Review of The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon

Science Fiction Audiobook - The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth MoonThe Speed of Dark
By Elizabeth Moon, Read by Grover Gardner
9 cassettes – 13 hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Books on Tape, Inc.
Published: 2003
Themes: / Science fiction / Gene Therapy / Autism /

In the near future, disease will be a condition of the past, cured genetically at birth or soon afterward. But for the generation born before this development, it is too late, and they must get along as best they can. Lou Arrendale is in this lost generation. He is a high-functioning autistic with a job, friends and a love of fencing. But now, an experimental treatment will cure his autism. The question is, will he be the same person after he receives the treatment?

This is the first time I’ve been really happy that a book was on tape as opposed to CD. Normally I like not having to change cassettes or flip them over, but The Speed of Dark hooked me so deeply that I took it everywhere with me. I dragged my little portable tape player around the house and then would pop the tape out and put it in the car stereo while I was running errands. I couldn’t stop listening.

Most of the novel is told from Lou Arrendale’s first person point of view and Grover Gardner gave a pitch-perfect performance. His clipped and precise delivery captured the precision with which Lou dealt with the world. Coupled with Ms. Moon’s evocative language, the story unfolded with the inevitable beauty of a Bach cantata–events surprised me, but there was no other way for the story to unfold.

One of the most fascinating things was how Ms. Moon dealt with Lou’s perceptions of normal people. He had been taught that it was rude to interrupt other people, but normal people could interrupt and it was not rude. He is fascinated by how normal people can pick up on subtle social cues so that they seem to read each others minds. His wonder at the complex pattern of group conversation is so palpable that I felt it too, and found myself watching a conversation of my friends with some of the same awe. How do we know when it’s time to stop talking and let someone else, or when it is okay to interrupt and when it is not?

Other sections of the book are briefly told from the point of view of other characters, but Ms. Moon stays with third person for them. The writing is as clear, but I never connected with the other characters and sometimes found myself shifting in my seat, anxious to get back to Lou. These sections provide necessary plot information, and are also a fine way to view Lou from the outside. I suspect that in written format, my impatience would be less pronounced, but since Lou’s sections are in first person I came to associate Mr. Gardner’s voice with Lou. When he was reading other characters it seemed like a mask. A good mask, but I wanted Lou back.

And that is the crux of the novel. Ms. Moon made me care about Lou by showing me the inside of his thoughts. I could not fathom how he could possibly be the same person if he were not autistic. The dilemma is fascinating.

I won’t tell you what decision Lou makes in the end. Why? The gift-giving season is upon us; rather than recommending this as an item for your gift-giving list, you should have a copy of The Speed of Dark for yourself.

Posted by Mary Robinette Kowal

Review of Nightmares on Congress Street, Part 5

SFFaudio Review

Nightmares on Congress Street 5Nightmares on Congress Street – Part 5
By Rocky Coast Radio Theatre; Performed by a Full Cast
2 CD’s – 2 hours [AUDIO DRAMA]
Publisher: Rocky Coast Radio Theatre
Published: 2005
Themes: / Horror / Science Fiction / Murder / Government / Spirits /

Here’s another top-notch title from Rocky Coast Radio Theatre out of Maine. It contains seven dramatized horror tales:

The Demon of the Gibbet by Fitz-James O’Brien
A horror poem, very nicely rendered.

The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe, adapted by Patrick Bradley
A modern adaptation of Poe’s classic story. Nightmares on Congress Street, Part IV contained Poe’s “A Cask of Amontillado” presented traditionally – this one is also excellent, but the script updates the story to a modern setting.

Retroactive Anti-Terror by Alex Irvine, adapted by William Dufris
This science fiction story portrays a different type of horror – a future where people are prosecuted for what they might do. Alex Irvine’s original story appeared in Salon.com in 2004. The story makes a clear political statement which people from all viewpoints would benefit from hearing.

Much A-Zoo About Nothing written and performed by Michael Duffy
A humorous song in which a guy goes to a zoo and encounters “ten green men with super suits on”.

