Author: Jesse Willis

BBCR4: The Ditch

SFFaudio Online Audio

Radio Times - Afternoon Play: The Ditch BBC Radio 4The Radio Times, that invaluable resource for radio programmes airing in the UK, has a picked a “spine-tingling” tale for us to listen to. The Ditch is set to air on February 1st, 2010 in BBC Radio 4’s Afternoon Play slot. Given that the plot concerns a sound recordist in a spooky fen I’m betting this is going to play out pretty damn eerily. I’m game.

BBC Radio 4 - The DitchThe Ditch
By Paul Evans; Performed by a full cast
1 Broadcast – Approx. 45 Minutes [RADIO DRAMA]
Broadcaster: BBC Radio 4 / Afternoon Play
Broadcast: Monday February 1st, 2010 @14:15
Tom Saunders, a wildlife sound recordist, goes missing, leaving only a collection of recordings and a notebook. These fall into the hands of his radio producer, who tries to piece together what has happened. His quest leads him back to the disturbing aural landscape of Slaughton Ditch, where an obsession with hidden sounds has terrifying and fatal consequences.
Recorded on location, this chilling tale is written and narrated by Paul Evans.

Cast:
Tom Saunders …… Jimmy Yuill
Narrator …… Paul Evans
Other parts played by Christine Hall and Richard Angwin

Wildlife sound recordist Chris Watson

Directed by Sarah Blunt

I expect an MP3 of this will plop itself into my Radio Downloader folder shortly after it appears online. Is that how most of you get your BBC Afternoon Play fix too? Or are you all using RadioArchive.cc? Are you using the BBC iPlayer? Surely you’re not streaming it online? That’d be weird.

[Thanks Roy!]

Posted by Jesse Willis

LibriVox: Doctor Ox’s Experiment by Jules Verne

SFFaudio Online Audio

LibriVoxHere’s a new audiobook from LibriVox that I am eager to hear. Eric S. Rabkin, who we had as a guest on the SFFaudio Podcast last year, had some fascinating insights about this story in his Teaching Company lecture series Masterpieces of the Imaginative Mind: Literature’s Most Fantastic Works. The narrator for the LibriVox audiobook version is Alan Winterrowd. He’s a blogger and podcaster (he started the Penny Dreadful Podcasts in March 2009).

LIBRIVOX - Dr. Ox's Experiment by Jules VerneDoctor Ox’s Experiment
By Jules Verne; Read by Alan Winterrowd
5 Zipped MP3 Files or Podcast – Approx. 2 Hours 13 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: January 24, 2010
An early, light-hearted short story, published in 1872 by Jules Verne. It takes place in the Flemish town of Quiquendone, where life moves at an extraordinarily tranquil pace. Doctor Ox has offered to light the town with a new gas, but actually has other plans in place.

Podcast feed: http://librivox.org/rss/3562

iTunes 1-Click |SUBSCRIBE|

[Thanks also to Elli and David Lawrence]

Posted by Jesse Willis

Copyfight: Charlie Angus demands answers on secret copyright treaty

SFFaudio News

Prime Minister Stephen Harper‘s recent prorogation of the Canada’s House Of Commons has left one of the few advocates of fair copyright for Canadians without a voice in the House. Here is his YouTube (!) calling out to the PM. Of course unlike a session in the House the PM has no obligation to answer Angus or anyone else on YouTube. Which is the point of a prorogation of parliament. Shameful.

MP Charlie Angus (Timmins-James Bay) speaking out against the secretive ACTA negotiations taking place in Mexico.

[via BoingBoing]

Posted by Jesse Willis

LibriVox: DeathWorld 2 by Harry Harrison

SFFaudio Online Audio

LibriVoxHere’s an SF novel I never expected to see as an audiobook. It’s Harry Harrison’s follow up to his terrific novel DeathWorld. Here’s what one LibriVoxateer (libraryanne) sez of DeathWorld 2 as read by my friend Gregg Margarite:

“Humorous, fast moving story and another superb solo. I am so fortunate to be able to proof listen for such superb readers. Way to go Gregg!”

Indeed, thanks so much Gregg!

LIBRIVOX - DeathWorld 2 by Harry HarrisonDeathWorld 2 (aka The Ethical Engineer)
By Harry Harrison; Read by Gregg Margarite
5 Zipped MP3 Files or Podcast – Approx. 4 Hours 9 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: January 24, 2010
The Ethical Engineer also known as Deathworld II finds our hero Jason dinAlt captured to face justice for his crimes, but the ever-wily gambler crashes his transport on a primitive planet populated by clans that hoard knowledge. It’s a difficult situation for a guy who just wants to get back to Pyrrus. First published in the July and August 1963 issues of Analog Science Fact & Fiction.

Podcast feed: http://librivox.org/rss/3942

iTunes 1-Click |SUBSCRIBE|

Now if only someone could make an unabridged audiobook out of Bill, The Galactic Hero:

[thanks also to Betty M. and James Christopher]

Posted by Jesse Willis

LibriVox: A Knyght Ther Was by Robert F. Young

SFFaudio Online Audio

LibriVoxRobert F. Young (1915-1986) was an American public school janitor. In addition to maintaining what I can only assume to have been immaculate hallways and washrooms in Bufallo, NY schools, he is also remembered for having written five novels, as well as a few dozen short Science Fiction stories, novellas and novelettes. His authorial production started in 1953 with a sale to Startling Stories. Later sales were made to Playboy, The Saturday Evening Post, Collier’s and Analog.

This story is inspired in part by Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales and features a rogue time traveler named Tom Mallory who transits to 6th century Europe in search of an unparalleled treasure. Perhaps Terry Gilliam or Michael Palin filched this as a story seed for their 1981 classic Time Bandits?

LibriVox - A Knyght Ther Was by Robert F. YoungA Knyght Ther Was
By Robert F. Young; Read by Roger Melin
6 Zipped MP3 Files or Podcast – Approx. 2 Hours 19 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: January 23, 2010
“But the Knyght was a little less than Perfect, and his horse did not have a metabolism, and his ‘castle’ was much more mobile—timewise!—than it had any business being!” In 2178, once time travel had become a simple task, it had also been outlawed. Those who chose to ingnore this law were known as time-thieves, and Tom Mallory was among the best of them. When he learns the precise whereabouts of the Holy Grail in 542, he sets out to obtain it with the intention of returning it to the 22nd century to make a handsome profit and to settle on Get-Rich-Quick Street. Off to the year 542 he travels to the castle of Carbonek where the great Knight Sir Launcelot is said to have possession of the Sangraal. First published in Analog Science Fact & Fiction July 1963.

Podcast feed: http://librivox.org/rss/3941

iTunes 1-Click |SUBSCRIBE|

Trailer for Time Bandits (1981):

[Thanks also to Betty M. and Annise]

Posted by Jesse Willis