiobook are the chapter breaks, each of which is read by a different narrator and each of which contain thought-provoking stuff, from quotes of real-life scientists to news stories that are part of the fiction. I greatly appreciate this kind of thing in an audiobook because it provides a true break as effective as a new chapter in text. All too often, audiobooks don't create this break for the listener, resulting in a few moments of disorientation as the listener mentally moves to a new setting and/or POV. No such problem here - the prominent breaks are much appreciated.

posted by Scott D. Danielson

Labels: alien contact, audiobook, Ben Bova, politics, religion, science fiction, space flight

9:42 AM -- (0) comments

 


This Week In Geek is both a radio broadcast and a podcast. Hosts, Mike Dodd, Steve Saylor and Ashlee Kivell cover all sorts of geeky stuff. But I've been holding off telling you about them until this long promised show would air - just yesterday. The podcast for it is up now...

Here's the description:

"If you grew up in the 1980's like we did watching Canadian Television, there is one geek that has stood the test of time that taught young geeks everywhere. Yes, today we talk to Prisoners of Gravity, History Bites, and The Red Green Show co-creator/comedian writer Rick Green!

It was an awesome pleasure to speak to Commander Rick himself, and if you ever picture what TWiG would've been if we were on TV in the 80's Rick Green's projects were it."

This is one terrific interview, perhaps it is even the coolest interview ever podcast. My good friend Rachelle Shelkey, of Signal Loss website (the Prisoners Of Gravity fansite) was brought in to make the interview even better. Have a listen |MP3|.

You can subscribe to the podcast via this feed:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/thisweekingeek

Also, we don't often make non-audio recommendations but I'll do so now, let me recommend a DVD:

History Bites - The First Collection (DVD)

History Bites is a history show (made in Canada) that uses a ridiculous science fiction premise (that television has been around since the dawn of man) to great comedic and educational effect. This show is jam packed with history done up as television in short skits. Rick Green is the host, if you liked Prisoners of Gravity, you'll dig It is history, just funnier and more educational.

The DVD is available through Amazon.ca, we've got no affiliate tag on this, I'm just a big fan of the show and I think you'll love it too.

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: alternate history, history, interview, podcast

11:58 AM -- (0) comments

 


Our U.K. contributor Roy has his eye on an upcoming BBC Radio 4 programme. Roy writes:

"Coming up on BBC R4...

Drowning by Mike Walker @ 14:15 - 15:00 on Friday 7th September 2007. Says the Radio Times... 'Mike Walker's play set in a near-future Norfolk suffering the effects of global warming. Solicitor Richard Parker returns to his childhood home to clear his late aunt's property but discovers nothing is as it should be. With just 24 hours to complete the task, he finds himself diverted by a series of extraordinary events.' I don't know how much this might qualify as 'SF', but Mike Walker does have a track record of previous genre productions on BBC radio (2025 in 1998 and Alpha in 2001)."

Thanks Roy, we'll keep an ear out for it!

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: BBC, radio drama

10:52 AM -- (0) comments

 




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

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

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: Hugo Awards, iTunes, podcast

9:29 AM -- (0) comments

 


Tor, perhaps the most popular publisher of deadtree SF and Fantasy books has decided to get into podcasting. They've got a couple of blurbs up on the new Tor podcast website and a 22 second MP3 file in the feed. Here are the blurbs:

"Subscribe to Tor Podcasts and listen to the latest from Tor Authors and Editors, delivered right to your MP3 player."

and

"Tor kicks off the very first of their podcasts with coverage of the Nippon2007 WorldCon from Yokohama Japan. Join Tom Doherty and Patrick Nielsen Hayden for the exciting event."

There's also a press release that says this:

"Tor Books, an imprint of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC--the largest publisher of science fiction in the world--is pleased to announce its first ever podcast from the 65th World Science Fiction Convention in Yokohama, Japan this August 30th - September 4th, 2007.

Tor Publisher, Tom Doherty, and Senior Editor, Patrick Nielsen Hayden, will podcast directly from the Nippon2007 Worldcon, marking the first time that Worldcon has ever taken place in Japan. This international podcasting event will kick off Tor's podcasting program, which will continue with regularly scheduled podcasts on September 12th.

The daily podcasts from the convention will cover the events there, as well as interviews with notable authors and editors and perhaps a few surprise guests. These podcasts will be available for download from iTunes, Yahoo and Google, through RSS--and individuals can also tune in to them directly from the Tor website at www.tor-forge.com/podcasts.

The tor.com podcast launch heralds the beginning of several exciting digital businesses that Tor will be launching in the coming months--designed to make Tor the leading online destination for the Science Fiction community."

Could be very cool. Incidentally, they've got the title of their podcast modestly listed in iTunes as "The Very Best Of Science Fiction And Fantasy" - hopefully the podcast will live up to the title's claim.

