View from Valhalla

Category: Podcast Reviews

  • Podcast Review #19: Nina Kimberly the Merciless

    Title: Nina Kimberly the Merciless
    Author: Christiana Ellis
    Genre: Fantasy
    Released: 17 Marach 2009 – 16 December 2009
    Located: iTunes, Podiobooks, Author’s Site
    Formats Available: Podcast, Dead Tree, Free PDF

    Anyone familiar with these reviews knows that my journey started with Tee Morris. Through his podcasts I branched out to many of the stories that are mentioned there, and actively looked for works by people that were cast in Morevi Remastered. This is how I found Christiana Ellis (@christianaellis on Twitter). I listened to Space Casey and enjoyed it very much, and was a bit unhappy with how short it was. I was very excited when I first heard that she had a new story she was podcasting, and so immediately downloaded the first several eps of Nina Kimberly the Merciless (now called the Classic Edition). I truthfully don’t know if i made it through the first ep. Nina Kimberly’s voice set me on edge and gave me a headache. I know this isn’t true for all of you, because I kept hearing such glowing reviews and I knew I must be missing out on something.

    So, when I heard that Ms. Ellis had released a Remastered version, I decided that I would eventually give it a try. I did that this last week.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: She’s on a mission to kill the man who loves her. Why? Because he’s an idiot. Ten years ago, Nina Kimberly the Merciless was cheated out of the life of adventure that she truly deserves. Her father, the fearsome barbarian conqueror Marcus the Merciless, met his first and only defeat at the hands of, well… a gopher hole. Ever since this epic humiliation, she and the rest of the horde have been stuck in the rural backwater kingdom of Langia. Now Francis IX, the idiotic king, has decided that he and Nina should be married. She can’t kill him without starting a succession war, but the alternatives? Eww! Nina has long yearned for a hero to sweep her up on a glorious quest, but Francis’ unwanted affections have forced her hand. No more waiting for a quest to find *her*, it’s time to get proactive. She sets off into the big wide world, but the King decides to tag along, complete with a security spell to alert the Kingdom if he’s killed. Nina is forced to swallow her pride and keep him safe… at least until she can find a way to break the spell. But nothing is ever simple in the life of a barbarian princess, and nothing is ever quite what it appears. The dragon is a pacifist (sometimes). The handsome rogue is a con-artist, but who is he conning? And even the wizard has a few surprises in store. While seeking the answer to all her problems, Miss the Merciless discovers that what she’s always wanted may not actually be what she *wants*. *Nina Kimberly the Merciless* is a comic coming of age story filled with magic, mayhem and mercenaries, but mercy? Never. (stolen from Podioboks site)

    Production: Ms. Ellis recognizes in her introduction to the first episode that the first production might have been responsible for some bleeding ears. I took this as a good omen and I was justified in this hope. The production quality and all of the voices were completely satisfactory. In the remastered version you receive two chapters in each episode, and often the episodes approach and surpass an hour in length. Two areas of the production did catch my notice however. The first being the audio levels. I tend to listen to podcasts while commuting and working on household chores. I use my iPhones earbuds regularly during both activities (only one ear when driving 😉 ) and I noticed the audio levels rising and falling at several points during various episodes. Not so much that I had to be adjust volume, but much more than variation in character voices provide. Not a big deal, but still there. Second of course would be The Story So Far. Ms. Ellis did it a bit differently by simply saying, “Previously on Nina Kimberly…” and kept these recaps very short, especially in the early eps. If you’re going to have to do a TSSF, short is definitely better. However, it is still a TSSF, and I have to say, “I HATES IT! I HATES IT FOREVER!” Interestingly, during a recent Twitter conversation, it came down pretty even on TSSF.

    Cast: Nina Kimberly the Merciless is a straight read and the cast, when you really get down to it, isn’t overly large. Ms. Ellis does a very nice job with all the voices. Even Nina Kimberly wasn’t overly painful this time through. I will say, and I do mean this as a compliment, that I often forgot the two male leads were being voiced by a female. Good job!

    Story: Whether in written form or in pod fiction, I feel there are too few books written in the fantasy genre that also have a humorous aspect. Maybe it is because there isn’t a large audience, or maybe the authors are all serious people. I don’t know, but when it is done well, I really enjoy a humorous fantasy story. Nina Kimberly the Merciless, as you would expect by that title, does indeed fall in this category.

    Verdict: Nina Kimberly was a lot of fun. I have ordered the book and will be suggesting it to my wife. The story does contain a fair amount of sexual innuendo, so depending on your own standards, it might not be suitable for young children. The characters were engaging (yes, characters again) and I grew to really enjoy several of them. While the story contains a lot of humor, it also carries with it some very serious, complex ideas (yes, I’m being serious). Trust, friendship and loyalty are all explored fairly deeply. If you liked A Princess Bride (book or movie) there is a fair chance you might enjoy Nina Kimberly the Merciless.

    Disclaimer: I do follow Ms. Ellis on Twitter (@christianaellis) [ding] although this is a relatively new arrangement. She is personable and witty/snarky. I have no idea whether she is even aware that the reviews exist, but I can verify that I was neither offered, nor did I accept anything in return for writing this review.

