Mark Nelson is my favorite amateur narrator, he’s a terrific reader, his recording environment is dead-silent and he’s reading great stuff at a champion’s pace. I bring this up because Mark has written in to inform me that he’s recorded three new additions for LibriVox‘s library of FREE SCIENCE FICTION AUDIOBOOKS! One of them was even on our SFFaudio Challenge list. Way to go Mark!
Plague Ship by Andre Norton is a complete novel from 1956, originally published under the Norton’s “Andrew North” pseudonym. Also completed are two H. Beam Piper novellettes: Oomphel In The Sky and Omnilingual. Compiled below are the details for each along with some art…
Plague Ship
By Andre Norton; Read by Mark Nelson
18 Zipped MP3s – Approx. 7 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: March 2007
Lured by its exotic gems, the space trader Solar Queen lands on the little-known planet of Sargol, only to find the ruthless Inter-Solar Company there ahead of them. Adapting quickly to the culture of Sargol’s feline inhabitants, the crew of the Queen beat out their rivals and successfully make a deal with the natives. But soon after takeoff, the Queen’s crew is stricken with a plague, and they are now banned from landing on any inhabited planet. Will the Queen’s crew save themselves, or be condemned to drift forever through space?
Oomphel In The Sky
By H. Beam Piper; Read by Mark Nelson
4 Zipped MP3s – Approx. 2 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: March 2007
Natives of the distant planet of Kwannon believe that their world is about to end, and in preparing for the apocalypse, may be unnecessarily bringing about their own demise. The planetary government can’t overcome its own bureaucracy to help them, and the military is overwhelmed. Can a single newsman change the course of a whole people, and save their world.
http://librivox.org/oomphel-in-the-sky-by-h-beam-piper/
Omnilingual
By H. Beam Piper; Read by Mark Nelson
5 Zipped MP3s – Approx. 2 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: March 2007
An expedition to Mars discovers the remains of an advanced civilization, which died out many thousands of years ago. They recovered books and documents left behind, and are puzzled by their contents. Would the team find their “Rosetta Stone” that would allow them to unlock the Martian language, and learn the secrets of this long-dead race?
I just listened to a story narrated by Mark Nelson and I have to say I thought that it was the computer talking. He puts no feeling into the reading and he sounds like a robot. Not to my taste at all…
Mark Nelson always produces a good listening experience. He’s perfect for the these types of novels.
I am surprised Mark Nelson is an amateur narrator. He is excellent. I have never heard him stumble, pause, or mispronounce a word. He reads without accent. There is nothing in his voice to distract from the story. In a few paragraphs, I am totally immersed in the story.
Not sure what story 1.-@^@- listened to, but I have found Mark Nelson to be an interesting, professional-sounding reader and I greatly appreciate him taking the time to read for Librivox. I plan to listen to more books read by him as soon as possible!
I have always liked Mark’s work, particularly on the H Beam Piper universe. i hope to hear more from him.
Thanks Mark Nelson…best narrations I have chance to listen so far
I’ve listened to hundreds of audiobooks and I’ve spent many hours reading to my mother before the days of audiobooks. Because of these facts, I have infinite respect for anyone who will make the time, paid or not, to bring books to life for others to enjoy. I eagerly await each new book he chooses to lend his voice to.
Mark Nelson’s narration is not without feeling. His inflexions are appropriate to the context. Further more, he knows how to distinguish between characters. In a conversation between two characters, I actually hear two characters when Mark is doing the narration. Don’t let one poor review put you off. You know a narrator is good when someone searches specifically for books by that narrator, which I’ve done plenty of times for Mark Nelson. Keep rockin’ the mic, Mark. You are greatly, greatly appreciated.