BSAP’s CONAN audio dramas and audiobooks threatened by a big corporate monster

SFFaudio News

The Queen Of The Black Coast by Robert E. HowardOn the 22nd August 2008 Broken Sea Audio Productions, and its chief bottle-washer Paul Mannering, received a cease and desist letter from a law firm representing Conan Properties International LLC (aka Paradox Entertainment).

Sez Paul:

The letter claims that BSAP is selling audio books of Robert E. Howard’s work. BrokenSea have responded by confirming that we do not sell any material, and no income is received by us for making these audio files available to the public. Our production of both audio books and audio drama’s of Robert E. Howard’s work is based entirely on work that is in the public domain (www.gutenberg.org.au)

Out of respect for tangible brands, such as the “Conan” title we are changing the title and logo of our Conan audio drama to “Robert E. Howard’s Hyborian Sagas.” We expect this change to be in place by Thursday 28th August.

Here is the |PDF| of Conan Properties International’s CEASE AND DESIST letter sent to Broken Sea.

Here are my $0.02…

For a man who killed himself 72 years ago, with no children and no spouse to inherit his estate (nearly all of which is in the public domain) it’s amazing how spurious vigorous Robert E. Howard’s defense of his lapsed copyright is.

I chalk it up to either the nefarious forces of Stygian evil, or the Black Seers of Yimsha. Either way, R.E.H. has been zombified, and forced to say things – or rather has had his lawyers say things that aren’t true. Time for some barbarians to overthrow the forces of civilization (by ignoring the intended effects of cease and desist chill).

SFFaudio will still be calling spades shovels and Conan stories Conan stories. Long live Broken Sea Audio Productions, long live BSAP’s CONAN!

UPDATE: The ever vigilant Quasar Dragon has a posted a post on this issue check it out HERE.

Posted by Jesse Willis

Broken Sea: The Queen Of The Black Coast episode 3

SFFaudio Online Audio

By Ishtar’s eyes! It’s the third episode of The Queen Of The Black Coast audio drama! And in this one we finally meet Belit!

Queen Of The Black Coast by Robert E. Howard AUDIO DRAMAQueen Of The Black Coast
Adapted from the story by Robert E. Howard
Performed by a full cast
Podcast – [AUDIO DRAMA]
Podcaster: Broken Sea Audio Productions
Podcast: June 2008 – ????

Part 1 |MP3| Part 2 |MP3| Part 3 |MP3|

Having survived the Sirens of Set in the dark waters of Stygia, CONAN, TITO and the crew of the ARGUS head still farther south into the waters of KUSH… And finally come into bloody conflict with the Queen of the Black Coast and her savage crew of corsairs.

Subscribe to the feed you dogs!

http://brokensea.com/conan/?feed=podcast

And, be sure to listen to the end, there’s a little preview of an upcoming BSAP audio drama based on the Mad Max and The Road Warrior series!

Posted by Jesse Willis

AUDIO REALMS: Dagon by H.P. Lovecraft

SFFaudio Online Audio

Audio RealmsBy all the demons of the sea, I have stupendously wondrous news!

Audio Realms has begun its long awaited podcast!

I don’t think there has ever been a podcast I’ve been more excited about. Each week the AR podcast will present tales from their truly awesome audiobook catalogue. Future releases, all in unabridged form, will also include “interviews, related news and preview clips of upcoming productions.” Expect to hear short stories and “full length productions in serialized segments.” Authors in the Audio Realms catalog include: H.P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, Michael Moorcock, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Andre Norton and Lin Carter! Check out the first podcast, taken from The Dark Worlds Of H. P. Lovecraft, Volume 2. I’m of the opinion that it will forever be the DEFINITIVE reading of…

The Dark Worlds Of H.P. Lovecraft Volume 2Dagon
By H.P. Lovecraft; Read by Wayne June
1 |MP3| – Approx. 16 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Podcaster: Audio Realms Podcast
Podcast: August 12th 2008
The testament of a tortured, morphine-addicted man who plans to commit suicide over an incident that occurred early on in World War I when he was a merchant marine officer.

Subscribe to the podcast feed:

http://www.audiorealms.com/audiorealmspodcast.rss

Posted by Jesse Willis

ComiXology Podcast talks to Timothy Truman about Conan The Cimmerian

SFFaudio Online Audio

It Came Out On Wednesday - A ComiXology PodcastIt Came Out On Wednesday is a podcast from ComiXology.com, dishing the dirt on the latest comics to hit the new release shelf. They recently talked to Timothy Truman, writer (and occasional artist) of Conan the Cimmerian from Dark Horse Comics. Download the |MP3| or subscribe to the feed:


http://comixology.libsyn.com/rss

Posted by Jesse Willis

Robert E. Howard’s Queen Of The Black Coast as a FREE AUDIO DRAMA

SFFaudio Online Audio

AUDIO DRAMA - Robert E. Howard’s Queen Of The Black Coast

Broken Sea Audio Productions, the folks who brought you such original audio dramas as Jake Sampson: Monster Hunter and Grog and Gryphon, have finished adapting their audio dramatization of Robert E. Howard’s Queen Of The Black Coast. Now, the true age of Conan can begin!

Queen Of The Black Coast by Robert E. Howard AUDIO DRAMAQueen Of The Black Coast
Adapted from the story by Robert E. Howard
Performed by a full cast
Podcast – [AUDIO DRAMA]
Podcaster: Broken Sea Audio Productions
Podcast: June 2008 – ????

