Review of Melancholy Elephants by Spider Robinson

Scott D.

SFFaudio Review

Yet another story in SFFaudio’s 7th Anniversary Carnival of Characters!

Science Fiction Audiobook - Melancholy Elephants by Spider RobinsonMelancholy Elephants
By Spider Robinson; Read by Spider Robinson
1 |MP3| – Approx. 34 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Spider on the Web
Published: 2007
Themes: / Science Fiction / Art / Copyright / Human Mind / Mathematics /

The moment I realized that copyright was at the center of the story, I thought: Jesse would love this. I’m fairly certain he’s read it, though. There can’t be a lot of fiction where copyright plays a part, and besides; Spider Robinson is one of his favorites.

A law to extend copyright is proposed, and Dorothy, an artist, visits a Senator in future Washington to persuade him to vote against. The story is not dry exposition about law. It’s about art, the human mind, mathematics, and the universe. A lot to pack into 34 minutes, for certain, and it did leave me feeling melancholy, like the elephants.

It’s important to note that this story won a Hugo Award in 1983, long before copyright ran headlong into the digital age. “Melancholy Elephants” stands beside other great science fiction stories that so clearly saw the future coming.

The story was read by Spider Robinson as part of his Spider on the Web podcast.

Here’s the podcast feed: http://www.spiderrobinson.com/iTunes_feed.xml

And |HERE| is a direct link to the episode with “Melanchoy Elephants”.

Posted by Scott D. Danielson

Knighttime: An audio drama series from The Hazardous Players

Jesse Willis

SFFaudio Online Audio

Knighttime is an “ongoing fantasy/humor adventure” audio drama series. Each week The Hazardous Players offer up a new chapter in the adventures of good Sir Cottington and Sir Bratwurst. They reluctantly stumble their way through the land of Udenland, while trying to avoid being eaten by any number of terrifying beasts. Along the way they meet several of the eccentric members of Udenland society who more often than not, prove a greater challenge than the terrifying beasts.

The voice acting in this show is actually pretty great, and there are some pretty fun jokes in there too.

All that Knighttime is missing, other than a blog feed, is a podcast feed! How can you have an audio drama series without a podcast feed? Crazy.

The Hazardous Players Present: Knighttime

Quoth The Hazardous Players:

“We, The Hazardous Players, have been building a fantasy adventure where we plan on constructing multiply narratives using various media: writing, audio performance and art, (eventually video), to create a story that is an expanding fantasy for children and adults. Though we realize this is a nontraditional approach to literature, we do see that this could be a unique way to tell a story, harkening back to the time of episodic adventures on the radio.”

Here’s the first episode of their first adventure |MP3|

Check out the rest HERE.

Posted by Jesse Willis

Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History: Episode #32 Those Rapacious Europeans

Jesse Willis

SFFaudio Online Audio

Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History podcastDan Carlin’s Hardcore History, my favourite history podcast, has a new episode (#32) in its feed.

Carlin talks about the Magellan circumnavigation expedition and asks the question:

“Are white people special?”

More specifically, was there something special about the Europeans and their drive for conquest? What made them conquer and dominate the Earth in a kind of Globalization 1.0? Were the ages of exploration and colonization a result of a specific kind of European human cruelty? Was it cultural? Religious?

It’s a fascinating topic. Have a listen |MP3|

Podcast feed:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/dancarlin/history?format=xml

Posted by Jesse Willis

LibriVox.org: Fundraiser

Jesse Willis

SFFaudio News

LibriVoxLibriVox.org is looking for some money. About two weeks ago I got this guilt-inducing email:

Dearest LibriVox listeners, volunteers, & supporters:

For four-and-a-half years, LibriVox volunteers have been making audiobooks for the world to enjoy, and giving them away for free. We’ve made thousands of free audiobooks that have been downloaded by millions of people; our site gets 400,000 visitors every month. To date, all our costs have been borne by a few individuals, with some generous donations and support from partners. However, these costs have become too big.

For the first time (and hopefully for the last time for at least another four-and-a-half years) we’re asking for your support, for a $20,000 fund-raising campaign.

