View from Valhalla

Category: Podcast Reviews

  • Podcast Review #68: Lost Gods

    originally published February 14, 2011

    Title: Lost Gods
    Author: Drew Beatty
    Genre: Fantasy
    Released: 31 December 2008 – 5 May 2009
    Located: Podiobooks, iTunes
    Formats Available: podcast and ebook
    Rating: PG-13 for violence

    Almost a year ago I put out a call for suggestions. Our friend Dan Rabarts suggested Mr. Beatty’s Lost Gods. As I usually do in such cases, I favorited the suggestion so I could come back to it in the future and then forgot about it. Recently I ran out of podcasts that were ready for a review, so I checked my favorites and rediscovered this suggestion. So, a year later, here we are.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: Kweku Anansi is just another member of the African diaspora, trying to make a place for himself in his adopted home of Toronto, Canada. He dreams of better days, of a time when he could be stop running small time cons just to make the rent. He dreams of the life he used to live, centuries ago when he was revered as a god.

    A chance encounter with a fellow con man with a dark and secretive past of his own, plunges them both into the dark world of the lost gods, gods who would do anything to be worshipped again. Including destroying the world, if necessary.

    How far will Anansi go to reclaim his godhood? What will he give up to have true power again? The answers can be found in “Lost Gods”. (Stolen from Podiobooks.com)

    Production: As with many “legacy” podcasts, Lost Gods suffers a bit from the era in which it was created. I mean, this podcast is almost three years old. Still, the quality holds up well and this story is easy to listen to. None of the production elements get in the way except for (wait for it) The Story So Far. Yes, I know, I beat this device and my disdain for it into the ground early on in these reviews. I haven’t mentioned it in a long time and do so here only because while listening to Lost Gods, it occurred to me how long it has been since I have heard a traditional TSSF being used. I am happy to note that it seems that many authors have discontinued their use.

    The only other production note worth making is that, once again, the author has missed his edit marks and left too many occurrences of flubbed lines in the final product. While I can easily see how this might happen, it does take me out of the moment and makes the story less enjoyable by doing so. In order to receive an A rating, only one example of this will be allowed. Unfortunately Lost Gods has many more than one occurrence.

    Grade: B

    Cast: Lost Gods is an author read straight read. Mr. Beatty does a decent job of differentiating his characters through the use of vocal intonation and accents, so it is easy to tell whom is speaking in almost all situations. My only issue with the read was the characters delivery of lines in a “sing song” way of talking. While this is simply a personal reflection, it was quite distracting and repetitively made me switch off the story for a break from these vocal patterns. Sing song is probably not nearly the best way to describe it, but I am, at the moment, at a loss to describe it any other way.

    Grade: C

    Story: A story built on the mythos of a multitude of old gods? Is it any wonder that I might find this interesting? I did enjoy this story and the modern characterizations of a pantheon of gods from different mythos and time periods. The idea that these gods are among us in human form is not new, but Mr. Beatty’s take on this trope is interesting and not something I’ve come across before.

    Grade: B

    Verdict: Quite simply, I liked this story. It wasn’t the most philosophical or deep story I’ve ever read, but it was fun and enjoyable. I recommend it for what it is: a story based on multiple mythologies of gods from different eras.

    Disclosure: I do not follow Mr. Beatty on Twitter and I don’t believe he follows me. I don’t believe I’ve ever had a discussion with him.

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  • Podcast Review #67: The Spiral Tattoo

    originally published February 7, 2011

    Title: The Spiral Tattoo
    Author: Michael J Parry
    Genre: Fantasy crime drama
    Released: 12 September 2010 – 3 October 2010
    Located: Podiobooks, iTunes
    Formats Available: podcast only at this time
    Rating: PG-13 for violence and sexual situations

    The Spiral Tattoo is a fairly recent addition to the canon of original fiction at Podiobooks, but I remember when it came out thinking it I should give it a listen. Of course, then I immediately forgot about it until recently when I was reminded about it from two sources.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: When you’re six inches tall and can fly, life can be tough in a big persons world. What better then than to be partnered with a seven foot troll. She’s the brawn and I’m the brains, and if you believe that I have a castle to sell you. She joined the guard to gain respectability, I joined the guard to escape. I’m Gurt and she’s Elanore Fursk. Don’t forget it.

    In the darkened alleys of Delvenport the discovery of a naked corpse sets off a surprising chain of events. Leads will unravel at every turn, although Elanore appears to know what’s going on. I just tag along for the ride. With the rising tide of drugs, magic and ambition that threatens to engulf our city, trouble will lurk in our every shadow. But as long as no-one puts a knife in Elanore, or calls me a girly voiced fairy then the bodies won’t be piled too high.