You can subscribe to the feed via this url:

http://www.tor-forge.com/GenerateRSS.ashx?type=itunes

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: podcast, Worldcon2007

10:55 PM -- (0) comments

 


Speaking of Online Audio, and we do that a lot, I thought I'd mention a new tool for recording it. Frustrated Windows Vista users especially will want to give this software a shot. While there may be easier ways to record streaming audio using Vista, I sure haven't found one as easy as Freecorder. This is a free Firefox (and Internet Explorer) browser plugin that lets you record any sounds coming through your web browser as either a WAV or MP3. The coolest part is that Freecorder doesn't include any of the sounds made by your regular computer usage during recording (like the sound made by emptying a recycling bin, or those pesky error message dings). I recorded all three parts of ABC Radio National's It Just Stopped this way. I sure wish I'd have had this back when The Seeing Ear Theater files were still around. Here's a snippet from the press release:

"Applian Technologies has just released the Freecorder Toolbar Sound Recorder, a free audio capture program for Windows Vista which restores the audio recording functionality previously available in prior versions of Windows.

Using a new driverless recording process developed by Applian, the software allows customers to capture audio as MP3 files from virtually any application or internet stream. Freecorder Toolbar is free, and available today from www.freecorder.com."

Prior to Vista, all PCs had relatively easy access to recording web audio. But Windows Vista has severely restricted our ability to record Online Audio. Apparently this is caused by new driver signing requirement of Windows Vista. Know of a better universal workaround? Let us know!

[via Download Squad via Pocket PC Louisville]

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: Online Audio

8:33 AM -- (2) comments

 


Hurry quick! Head on over to ABC Radio National, Australia's Public Radio service and have a listen to the streaming RealAudio or WindowsMedia audio of its radio drama program Airplay. They have just finished broadcasting a new Australian play called It Just Stopped.

As with many avant-garde and literary themed plays these days, this one uses old tropes of Science Fiction to try to spice up old mainstream literature lessons. It Just Stopped uses a passive aggressive and (utterly surreal) apocalypse, that seems composed of what philosopher David Hume might call "an end to Uniformity" as a setting for its plot. Like many of the literary plays that adopt SF themes, the focus here is on the psychological, the existential, the urban, and as a result it (and they) has no "sense of wonder" - but in this case, in its place It Just Stopped delivers an experience like that of a Henrik Ibsen staging of The Road Warrior. Yikes! It sure doesn't sound too appealing when I write it that way, but I really dug it. Check out this, one of many, choice lines of dialogue:

"Richard Pratt does not have cardboard boxes in his soul. But I do."

For those who really dug the CBC's Canadia: 2056, you might look at It Just Stopped as the Australian take on the same thing (American values exposed by American characters, as filtered through foreign, but not necessarily hostile eyes). I must have listened to part three of It Just Stopped about five times. It'll blew my mind. It'll blow your mind. But, don't take my word, have a listen for yourself before it all disappears - which I'm guessing will happen in just a few days...

It Just Stopped
By Stephen Sewell; Performed by a full cast
3 Parts - Approx. 90 Minutes [RADIO DRAMA]
Broadcaster: ABC Radio National / Airplay
Broadcast: August 2007

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3

"If the world just stops one day, how will this change what we value? What would we do to to ensure our personal survival?"

Oh yes, and FREE APOCALYPSE AL!

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: ABC, apocalypse, Online Audio, radio drama, Stephen Sewell

7:08 AM -- (0) comments

 


In the Internet Archive's Audio Archive section you can find audio from much of Season 3 of the original Doctor Who television series. This is one of the seasons for which many of the original broadcast episodes are missing (a long and infuriating story). Diligence on the part of some die hard fans, and some of the affiliate TV stations in other countries have turned up some of the video, and more of the audio tracks from this season over the decades since they were first broadcast. Since then the BBC had a Doctor Who actor (who played a companion during this time) provide narration for what would normally be a audio visual story. Here are all the completed serials:

Doctor Who - Galaxy 4
By William Emms; Narrated by Peter Purves
4 MP3 Files - [UNABRIDGED AUDIO DRAMA]
Broadcaster: BBC
Broadcast: Sep. 11 - Oct. 2, 1965

"The Doctor, Vicki, and Steven land on an unknown planet inhabited by the hideous Rills, with their Chumbley robots, and the Drahvins. The Drahvins try to enlist the Doctor's help to destroy the "evil" Rills, but who are the real villains?"

Episode 1 |MP3| Four Hundred Dawns
Episode 2 |MP3| Trap of Steel
Episode 3 |MP3| Airlock
Episode 4 |MP3| The Exploding Planet

Doctor Who - Mission To The Unknown
By Terry Nation; Narrated by Peter Purves
1 |MP3| - [UNABRIDGED AUDIO DRAMA]
Broadcaster: BBC
Broadcast: Oct. 9, 1965

"On the planet Kembel three men struggle to repair their crashed spaceship in a hostile jungle."



Doctor Who - The Myth Makers
By Donald Cotton; Narrated by Peter Purves
4 MP3 Files - [UNABRIDGED AUDIO DRAMA]
Broadcaster: BBC
Broadcast: Oct. 16 – Nov. 6, 1965

"The Doctor, Vicki, and Steven become involved in the siege of Troy."

Episode 1 |MP3| Temple of Secrets
Episode 2 |MP3| Small Prophet Quick Return
Episode 3 |MP3| Death of a Spy
Episode 4 |MP3| Horse of Destruction

The über Doctor Who fans out there can also have a listen to the majority of the Daleks' Master Plan, one of the longest serials ever made, but it is not available in its entirety.

