Hour 25 is back on-line with a new show – Remembering Columbia.
Posted by Scott D. Danielson
Another from my list of all-time favorites….The …
Another from my list of all-time favorites….
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, starring Simon Jones, Peter Jones, and Geoffrey McGivern, BBC Radio, 1978
This BBC audio drama is the original version of the insanely popular science fiction comedy, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. It’s been through many forms since then, including novels and a BBC television series. But this radio series is not only the original version, it’s the best version. The actors are crisp and hilarious, the scripts brilliant, the sound and music first-rate. If you don’t know what Vogon poetry is, this is the place to start.
The original run, called “Fit the First”, was six half-hour shows. Later, six more shows (“Fit the Second”) were done for a total of 12 shows. The Collector’s Edition (available from Amazon.com UK) includes all of those along with two CD’s filled with Douglas Adams interviews.
Another note – Douglas Adams recorded a live reading of some sections of the novels. The tape runs about 90 minutes, and is extremely funny. It’s called Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Live in Concert. It appears to be out of print, but is available on Audible.com.
Posted by Scott D. Danielson
Review of To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip Jose Farmer
To Your Scattered Bodies Go
by Philip Jose Farmer; Read by Richard Clarke
2 cassettes – 2 hours [ABRIDGED]
Publisher: Waldentapes (1985)
Suggested Retail: $14.95 USD
ISBN: 0681327731
Status: Out of Print – RARE
Themes: / Science Fiction / Sci-Fi / Fantasy / Mystery / The Afterlife / History / Series
My biggest problem with this audiobook is that it is over much too quickly. Like most early science fiction audiobooks, this is an abridgement of a novel, in this case a great novel. Philip José Farmer’s To Your Scattered Bodies Go is a Hugo Award winner (for 1972), and this alone makes it worth a look. But the story is intiguing enough to make you wish for more, a lot more.
Set on the huge and mysterious Riverworld, a planet whose central river is the new home to every last soul who ever lived on Earth – from prehistoric apemen to moon-dwelling future civilizations (and even an alien visitor to Earth). Our protagonist is the reborn Sir Richard Francis Burton, famed translator of The Arabian Nights, explorer, brawler, scholar, womanizer and adventurer. His quest? To discover the end of the river, the meaning of this world’s strange existence, where death is a mere inconvenience and food is magically delivered. With such nasty foes like a youthful Hermann Göring and some super evolved aliens called “Ethicals” to deal with, you know its going to be fun. Burton himself is fascinating to follow and I’d like to see if there is a good audiobook biography of him out there. The story itself runs two hours, read by some fellow named Richard Clarke, with a familiar but hard to place English accent. Clarke is backed up by a nicely accenting musical score.
The package is unique to Waldentapes (a line I’m sure we’ll be looking at again) a clear soft plastic case that opens in a very convoluted manner designed for quick sales and low cost it nevertheless has an interesting cover depicting actual events of the novel. While it is long out of print it is not impossible to find, copies turn up on a semi-regular basis on eBay, selling for very reasonable amounts. Since I wished this book was longer, I was happy to find an unabridged version from Recorded Books. Hopefully we will be able to post a review of that version here soon. All in all this is a good find and a valuable addition to any science fiction audiobook collector.
This just in! Jesse just informed me that the C…
This just in!
Jesse just informed me that the Caedmon version of “Green Hills of Earth” is included in this collection, which is unfortunately also out of print. The pic on the right is the original Caedmon LP cover of “Green Hills”. I have no clue how he found that, but the man has his sources…
He also let me know that “Green Hills of Earth” was done by Waldentapes, a label that is generally excellent. Pic at left there… And speaking of Waldentapes, I have Childhood’s End and To Your Scattered Bodies Go from them. Childhood’s End is wonderful, and I just recently acquired To Your Scattered Bodies Go from an eBay auction – haven’t listened yet.
Thanks Jesse!
Posted by Scott D. Danielson
Review of Green Hills of Earth / Gentlemen, Be Seated by Robert A. Heinlein
Green Hills of Earth/Gentlemen Be Seated by Robert A. Heinlein, read by Leonard Nimoy, Caedmon, 1977
Let me pray for one last landing
On the globe that gave me birth
Let me rest my eyes
On the fleecy skies
And the cool, green hills of Earth.
–Robert A. Heinlein’s Rhysling
I type that from memory, hearing Leonard Nimoy’s voice in my mind’s ear. These two stories make my favorites list probably for nostalgic reasons, though Leonard Nimoy is an excellent narrator. This was one of the first audiobooks I listened to as a youth – it was one of the tapes in my local library’s small collection. I found it one day while looking through the few old time radio cassettes. This was also my first exposure to Robert A. Heinlein, and I was hooked. I was struck (and still am) by Heinlein’s ability to make his future so normal to all the people in it.
The story of Rhysling, blind singer of the spaceways, was on one side of the cassette, and the story of a reporter’s dangerous lunar adventure was on the other. A top-notch performance from Nimoy made this a gem that I’ve enjoyed many many times. I have no idea where to find copies of this now. If anyone does, please let me know.
In the news… Neil Gaiman continues to collect we…
In the news… Neil Gaiman continues to collect well-deserved awards. A couple of weeks ago, he accepted the Nebula Award (Best Novel) for his American Gods. He’s on the list of Hugo nominees (Best Novella) for Coraline. The audio version of Coraline (read by the author) has just been given a Parent’s Choice Silver Award – see details here. His fiction is fabulous, folks. Drop what you’re doing and go read or listen to some.