    Otherwise all bets are off!

    Production: The Spiral Tattoo is a bit better than most first efforts as far as the production goes. Considering I really do consider a grade  of “C” to be average (although few have hit that, yet), you should consider this production to be quite respectable. I noticed one issue at the end of Episode Two where some or all of the closing information was repeated. As I didn’t go back to verify this, I’m not willing to grade heavily against due to the fact that it might have been a glitch in my hardware. However, throughout the podcast, their seems to be a filter that is a bit heavy on taking the “sparkle” out of the highs. The best example I can give is this: Remember cassette tapes in late 80’s right before CD’s came out? Remember the “Dolby” switch that took out a lot of the noise, but also deadened the sound? That is exactly what I felt had happened here. Still, commendable over all.

    Grade: B

    Cast: The Spiral Tattoo is a straight read performed by the author’s wife, Kylie Parry. Ms. Parry is a New Zealander. If you have issues with her accent, get a life. I’m sorry, I’m quite tired of hearing complaints about accents. Nobody is forcing anyone to listen to anything and if listening to someone that sounds different than you bothers you, go read a book of poems to yourself in the closet. Having said that, Ms. Parry does an adequate job reading The Spiral Tattoo. Her voice is pleasant and while she doesn’t “act out” each characters lines with her voice, she is far from “dead”. I had no issues here.

    Grade: A-

    Story: I found The Spiral Tattoo to be a good story. It was one of those books that I could easily listen to at the same time I was listening to other things as well. It didn’t demand my utmost attention and yet it was easy to comeback to when I was ready. I do think a good editor would/could make it even better, but I’m sure this is true of most works.

    Grade: B

    Verdict: Do you like Law & Order SVU? Do you like trolls and faeries? If the answer to both of those questions is yes, then Mr. Parry wrote this book for you. Seriously, it really is about that easy. If you don’t, I’m not going to say you won’t like it, but I suspect that most of the fans of this story are at least fans of one or the other.

    Disclosure: I have followed Mr. Parry on Twitter for some time now. He is affable and usually fun to engage in conversation. He dm’d me a while back asking if I had any plans to review his book. I replied I’d check it out, not realizing at the time that he had written The Spiral Tattoo. (Note to authors: it never hurts to ask as long as you don’t mind my honest take IF I choose to review your work.) Mr. Parry was also one of the winners our one year anniversary drawing.

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  • Podcast Review #65: Prometheus Radio

    originally published January 24, 2011

    Title: Prometheus Radio Theatre: Season One (2005)
    Director: Steven Wilson
    Genre: Science Fiction
    Released: 2005
    Located: Author’s Site, iTunes
    Formats Available: podcast only at this time
    Rating: R for sex, violence, and adult situations

    Well, this weeks review is another of a modern day old time radio show. I’ve explained before how much I enjoy OTR and how it was one of the stepping stones for me in finding and loving podcast fiction. I have previously reviewed two other works that Steven H. Wilson created. The 1st was taken liberty, and at the time I reviewed it, I gave it a mediocre recommendation because I felt that I had walked into the middle of a series. The second was Prisoner of the Red Planet and I gave it a much better rating as it reminded me very much of the writings of ERB John Carter series which I enjoyed very much. I recently asked for suggestions (am ALWAYS needing new content) and @Nobilis Reed and @BRKyle suggested Prometheus Radio Theatre, and the rest is history.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: PRT, a group of experienced Baltimore-are Fan actors, writers and directors, is embarking on what we like to think is a bold, new path. We’re bringing original, SF radio dramas to Fan audiences at area conventions. The Arbiter Chronicles, which author Steve Wilson describes as “a sort of Hornblower the Vampire Slayer in Space.” Arbiters tells the tale of young midshipmen and women in a future Navy, went the human race has expanded off earth, and things ain’t as bright and cheerful as some might expect. (Stolen from iTunes)

    Production: The production for Prometheus Radio Theatre is much in line with what they’re trying to emulate. Old time radio dramas. There are some differences, but the feel is much the same. If you’ve ever listened to old time scifi serials, you’ll know what I mean. They do use panning for characters to a much larger degree. In fact, I was using only one ear piece and the effect was used to such an extent that you couldn’t hear the other half of the conversation. After going back to both ear pieces, I noticed on two accounts where the character switched from one ear to the other mid sentence. Not a terrible production by any means, but all in all it falls in the range of average for me.

