Books on Tape – Page 3

Recent Arrivals

SFFaudio Recent Arrivals

The Little Book
By Selden Edwards; Read by Jeff Woodman
13 CDs – 15 Hours – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Published: Aug 2008
ISBN: 9780143143512

The Little Book is the extraordinary tale of Wheeler Burden, California-exiled heir of the famous Boston banking Burdens, philosopher, student of history, legend’s son, rock idol, writer, lover of women, recluse, half-Jew, and Harvard baseball hero. In 1988 he is forty-seven, living in San Francisco. Suddenly he is—still his modern self—wandering in a city and time he knows mysteriously well: fin de siècle Vienna. It is 1897, precisely ninety-one years before his last memory and a half-century before his birth.

It’s not long before Wheeler has acquired appropriate clothes, money, lodging, a group of young Viennese intellectuals as friends, a mentor in Sigmund Freud, a bitter rival, a powerful crush on a luminous young American woman, a passing acquaintance with local celebrity Mark Twain, and an incredible and surprising insight into the dashing young war-hero father he never knew.

But the truth at the center of Wheeler’s dislocation in time remains a stubborn mystery that will take months of exploration and a lifetime of memories to unravel and that will, in the end, reveal nothing short of the eccentric Burden family’s unrivaled impact on the very course of the coming century. The Little Book is a masterpiece of unequaled storytelling that announces Selden Edwards as one of the most dazzling, original, entertaining, and inventive novelists of our time.

The Last Theorem
By Arthur C. Clarke and Frederick Pohl; Read by Mark Bramhall
10 CDs – 11 Hours – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Books on Tape
Published: 2008

Two of science fiction’s most renowned writers join forces for a storytelling sensation. The historic collaboration between Frederik Pohl and his fellow founding father of the genre, Arthur C. Clarke, is both a momentous literary event and a fittingly grand farewell from the late, great visionary author of 2001: A Space Odyssey.

The Last Theorem is a story of one man’s mathematical obsession, and a celebration of the human spirit and the scientific method. It is also a gripping intellectual thriller in which humanity, facing extermination from all-but-omnipotent aliens, the Grand Galactics, must overcome differences of politics and religion and come together . . . or perish.

In 1637, the French mathematician Pierre de Fermat scrawled a note in the margin of a book about an enigmatic theorem: “I have discovered a truly marvelous proof of this proposition which this margin is too narrow to contain.” He also neglected to record his proof elsewhere. Thus began a search for the Holy Grail of mathematics–a search that didn’t end until 1994, when Andrew Wiles published a 150-page proof. But the proof was burdensome, overlong, and utilized mathematical techniques undreamed of in Fermat’s time, and so it left many critics unsatisfied–including young Ranjit Subramanian, a Sri Lankan with a special gift for mathematics and a passion for the famous “Last Theorem.”

When Ranjit writes a three-page proof of the theorem that relies exclusively on knowledge available to Fermat, his achievement is hailed as a work of genius, bringing him fame and fortune. But it also brings him to the attention of the National Security Agency and a shadowy United Nations outfit called Pax per Fidem, or Peace Through Transparency, whose secretive workings belie its name. Suddenly Ranjit–together with his wife, Myra de Soyza, an expert in artificial intelligence, and their burgeoning family–finds himself swept up in world-shaking events, his genius for abstract mathematical thought put to uses that are both concrete and potentially deadly.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to anyone on Earth, an alien fleet is approaching the planet at a significant percentage of the speed of light. Their mission: to exterminate the dangerous species of primates known as homo sapiens.

