SFFaudio – Page 853 – 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.

New Releases

SFFaudio New Releases

Leading the pack, with a Murray Leinster classic …

Anthropological Note
By Murray Leinster; Read by Tara Platt
1 MP3 Dowload – 55 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Wonder Audio
Published: February 2007
Miss Cummings, a female anthropologist, is set down in the middle of a Venusian Krug village to study the alien culture. Ray Hale, a scondrel and murderer, is on his way to the very same village. Miss Cummings and Ray Hale have a past, but what of their future?

Audio Renaissance has much lengthier modern titles…

Empire
By Orson Scott Card; Read by Stephan Rudnicki
9 CDs – 11 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Audio Renaissance
Published: November 2006
ISBN 1593979800 (CD)
The American Empire has grown too fast, and the fault lines at home are stressed to the breaking point. The war of words between Right and Left has collapsed into a shooting war, though most people just want to be left alone. The battle rages between the high-technology weapons on one side, and militia foot-soldiers on the other, devastating the cities, and overrunning the countryside. But the vast majority, who only want the killing to stop, and the nation to return to more peaceful days, have technology, weapons and strategic geniuses of their own. When the American dream shatters into violence, who can hold the people and the government together? And which side will you be on?

Halo: Ghosts Of Onyx
By Eric Nylund; Read by Jonathan Davis
CD or Digital Download – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Audio Renaissance
Published:
ISBN: 1593979835
Covenant forces are sweeping through the outer colonies, glassing the planets and taking no survivors. But humans have a super weapon more powerful then one-hundred covenant troops, Spartans. These super soldiers are part human part machine, tactical and strong, and spell one word for the covenant, Death. Few are left, so ONI decides to mass produce them in a remote planet Onyx.

A freshly minted Octavia E. Butler novel, perhaps her last publication…

Fledgling
By Octavia E. Butler; Read by Tracey Leigh
10 CDs – 12 Hr 19 Min [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America
Published: February 2007
ISBN: 0792746716 (CD)
The late Octavia E. Butler’s final novel: The story of an apparently young, amnesiac girl whose alarmingly un-human needs and abilities lead her to a startling conclusion: she is in fact a genetically modified, 53-year-old vampire. Forced to discover what she can about her stolen former life, she must at the same time learn who wanted–and still wants–to destroy her and those she cares for, and how she can save herself. Fledgling is a captivating novel that tests the limits of “otherness” and questions what it means to be truly human.

posted by Jesse Willis

Mark Time and Ogle Awards impending cut-off March 1st 2007

SFFaudio News

Audio drama producers should take note, the annual Mark Time Awards for Science Fiction Audio Drama, and the Ogle Awards for Fantasy Audio Drama deadlines are rapidly approaching. All entries must be recieved by March 1st 2007. If you produced Full Cast audio in the genres of Science Fiction, Fantasy or Horror in the year 2006, consider entry into the 11th Annual Mark Time and Ogle Awards competition. Audiobooks are not eligible but if you’ve produced audio theater with music and sound effects pick out what you think is your best production and enter it.

Awards will be presented at the CONvergence Science Fiction Convention, July 6, 2007, in Bloomington, MN. Winners are invited to attend. If you win you’ll also get a plaque, a t-shirt, consideration for air time and catalog placements.

Judges this year include:
Phil Proctor, Firesign Theatre
Brian Price, Great Northern Audio Theatre
Kris Markman, National Audio Theatre Festivals
Jerry Stearns, Great Northern Audio Theatre

If you have questions, e-mail: [email protected]

How To Enter:

1. Print and fill out the Entry Form.

2. Send Five (5) copies of the Audio Production you are entering (CDs or Cassettes),
the Entry Form and a check for the $25.00 USD Entry Fee (checks payable to “Jerry Stearns”) to:

Mark Time Award
3421 44th Ave. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55406
USA