    Grade: C

    Cast: The voice actors for Prometheus Radio Theatre range in age and style to a great degree. There are some stage and television actors that you might recognize that have guest starred and they, along with the regulars, do a very nice job of keeping you in the moment. I was quite pleased with all of the cast and was especially impressed with Steve Wilson’s son, Kyle (I believe) in the boy god story arch.

    Grade: A-

    Story: The stories are good. They are not great, but they are good. After having heard two other examples of Mr. Wilson’s work, I’m inclined to believe the 15 minute or less episodes (yes, that is correct, they are SHORT) contributes to the “soso-ness” of the stories. Seriously, there is no way I could create a story that could be delivered in 10 minute intervals, but Prometheus does on a regular basis.

    Grade: B

    Verdict: Most of the time I’m listening to podiofiction, I’m looking for something that will take me at least my commute (30″). However, there are times I’m looking for something longer or shorter and I do enjoy something that I can jump in and swim with. Prometheus Radio Theatre fits this bill nicely.

    Disclosure: Same ol Same ol. Don’t know any of the players, haven’t been bribed and or persuaded to do a review by any concerned. Someday, someone will offer me something. Oh, believe me,  I’ll take it. But I’ll tell you I did. Cheers!

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  • Podcast Review #64: FETIDUS: The Damned Heir

    originally published January 17, 2011

    Title: FETIDUS: The Damned Heir
    Author: James Durham
    Genre: Zombie/horror/supernatural/crime drama
    Released: 9 July 2010 – 11 January 2011
    Located: Author’s Site, iTunes
    Formats Available: podcast only at this time
    Rating: R for sex, violence, zombie cannibalism

    It takes me a while to get around to listening to podcasts sometimes. I don’t know about all of you, but occasionally I’ll hear of a podcast that I think will be interesting and then for one reason or another never get around to subscribing, or at the very least trying out an ep. For me, this was FETIDUS. Sometime around the end of October, I finally subscribed and started ravenously devouring the episodes. This wasn’t an issue because I believe at the time there were 16 episodes or there around. It became an issue in November. More on that later.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: FETIDUS: The Damned Heir by James Durham is the first sci-fi/horror novel and original music score set in the grim and fetid alleyways of a post-apocalyptic Washington, DC, circa 2034. In this first novel, Art Blanchard, a jaded Washington lobbyist who works for The Foundation for the Ethical Treatment of the Innocently Damned, Undead and Supernatural (FETIDUS), takes up the blackmail case of a mysterious woman, which leads him on a twisted adventure filled with noir-humor, suspense and horror.

    Production: The production of FETIDUS is really top notch. I make no claims to be a professional sound editor. When I make comments about production quality, I am not pretending to know all the ins and outs of that production. However, I have listened to enough to know what sounds good and what really needs some work. FETIDUS sounds good. VERY good. The music, audio and effects are all put together in a manner that enhances the story. This is a full blown audiodrama and all of these elements work together very well. Mr. Durham wrote the music for the podcast as well and each piece fits the mood of the narration very well indeed. Only one portion of the production bothered (read “annoyed”) me, and that was the opening sequences with the doubling (echoing) effect. Later eps were a bit better, and the effect sounded neat, but at times made it difficult to understand.

    Grade: A+

    Cast: I’ve never heard of most of the cast. They are not the usual suspects. The one exception to the rule is Matthew Wayne Selznick. However, it is one of the most professional recordings I’ve heard. Rather than list the rather full cast, I’ve decided to include a link to the cast page here. I don’t know if these were paid performers, as most of them list voice artist on their resumes, or whether they performed free of charge, but if you have a full cast podcast pending, you might want to check with these folks schedules.

    Grade: A+

    Story: A detective type story in a world inhabited with zombies, vampires and other supernatural beings and where government has gone crazy enough to legislate their treatment? Heck, I was hooked from the description. The story is decently written and each episode moves in a straight line towards the ultimate conclusion. And I will say, this story went to places I never anticipated. There are plenty of areas in this story that are inappropriate for younger audiences. This is also a case where the story is an exception to my rule. I didn’t really like any of the characters to a large extent. However, I would say that as an ensemble the characters all fit together well and worked for the world in which they live. Also, while not intending to “spoil” anything for anyone, this story really doesn’t end so much as set itself up for future development. Still, if you enjoy the story, this isn’t a bad thing.

    Grade: B

    Verdict: I liked FETIDUS. If you haven’t listened to it, I will recommend to the soft horror crowd. However, I think you get the better end of the deal as the release schedule here near the end was very long between eps. When I went to the site to compile the information for this review, I noticed that the author did leave updates there, but there were none placed in the stream, so for those of us that subscribed through iTunes and didn’t go to the site, we were left in limbo for quite a while. This is not your typical zombie, vampire, supernatural story, but it is done well and it’s uniqueness makes it quite enjoyable.