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  • Podcast Review #18: The Rookie (Remastered)

    Title: The Rookie
    Author: Scott Sigler
    Genre: Science Fiction/Sports
    Released: 7 October 2009 – 2 November 2009
    Located: iTunes, Podiobooks
    Formats Available: Limited edition hardback, podcast

    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.)

    When I first heard of The Rookie, I almost passed on it completely, for reasons explained below. However, it was a slow period between other podcasts, so I decided to give it a listen. (Point of Order: The links above point to The Rookie Remastered. I believe it is a much better edition.)

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: Set in a lethal pro football league 700 years in the future, THE ROOKIE is a story that combines the intense gridiron action of “Any Given Sunday” with the space opera style of “Star Wars” and the criminal underworld of “The Godfather.”

    Aliens and humans alike play positions based on physiology, creating receivers that jump 25 feet into the air, linemen that bench-press 1,200 pounds, and linebackers that literally want to eat you. Organized crime runs every franchise, games are fixed and rival players are assassinated.

    Follow the story of Quentin Barnes, a 19-year-old quarterback prodigy that has been raised all his life to hate, and kill, those aliens. Quentin must deal with his racism and learn to lead, or he’ll wind up just another stat in the column marked “killed on the field.” (stolen from the author’s site)

    Production: The production of the remastered version of The Rookie is very good. Even the production in the original version gave me very little to complain about. There are several notes however. First, Mr. Sigler always has a sponsor who gets a spot at the beginning of his eps. This is no problem for me. I like to think that in some way the author of any podcast, whether I love it or hate it, is gaining at least a little remuneration for the time they put in trying to entertain me. The only issue I have with the sponsor promos in The Rookie, is that they sound better than the story. Well, better is subjective, but brighter. Less filtered. However, if the ep would have run without the promo, I would have never had the comparison and no complaint. Still, if that is the worse you can say about production, that isn’t bad. And it is the worse, because Mr. Sigler went WITHOUT a The Story So Far!! Happy dance!

    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 The Rookie 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. (Don’t know FDO™? Give any of Mr. Sigler’s stories a listen, and you will.)

    Story: Mr. Sigler is better known, perhaps, for his science fiction/horror stories than he is as a sports fanatic. However, football is a recurring rant of many of the characters in many of his books, so it came as no surprise to me to find out he had written a novel consisting of football in space. However, this game is played between teams consisting of multiple lifeforms that make our current earthbound form very look very gentle in comparison.

    Verdict: When I first heard of The Rookie, I was initially tempted to skip it all together. Why? Sports SciFi? Well, I can’t say as I’ve ever read one, but most of the ones I’ve “watched” suck. Add to that the fact that the sport in this scifi is football, and I almost definitely would have rather gone to the dentist. (I live in Texas, but I wasn’t raised here, and don’t buy into the football hype. Sorry. BASEBALL is a real sport.) However, as I’ve stated before, I am CHARACTER driven, and I really enjoyed getting to know Quentin and watching him evolve. Add to that, that The Rookie does for football what Rocky did for boxing (i.e. make it palatable for even those that don’t enjoy it) and you have a bonifide hit on your iPod (or iPhone as my case may be). I really think that most people that have a competitive spirit will enjoy The Rookie. It is truthfully much more than “just” football in space.

    Disclaimer: 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. However, I do plan on purchasing a signed hard copy of the novel soon, for which I will pay full price.

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  • Podcast Review #17: Metamor City – Making the Cut

    Title: Metamor City – Making the Cut
    Author: Chris Lester
    Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy (yes, both)
    Released: 12 January 2008 – 1 May 2009
    Located: iTunes, Author’s Site
    Formats Available: Podcast only at this time

    One of my rules that I set for myself is that I would only review podcast novels (at least at this point). No magazines (Escape Pod etc), no non-fiction, and no story collections.

    When I first started listening to Metamor City, it was a podcast that typically brought us a short story every week, or perhaps one spread over a couple of weeks. I really enjoyed the stories Chris Lester brought us, so I was excited when Chris announced he would be releasing his first book, Making the Cut, which was set in the Metamor universe, in the Metamor City podcast feed.

    Just to clarify: I am NOT reviewing the series of short fiction here, I am reviewing the novel, Making the Cut.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: Meet Daniel Sharabi, a teenage member of the Psi Collective who has everything going for him — everything, that is, except his telepathic talent, which is mediocre at best. As he faces graduation and his exit examinations from the prestigious Westfall Academy, Daniel’s life is about to get a whole lot more complicated… (stolen from the author’s site)

    Production: The production of Metamor City is exquisite. I know it would make a more interesting review if I could rip Mr. Lester for something right out of the gate. However, it wouldn’t be truth, or even the truth of my opinion. Few podcasters are audio professionals, (with a few notable exceptions.. yes, you know whom I’m talking about) but with the open cooperation that seems to be prevalent among the fiction podcasting community, I would say that increasingly, the productions are sounding more and more professional. Metamor City has a huge cast, and yet all production techniques are exceedingly well put together. Poke: Freaking The Story So Far grrrrrrr

    Cast: The cast is huge for Making the Cut and contains some very well known cast members. When I heard the roles that Tee Morris and Pip Ballantine were playing I had to pull over the car and laugh. Seriously. Why had no one else ever thought of this? Every single cast member played their part exceedingly well and Mr. Lester has a great voice for the narration as well. Very very good marks here.

