My mother’s so hip she not only knows what a podcast is, she’s recommending them! She just sent me an email regarding one of the podcasts she recently listened to. My mom recommends:
The Cambridge Science Festival Podcast, which recently aired a show that includes “The Science Of Doctor Who” |MP3|. You can subscribe to the podcast via this feed:
http://mediaplayer.group.cam.ac.uk/pods/other/CSF.rss
Posted by Jesse Willis
Broken Sea Audio Productions is known for its full-cast, sound effect and music laden audio dramas – but as we’ve seen with the Robert E. Howard storie they’ve completed and have in production, they aren’t the only forms of audio entertainment they are capable of. Today there are two kinds of tales beginning, but both should be familar to fans of the video SF:
Today marks the launch of the thirds season of a fan made Doctor Who (the first two were released through Darker Projects). The third season of this Doctor Who audio drama series will run as a 13 part series starring Mark Kalita as The Doctor. A new episode will be released monthly. Paul Mannering sez of it:
“Featuring original music by Stevie. K. Farnaby and written by Steven Jay Cohen this series is going to change the way people think about Dr Who fan-audio works.”
In Episode 1 “Unleashed” |MP3| The Doctor and his psycho-morph companion George are en-route to a party when they encounter some very old enemies…
Meanwhile, Hooligan Audio Books, the audiobook branch of Broken Sea has something for us too! They’ve been hard at work on two Robert E. Howard stories, but they’re branching out! Starting today you’ll start seeing a famous novel that was novelized by the author of the movie script back in the early 20th century. This novel version was released in 1926, two years after the silent movie. Now, 82 years later the unabridged audiobook! Have a listen today to chapter one of…
Metropolis
By Thea von Harbou; Read by Damaris Mannering
? MP3 Files – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Hooligan Audio Books
Published: January 2008 – ???
set in the year 2026, in the extraordinary Gothic skyscrapers of a corporate city-state, the Metropolis of the title. Society has been divided into two rigid groups: one of planners or thinkers, who live high above the earth in luxury, and another of workers who live underground toiling to sustain the lives of the privileged.
Chapter 1a |MP3|
Chapter 1b |MP3|
Posted by Jesse Willis
The announcement of a new Infinivox “Great Science Fiction Stories” title is always a time of happiness, this one, by Maureen F. McHugh, was nominated for both the Hugo and Nebula Award…
The Cost To Be Wise
By Maureen F. McHugh; Read by Vanessa Hart
2 CDs – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Infinivox
Published: January 2008
ISBN: 188461275X
Listen to an MP3 sample!
Set on a distant planet, this is a gripping tale about Sckarline, a colony that believes in “appropriate technology adoption.” A heavily armed clan arrives at the colony while it is being visited by off-world anthropologists. Sckarline’s technological beliefs are put to the test when events spiral out of control. Told from the viewpoint of a young woman, she soon learns just how high the price of wisdom can be.
Another title in the ever popular Miles Vorkosigan series…
Diplomatic Immunity
By Lois McMaster Bujold; Read by Grover Gardner
9 Cassettes; 1 MP3-CD or 10 CDs – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Blackstone Audiobooks
Published: January 2008
ISBN: 1433213137 (cassettes), 1433213151 (MP3-CD), 1433213144 (Cds)
A rich Komarran merchant fleet has been impounded at Graf Station in distant Quaddiespace after a bloody incident involving the convoy’s Barrayaran military escort. Lord Miles Vorkosigan and his wife, Lady Ekaterin, have other things on their minds, such as getting home in time to attend the long-awaited births of their first children. But when duty calls in the voice of Barrayar’s Emperor Gregor, Miles, as imperial auditor, has no choice but to answer.
A short novel from 1966, Blackstone has released it to Audible.com first with plans to follow it up with a hard copy later…
Planet of Exile
By Ursula K. LeGuin; Read by Carrington MacDuffie & Steven Hoye
1 Audible File – 4.5 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Blackstone Audiobooks / Audible.com
Published: 2007
The Earth colony of Landin has been stranded on Werel for 10 years. Ten of Werel’s years are over 600 terrestrial years, and the lonely and dwindling human settlement is beginning to feel the strain. Every winter, a season that lasts for 15 years, the Earthmen have neighbors, the humanoid hilfs: a nomadic people who only settle down for the cruel cold spell. The hilfs fear the Earthmen, who they think of as witches and call the farborns. But hilfs and farborns have common enemies: the hordes of ravaging barbarians called gaals and eerie preying snow ghouls. Will they join forces or be annihilated?