[via Quasar Dragon]

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: audio drama, Doctor Who, Online Audio

9:51 PM -- (4) comments

 


The Maria Lectrix podcast and its prolific narrator, Maureen O'Brien, have just completed a recording of a novelette by Poul Anderson. The story was first (and last) published in the February 1953 issue of "Space Science Fiction" magazine. Here's what Maureen has to say about her podcasting of this tale:

"The late Poul Anderson was a writer of infinite variety, whom I defy you to define. He was also a true gentleman of the old school, as I learned on the single occasion when I got to meet him and eat dinner with him (the con committee hath its perks!). I regard it as an honor to host this tale and adapt it to audio."

Security
By Poul Anderson; Read by Maureen O'Brien
5 MP3s - 92 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Podcaster: Maria Lectrix
Podcast: August 2007
“Security introduces us to a mild-mannered scientist with a high clearance, living in what we gradually realize is a very unpleasant future."

Part 1 |MP3| Part 2 |MP3| Part 3 |MP3| Part 4 |MP3| Part 5 |MP3|

Check out the Maria Lectrix all Science Fiction podcast feed:

http://marialectrix.wordpress.com/tag/fiction/science-fiction/feed/

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: audiobook, Poul Anderson, science fiction

1:35 PM -- (0) comments

 


PodioMedia chat has posted an interview with our very own Dani Cutler (also of The Audio Addicts blog and the Truth Seekers Podcast). Go have a listen to Dani talk about her ardor for Radio Drama, performing in Audio Drama, blogging about Audio Theatre and podcasting (about politics). Have a listen |MP3|, Dani with her passion, perspicacity and powerful persona, she will persuade you.


posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: audio drama, metaSFFaudio, podcast, radio drama

12:05 PM -- (1) comments

 


Star Wars - Legacy Of The Force: Inferno
By Troy Denning; Read by Marc Thompson
5 CDs - 6 Hours 30 Minutes [ABRIDGED]
Publisher: Random House Audio
Published: August 2007
ISBN: 9780739323991
"Luke Skywalker wanted to unify the Jedi order and bring peace to the universe. Instead his wife Mara lies dead at the hands of an unknown assassin, his wayward nephew Jacen has seized control of the Galactic Alliance, and the galaxy has exploded in all-out civil war. With Luke consumed by grief, Jacen Solo works quickly to consolidate his power and jumpstart his plan to take over the Jedi."


The Wheel of Darkness
By Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child; Read by Rene Auberjonois
12 CDs - 13 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Published: August 2007
ISBN:1594839417
"At a remote monastery, they learn that a rare and dangerous artifact the monks have been guarding for generations has been mysteriously stolen."


The Bright Child
By Tommy Wallach; Read by Tommy Wallach
Publisher: Podiobooks.com
STATUS: In Progress
"The Bright Child is a fantasy novel in the mold of Philip Pullman or C.S. Lewis. Parker Sante, a chubby eighth-grader whose best friend is the view out his attic window, has recently been kicked out of his high school for almost killing another boy. His mother doesn't know what to do with him, and is ecstatic when he is accepted to a new private school that promises to be one of the best in the country, Bright Child Academy. The family moves to Yreka, a small suburban town in the Pacific Northwest, so Parker can attend. Finally, he'll be able to start fresh."

Terra Incognita
By Gary Hicks; Read by Gary Hicks
Publisher: Podiobooks.com
STATUS: In Progress
"Drawn together apparently by the hand of fate, Trent and Cole escape the oppressive totalitarian domed city that has nurtured them all their lives. Outside they discover a world they could never have imagined. They are pursued by the city Militia, intent on returning them to the secretive entity that oversees every facet of the city."

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: Douglas Preston, Gary Hicks, Lincoln Child, podcast, podiobook, Star Wars, Tommy Wallach

11:01 PM -- (0) comments

 


An intriguing new release of a DC Comics classic from Graphic Audio.... (who we mostly know as the makers of The Destroyer, Outlanders, Deathlands and other Remo Williams-eseque adventure series).



posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: audio drama, Batman, superheroes, Superman, supervillians, Wonder Woman

9:44 PM -- (1) comments

 


Local Custom
By Sharon Lee and Steve Miller; Read by Michael Shanks
1 MP3-CD or 8 CDs - Approx. 10.5 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Buzzy Multimedia
Published: 2005
ISBN: 0979074916 (MP3-CD); 096572557X (CDs)
Themes: / Science Fiction / Romance / Space Opera / Galactic Civilization / Love /

"Each person shall provide his Clan of origin with a child of his blood, who will be raised by the Clan and belong to the Clan, despite whatever may later occur to place the parent beyond the Clan's authority. And this shall be Law for every person of every Clan."