    Story: Mr. Lester’s Metamor City is as about as original premise as I’ve ever heard. You have a hard core science fiction future world with wizards, magic, werewolves, vampires, PSI and almost anything else you can envision. All of these are rolled together to create a world that is full of surprises and has a surprise around every corner.

    Verdict: With the attention to detail that Mr. Lester has put into this podcast, and with all of the aforementioned elements that I enjoy, you would probably think I loved this podcast. I would have thought that too. However, (drum roll please) I don’t. Why? I have no idea. Seriously. Have you ever come out of a movie and everyone you were with loved it, and you can see every single one of their points, but somehow it just didn’t “do it” for you? That was Making the Cut for me. I loved all the individual elements and even can tell you the story was awesome. If you are looking for a story that is out of the ordinary, that is hard to define and breaks all the rules, while wanting a finely crafted story and excellent cast, then you really need to give Making the Cut a shot. In closure, let me simply say, while this particular story wasn’t for me, I’m still a big enough fan that I will continue to listen to Metamor City and look forward to see where it is headed next.

    Disclaimer: I do not follow Mr. Lester on Twitter (@etherius), although we run in similar circles, and I really probably need to rectify this. I did not receive anything as recompense for this review, nor was I asked to make it.

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  • Podcast Review #16: 7th Son: Book One – Descent

    Title: 7th Son: Book One – Descent
    Author: J.C. Hutchins
    Genre: Apocalyptic Science Fiction Thriller
    Released: 24 February 2006 – 23 July 2006
    Located: Podibooks, iTunes, Author’s Site
    Formats Available: Podcast, dead tree version through St. Martin’s Press, multiple ebook versions

    When I decided to write reviews of podcast fiction, I created a spreadsheet and began listing all the stories I had listened too. I placed them in the order I planned on reviewing them and put a tentative date next to each. Several times the remaining titles on the list have been moved down due to the fact that I’ve finished listening to a newly completed podcast and want to review it immediately.

    When I’m reviewing legacy podcasts, it usually isn’t that I’ve finally gotten around to listening to them, but that I have gone back to that original spreadsheet and picked the next title off the list.

    And hence we come to 7th Son. While I did not listen to 7th Son: Book One – Descent as it dropped, I had caught up by the time the second and the third books dropped.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: Three weeks ago, the U.S. president was murdered by a four-year-old boy.

    Today, seven men stare at each other in a locked conference room. Kidnapped and brought to this underground facility, the strangers are sitting in silence, thunderstruck. Despite minor physical differences, they all appear to be the same man, with the same name … and the same childhood memories.

    Unwitting participants in a secret human cloning experiment, these seven “John Michael Smiths” have been gathered by their creators for one reason — to capture the mastermind behind the president’s assassination.

    Their target? The man they were cloned from; the original John Michael Smith, code-named John Alpha.

    Soon our heroes — John, Jack, Michael, Kilroy2.0 and the others — realize the president’s murder was merely a prologue to Alpha’s plans. As the mystery deepens and the implications of Alpha’s scheme are slowly revealed, the clones decide to stand against John Alpha. The outcome will unearth a conspiracy larger than they could have ever imagined. (stolen from Podiobooks site)

    I am also going to include the Author’s Note that Mr. Hutchins now provides at Podiobooks: This is “The Beta Version” of this podiobook. 7th Son: Descent is now available as a print novel from St. Martin’s Press. During the editorial process, significant changes and improvements were made to Descent’s print manuscript. Character names were changed, and events at the end of the print novel were modified in ways that will impact the rest of the print trilogy. The print novel represents an official reboot of the 7th Son series.

    Due to these changes, this “Beta Version” of Book One: Descent is no longer the “official” version of the podiobook. Please visit the 7th Son: Descent (The Print Edition) page to subscribe to the definitive version of the story.

    Production: As you can see by the release date, Mr. Hutchins is no “johnny come lately” to the podcasting scene. He has been working at his trade from early on in the game. That being said, his production on 7th Son is very strong. All of the audio levels are quite professional sounding and I never had a complaint about audio at all. My biggest area of dissatisfaction with Mr. Hutchins production was with the inclusion of “The Story So Far” being used in every episode of all three books. In fact, whether it is true or not, I have heard it said that Mr. Hutchins “invented” TSSF as many of us know it today. If you are unaware of my feelings of this device, I’ll simply state I don’t like it, at all.

    Cast: Mr. Hutchins does all of the voice work for 7th Son, but I am almost loathe to call it a straight read. Mr. Hutchins attacks his narration with great energy. Each character comes alive with a personality of their own due to Mr. Hutchins handling. No, definitely not a straight read.

    Story: As far as stories go, this is one of the more original I’ve stumbled upon. From the opening scene it is unique. I have read a few critiques complaining about lack of realism in some of these scenes. If ultra realism is your hangup, I suggest you stay away from science fiction, because at some point most stories are going to ask you to hang up what you “know” and go along for the ride. 7th Son asks you to do this early and often.