Posted by Scott D. Danielson

Review of Saturn’s Race by Larry Niven and Steve Barnes

SFFaudio Audiobook Review

Saturn’s Race
By Larry Niven and Steve Barnes; Read by Scott Brick
10 Cassettes or 12 CDs – 13 Hours 54 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Books On Tape, Inc.
Published: 2000
ISBN: 0736659374 (cassette), 0736671366 (cd)
Themes: / Science Fiction / Artifical Intelligence / Consciousness Uploading / Cyborgs / Politics / Population Control / Life Extension /

Chaz Koto is a citizen of Xanadu, a near future perfect society hosting the wealthiest men and women on Earth. Along with his fellow citizens, he bears the burden of a dark secret that the outside world would be shocked to hear. Lenore Myles is a student who travels to Xanadu and becomes involved with Koto. When Koto unwittingly lends her his access codes, Lenore stumbles upon the grisly truth behind Xanadu’s glittering facade.

The title is deceptive. The planet Saturn plays no role in the plot and nobody in the book is racing anywhere. This is an earth-bound adventure set in the near future. I figured out what the title meant near the end of the book, but the rest of the novel was relatively predictable. For instance, there is a revelation that happens within the first couple of chapters but it was so broadly telegraphed in the first scene the involved character shows up in that I was bored by the revelation rather than surprised by it. Ultimately Saturn’s Race is one of those novels that just fails to gel. There’s a plot, plenty of interesting ideas and a resolution, but frankly the plot is mediocre, the ideas relatively minor, and the resolution comes through only on the most basic level.

For me, the most memorable concept used in Saturn’s Race is that of “metaphors.” Basically Niven and Barnes illustrate that metaphors, like computer languages or a computer graphic interface, are used as handy tools to leverage work. It’s why poetry can say so much with so few words – the words are densely packed, brimming with meaning. It is also why a little pointer dragging a few color pixels across a screen can unmake or move a file in ways far quciker and easier than by command line interface. In other words computer programs are really elaborate metaphors for the manipulation of data. This is brought to life in the novel when a character runs an artifical intelligence program that simulates Rex Stout’s corpulent detective Nero Wolfe. It’s a neat idea. But ultimately the novel didn’t move me as I had hoped it might. Overall, this is passable faire, but I doubt I’d need to listen to it again anytime soon.

The cover art for Saturn’s Race is almost incomprehensible. Is that a seahorse on there? I can’t tell. The paperback version has a painting of two genetically-modified sharks on the cover. That would have been more apropos. Reading the book is the ubiquitous Scott Brick. Scott does his very best to bring energy to the lackadaisical pace. For the most part it works, since the novel doesn’t bore in the listening, though I’m sure I’d have stopped reading were I experiencing the paper edition. Saturn’s Race is still available to be purchased from the Books On Tape website. But who knows how long that will be for? BOT was forced to dump a good chunk of its older science fiction titles when it got purchased by the aptly titled Random House a couple years ago and this fact has made many of its excellent unabridged titles quite valuable on the secondary market. The same loss may happen again soon to the remaining BOT library. I don’t think out of print copies of Saturn’s Race will be selling for thousands any time soon, but if you think you ever might want a copy acting sooner rather than later may save you some money.

Posted by Jesse Willis

In conjunction with the next Kick-Ass Mystic Nin…

News

In conjunction with the next Kick-Ass Mystic Ninjas Podcast (set to be recorded this coming weekend) we’re giving you the complete and total rundown of every Dune related audiotape and audio CD that we know of, it is a very long list and it continues to grow.

The Original Dune Books by Frank Herbert:
There are six original Dune novels by Frank Herbert, all of which have been produced in UNABRIDGED editions. The first novel has been released three times, with three different readers. All subsequent novels in the original six book series have been released only once and are now out of print and very costly to purchase.

Dune
By Frank Herbert; Read by George Guidall
16 Casettes – 24 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Recorded Books LLC
Published: 1998
ISBN: 0788763334
[CLICK HERE FOR OUR REVIEW]
Arguably the best reading of Dune ever recorded. George Guidall is a master narrator.

Dune
By Frank Herbert; Read by Scott Brick
18 Cassettes or 22 CDs – Approx. 27 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Books on Tape Inc.
Published: 2002
ISBN: 0736689591 (cassettes), 0736692401 (CDs)
The original masterwork as performed by Scott Brick, an excellent reader. This edition also includes the complete appendices and the “Terminology of the Imperium” sections. This edition also won the AudioFile Magazine Earphones Award.