Episode #1: |MP3|

Into the seaport town Messantia, of the southern Hyborian kingdom of ARGUS, the road of Kings led the twenty four year old Cimmerian barbarian- CONAN. Having gotten crossways with the local justice system over a friend of his and the death of a guardsman, Conan took the law into his own hands with his mighty broadsword. The guardsmen were not pleased by his northern Cimmerian ideas of justice, so CONAN “borrowed” a horse from the courts and fled looking for a ship. The mercenary ship- The ARGUS, just so happened to be putting out to sea as CONAN thundered down the pier having just stormed through the market- guardsmen hot on his trail. Will the ship’s captain, TITO, allow the Cimmerian passage, or will the guardsmen fill his back full or arrows first? And what of the legendary She-Devil Pirate Queen of the Black Coast? Join the adventure and find out- BY CROM!

Subscribe via the podcast feed for BSAP’s Conan audio:

http://brokensea.com/conan/?feed=podcast

Posted by Jesse Willis

Recent Arrivals – More from Audio Realms

SFFaudio Recent Arrivals

Science Fiction Audiobooks - Little Fuzzy by H. Beam PiperLittle Fuzzy
By H. Beam Piper; Read by Brian Holsopple
5 CDs – 5 hours, 53 minutes – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Audio Realms
ISBN: 9781897304617
The chartered Zarathustra Company had it all their way. Their charter was for a Class III uninhabited planet, which Zarathustra was, and it meant they owned the planet lock stock and barrel. They exploited it, developed it, and reaped the huge profits from it without interference from the Colonial Government. Then Jack Holloway, a sunstone prospector, appeared on the scene with his family of Fuzzies and the passionate conviction that they were not cute animals but little people…

Fantasy Audiobooks - Shadow Kingdoms: The Weird Works of Robert E. Howard, Volume 1Shadow Kingdoms: The Weird Works of Robert E. Howard, Volume 1
By Robert E. Howard; Read by Brian Holsopple, Bob Souer, Bob Barnes, and Charles McKibben
5 CDs – 5.5 hours – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Audio Realms
ISBN: 9781897304129
The first volume of the Weird Works of Robert E. Howard, presenting much of Howard’s work for the pulp magazine Weird Tales meticulously restored to its original magazine texts featuring stories with King Kull and Solomon Kane.

This volume contains:
“The Lost Race”, read by Charles McKibben
“The Dream Snake”, read by Bob Souer
“The Hyena”, read by Bob Souer
“Red Shadows”, read by Brian Holsopple
“Skulls in the Stars”, read by Brian Holsopple
“Rattle of Bones”, read by Bob Barnes
“The Shadow Kingdom”, read by Brian Holsopple
“The Mirrors of Tuzun Thune”, read by Brian Holsopple
“The Voice of El-Lil”, read by Bob Barnes

Science Fiction Audiobooks - Voodoo Planet by Andre NortonVoodoo Planet
By Andre Norton; Read by Chuck McKibben
3 CDs – 3 hours – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Audio Realms
ISBN: 9781897304372
The sequel to Plague Ship, Voodoo Planet finds the Solar Queen banned from trade and starting her supposed quiet two-year stint as an interstellar mail carrier. But instead her crew accepts a visit to the safari planet of Khatka, where they find themselves caught in a battle between the forces of reason and the powers of Khatka’s mind-controlling wizard.
 
 
Science Fiction Audiobooks - The Land That Time Forgot by Edgar Rice BurroughsThe Land That Time Forgot
By Edgar Rice Burroughs; Read by Brian Holsopple
3 CDs – 3.5 hours – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Audio Realms
ISBN: 9781897304334
Edgar Rice Burroughs, best known for his Tarzan and Mars series of books, also created the lost island of Caprona, where American Tyler Bowen is stranded in a lost world where prehistoric animals and people have flourished unchanged since the beginning of time.
 
 
Fantasy Audiobooks - The Sailor on the Seas of Fate by Michael MoorcockThe Sailor on the Seas of Fate
By Michael Moorcock; Read by Jeffrey West
5 CDs – 5 hours – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Audio Realms
ISBN: 9781897304020

The Second Book in the Elric Saga
… and leaving his cousin Yrkoon sitting as regent upon the Ruby Throne of Melnibone, leaving his cousin Cymoril weeping for him and despairing of his ever returning, Elric sailed from Imrryr, the Dreaming City, and went to seek an unknown goal in the world of the Young Kingdoms where Melniboneans were at best, disliked.
 
 
Horror Audiobooks - Hide and Seek by Jack KetchumHide and Seek
By Jack Ketchum; Read by Wayne June
5 CDs – 5.5 hours – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Audio Realms
ISBN: 9781897304402
Hide and Seek is a book about games. Reckless, dangerous games. Games you might even want to play yourself if you’re with the right people. But shouldn’t. Not ever… Dead River’s a sleepy little town on the coast of Maine without much going for it. The Great Depression hit hard and never let go. Even now, sixty-odd years later, there’s not much to do, not much going on. So that when a trio of friends, rich college kids, arrive there on a forced march with their parents for summer vacation they have to make their own amusements. And they do, in spades. Dan’s a local and didn’t get a chance to go to college. There was never the money. He works in a lumberyard hauling two-by-fours and furring around all day with a forklift. He’s even more bored than he knows. When the college kids arrive, that changes.
The most daring of the three is a beautiful, troubled girl name Casey. She’s not opposed to stealing caviar or cars or running around naked in graveyards. For Casey the thrill’s the thing and the riskier the better. Dan falls for her, hard. And gradually becomes the fourth member of the group–the poor relation. But the games need escalation. It’s a need that finds them at last in an old abandoned house at night, a house reputed to be haunted, where phantom lights burn in broken windows. Where something lurks waiting in the dark…

Posted by Scott D. Danielson