The Heaven Field Books I and II - Shear Heaven

 

As our first formal Podiobook.com [PB.com] review, as mentioned earlier, we will pick a giant, a wondrous work, to set some standards and to highlight lesser known gems on PB.com. The logical start is with these two, and soon to be four, treasures. We will eventually review the established stars, Chasing the Bard, Billibub Baddings, those type, but they are already PB.com legends.

Author's teaser for THF I: ...The world has changed forever; we have opened the door to something which we don’t understand, and that door cannot be closed. I only hope we can change with the world.” The man had a fevered stare, and Thomas found himself mesmerised by his words, obscure as they were.
The man suddenly stiffened, as if hearing a distant noise, then leaned close to Thomas once more.
“They’re coming,” he whispered.

When Grace Palmer and her team of research scientists discover a way into a mysterious world they name the HeavenField, they trigger a devastating chain of events. Bizarre, unexplained murders and attacks on the Project leave scientists trapped in the Field with no way to return. As their air supplies run low and their equipment begins to fail, their nightmares begin to play out before them...

The author's teaser for THF II: The Second installment of The HeavenField novel - a fast-paced science-fiction thriller set within a British experimental Scientific Research Facility.

“...The world has changed forever; we have opened the door to something which we don’t understand, and that door cannot be closed. I only hope we can change with the world.” The man had a fevered stare, and Thomas found himself mesmerised by his words, obscure as they were.
The man suddenly stiffened, as if hearing a distant noise, then leaned close to Thomas once more.
“They’re coming,” he whispered.

When Grace Palmer and her team of research scientists discover a way into a mysterious world they name the HeavenField, they trigger a devastating chain of events. Bizarre, unexplained murders and attacks on the Project leave scientists trapped in the Field with no way to return. As their air supplies run low and their equipment begins to fail, their nightmares begin to play out before them.

Now, as Grace Palmer tries to pick up the pieces of the shattered HeavenField Project, Alex finds himself travelling the wastes of the Field in an attempt to flee the mysterious Speers and Gutteridge.

Soon though, he is forced to make a decision which may lead him back to Maunsworth House, and to ultimately kill again...

So, on to The Heavenfield I & II. First, this is our review of each from PB.com and iTunes:

I:
Three cheers for Ian’s inaugural work, it is simply spectacular. The writing is journeyman, the characters are as real as your next door neighbor, and the plot absolutely transfixes the readers, leaving them plied in a heap in the corner delirious with anticipation for the next installment. Top that off with his haunting narration and unearthly art work, and you cannot leave without a smile. HeavenField is undeniably among the top ten Podiobooks ever produced and is not to be missed by any legitimate scifi/fantasy or horror fan.

II:
This stellar sequel to IG's brilliant first volume is welcome indeed. His imagination and completely innovative writing make this haunting tale as compelling as any scifi/fantasy classic, the ranks of which HeavenField will soon be acknowledged to have join. As if that were not enough, his empathic narration style and vivid art work make this a must read. In IG's early writings it is clear he is earmarked for great success and I count myself lucky to be along from the start as a fan. IG, make certain you construct a large band wagon, you'll need it soon!
In terms of our rating system, we would score it:

NARRATION: Clearly a 20. If you read the reviews Ian has received, you'll find they bunch into 2 groups regarding his voice. Either they love it or they hate it. We will not cast stones and say those who hate it are incorrect, we will only encourage them to listen again with an open mind, and see the brilliance. Who liked Picasso or van Gogh the first time they say them, or raw oysters or fried calamari? Stay open, learn, and you will grow minions. Trust us on this, that if Ian had a golden throat do this book, it would be great, but not perfect. His haunting, emotion ladenned breathy voice adds to the intense emotion and impact his word delineate. When he moans, "Oh Alexi", or paints a picture of the passed out drunk Grace Palmer, we are gifted with the richness of his voice. Plus, and a big plus, he effortlessly and convincingly depicts various character voices, distinguishing them well.

