L. Sprague de Camp – Page 6

AboutSF Audio: The Deadly Mission Of Phineas Snodgrass by Frederik Pohl

Thursday, January 12, 2012 Jesse Willis

SFFaudio Online Audio

The Deadly Mission Of Phineas Snodgrass

When Frederik Pohl took over the editorship of Galaxy magazine in the early 1960s one of his first editorials read like fiction. The Deadly Mission Of Phineas Snodgrass was Pohl’s response to L. Sprague de Camp’s 1941 novel Lest Darkness Fall.

The Deadly Mission Of Phineas Snodgrass
By Frederik Pohl; Read by Geoffrey A. Landis
1 |MP3| – Approx. 9 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Podcaster: AboutSF Audio
Podcast: October 26, 2011
Phineas Snodgrass, a time traveler inspired by L. Sprague de Camp’s Lest Darkness Fall, travels back to 1 BCE and teaches modern medicine to the Romans. First published as an editorial in Galaxy Science Fiction, June 1962.

Podcast feed: http://aboutsf.podomatic.com/rss2.xml

iTunes 1-Click |SUBSCRIBE|

Posted by Jesse Willis

The SFFaudio Podcast #138 – AUDIOBOOK/READALONG: The Crawling Chaos by Winifred V. Jackson and H.P. Lovecraft

Podcast

The SFFaudio Podcast #138 – The Crawling Chaos by Winifred V. Jackson and H.P. Lovecraft, read by Wayne June. This is a complete and unabridged reading of the short story (21 Minutes) followed by a discussion of it (by Jesse, Tamahome, Jim Moon and Wayne June). Here’s the ETEXT.

“In The Crawling Chaos the narrator flees inland, taking his adjectives with him.” -L. Sprague de Camp (from Lovecraft: A Biography)

Talked about on today’s show:
Wayne June is still alive!, first impressions of The Crawling Chaos, Wikipedia’s plot summary of The Crawling Chaos, dream logic, an opium vision, the tripiness, the philosophy behind The Crawling Chaos, The Haunted Palace by Edgar Allan Poe, the self as a haunted palace, Poe is so 19th century, The Raven, The Fall Of The House Of Usher, entropy, there is no meaning in this uncaring universe, “and all the planets mourned”, you’d need a lot of Prozac (or opium) to go through a life like that, the catharsis of apocalypse, a cosmic apocalypse, the plot is a jumble of junk, the biblical echoes, “only the gods reside there” (in Teloe), a very old testament vibe, “lest you turn into a pillar of salt”, the protagonist is us (mankind), Lovecraft’s recurring themes, the ordinary man who swaps places with another, The Shadow Out Of Time, Polaris, Beyond The Wall Of Sleep, transcendental mind-swap stories, the story was a pseudonymous collaboration between Elizabeth Berkley (aka Winifred V. Jackson) and Louis Theobald, Jun. (aka H.P. Lovecraft), Nyarlathotep, “send me some money”, a lot of dross with a powerful effect, “the year of the plague”, the “oriel window” is an eyeball!, “calm down Howard”, “he’s in his own brain”, who or what is “the crawling chaos”?, the ocean pounding is his heart beating, “We’re all doomed!”, what is the crawling chaos?, S.T. Joshi, Rudyard Kipling, the peninsular beach house, Tiger Tiger (from The Jungle Book), The Tyger by William Blake, is the beautiful youth Mowgli?, who are “they”?, a fawn faced youth, Weena from H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine, did Winifred read The Time Machine before sleep?, what is the meaning of “Teloe”? is it teleology, reaching for meaning or purpose and losing it, Amber and Chalcedony, pleasure barges bound for blossomy Cytheron, Liquid Gold, Lord Dunsany, the heavenly host, the destruction of the physical (the corpse-like clay), black clouds like vultures, Supernatural Horror In Literature by H.P. Lovecraft, “the oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear”, City In The Sea by Edgar Allan Poe, opium addiction, why opium?, Confessions Of An English Opium-Eater by Thomas De Quincey, Charles Baudelaire, a waking dream, if the story was written in the 1960s…, LSD, morphine and Morpheus (dream), a waking dream, Aldous Huxley, Timothy Leary, The Doors Of Perception, out of Plato’s cave, Philip K. Dick, mindset and environment, mescaline, dreams vs. drug trips, journeys into the unconscious, Mouthpiece by Edward Wellen, decoding the death ravings of Dutch Schultz (HERE), William Burroughs, Robert Anton Wilson, “French Canadian Bean Soup”, stream of unconsciousness, Frances vs. French people, “swimming through New York”, The Librarian TV series, “perfectly ordinary strange adventures”, puns are big for the subconscious, Samuel R. Delany, Groucho Marx.