    Verdict: I would love to give 7th Son a “Must Listen” verdict simply because I know how many people have loved it. In fact, I believe it is based on that love and fan faithfulness, at least in part, that helped Mr. Hutchins secure a contract for 7th Son from a big New York Publisher. Sadly, I can’t give that recommendation. Simply stated, I didn’t enjoy 7th Son. Why? (Feeling like I should be ducking virtual thrown rotten tomatoes at this point. LOL) Stay with me. I DID listen to all three books in their original format. I did not listen to most of the additional content. I haven’t listened to anything else by Mr. Hutchins.

    At the time I was listening to 7th Son, there weren’t NEARLY as many works of fiction being podcast as there are now. Partly due to that fact, and partly due to the fact that I always hope that “things will get better” and can’t stand not knowing how something ends, I usually stick with things I start.

    My main reason for my antipathy for 7th Son lies in the fact that in almost all my choices of entertainment, I am VERY character driven. If you can make me love your characters, I’ll forgive almost anything. If you can’t, it really doesn’t matter how tightly the story is crafted or how the action leads you from one scene to the next, I’m going to walk away with a feeling of promise unfulfilled. This was true for me with 7th Son. There were many characters, both clones and non-clones, and I really couldn’t make myself care for a single one of them.

    In a minor secondary matter, I didn’t care for Mr. Hutchins reading style. On this issue, it is just a matter of personal preference and I almost didn’t include it, but to be fair, I talk about the readings that I love, and feel I should mention that the narration in this book tends to be “over the top”.

    I know I am greatly in the minority. 7th Son has become a podcast phenomena, and I am glad for Mr. Hutchins. I am truly happy when ANY podcast author is awarded a publishing contract. These authors give alot to us for free. This is true of Mr. Hutchins as well. While researching this review, I discovered what many all ready know: not only are the original versions of these stories available, but the edited and published versions are as well. In both podcast and pdf form. For free. Stellar. Simply Stellar.

    So.. back to that verdict. While I might not have enjoyed the story, many many people have. If you like a tight, action driven science fiction thriller that moves along at a brisk pace, and characterization isn’t an issue for you, 7th Son is definitely something you should check out. If, however, you’re a reader/listener that wants to get to know the characters, feel for them, live through their eyes, feel free to go ahead and give 7th Son a shot, but don’t feel bad if you decide to hit the stop button.

    Disclaimer: I do not follow Mr. Hutchins () on Twitter. To the best of my knowledge, he has never followed me. I was not offered anything to write this review (or not to, as the case may be).

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  • Podcast Review: Why I do it

    Last week, Scott Roche (whose Archangel story was reviewed just this week in Podcast Review #15) asked something along the lines of “Are people not criticizing each others writing in this group on Twitter because we genuinely care for each other and don’t want to hurt each others feelings?

    What transpired was a really interesting conversation with fans, authors and me all chiming in (it’s my blog, I get to be my own group). There was a consensus from many that they wouldn’t be hurt if someone said they didn’t care for the authors work, as long as they could be constructive with it. A few didn’t care whether it was stated constructively or not. I thought it interesting (but a very good thing) that not a single author said “I’d rather not hear anything negative from a fan about my work”.

    If any author’s out there read this,  I would like to say, I’d be happy to critique your work anytime you’re interested. I have no problems telling anyone what I like or dislike, and I think I am generally a pretty positive person, so you can count on not just getting trashed. Two items though: 1) I won’t do it on the general feed on Twitter. 2) I won’t do it here.

    Why, you might ask? (Seriously, if you’re not curious you might as well skip the next two paragraphs.) Well, I won’t answer on Twitter, because what I might find great and/or annoying might be the opposite of someone else. That is fair, but if I’m offering you my perspective on your work, I don’t want to stir up controversy on Twitter. That isn’t why I’m on Twitter, and I know myself well enough to know I wouldn’t back down because I’m in a minority. In fact, that question was asked during the discussion. “If 99 people liked a story, would you be able to say you didn’t?” (paraphrased, i don’t remember the EXACT wording) Yes, yes I would.

    I also won’t write about it here, because I have set up these reviews for a specific reason. Those reasons do not include becoming my rant/rave platform on random things that I love/hate. If that is what you want, there are lots of other blogs out there that can help. Good blogs. Blogs that I read weekly.

    My reason for doing these reviews is with the hope of trying to help YOU my readers (however few you might be, LOL) find a story you can hopefully love. As I stated on Twitter, I’m not doing these for the author’s (although most seem to appreciate and a few seem to ignore) and I’m really not even doing it for me. I am trying to give a guide that will help people find content they want to give a shot. Now, when I review a podcast I love, I will tell you that, and will tell you why. When I review a podcast that didn’t do it for me, I will tell you that. And I will tell you why. BUT, it will STILL be in the vein of trying to help someone find that story that might like it. *SPOILER ALERT One of those is coming next week (oh no, something Odin didn’t like? Whatever could it be? hmmm… I wonder where you could find out?) And guess what? Yeah, I’m definitely one of the 1 out of 100 that didn’t care for it.

    Does any of this make me an authority on anything? Yup. I am an authority on what I like, AND on what I’m trying to do here. I really only have three rules for stories that will be reviewed here. One, they have to be podio fiction. I don’t do magazines or compilations. Two, they have to be complete. Three, I won’t accept any kind of incentive or compensation.

    Do I have to like them? Nope. Is that going to keep me from suggesting them? Nope, because I sincerely hope someone does. But I will be truthful in the reviews, as I always have.