So far there are seven novels set in the Liaden Universe, though this one isn't the first published it is chronologically the first to happen. Local Custom is a simple story, a Romeo And Juliet, tale, except with a happy ending and a few more spaceships. Master trader Er Thom yos'Galan is from the planet Liaden, an honour based society of humans. His family, and especially his mother are demanding an heir from Er Thom, as is only right and proper. But Er Thom cannot think of the traditional contract-marriage to some Liaden clan daughter when his true love is back on Terra. Anne Davis, a professor of Liaden studies on Terra had a brief affair with Er Thom years ago. When Er Thom shows up on her doorstep her secret and his duty will embroil them in a galaxy spanning scandal which threatens the honour of clan Korval.

Much of the interest here is in the worldbuilding, Liaden culture is richly imagined and the idea of "melant'i" is fodder for lots of drama. Melant'i, is a conveyed honour, not dissimilar from that created by Jack Vance for The Moon Moth. While the resolution of complex culture clashes makes for good drama, the effect here also makes many long dialogue scenes.This was coupled with a general lack of description - I didn't know what anybody or anything looked like. The plot, centering around Er Thom's marital fate, is spread thinly - while the novel never actually bores I kept wondering when something meaty was going to happen - very little did, this is a personal family drama set in a science fiction setting. Sharon Lee and Steve Miller have obviously built themselves an interesting universe here, and I think it'd be one worth visiting again, especially if there is a story in it with a wider-ranging plot. Fans of the series are vehement in their ardor for it.

Some of the exposition is placed at chapter or scene beginnings, mostly notes on Liaden history and cultural norms. This helped the general flow of the telling. Also helpful was Buzzy Multimedia's engagement of screen actor Michael Shanks for the narration. Shanks appears as Dr. Daniel Jackson on Stargate SG1, but he's a capable narrator, giving distinction to male and female character alike. There were a few times where I thought I heard Shanks stumble over a word, but generally these were in dialogue, and they may have been deliberate - they certainly didn't detract from the production. The first three chapters are available for FREE MP3 download on the Buzzy website.

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: galactic civilization, love, romance, science fiction, Sharon Lee, space opera, Steve Miller

10:08 AM -- (0) comments

 


[editor's note - Yep, more SFFaudio staff getting FREE publicity for their excellent audiobook endeavors]

Scott Danielson's audiobook company Deuce Audio, has two releases through Audible.com (and therefore iTunes too). These are absolutely stunning productions by a professional narrators. Check these out...

Available now from Deuce Audio!

The Retrieval Artist
By Kristine Kathryn Rusch; Read by Stefan Rudnicki
Approx. 2 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: iTunes, Audible.com
Published: August 2007
Retrieval Artists find people who have Disappeared. But people Disappear for a reason--they don't want to be found. When Anetka Sobol shows up at Miles Flint's office on the Moon, he immediately knows that this case is going to be complicated.

Shed Skin
By Robert J. Sawyer; Read by Stephen Hoye
Approx. 45 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Published: iTunes, Audible.com
Published: August 2007
To live forever, you can copy your mind and transfer it to an immortal robotic body...but what happens to your Shed Skin?

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: audiobook, Deuce Audio, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Robert J. Sawyer

10:03 AM -- (0) comments

 


A recent Yog Radio show has an exclusive interview with SFWA Grandmaster Brian Aldiss |MP3| also on the roster is Hammer Horror film director John Hough.

And as always we'll give you the podcast feed - especially useful for those folks who like a regular dose of Call Of Cthulhu.

http://feeds.feedburner.com/cthulhu

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: Brian Aldiss, interview, podcast

2:23 PM -- (0) comments

 


Two months ago we told you about an unproduced Norman Spinrad, audio drama that was written for Omni magazine, and that was languishing unrecorded. Broken Sea contacted Spinrad and secured the okay for go-ahead. Mark Kalita and the good folks at Broken Sea Audio Productions have now COMPLETED it. Reportedly, Spinrad has given the dramatization a thumb's up and it is available for listening...

Voice Over
By Norman Spinrad; Featuring a full cast
1 |MP3| - [AUDIO DRAMA]
Publisher: Broken Sea
Published: August 2007
Talk radio shows are always a source of interesting characters, sometimes originating from the most unexpected places. But amiable, unflappable talk show host Bobby Edwards gets more than he bargains for when his airwaves are suddenly hijacked by a strange cast of callers from beyond the stars.

Featuring the vocal talents of:

Mark Kalita as Bobby Edwards
Elie Hirschman as: The Announcer, Debbie, Caller #3, Electronic Voice, Daffy Duck, JFK, Groucho Marx & Ma Bell
Chip Joel as: Mr. Spock, Porky Pig, Rod Serling, Orson Welles & Bert Parks
Doug Manllen as: Caller #2 & The Director

Directed by Mark Kalita
Post-production by Paul Mannering
Music by Scott Shannon - podsafeaudio.com

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: aliens, comedy, Norman Spinrad, Online Audio, science fiction

1:27 PM -- (0) comments

 


Here's a sweet find! John Kessel who's story of A Clean Escape premiered on the new Masters Of Science Fiction anthology TV series a couple of Saturdays ago has made the original tale available to be heard as a regular audiobook reading on his website. Kessel, with help from friend, and fellow SF writer, James Patrick Kelly, has recorded his most adapted story and posted it for our listening pleasure. It was first published in 1985 in the pages of Asimov's Science Fiction. Also available from Kessel is his short story, Some Like It Cold, which first appeared a 1994 issue of Omni. Grab the details for each below...

