Science Fiction author Bruce Sterling. He’s largely responsible for the Cyberpunk movement. His humor is as dry as his mind is sharp. We’ve found an MP3 online that features him speaking on an interesting SF theme, The Singularity. It runs nearly 50 minutes, not surprisingly it was done for the Long Now Foundation, a foundation itself right out of Asimov’s Science Fiction. Click HERE to download it. Be aware the sound quality is poor even though the ideas are rich.
Do you like Ninjas? Do you like Mystic Ninjas? How ’bout Kick-Ass Mystic Ninjas? Yah, we like them too! In fact we’ve flipped over them. With just half a dozen podcasts under their black belts The Kick-Ass Mystic Ninjas have stealthily stolen our hearts! Summer Brooks, Joe Murphy and David Moldawer are talking old school Science Fiction and Fantasy with a special emphasis on the literary. Podcasts on venerable Science Fiction and Fantasy released so far include:
PODCAST # 5 – The Lathe Of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin
PODCAST # 3 – Lord Of Light by Roger Zelazny
PODCAST # 2 – Stranger In A Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein
PODCAST # 1 – Hyperion by Dan Simmons
King Kong
By Edgar Wallace and Merion C. Cooper; Read by Stefan Rudnicki
5 CD’s, 5.5 hours – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Published: 2005
ISBN: 0786175362
Themes: / Science Fiction / Horror / Movie making / Gorillas / Dinosaurs / Commentary /
This audiobook has two phrases emblazoned on the cover: “Special Blackstone Collector’s Edition Audiobook” and “The Greatest Horror Story of All Time!!” (both exclamation points are there…) Of the first phrase I can say that this audiobook is certainly special. Not only does it include the unabridged audio version of the novelization of the original King Kong film, but it also includes a bonus disc containing commentary from Ray Bradbury, Ray Harryhausen, Orson Scott Card, Larry Niven, Catherine Asaro, Harlan Ellison, Jack Williamson, and Marc Scott Zicree. Is it the greatest horror story of all time? Not in my eyes, but the words fit nicely on this gorgeously packaged audiobook.
The original King Kong film (1933) holds a special place in a lot of hearts. I don’t share those feelings, possibly because the film predates me by 35 years. I recall more details about the 1976 remake starring Jessica Lange than I do the original. I was 10 in 1976 and, since that version of King Kong was mediocre, it stirred little in me. News of Peter Jackson’s remake didn’t excite me.
But this audiobook has awakened my interest in a big way, for two reasons. First, the story itself. Engagingly read by Stefan Rudnicki, the story of Kong, Denham, Ann Darrow, and Jack Driscoll is really a good story. The filmmaker Denham’s recklessness, actress Ann Darrow’s willingness to go along, and Jack Driscoll’s love keep things very interesting. Kong, of course, is the character around which the story revolves, and his journey from island to New York City and from beast to human-like ape fascinates.
The second thing that sparked my interest is the commentary. I loved the commentary included here. All of the people I mentioned above had a different and interesting take on King Kong, from Harlan Ellison’s declaration of the original film’s perfection to Catherine Asaro’s discussion of power unused. After listening to this, I’m now eager to see the new film, and even more eager to watch the original.
It would be an excellent thing if other books are given similar treatment. Unabridged classic science fiction novels with commentary would add a new and greatly appreciated dimension to the audiobook experience. Kudos to Blackstone for giving us this Special Edition.
Posted by Scott D. Danielson
SAUL’S AUDIO CDS is the distibution arm of Saul Snatsky, Seattle, WA resident and Science Fiction writer. Saul has recorded 6 of his own short stories and put them onto 6 CD-Rs. They are for sale on eBay, Amazon.com and his WEBSITE, where he even takes PayPal. At $2.00 each they are an incredible value! Available are:
Quantum
By Saul Sntasky; Read by Saul Snatsky
1 CD – 65 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Saul’s Audio CDs [AMAZON.com]
Published: 2005
ISBN: 0976167409
After a futile search for extraterrestrial life on far-flung planets, the crew of the Galaxy Cygnus spots an alien ship on the surface of an improbable world circling a neutron star. They contemplate landing to investigate, and thereafter they find that reality is little more than a roll of the dice.