Dune
By Frank Herbert; Read by Connor O’Brien
13 Cassettes – 19.5 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Books on Tape Inc.
Published: 1997
ISBN: 073663763X
This is the earlier Books On Tape edition, Connor O’Brien’s performance is probably the least popular of the three UNABRIDGED audio editions of Dune released so far. This is out of print and very hard to find.

Dune Messiah
By Frank Herbert; Read by Connor O’Brien
6 Cassettes – Approx. 9 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Books on Tape Inc.
Published: 1997
ISBN: 0736640185
The immediate sequel to Dune. This is out of print and very hard to find.

Children Of Dune
By Frank Herbert; Read by Connor O’Brien
? Cassettes – ? Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Books on Tape Inc.
Published: 1997
ISBN: 0736640193
Third book in the original Dune sequence. This is out of print and very hard to find.

God Emperor Of Dune
By Frank Herbert; Read by Connor O’Brien
10 Cassettes – Approx. 15 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Books on Tape Inc.
Published: 1998
ISBN: 0736644229
Fourth book in the original Dune series. This is out of print and very hard to find.

Heretics Of Dune
By Frank Herbert; Read by John Edwardson
14 Cassettes – Approx. 21 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Books on Tape Inc.
Published: 1998
ISBN: 0736654534
Book five in the original Dune series. This is out of print and very hard to find.

Chapterhouse: Dune
By Frank Herbert; Read by John Edwardson
? Cassettes – ? Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Books on Tape Inc.
Published: 1998
ISBN: 0736643443
The last of the original Dune books written by Frank Herbert. This is out of print and very hard to find.

The Brian Herbert/Kevin J. Anderson “Prelude To Dune” Books:
A series of three novels set in the years leading up to the momentous events of Dune. These were the first new Dune books since Chapterhouse: Dune.

Dune: House Atredies
By Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson; Read by Tim Curry
? Cassettes – [ABRIDGED]
Publisher: Random House Audio
Published: 1999
ISBN: 0553526650
The first of the three prequel novels by Frank Herbert’s son Brian and SF author Kevin J. Anderson.

Dune: House Harkonnen
By Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson; Read by Tim Curry
? Cassettes – [ABRIDGED]
Publisher: Random House Audio
Published: 2000
ISBN: 0553526669
The second of the three prequel novels.

Dune: House Corrino
By Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson; Read by Tim Curry
? Cassettes – [ABRIDGED]
Publisher: Random House Audio
Published: 2001
ISBN: 0553526677
The third of the three prequel novels.

The Brian Herbert/Kevin J. Anderson “Legends of Dune” Books:
The LEGENDS OF DUNE trilogy details the saga preceding the Dune prequels. Set well before the events of the Original Dune series.

Dune: The Butlerian Jihad,
By Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson; Read by Scott Brick
14 Cassettes or 20 CDs – 22 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Audio Renaissance
Published: 2002
ISBN: 1559277548 (Cassettes), 1559277556 (CDs)
First of the “Legends Of Dune” trilogy.

Dune: The Machine Crusade
By Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson; Read by Scott Brick
16 Cassettes or 22 CDs – 22 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Audio Renaissance
Published: 2003
ISBN: 1559279443 (Cassettes), 1559279451 (CDs)
Second in the “Legends Of Dune” trilogy.

Dune: The Battle of Corrin
By Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson: Read by Scott Brick
16 Cassettes or 22 CDs – 25 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Audio Renaissance
Published: 2004
ISBN: 1593974248 (Cassettes), 1593974256 (CDs)
Third and concluding book in the “Legends Of Dune” trilogy.
Both cassette and CD editions feature an interview with Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson.

