View from Valhalla

Category: Podcast Reviews

  • Podcast Review #28: Hoad’s Grim

    Title: Hoad’s Grim (sorry, no graphic available)
    Author: Jack Kincaid
    Genre: Creature Horror
    Released: August 2008 – March 2009
    Located: iTunes, Author’s Site
    Formats Available: podcast only at this time
    Rating: Really and truly ADULT… STRONG R for violence, language, adult situations (read “sex”) and strong horror elements

    Every so often, I ask for recommendations when I’m running a bit low on podcast material. I did this a while ago and Dan Rabarts (@rabarts on Twitter) recommended Hoad’s Grim. Being up for something different, I went looking for it. It wasn’t an easy find, but upon finding it, I FINALLY was able to download and eventually subscribe to this podcast (yes, in this case, two separate processes.) To be truthful, I was just feeling stubborn that day I think and decided I WAS going to listen to this story.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: A synopsis is not provided for this podcast, or “audiobook drama” as the production repetitively refers to itself, so I will be forced to do something I’ve never done before, provide one of my own making (points subtracted).

    Chad the handyman is charged with removing a freezer from the property once inhabited by the Hoad family. He does so. The next day it has returned. So begins a recurring series of disturbing occurrences, including suicide, murder, abduction and man ghouls and monsters. (Now you know why I don’t do synopsis.)

    Production: I encourage you to look back two weeks at my review of Dan Sawyer’s Down from Ten at this point. I held that podcast up as the epitome of what production could be. I still do. Hoad’s Grim comes close at times though. If there is a difference, it would be in the fact that I believe that Hoad’s Grim was outsourced while Mr. Sawyer definitely was responsible for Down from Ten. Does this make the productions values less, or detract from the story in anyway? Of course not! This podcast really was created as an audiobook drama and contains NO metainformation. What you get is story, and only story.

    Cast: According to the author’s site, all the voicework for this podcast was provided by four voices. At least four are all that are credited. None of these names were ones I was familiar with. Mr. Kincaid was included as one of these voices as well. Let me state that whether you like the character’s voices or not, they are done EXCEEDINGLY well. I don’t know if this was a paid cast or not, but the result does indeed sound very professional. (I will also say, that no, I DON’T enjoy all the character’s voices. They all are a bit overdone, but they do tend to grow on you. Even the narrator, which sounds like a European Vincent Price on crack.)

    Story: This is definitely a unique story and one that reminded me greatly of a feature length story from The Night Gallery, Outer Limits or possibly The Twilight Zone if written by someone like Steven King.

    I am not a huge horror fan. I like a good story, but I’ve rather overdosed on horror lately. I’ve got one or two more in the pipe, but for the most part I will be looking at other genres soon. Hoad’s Grim takes some work to like, or rather, at least it did for me. I will say I had to listen to approximately 3/4 of the eps before I was hooked. This might have been a bit due to the ebullience of the actors, but truthfully, I think it is more the story itself. I’m just not a big fan of King and similar writers.

    After having said that, however, I will say that after I hit that 3/4 mark, I mainlined the rest of the eps and was really looking forward to seeing how the story ended. This podcast DID take me almost six months to complete, but I am now glad that I made the effort.

    Oh, and by the way, let’s briefly talk about effort. The only place you’re going to find all the eps in one place is on the author’s site. And then only in download form. If you go to the RSS link, or iTunes you won’t be able to find the first 11 episodes. This really is inexcusable. I completely understand anybody that would give up on a story, regardless of ANYTHING else, when the author doesn’t make an effort to make the content available. (If the error is somehow on my part, I humbly and profoundly apologize, but after HOUR’S of annoyance, I don’t think it is.) That being said, I am glad I made the effort.

    Verdict: Do you like Steven King? Gremlins and ghoulies? Blood and gore? Gross out images that really play with your mind? If so, Hoad’s Grim is for you and Mr. Kincaid’s has your number. If not? Run from this story like all the demon’s from hell are chasing you.

    Disclosure: I do not follow Mr. Kincaid on Twitter. I don’t know if he’s even ON Twitter. I had previously never heard of him and have never heard of any members of the cast of Hoad’s Grim. Since I began doing podcast reviews, I’ve never reviewed a podcast I knew less about.

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  • Podcast Review #27: Earthcore

    Title: Earthcore
    Author: Scott Sigler
    Genre: Science Fiction/Horror
    Released: 25 March 2005 – 26 November 2005
    Located: iTunes, Podiobooks
    Formats Available: podcast only at this time
    Rating: As is true for all Sigler stories, this is an adult only ride.

    One of the first author’s I found when I started listening to podio fiction was Scott Sigler. I’ve listened to all of his podcast fiction, some with a greater interest than others. The stuff of his I’ve liked, I’ve really really liked, the others, meh. (The plaid tanks will soon be rolling down my street, I know. Oh well, truth is truth.)

    Having previously reviewed Tee Morris’s Billibub Baddings and the Case of the Singing Sword, and Mark Jeffrey’s Max Quick The Pocket and the Pendant, I decided it was about time to include the third jewel in the triple crown of founding stories and let everyone know what I think about Scott Sigler’s Earthcore. I often forget that Earthcore was Sigler’s entry into podcasting, because I listened to Ancestor first. A fact which I have had to be corrected on more than once.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: Deep below a desolate Utah mountain lies the largest platinum deposit ever discovered. A billion-dollar find, it waits for any company that can drill a world’s record, three-mile-deep mine shaft. EarthCore is the company with the technology, the resources and the guts to go after the mother lode. Young executive Connell Kirkland is the company’s driving force, pushing himself and those around him to uncover the massive treasure.