Find out more about why we are raising money, and about how you can donate by following this link:
http://librivox.org/2010/02/24/librivox-needs-your-help/

Thanks for all your wonderful work over the years, and here’s to many many more free public domain audio books.

best,
Hugh.

Then yesterday we got a personalized tweet from LibriVox founder Hugh McGuire himself:

@SFFAudio any chance for a plug for the LirbiVox fundraiser? http://bit.ly/bcYcUF

That was the clincher. Ack! It made me feel sooooo guilty! And, after reviewing my finances, I realized that I could only send in a measly $20 USD.

I feel really ashamed that my donation wasn’t more.

LibriVox is in my thoughts and in my ears nearly every day of the week. I should have sent those hard working LibriVoxateers more money!

And, in my defense, I normally would. But, things being as they are, I haven’t sold anything on either Craigslist or eBay for a while and so my USD funds are rather sadly depleted. It would take one thousand more donations of the size of mine for LibriVox to reach its $20,000 funding goal. So I ask that you, if you have it to spare, make a donation to LibriVox. If not for them, than for me, because I feel so goddamn guilty and I don’t like feeling this way.

Click HERE to help.

Thanks.

Posted by Jesse Willis

Review of Od Magic by Patricia A. McKillip

Scott D.

SFFaudio Review

Od Magic by Patricia McKillipOd Magic
By Patricia A. McKillip; Read by Gabrielle de Cuir
10 CDs – 11.7 hours – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Published: 2009
ISBN: 9781433223983
Themes: / Fantasy / Wizard School / Monarchy / Herbalism /

I had a hard time, at first, getting into this book. I didn’t relate to Brenden Vetch, who lost his parents, then his brother and girlfriend left him because he spent hours and days in the wilderness listening to and talking to plants.

Then he encounters Od, a giantess, who invites him to go to Kelior the capital city where the King lives, and become the gardener at the school of magic.

Brenden goes to Kelior, and for me, this is where the story starts to get interesting. He meets the teachers and students and keeps to himself a lot. Brenden, I’m afraid, is boring.

Fortunately, it is also here that we are introduced to the secondary characters. Valoren, the King’s wizard and a nobleman, Yar, one of the wizard teachers, Lady Thiel, cousin to Valoren and amour of Yar. Sulis, the King’s daughter, Arnath, Quarter Warden over the Twilight Quarter and Mistral, daughter of Tiriman, a magician who is visiting the Twilight Quarter.

King Galin keeps a very tight control over how and when magic is used in his kingdom. You have to be trained in the school of magic and you can only use magic the way you are taught. Everything else is forbidden. You can see the problem and where the story is going.

Tiriman, a traveling magician, enters the Twilight Quarter and everyone begins to wonder if he is using real magic, or if he’s simply using tricks. Arnath is sent in to determine if Tiriman is a threat to the King or not. The King’s daughter slips into the Quarter to see Tiriman as she has been told of him by her great grandmother, Ditany.

The story gets more complex as Brenden is found to have magic (no surprise).

By the time the story gets to chapter 5, I can hardly wait to hear what happens next. And how everything gets resolved. The King’s daughter is betrothed and Arnath falls for Mistral, Tiriman’s daughter, as he tries to meet the illusive magician.

The story builds, the characters get themselves in trouble and I’m looking forward to a great resolution… and then it’s over. But things are not all neatly wrapped up. Some things are clearly resolved. There’s a moral, but I don’t mind it. To me, the ending feels too abrupt. Too sudden. I would like a little more… resolution.

Do I recommend the story? Yes, with reservations. I love the secondary characters and their stories. I really didn’t care about Od or Brenden. I still don’t. I think part of the ending is a bit too contrived. There were NO hints to look back on and say, “Oh! Now I get it.” I felt blindsided. That being said, if there were a sequel, I’d buy it just to see what happens next. There really needs to be a next.

If this had been the first part of a series, I’d be happier with the ending. As a stand-alone, I give it a 6 out of 10. Good, but not great. No RIddlemaster of Hed here. Alas. Her latest book is a sequel to “Tam Lin.” I’m going to go out and buy it.

*Disclaimer: I listened to the audiobook. I never read the book. So, if I misspelled any of the character names, I apologize.

Posted by Charlene C. Harmon