The Wind by Ray Bradbury, adapted by William Dufris
It starts when Alan calls Herb on the phone obviously very nervous. After a little prodding by Herb, Alan reveals that it’s the wind he’s so worried about, and the tense story takes off from there. Bradbury probably has more stories available as audio drama than any other author, and this wonderful adaptation has me hunting for more.

The Door Below by Hugh B. Cave, adapted by William Dufris
Another good horror story that takes place mostly in a lighthouse… ghosts, anyone?

The Statement of Randolph Carter by H.P. Lovecraft, adapted by William Dufris
This is my favorite of the collection. Dufris and crew perfectly capture the creepy horror of Lovecraft’s original story.

Nightmares on Congress Street V is the second title I’ve heard from Rocky Coast, and I’m convinced that they are one of the top current producers of audio drama. With first-rate acting, the careful placing of sound effects, very good music, and fantastic scripts, these stories capture and hold tight. I can’t recommend this title highly enough for fans of audio drama and horror.

You can get this title from Paperback Digital, Tantor Media, Amazon, and Audible.

Posted by Scott D. Danielson

Review of Pearl and Sir Orfeo by J.R.R. Tolkien

SFFaudio Review

Fantasy Audio - Pearl and Sir Orfeo by J.R.R.TolkienPearl and Sir Orfeo
By J.R.R. Tolkien; Read by Terry Jones
2 cassettes – 2 hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Harper Audio
Published: 2000
ISBN: 0001053744
Themes: / Fantasy / Mythology /

Pearl, the longer of the two stories in this collection, is an elegy for the poet’s baby daughter, told in alliterative verse. It tells the story of a man who goes into a graveyard to mourn the death of his baby daughter, whom he has lost like a pearl that slipped through his fingers into the grass. Worn out by his grief, he falls asleep and has a glorious vision of another, symbolically bejeweled, world, in which he meets his daughter again and discovers what has happened to her.

Sir Orfeo, a Celtic version of the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, complete with a twist happy ending. The moving story of a love so strong it was
able to overcome death itself.

*ALSO INCLUDED* ~Two Essays by J.R.R. Tolkien
Two introduction and background essays by the master himself, J.R.R. Tolkien regarding the translation and preservation of the anonymous fourteenth-century poems upon which these stories are based.

Best known for his work with Monty Python’s Flying Circus, Terry Jones lends his signature voice and style to these two wonderful translations by J.R.R. Tolkien. Jones, is well equipped to flesh out the characters and voices of Tolkien’s texts. The combination of the lilting verse and the audio medium bringing the absolutely right feel to the presentation. This audiobook makes it quite clear that heroic tales were meant to be heard rather than read. Jones uses his knowledge, he’s actually a scholar of medieval literature himself, for a particularly effective reading, he sets just the right tone to the musical quality of the verse. Also of interest to
Tolkien fanatics are the unmentioned (on the packaging) essays and introductions by Tolkien for both these tales, a fantastic resource for teachers and students studying Toklien and comparative mythology. One caveat – the accessibility of this audiobook’s text is high school or above and not at all suitable for young children.

Posted by Jesse Willis

At SFFaudio.com we always try to keep up with th…

At SFFaudio.com we always try to keep up with the latest technology delivering Science Ficion and Fantasy content to your ears. And the time has finally come to talk about a new kind of delivery mechanism, Satellite Radio. Satellite radio differs from conventional ground based radio primarily due to the range of coverage. Ground based radio is transmitted from a tower and has a very limited geographical range. Satellite radio is transmitted from Satellites to the ground, giving listeners the ability to hear a radio station anywhere in the United States and Canada.

For North America, the equipment can be purchased either online or now at nearly every major consumer electronics retailer. This will probably be the first holiday shopping season that makes Satellite Radio really take off.