    For those of you that have commented in the past that you found something you liked? Well, let me thank you. You keep me looking for new podcasts to listen to, and yes, finish, whether I like them or not. LOL.

    Thank you.

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    , ,

  • Podcast Review #15: Archangel: Through the Valley of Shadow

    Title: Archangel
    Author: Scott Roche
    Genre: Fantasy
    Released: 31 July 2008 – 23 August 2008
    Located: Author’s Site (previously found on iTunes)
    Formats Available: Podcast only at this time

    I’ve been following Scott Roche on Twitter (@spiritualtramp) for some time. Quite a while back, I asked what podcasts people were listening to, and Scott, like any good author, pimped his podcast Archangel. Having followed Scott, who never is shy about sharing his religious beliefs and never backs down from a good debate, I was curious about his story. So I decided to give it a shot.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: A podcast novel about a man who’s personal demons have plastic explosives. (Stolen from now defunct iTunes listing)

    Production: If memory serves me right (not a guarantee by any stretch of the imagination) I believe the production was split between Mr. Roche and Shawn Murphy (@sidfaiwu on Twitter). Regardless, the production was wholly adequate and the story always stood front and center. The production really is a minimalist approach which works very well for this type of story.

    Cast: In this, the first of the Archangel stories, Mr. Roche performs a straight read of his story, compared to the second book (which is also being podcast and will EVENTUALLY come to a close (I assume)) in which Mr. Roche utilizes an entire cast. Although this is no reflection of the cast for the second book, I much prefer the straight read provided here. Casting a podcast is one of those things that I can’t quantify why I have a preference. I just do. Some I prefer a cast, some I prefer a straight read. Here, I am glad Mr. Roche went with the straight read.

    Story: Do you remember the 1995 flick, The Prophecy? You know the one… where Aragorn is Satan and Christopher Walken is Gabriel? Yeah, I loved that movie (yes, I know, many holes, but so what?). Chances are, if you enjoyed The Prophecy, you should at least give Archangel a try. In no way am I trying to imply that Archangel is a ripoff or even remotely related to the movie. It isn’t. However, it does take Christian theology and twists the precepts in a way that most would think strange (and a few at least would probably think blasphemous). Mr. Roche makes no apologies for having strong beliefs, but his works of fiction (to this point) have never become sermons in disguise. This is fiction. Pure and simple. It is being presented with the hopes to entertain.

    Verdict: I enjoyed Archangel. I also have devout beliefs, but have always been able to read (or watch) fiction without feeling that my beliefs are threatened. If you find yourself avoiding stories like the Da Vinci Code because of the religious controversy (rather than they just sucked) then I would suggest you avoid Archangel as well. However, if you liked The Prophecy and enjoy mythology based on belief systems, you might want to give Archangel a shot. It is unique among the podcasts I have listened to in the issues that it addresses.

    Disclaimer: I currently follow Mr. Roche on Twitter. He will always answer questions and is quite ready to debate any and everything including the color blue if you’re so inclined. I wasn’t offered anything to write this review, however, I was encouraged to do so by the fact that recently Mr. Roche has asked for incentive to complete his second podcast which is beginning to have a seasonal release schedule (as in, ONCE a season).

    Next Week: 7th Son:Decent by J.C. Hutchins

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  • Podcast Review #14: The Dreamer’s Thread

    Title: The Dreamer’s Thread
    Author: Starla Huchton
    Genre: Fantasy
    Released: 22 August 2009 – 31 January 2010
    Located: Podibooks, iTunes, Author’s Site
    Formats Available: Podcast only at this time

    By this time most of you have heard of the tragedy that greeted the family of a good friend of many of ours, Tee Morris. The pain suffered by many during the month of January 2010 has been intense.

    As in so many cases, pain brings together strangers and they leave being friends.

    Through the pain of that time, many like minded people ended up creating new contacts through Twitter. That is how I met Starla Huchton (@riznphnx on Twitter). She wasn’t the only one I was introduced to at this time, but she was the only one (to my knowledge) that had a current work of fiction being podcasted, so I decided to give it a shot.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: Everyone Dreams.

    But what would you do if you suddenly found out that you were one of the few who creates dreams for the whole world? Would you use your power to harness the light and weave it into beautiful tapestries of magic and wonder, or would you fall prey to the seductive siren song of darkness and nightmares?

    For tattoo artist Aura Mayville, this becomes a reality as she is ripped from her life of art and music and thrust into a realm where good and evil struggle for control over the minds and hearts of men.

    With a sarcastic sorcerer, a mercenary, and her Spirit Guide as her only companions, Aura must journey through the dream realm to discover both her power and where her heart truly lies. In a place where anything is possible, can she find the strength to hold on to herself, or will she be lost to the shadows forever? (stolen from Podiobooks site)

    Production: In every episode of The Dreamer’s Thread, you will hear credit for the production being given to Jamie Jordan. If that name sounds familiar, you’ve probably listened to Playing for Keeps by Mur Lafferty (reviewed in Podcast Review #9). Mr. Jordan does a very nice job with the production, and this is even more impressive when you look at the scope of the production. This is a full cast podcast (more later) with many layers of audio, effects and music. The theme, Natalie Walker’s Waking a Dream is entirely appropriate for this podcast. The slightly discordant chimes set the mood perfectly. Whether due to Mr. Jordan or Ms. Huchton, I am also happy to report there was no “The Story So Far”. There was only one production element I would change. Each episode contains promos for other podcasts. That in itself is very good. However, they were placed before the story each week. I would MUCH prefer they be placed at the end. Again, this is just my take, but when I start a podcast, I don’t want to hear anything but the story, though I’ll usually listen through promos at the end.