The Tyger by William Blake

The United Co-Operative, April 1921 - The Crawling Chaos

Posted by Jesse Willis

X Minus One: A Gun For Dinosaur based on the short story by L. Sprague de Camp

Tuesday, August 30, 2011Sunday, September 11, 2011 Jesse Willis

SFFaudio Online Audio

I was surprised to learn this X-Minus One audio drama had never been posted to SFFaudio before. We’ve talked about L. Sprague de Camp’s A Gun For Dinosaur on the SFFaudio Podcast a couple of times (episodes #055 and #035), but for some reason it had never actually been posted on the website!

Now that I’ve got a copy of the original magazine where the short story was first published, and I’m looking at the fantastic illustrations by Ed Emshwiller, I think I’ve found the perfect time!

X-Minus One – A Gun For Dinosaur
Based on the short story by L. Sprague de Camp; Performed by a full cast
1 |MP3| – Approx.30 Minutes [RADIO DRAMA]
Broadcaster: NBC
Broadcast: March 7, 1956
Provider: Internet Archive
In the bloodiest and most ferocious arena of all prehistoric Earth, hunting reptile heavyweights isn’t for human lightweights. First published in the March 1956 issue Galaxy magazine.

A Gun For Dinosaur illustrated by EMSH

And here’s the cover and splash page for Marvel Comics’ Worlds Unknown, which featured a 14 page adaptation of the story:

Worlds Unknown #2 - A Gun For Dinosaur - COVER

Worlds Unknown #2 - A GUN FOR DINOSAUR Adapted by Roy Thomas, art by Val Mayerik and Ernie Chua - Page 1

Posted by Jesse Willis

The SFFaudio Podcast #119

Podcast

The SFFaudio Podcast #119 – Scott, Jesse and Tamahome talk to author Paul Malmont about his novel The Astounding, The Amazing, And The Unknown.

Talked about on today’s show:
The Chinatown Death Cloud Peril, Jack London In Paradise, Hawaii, The Iron Heel by Jack London, the rise of the oligarchy, The Washington Post review of The Astounding, The Amazing, And The Unknown, Robert A. Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, L. Ron Hubbard, the Philadelphia Experiment, the movie The Philadelphia Experiment, “a psuedo-historical event” vs. “a cultural phenomena”, legend, John W. Campbell, Astounding Science Fiction, Unknown (magazine), Kamikaze pilots vs. the Kamikaze group, L. Sprague de Camp, chemistry, Orange Nehi, the Tunguska event, Nikola Tesla, the Wardenclyffe Tower, historical fiction, meta-science fiction, Walter B. Gibson, Lester Dent, H.P. Lovecraft, the “hero pulps” vs. science fiction pulps, The Shadow, Doc Savage, L. Ron Hubbard as a tragic hero, Dianetics, an atomic age religion, Virginia Heinlein, Janet Asimov, Gertrude Asimov, “The robot felt…”, using social networks to promote a novel, Frank Herbert, Aleutian Islands, the Manhattan Project, Cleve Cartmill and the atomic bomb, The Green Hills Of Earth, Tim Powers, “twenty weird true things”, Murdoch Mysteries, the AC DC wars, remixing modern historical fiction, Iain M. Banks, mash-ups, The Chinatown Death Cloud Peril has zombies, the TVO interview with Walter B. Gibson, magic, In Search Of….

Posted by Jesse Willis

SSOC #022 featured Voice Of The Bloodstained God by Fred Blosser

Friday, June 17, 2011 Jesse Willis

SFFaudio News

Dark Horse comics has been releasing affordable phone book sized collections of the old Savage Sword Of Conan stories for a few years now. I’ve got a couple of them. That got me flipping through my old back issues, and in so doing noticing just how much content isn’t in the reprints. What is mostly missing is the bonus material: the pinups, maps, photo-essays, letters columns and of course all the ads. But just today I noticed that SSOC #22 has something I’d never seen in it, at least not with SFFaudio eyes, before. Check out this review, by Fred Blosser, of this vintage 1976 LP entitled Conan: The Bloodstained God/The Curse of the Monolith:

Voice Of The Bloodstained God by Fred Blosser

Here’s an excerpt:

The Renaissance Man of fantasy fiction.

So one might describe L. Sprague de Camp.