    But at three miles below the surface, where the rocks are so hot they burn bare skin, something has been waiting for centuries. Waiting … and guarding. Kirkland and EarthCore are about to find out firsthand why this treasure has never been unearthed.

    Production: if you have ever listened to a Sigler story, I’ll simply say this one, even though the first, really isn’t much different. He does a straight read while giving each character a unique voice and keeps everything very easy to listen to. I realized a while back that, for me, if you’re not going to do a full cast podcast audiodrama, Sigler is the man to emulate. (If you disagree, feel free to share your favorite.) I really believe Sigler captures the essence behind “less is more” with his production in Earthcore.

    Cast: The cast is huge for this story, just as it is for all Scott Sigler novels. I can hear you now, “WAIT.. what are you talking about, Scott always does a straight read!” Yup, you’re right, and Earthcore is a straight read too with only Mr. Sigler behind the mic. However, I figure when you’re the FDO™, you are in actuality a cast of millions. Unfortunately, in Mr. Sigler’s world, all women sound remarkably similar and very manly (Still, better than I could do). Another realization for me. When I listen to a single voice podcast, I prefer characters to have as different of a sound as the author can give them naturally as opposed to electronically manipulating those same voices. Even if they do sound like Sigler’s women. (Don’t know FDO™? Give any of Mr. Sigler’s stories a listen, and you will.)

    Story: Earthcore is by no means my favorite story. It isn’t even my favorite Sigler story. However, it is a decent story that kept me interested and and kept me guessing until the end. I will also say that if you’re an observant listener, you’ll definitely see some crossover among Mr. Sigler’s stories. Something I personally enjoy. Especially since you must be an observant listener.

    Verdict: I enjoyed Earthcore enough to recommend it. Mr. Sigler was still very much an emerging author when he released Earthcore. That being said, I prefer it over the Infected books. (Yes, I said it. Disagree? Why?)

    If I’m correct in my recollections, I believe Earthcore had initially been picked up to be published, but then through buy outs and consolidations missed it’s release. This is truly sad, because it is a much better story than most of books ive read in the genre. I know I’m not the first to make this comparrison, bu if you enjoy the works of Michael Crichton, I suggest you give Mr. Sigler’s Earthcore a try.

    Disclosure: I do not follow Mr. Sigler on Twitter (@scottsigler), although I’m sure many of you would chastise me for this. I did not receive anything as recompense for this review, nor was I asked to make it.

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  • Podcast Review #26: Down from Ten

    Title: Down from Ten
    Author: J. Daniel Sawyer
    Music by: Danny Schade
    Genre: um…..
    Released: 21 June 2009 – 18 April 2010
    Located: Author’s Site, iTunes

    Formats available: podcast only
    Rating: Strong R or above

    After having listened to J. Daniel Sawyer’s first podcast novel, Predestination and Other Games of Chance, I knew that I would automatically be giving the next thing he produced a chance. Down from Ten is that next thing. It was that simple.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: In early January, a group of friends get together for an annual retreat; eight artists, scientists, and authors cloistered together in a mansion in the mountains above Redding, California for ten days of games, conversation, exhibition, and hedonism, while isolated from the outside world. It might all have been quite pleasant, if it weren’t for the biggest California snowstorm in over twenty years. When the storm hits, the house is buried in an avalanche, leaving our heroes with no way to hike out. Instead, they must find a way to survive and stay sane while waiting for rescue – which becomes difficult when they all start having the same dream.

    A comedy in the tradition of The Shining and A Clockwork Orange, a romance in the tradition of Clue and Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, and a mystery in the tradition of Paint Your Wagon and Time Enough For Love, Down From Ten will thrill you a little, chill you a little, and tickle your fancy in ways you wouldn’t want your children to see.

    Down From Ten boasts an original score, a full voice cast, and professional soundscaping.
    Intended for adult audiences.

    (Stolen from the author’s site.)

    Several notes on the synopsis. Yes, I know I don’t usually comment on the synopsis, but I feel I need to in this case. First, the intended for adult audiences really isn’t a suggestion. It is notification. There isn’t a single episode that is suitable for the entire family. If you decide to listen, you should know this going in. Second, I have a feeling that there will never be a work of fiction Mr. Sawyer writes that will be easily classifiable, easily listened to, or easy to create a synopsis for. While Down from Ten is everything the synopsis states, it is also nothing at all like the synopsis. It is much more.

    Production: Let me simply state here. I’ve never been much of a worrier about production. I am all about the story, and even more about the characters. If you’ve read any of my reviews, you probably all ready know this. Many times I’ve written something along the lines of, “The production isn’t great, but the story is, so the production never bothered me.” Not exact, but along those lines. I’ve also heard a few podcasts that I have complimented for their production. There are a few podcast author’s that spend great amounts of time and effort on the production, and that always shows through. I of course notice, and appreciate. I’ve always stated though that I would listen to a great story even if the production was pretty bad. However, I’ve stated the reverse too. No matter how great the production, I would never listen to a podcast that had a weak or bad story. Then came Mr. Sawyer and Down from Ten. This production is nothing short of absolutely amazing. If you listened to this without really listening to the production, please go back and listen to at least one ep again. Please. Each location within the story has it’s own sound. If you’re listening with headphones, you’ll notice where each character is speaking from in the room in regards to you, the listener. Mr. Sawyer is a professional in this line of work (seriously, check his bio) and it has never been more apparent than with Down from Ten.