    Cast: Ms. Huchton assembled a cast that is amazing in its scope and talent. Very rarely have I heard a podcast that from the first episode you’re left wondering, “Is this truly the author’s first effort?” I have been assured it is, but I can guarantee you this: it doesn’t sound like a first effort. This is pro stuff. The cast contains many of the hallmark names of podcast fiction as well as many newcomers, blended flawlessly together into a finely woven vocal tapestry.

    Story: In a rare departure from my norm, I subscribed to The Dreamer’s Thread without even reading the synopsis and had no idea what the story was about or where it would take me. I was quite prepared to ask myself, “What the heck is this crap?” That never happened. I will admit, however, that not having any clue where it was headed, I was surprised when the story took a left turn in Albuquerque and ended up in the dream realm, but I am quite happy it did.

    Verdict: The Dreamer’s Thread is a well written, well scripted, well performed romp through the dream world. A world, that by it’s very name, doesn’t exist in the light of day. We’d all be better off if it did. The Dreamer’s Thread contains themes that could be understood by many young adults as well as adults, and I feel Ms. Huchton made a conscious effort to keep the work appropriate for this audience. All in all, I can happily say The Dreamer’s Thread is recommended and I hope that Ms. Huchton continues to write and podcast stories like this for years to come.

    Disclaimer: I currently follow Ms. Huchton on Twitter. She is funny and somewhat opinionated. Both good qualities in a person. I was not asked to write this review and received nothing in the way of compensation.

    *UPDATE* – In the spirit of full disclosure I will admit that the above review was written before I was able to listen to the last ep. You see, Ms. Huchton is a west coast person. I am not. I REALLY wanted to get this review out this week and didn’t believe the last ep would change my review in any way. Unfortunately, it has. It changed my recommendation from a “Recommended” to a “Must Listen”. Interestingly, this is true even though it ended in a way that I was hoping it wouldn’t. This really is a lush, beautiful story and I realized that it is one of the first written by a woman that I’ve heard that really focused on the feminine point of view. Maybe it was the fact it was written in the first person (which has to be REALLY well done for me to enjoy). While I still would have preferred Aura to have opened door number two, door number three had beauty behind it that I had not anticipated. Good show, Ms. Huchton. Good show indeed.

    Next week: Archangel: Through the Valley by Scott Roche

    FRXWWDCXFFN2

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  • Podcast Review #13: Ravenwood

    Title: Ravenwood
    Author: Nathan Lowell
    Genre: Fantasy
    Released: 4 January 2010 – 19 January 2010
    Located: Podibooks, iTunes
    Formats Available: Podcast only at this time

    If the name Nathan Lowell doesn’t seem familiar to you, now would be a very good time to rectify that. I reviewed Mr. Lowell’s Quarter Share, the first book in his Golden Age of the Solar Clipper series, back in PR#6. Since this time, Mr. Lowell has been awarded a contract by Ridan Publishing with Quarter Share to be released later this spring.

    As stated in PR#6, I have been following Mr. Lowell on Twitter (@nlowell) for some time now. When he announced that for National Novel Writing Month he had excepted a challenge by Mur Lafferty to write something completely different, in half the allotted month, my curiosity was piqued. Ravenwood is the novel resulting from that challenge.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: After twenty winters on the road, Tanyth makes one last pilgrimage in her quest to learn all she can about the herbs and medicinal plants of Korlay before settling down to write her magnum opus. Her journey is interrupted when she stops to help a small village and learns that much of what she knows of the world may not be quite as it seems. (stolen from Podiobooks site)

    Production: Mr. Lowell knows when to leave a good thing alone and continues with his “less is more” production style with Ravenwood. I only truly noticed one element of production added to Ravenwood. Occasionally, Tanyth will see a scene through the eyes of another character, to highlight this occurence, Mr. Lowell changed the resonance of the audio a bit. I mentally viewed this as a paragraph set off by the use of italics. I liked this device, and after having heard it several times realized it wasn’t my headphones going bad or my hearing being even more screwed up than I initially thought.

    Mr. Lowell always chooses a musical theme for his novels that really seems to capture the feel and the essence of the story. For Ravenwood, Mr. Lowell chose a piece of music from composer/artist Ivan Chew entitled The Hill. As I shared with Mr. Lowell, this is the first piece of podcast music I have ever found myself humming and/or whistling throughout the day. One final element worthy of note: Mr. Lowell did once again forego the use of a The Story So Far device, for which I am grateful.

    Cast: Mr. Lowell continues doing a straight read for his stories, and again, I can’t think of a better way to hear this story. Mr. Lowell’s style of reading is very conducive to allowing the listener to immerse himself in the story. While Mr. Lowell uses different vocal inflections for his characters, he makes no effort to change his voice, and I find it very interesting that he doesn’t need to. There wasn’t a single instance where I was left wondering which character was speaking.