    Disclosure: I don’t follow the author or any of the cast, and with the exception of Mr. Selznick (when I reviewed his very good story Brave Men Run), have never communicated with any of them.

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  • Podcast Review #63: Title Fight

    originally published January 10, 2011

    Title: Title Fight
    Author: Scott Sigler and Matt Wallace
    Genre: Sci Fi/Sports
    Released: 2 November 2010 – 11 November 2010
    Located: iTunes, Podiobooks, Author’s Site
    Formats Available: Podcast
    Rating: R for excessive violence and language

    My good friend Richard Green answered my query for content this week with the suggestion that I give Title Fight a listen. As I have been meaning to get to it, and do to the fact that I loved The Rookie and am currently greatly enjoying The Starter (Title Fight takes place in the same universe during the same time period) it was an easy decision for me to decide to give it a listen. Due to the fact that it is really a novella and only ten episodes made it a very easy, quick listen.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: Parsec Award-winning author Matt Wallace and New York Times best-selling novelist Scott Sigler team up to bring you TITLE FIGHT, a strange and brutal tale that combines science fiction with mixed martial arts (MMA).

    Set in the universe used for Sigler’s books THE ROOKIE and THE STARTER, TITLE FIGHT is MMA cage fighting in the far future, where augmented sentients often battle to the death. Lethal human contender Chiyal “The Heretic” North wants to be the greatest fighter of all time, but to get that title he has to take it from aging intergalactic heavyweight champion Korak the Cutter. Korak, undefeated in the ring and the hero of his Quyth race, knows the time has come to hang it up, but he also knows his legacy will be forever tarnished if he doesn’t take this one last fight.

    With millions of dollars at stake, Chiyal and Korak have to handle sponsors, high-tech corner crews, managers with agendas of their own, and evade the influence of gangster and fight-fixer Gredok the Split-Head.

    In this winner-take-all tale, Wallace and Sigler deliver blows so severe you’ll need a standing eight-count between every episode. The bell will ring, the blood will fly, but only one fighter can leave with the galactic heavyweight belt. (stolen from podiobooks.com)

    Production: Title Fight is a typical production by Mr. Sigler. It has the tell tale scary as heck scene changing sound effect (well, it probably wasn’t frightening at one point, but after you’ve heard it introduce as many gruesome scenes as this one has… well, enough said) and all of the production hallmarks that you’ve all come to know from Mr. Sigler.

    Grade: A-

    Cast: The cast for Title Fight is huge, easily rivaling that of any podiodrama I’ve listened to. It also consists of Mr. Sigler. This is only conflict of ideas if you’ve never listened to one of Mr. Sigler’s stories.

    Grade: A

    Story: Title Fight takes place in The Rookie universe and occurs pretty much at the end of that novel and is a nice bridge into The Starter. It is completely independent of either of those much larger works, but has ramifications for the cast of those stories. This story is built around the octagon of mixed martial arts fighting. With my own background in martial arts, I did find that aspect of it very interesting. However, even if you’ve never entered a martial arts school or a gym, you’ll be able to follow the action sequences with little problem. As long as you don’t mind violence. Because violence there is. Non-stop. From beginning to end.

    Grade A-/B+

    Verdict: I enjoyed Title Fight very much. That being said, my favorite stories of Mr. Sigler has to be these Rookie universe stories and Ancestor. If you’ve ever been interested in listening to a Sigler story but haven’t had the time to invest in something you were afraid wasn’t your cup of tea, I’d suggest you give Title Fight a try. At only ten approximately half hour episodes, it isn’t a podcast you need worry about the time investment. It IS violent. VERY violent. It does contain course language. If you’re not afraid of these warnings, give TItle Fight a listen. I think you’ll be glad you did.

    Disclosure: I do follow Mr. Sigler on Twitter but I don’t think we’ve ever truly talked. I have great admiration for his approach to podcasting but could not be considered a Sigler junkie by any stretch of the imagination.