A Clean Escape
By John Kessel; Read by John Kessel
1 |MP3| - Approx. 30 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: John Kessel's website
Published: August 2007
A psychiatrist deals with a patient who seems to have lost his memory of the last twenty-four years. Or has he?


Some Like It Cold
By John Kessel; Read by John Kessel
1 |MP3| - Approx. 30 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: John Kessel's website
Published: August 2007
A time traveling talent scout from the future visits 1962 in search of his next recruit. But is she ready to come?

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: John Kessel, psychiatry, psychology, science fiction, time travel

1:44 PM -- (0) comments

 


Radio Drama Revival is a weekly podcast that also airs as a radio show on Thursdays, between 1pm and 1:30PM EST in Portland, Maine. The WMPG proram is produced by Frederick Greenhalgh of FinalRune Productions, but Fred also has many guest on the show including audio dramatist Joe Medina of the Afterhell horror series. A recent show featured a revealing interview with Joe and a complete episode of Afterhell episode from series 2. Here's that |MP3|.


Currently being podcast is the complete run of Crazy Dog Audio Theatre's The Last Harbinger, a show you won't want to miss (read our glowing review of it HERE).

Here are all three parts released so far:

Part 1 |MP3|
Part 2 |MP3|
Part 3 |MP3|

More will come in the weeks ahead, as well as an interview with Roger Gregg, the writer, producer, actor, and Crazy Dog who's responsible for The Last Harbinger.

Keep radio drama revived by subscribing to the podcast's feed:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/RadioDramaRevival

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: audio drama, comedy, horror, interview, podcast, radio drama

9:00 AM -- (0) comments

 


Maureen O'Brien, of the Maria Lectrix podcast has been working on a fantasy epic which she describes thusly:

"This classic 1922 fantasy novel brings you to a strange and lovely world where a young lord wrestles King Gorice for his land's freedom, where unscalable mountains can only be conquered by stubbornness and hippogriffs, where the great explorer Lord Gro finds himself continually driven to betrayal, where sweet young women occasionally fall for evil wizards, and where the heroes actually win their hearts' desire."

The Worm Ouroboros
By E.R. Eddison; Read by Maureen O'Brien
IN PROGRESS - [UNABRIDGED]
Podcaster: Maria Lectrix
Podcast: May 2007 -> ????
The domineering King Gorice of Witchland and the Lords of Demonland vie for power in an imaginary medievalesque world that's also reminiscent of the Norse sagas. Tolkien himself liked the book but its morality sharply contrasts with that found in The Lord Of The Rings, as the main protagonists are proud warriors who seek glory in battle.

You can listen to every chapter of the podcast via this feed:

http://marialectrix.wordpress.com/tag/fiction/feed/

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: audiobook, E.R. Eddison, fantasy, podcast, podiobook

8:55 PM -- (0) comments

 


Where's My Jetpack?: A Guide to the Amazing Science Fiction Future That Never Arrived
By Daniel H. Wilson, PhD; Read by Stefan Rudnicki
1 MP3-CD - 3.5 hours - [UNABRIDGED]
Sample: Click here
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Published: 2007
ISBN: 078617160X
Themes: / Science Fiction / Non-fiction / Technology / Teleportation /

The future is now. And we are not impressed. The future was supposed to be a fully automated, atomic-powered, germ-free Utopia, a place where a grown man could wear a velvet spandex unitard and not be laughed at. Our beloved scientist may be building the future, but some key pieces are missing. Where are the ray guns, the flying cars, and the hoverboards that we expected? We can't wait another minute for the future to arrive. The time has come to hold the Golden Age of science fiction accountable for its fantastic promises.

Finally, someone has come to take the Golden Age of science fiction to task for all that crap they told us would happen. Who is the hero that's going to demand our cool stuff? None other than Daniel H. Wilson, PhD, that's who. That's right. The guy who saved us from all those robots in his previous book - How to Survive a Robot Uprising. (SFFaudio Review here - we're on the ball with all this surviving stuff.)

Just like in How to Survive a Robot Uprising, Wilson takes real science facts and gives them to us in a way that will make you laugh out loud. For example, what about those jetpacks we were promised? (Wilson calls the jetpack the "Holy Grail of classic science fiction technology.") In this book, we find out that Wendell Moore finished the Bell Rocket Belt in 1961. It was basically a rocket mounted to a backpack. He tested it himself. Yes, he strapped a rocket to his belt, and turned it on. We learn exactly how it worked, hydrogen peroxide fuel and all. It produced 300 lbs of thrust - just enough to get a grown man off the ground. The downside? It could only hold 30 seconds worth of fuel. Shockingly, none of the rocket pack pilots died. Wilson then laments the lack of serious innovation in the rocket pack industry since then. "If Wendell Moore could see the state of jetpacks today," says Wilson, "he would be doing barrel rolls in his grave."

Jetpacks are just the tip of the rocket. Orbital hotels, robot servants, space elevators, teleportation - it's all in there.

Stefan Rudnicki delivers another quality narration. One of Wilson's goals with both of his books was to take the material so seriously that absurdity shows through. Rudnicki understood this, and provided narration to match. Funny stuff.

