November 2006 – Page 4

Scott D.

SFFaudio News

Scott D. Danielson Hello, all! Scott here.

I’m posting to let all who care know that I am stepping down as co-editor of SFFaudio. I trust that Jesse Willis and crew will keep everyone informed of what’s happening in the world of science fiction and fantasy audio. I wish them the very best – the creation of and writing for SFFaudio has been wonderful. Thanks to everyone who makes the audio, from the publishers to the narrators to the podcasters. I have met an unbelievable number of excellent folks here.

For me, it’s time to move on. I’ve been covering the science fiction and fantasy audio industry for 5 years now – 4 years here at SFFaudio, and another year before that at SFSite. It’s time to see what’s next for me. Hopefully, “what’s next” includes building on my first story sale, and the expansion of Deuce Audio.

I’d like to thank all the reviewers and everyone else who has helped in any way to make SFFaudio such a success. I’d like to publicly thank Jesse Willis – a better partner and friend could never be found.

I leave at a very interesting time for the audio industry. A tidal wave of podcasts has dominated the audio landscape for anyone who is online. That podcasts are changing the industry is certain – what form things will take in the end remains unknown. Audible and iTunes continue to be pretty much the only real option out there for downloadable commercial audiobooks – surely that will change soon. Hardcopy audio publishers chug right along, some of them providing MP3-CDs at your local bookstore. To think – when I started doing this, only 5 years ago, finding an audiobook on CD was rare.

If only I could have convinced audio publishers to produce more Hard SF! :) The fight continues…

All my very best, and thanks for reading SFFaudio! The future never sounded so good, and SFFaudio has become and will remain THE place on the internet to find out about it.

posted by Scott D. Danielson

Darker Projects has a new SUPERHERO Podcast Feedback: A Hero’s Calling

SFFaudio Online Audio

Darker Projects has a new show! Feedback: A Hero’s Calling

This, the first episode is the origin story!

Every morning, I wake up to a mechanical alarm clock, put on my dampening suit, and cross my fingers that the game I’m about to play is going to be the “right” one. If I don’t, two things happen. One, my feedback field remains active and I fry every electronic piece of equipment within 30 feet of me. And two, I will have no superpowers to save the world.

My name is Feedback, and these are my stories.

Before the explosion that infused my body with the feedback field, I was simply a computer scientist and a little out of touch with computer games. That’s where a remarkable group of people known as Tech Support comes in. They assess my missions, supply me with the games I need, monitor my progress and patch me up — because the greater the intensity at which I use the powers, the faster they dissipate.

What I haven’t told you is …if I use a game ability, I lose a memory. Every act of heroism that requires these powers is a conscious choice to lose part of who I am. Sometimes that isn’t easy to do.

But what other choice do I have?

The world needs a hero.

Subscribe via the feed:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/Feedback-Superhero

posted by Jesse Willis

The Time Traveler Show gets recursive with a MetaPodcast

SFFaudio Online Audio

The Time Traveler has effected a Pseudo Meta Beta podcast. If you’re not sure what that might be you are not alone. The reason he did it? Just cause. Irregardless of the whens and whatfors, you’ll be pleased to hear that the special episode includes an interview with Anne Murphy, president of the Science Fiction Oral History Association a group dedicated to aurally preserving the history of Science Fiction – especially that history found at conventions. You’ll also hear a little bit about how The Time Traveler’s show is constructed.

Download the show direct (|MP3|), or insert this in your podcatcher to subscribe:

http://www.timetravelershow.com/shows/feed.xml

posted by Jesse Willis

Paul Levinson Podcast contest

SFFaudio News

Paul Levinson, will be giving away 25 MP3 copies of his radio dramatization of The Chronology Protection Case! In the next instalment of his podcast, Light On Light Through, Paul will play a brief clip from the audio drama and then say:

“I’m giving away MP3 copies of the complete Edgar-nominated radio play to the first 25 people who e-mail me at [email protected], voicemail me at 206-203-2615 (the Light On Light Through hotline), or send me a voicemail by clicking on the Odeo birdie on my LightonLightThrough.com web page.”