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  • Podcast Review #62: Storm Over Warlock

    Title: Storm Over Warlock Author:
    André Norton Genre: Science Fiction Released: 28 December 2010
    Located: iTunes, Podiobooks
    Formats Available: dead tree, ebook, podcast, audiobook and probably others
    Rating: G for mild old time golden era sic fi violence and adventure
    I really did stumble upon the community of original podfiction quite by accident. I had listened to Tee Morris’s Billibub Badding’s and the Case of the Singing Sword and Scott Sigler’s Ancestor but most of the stories I had come across had been old time radio series available in podcast form. I loved Jimmy Stewart in The Six Shooter (seriously, a Jimmy Stewart western series? How could you NOT love it?), The Shadow serials, Fort Laramie, The Lone Ranger, some Gunsmoke (western serials were much more popular in radio era days it seems), The Green Hornet, and probably my favorite Lux Radio Theatre. Yes, they are all available for free as podcasts. Unfortunately, I went through most of the series I was interested in fairly quickly and was then left with gaping holes. I had found the initial stories on iTunes and at the time had had a hard time finding anything else there that I was truly interested in. It is different browsing than actually looking for something you know exists. So, I hit the web. And I discovered Librivox.org. If you’re unfamiliar with Librivox, it is an interesting exercise. In a nutshell, it is a crowdsourced podcast of material found at the Gutenberg Project. You’ll find projects that are incomplete, some that are started by one person and finished by another, some that are done very professionally and some that are very poor. This weeks review reminded me of those first stories because it too is a reading of a popular story from golden era of science fiction. Storm Over Warlock was written by Andre Norton. Ms. Norton is one of the “bigs” from early science fiction and I was sad when she passed away in 2005.
    So, on to the review.
    Synopsis: The Throg task force struck the Terran survey camp a few minutes after dawn, without warning, and with a deadly precision which argued that the aliens had fully reconnoitered and prepared that attack. Eye-searing lances of energy lashed back and forth across the base with methodical accuracy. And a single cowering witness, flattened on a ledge in the heights above, knew that when the last of those yellow-red bolts fell, nothing human would be left alive down there. (Stolen from Podiobooks.com) And so Shann Lantee, most menial of the Terrans attached to the camp on the planet Warlock, was left alone and weaponless in the strange, hostile world, the human prey of the aliens from space and the aliens on the ground alike.
    Production: Most of the story is recorded very professionally. It is a straight read by a gentleman named Mark Nelson. I don’t know if he is also the producer or not, but there are some issues with the production. Each ep and chapter begins and ends with music. On at least one ep the music appeared randomly in the middle of a chapter. Also, the production uses a stereo effect with a balance preference for the two main characters. The lead character’s voice is much quieter than the rest of the production.
    Grade: B-
    Cast: As mentioned above, this is a straight read by Mark Nelson. He has a pleasant voice and does a nice job with the story.
    Grade: A-
    Story: Andre Norton was one of my favorite Science Fiction authors as a teen. She tends to follow the same formula in many of her novels. Place a youth in an unfamiliar land and have them find out they have more skill and worth than they initially believe. Although I had previously not read Storm over Warlock, this formula holds true here. This is a very straight forward story by todays standards with minimal world building and even a bit of two dimensional characterization. However, it is definitely a classic in the era of Golden Age science fiction and fits that role very well.
    Grade: B
    Verdict: If you like Golden Age scifi, you should not hesitate to subscribe to Storm Over Warlock. Mr. Nelson does a nice job with the reading, and it is André Norton doing what she did best.
    Disclosure: The only way I even heard of this podcast was through following Podiobooks. I was a bit surprised to see it tweeted, but immediately subscribed and enjoyed listening as I went about my many chores over the holiday. I do not know Mr. Nelson, do not follow him, never had the chance to meet Ms. Norton. I have no connection with anyone related to this production.

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  • Podcast Review #61: Black Jack Justice – Season Five

    itle: Black Jack Justice – Season Five
    Author: Gregg Taylor
    Genre: Crime Detective Drama
    Released: 4 December 2009 – 12 February 2010
    Located: Author’s Site
    Formats Available: podcast only at this time
    Rating: G for mild old time radio type violence

    (I wrote this intro 30 reviews ago for Decoder Ring Theatre’s The Red Panda, but it still holds true.) During the spring of 2007 I was desperate to be entertained and had subscribed to a number of Old Time Radio shows. I love the old shows. I’d listened to The Shadow, Gunsmoke, Fort Laramie, The Six Shooter (Jimmy Stewart radio is not to be missed), The Green Hornet and numerous others.

    Of course by this time I had also discovered podiofiction and had subscribed to many podiobooks. Still, I was craving a self contained story that also had a greater story arch. I missed that and after a bit of looking on iTunes I discovered Decoder Ring Theatre. (Yup, still true.)

    Now, some of you might think I’m stretching my own rules a bit. You may be right, but I think it is very close to the line, and hey, it’s my blog. Decoder Ring is built around two hallmark series. The Red Panda and Blackjack Justice. Each are released in turn in two week intervals with The Red Panda in the spring, Blackjack Justice in the fall and something unique in the summer.