Novelist, essayist, world traveller, engineer, poet, collegiate fencer, popularizer of science and history. You name it, and de Camp has probably done it. To Conan fans, de Camp perhaps is most familiar as the writer who continued and expanded the saga of the mighty Cimmerian after the death of Robert E. Howard. Whatever one thinks of this work – and opinions differ – it still is difficult to deny the importance of de Camp in the genre. Recently, in association with II Vermont-based studio called Moondance Productions. Inc” de Camp took microphone in hand to essay a new role – that of oral storyteller.

The result? A new record album titled. simply. Robert E. Howard’s Conan. Featuring L. Sprague de Camp. In his liner notes, Moondance producer Alan B. Goldstein calls the LP “an historic event … the first recorded Conan story by a living author of the Conan literature.” Actually, the record contains dramatic readings of not one, but two stories. But Goldstein may well be correct about the “historic” part. At least where Conanophiles are concerned.

Side one of the LP features “The Bloodstained God,” a riproaring talc in which Conan tangles with human and demonic foes while searching for a long- lost idol of gemencrusted gold. “The Curse of the Monolith,” on side two, brings the Cimmerian up against a Hyborian Age version of the Blob while on another treasure hunt. Both yams were co-authored by deCamp- “Monolith” in collaboration with Lin Carter, “God” as a rewrite of a non-fantasy Howard swashbuckler collected in The Swords of Shahrazar (FAX, 1976) as “The Curse of the Crimson God.”

How does de Camp fare on vinyl? Very well. I think. He gives the stories a careful, unhurried reading that most listeners should find appealing. His interpretation of the various voices is also fine. I liked the surly growl that he gives Conan , and the singsong inflections for the Oriental characters.

The sound effects and music blend in nicely with the narration, indicating that a lot of technical work went into the album. “The Bloodstained God” in particular provides a field day for the special effects crew. Swords c lash, hoofbeats clop on Slone, men yell in horror as they are pitched into bottomless chasms. There’s even the creaking of a living statue climbing down from its pedestal in search of prey! These effects provide a keen sense of realism without interfering a bit with de Camp’s storytelling.

In short, if you liked Moondance’s first Conan LP (a dramatization of “The Frost Giant’s Daughter” and “The Tower of the Elephant.” reviewed in SSOC #11), you’ll find more of the same here. With of course, the added novelty of de Camp’s performance.

The LP was a limited edition printing (1500 copies made) and contained two abridged short stories with music/quasi-sound effects. I’ve never reviewed it, not being a huge fan of dramatized readings, but it is certainly interesting.

Conan: The Bloodstained God/The Curse of the Monolith
By Robert E. Howard, L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter; Read by L. Sprague de Camp
1 33 1/3 RPM LP – [ABRIDGED]
Publisher: Moondance Productions
Published: 1976

On the other hand I do heartily recommend the two Conan audio dramas produced by Moondance that were, apparently, reviewed in SSOC #11 (I’ll try to find my copy of that issue).

Robert E. Howard’s Conan – The Tower Of The Elephant & The Frost Giant’s Daughter
Adapted by Roy Thomas & Alan B. Goldstein; Performed by a FULL CAST
33 1/3 RPM LP – Approx. 46 Minutes [AUDIO DRAMATIZATION]
Publisher: Moondance Productions
Published: 1975
|READ OUR REVIEW|

Posted by Jesse Willis

Anthony Boucher’s All Stars: 52 best SF books (+6 More) and 12 Fantasy books

Friday, April 1, 2011 Jesse Willis

SFFaudio Commentary

The Magazine Of Fantasy And Science Fiction - October1958

The “All Star Anniversary Issue” of Fantasy And Science Fiction Magazine (for October 1958) featured famed editor Anthony Boucher’s regular “Recommending Reading” column – but with a twist. In celebration of the magazine’s 9th anniversary Boucher challenged himself to create a list of “Fifty Review Copies I Would Not Part With.” He failed in this herculean task – he just couldn’t pair down the list to fifty (even by restricting what would qualify in a number of ways). Instead, he ended up listing 52 Science Fiction novels or collections that he had no hand in publishing, another six that he did, and twelve Fantasy titles that were absolute must keepers as well. Of them Boucher wrote:

“These are novels and collections which have, from 1949 through 1957, given intense pleasure to a man professionally, obligated to read every s.f. book published in America; and I venture the guess that any reader, novice or habitué of our field, will find stimulation and delight in a high number of these titles.”

