News, Reviews, and Commentary on all forms of science fiction, fantasy, and horror audio. Audiobooks, audio drama, podcasts; we discuss all of it here. Mystery, crime, and noir audio are also fair game.
The SFFaudio Podcast #238 – The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells, read by Cathy Barratt (for LibriVox.org).
This audiobook, 4 hours 35 minutes, is complete and unabridged.
Griffin, a scientist, devoted himself to research into optics – he invented a chemical that could change his body’s refractive index to that of air – he absorbs no light, he reflects no light – he is completely invisible.
First published in Pearson’s Magazine, June 12, 1897.
Posted by Jesse Willis
One can easily imagine a story like this actually happening at an upper-crust English country seat like the fictional Downton Abbey – Ruth Golding’s fabulous narration is spot on for this cute little “ghost story” by Saki.
The Hedgehog
By Saki; Read by Ruth Golding
1 |MP3| – Approx. 15 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox
Published: 2012
The busybodies at a vicarage garden party invite a one Miss Ada Bleek, from the “Society for Psychical Research”, to have a bit of a snoop at their local ghosts – she finds a very large and rather pale one.
And here’s a five page |PDF| version.
Posted by Jesse Willis
The Story Of The Inexperienced Ghost (aka The Inexperienced Ghost) is, on its face, merely a humourous ghost story. But I get the sense that there’s quite a bit of satire going on in it. It may be doing to the straight-up ghost story (in a far more lighthearted way) what The Red Room does to the Gothic Horror story.
The Story Of The Inexperienced Ghost
By H.G. Wells; Read by Toby Paradis
1 |MP3| – Approx. 27 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: 2008
First published in The Strand, March 1902.
Here’s a fully illustrated |PDF| made from the original printing.
Mrs. P. (aka Kathy Kinney) reads The Story Of The Inexperienced Ghost:
Posted by Jesse Willis
I’ve edited together, cleaned up, and Levelated the 2009 solo LibriVox narration of Henry James’ 1908 novelette The Jolly Corner.
The Jolly Corner is a ghost story, said to be rivaled only by The Turn Of The Screw. Here is narrator Nicholas Clifford’s own description:
James’s protagonist, Spencer Brydon, is an American of 56, returned to New York after 33 years in Europe, where he has apparently accomplished little while living off his New York rentals. His friendship with Alice Staverton, and his engagement in the development of a property awaken him to the possibilities that might have been his, had he chosen a different course of life. The “ghost,” if that’s what it is, is that other self that might have been, and his confrontation with that self and its possibilities leads to a deeply unsettling, yet ambiguous, conclusion.
Having been downloaded more than 7,000 times there’s still only one review on Archive.org page – but it is a very positive review, writes Kydiana:
This is an intriguing and thought-provoking tale. On the surface a ghost story, it is really a story about the ghosts which haunt our own interiors. It poses deep existential questions–Who are we, really? Would we even recognize ourselves in a life in which in which we had made different choices? What does it mean to love someone regardless of how that person develops over the course of a lifetime? Well-read. Highly recommended.
|MP3| Approx. 95 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
And, made from a scan of the original magazine publication, here’s a handy 31 page |PDF| version.
Posted by Jesse Willis
The SFFaudio Podcast #225 – The Iron Heel by Jack London, read by Matt Soar.
This UNABRIDGED AUDIOBOOK (8 Hours 9 Minutes) comes to us courtesy of LibriVox.org. The Iron Heel was first published in 1907.
Posted by Jesse Willis
I’ve stitched together the 26 MP3 files (8 hours 9 minutes) of Matt Soar’s LibriVox narration of The Iron Heel by Jack London. I’ve removed all redundant intros and extros, Levelated the audio, and done some noise removal. I’ve also added art, taken from the cover of one of the first printings of this 1907 Science Fiction dystopia. You’re welcome.
|MP3|
Gutenberg has the |ETEXT|
Posted by Jesse Willis