    So… today we’re going to be looking at the 5th Season of Black Jack Justice. I am usually a larger fan The Red Panda. I have been since season one. However, season five of raised the bar.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: Hard-boiled pulp mystery and adventure comes to life in the days when men were men, women were dames, and everyone looked swell in hats. Join Jack Justice and his long-suffering partner Trixie Dixon, Girl Detective as they navigate murder and mayhem with a gaudy metaphor and a good-natured leer. Each episode is a self-contained story in the style of the classic broadcasts of radio’s golden age. (Stolen from Podiobooks website, that you can only seem to find by using Google.)

    Production: Decoder Ring Theatre is very much a professional operation. Mr. Taylor, the writer of all of DRT’s standard stories, I believe is also the director and producer of the eps. For a podcast/radio show that has been going strong for over five years, you can definitely tell that this is some serious producing chops. Remember each ep is a self contained story in the overall story arc of the season.

    Grade: A+

    Cast: The Red Panda is a full cast audiodrama modeled very obviously after old time radio dramas. The cast members are all top quality professional voice actors and deserve to be recognized for their contributions. Unfortunately, I really don’t have the time to do that here. Instead I am providing a link to the cast page available at the DST wikipedia article.

    Grade: A+

    Story: As previously mentioned, each episode is a self contained story. There are times when, for one reason or another, this is exactly what I need. There are many recurring peripheral characters that do indeed enhance the series. I especially like Freddy the Finger and Jack gains a new friend near the end of the season that I hope we get to know much better.

    Grade: B+

    Verdict: Season Five of Black Jack Justice has really catapulted it into one of my favorite shows. If you’re currently not subscribed to the Decoder Ring Theatre feed, you should fix that.

    Disclosure: I do follow the @Decoder_Ring on Twitter, but I have never tweeted with them or had any conversation in any other manner. I was not offered anything in recompense for this review.

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  • Podcast Review #60: The Guild of the Cowry Catchers, Book 1: Embers

    Title: The Guild of the Cowry Catchers, Book 1: Embers
    Author: Abigail Hilton
    Genre: Fantasy
    Released: 5 December 2009 – 18 February 2010
    Located: Podibooks, iTunes, Author’s Site
    Formats Available: Podcast only at this point
    Rating: R for violence and sexual situations

    Sometimes fate conspires for you. During the middle of my NanoWriMo series on Nathan Lowell, I decided to try a new podcast. One I had only remotely heard of. I didn’t even know who the author was. Just a title. That title was The Guild of the Cowry Catchers. I downloaded the available eps and away I went.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: Among the querulous island kingdoms of Wefrivain, the only unifying power is religion – a wyvern cult ruled by an eccentric High Priestess. The system is under attack by a gang of pirates called the Guild of the Cowry Catchers who prey on Temple treasure ships. The Temple Police charged with eradicating this menace keep disappearing.

    Enter Gerard, a young prince, exiled from his small kingdom for rashly marrying the court minstrel. He has been chosen by the High Priestess as the new captain of Police. Gerard is smart, honorable, and a little naive. To break the pirate ring, he must cooperate with a wily, amoral colleague, who has already tried to kill him twice. As Gerard struggles to protect his talented wife, obey his seductive employer, and forge a complicated friendship with his dangerous co-worker, he becomes increasingly aware that the pirates have a legitimate quarrel with the wyverns. Dark secrets lurk in the Temple dungeons, and solving them will cost Gerard far more than his honor.

    The Guild of the Cowry Catchers is a fullcast audio experience featuring the voices of Nathan Lowell, Norm Sherman, Kim the Comic Book Goddess, Chris Lester, Kimi Alexander, and many more. Cowry Catchers is also an illustrated podcast, with high quality watercolor illustrations available on the website. You may remember Abigail Hilton’s first series, the Prophet of Panamindorah. Cowry Catchers is a darker, grittier story set in the same world. It is not for children. Subscribe, and experience a Panamindorah you’ve never heard before. (Stolen from Podiobooks.com)

    Production: Whenever I begin a podcast I’ve never heard of, I try to go in with an open mind and no preconceptions. However, if I’m guilty of any one stereotype, it is my expectation of subpar production by an author I haven’t heard of. How arrogant can I get? Ms. Hilton might have been unknown to me, but she produces a podcast most masterfully. I will try to keep this in mind when I listen to the next unknown (to me) author. This is also Ms. Hilton’s second series of stories from what I gather, the first, by her metaconversation admission was a young adult series set in the same universe. I should, and will, listen to that first set to establish growth.