The Brian Herbert/Kevin J. Anderson Sequel Novels:
Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson have recently announced plans to write and release two Dune sequel novels. The first of which will be set after Chapterhouse Dune. Here are the details as we know them…

Hunters of Dune
By Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson; Read by ????
20 CDs – 24.5 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Audio Renaissance
Published: (ANNOUNCED FORTHCOMING – Tuesday, August 22, 2006)
ISBN: 1593979754

Sandworms Of Dune
By Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson; Read by ???
Publisher: Audio Renaissance ???
Published: Tentatively scheduled for publication in 2007
ISBN: ???

Dune Audio Extras:
In addition to those “extras” listed below there have been several music soundtrack releases and kids movie-tie in releases related to the David Lynch Dune film and the two Sci-Fi Channel Dune miniseries.

Dune: An Interview with Frank Herbert and David Lynch
1 Cassette – 1 Hour [INTERVIEW]
ISBN: 0681308958
Date Published: 1983
Published by Waldentapes
[CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL REVIEW]
This is long out of print and very hard to find.

The Road To Dune
By Frank Herbert, Brian Herbert, and Kevin J. Anderson; Read by Scott Brick
8 Cassettes or 12 CDs – 14 hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Audio Renaissance
Published: September 2005
ISBN: 1593978235 (Cassettes), 159397776X (CDs)
[CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL REVIEW]
An intriguing collection of Dune “extras” that should please any fan of Frank Herbert. It includes:
-A short novel Spice Planet by Frank Herbert (a prototype of the original Dune)
-Deleted Scenes and Alternate endings from Dune and Dune Messiah.
-Letters and notes from Frank Herbert from the time when he was trying to get Dune published.
-Four short stories by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson:
1. “Whisper of Caladan Seas”
2. “Hunting Harkonnens”
3. “Whipping Mek”
4. “Faces of a Martyr”

Sandworms of Dune
By Frank Herbert; Read by Frank Herbert
1 LP – 41 Minutes 10 Seconds [UNABRIDGED EXPERPTS]
Publisher: Caedmon Audio
Published: 1978
Product #: TC 1565
This is long out of print and very hard to find.

Dune: The Banquet Scene
By Frank Herbert; Read by Frank Herbert
1 LP – 53 Minutes 34 Seconds [UNABRIDGED EXPERPTS]
Publisher: Caedmon Audio
Published: 1979
Product #: TC 1555
This is long out of print and very hard to find.

The Battles of Dune
By Frank Herbert; Read by Frank Herbert
1 LP – 62 Minutes 20 Seconds [UNABRIDGED EXPERPTS]
Publisher: Caedmon Audio
Published: 1979
Product #: TC 1601
This was re-released on a single cassette in 1994 by Harper Audio.

The Truths of Dune: Fear is the Mind Killer
By Frank Herbert; Read by Frank Herbert
1 LP – 45 Minutes 1 Seconds [UNABRIDGED EXPERPTS]
Publisher: Caedmon Audio
Published: 1979
Product #: TC 1616
This was re-released on a single cassette in 1994 by Harper Audio.

The Dune Collection
By Frank Herbert; Read by Frank Herbert
4 Cassettes – Approx. 3 Hours 22 Minutes [UNABRIDGED EXERPTS]
Publisher: Harper Audio (Caedmon Audio)
Published: 1994
ISBN: 1559949570
This is a collection of four late-1970s LPs reissued in one package. Each key excerpt is melded with connective text written by Frank Herbert specifically for these recordings. The LPs were titled: Dune: The Banquet Scene, Sandworms Of Dune, The Battles Of Dune and The Truths of Dune: Fear Is The Mind Killer.

posted by Jesse Willis

Review of The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon

The 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

New Releases: A Century of Science Fiction, an unabridged narrat…

New Releases

A Century of Science Fiction, an unabridged narrated history of science fiction film and television, Request Audiobooks
This looks interesting… from the description: “Here are the details of some of the most well known science fiction films and television series ever created: A Trip To The Moon, The Day The Earth Stood Still, The War of The Worlds, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Planet of the Apes, Aliens, Star Wars, Star Trek, and many more. Listen to the recapitulations of sci-fi voyages from the men and women who realized these fantasies. With interviews and sound bites from their films, William Shatner, Samuel L. Jackson, Stephen Spielberg, and Kevin Costner, along with Liam Neeson, Denzel Washington, Raquel Welch, Orson Welles, just to name a few, speak of their excursions into strange, new worlds…”