    Cast: The cast for Down from Ten reads like a freaking Who’s Who of podcast fiction. Tee Morris. Pip Ballantine. Nathan Lowell. Nobilis Reed. Christiana Ellis. Kitty Nic’Iaian, Miss Kalendar, Chris Lester, Gail Carriger and Spinderfly. Also guest viola playing by P.C. Haring. They each do an admirable job and together are amazing. Each and every one nailed their roles. Really, what more can I say? If you are familiar with most of their work, that should speak volumes.

    Story: From the very first ep, I could tell Down from Ten would not be a podcast that I could just listen to casually. Some podcasts I can listen to while I do pretty much anything. Not Mr. Sawyer’s. If you have anything that is going to demand your attention more intently that reminding yourself to breathe, I’d say save Down from Ten for another time.

    Down from Ten will not be for everyone. I don’t think Mr. Sawyer is necessarily trying to offend anyone, but I do believe he wants to make his audience think. If this requires a “shot across the bow” of conventionally held morals or beliefs, he’ll definitely attack with all cannons firing.

    Verdict: I will say that all the characters were expertly written and acted. That is what happens when you have a great writer working with some of the best voices in the business today. I will also say that I didn’t really like any of them much. HOWEVER, they ALL interested me, even if it was because I wanted to see them beat to a pulp. Down from Ten is amazing in it’s scope and it’s detail. It has THE most surprising ending I’ve EVER heard in a podcast and I defy anyone to see it coming.

    If you want something that is highly unique, lovingly and lavishly produced, challenging to conventional thought and with an ending that will make you want to relisten to see if there were clues you missed, don’t wait any longer.

    However, if you’ve become upset or irritated when you’ve read something that contradicts your belief system, I suggest you might want to give this one a pass.

    Disclosure: I have never met J.D. Sawyer, but have followed him on Twitter since beginning the Predestination podcast. He is not what I would call verbose in that setting, but will talk to you if you have something to say that interests him. I have not received anything from him in return for this review. (I wrote this disclosure for Predestination, and upon rereading it, I’ve decided I can’t do much better. In between the two stories I have conversed with Mr. Sawyer substantially more. He is a very interesting individual and one that I do admire.)

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  • Are you eligible: Parsec Award eligibility list

    For those of us, social media pros and fans alike, that want to make an informed decision when nominating our favorite stories for a parsec, I decided to try to put together a list of possible nominees. If you are a podcast author, or just a fan of a particular author that isn’t listed, I would love to add you to the list. This is a work in progress. Please send the necessary information to submissions at viewfromvalhalla.com and I’ll update the list as soon as possible.

    The submissions policy for the Parsecs can be found here. I am not recommending that you nominate anyone, I am just wanting to try to help everyone know who is eligible.

    Following are a list of the categories with eligible podcast in each category. If you’re curious on what makes a podcast eligible in that division, you can find that information here.

    Best Speculative Fiction Story (Short Form)

    Release Me by Tee Morris
    Breakers by Paul Elard Cooley
    Mountain Home by John Mierau
    Destruction by Katharina Maimer
    Disappearance by Mick Bordet

    Best Speculative Fiction Story (Novella Form)

    Tumbler by Brand Gamblin
    Some Other Scotland by Mick Bordet
    Tattoo by Paul Elard Cooley
    Last Man Home by John Mierau

    Best Speculative Fiction Story (Long Form)

    GalaxyBillies by Mike Plested
    The Gearheart by Alex White

    Best Speculative Fiction Audio Drama (Short Form)

    Dagger of the Mind by Tee Morris

    Best Speculative Fiction Audio Drama (Long Form)

    Down from Ten by J. Daniel Sawyer

    The Dreamer’s Thread by Starla Huchton
    Weather Child by Philippa J. Ballantine

    Best Speculative Fiction Video Story

    Best Speculative Fiction Magazine or Anthology Podcast

    Erotica a la Carte by Philippa J. Ballantine
    Every Photo Tells by Katharina Maimer and Mick Bordet

    Best New Speculative Fiction Podcaster/Team

    Tumbler by Brand Gamblin
    Every Photo Tells by Mick Bordet and Katharina Maimer
    The Gearheart by Alex White

    Best Speculative Fiction Fan or News Podcast (Specific)

    Best Speculative Fiction Fan or News Podcast (General) (Audio or Video)

    Get Published hosted by Mike Plested

    Best Podcast about Speculative Fiction Content Creation (Audio or Video)

    Best Fact Behind the Fiction Podcast (Audio or Video)

    Best Speculative Fiction Comedy/Parody Podcast (Audio or Video)

    GalaxyBillies by Mike Plested

    Best Speculative Fiction Music Podcast (Audio or Video)

    Wander Radio

    I would also like to remind everyone of the following statement taken directly from the Parsec Awards website: Each podcast only needs to submitted once. The Parsec Awards are not a popularity contest and duplicate submissions will be combined with any existing submission for a podcast. If you wish to second a nomination for a podcast please do so by adding a comment to the submission page.

    One final disclaimer: I am posting what I am told is eligible and make no claims of eligibility myself. Please be sure you check for yourself where your favorite podcast belongs.

    Good luck to all podcasters. I wish you could all win.