To hear from the author himself about Where's My Jetpack?, How to Survive a Robot Uprising, robotics in general, and future projects, check out his interview on the Talking Robots podcast, July 5, 2007 edition. Here's the direct link to the MP3.

posted by Scott D. Danielson

Labels: Daniel H. Wilson, Non-fiction, science fiction, technology, teleportation

3:55 PM -- (0) comments

 


Since we're on the subject of Harlan Ellison, did you know he hates giving interviews? Here's another reasons why:

A vintage 1992 (and bizarre) CITR (Vancouver, BC) radio interview with Harlan Ellison. Poor Harlan, he's not even normally a fan of interviews and having him interviewed by Nardwuar the Human Serviette (along with A.O. Trapman), perhaps the strangest person in British Columbia makes for some serious strangeness. We're not talking Rufus Polson (AKA Purple Library Guy @ SFU) strange, we're talking many more degrees of magnitude strange. Of course, there's not much SF content in the interview but certainly there are some questions asked of Harlan here you'll not hear asked, or answered, anywhere else |MP3| or |REALAUDIO|. You can read more on the controversy of this particular interview right HERE.

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: Harlan Ellison, interview, Online Audio

4:37 PM -- (0) comments

 


BBC7's the 7th Dimension is re-airing a classic and relatively famous SF story from Harlan Ellison over the next two Sundays. Soldier, originally published in 1957 under the title Soldier Of The Future this is a time travel tale. Not as well known is that Ellison was drafted into the U.S. Army that same year and was trained as an Army Ranger. After leaving the military Ellison later adapted his story for a 1964 episode of the original The Outer Limits, and still later it was adapted, in a completely unauthorized but brilliant 1984 SF film, The Terminator.

Soldier
By Harlan Ellison; Read by John Sharian
2 half-hour segments - Approx. 1 Hour [UNABRIDGED]
BROADCASTER: BBC Radio 7 / The 7th Dimension
BROADCAST: Sunday at 6:30pm and 12:30am U.K. Time
"Set a thousand years into the future, Earth has become a nightmare of high-tech battlefields where few survive. From this world, soldier Qarlo is accidentally teleported back to the U.S. city streets of 1964 - to warn the human race of its capacity for self-destruction."

Both parts will be available via the Listen Again service for six days after each broadcast.

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: BBC, Harlan Ellison, science fiction, time travel

12:11 PM -- (0) comments

 


The Words At Large podcast has an episode they are calling "Science And Science Fiction" this week. It features interviews with Daniel H. Wilson, Dava Sobel.

Download the |MP3| direct, or subscribe to the podcast:

http://www.cbc.ca/podcasting/includes/wordsatlarge.xml

And of course, Apocalypse Al must be freed!

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: CBC, Daniel H. Wilson, Dava Sobel, interview, science fiction

5:12 PM -- (0) comments

 


Audible.com has posted a new FREE audio interview/conversation between audiobook narrator Stefan Rudnicki and SF authors Orson Scott Card and Ben Bova. The talk is predominately about the role and value of audiobooks in the greater reading environment. Also covered is Card's love of audiobooks (he's a big big fan), Bova's role in the creation of the Ender franchise and place of religion is science and Science Fiction. You can get the audio for it right HERE (but of course you'll need to have an audible account).

Audible also tells us that: "Bova’s new book, The Aftermath (Book Four of The Asteroid Wars), is now available in audio at Audible." That's one of the many titles produced by Rudnicki for Audio Renaissance. OSC's next "Ender" novel, A War of Gifts, will be released through Audio Renaissance and Audble October 30th 2007.

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: audible, Ben Bova, interview, Online Audio, Orson Scott Card, religion, science fiction, Stefan Rudnicki

12:51 PM -- (0) comments

 


Garret P. Serviss' first audiobook has just been posted to LibriVox. Serviss was a popularizer of astronomy and late 19th and early 20th century SF author. His writing is stiff and strangely formal. Still, you may find yourself reminded of Heinlein here and there while listening. The audiobook, completely narrated by the admirable Betsie Bush is 100% free and available for download by several methods. Get a Zipped Folder full of MP3s, each chapter singly in MP3 or OGG Vorbis formats or grab the podcast version.

The Moon Metal
By Garret P. Serviss; Read by Betsie Bush
14 zipped MP3 Files or podcast - 2 Hours 38 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: July 31st 2007
The discovery of a vast quantity of gold in Antarctica undermines the world's economy. This leads to a need for a new precious metal standard - - enter a mysterious scientist, his proposal, and new invention.

You can get the entire novel in podcast form, via this handy url:

http://librivox.org/bookfeeds/moon-metal-by-garrett-p-serviss.xml

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: economics, Garret P. Serviss, LibriVox, metallurgy, Robert A. Heinlein, science fiction

8:44 AM -- (0) comments

 


This may be a first, at least for a relatively modern Science Fiction novel - there are now TWO unabridged single voiced narrations of Andre Norton's public domain novel Star Hunter. Both are available for free download. The first one, which we told you about earlier this year was read and archived by Maureen O'Brien of the Maria Lectrix Podcast. That version is available through the Internet Archive. Now, LibriVox narrator Leonie Rose has completed a second version, available for download in a zipped bundle or by podcast feed. And here it is...

