China Mieville interviewed about his novel The City & The City

SFFaudio Online Audio

Recorded at the BookExpo America, China Mieville talks about his novel The City & The City |MP3|

And be sure to take note that the audiobook came out recently…

Random House Audio - The City & The City by China Mieville
The City & The City
By China Mieville; Read by John Lee
Audible Download – 10 Hours 18 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Random House Audio
Published: May 26, 2009
Provider: Audible.com
ISBN: 9780739384251
When a murdered woman is found in the city of Beszel, somewhere at the edge of Europe, it looks to be a routine case for Inspector Tyador Borlú of the Extreme Crime Squad. But as he investigates, the evidence points to conspiracies far stranger and more deadly than anything he could have imagined. Borlú must travel from the decaying Beszel to the only metropolis on Earth as strange as his own.

Also be sure to check out Mieville’s 5 part defense of J.R.R. Tolkien (as opposed to Richard K. Morgan’s attack).

[via Omnivoracious]

Posted by Jesse Willis

Author Pages: George R. Stewart

SFFaudio News

Just added to our AUTHOR PAGES section…

George R. StewartGEORGE R. STEWART (1895-1980) Was an American novelist, toponymist, and professor of English at the University of California, Berkeley. His entire SFF output consisted of one Science Fiction novel Earth Abides (1949) and two mainstream novels with fantastic elements. Earth Abides is set in a post-apocalyptic landscape and depicts the remnants of humanity recovering from a global environmental disaster. A year after it was published it was turned into a two-part radio drama for the program Escape. It also served as inspiration for Stephen King‘s The Stand. Two of Stewart’s other novels (Storm and Fire) have elements of Fantasy (eponymous anthropomorphized characters). The former features a Pacific storm named Maria as its protagonist. This indirectly lead to the curious practice of the American National Weather Service using personal names to designate storms.

Listed on the new GEORGE R. STEWART page is the new Audible Frontiers audiobook version of Earth Abides as well as the 1950 radio drama.

Posted by Jesse Willis

Waiting For A Window wins an Ogle Award

SFFaudio Online Audio

Radio Drama RevivalFrederick Greenhalgh of Radio Drama Revival (and FinalRune) writes in to say…

“Saw that you honored 19 Nocturne Boulevard with an announcement of their win of the Gold Mark Time, I just wanted to add that my piece (which you reviewed earlier this year) Waiting For A Window has won the Gold Ogle!”

Congrats Fred! For those who haven’t heard it I described Waiting For A Window as “a richly atmospheric and rather nautical version of Waiting For Godot. Or perhaps as a sailor’s version of The Prisoner. But, it’s not so much scary as it is comforting. A tall tale of the sea and a fine sounding audio drama.”

The Ogle Award, celebrates the best Fantasy/Horror audio production of the year. The actual trophy will be handed out on July 2nd 2009 at the annual Mark Time Awards ceremony at Convergence-Con 2009.

This FinalRune Productions is an original story of a man waylaid on his way somewhere else, Waiting for a Window stars Bill Dufris (William Dufris), Joe Duley, Charly Duley, Ed Patterson and Philip Hobby. And it features original music by Barb Truex.

There’s a low quality version here…

Final Rune Productions Radio Drama - Waiting For A Window by Frederick GreenhalghWaiting For A Window
By Frederick Greenhalgh; Performed by a full cast
1 |MP3| – Approx. 26 Minutes [RADIO DRAMA]
Podcaster: Radio Drama Revival
Podcast: September 26th 2008
This FinalRune Productions is an original story of a man waylaid on his way somewhere else. Starring William Dufris, Joe Duley, Charly Duley, Ed Patterson and Philip Hobby. With original music by Barb Truex.

And a high quality version available to purchase ($3) at Echo Fiction.

Posted by Jesse Willis

Ray Bradbury: Libraries = Awesome, Internet = Suck

SFFaudio Online Audio

Ray Bradbury (New York Times June 19, 2009)The New York Times website has a June 20th, 2009 audio clip |MP3| (just 3 minutes) of Ray Bradbury riffing on public libraries and the internet (love of libraries + hate of internet). This interview was in aide of his recent appearance at the cash strapped H.P. Wright Public Library in Ventura, California.

Here’s the |PDF| detailing how you can help.

[via Black Gate]

Posted by Jesse Willis

Recent Arrivals – Star Wars

SFFaudio Recent Arrivals

As promised, Random House is now publishing the Star Wars titles in Unabridged format! Outcast is the beginning of a new series called Fate of the Jedi. Omen, Book 2 in that series, releases tomorrow! No Prisoners is a Clone Wars novel.

Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi Book 1: OutcastStar Wars: Fate of the Jedi (Book 1): Outcast
By Aaron Allston; Read by Marc Thompson
10 hours – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Random House Audio
Published: 2009
ISBN: 9780739376614 (CD)

After a violent civil war and the devastation wrought by the now-fallen Darth Caedus, the Galactic Alliance is in crisis–and in need. From all corners, politicians, power brokers, and military leaders converge on Coruscant for a crucial summit to restore order, negotiate differences, and determine the future of their unified worlds. But even more critical, and far more uncertain, is the future of the Jedi.

