Official Blurb
Bruno and Waldo Gillespie are orphaned brothers living with the extremely eccentric Professor Phaeton Featherwit. One day they set off in one of the professor’s machines to investigate a tornado at close range and accidentally get sucked into it! They are then transported by the tornado and find themselves in a barren, uncharted wasteland wherein lies a city– a long lost Aztec city! Find out what happens next to the brothers and the professor in this harrowing and exhilarating adventure!
My Review
This is a classic adventure story. In some respects similar to "King Solomons Mines". In KSM the heroes went looking for adventure, but in this story they whisked away into adventure without any choice in the matter.
The characters are homely enough and in the usual vein of character that is honourable and good hearted. They are thrown into some horrid situations and you just know it's going to come to blows. In fact it comes to a fascinating and bloody climax!
Its a long book, running to over six and a half hours, so if you have a boring Sunday in the offing this might well be worth downloading. I can just imagine curling up with this book in my ears on the sofa with snacks and drinks to hand.
The reading is okay and the sound is fine, ans all round easy listen.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
Tuesday, 31 March 2009
Tuesday, 24 March 2009
Five Sci-Fi Short Stories by H. Beam Piper
Official Blurb
Five short stories by classic science fiction writer H. Beam Piper.
Recorded by Mark Nelson
My Review
The official blurb on this one doesn't give much away does it! The short stories here are "almost" a set. The first first four are all time travel stories that appear to come from the same universe involving the para-time travellers in various capacities, from police men to miners.
Each is engaging and an absorbing listen although the stories are showing their age. For instance I find it hard to imagine a future where everyone smokes! That aside these are classic sci fi stories well written.
The last story in the set IS a short story in itself but I'd heard it before as part of a bigger story. I believe the author must have expanded this short story into a full length novel at some time. I've reviewed that novel and gave it 9 out of 9.
The reading and production of this collection is outstanding, the reader Mark Nelson has done an outstanding job one again.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 7/9
Get it from the Internet Archive
Listen to the first story
.
Five short stories by classic science fiction writer H. Beam Piper.
Recorded by Mark Nelson
My Review
The official blurb on this one doesn't give much away does it! The short stories here are "almost" a set. The first first four are all time travel stories that appear to come from the same universe involving the para-time travellers in various capacities, from police men to miners.
Each is engaging and an absorbing listen although the stories are showing their age. For instance I find it hard to imagine a future where everyone smokes! That aside these are classic sci fi stories well written.
The last story in the set IS a short story in itself but I'd heard it before as part of a bigger story. I believe the author must have expanded this short story into a full length novel at some time. I've reviewed that novel and gave it 9 out of 9.
The reading and production of this collection is outstanding, the reader Mark Nelson has done an outstanding job one again.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 7/9
Get it from the Internet Archive
Listen to the first story
.
Friday, 20 March 2009
Crescent
Official Blurb
Some places are far darker than deep space. Places where the shadows smile. Where men go mad and lovers go missing. These stygian corners of existence are where reality is stretched thin and something hungry is waiting just outside the corner of your eye.
Turn out the lights, take a deep breath, and dare to visit one of these places.
My Review
This story is for adults only. Why? 'Cos is scared the crap out of me! I feel I should add that I listen to most of the audio why cycling on my daily commute along lonely country roads often at night. So add the creepy dark surrounds to the marvelous voice of the author, his tone, his pacing and his excellent choices of accompanying music and you have one heck of a ride.
The story presented here pure sci fi horror. It's set on a space station on the edge of civilisation, its populated by losers, criminals and those who can't afford to leave. Enter the lead character and his scrap haulage ship that has a character all its own and we're off to a good start.
The characters are "real" they come across as the sort of people you might well expect to meet. Not once during the listen did I feel the characters were just doing thing to serve the plot but they had motivation, they simply seemed "real".
A few episodes in and tension builds as the various forces at work start moving towards a fantastic climactic ending that will have you on the edge of your seat.
Be warned, the episodes are not work/family safe, Crescent is a dark seedy place where horror lives.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 8/9
Get it from Podiobooks
Listen to the first episode
Some places are far darker than deep space. Places where the shadows smile. Where men go mad and lovers go missing. These stygian corners of existence are where reality is stretched thin and something hungry is waiting just outside the corner of your eye.
Turn out the lights, take a deep breath, and dare to visit one of these places.
My Review
This story is for adults only. Why? 'Cos is scared the crap out of me! I feel I should add that I listen to most of the audio why cycling on my daily commute along lonely country roads often at night. So add the creepy dark surrounds to the marvelous voice of the author, his tone, his pacing and his excellent choices of accompanying music and you have one heck of a ride.
The story presented here pure sci fi horror. It's set on a space station on the edge of civilisation, its populated by losers, criminals and those who can't afford to leave. Enter the lead character and his scrap haulage ship that has a character all its own and we're off to a good start.
The characters are "real" they come across as the sort of people you might well expect to meet. Not once during the listen did I feel the characters were just doing thing to serve the plot but they had motivation, they simply seemed "real".
A few episodes in and tension builds as the various forces at work start moving towards a fantastic climactic ending that will have you on the edge of your seat.