Halo: Contact Harvest
By Joseph Staten; Read by Holter Graham and Jen Taylor
10 CDs – 11 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Published: December 10, 2007
ISBN: 1427202494
This is how it began… It is the year 2524. Harvest is a peaceful, prosperous farming colony on the very edge of human-controlled space. But we have trespassed on holy ground–strayed into the path of an aggressive alien empire known as the Covenant. What begins as a chance encounter between an alien privateer and a human freighter catapults mankind into a struggle for its very existence.
But humanity is also locked in a bitter civil war known as the Insurrection. So the survival of Harvest’s citizens falls to a squad of battle-weary UNSC Marines and their inexperienced colonial militia trainees. In this unlikely group of heroes, one stands above the rest…a young Marine staff sergeant named Avery Johnson.
This one sounds like its tackling some of the same science as did Bill DeSmedt’s SFFaudio Essential designated novel Singularity…
Blasphemy
By Douglas Preston; Read by Scott Sowers
11 CDs – 14 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Published: January 08, 2008
ISBN: 1427202745
The world’s biggest supercollider, locked in an Arizona mountain, was built to unlock the secrets of the very moment of creation: the Big Bang itself. The Torus is the most expensive machine ever created by humankind, run by the world’s most powerful supercomputer. It is the brainchild of Nobel Laureate William North Hazelius. Will the Torus divulge the mysteries of the creation of the universe? Or will it, as some predict, suck the earth into a mini black hole? Or is the Torus a Satanic attempt, as a powerful televangelist decries, to challenge God Almighty on the very throne of heaven?
The first multiple narrator recording of the third book in Frank Herbert’s original Dune series…
Children Of Dune
By Frank Herbert; Read by Simon Vance, Scott Brick and Others
14 CDs – 17 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Published: January 22, 2008
ISBN: 1427202915
The bestselling science fiction series of all time continues! In this third installment, the sand-blasted world of Arrakis has become green, watered and fertile. Old Paul Atreides, who led the desert Fremen to political and religious domination of the galaxy, is gone. But for the children of Dune, the very blossoming of their land contains the seeds of its own destruction. The altered climate is destroying the giant sandworms, and this in turn is disastrous for the planet’s economy. Leto and Ghanima, Paul Atreides’s twin children and his heirs, can see possible solutions—but fanatics begin to challenge the rule of the all-powerful Atreides empire, and more than economic disaster threatens…
The Kraken Wakes
By John Wyndham; Performed by a full cast
2 CDs – 1 Hour 25 Minutes [RADIO DRAMA]
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America
Published: January 2008
ISBN: 9780792754121
John Wyndham’s classic tale of monsters from the deep, alien invasion, and ecological disaster comes alive in this full-cast BBC radio dramatization. At first, the fireballs seemed to be nothing more than a dazzling display of lights in the sky, plunging into the deepest oceans and disappearing without trace. But when ships started sinking inexplicably and the sea lanes became impassable, it seemed that the world was facing a threat of unprecedented proportions. Mike and Phyllis Watson, both radio journalists, are caught up at the center of events, well aware that it’s not the cold war or international conflicts that are causing these crises, but something infinitely more deadly-an alien invasion. And that’s not all: the sea level is rising, the ice caps are melting, London and other cities are flooding, millions of people are drowning, and ecological disaster looms. And whatever the alien beings are, they have begun to emerge from the sea…
Here’s an oddity, The Reign of Terror was the final story of Doctor Who’s first season on television (this adventure was set in 1794 in and around Paris, during the French Revolution). The story was originally wiped from the BBC’s archives, but episodes 1-3 and 6 have been recovered from a foreign TV station and a private film collector here is the result…
Doctor Who: The Reign Of Terror
By Dennis Spooner; Performed by a full cast with narration by Carole Ann Ford
2 CDs – 2 Hours 31 Minutes [TELEVISION AUDIO TRACK]
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America
Published: December 2007
ISBN: 9780792750048
William Hartnell, William Russell, Jaqueline Hill and Carole Ann Ford star in this original television soundtrack of a classic Doctor Who adventure. The Tardis brings the Doctor and his companions to Robespierre’s Paris, where they discover the French Revolution to be in full swing. Separated from each other, the group find themselves caught up in history as they struggle to stay alive and find their individual way back to the Tardis. Linking narration is provided by Carole Ann Ford, who played Susan in the original series. In a short bonus interview she recalls the time she spent working on the program.