Eye for Eye by Orson Scott Card, read by Stefan Rudnicki, Unabridged, Request Audiobooks
Here’s an audio version of Orson Scott Card’s Hugo Award-winning novella Eye for Eye.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, read by Christopher Hurt, Unabridged, Blackstone Audio
Ray Bradbury’s classic novel about a fireman whose job it is to burn books. Click here for an audio sample.

A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin, read by John Lee, Unabridged, Random House Audio
Book 4 in the A Song of Ice and Fire fantasy series by George R.R. Martin. Been waiting for this one… It’s also available at Books on Tape in library binding. Yay! Listen to excerpt one — Listen to excerpt two.

The Island of Doctor Moreau by H.G. Wells, read by Jonathan Kent, Unabridged, Tantor Media
A classic H.G. Wells novel from Tantor Media, the fine folks who brought us Edgar Rice Burroughs on audio.

King Kong by Edgar Wallace and Merian C. Cooper, read by Stefan Rudnicki, Unabridged, Blackstone Audio
This is a novelization of the original King Kong script, and includes commentary by Ray Bradbury, Ray Harryhausen, Orson Scott Card, Harlan Ellison, Larry Niven, Catherine Asaro, Jack Williamson, and Marc Zicree. Click here for an audio sample.

March Upcountry by David Weber and John Ringo, read by Stefan Rudnicki, Unabridged, Blackstone Audio
A novel by two masters of military SF – click here for an audio sample.

Master of Dragons by Margaret Weis, read by Suzanne Toren, Unabridged, Audio Renaissance
This is the third novel in a trilogy written by Margaret Weis, who is half of the Weis-Hickman team that wrote many popular epic fantasy novels in the Dragonlance series. Click here for an audio sample.

Run for the Stars by Harlan Ellison, read by the Author, Unabridged, Request Audiobooks
A new (to audio) story by Harlan Ellison. That alone makes it a must-have!

Star Wars: Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader by James Luceno, read by Jonathan Davis, Abridged, Random House Audio
Star Wars! I continue to be impressed with the richness of the Star Wars line of audio novels. Jonathan Davis is the perfect reader, and the production quality is first rate.

The Unnameable: Four Tales by H.P. Lovecraft by H.P. Lovecraft, Read by David Cade, with music by Paolo Barzini, Unabridged, Tales of Orpheus
Contains: “The Book”, “The Music of Erich Zann”, “The Cats of Ulthar”, and “The Unnameable”

The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells, read by Maxwell Caulfield, Unabridged, Request Audiobooks
The original War of the Worlds novel.

And from Escape Pod in the past month:
“The Death Trap of Dr. Nefario” by Benjamin Rosenbaum, read by Chris Miller with Stephen Eley
“The Great Old Pumpkin” by John Aegard, read by Stephen Eley
“Iron Bars and the Glass Jaw” by Jeffrey R. DeRego, read by Jonathan Sullivan
“The Ludes” by Lisa M. Bradley, read by Stephen Eley
“Mount Dragon” by Vera Nazarian, read by Stephen Eley

If you’d like to be included in our monthly New Releases post, please contact us! We’d be happy to include your products, as long as they are science fiction or fantasy related.

Posted by Scott D. Danielson

Hey, it looks like Books on Tape is selling off so…

SFFaudio News

Hey, it looks like Books on Tape is selling off some of their cassette stock – Click here for the science fiction and fantasy titles. Included on the list are Elizabeth Moon’s Nebula-winning The Speed of Dark, William Gibson’s Neuromancer, George R.R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones, and Robert Jordan’s Eye of the World.

Posted by Scott D. Danielson