Be warned, the episodes are not work/family safe, Crescent is a dark seedy place where horror lives.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 8/9
Get it from Podiobooks
Listen to the first episode
Thursday, 19 March 2009
Security
Official Blurb
A scientist is assigned to a super-secret project, and finds himself in a brand new life. A very likeable story set in a very unlikeable world.
My Review
This is a short science fiction story that runs to about one and a half hours. It's simple story of a scientist in a future police state who finds himself snatched by the government and rushed out into space to carry out a secret experiment.
There are twists in the story and the characters are appealing, even the alien ones!
We get insights into the horrid world the scientist lives in and we follow him as he grows and discovers another side to life.
Its extremely well read, as is almost everything from Marialectrix, so all in all a very nice light sci-fi offering that would fit a commute quite nicely.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 7/9
Download from the Internet Archive
A scientist is assigned to a super-secret project, and finds himself in a brand new life. A very likeable story set in a very unlikeable world.
My Review
This is a short science fiction story that runs to about one and a half hours. It's simple story of a scientist in a future police state who finds himself snatched by the government and rushed out into space to carry out a secret experiment.
There are twists in the story and the characters are appealing, even the alien ones!
We get insights into the horrid world the scientist lives in and we follow him as he grows and discovers another side to life.
Its extremely well read, as is almost everything from Marialectrix, so all in all a very nice light sci-fi offering that would fit a commute quite nicely.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 7/9
Download from the Internet Archive
Tuesday, 17 March 2009
The Adventure of the Sanguinary Count: Sherlock Holmes versus Dracula
Official Blurb
Radio Theatre Group's production of The Adventure of the Sanguinary Count: Sherlock Holmes versus Dracula. Recorded at East Kilbride Arts Centre on 26th Of January 2007
My Review
This is a radio play type affair that appears to have been recorded in front of an audiance ( you hear the laughter in the background ).
It's a fun premise with Sherlock Holmes vs Dracular, I mean how could that not be a fun idea?
The writers have done a clever thing of actually weaving Sherlock Holmes in to the original Dracular story rather than starting from scratch with a wholey new story. A very clever trick. If you know the Bram Stoker book this adds a new level of interest to the listening.
The story is engaging but with Sherlock stories I've been spoiled by listening to Basil Rathbones interpretation so when I hear the character played differently it can be off putting for me.
The radio play works very well and is a fun listen but not produced professionally which shows in the audio quality.
The gun fire sound effects sound very much like those used in the computer game DOOM and there is a lot of microphone popping.
Dont let my pointing out of the negatives put you off, this is a fun listen and a clever idea.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 7/9
Download from the Internet Archive
.
Radio Theatre Group's production of The Adventure of the Sanguinary Count: Sherlock Holmes versus Dracula. Recorded at East Kilbride Arts Centre on 26th Of January 2007
My Review
This is a radio play type affair that appears to have been recorded in front of an audiance ( you hear the laughter in the background ).
It's a fun premise with Sherlock Holmes vs Dracular, I mean how could that not be a fun idea?
The writers have done a clever thing of actually weaving Sherlock Holmes in to the original Dracular story rather than starting from scratch with a wholey new story. A very clever trick. If you know the Bram Stoker book this adds a new level of interest to the listening.
The story is engaging but with Sherlock stories I've been spoiled by listening to Basil Rathbones interpretation so when I hear the character played differently it can be off putting for me.
The radio play works very well and is a fun listen but not produced professionally which shows in the audio quality.
The gun fire sound effects sound very much like those used in the computer game DOOM and there is a lot of microphone popping.
Dont let my pointing out of the negatives put you off, this is a fun listen and a clever idea.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 7/9
Download from the Internet Archive
.
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
King Solomon's Mines
Official Blurb
King Solomon’s Mines, first published in 1885, was a best-selling novel by the Victorian adventure writer H. Rider Haggard. It relates a journey into the heart of Africa by a group of adventurers led by Allan Quatermain in search of the legendary wealth said to be concealed in the mines of the novel’s title. It is significant as the first fictional adventure novel set in Africa, and is considered the genesis of the Lost World literary genre. - Haggard wrote over 50 books, among which were 14 novels starring Allan Quatermain.
My Review
This is an adventure tail in the classic form. It is exciting and full of action, from fending off wild animals right through to terrible battles.
The characters are well developed and you get to feel for them as they go through their various struggles. What struggles they are! Perhaps the story takes a little while to get going, but it's not long and it's worth the wait because you will find yourself drawn into the book scene by scene.
Well worth a listen, and very well read.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 7/9
Download from the Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
King Solomon’s Mines, first published in 1885, was a best-selling novel by the Victorian adventure writer H. Rider Haggard. It relates a journey into the heart of Africa by a group of adventurers led by Allan Quatermain in search of the legendary wealth said to be concealed in the mines of the novel’s title. It is significant as the first fictional adventure novel set in Africa, and is considered the genesis of the Lost World literary genre. - Haggard wrote over 50 books, among which were 14 novels starring Allan Quatermain.
My Review
This is an adventure tail in the classic form. It is exciting and full of action, from fending off wild animals right through to terrible battles.
The characters are well developed and you get to feel for them as they go through their various struggles. What struggles they are! Perhaps the story takes a little while to get going, but it's not long and it's worth the wait because you will find yourself drawn into the book scene by scene.
Well worth a listen, and very well read.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 7/9
Download from the Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
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