    —

  • Podcast Review #25: The Zombie Chronicles: Escape

    Title: The Zombie Chronicles, Volume 1: Escape
    Author: James Melzer
    Genre: Horror
    Released: 01 September 2008 – 06 May, 2009
    Located: iTunes, Podiobooks, Author’s Site
    Formats Available: Podcast, soon to be Dead Tree.
    Rating: Zombie violence is actually rather less than anticipated in this story and sexual situations are nonexistent. Adult language is present, though not in an extreme abundance. However, this IS a zombie horror novel, for that reason, I will give it a PG13/R rating. Depending on your parenting style, it may/may not be minivan appropriate. I would not listen to it with my 11 year old. (Rating disclaimer: I listen to podcasts during my commute. Situations, language, et cetera that make an impact on me will be noted. However, I’m not taking notes as I drive and something might escape me notice.)

    I’ve mentioned before, although my choice of reading material trends towards fantasy, I will read almost anything. This is true of my listening choices as well. I realized recently that though I listen to much general fiction, even more science fiction and fantasy, horror is definitely underrepresented. I currently am trying to rectify this with three horror titles on my iPhone. Two happen to be zombie titles. I truthfully had not heard of Mr. Melzer until recently, but when I did, I was intrigued and happy to give him a listen.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: When an asteroid passes by our planet and leaves a trail of death in its wake, a quarter of the population have become the living dead.

    Twenty-five years later the zombies are under the control of the government. Citizens are chosen to participate in Project Mirror, a cloning project in which their “mirrors” are used as food for the undead. When one man discovers that something in his blood is being used to create an army of super-zombies, he decides to help his mirror escape. In doing so he uncovers a secret so guarded that the powers that be will stop at nothing to eliminate him and all those that he loves.

    The Zombie Chronicles: Escape is the first book is a series of edge-of-your-seat thrillers that will take you on an adventure beyond your wildest imagination and leave you wanting more with each episode.

    Production: The production of Escape is pretty straight forward. It is not perfect, but it is far from poor. I read a piece of advise on Twitter recently from one author saying basically NEVER change a production element once a podcast has begun. This might be good advice, but I really don’t care if an author makes a change to try to improve something. Mr. Melzer, somewhere early on, changed his theme music. While normally this would probably pass without mention, I really think the newer theme was a much better choice. Although the original was fine, it was a bit “bright” for a zombie story in my attention. I’m also very pleased that Mr. Melzer chose NOT to use a The Story So Far device in his podcast.

    Cast: This story is pretty much a straight read by Mr. Melzer and he does a fine job. Some of the characters are a bit similar sounding, and I think the story could have benefited by a bit slower pace, but these are minimal concerns. His accents aren’t that good (except for Yoda, which he nailed), but they would be better than mine if I were trying to do the same.

    Story: I have a bias against first person narrative. I’ve never really worried about it, I just avoid many stories because of it. Maybe I’m doing myself a disservice, but in my experience it takes a really good author with strong characters to keep my interested in a first person narrative. Escape is written in first person. In fact, we don’t even learn the name of the protagonist until near the end of the story. The story is unique in a number of ways that I can’t explain because it would contain spoilers. However, I can state that the story was strong enough that I listened all the way through.

    Verdict: Mr. Melzer has crafted a fine story in Escape. It might not be to everyone’s liking, but what is? I can honestly say it is unlike any zombie story I’ve ever seen or watched. It is lacking in the over the top violence usually inherent in this genre and much more effort has been made trying to create a situation where zombies make sense. Did Mr. Melzer succeed? For me, yes. I did enjoy Escape and would recommend it to anyone that enjoys non gruesome zombie horror. Escape is an excellent start to what I’m sure will be a very popular series. Remember, however, it IS only a start.

    Disclosure: I’ve had one brief chat with Mr. Melzer on Twitter regarding the validity of how people are approaching the free model of distribution. (Seriously brief) At this time I do not follow him, but will more than likely rectify that soon. I have no idea whether he follows me or not. I was not offered any incentive to write this review.

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  • Podcast Review #24: Morevi: The Chronicles of Rafe and Askana (Remastered)

    Title: Morevi: The Chronicles of Rafe and Askana (Remastered)
    Author: Tee Morris (with Lisa Lee)
    Genre: Fantasy
    Released: 29 November 2007 – 25 December 2008
    Located: iTunes, Podiobooks, Author’s Site
    Formats Available: Podcast, Dead Tree.

    So, back in 2008 (again) after having completed Billibub Baddings and the Case of the Singing Sword, I of course had to find out if Tee Morris had written anything else. Little did I know at the time that Mr. Morris was one of the original three podcasting authors. I went to iTunes and typed in his name and was happy to find Morevi Remastered. Thankfully, it had been going for a while all ready so there were some episodes “in the bank”. I eagerly subscribed and began the Morevi experience.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: Morevi, a landlocked kingdom shrouded by jungles and mystery, falls under the rule of Askana Moldarin. In the dawn of this New Age, hidden traitors in her own regime threaten to destroy everything. The First Queen, independent of council, seeks help to reveal the conspiracy against her…

    Enter Rafe Rafton, captain of the Defiant. (Stolen, once again, from Podiobooks.com)

    Production: Morevi Remastered was unusual in its production. The production was indeed the catalyst for the remastering this podcast. I could definitely hear a difference between the portions of the podcast that came from the original, and the parts that had been added. As anyone that has consistently read these reviews should know, the production quality probably counts the least in importance for me. However, if you must have audio that doesn’t variate at all in order to enjoy a story, Morevi may not be your best bet. One other production element worth mentioning was the volume. Mr. Morris makes reference of this in one of the meta portions of one of the episodes and it is something that I definitely noticed. Morevi is not recorded with the intention that you will be able to shake the walls with the sea battles (well worth hearing) and other assorted production elements. There are times I could have wished it were louder. Still, the production on Morevi is far above merely satisfactory.