Time Cycle
By Saul Sntasky; Read by Saul Snatsky
1 CD – 41 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Saul’s Audio CDs [AMAZON.com]
Published: 2005
ISBN: 0976167417
Published in Analog Science Fiction magazine, June 1973 (long ago when Saul still had hair), this is its first appearance in audio format. Jack, reluctant time traveler, lands on pre-biological Earth with the mission of finding out how life started. He is soon in a struggle to save his own life as he finds out more about the origin of life itself.
Charena
By Saul Sntasky; Read by Saul Snatsky
1 CD – 24 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Saul’s Audio CDs [AMAZON.com]
Published: 2005
ISBN: 0976167425
Published online in Aphelion Webzine, issue #40, 2001, it now appears on CD for your enjoyment. Earth has decreed that a distant world should be settled. Standing in the way are indigenous giant arachnids. Charena becomes one of them via a cybernetic transformation and attempts to short-circuit their mating by attracting and killing males. However, the law of unintended consequences plays out and Charena learns what it really means to “know thine enemy.”
Magic Pill
By Saul Sntasky; Read by Saul Snatsky
1 CD – 26 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Saul’s Audio CDs [AMAZON.com]
Published: 2005
ISBN: 0976167433
When something sounds too good to be true it usually is, and a “magic pill” to fix America’s obsession with weight loss seems to be in that category. Listen to the story and see what happens when two planets “passing in the night” confront opposite but very serious problems.
Altered Ego
By Saul Sntasky; Read by Saul Snatsky
1 CD – 43 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Saul’s Audio CDs [AMAZON.com]
Published: 2005
ISBN: 0976167441
A war criminal hides his mind inside a powerful computer for 10 years to escape justice. When he awakens he finds that his host has not been shut down for scheduled maintenance and a battle of wits and ego ensues with a result neither of them could have predicted.
The Martian
By Saul Sntasky; Read by Saul Snatsky
1 CD – 32 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Saul’s Audio CDs [AMAZON.com]
Published: 2006
ISBN: 097616745X
Separation may make the heart grow fonder, but it can also cause irreconcilable differences that run even deeper. Harry Roth, a descendant of three generations of Martian colonists from Earth, visits the home world again and meets his former lover, who still has a romantic interest in him. Unfortunately he bears a heavy weight that he can unburden himself of no more than Earth’s stronger gravity. This story illustrates a problem that is likely to occur, if not in this form, then another, and will have greater consequences than our ancestors’ coming out of Africa.
To contact Saul you can reach him at [email protected] or Skype him at [email protected]
James Patrick Kelly was interviewed about his new podcast novel Burn. The interview is available from New Hampshire Public Radio‘s website as a .WAX or an .M3U. Its a terrific interview that gives deep insight into the story and Kelly’s reasons for doing it.
The host of the Spaceship Radio podcast, Andy Doan, has just been interviewed by Podcast 411 host Rob Walsch. For those who haven’t been paying attention, Spaceship Radio is the podcast specializing in bringing public domain radio dramas of Science Fiction to your iPod. Click HERE to listen to the interview. And check out my picks for the best of the Spaceship Radio podcasts done so far…
SSREP25 First Contact – Based on the story by Murray Leinster. Done a little different than the short story but well done.
SSREP17 Simon Jones – A cool interview with Simon Jones, AKA Arthur Dent of the BBC’s Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy, and an exclusive to Spaceship Radio as far as I can tell.
SSREP14 The Cold Equation (SIC) – Based on the story “The Cold Equations” by Tom Godwin. This is the Science Fiction story like no other, it cleaves its readers into one camp or another. Essential listening.
SSREP09 The Green Hills of Earth – Based on the story by Robert A. Heinlein. It is elegiac Heinlein at his very best and a well done adaptation to boot.