LibriVox: The Poison Belt by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

SFFaudio Online Audio

LibriVoxNew from Librivox and the prolific narrator Mark F. Smith, comes the novella sequel to the Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Like Doyle’s other famous creation, Sherlock Holmes, Professor Challenger was based on a real person. Doyle modeled Challenger on a professor of physiology named William Rutherford, who had lectured at the University of Edinburgh while Conan Doyle studied medicine there. The Poison Belt was first published in 1913 in The Strand magazine.

LibriVox Science Fiction Audiobook - The Poison Belt by Sir Arthur Conan DoyleThe Poison Belt
By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle; Read by Mark F. Smith
6 Zipped MP3 Files or Podcast – Approx. 3 Hours 19 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: December 04, 2008
Three years after the events that took place in The Lost World, Professor Challenger urgently summons his fellow explorers to a meeting. Oddly, he requires each to bring an oxygen cylinder with him. What he soon informs them is that from astronomical data and just-received telegraphs of strange accidents on the other side of the world, he has deduced that the Earth is starting to move through a region of space containing something poisonous to humankind. Shutting themselves tightly up in Challenger’s house, they start to consider what may be done. But as their countrymen start to drop, will their oxygen last long enough to determine and implement a solution?

Podcast feed:
http://librivox.org/bookfeeds/the-poison-belt-by-sir-arthur-conan-doyle.xml

Posted by Jesse Willis

Review of Starship: Pirate by Mike Resnick

SFFaudio Review

Starship: Pirate, Book 2 by Mike ResnickStarship: Pirate, Book 2
By Mike Resnick; Read by Jonathan Davis
Audible Download – 8 Hours 45 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Audible Frontiers
Published: April 2008
Themes: / Science Fiction / Space Opera / Galactic Civilization / Aliens / Piracy / Crime / Military SF /

Seeking to find a new life for themselves, Cole and comrades remake the Teddy R. as a pirate ship and set sail for the lawless Inner Frontier. There, powerful warlords, cut-throat pirates, and struggling colonies compete for survival in a game where you rarely get a second chance to learn the rules. But military discipline is poor preparation for a life of pillaging and plundering, and Cole’s principles limit his targets. Seeking an education on the nature of piracy, Cole hunts more knowledgeable players: the beautiful but deadly Valkyrie, the enigmatic alien fence David Copperfield, and the fearsome alien pirate known as the Hammerhead Shark.

Avast! All hands take heed of this fine awdio-booke! It be a speedy chaser to Starship: Mutiny – and who among ye haven’t read that yet? The scurvy lot who han’t yet, ought! Those who ha, read on.

Writer of the booke be one named Resnick, he be an experienced one, charting a course that leads to high adventure and much profite. There be little ballast for this be a fast journey. But I forewarn thee, there be parts where you’ll feel clapped in irons (unable to stop listening).

The keel of this story be straight and true. Though to be fair there was one leak into the bilge (a repeated line missed in the editing). Skippering the narration of this yarn be a yank of some experience. Jonathan Davis, he who tole the story of the Teddy R. and crew from the first booke (Starship: Mutiny), returns to bedevil the shores of many star systems again. Me spyglass reports that he be crewing the next booke, Starship: Mercenary as well. That be a good thing. Behind this yarn be Audible Frontiers. A new publisher of some new repute. And their stocks look unto being a great treasure trove of riches – fit nigh for many a plundering (mind ye though there be DRM). Better, and fitter, just sign your X and get an account. It be a wise move me hearties.

Posted by Jesse Willis

Review of Simon Bloom, the Gravity Keeper by Michael Reisman

SFFaudio Review

Fantasy Audiobook - Simon Bloom, the Gravity Keeper by Michael ReismanSimon Bloom, the Gravity Keeper
By Michael Reisman; Read by Nicholas Hormann
6 CDs – 7 hours, 22 minutes – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Listening Library
Published: 2008
ISBN: 9780739363539
Themes: / Science Fiction / YA / Physics / School /

Ordinary sixth-grader Simon Bloom has just made the biggest discovery since gravity–and it literally fell into his lap.

This is just an ordinary universe with one little twist. There is something called the Council of Knowledge that controls everything in the universe — how it runs, events that happen, and things like this. One part of this group is the Council of Sciences, and part of that is the Order of Physics. A man named Ralphagon Wintrofly (or Ralph Winters, as other people call him) is the keeper of this group and very special book called the Teachers Edition of Physics. The group meets every week in a forest near Simon Bloom’s hometown, but this forest is hidden from people who aren’t in the Council of Knowledge.