    Cast: The cast of Morevi is almost a who’s who of podcasting. Through listening to Morevi I went on to search for Philippa Ballantine and Christiana Ellis to name just two. The vocal work is simply amazing and every single member of the cast sells their part in an emphatic manner.

    Story: Pirates. Ninjas. Need I say more? Actually, that is about all I needed to know to subscribe. Want more? Morevi is an epic fantasy and I do mean epic in every sense of the word. The flavor of Morevi borrows heavily from the cultures of Western Europe and Asia, both of which I enjoyed very much. The scope of the story carries the crew through the panoramic views of two worlds, mixing fantasy with historical fiction.

    Verdict: Quite simply I have never enjoyed a fantasy novel more than I enjoyed Morevi. It truly is the rule that is use in this genre. I do not try to hide the fact that I am a rabid fanboy of the story and I highly recommend the sequel, Legacy of Morevi, available only in print. While this verdict might seem a little over the top compared to most of the reviews I write, I give credit to Morevi for cementing my love of podiofiction as an art form that I wanted to delve into. I cannot recommend it highly enough if you enjoy fantasy epics.

    Rating: Following a request in the comments of last weeks review, I plan on trying to provide a guide for perspective listeners. Morevi does include a fair amount of violence and a bit of sexual content. While most episodes would be safe for work, depending on your violence threshold where kids are concerned, it might not be minivan safe. I would rate Morevi most appropriate for young adults and beyond.

    Disclaimer: As stated previously, I do count Mr. Morris as a friend and am looking forward to the day when I will meet him in person. However, he didn’t know about this review before it was released, he didn’t ask me to provide one, and offered me nothing in way of compensation.

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    ,

  • Podcast Review #23: New World Orders

    Title: New World Orders
    Author: E.G. Talbot
    Genre: Science Fiction, Conspiracy Theory
    Released: 21 May 2008 – 12 November 2008
    Located: iTunes, Podiobooks, Author’s Site
    Formats Available: Podcast only at this time.

    Recently I was trolling for new podfiction and stumbled upon a trailer for New World Orders by Edward G Talbot. I found the trailer intriguing enough to give it a listen. I know that isn’t much of a backstory for a review, but hey, it’s the truth.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: In the nineteen-sixties, a group of wealthy men concludes that it’s already too late to stop global warming from destroying the planet. But they have a plan to save themselves.

    Twenty years later, Jack Crowley and Jim Patterson stumble onto the conspiracy, and every answer they find is accompanied by more questions – and more deaths.

    Jack is a former idealist, turned cynical by his years working as a New York tabloid editor. But his enthusiasm returns as he looks into the work of a NASA scientist who tells Jack about cover-ups at the space agency. Jim is a detective with little patience for conspiracy nuts. But he hates loose ends, and is unable to let go of the inconsistencies in another suspicious NASA death. Soon, his investigation leads him to Jack, and they join forces.

    As Jack and Jim dig deeper, they are targeted by the type of killers that don’t usually miss. From Washington to Las Vegas to the Middle East, they manage to stay one step ahead of their pursuers in a race to expose the truth, and maybe, just maybe, save the world.

    Production: New World Orders is another example of a podcast that begins completely satisfactorily and then continually. New World Orders does make use of a The Story So Far, and unfortunately, it would fall in to the category of a bit of a cumulative recap in some places. All production elements are fine and the podcast is enjoyable to listen to.

    Cast: The cast for New World oder is fairly small, but is still a voiced podcast. There are, I believe three regular cast members. Considering the number of characters being voiced and the number of accents available, this is fairly remarkable. I won’t say that each accent is “dead-on” but each voice is distinct and recognizable, and really, what else could I ask for?

    Story: I am not a conspiracy theorist. The few conspiracy theorists I know personally are grating and annoy me in a unique way. Although I enjoy a good espionage or military novel on occasion, I don’t usually purchase fiction based on conspiracies. I also don’t subscribe to the science of climate change. New World Orders is, in it’s simplest form, a novel built upon the premise that climate change has been covered up by a world wide conspiracy. The story also “flashes” forward in several places. It does so usually with a transition chapter siting newspaper headlines about the intervening passage of time, usually tying those headlines into the conspiracy. The writers are often brutal to their characters and no character is truly safe.

    Verdict: With the previous paragraph stating so many things I am not a fan of, you might think I would give this story a pass. Nope. You see, even if a story isn’t my exact favorite, I will try to recommend it to a particular audience and not just pan it. With New World Orders, I don’t have to try that hard because I DID enjoy it. One thing I’ve never understood is how come so many people get perturbed over fiction. Dan Brown’s stories suck because he is a terrible writer, but he can write whatever fiction he wants and it won’t sway my beliefs. In a similar fashion, New World Orders was an interesting story all on its own and I really enjoyed the characters. The authors had fun with this story, and I appreciated the sarcasm poking fun at themselves in several places. This really was a very large story, and the authors did a nice job tying in a number of actual headlines into their conspiracy theory. If you like Michael Crichton type stories, with a bit of non medical Robin Cook thrown in, I would definitely suggest you give New World Orders a try.