Merging Science Fiction and Chandleresque detective stories, Jonathan Lethem’s first novel, Gun, With Occasional Music, was a finalist for the 1994 Nebula Award, and placed first in the “Best First Novel” category of the 1995 Locus Magazine reader’s poll! Sounds good huh?
Gun, With Occasional Music
By Jonathan Lethem; Read by Nick Sullivan
7 CDs or MP3-CD – 8 Hours 40 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America
Published: December 2007
ISBN: 9780792750567 (cds), 9780792750871 (mp3-cd)
Gumshoe Conrad Metcalf has problems–not the least of which are the rabbit in his waiting room and the trigger-happy kangaroo on his tail. Near-future Oakland is an ominous place where evolved animals function as members of society, the police monitor citizens by their karma levels, and mind-numbing drugs such as Forgettol and Acceptol are all the rage. In this brave new world, Metcalf has been shadowing the wife of an affluent doctor, perhaps falling a little in love with her at the same time. But when the doctor turns up dead, our amiable investigator finds himself caught in the crossfire in a futuristic world that is both funny–and not so funny.
Posted by Jesse Willis
Doctor Who begins a new round of rebroadcasts on BBC Radio 7‘s The 7th Dimension this week. All Paul McGann Doctor stories, all back to back, recorded by UK audio drama company Big Finish. These are what Big Finish calls their “New Eight Doctor Adventures Season One”. But it is hardly the first series from Big Finish to feature Paul McGann’s doctor. What most distinguishes it from previous series stories is a new companion, played by Sheridan Smith. Lucie Miller, as she’s called, is described as a “brash northern lass” whos is initially an unwilling passenger in the TARDIS. She has been placed with the Doctor as part of a “Time Lord witness protection programme.” This series of six stories was commissioned by BBC 7 from Big Finish. They first began airing in December 2006. This rebroadcast is likely to be followed shortly by “Season Two” of the “New Eight Doctor Adventures.”
Already available via the BBC7 ‘listen again’ service:
Doctor Who Blood of the Daleks – Episode 1 of 2
LISTEN NOW – [RADIO DRAMA]
Broadcaster: BBC7 / The 7th Dimension
Broadcast: Thu. Sep. 28th 2007
The Time Lord has plenty to deal with as an intruder appears in the TARDIS and the Daleks prepare to blight a damaged world.
Doctor Who – Blood Of The Daleks – Episode 2 of 2
LISTEN NOW – [RADIO DRAMA]
Broadcaster: BBC7 / The 7th Dimension
Broadcast: Fri. Sep. 29th 2007
Lucie realises the true intentions of their ‘saviours’. But could the Doctor really want the same thing as the Daleks?
Airing this week:
Doctor Who – Horror of Glam Rock
Broadcast – [RADIO DRAMA]
Broadcaster: BBC7 / The 7th Dimension
Broadcast: Mon. Oct. 1st @ 18:00-18:50 [Rptd Tue 12.00am]
he Tomorrow Twins are all set to conquer the pop world of 1974. But will their dreams survive an encounter with the Doctor?
Doctor Who – Immortal Beloved
Broadcast – [RADIO DRAMA]
Broadcaster: BBC7 / The 7th Dimension
Broadcast: Tue. Oct. 2nd 18:00-18:50 [Rptd Wed 12.00am]
The Doctor and Lucy arrive in a land of Zeus, Hera, Ganymede and…helicopters? .
Doctor Who – Phobos
Broadcast – [RADIO DRAMA]
Broadcaster: BBC7 / The 7th Dimension
Broadcast: Wed. Oct. 3rd @ 18:00-18:50 [Rptd Thu 12.00am]
For extreme sport nuts, the fear is part of the rush. But the Doctor and Lucie are about to learn the true meaning of ‘Phobos’.