    Grade: A

    Cast: Full Cast. And what a cast. Rather than try to list them all, i’ve provided a cast link to the author’s website. However, the lead voice talent is Nathan Lowell. This was not intentional. I had no idea. Really. But seriously, if you have a podcast novel that you’re producing and you can get Mr. Lowell. You’d be silly not to. Chris Lester and Dan Sawyer also do a terrific job. However, the best performance from a talent unknown to me (read that caveat closely) is Norm Sherman. I’ll be watching for him in the future.

    Grade: A

    Story: This is a fantasy pure and simple. It takes place on a different world, and although the characters are humanoid, there is not a human in the entire story. Whenever I read/hear a story that contains no human species, I am reminded how easy it is to point out flaws in the human character when using nonhumans without stepping on anyone’s toes and without becoming preachy. Ms. Hilton does a good job of inserting thought provoking commentary on the human condition without interrupting a very good story. This is a story of gods that may or may not be normal and their meddling with their mortal instruments. Blind devotion becomes wary introspection.

    Grade: A-

    Verdict: I have only one complaint about The Guild of the Cowry Catchers. But before I share, let me state, this is an adult story. Ms. Hilton does state this repetitively. It doesn’t start out as such, but you don’t want immature listeners getting hooked only to yank it away or to expose them to something you would prefer not to. That being said, my issue is that the Guild seems to be comprised of 5 books. Only books one and two are currently produced. Each one is more the length of a novella than of a full blown novel, and they don’t end nicely. If you listen, and I do encourage you to, I would also encourage you to keep them on your harddrive because I believe you will probably have to relisten to a couple of eps minimum before the next “book” begins.

    Disclosure: I’ve never met Ms. Hilton, virtually or otherwise. I do not follow her on Twitter and to the best of my knowledge, she doesn’t follow me. Although I am quite a fan of many of the voice talent, not a single one shared their involvement (shame on you, lol).

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  • Podcast Review #59: How to Succeed in Evil: the Novel

    originally published December 13, 2010

    Title: How to Succeed in Evil, the Novel
    Author: Patrick McLean
    Genre: Super Hero/Villain Fiction
    Released: 16 March 2009 – 16 July 2009
    Located: Podibooks, iTunes (warning – only the first 18 chapters “work” in the iTunes version)
    Formats Available: Podcast only at this point
    Rating: R for violence and sexual situations and language

    How to Succeed in Evil is another of those podcasts that I’d heard of but never got around to listening. I knew nothing about it or it’s author, but had heard it mentioned on more than one occasion. For the most part, I hadn’t heard much positive or negative, just mentions. I surmised that I wouldn’t have heard that number of mentions, however, if the podcast was terrible, so I decided to give it a try.

    So, on to the review.

    Synopsis: How to Succeed in Evil is not a self help page for the maladjusted. It is the story of Edwin Windsor, Evil Efficiency Consultant. He’s like Arthur Anderson for Supervillains. (Stolen from iTunes. Believe it or not, this is the longest synopsis I could find. If synopsis were graded, I’d fail this one.)

    Production: For as excellent as the production of How to Succeed in Evil is, there are still too many errors and issues that have gone uncorrected. Let’s start with iTunes. After the first 18 chapters, the remaining eps and chapters are all corrupted. No content. At least not in my tests. [ed: Mr. McLean has commented below that he has tested both the iTunes “independent” feed and the Podiobooks feed that always runs in iTunes and has not been able to replicate my problem. The issue I’m finding is only with the iTunes independent feed (you can tell the difference by the icon, which is a bit cropped and therefore enlarged). In this feed at episode 54 (chapter 19) the times start showing up at a length of 1:01. When loaded onto any of my devices, there is no content. Can anyone else verify this or is this simply my equipment?] [I’ve come to the conclusion, that although I cannot get said episodes to download correctly, I must be the exception rather than the rule. Thanks to those that have provided feedback.-ed] There are multiple examples of blown lines being repeated without the original being edited out as well. My final complaint is the length of the episodes.

    I don’t believe author’s need to constrain themselves to the magically arbitrary and adhered to rule of thirty minutes. Not at all. There are many examples of podcasts that last longer and those that are shorter that are both done very well and that aren’t bothered by not adhering to this rule. However, when some of the eps are less than ten minutes, the length can become an issue. When they’re less than five, it is an annoyance. [Mr. McLean also points out that the novel is relatively short at approximately 80,000 words. It does seem longer with the short episodes, but I’m not complaining about the length of the book. It was good. It ended when it was over. I just would have preferred, personally, a few of the short eps to have been combined.]

    Thankfully, the good far outweighs the bad.

    Grade: B

    Cast: This is an author read book. But it is far from a straight read. Each character is voiced distinctively and with it’s own inflection. With the job Mr. McLean does a in reading life into each of his creations, Dr. Frankenstein would rightfully be jealous.