That’s good enough for me! I have reproduced as Boucher listed them (in alphabetical order by author). But I’ve added links to extant audiobook editions:

Boucher’s 52 best SF books:
Brain Wave by Poul Anderson |BLACKSTONE AUDIO|

The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester
The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester

The Long Tomorrow by Leigh Brackett

The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury [COLLECTION] |READ OUR REVIEW|

What Mad Universe by Fredric Brown
The Lights In The Sky Are Stars by Fredric Brown
Angels And Spaceships by Fredric Brown [COLLECTION]

Cloak Of Aesir by John W. Campbell [COLLECTION]

No Blade Of Grass / The Death Of Grass by John Christopher |AUDIBLE FRONTIERS|

Prelude To Space by Arthur C. Clarke
Expedition To Earth by Arthur C. Clarke [COLLECTION]
Against The Fall Of Night (and The City And The Stars) by Arthur C. Clarke

Mission Of Gravity by Hal Clement

The Wheels Of If by L. Sprague de Camp [COLLECTION]
Rogue Queen by L. Sprague de Camp

Nerves by Lester Del Rey

Eye In The Sky by Philip K. Dick |BLACKSTONE AUDIO|

The Third Level by Jack Finney [COLLECTION]

The Man Who Sold The Moon by Robert A. Heinlein [COLLECTION]
The Green Hills Of Earth by Robert A. Heinlein [COLLECTION] |BLACKSTONE AUDIO|BOOKS ON TAPE|CAEDMON|

Bullard Of The Space Patrol by Malcolm Jameson

Takeoff by C.M. Kornbluth
The Explorers by C.M. Kornbluth [COLLECTION]
Not This August by C.M. Kornbluth

Gather, Darkness by Fritz Leiber
The Green Millennium by Fritz Leiber |WONDER AUDIO|

The Big Ball Of Wax by Shepherd Mead

Shadow On The Hearth by Judith Merrril

Shadows In The Sun by Chad Oliver
Another Kind by Chad Oliver [COLLECTION]

A Mirror For Observers by Edgar Pangborn

The Space Merchants by Frederick Pohl and C.M. Kornbluth

The Other Place by J.B. Priestly [COLLECTION]

Deep Space by Eric Frank Russell [COLLECTION]

Untouched by Human Hands by Robert Sheckley [COLLECTION]

City by Clifford D. Simak [COLLECTION] |AUDIBLE FRONTIERS|
Strangers In The Universe by Clifford D. Simak

Without Sorcery by Theodore Sturgeon [COLLECTION]
The Dreaming Jewels by Theodore Sturgeon |BLACKSTONE AUDIO|
More Than Human by Theodore Sturgeon |BLACKSTONE AUDIO|

Slan by A.E. van Vogt |BBC AUDIOBOOKS AMERICA|
The Weapon Shops and The Weapon Makers by A.E. van Vogt

Player Piano by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. |AUDIBLE MODERN VANGUARD|

A Martian Odyssey by Stanley Weinbaum [COLLECTION] |LIBRIVOX|

The Throne Of Saturn by S. Fowler Wright

The Day Of The Triffids by John Wyndham |AUDIBLE FRONTIERS|
Re-Birth/The Chrysalids by John Wyndham |AUDIBLE FRONTIERS|

Excellent titles that had origins on the pages of Fantasy And Science Fiction:

Bring The Jubilee by Ward Moore

Tales From Gavagan’s Bar by Fletcher Pratt and L. Sprague de Camp [COLLECTION]

The Sinister Researches Of C.P. Ransom by H. Nearing Jr. [COLLECTION]

One In Three Hundred by J.T. McIntosh

The Star Beast by Robert A. Heinlein |FULL CAST AUDIO|
The Door Into Summer by Robert A. Heinlein |BLACKSTONE AUDIO|

Boucher’s best dozen Fantasy books:

The Devil In Velvet by John Dickson Carr

Fancies And Goodnights by John Collier [COLLECTION]

The Worm Ouroboros by E.R. Eddison |MARIA LECTRIX|

The Circus Of Dr. Lao by Charles G. Finney

The Private Memoirs And Confessions Of A Justified Sinner by James Hogg

Fear by L. Ron Hubbard |GALAXY PRESS|

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson [COLLECTION] |BBC AUDIOBOOKS AMERICA|

The Ghostly Tales by Henry James [COLLECTION]

Pogo by Walt Kelly

Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis |BLACKSTONE AUDIO|

Further Fables For Our Times by James Thurber [COLLECTION]

The Lord Of The Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien |RECORDED BOOKS|

Posted by Jesse Willis