News, Reviews, and Commentary on all forms of science fiction, fantasy, and horror audio. Audiobooks, audio drama, podcasts; we discuss all of it here. Mystery, crime, and noir audio are also fair game.
The latest incarnation of Amazing Stories magazine includes audiobook reviews in their content. They’ve published two issues so far, and it’s a good magazine with a wide range of coverage: fiction, TV, movies, games… and audio! Find it on your newsstand or at Paizo Publishing’s website.
Posted by Scott D. Danielson
Paperback Digital is now live and online with their first two titles: Spirits in the Wires by Charles de Lint and 1634: The Galileo Affair by Eric Flint and Andrew Dennis. Their website is at http://www.paperbackdigital.com.
Posted by Jesse Willis
The Hugo Awards were given yesterday (September 4, 2004) and here are the results:
Best Novel: Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold
Best Novella: “The Cookie Monster” by Vernor Vinge
Best Novelette: “Legions in Time” by Michael Swanwick
Best Short Story: “A Study in Emerald” by Neil Gaiman
Best Related Book: The Chesley Awards for Science Fiction and Fantasy Art: A Retrospective by John Grant, Elizabeth L. Humphrey, and Pamela D. Scoville
Best Dramatic Presentation, short form: Gollum’s Acceptance Speech at the 2003 MTV Movie Awards
Best Dramatic Presentation, long form: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Best Professional Editor: Gardner Dozois
Best Professional Artist: Bob Eggleton
Best Semiprozine: Locus, Charles N. Brown, Jennifer A. Hall, and Kirsten Gong-Wong, eds.
Best Fanzine: Emerald City, Cheryl Morgan, ed.
Best Fan Writer: Dave Langford
Best Fan Artist: Frank Wu
A big surprise to me was that Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form award. Gollum’s Acceptance Speech? Come on, people. The Firefly episode entitled “The Message” was deserving of the award. If you get a chance to see that series, do! You won’t be disappointed – it’s excellent, and available on DVD. A feature film is in the works.
The only item here represented on audio (or about to be represented on audio) is Lois McMaster Bujold’s Paladin of Souls. Blackstone Audio has published the first volume in that series, entitled The Curse of Chalion, and will publish Paladin of Souls soon.
Congratulations to all the nominees and award winners!
Posted by Scott D. Danielson
Books on Tape was purchased a couple of years ago by Random House. Last week, they decided to close the rental division of the company. Most of the unabridged titles that have been produced during that time were available in retail editions on the Random House Audio imprint – I expect that will continue to be the case. Questions abound regarding their backlist, which includes books by Isaac Asimov, Robert Jordan, Frank Herbert, and Terry Brooks.
Right now, the company is selling their used rental copies at rental prices – that is, whatever they charged to rent a title is now the purchase price. While supplies last, as they say.
Posted by Jesse Willis
Back on July 2nd, the Mark Time Science Fiction Audio Awards and the Ogle Fantasy Audio Awards for the production year 2003 were given. The awards, for excellence in audio theater, were given at the Convergence science fiction convention in Bloomington, MN.
GOLD MARK TIME AWARD
The Convergence
Jeffrey Adams, writer/producer, International Falls, MN.
www.storiesonmp3.com
Interdimensional invaders decide to make their move through a local science fiction convention.
SILVER MARK TIME AWARD
“A Man Walks Into A Bar”: The Arbiter Chronicles, Episode 2
Steven H. Wilson, writer/producer.
Prometheus Radio Theatre, Elkridge, Maryland.
www.prometheusradiotheatre.com
The ship’s telepath kills an alien to protect another crewmember, but absorbs his personality in the process, becoming a danger to everyone on board.
HONORABLE MENTION
“The ShadowMan”
Marc Rose and Jerel McQuen
Dry Smoke and Whispers Holodio Theater, Beaverton, OR.
Transdimensional Media LLC.
www.drysmoke.com
Telepathic detective, Emille Song, is dragged around through interdimensional trapdoors by The ShadowMan. But whose side is this mysterious ShadowMan on?
GOLD OGLE AWARD
“The Field”
Lance Roger Axt, producer. Pacific Grove, CA. Written by Elizabeth Benjamin.
Play It By Ear
A couple argue about the Indians digging up ancestors in their yard, eventually telling one of the diggers about the strange things that have been happening since they began.
SILVER OGLE AWARD
“Howl of the Mac Tire”
Roger Gregg, writer/producer, Dublin, Ireland.
Crazy Dog Audio Theatre.
www.crazydogaudiotheater.com
On a lonely mountain above the sheep fields of Dun Mac Cu Tiré, something fiendish is on the prowl. Detective Maeve O’Casey and her partner Matt Griffin set a trap, but for what?
HONORABLE MENTION
“A Murder of Crows” – Three short works for Halloween.
Sam Mowry and Martin Gallagher, producers.
Willamette Radio Workskhop, Portland, OR.
www.radiowork.com
An original compendium of horror, suspense and the supernatural, performed live.
A Special Lifetime Achievement Award was also given to Dirk Maggs, who is currently involved with the latest Hitchhiker’s Guide shows.
Find further details on these awards here!
Posted by Scott D. Danielson
John Joseph Adams has started a new column on audiobooks for Locus Magazine. It appeared in the July issue, and has just been posted on the magazine’s website. Click here for the complete column. It’s great to see some audiobook coverage in Locus!
In my review of the unabridged version of Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot, I stated that this was the only audio version of Salem’s Lot of which I was aware. A reader from the UK informs me that Salem’s Lot was dramatized as a BBC Radio production in the mid 1990’s, but was unsure whether or not it was made available for sale anywhere. Anybody out there know? If so, drop me note! Better yet, send me your copy so I can hear it… :)
All my best, everybody, and thanks for visiting!
Posted by Scott D. Danielson