by Scott Danielson
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The Callahan Chronicals
by Spider Robinson; read by Barrett Whitener
Blackstone Audiobooks, 16.5 hours, Unabridged
Callahan's is definitely a place I would frequent, if it existed. Somewhere on Long Island, Callahan runs a saloon whose patrons share
pain and joy, listening to each other's stories and the stories of many a mysterious stranger with equal attention. The characters,
the empathy... that's really the thing here. The empathy. Spider Robinson is an extremely empathic writer, able to reach a bit deeper
down than your average science fiction author. The results are these excellent, often touching stories of people I'd like to meet
in a place I'd like to visit.
A typical Callahan's story finds the bar's regulars participating in the numerous and hilarious activities they've come up
with -- most of them featuring puns or the highest order. Someone -- a stranger, or one of their own -- then interrupts them with
a tale. Time travelers, aliens, they are all drawn to Callahan's to tell their story.
Barrett Whitener is exceptional here, perfectly suited for this material. His nuanced performance adds just the right touch
in nearly every story.
The audiobook includes three forewords -- there is a double dose of nostalgia from Spider Robinson and a bit of history from
Ben Bova, taking most of Tape 1 Side 1. I found them interesting and a worthy addition to this long book. I'm glad Blackstone
Audio kept those in there.
Timeline
by Michael Crichton; read by John Bedford Lloyd
Random House Audio, 15 hours, Unabridged
Crichton does spend a significant amount of time in the book explaining its main premise -- time travel. Well, it appears to be
time travel, but, as explained in the novel, it's really travel between universes. Because there are an infinite number of
universes out there, then every possible time exists somewhere, right now. The plot of the novel has several characters going
back, or over, to the past after a professor who has gone back and can't return. The story follows both the folks who went back
and the folks who remain in the present universe monitoring the equipment used to make this all happen. The characters who remain
often wonder if the folks they sent back are still alive, but it seems that if there really are an infinite number of universes,
the question is meaningless because they are both.
The main source of enjoyment for me was the setting and the events that occur in the past. The travelers end up going back to the
14th century France, where they encounter knights, maidens, monks, and peasants, portrayed in what I felt was a very convincing
manner, though I am certainly no expert. The story was interesting and exciting as they experience this earlier version of our
world while trying to find the man they were sent to retrieve. I suspect that this will make a very good film. (Currently
scheduled for release late this month.)
John Bedford Lloyd does a very good job with the narration. He provides several discernable characters, and handles the action with skill.
Tales for a Stormy Night: A Pandora's Box of Classic Chillers
Compiled by Yuri Rasovsky
Blackstone Audio, 9 hours, Unabridged stories & Audio drama
My favorites were: The wickedly humourous "Oil of Dog" by Ambrose Bierce, a story told by a man who feels responsible for the
disintegration of the family business; Edgar Allen Poe's memorable "The Cask of Amontillado", brilliantly performed; H.H. Munro's
tale of a truth-telling cat named "Tobemori"; and Charlotte de Quincy's epistolary tale of revenge, "Perfidy and Perfection".
The tales are macabre, often atypical, well-produced, well-read, and well-performed. It fulfilled my desire for a bit of darkness
this autumn... close the blinds, turn off the television, and give it a listen.
The complete list of contents:
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Scott discovered the world of SF audio years ago, when he spent hours a day in his car. His commute has since shortened considerably, but his love for audio remains. By trade, he's an control engineer for a manufacturing plant. Aside from reading and writing science fiction, his hobbies include community theater, where he can often be found behind the soundboard or (much less often) on the stage. Scott can also be found at SFFAudio. |
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