BBC Radio 4: The Further Adventures of the First King of Mars

SFFaudio Online Audio

BBC Radio 4Watching the trains, the skies and the Radio Times schedule in the U.K., our agent, codenamed “Roy” – has reliable intel on an important upcoming BBC Radio 4 broadcast. Peter Capaldi will be reading a Nick Walker story which is a follow up to the short story The First King Of Mars which aired during the Sputnik season in October of 2007. Here are details on the follow up…

The Further Adventures of the First King of Mars
By Nick Walker; Read by Peter Capaldi
5 Radio Broadcasts – Approx. 15 Minutes each [UNABRIDGED?]
Broadcaster: BBC Radio 4 / Afternoon Reading
Broadcast: Mon., July 28th to Fri., 1 August 1st 2008 @ 3.30-3.45pm (U.K. time)
Peter Capaldi is back as The First King Of Mars. To mark the 50th anniversary of the launch of Sputnik in 2007, BBC Radio 4 commissioned Nick Walker to write a short story that captured the spirit of American Fifties B-movies and the pulp science fiction of magazines such as Amazing Stories. The result was The First King Of Mars. Now, in five thrilling, action-packed instalments, the story continues where it left off. Last year, Radio 4 left the brave and fearless commander employed to head up the first manned mission to Mars as he plummeted towards the planet with no luxuriously thick atmosphere to slow him down. This series discovers how he and his crew survive the impact – and whether there is indeed life on Mars.

These should be available via the Afternoon Reading “Listen Again” feature shortly after the broadcast.

Posted by Jesse Willis

More Jay Lake and Susan Palwick at The Agony Column

SFFaudio Online Audio

The Agony Column The Agony Column has more SF-related recordings featuring Jay Lake and Susan Palwick:

Susan Palwick interview |MP3|

Susan Palwick reading |MP3|

Jay Lake interview |MP3|

Jay Lake reading |MP3|

SF in SF Panel with Terry Bisson, Susan Palwick, and Jay Lake |MP3|

You can subscribe to the feed at this URL: http://trashotron.com/agony/indexes/tac_podcast.xml

Posted by Charles Tan

PodCastle Features “Magnificent Pigs” by Cat Rambo

SFFaudio Online Audio

Podcastle PodCastle, the fantasy fiction podcast, features “Magnificent Pigs” by Cat Rambo read by Matthew Wayne Selznick |MP3|.

You can subscribe to the feed at http://feeds.escapeartists.net/PodCastle_Main

Posted by Charles Tan

Escape Pod Features “Love and Death in the Time of Monsters” by Frank Wu

SFFaudio Online Audio

Stephen Eley reads “Love and Death in the Time of Monsters” by Frank Wu over at Escape Pod. Here is the |MP3|.

Subscribe to the podcast via this feed:

http://escapepod.org/podcast.xml

Posted by Charles Tan

Recent Arrivals

SFFaudio Recent Arrivals

Three new arrivals to share today; all anticipated sequels!

Audiobook - Starseed by Spider and Jeanne RobinsonStarseed
By Spider and Jeanne Robinson; Read by Spider Robinson
7 CDs – 8.5 hours – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Published: 2008
ISBN: 9781433245558

This sequel to Stardance returns to the rarified world of Top Step, an asteroid in orbit above 21st-century Earth. There, for the price of all one’s worldly possessions, humans are able to live in a vaccum indefinitely by joining with a symbiotic lifeform that provides all needed nourishment. For Rain McLeod, a 46-year-old dancer whose failing body is about to end her career, the Starseed program is the only way to continue living her dream. But for others, including several religious groups and power hungry countries back on earth, the existence of Stardancers represents a threat to all humanity. When a missle attack threatens Top Step and Morgan’s lover, Robert, is implicated as a prime suspect, Rain must choose between her private dream and the greater good in a world poised on the verge of an evolutionary leap.
 
 
Audiobook - Starseed by Spider and Jeanne RobinsonThe Ashes of Worlds: Book 7 of The Saga of Seven Suns
By Kevin J. Anderson; Read by David Colacci
17 CDs – 20 hours – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Published: 2008
ISBN: 9781423357513

The culminating volume in The Saga of Seven Suns weaves together the myriad story lines in a spectacular grand finale. Galactic empires clash, elemental beings devastate whole planetary systems, and the factions of humanity are pitted against one another. Heroes rise and enemies make their last stands in the climax of an epic tale eight years in the making. The Saga of Seven Suns is one of the most colorful and spectacular science fiction epics of the past decade.
 
 
Audio Drama - Brad Lansky and the Face of Eternal Fire by J.D.VenneBrad Lansky and the Face of Eternal Fire
By J.D. Venne; Performed by a full cast
1 CD – 1 hours – [AUDIO DRAMA]
Publisher: Protophonic
Published: 2008
ISBN: 9780976045946

Brad and Alex spent two years exploring the Cygnus Arm of the Milky Way when they received a classified message from the Sol Ambassador to the Trilux System. Fifty Earth-years have elapsed since they parted ways with Giri Null in Trilux, and much has happened in that short time; Giri Null somehow managed to win over most of the Grefim and execute his plans for a new culture with alarming speed. Those who opted not to follow their new Lord promptly invaded planet Lithom, destabilizing all of Trilux.