Star Hunter
By Andre Norton; Read by Leonie Rose
13 Zipped MP3 Files or Podcast - 3 Hours 33 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: Aug. 5th 2007
Somewhere on the jungle world of Jumala hid a man whose mind had been reconditioned with another’s brain pattern. There was a fabulous reward out for him. And so began another-worldly game of hide and seek. Between a man who did not know his own powers and an interstellar safari that sought something no man had a right to find.

You can subscribe to the podcast for this novel with this feed:

http://librivox.org/bookfeeds/star-hunter-by-andre-norton.xml

Now the big question - which version is the better narrated?

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: Andre Norton, audiobook, LibriVox, podcast, science fiction

7:15 PM -- (0) comments

 


A new LibriVox title from the author of Dracula! I first encountered this strange tale while watching British television in the early 1990s - it was a very odd movie aired one afternoon - the film both fascinated and repelled. I've seen it a few times since then, and have appreciated its curious oddness more and more. Its almost magical in that respect. I haven't read the book, nor listened to the audiobook (yet) but am pretty much convinced that the film will be absolutely nothing like the book. Many thanks should go to Betsie Bush for narrating the whole novel all on her own. Thanks so much Betsie!

The Lair Of The White Worm
By Bram Stoker; Read by Betsie Bush
28 zipped MP3 Files or podcast - 5 Hours 48 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: July 30th 2007
Adam Salton is contacted by his great uncle in England, for the purpose of establishing a relationship between these last two members of the family. Adam travels to Richard Salton’s house in Mercia, and quickly finds himself in the center of some inexplicable occurrences. The new heir to the Caswall estate, Edgar Caswall appears to be making some sort of a mesmeric assault on a local girl. And, a local lady, Arabella March, seems to be running a game of her own, perhaps angling to become Mrs. Caswall. There is something strange about Lady March, something inexplicable and evil.

Get the entire novel in podcast form, via this handy url:

http://librivox.org/bookfeeds/lair_of_the_white_worm_by_bram_stoker.xml

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: dragons, England, fantasy, gothic horror

6:00 PM -- (0) comments

 


Mister Ron thinks we all might enjoy checking out episode number 803 of his podcast, Mister Ron's Basement -- featured is a six minute story called Looking Backward On The Home -- In the Year 3000 A.D. by Thomas L. Masson. The tale comes from Masson's 1921 book titled, Well, Why Not? Ron sez:

"It's pretty clever and has a laugh or two in it. I can well imagine people in the year 3000 discussing 'flivvers' and 'things called trees.'"

Go have a listen, plug this podcast feed to hear the show:

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

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: comedy, podcast, science fiction

10:27 PM -- (0) comments

 

[editor's note - Shameless plug time! My publishing venture, Wonder Audiobooks, has it's first four releases through Audible. These titles are also available at iTunes. My goal--great unabridged vintage fiction read by great readers! I'm proud of these titles and encourage you to check them out.]

Beyond Lies the Wub & The Hanging Stranger
By Philip K. Dick; Read by Mac Kelly
48 min - [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Wonder Audiobooks
Availiable at Audible and

A trading spaceship often has to carry unusual cargo. None as strange as the blubberous pig-like alien known as the wub. The captain of the ship decides that the wub may make an excellent meal for him and the crew. But the wub might have something to say about it.

Beyond Lies the Wub was Philip K. Dick's first published story and appeared in the legendary Planet Stories pulp magazine.

Also included, The Hanging Stranger by Philip K. Dick. When Ed Loyce, a respected citizen in a small town, finds a man hanging by a rope in his town square, he is very upset. But why doesn’t the rest of the town’s people care. Ed Loyce is going to find out.

Philip K Dick is now considered one of the most important authors of the 20th century. Numerous stories and novels have been adapted into movies, including Blade Runner, Paycheck, A Scanner Darkly and Next.


Coming Attraction
By Fritz Leiber; Read by Paul S. Jenkins
29 min - [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Wonder Audiobooks
Availiable at Audible and

A future New York City has changed since a nuclear bomb left areas of radiation that threaten the residents. Women wear coverings over their faces as the latest fashion trend.

An Englishman in New York saves a girl from a speeding coupe with fish hooks on its fender. He finds himself attracted and repelled by the girl in this classic story of future shock from a science-fiction grand master.

Anthropological Note
By Murray Leinster; Read by Tara Platt
54 min - [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Wonder Audiobooks
Availiable at Audible and

Miss Cummings, a female anthropologist, is set down in the middle of a Venusian Krug village to study the alien culture. Ray Hale, a scoundrel and murderer, is on his way to the very same village. Miss Cummings and Ray Hale have a past, but what of their future?

This story not only examines an alien society, but takes a look at our own strange relationships between the sexes.

Author Murray Leinster is often called "The Dean of Science Fiction". Actress Tara Platt has voiced numerous anime characters, for Naruto, Ravemaster, Digimon, and many others.