The service is relatively in expensive. For about $49 USD you can get the XM “Radio”. XM is the largest Satellite Radio network in the U.S. with more than five million listeners. It can be used in your car, home, boom box, computer or virtually anywhere. Apparently the monthly subscription fee of $12.95 USD for XM. There are different model recievers avilable – some portable, some component. XM Radio features hundreds of digital channels, mostly music but some with more relevant content for our purposes. All the channels originate from XM Radio’s broadcast center, a massive all-digital studio complex in Washington, DC. From there it is uplinked to their two Boeing 702 satellites nicknamed “Rock” and “Roll” respecitvely. Locked in geo-synchronous orbit over North America each satellite provides 18kw of power, making them the most powerful commercial satellites launched. Additionally, ground based repeaters supplement the satellite signal coverage for hard to reach topographic locations.

I’ve been hearing a number of readers interested in particular programs they heard on satellite Radio, and now we’ve finally found a channel that seems right up our alley:

Sonic Theater, Channel 163 on XM Radio has content both old and new.

One of the cool new programmers for Channel 163 is the Wolcott Sheridan Aural Performance Library which has content in the form of what they call SonicMovies™ (what we call Audio Drama). For instance, producer Kevin Yancy has 1 H.P. Lovecraft story completed, Dagon, a half dozen or more being edited and a plan for many more!

Other Sonic Theater channel producing partners can be found HERE.

And the channel schedule can be found HERE.

And by the by, we’d also be interested in hearing from North American Sirius listeners.The Sirius Satellite Radio network has approximately one million listeners. Are any of them getting Science Fiction or Fantasy content? And what about other English speaking countries? Do you have Satellite Radio in New Zealand? Is DAB radio in the UK the European equivilent of Satellite Radio? I want some Belizean Science Ficion audio – does it exist? Help us out folks.

posted by Jesse

A podcast novel from just under the radar…. bu…

A podcast novel from just under the radar…. but soon to be looming large in your podcatcher…

Brave Men Run.
By Matthew Wayne Selznick; Read by Matthew Wayne Selznick
55 Chapters – Approx 30 Minute MP3 Installments [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: BraveMenRun.com / Podiobooks.com
Published: Started Nov 2005 – Concludes ??? 2006

Fans of Ultimate Spider-Man, silver age comics, and alternate history will enjoy this prose novel of teen angst and metahumans! Brave Men Run is a coming of age story set in an alternate 1980’s, where people with amazing talents and abilities suddenly make themselves known. Can young Nathan Charters find himself in this uncertain new world? Who is he, where did he come from, and is he part of a remarkable new minority… or just a misfit among misfits?

Described as “alternative history fantasy” and it may turn out to be just that, but whatever it is called, it’ll also be called X-CELLENT! A prose superhero novel without the funny looking long-underwear type costumes. After only three installments I’m totally hooked!

HERE‘s the promo in mp3 format.

Paul Jenkins of The Rev-Up Review podcast had this to say about the first couple of instalments of the podcast of Brave Men Run: “…well written with great dialogue. Utterly convincing and the podcast is well produced with good sound and superbly read by the author…” You can, BTW, hear the complete mini- review on the 13th episode of R.U.R. at about the 5 Minutes 40 Second mark.

I recently spoke with Matthew about how much I’m enjoying his podcast novel. I asked him about the X-Men like story. It turns out the idea for this “Soverign Era” novel came from a serialized fiction project Matthew worked on a few years ago. We also talked about the little tips of the hat to Silver Age Comics sprinkled throughout the narrative, the cerebral and realistic portrayl of what it would be like to have super powers and plenty more. I’m really jazzed about this one, and I think if you give it a shot you will be too. Matthew’s prose is clean and true and the production is matched by a terrific straight reading by the author. Like The Pocket And The Pendant this one’s available at Lulu.com in a Print On Demand paperbook edition as well.

You can also listen to the first part of a two part interview done with Matthew HERE the interviewer is Paul Puri of of the 5+5 Podcast – cool stuff. Looking forward to part 2 of that interview on the 5+5 Podcast soon too!

posted by Jesse Willis