SFBRP: Six Fantasy novels read in 2009 reviewed

SFFaudio Online Audio

The Science Fiction Book Review Podcast In his latest show Luke Burrage, of the Science Fiction Book Review Podcast, is shotgun reviewing the six Fantasy novel he read in 2009. The novels are:

A Wizard Of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
Warbreaker and Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
The Steel Remains by Richard K. Morgan
Shadowmagic by John Lenahan
The Warrior-Prophet by R. Scott Bakker

Have a listen |MP3| or subscribe to the feed:

http://www.sfbrp.com/?feed=podcast

iTunes 1-Click |SUBSCRIBE|

And, if you haven’t heard it already, be sure to check out Luke’s previous show, which is a very compelling review of Anathem by Neal Stephenson |MP3|!

Posted by Jesse Willis

Clarkesworld: The Things by Peter Watts

SFFaudio Online Audio

Kate Baker, who does podcasty things for StarShipSofa, is also in charge of Clarkesworld Magazine‘s podcast. She’s all excited about one of the stories in the latest issues. Sez Baker:

So I can’t really contain my excitement on this one. Peter Watts is one of the nicest people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting. I got to briefly chat with him after a reading he did of “The Things” at Worldcon. He had only read part of the fantastic story but it was too late. I was hooked. I wanted more.

As I say in the few minutes before the story gets going on the podcast, you can imagine my utter delight and many squees when Neil [Clarke] told me we were putting up the story for January. What a way to start 2010!

Without sounding like a total fangirl here, this story is awesome on so many levels. With anything in the written or spoken word, your imagination has to do all the work. Once the writer and/or narrator start laying the canvas, it’s ultimately how you arrange the paint in your head. The artists give you the broad strokes. This story is almost an Alfred Hitchcock approach to imagery, by dancing around the grotesque, your mind is left to make up the difference. Wholly more terrifying in parts if you ask me. Words cue mental pictures and depending on your life experiences, there are moments within “The Things” which send shivers up your delicate spine and invite introspection. Peter has the gift of making me question what it really means to be human.

I hope you’ll go read or listen to this month’s Clarkesworld Magazine. You won’t be disappointed. As always — please let comments on both stories and podcasts.

Clarkesworld Magazine #40The Things
By Peter Watts; Read by Kate Baker
1 |MP3| – Approx. 54 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Podcaster: Clarkesworld Magazine (issue #40)
Podcast: January 2010

Podcast feed: http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/?feed=podcast

iTunes 1-Click |SUBSCRIBE|

Posted by Jesse Willis

LibriVox – The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle

SFFaudio Online Audio

LibriVoxBack in October I was telling you folks about the two Howard Pyle audiobooks that had been released over on LibriVox.org. I had actually meant to tell you about THREE Pyle audiobooks – but I got distracted by something shiny and never finished the post. Well I’m finishing it now! The Merry Adventures Of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle is a public domain book about the original highwayman of Nottinghamshire. First published in 1883 The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood served as the basis for many later adaptations of the story of Robin Hood and his merry band.

LibriVox - The Merry Adventures Of Robin Hood by Howard PyleThe Merry Adventures of Robin Hood
By Howard Pyle; Read by various
22 Zipped MP3 Files or Podcast – Approx. 11 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: January 26, 2007
Robin Hood is the archetypal English folk hero; a courteous, pious and swashbuckling outlaw of the mediæval era who, in modern versions of the legend, is famous for robbing the rich to feed the poor and fighting against injustice and tyranny. He operates with his “seven score” (140 strong) group of fellow outlawed yeomen – named the Merry Men. He and his band are usually associated with Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire. The Victorian era generated its own distinct versions of Robin Hood. The traditional tales were often adapted for children, most notably in Howard Pyle’s Merry Adventures of Robin Hood. These versions firmly stamp Robin as a staunch philanthropist, a man who takes from the rich to give to the poor.

Podcast feed:

http://librivox.org/bookfeeds/the-merry-adventures-of-robin-hood-by-howard-pyle.xml

iTunes 1-Click |SUBSCRIBE|

Incidentally, if you’re not a fan of the multiple amateur narrators in this reading, you might want to shell out for the new Blackstone Audio version. It’s read by a single professional narrator. You can get that one |HERE|.