    Disclaimer: Ed Parrot, featured in last weeks “How I do it!” started following me on Twitter (@egtalbot) when I announced I was going to give New World Orders. I have returned the follow, and though not the most verbal, his tweets are quite steady and full of community (both things I approve of). I wasn’t offered, nor did I accept, anything in return for this review.

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  • Podcast Review #22: The Gearheart

    Title: The Gearheart
    Author: Alex White
    Genre: Steampunk fantasy
    Released: 23 February 2009 – 20 March 2010
    Located: iTunes, Podiobooks, Author’s Site
    Formats Available: Podcast only at this time.

    Almost an entire year ago, 7 April 2009, to be precise, while still a very newbie blogger, I wrote a challenge to my very small community encouraging the sharing of podcasts (time for a anniversary edition? Hmm….). I received a comment – this blog’s very 1st comment – on that post. “Can I compel you to listen to my fiction podcast? You can find it at http://www.thegearheart.com.” I was amazed that anybody would ever care if I listened to a thing they had written and immediately informed the author, Alex White (@alruff on Twitter), that I would be happy too. During the course of the year since, The Gearheart (@thegearheart on Twitter) has turned into a 37 episode epic and has introduced many into a steampunk fantasy world that was before unknown to us. The Gearheart was recently completed (though I believe episodes are still pending with podiobooks.com), so now I can tell Alex exactly what I really thought.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: Jonathan Andrews, Initiate in the Seekers of the Arcane Unknown, joined the society two years ago with the hopes of protecting the secrets of magic from the greedy world beyond. However, a ravening shadow appears with a hunger for Seekers and Jonathan finds himself out of his depth. When Jonathan’s friend is attacked and the young initiate is assailed with apocalyptic visions of the future, he must find a way to uncover the past and stop the beast before it tears his group, and the world, asunder. It’s a ripping tale of magic, adventure and gunfights! (Stolen from podiobooks.com)

    Production: The production of The Gearheart has evolved as the podcast has grown. Let me state that it was always completely satisfactory but the initial episodes are really quite a bit differently mixed than the latter. Mr. White started The Gearheart unaware of the larger podiofiction community so was relying on only his own prodigious skills and background preparing this podcast. Considering this makes the product even more amazing. The Gearheart is also one of those rare podcasts where the music was composed (by the author) specifically for the podcast and definitely adds to the work as a whole. The soundtrack is available for free at the website. Mr. White did choose to do a The Story So Far, but they were minimal recountings. In fact, they were minimal enough that it made me realize something very important: while I will never need or enjoy a TSSF, the ones that I truly despise are the ones that seem to be written in such a way that you could have skipped the previous episode. This is especially true for those podcasts that do a comprehensive TSSF. If you feel you must do a TSSF, minimal is definitely the way to go. No review of The Gearheart production would be complete without mentioning the commercials. They are truly unique to this podcast and I’ve never heard anything remotely similar. They are missing from some episodes from the middle, and I do know and understand the reason why, however, I truly believe that if you start something in your podcast, you should be consistent throughout. Unless of course it is with a TSSF. Feel free to drop that whenever.

    Cast: The cast for The Gearheart is surprisingly small consisting of only Mr. White and his wife Renee. Both do an admirable job on making each of the characters come to life with a personality and a voice of their own. Of course some characaers voices are more appealing than others, but this would be true if they were each voiced by a different actor as well. I will also say that Ms. White voiced my two favorite characters and deserves recognition for doing such a nice job on such a wide range of vocal styles (Good job Renee).

    Story: The Gearheart story spans a quite respectable 37 episodes and was my first venture into anything remotely resembling steampunk. From the outset this intrigued me. However, I will state that the world of The Gearheart is as much fantasy as pure steampunk with magic playing an integral role.

    I promised Mr. White I would give a truthful review. He, and the reader’s of this blog, deserve nothing less.

    As stated repetitively, I am a very character motivated reader. I don’t have to like the characters, but I do have to feel for them. In this aspect, The Gearheart is a complete success. Mr. White is not gentle with his characters. Actually, he is quite vicious at times. Without going into detail, I will state that my favorite character does not make it to the end of the book. In a rather reversal of my regular habits, I much preferred his female characters to his male. (Actually, I usually tend to prefer characters of the same gender as the writer. Maybe more realistic? I don’t know, and it really doesn’t matter.) Mr. White’s male characters took a bit of time to grow on me, as they seemed weak and ineffectual. However, as the story progressed, the characters grew as well, and character development is what makes a story for me.

    The Gearheart was unique for me in one other way. I don’t know if it was the production elements or the voicework or exactly what it was, but I enjoyed every episode, even though, as the story progressed I wasn’t at all sure that they were all necessary. Especially some of the earlier episodes. I was often left wondering why a particular story element had been pursued. Again, I enjoyed them, but they didn’t seem to add anything to the overall story. When The Gearheart becomes a published novel (as I am sure it eventually will), I personally expect it to be a bit different in the setup.

    Addition: One more element came to mind while moderating comments for this post that I prompted me to create this addendum. The Gearheart almost at times feels like a sequel itself. There is so much backstory that is never fully explained that, especially at the beginning to middle portions of the story, I wondered if I missed episodes. Now, this is not a negative attribute in and of itself. In fact, I hate expository writing. Rather, it left me hungering as much for a prequel as any further adventures.