The Wind People
By Marion Zimmer Bradley; Read by Candace Platt
51 min - [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Wonder Audiobooks
Availiable at Audible and

To save her newborn son, Dr. Helen Murray has to remain behind on an alien world. But is she alone? As her son, Robin, becomes older, he acts strangely and describes other people that Helen cannot see.

posted by The Time Traveler of the Time Traveler Show

Labels: Fritz Leiber, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Murray Leinster, Philip K. Dick

2:38 PM -- (0) comments

 


Masters Of Science Fiction aired its first episode last night on ABC stations in the USA. We've got all the audio dope on this video program...

HERE's an audio recording from NPR and TV critic David Bianculli talking about the show. What makes this series so intriguing is that it is using actual Science Fiction stories (GASP!) for its episodes...

The first tale was based on John Kessel's A Clean Escape (which was previously adapted into a Seeing Ear Theatre Original Playhouse audio drama (no longer available online). Hardcopies of this audio drama can be found in an out of print collection, available on ABEBooks.com (and one is currently on on ebay.com):

Seeing Ear Theater, Volume 1
By Terry Bisson, Brian Smith, James Patrick Kelly, Allen Steele, John Kessel and Gregory Benford
FULL CAST PRODUCTIONS with introductions by Harlan Ellison
2 Cassettes - Approx 3 hrs. [UNABRIDGED DRAMATIZATIONS]
ISBN: 0787118133
Date Published 1998
Published by Dove Audio

Stories Included:
THREE ODD COMEDIES by Terry Bisson
"They're Made Out of Meat"
"The Toxic Donut"
"Next"
Into The Sun by Brian Smith
Think Like a Dinosaur by James Patrick Kelly
The Death of Captain Future by Allen Steele
A Clean Escape by John Kessel
The Bigger One by Gregory Benford

Also, BuddyTV.com has an |MP3| interview with Sam Waterson about his role in the Masters Of SF first episode A Clean Escape (and irrevlevently about his role on Law and Order).

More, WUNC in North Carolina has a terrific radio interview |MP3| with Kessel about the adaptation of his short story A Clean Escape to TV.

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: anthology, interview, John Kessel, Masters Of Science Fiction, science fiction

10:47 AM -- (4) comments

 


Cross-posting from the other direction:

The newly-named PodioMedia chat has started off its second season with an interview with the mastermind behind Decoder Ring Theatre, Gregg Taylor. I love listening to interviews with Gregg. There is no mistaking the wit and sense of humor (whoops, I'm writing about a Canadian- that's humour) that make Decoder Ring productions such a joy to listen to. He just sounds like a wonderful person!

PodioMedia Chat is the former PodioBook Chat (I am sure a new logo is forthcoming!). Host Chris Moody realized he had so many people beyond strictly podiobook authors he wanted to talk to, he needed to change the name! It's now open for all forms of entertainment podcasting and podcasters, and all of those involved in this growing medium.

He all ready has an impressive list of interviews in just 17 episodes alone. From Podcasting for Dummies co-author Evo Terra, to Sonic Society's Jack Ward, Scott Sigler to CC Chapman, it's a broad mix of entertainment creators who chat with Chris about what they love about what they do.

Head over and subscribe today!

posted by Dani Cutler

Labels: interview, podcast

6:09 PM -- (0) comments

 


The slicker than ever audio drama, Silent Universe, is out now with "Episode 6." J. Marcus Xavier's podcast series is tight and the show is flowing super-smoothly. This time around there's a free upgrade to the "64kbps stereo" edition in the feed too. Normally you'd have to pay to get the premium sound edition like this. Download direct |MP3| or plug this URL into your podcatcher to have a listen:

http://www.silentuniverse.com/silentuniverse.xml

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: podcast, science fiction

2:57 PM -- (0) comments

 


The "Inside The CBC" Blog (the official blog for the English language Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) has a frightening news story about a new CBC policy. It states:

"any CBC employee who wants to start a personal blog which 'clearly associates them with CBC/Radio-Canada' now requires their supervisor’s permission"

This really stinks! The whole idea is draconian, unconscionable and stupid. We must stop this.

The article also cites the same CBC document as saying:

"Further, the blog cannot advocate for a group or a cause, or express partisan political opinion. It should also avoid controversial subjects or contain material that could bring CBC/Radio-Canada into disrepute. To start and maintain a blog of this kind, you need your supervisor’s approval."

Let's see... does advocating that CBC should air The Adventures Of Apocalypse Al, a show that it commissioned, hired actors for, recorded and completed only to shelve count as 'bringing CBC into disrepute'? Who's going to make that call? The very thought of this irks me to no end. This will hurt us, the listeners (and viewers) of CBC.

I hardly think it likely that our own little FREE APOCALYPSE AL campaign is the primary target of this new CBC brass policy, but it still sucks for us anyway. We can't let CBC start standing for "Coverup and Banning Committee."

Please consider adding your comments to the original post - let us not allow CBC to become something less than the greatness it has always been. Long live the CBC as a great communicator.

posted by Jesse Willis

Labels: CBC

1:06 PM -- (0) comments

 


John W. Campbell Awardee (for "Best New Writer") John Scalzi has posted some very exciting news to his Whatever blog:

"I had a nice chat with the producer of the audio version of Old Man's