Posted by Jesse Willis

J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit (as read by Nicol Williamson)

SFFaudio Online Audio

Here’s an auspicious first post for 2010!

There are several audiobook editions of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit. The most recent production would be the unabridged version for Recorded Books. It’s narrated by Rob Inglis. Prior to that, there was also an abridged DH Audio (Durkin Hayes) production featuring narrator Martin Shaw. It was released in the 1990s. Tolkien recorded a few segments himself, released through Caedmon records and later Harper Audio. The earliest actual audiobook version is also very highly regarded. That’s this one, narrated by Nicol Williamson. It never saw North American distribution. Williamson is going to be familiar to fans of John Boorman’s masterpiece Excalibur (he played Merlin).

ARGO RECORDS - The Hobbit by J.R.R. TolkienThe Hobbit
By J.R.R. Tolkien; Read by Nicol Williamson
Four 33 1/3 LPs – Approx. 3.5 Hours [ABRIDGED]
Publisher: Conifer Records / Argo Productions
Published: 1973, 1974
Includes a 7 page booklet. The reading Includes some musical additions.

This is all apropos of some dude uploading it to Youtube (of all places).

Here is Part 1

The rest of the recording is available on a Nicol Williamson fansite |HERE| and |HERE|. For those more inclined to listen to their audio away from their computers, the entire audiobook (in two zipped downloads) is available in the MP3 format |HERE|.

[via The Silver Key, The Cimmerian and If I Only Had blogs]

Posted by Jesse Willis

Nova Star Hunters

SFFaudio Online Audio

Nova Star HuntersRik O’Neill, from Nova Star Hunters, sez:

Hi Jesse,

I came across your site today and am having a read through now! I wanted to let you know about a show I’ve been producing – the show is called ‘Nova Star Hunters.’ I’d love to get your thoughts on it. My inspiration in creating the show were the Saturday morning cartoons I watched as a kid (Transformers, He-Man!) Where a paper-thin plot provides an excuse for action. My idea was to create a similarly ‘fun show’ but with characters who go on a journey and have some depth.

Here is my response:

“Hi Rik,

First let me say your name is spelled very coolly. If I were ever to name one of my hypothetical children ‘Rick’ I’d drop that lame ‘C’ too. Rik. It looks cool, it sounds cool.

I too enjoyed the 1980s Transformers cartoon, but I’m afraid I thought He-Man was complete crap.

Re: Nova Star Hunters. Just from the title it even sounds like a 1980s TV show. I can almost picture a Dirk Benedict-like hero in a shiny tin-foil spacesuit.

After listening to the first episode I would almost guess Nova Star Hunters was more inspired by The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy or Red Dwarf than from Transformers. Here are my thoughts:

-I like the idea of an actor creating a character voice by pinching her nose. That’s fun stuff! And a talking cat, that sounds like a cat – nice one.

-The title song is also fun, very 80s.

-Many audio dramatists seem to think having an omniscient narrator is a big no-no. It may be unfashionable, but I like what you’ve done with it!

-The first episode produced about five full laugh out louds, several broad smiles, and about two-dozen smirks. That’s a very good score.

To sum up, I think you’ve a good chance of achieving your goal. I’m posting this to SFFaudio now.”

Podcast feed:
http://feeds2.feedburner.com/novastarhunters

iTunes 1-Click |SUBSCRIBE|

Posted by Jesse Willis

AudioFile Magazine’s December 2009 / January 2010 issue is readable online

SFFaudio News

AudioFile MagazineAudioFile Magazine, a print publication about audiobooks of all kinds, has released their December 2009/January 2010 issue via Mygazines.net. It’s kind of a PDF-style browser readable version of the paper magazine. The primary difference being the ads are all clickable.

Have a look |HERE|

Reading through it I see plenty of goodness. But like any paper magazine I’d like to have it actually in hand. Shouldn’t my local library stock AudioFile magazine?

Posted by Jesse Willis