His latest intent – to equip the formidable Grefim with A.I. minds – was interpreted as a hostile act toward Sol by hawkish elements within G.A.I.A. Subsequent events only served to spiral the star systems into a technical state of war.

Not knowing whom to trust, Giri Null insisted his old friends and the Full Advantage form the Sol ambassador‘s entourage in a last-ditch effort to negotiate a peace accord.

Brad and Alex feel duty-bound to act as agents for peace but are well aware that they are merely pawns in a deadly chess game between at least three mighty A.I. groups, and possibly two Grefim factions.

Alex is quick to point out that a pawn’s odds are never good, even with only two players. But if they can make it to the other side and survive until the end game, they might just be able to tip the scales for peace. Worth a try, and besides, they have the Advantage!

Protophonic has a samples page |HERE|. Ringtones, too! Check them out…

Posted by Scott D. Danielson

Five Free Favourites #1

SFFaudio Online Audio

Inspired by the idea that most visitors don’t dip into our 5 years worth of archives, here’s a new feature:
Five Free Favourites
…in which we’ll post about five different audio favourites. I’d be willing to bet any of these 5 will make your ears happy. In fact, I’m so confident you’ll like them I’ve already started thinking about another five more. And, I’ll be soliciting contributors to put together similar lists of their own. Here’s my first batch…

1.
Hour 25Night On Mispec Moor
By Larry Niven; Read by Warren James
Intro |MP3| Part 1 |MP3|, Part 2 |MP3| – [UNABRIDGED]
Provider: Hour25Online.com
Created: October 31, 2001
Larry Niven isn’t just the master of Hard SF, he’s also the master of Hard Fantasy and Horror! This story is a story which includes all three. It’s about an “outworld mercenary” who finds himself a lone survivor of his routed army. After fleeing into a moor, his pursuers suddenly stop, they dare not follow him into “Mispec” at night. This is a creepy, clever and very memorable short story. The sound quality isn’t ideal, but you’ll certainly enjoy the content.

2.
Audiobook - Infidel by Roger GreggInfidel
By Roger Gregg; Performed by a Full Cast
4 MP3s – [RADIO DRAMA]
Podcaster: The Sonic Society
Podcast: April 2007
Sonic Society #62 (Infidel part 1 of 4) |MP3|
Sonic Society #63 (Infidel part 2 of 4) |MP3|
Sonic Society #64 (Infidel part 3 of 4) |MP3|
Sonic Society #65 (Infidel part 4 of 4) |MP3|
Though it’s probably easier classified as “historical” I’d call it a Horror from History. Crazy Dog Audio Theatre’s Infidel fictionalizes the very real events of the 5th Crusade (1217-1221 ad) in this transformative audio dramatization. Sir Hugh of Beauvais and his brother Sir Philip are knights. They’ve enlisted themselves in the fifth campaign to free the holy lands. This is modern audio drama at its finest. It’s also available in a CD set which you can get HERE.

3.
The Pyramid of Amirah
By James Patrick Kelly; Read By James Patrick Kelly
1 |MP3| – 18 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Jim Kelly’s Free Reads
Published: June 28th 2008
Surrounded by boxes of goody-goody bars, her only food, Amirah lives alone in what was once her parent’s house. Its her home now, and she’s honoured to become a pyramid girl. During the day she vacuums up the limestone dust that drifts down onto every flat surface, at night she leaves the lights on all the time, even when she sleeps. As the years pass the light bulbs start to burn out one-by-one and Amirah wonders if the meaning of her living entombment will ever come. This is a live recorded version, I’m highly moved by this enigmatic “Fantasy.” This is one is extremely powerful. I think about it often.

4.
Star Ship SofaThe Merchant And The Alchemists Gate
By Ted Chiang; Read by James Campanella
1 |MP3| – [UNABRIDGED]
Podcaster: StarShipSofa
Podcast: 2008
Time travel, Ted Chiang, and a terrific narrator. These three combine into an absolutely unmissable listen. A wonderful SF novelette it conjures a 1,001 Nights-like atmosphere with a By His Bootstraps story-logic.

5.
Tk’tk’tk
By David D. Levine; Read by Paul Tevis
1 |MP3| – [UNABRIDGED]
Podcaster: Escape Pod
Podcast: May 18th 2006
I’ve heard Episode 54 of Escape Pod maybe a half dozen times and I’m still very impressed with it. I’m convinced Levine’s tale will become an enduring SF classic. It takes a very Jack Vance like situation, some truly alien aliens, and throws a human everyman into their society – it demonstrates a couple of real world psychological phenomenons – and all the while it is highly entertaining. Can you really ask for more than that?

What Five Free Favourites would you recommend?

Posted by Jesse Willis