In a shocking move, Chief of State Natasi Daala orders the arrest of Luke Skywalker for failing to prevent Jacen Solo’s turn to the dark side and his subsequent reign of terror as a Sith Lord. But it’s only the first blow in an anti-Jedi backlash fueled by a hostile government and suspicious public. When Jedi Knight Valin Horn, scion of a politically influential family, suffers a mysterious psychotic break and becomes a dangerous fugitive, the Jedi become the target of a media-driven witch hunt. Facing conviction on the damning charges, Luke must strike a bargain with the calculating Daala: his freedom in exchange for his exile from Coruscant and from the Jedi Order.

Though forbidden to intervene in Jedi affairs, Luke is determined to keep history from being repeated. With his son, Ben, at his side, Luke sets out to unravel the shocking truth behind Jacen Solo’s corruption and downfall. But the secrets he uncovers among the enigmatic Force mystics of the distant world Dorin may bring his quest–and life as he knows it–to a sudden end. And all the while, another Jedi Knight, consumed by the same madness as Valin Horn, is headed for Coruscant on a fearsome mission that could doom the Jedi Order . . . and devastate the entire galaxy.
 
 
Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi Book 2: OmenStar Wars: Fate of the Jedi (Book 2): Omen
By Christie Golden; Read by Marc Thompson
8.5 hours – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Random House Audio
Published: 2009
ISBN: 9780739376638 (CD)

The Jedi Order is in crisis. The late Jacen Solo’s shocking transformation into murderous Sith Lord Darth Caedus has cast a damning pall over those who wield the Force for good: Two Jedi Knights have succumbed to an inexplicable and dangerous psychosis, criminal charges have driven Luke Skywalker into self-imposed exile, and power-hungry Chief of State Natasi Daala is exploiting anti-Jedi sentiment to undermine the Order’s influence within the Galactic Alliance.

Forbidden to intervene in Jedi affairs, Luke is on a desperate mission to uncover the truth behind Jacen’s fall to the dark side–and to learn what’s turning peaceful Jedi into raving lunatics. But finding answers will mean venturing into the mind-bending space of the Kathol Rift and bargaining with an alien species as likely to destroy outsiders as deal with them. Still, there is no other choice and no time to lose, as the catastrophic events on Coruscant continue to escalate. Stricken by the same violent dementia that infected her brother, Valin, Jedi Knight Jysella Horn faces an equally grim fate after her capture by Natasi Daala’s police. And when Han and Leia Solo narrowly foil another deranged Jedi bent on deadly destruction, even acting Jedi Grand Master Kenth Hamner appears willing to bow to Daala’s iron will–at the expense of the Jedi Order.

But an even greater threat is looming. Millennia in the past, a Sith starship crashed on an unknown low-tech planet, leaving the survivors stranded. Over the generations, their numbers have grown, the ways of the dark side have been nurtured, and the time is fast approaching when this lost tribe of Sith will once more take to the stars to reclaim their legendary destiny as rulers of the galaxy. Only one thing stands in their way, a name whispered to them through the Force: Skywalker.
 
 
Star Wars: The Clone Wars: No PrisonersStar Wars: The Clone Wars: No Prisoners
By Karen Traviss; Read by Jeff Gurner
7 hours – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Random House Audio
Published: 2009
ISBN: 9780739376836 (CD)

The Clone Wars rage on. As insurgent Separatists fight furiously to wrest control of the galaxy from the Republic, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine cunningly manipulates both sides for his own sinister purposes.

Torrent Company’s Captain Rex agrees to temporarily relieve Anakin Skywalker of Ahsoka, his ubiquitous–and insatiably curious–Padawan, by bringing her along on a routine three-day shakedown cruise aboard Captain Gilad Pellaeon’s newly refitted assault ship. But the training run becomes an active–and dangerous–rescue mission when Republic undercover agent Hallena Devis goes missing in the middle of a Separatist invasion.

Dispatched to a distant world to aid a local dictator facing a revolution, Hallena finds herself surrounded by angry freedom fighters and questioning the Republic’s methods–and motives. Summoned to rescue the missing operative who is also his secret love, Pellaeon–sworn to protect the Republic over all–is torn between duty and desire. And Ahsoka, sent in with Rex and six untested clone troopers to extract Hallena, encounters a new and different Jedi philosophy, which shakes the foundation of her upbringing to the core. As danger and intrigue intensify, the loyalties and convictions of all involved will be tested. . . .

Posted by Scott D. Danielson

19 Nocturne Boulevard: AUDIO DRAMA

SFFaudio Online Audio

19 Nocturne BoulevardJulie Hoverson from 19 Nocturne Boulevard, writes in to say:

“One of our episodes, The Outpost, just won the 2008 Mark Time award for best science fiction audio drama!!”

Congratulation Julie! 19 Nocturne Boulevard is a podcast audio drama anthology series. Among the episodes are several dramatized H.P. Lovecraft adaptations. These are Chillin’ (a modernization of Cool Air), Within the Walls of Eryx, and The Temple. Julie also hints of several more Lovecraftian pieces in the works.

And for those who like me, were wondering, here’s the hidden podcast feed for the show:

http://neohoodoo.libsyn.com/rss

Posted by Jesse Willis