    Story: Mr. Lowell’s first venture into fantasy is appropriate for the man that created science fiction without conflict. While there is conflict in Ravenwood, there is no quest, there is no evil force loose in the world that seeks the domination of mankind. What there is, is a story of an aging woman that finds, that no matter how well you know yourself, there is always more to discover. There are also many good people that she encounters, as well as a few assorted miscreants.

    Verdict: Ravenwood is a very good story. An excellent story. If you’ve been hearing about Mr. Lowell for a while and haven’t given him a listen because you don’t care for Science Fiction, now is your chance. However, if you have been a fan of his Golden Age series, you will find Mr. Lowell is just as comfortable in a middle aged woman’s small clothes as he is in a spacer’s ship tee and boxers. Unequivocally a Must Listen.

    Disclaimer: I currently follow Mr. Lowell on Twitter. He will always answer questions and is very affable. I was not asked to write this review and received nothing in the way of compensation.

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  • Podcast Review #12: Spherical Tomi: A Novel of Despair

    Sperical Tomi

    Title: Spherical Tomi: A Novel of Despair
    Author: Jack Mangan
    Genre: Science Fiction
    Released: 22 October 2005 – 19 February 2006
    Located: Podiobooks, iTunes,Author’s site
    Formats Available: Podcast, ebook versions available.

    The intro for this review will, of necessity, be somewhat shorter than some. Why? Because until about two weeks ago, I had never heard of Jack Mangan or his Tomi stories.

    As it turns out, Mr. Mangan and I run in similar circles on Twitter (@jackmangan), but I’ve never chatted with him.

    One of the things I personally am enjoying about writing these reviews is the fact that the process is leading me to stories I had been previously unaware of.

    Tomi is one of these. (Thanks to JR Murdock for the headsup!)

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: A top-secret AI project.

    A deadly power struggle between warlords.

    Tomi was once lead combat programmer for the Shogun Ryogi, on the front lines of his conflict against President William the Black of Cerberus. When she failed to prevent William from killing the samurai she loved, she abandoned all sides, all loyalties, all hope. In her fury, Tomi destroyed the Greatship, Hades IV, and almost everyone onboard. Almost everyone. . .

    William the Black escaped with his life.

    She now hides out in a remote monastery, awaiting the day when she can kill the three she holds responsible for the death of her samurai: William, Ryogi, and herself. . .

    With her real body in exile, Tomi’s consciousness inhabits a deteriorating clone body on a satellite around Cerberus. She’s lived and worked incognito in orbit for almost three years now, monitoring the planet’s subspace debris cleanup.

    But some histories will not stay buried.

    Tomi again finds herself in the crossfire when Ryogi’s forces ambush the Presidential shuttle in her sector.

    Ryogi’s samurai have pirated remote control of her satellite’s store of dormant clone bodies; his combat programmers fight her for the station’s computers, while the planet’s extrasphere swarms with deadly smart-mines. Will she be able to protect the President’s shuttle to secure her own vengeance? Will she be able to hold her satellite together? Or will Tomi abandon it all and give in to despair? (Stolen from Podiobooks)

    Production: While Mr. Mangan did use a The Story So Far type device (which as previously stated, I don’t enjoy), he did something that I have to admit I cared for even less: he provided a recap synopsis and a preview of the next ep. Im glad this device isn’t one used widely. Mr. Mangan mentions early on that the production is pretty bare bones. It really is. In fact, it is one of the coarsest productions I’ve heard. There are many random artifacts and you can often hear a clear difference between recording sessions. When listening on headphones, occasionally you’ll be startled by a random noise or an effect that is mixed a bit too hot.

    Cast: The cast is simply Mr. Mangan and Deborah Mangan. Mr. Mangan does all the narration and male voices, Ms. Mangan does all the female voices. The only issue is that many of the characters sound similar, which isn’t an issue in and of itself. However, occasionally without written or verbal clue, it is hard to tell which character is voicing the dialogue.

    Story: The story is fantastic. With a fascination for Japanese culture and a love of good science fiction, Tomi was a nice fit for me. The future Mr. Mangan envisions is as interesting as it is frightening. The story progresses at a nice pace and is relatively short. In fact, at 11 episodes, the story is more of a novella than a novel. Surprisingly, even at a relatively short length, the story is compelling and full of characters that I want to know more of. Luckily, there are several more Tomi stories.

    Verdict: Spherical Tomi will probably not be for everyone. It is much closer to hard scifi than most podio science fiction I’ve heard. Add to that, that some will not want to put up with the production. However, if you enjoy hard science fiction and can get beyond pretty audio, you should give Spherical Tomi a listen. I think you’ll be happy with what you find.

    Disclaimer: As I previously stated, I’ve never met or talked with Jack Mangan (@jackmangan on twitter) I do not follow him and he doesn’t follow me (at least I don’t think he does). I was not offered anything in return for this review.