3. DEADLINE for Entry: March 1, 2007.

posted by Jesse Willis

Deadpan Podcast has Bill DeSmedt

SFFaudio Online Audio

Jack Mangan’s Deadpan podcast is unusually un-comedic this week with a half hour interview with SFFaudio Essential winning author Bill DeSmedt. Jack and Bill talk about Bill’s novel Singularity and the sequel to it that is being written. Download the show direct |MP3| or subscribe, and join the cult that makes you speak in vocal utterances of an unvaried tone via this feed:

http://www.jackmangan.com/podcast.xml

posted by Jesse Willis

Pendant Productions does Superhero Crossover Series: IMPERIUM

Online Audio

Pendant Productions, founded and executive produced by writer/director/actor Jeffrey Bridges has released the first in a nine episode crossover series scattered among their three superhero audio dramas:

“IMPERIUM” incorporates three Pendant shows; Superman: The Last Son of Krypton, Batman: The Ace of Detectives and Wonder Woman: Champion of Themyscira in a story spanning three months and nine episodes. The first show in the crossover appears in “issue” 25 of Superman: The Last Son of Krypton…

Superman: The Last Son of Krypton (Issue 25 “Onslaught”) – Part 1 of 9 of the “IMPERIUM” Crossover
1 MP3 – Approx. 16 Minutes [AUDIO DRAMA]
Podcaster: Pendant Productions – Superman: The Last Son of Krypton
Podcast: January 30th 2007

From the tattered remains of Themyscira to Gotham City and Metropolis, Earth is under attack from a horde of parademons that can’t be stopped! Even the mightiest of heroes must band together and take the fight to the source… Darkseid!

Podcast feed:

http://www.pendantaudio.com/superman-podcast.xml

And be sure to watch out for the subsequent issues:

FEB 14 – Batman 13 (Imperium 2)
FEB 21 – Wonder Woman 13 (Imperium 3)
FEB 28 – Superman 26 (Imperium 4)
MAR 14 – Batman 14 (Imperium 5)
MAR 21 – Wonder Woman 14 (Imperium 6)
MAR 28 – Superman 27 (Imperium 7)
APR 11 – Batman 15 (Imperium 8)
APR 18 – Wonder Woman 15 (Imperium 9)

posted by Jesse Willis

Choose Your Own Adventure On Your iPod

SFFaudio New Releases

Remember all the Choose Your Own Adventure stories from when we were kids? I was completely addicted to them myself. Well, the official site is now offering (for a $9.99 fee) its first adventure in an audio format for the iPod.

The Abominable Snowman is read by series author and founder R. A. Montgomery, and includes color illustrations and sound effects.

Get more information at the Choose Your Own Adventure Shop HERE.

posted by Dani Cutler

Review of The Magic Tree House Collection by Mary Pope Osborne

SFFaudio Audiobook Review

The Magic Tree House Collection
By Mary Pope Osborne; Read by Mary Pope Osborne
5 CDs – 5 Hours 40 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Listening Library
Published: 2001
ISBN: 0807206121
Themes: / Fantasy / Children’s Fantasy / Time Travel / Magic / Dragons / Knights / Pirates / Prehistoric /

This delightful children’s fantasy series features Jack and Annie. They’re siblings that find a tree house full of books. By opening the books the children are transported across time and space. This collection contains the first eight books of this popular kids series. In each book the children find themselves going to a different place. The books contained in this audiobook are:

1. Dinosaurs Before Dark
2. The Knight at Dawn
3. Mummies in the Morning
4. Pirates Past Noon
5. Night of the Ninjas
6. Afternoon on the Amazon
7. Sunset of the Sabertooth
8. Midnight on the Moon

Each book’s setting contains the tropes you’d expect to find. So in Pirates Past Noon, for instance, you have pirates, sailing ships, booty and treasure maps. There are story arc’s that stretches over a number of the books. The first concerns—who is the owner of the Magic Tree House.

Mary Pope Osbourne does a wonderful job of narration. Her pacing is excellent and her voice characterization are right on the mark. She has a gentle, soothing voice that children will love.

If you know or have a young person, of about five to ten years old, that you want to turn on to audiobooks, this audio collection is a perfect introduction. For my eight year old, we used it as part of our bedtime story ritual. I’ve bought the books so we can read along some nights. Other nights we take turns reading the books out loud.

posted by The Time Traveler of the Time Traveler Show