    Verdict: It is easy for me to recommend The Gearheart. It is unique among the podio fiction novels I have heard and it is lavishly undertaken. If you haven’t listened to it yet, do so. I don’t think you’ll regret it. I will miss having The Gearheart in my feed.

    Disclaimer: As mentioned earlier, I’ve been in communication with Mr. White since near the genesis of the this blog (which by the way, just had it’s one year anniversary) and the beginning of The Gearheart. I can honestly say that he has never offered me anything to write a review of The Gearheart, and I wouldn’t have accepted it if he had. He does mention me in the final credits of The Gearheart, however, I think he and I will just have to agree to disagree about my contribution (it really was inconsequential).

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  • Podcast Review #21: The White Shadow Saga: The Stolen Moon of Londor

    Title: The Stolen Moon of Londor
    Author: A.P. Stephens
    Genre: Fantasy
    Released: 14 September 2009 – 29 November 2009
    Located: iTunes, Podiobooks
    Formats Available: Podcast, Dead Tree, eBook

    The Stolen Moon of Londor is one of those podcasts that I happen to subscribe to strictly due to having an opening in my playlist and because I recognized the name from promos in other podcasts that I had listened to. I have never, to my recollection, tweeted with Mr. Stephens and I am unsure whether he follows me. I love taking steps into the great unknown and listening to things that I have no predisposition towards. Some of the more enjoyable among my recently listened to podcasts were found in this way. I truly love when podcasts are recommended to me, and I would be interested in hearing one that I was warned against, but in the end, we all make up our own minds. And that is as it should be.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: The era of peace among the elves, men, and dwarves comes to an end when one of Londor’s twin moons disappears from the heavens…..Without the moon’s balancing effect, evil forces grow bold, and warfare, sickness, and chaos threaten life itself.

    Hearing the prayers of desperation that ride on the violent winds, the ancient wizard Randor Miithra, servant to the elf-gods, takes it upon himself to mend the world he has sworn to protect. The task will not be an easy one, though, for the wizard, too, has begun to feel the effects of the world’s imbalance. As Randor struggles to maintain some semblance of his powers, he meets a secretive band of colorful characters from all walks of life, drawn together by a common goal: to find the stolen moon, whatever the cost. It does not take Randor and his motley company long to see that someone or something does not want the moon returned to the heavens.

    The road is perilous….the stakes have never been greater….will they find victory…or will they only find their deaths? (Stolen from Podiobooks)

    Production: The production qualities of The Stolen Moon of Londor were all within my acceptable range. There were a few instances where the audio had some problems, but not to the point where it was impossible to hear what was going on. Mr. Stephens (or his producer if he had one) did do a nice job of keeping production elements consistent, and to a minimum. I am sure I will likely surprise no one when I say I was thrilled that The Story So Far was NOT a production element that was used.

    Cast: The cast was a cast of one. The Stolen Moon of Londor is one of those unique podcasts that are narrated by someone other than the author. In this case the name of the narrator is Richard Webster. Mr. Webster has an accent placing him somewhere in the U.K. I cannot say where for sure, but his accent is unique. It is crazy to criticize someone for the way they naturally speak, and I won’t do that here. I am sure my native lack of accent (yes, that is meant to be sarcastic) would be as inherently difficult to understand where Mr. Webster originates from as his was from time to time for me. Again, let me state plainly, this is NOT an issue, NOR is it a criticism of the narrator. I will go a bit farther however, and say that I didn’t find Mr. Webster’s voice particularly pleasing. Again, this is just my own opinion and I would find it just as fair to say my voice is nothing I would want to hear for several hours in a car either.

    Story: One of the things that drew me to The Stolen Moon of Londor is the fact that it is “high fantasy”. For me high fantasy was the corner stone of my formative years. JRR, Terry Brooks and the like kept me up at night well beyond “lights out” and this form of literature still has an appeal to me that is hard to resist. I will admit also that this soft spot might make me a bit forgiving when it comes to this particular genre and I have enjoyed many tales that I’m sure some would consider terrible. Wizards, elves, dwarves interacting with humans… how can you go wrong?

    Verdict: You can. I feel I must add a new category here: Pass. I can forgive a lot. Especially in a story that was graciously provided to me at no cost. If it were just “I didn’t care for the sound of the narrators voice,” and everything else was stellar, that really isn’t a complaint worth making. Production CAN ruin a good story. I listened to one entire podcast where the PRODUCTION almost made me quit a dozen times. However, it is the story that always (to me) is the most important quality. And it is the story in The Stolen Moon of Londor that makes this podcast novel a Pass in my book.

    I feel that to make my case, I must discuss plot elements in a bit more detail than I normally do, so I’m warning the reader (you) now, that partial spoilers might be coming. In essence, this story is a questing story. I love quests. A well done quest is a founding stone of fantasy.  It is also a fellowship tale. Again, a hallmark of high fantasy. My problem is this particular fellowship was made up of characters that all need reworking so that you can appreciate at least ONE of their motivations. The fellowship starts out with an elf mercenary, a shadowy human, a gallant knight and an intellectual dwarf. Okay fine. Almost immediately they pick up three more elves, of royal lineage and a wizard. Later more characters are added. In my opinion, not a single one is likeable. One elf is a crown prince of a petty kingdom. He treats the rest of the party, including his own brother, in a manner that would get him thrown out or worse early on. The gallant knight turns out to be a coward and worthless in most fights. The dwarf is an artist, great! But he is also a coward and a whiner. The wizard is ineffective and the shadowy human is so shadowy as not to have a personality other than morose. NONE of the characters are given preeminence and it is impossible (at least for me) to know whom I should be rooting for.