In order to win an MP3, the emailers and callers will have to identify a specific image that is on the LightonLightThrough.com web page – an image that does not necessarily have anything to do with time travel, Science Fiction, or him. He’ll be of course more specific in the podcast – the idea being that people will need to actually listen to the podcast to receive the specific clue.

Subscribe to the podcast via this feed:

http://lightonlightthrough.com/rss

posted by Jesse Willis

FREE MP3 hosting for Audio Drama creators

SFFaudio News

In November of 2003 David Koenigsberg, creator of The Soul Patrol offered to host MP3 files from other audio drama, radio drama and audio theater creators on his website. Sadly, back then no one took him up on the offer. So he has made the offer again, he has his own server, commercial DSL line and plenty of capacity/bandwidth. David writes “I’ll post any show for free on my website, The- Cosmic-Forces. net.”

There are however a few conditions:

1. David sez: “The show has to have some quality to it (but he will try not to
reject any show because of subject matter).”

2. You can’t directly link to the mp3 download (and bypass the page).

3. He’ll remove your show whenever you request.

4. He’ll set up links to your page so that users can find out any
information about your show. (He’ll post the mp3s–not all the info!)

He could start posting MP3s starting in January 2007.

posted by Jesse Willis

Review of Taken Liberty by Steven H. Wilson

SFFaudio Review

Taken Liberty – A Tale From The Artiber Chronicles
By Steven H. Wilson; Read by Steven H. Wilson
Podcast Novel – Approx. 8 Hours [ABRIDGED]
Publisher: Podiobooks.com
Published: September 2006
Themes: / Science Fiction / Drama / Action / Slavery /

“I don’t believe you’ve convinced me of her crime.”
“She posed as a human!”
Atal raised an eyebrow. “Is that a crime?”

So begins the intriguing, sad, yet hopeful and inspiring story of a girl who only wanted her freedom. This is the story of Aer’La, a Varthan Feral raised strictly to be a sexual slave. She escapes, and, dying her blue skin and posing as a human, becomes a high-ranking officer on board one of the most esteemed ships in the Confederate Navy- the Arbiter. Only after a routine medical check-up is the truth of what she is discovered. It is ultimately reported to authorities, and then to the media. Aer’La then has no choice but to tell her story to her Captain, Jan Atal. It then becomes a clash of doing what is right, vs. doing what the law states. Aer’La also learns who her allies and her enemies are, as well as a few life lessons about trust and friendship.

Taken Liberty is a tale of truth, friendship, comradery, love, loss, and above all the right to be free. It covers so many genres, you tend to forget that you’re listening to Science Fiction. This is a very key thing for me to say here, because I am not the biggest Science Fiction fan. I know, I know, yet here I am writing reviews for SFFaudio. Let’s just say I’m… picky.

Steven Wilson also does an excellent job with the reading. He gives each character a unique voice, and thanks to his voice acting background, it pays off. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Wilson. The well-driven plot causes you to feel yourself being sucked into the tension of the situation, and really questioning how this poor girl will remain free, instead of being returned to a life of slavery.

If you are a fan of Prometheus Radio Theatre and their Arbiter Chronicles, you will enjoy this book because it goes more in-depth into the characters you know all ready. If you have never heard of the Arbiter Chronicles before, you will still enjoy this book. The story remains separate enough that you are still able to connect and follow the characters and the story without feeling lost. As a matter of fact, my bet will be if you listen to this podiobook, you will want to move on to hear more about the Arbiter and its crew- which can be found via podcast at http://prometheus.libsyn.com/

If a “semi” Science Fiction fan is impressed and enjoyed this podiobook, imagine what a huge science-fiction fan will think!

posted by Dani Cutler