    Grade: A

    Story: I’ve never much been one for antiheroes. Thomas Covenant left me rooting for the villains. Edwin is far from a Mr. Donaldson creation, but he’s not exactly likable either. At least not to me. As I’ve said multiple times, I’m very character driven, and this isn’t a character driven story. The story is built around a unique concept, and that concept is enough to keep me listening.

    Grade: Solid B

    Verdict: As mentioned above, How to Succeed in Evil: The Novel is unique. However, a unique concept will never propel a book into my upper tier alone. Without the characters, it is just an interesting story. In no way is that a bad thing. However, at 70 episodes, this is far from a short easy listen. If you like it early on, keep going. If not, you might as well quit. You know what you’re getting very early on.

    Disclosure: I have no idea if Mr. McLean is on Twitter or not. I know I’ve never had any contact with him. Yes, that includes never having been offered anything in return for this review.

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  • Review #58: Griffin’s Daughter

    originally published December 6, 2010

    Title: Griffin’s Daughter
    Author: Leslie Ann Moore
    Genre: Fantasy
    Released: 29 September 2009 – 15 October 2009
    Located: Podibooks, iTunes
    Formats Available: Podcast and Dead Tree (available by Ridan Press)
    Rating: R for violence and sexual situations

    I’ve been a reader my entire remembered life. Once the world of words became alive to me, the mundane world could never be the same. However, I never really worried about who published whatever it was I was reading at the moment. I have shelves full of books (well, actually, at the moment they’re in boxes waiting to be unpacked) and with very few examples I have no idea who published them. This changed once I began listening to podcasts. Not only am I aware of the big publishers that have included some of my favorite podiobook authors in their stables, but I’ve come to appreciate smaller publishers I might not have discovered if I were not a podiofiction fan. Until recently, I have never searched out a publisher in order to peruse what books they had available.

    That changed after having read Quarter Share (by Nathan Lowell) and The Riyria Revelations (by Michael J. Sullivan), which both happen to be published by Ridan Publishing.

    After combing through the virtual shelves on Ridan’s website, I decided to go with a traditional sword and sorcery fantasy, Griffin’s Daughter by Leslie Ann Moore.

    But wait! This isn’t a book review! Nope. After having read the first half, my life became incredibly busy, and I lost reading time. This was, and is, very hard on me. I really wanted to finish this book, so I chanced a look on Podiobooks.com, and guess what? It was there!

    On to the review.

    Synopsis: A young girl lives as a social outcast due to her mixed human and elven blood. To escape an arranged marriage, Jelena flees into the unknown on a quest to find her elven father. Her journey takes her on an unexpected adventure of magic, danger, and most startling of all — true love.

    Griffin’s Daughter is the first book in the award winning Griffin’s Daughter Trilogy. This epic tale tells of a young girl trying to find love and acceptance in a world of magic and adventure (Stolen from the publishers website).

    Production: The production of Griffin’s Daughter is very poor. Very. The opening is too loud. The reading has an uncomfortable amount of electronic hum. The editing is choppy and occasionally crosses the borders from noticeable to annoying. Random artifacts make listening even more annoying.

    Grade: D- / F

    Cast: Griffin’s Daughter is read by it’s author Leslie Ann Moore. The reading is straightforward. There is no vocalization or intonation changes between characters and the reading traverses between too fast and reasonable.

    Grade: C

    Story: Ahh.. the story. You see, I would probably have given up on Griffin’s Daughter if I hadn’t all ready read the first half of the book. I listened to the parts that I had all ready read, and I can tell you, my inner reader was preferable to me. The story is really very decent for a romance novel disguised as fantasy. (I wonder if it were a harlequin paperback if the elf would have bulging pecs.) It isn’t high literature, but it is a nice story. It is also the first of a trilogy and I am looking forward to purchasing the next two in the series.

    Grade: Solid B

    Verdict: So, can I recommend this story? Yes, because I’m recommending the story. The production and reading can be distracting to the point of pain occasionally, but even as a good workout is worth the effort, so is this story. Although I’ve graded this production rather harshly, I’ve heard much worse. The problem is, I believe that at this point there really isn’t any reason for a podcast to be truly poorly produced. If any story I’ve recently listened to deserves to be remastered, Griffin’s Daughter is it.

    Disclosure: Since I came about listening to Griffin’s Daughter as I indicated above (more or less), I can honestly say I’d never previously heard of Ms. Moore. I don’t know if she is on Twitter or Facebook. I’ve never talked with her or her representatives. Nothing was offered. Nothing was accepted.

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