    Next Week: Ravenwood by Nathan Lowell

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  • Podcast Review #11: Chasing the Bard

    Chasing the Bard

    Title: Chasing the Bard
    Author: Philippa J. Ballantine
    Genre: Alternate History/Fantasy
    Released: 3 March 2008 – 11 August 2008
    Located: Podiobooks, iTunes,Author’s site
    Formats Available: Podcast, iPhone App, Kindle, and dead tree version through Dragon Moon Press (available at Amazon and other fine retailers)

    As I recounted in PR#1, I started listening to fiction podcasts with a story by Tee Morris. This led me to see if he had anything else available. He did. Morevi: Remastered. One of the principal talents in this podcast was Philippa J. Ballantine. I went on to discover she was also an author and podcaster, and she had a very good story of her own available. Namely Chasing the Bard. (Later, I found out that Weaver’s Web, her very first podcast novel is also available.) [recanted from Podcast Review #5: Weather Child]

    Although I wrote the above introduction more than a month ago, and for a different podcast novel, it remains true and there isn’t much I could have done to improved upon it, so I didn’t try.

    The intervening weeks have brought much change, and unfortunately, not all for the good. But more of that later. For now let me state that Chasing the Bard was the first full length story of Ms. Ballantine’s that I had listened to, and from the very beginning I was intrigued. I’ve always enjoyed historic fantasy that takes the world we live in and asks, “What if all those old faerie stories were true?” Chasing the Bard does a fair job of answering that question.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: Born into the human world with a gift; a gift that brings him to the attention of powers both dark and light from the World of the Fey, it is his burden to defend all the world.

    Sive, the goddess of battle, hopes that he may be able to change the fate of her people.The Fey are dying, killed by something beyond the boundaries of worlds, and Sive will do anything to save them. So she enlists the help of her trickster cousin Puck to guard the child, and watch him grow into his gift. But a dark power imprisoned by human and Fey, plots to destroy both worlds, and unmake all that they have created.

    Can one boy stop the destruction, even if he is William Shakespeare?

    Production: I believe this was Ms. Ballantine’s first podcast novel for which she used a cast and a fair amount of production. In my opinion, the greatest compliment you could pay anyone in this situation is by saying, “I never would have known that.” And indeed, I never would have guessed that Chasing the Bard was the first story that she tried to produce at this level. All production values are well done and the story is easy to listen to with all the dramatic elements adding to the story, and none getting in the way. I also will make notice that I believe this is the last podcast for which she included a TSSF. (Silently doing a happy dance.)

    Cast: Ms. Ballantine out did herself on this one. The cast page on her site lists fourteen separate voice talents for this piece of podio fiction. Every single one of them nailed their parts. More impressively (especially because I believe this was one of the first two I ever subscribed to and waited for the stories to drop), at least to me, is that not a single episode dropped late. Indeed, many of them were released early. How big of deal is this? Well, to me, not that big, as I really don’t mind waiting for a good story. BUT, I also can’t imagine the herculean task it would be to coordinate this many pieces of audio into a coherent story. Good show! I would be remiss however, if I didn’t point out that Will Shakespeare was voiced by Tee Morris, and truly, he made it his own.

    Story: Chasing the Bard is an interesting mixture of history, fantasy, and delving into the historical fantasy that IS William Shakespeare. I quite enjoyed the way the story was laid out and the way it came together. Ms. Ballantine avoided most of the snares I’ve noticed many stories written in this genre stumbling upon. Namely, the overpowering need of the other to justify the actions of the character with the history. Please don’t misunderstand me, the history is very important, but if I were wanting a historical account, I would have paid more attention in class. Well, although that isn’t quite true (I loved history), I would look it up in a book. When I listen to fiction, it is to be entertained, not to be educated. Now if I get an education along the way, that is great, but when an author makes me feel like I’m back in the classroom, I walk away. Ms. Ballantine makes you feel the period and envision it denizens without ever wallowing in the history.

    Verdict: Chasing the Bard was one of the first two books I ever purchased because of what the author gave to us for free. Ms. Ballantine continues to deliver content that I would gladly pay for and if you haven’t listened to CTB yet, you need to make time to do so.

    Disclaimer: Philippa Jane Ballantine, known and loved as Pip, was the second person I followed on Twitter (@philippajane). She is a wonderful and warm person with an amazing capacity to care across miles (or kilometers) of ocean. She is one of my best friends. However, I received nothing in return for this review, and if anything had been offered, I would have refused.

    Aside: I’m stepping WAY out of format here and coming to you with my hat in my hand asking for your help. Ms. Ballantine’s frequent collaborator and I purpose best friend, Tee Morris, suffered a tragedy this week. His wife, Natalie Morris, passed away suddenly. Through the generosity of the podcasting community, many of the bills inherent in this situation have been covered. If you have donated, I thank you. Profusely and from the bottom of my heart.

    However, Tee has a young daughter, Sonic Boom, that will now be relying on Tee solely for all her worldly and emotional needs. I know, absolutely and beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Tee is more than up to the task. However, I ask that we don’t make him go this alone. A ChipIn account was created by Ms. Ballantine in order to help her friend and to provide for Sonic Boom in the future. It is doing well, but in this case, too much is impossible. Can you help? You can donate here: http://teeandserena.chipin.com/sonic-booms-trust

    Also, there will be an online charity auction to benefit Sonic Boom taking place on 27 February, 2010. If you care to donate an item or service, please do so at donations@theboomeffect.org. If you would rather bid, you can do that also at http://www.theboomeffect.org

    Items are showing up regularly, so be sure to subscribe with your RSS catcher to make sure you find the item that catches your fancy. ALL money raised will be going to Sonic Boom’s future. Thanks again, and God bless you.

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