    As I’ve stated before, I’m very character driven. So some readers might think that if they prefer action, then they might enjoy this story. Again, I would have to say, Pass.

    Many places throughout the story there are battles that almost always are reduced to duels between characters. From the first of these fights on, it became apparent to me that no one, not even a werewolf, would be allowed to die. Instead, the warrior who should have slid his sword into the conquered’s heart, stands around soliloquizing until his opponent escapes. This doesn’t happen just once either, but more than all James Bond villains combined.

    The final insult to me however happened in the final episode. A relatively unknown author, in my opinion, has no business writing a story that doesn’t end. Let me make sure you understand me. I am not saying it is left on a cliffhanger. I’m saying there is NO ending. It just stops and in the last minute informs the listener why it is called the White Shadow Saga. The second story in the series is slated for later this year I believe (Yes, that is right, here we have a story that doesn’t have an ending, with a year before it picks up again in book two), I know what I’ll be saying to it. Pass.

    Disclaimer: I don’t follow Mr. Stephens on Twitter, and to the best of my knowledge have never conversed with him. I was not offered anything to write this review. However, as with all authors I do appreciate him putting his time and effort into something and then presenting it free of charge. I don’t regularly beg for comments, but if you have listened to the story, and you have a differing opinion, I do implore you to speak up. As has been printed at the top of this blog since day one: My views are my own, are yours?

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  • Podcast Review #20: Tattoo

    Title: Tattoo
    Author: Paul Elard Cooley
    Genre: Horror
    Released: 11 September, 2009 – 18 October, 2009
    Located: iTunes, Podiobooks, Author’s Site
    Formats Available: Podcast, PDF

    I often query my small network on Twitter for what they are listening to at the moment and I always get lots of great suggestions. Paul Cooley almost invariably provides titles written by horror authors (as well as other genres as well) so I wasn’t too surprised to find out that he writes in the horror field himself. A very good friend of mine recently started her very first podcast, and for it, she chose Tattoo (maybe I should be worried about her, hmmm….). Since I had been in need of a few new podcasts, I decided to give Tattoo a shot myself.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: Scars. They remind us who we are, what we are and where we have been.
    But when a scar takes away your identity, what would you do to get it back?

    Jackson, a journalist in Houston, discovers links between several murders that have taken place in his city. His investigation draws him into the world of body art where he discovers an obsession worth killing for.

    Production: I know I harp about The Story So Far quite often, but Tattoo not only doesn’t include one, it includes almost nothing in the way of chatter. Perhaps this is due to Mr. Cooley’s preferences or perhaps it was just the version I chose, but it is really quite impressive in it’s “clean” approach. All the audio is at a good level and the story is easy to listen to. One observation, when Mr. Cooley makes a minimum vocal flub, he just repeats the word and continues on. Maybe surprisingly, but this didn’t detract from the story at all. It reminded me of all the band directors I’d ever had. “Just keep going.” While the production is pretty simplistic, in no way did I find it lacking.

    Cast: As previously stated, Mr. Cooley listen’s to plenty of podcasts himself, and so I would assume that he has heard many straight reads and many casted podcasts. Tattoo is unique in that it is mostly a straight read with one or two extra cast members thrown in. I didn’t really understand why this was done, but again, it didn’t detract from the story, so I didn’t really care. I will state that Mr. Cooley narrated most of the book pleasantly enough and I would have had no problem hearing him do the entire reading himself.

    Story: Tattoo is very much a urban crime/horror story. It is also the first story I’ve reviewed that is labeled a Novela, and it really is. At seven episodes it was a very quick listen. The horror elements were enough to make my skin crawl at times. I am not a fan of tattooing. I don’t know why, it just has never appealed to me, but I enjoyed the peek into the subculture of those that do. I have no idea how much research Mr. Cooley put into Tattoo, but it felt like he knew what he was talking about. It was also apparent that he was well familiar with the setting, Houston, Texas.

    Verdict: I’ve tried to be very upfront about stories that I like and stories that I didn’t care for. Truthfully, as mentioned before, this usually comes down to characterization for me. I don’t have to like the characters (and sometimes really hope one dies – hey, it’s fiction — don’t judge me!), but they DO have to interest me. Mr. Cooley’s characters did indeed interest me. I didn’t get to know them as well as I do the characters in some books because it was such a short work, but I stayed interested in the protagonist the entire story, and when the antagonist finally makes his appearance, you feel like you all ready have met him due to the character analysis completed by other characters in the story. I admit, physical torture is not something I generally have patience with. I do not watch the SAW movies because I find them distasteful. However, when slasher type horror Is included in my psychological horror, I have no problem with saying it can add to the mental anguish. Tattoo was able to walk this tightrope for me. It is not safe for work, nor is it safe for the minivan, but I do recommend it if you liked The Silence of the Lambs type horror.

    Disclaimer: I do follow Mr. Cooley on Twitter (@paul_e_cooley) and enjoy watching him try to win (unsuccessfully) verbal sparring matches with various ladies on Twitter. However, he did not offer me, nor did I accept, anything in the way of incentive for this review. (Although, pink bunny slippers, had they been offered, would have made one heck of an incentive.)

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