Simon Bloom was never special in any way, just an ordinary kid at school who had average grades and no friends. He spent his time daydreaming, and hoping that something would happen to his life. He got his wish. He met another sixth-grader at his school (Owen) and they find themselves in a patch of woods on the way home from school one day. Simon accidentally calls the Teachers Edition of Physics to him, and now it calls him “Keeper”.

The book contains formulas for controlling the field of physics. Certain people want this book and it isn’t safe for long. Simon has to face the horrific Seerbetta who has formulas of her own. Simon and his friends must find a way to defeat her and figure out what the Teachers Edition of Physics is for.

Nicholas Hormann is the narrator of this story. He has a great talent for creating voices. The characters voices that he provided this story put an emphasis on their specific character. The females in this story sound a bit more male than female but it did not make it so I couldn’t understand who the character was.

I recommend this book to kids 11+. This is a great book to listen to for its mild intensity and its surprising scenes. I was surprised at what happened next and was always ready for more.

Posted by DanielsonKid, Age 14

New Release – Mr. Spaceship by Philip K. Dick, read by Rudnicki

SFFaudio Recent Arrivals 

Mr SpaceshipMr. Spaceship
By Philip K. Dick; Read by Stefan Rudnicki
72 min.- [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Wonder Audio
Published: 2008

The war continues as a stalemate. The Yucconae, an alien race, are living organisms that can traverse outer space. The Earth’s drone rockets do not have a chance against the flexibility of a living organisms.

Working in a military research facility, Kramer comes up with a system of installing a man’s brain as the central processor of a rocket. Since a pilot could not withstand the pressures of deep space flight, a willing sacrifice will need to be made. Kramer’s ex-wife, Dolores, remembers an old professor, Professor Thomas, that she and Kramer had attended in college. Professor Thomas is near the end of his lifespan. His mind is still agile, and it is agreed that it is his mind that will go into the rocket. The plan is for the brain to be alive but not conscious inside the rocket.

But things don’t go as they should as some last minute modification allows Professor Thomas to return to consciousness and fully control the ship. And it’s not in the Professor’s plans to be a pawn to the Earth’s military. 

Available at Audible and iTunes.

 Posted by The Time Traveler of the Time Traveler Show

Maria Lectrix Podcast: The Risk Profession by Donald E. Westlake

SFFaudio Online Audio

Maureen O’Brien, of the prolific Maria Lectrix podcast, has wrapped up her reading of Donald E. Westlake’s The Risk Profession. This tale was originally published in the March 1961 issue of Amazing Stories magazine. It was later collected in Tomorrow’s Crimes (a collection of Science Fiction by Westlake). I’m a big fan of all of Westlake’s writing, he’s prolific, and he never disappoints. Here’s the intro teaser for this solid tale…

The men who did dangerous work had a special kind of insurance policy. But when somebody wanted to collect on that policy, the claims investigator suddenly became a member of …

Science Fiction Audiobook - The Risk Profession by Donald E. WestlakeThe Risk Profession
By Donald E. Westlake; Read by Maureen O’Brien
4 MP3 Files – Approx. 1 Hour 24 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Podcaster: Maria Lectrix
Podcast: November 2008
Provider: Archive.org
In space, you still need insurance investigators. And anywhere there’s people, there’s fraud, theft, and murder. Donald E. Westlake is famous for his mysteries and thrillers. In this 1961 story, he shows us a future that’s got a little sense of wonder and a lot of human nature.
Part 1 |MP3| Part 2 |MP3| Part 3 |MP3| Part 4 |MP3|

Posted by Jesse Willis

StarShipSofa’s Aural Delights: China Miéville’s ‘Tis The Season +MORE

SFFaudio Online Audio

Photobucket

It’s CHRISTMAS!

And… to celebrate this fine time, the StarShipSofa has decked herself out in holly, tinsel and mistletoe. This week sees her Christmas Special and what better way to enjoy this festive season with some grand and festive stories, all accompanied by a great looking cove by science fiction artist Skeet Scienski.

Click here to listen to the full Aural Delights No 56 China Miéville mp3

Editorial: Tony C Smith

Flash Fiction: A Christmas Tale by Davis Kopaska-Merkel

Flash Fiction: Robowassailing by Allen Steele

Fact: Sofa Art by Skeet

Main Fiction: ‘Tis The Season by China Miéville

Narrators: Diane Severson, MCL, Amy H Sturgis  

Subscribe to the podcast via this feed:

http://www.starshipsofa.com/rss

Posted by Tony C. Smith