Doctor Who – No More Lies
Broadcast – [RADIO DRAMA]
Broadcaster: BBC7 / The 7th Dimension
Broadcast: Thu. Oct. 4th @ 18:00-18:50 [Rptd Fri 12.00am]
The Doctor and Lucie gatecrash a posh party, and get more than they bargained for. Namely vortisaurs and a crumbling spaceship.
Doctor Who – Human Resources – Episode 1 of 2
Broadcast – [RADIO DRAMA]
Broadcaster: BBC7 / The 7th Dimension
Broadcast: Fri. Oct. 5th @ 18:00-18:50 [Rptd Sat 12.00am]
Lucie Miller starts her first day in a new job. Or does she? Is it possible that her time with the Doctor was merely a daydream?
Airing next week:
Doctor Who – Human Resources – Episode 2 of 2
Broadcast – [RADIO DRAMA]
Broadcaster: BBC7 / The 7th Dimension
Broadcast: Mon. Oct. 8th @ 18:00-18:50 [Rptd Sat 12.00am]
Lucie Miller starts her first day in a new job. Or does she? Is it possible that her time with the Doctor was merely a daydream?
In the Internet Archive’s Audio Archive section you can find audio from much of Season 3 of the original Doctor Who television series. This is one of the seasons for which many of the original broadcast episodes are missing (a long and infuriating story). Diligence on the part of some die hard fans, and some of the affiliate TV stations in other countries have turned up some of the video, and more of the audio tracks from this season over the decades since they were first broadcast. Since then the BBC had a Doctor Who actor (who played a companion during this time) provide narration for what would normally be a audio visual story. Here are all the completed serials:
Doctor Who – Galaxy 4
By William Emms; Narrated by Peter Purves
4 MP3 Files – [UNABRIDGED AUDIO DRAMA]
Broadcaster: BBC
Broadcast: Sep. 11 – Oct. 2, 1965
“The Doctor, Vicki, and Steven land on an unknown planet inhabited by the hideous Rills, with their Chumbley robots, and the Drahvins. The Drahvins try to enlist the Doctor’s help to destroy the “evil” Rills, but who are the real villains?”
Episode 1 |MP3| Four Hundred Dawns
Episode 2 |MP3| Trap of Steel
Episode 3 |MP3| Airlock
Episode 4 |MP3| The Exploding Planet
Doctor Who – Mission To The Unknown
By Terry Nation; Narrated by Peter Purves
1 |MP3| – [UNABRIDGED AUDIO DRAMA]
Broadcaster: BBC
Broadcast: Oct. 9, 1965
“On the planet Kembel three men struggle to repair their crashed spaceship in a hostile jungle.”
Doctor Who – The Myth Makers
By Donald Cotton; Narrated by Peter Purves
4 MP3 Files – [UNABRIDGED AUDIO DRAMA]
Broadcaster: BBC
Broadcast: Oct. 16 – Nov. 6, 1965
“The Doctor, Vicki, and Steven become involved in the siege of Troy.”
Episode 1 |MP3| Temple of Secrets
Episode 2 |MP3| Small Prophet Quick Return
Episode 3 |MP3| Death of a Spy
Episode 4 |MP3| Horse of Destruction
The über Doctor Who fans out there can also have a listen to the majority of the Daleks’ Master Plan, one of the longest serials ever made, but it is not available in its entirety.
[via Quasar Dragon]
Do you like Doctor Who? If you do I’d bet Tom Baker’s portrayal of the Doctor is your favorite incarnation. Yep, he’s mine too. Do you also like vampires? You do? Me too! We have so much in common… which is why I think you’d like to see what the folks at The Secret Cavern Of Read Along Treasures have just posted up. Indeed, it is a rare UK release of an old Doctor Who audiobook…
Doctor Who: State Of Decay
By Terrance Dicks; Read by Tom Baker
2 MP3s (1 Cassette) – Approx. 55 minutes [ABRIDGED]
Publisher: Pickwick Talking Books
Published: 1981 (Out Of Print)
Product #: PTB 607
|Part 1 MP3| Part 2 MP3|
Trapped in an alternative universe the Doctor lands on a sinister planet ruled by an unholy trio of tyrants. Aided by Romana and the faithful K-9, the doctor must discover the dreadful secret of the dark tower and face the awakening horror that lies beneath it.