EDITING/TECHNICAL: Again, a 20. We really look to see if a podcast is up to snuff, appropriate for the content, and free of errors and glitches. The production qualities are good, nothing detracts from the overall product.

ORIGINALITY OF STORY: Unique, that's all we can say. There is no obvious storyline or drab tradition this draws upon. There is electricity charging the originality he forges, and a driving unearthly force behind his creativity. 20 points for sure!

QUALITY OF WRITING: Wonderful. As far as we know these are his first published works, and they are journeyman to be certain. Ian's prose is free of silly twists and rookie mistakes, being as descriptive as necessary while lean so as to be streamline. We would certainly love to own the paperback versions of his books. A full 20.

WOW FACTOR: And wow it is. If you don't feel my passion above, let us repeat, this is wonderful, fresh, creative, and bold. If the book fails to stagger you, we'll eat a bug! We give it our full 20 point endorsement.

EXTRA CREDIT: We use this category to award additional points, usually ensemble or sound effect. These books get the full 10 points based on Ian's brilliant, powerful, and soulful art work. Check out the gallery on his website for a real treat.

TOTAL: 110, no reservations or doubts on our part. Thanks for this jewel Old Boy.

You can find out more about Ian Hulme at : http://www.theheavenfield.com/

Addendum:  Book III and IV have since been released ad are equally brilliant!

TOOTHLESS - A Real Good Bite To This This Winner

OK, on to another under-acknowledged greats on PB.com, JP Moore's Toothless. Here's the author's teaser:

France, 1180 AD: an ancient evil is on the march. The Black Yew leads an army of demons through Europe, laying waste with a devastating plague and destroying the relics of Christendom. After losing his wife and daughter, a failed Templar rejoins his comrades in the crusade against the Yew's army. But the dice are cast against the living, and the Black Yew's demons slay him, impressing his reanimated corpse into their ranks. He is gifted. He shows great promise as a servant to the Yew. But life is not yet done with him.

Our PB.com and iTunes review, excellent of course, is as follows:

What a wonderful book. The story is fresh, well thought out, and superbly told. JP’s narration is spot on for the story he presents us; slow and full of lament. The characters are so well constructed that it wasn’t until I read someone else’s comments that I realized they were potential stock figures, like zombies and werewolves. But JP creates them so uniquely and individually that they are anything but off the shelf fantasy icons. Well done! His command of the 12th century genre is marvelous, and there is absolutely no way to anticipate the plot turns. The only caveat I might offer to potential readers is that there are a considerable number of sword vs body interactions, so the faint of heart may take note. But I find the book intriguing and look forward to whatever JP graces us with in the future.


HOW WE WOULD DESCRIBE THE BOOK IN GENERAL: This story is technically a zombie horror genre book, with werewolves and demons. I think these generalization sell it considerably short. It is a journey of imagination and personal growth, in this case of a semi-sentient zombie. Tell us that's been done before!

NARRATION: We chose to review this immediately after The HeavenField, as the narrations share a common link. They are both breath-taking, innovative, and take a considerable risk in being so distinct. Scanning the reviews of others, listeners either love JP's voice or hate it. As with The HeavenField, we am not going to say the detractors of JP's voice are wrong (we'd like to, but we don't wish to seem as snarky as we are in fact). What we will say to the naysayers is take another listen with an open mind. Good taste is not something one is born with, one acquires it. Children like Pixie Sticks and cotton candy, washed down with a Slurpee. As complete adults we have learned to love coc au vin with a soft Rhone red. Similarly, if you presuppose a reader should be a reincarnation of Billie Mays, you must struggle to mature. When one has, the individual will appreciate the brilliance of JP's voice. If anyone else narrated Toothless, it would not be as perfect. JP's flat, hopeless, mournful intonations add palpable sorrow to the tale, to the power of the desperation, to the dissolution of the Templar's mind and his soul. We award this book a perfect 20.

EDITING/TECHNICAL: We have no problem awarding this effort a full 20 points in these categories also. There are no flaws or glitches. JP's narration is consistent across the entirety of the book; earlier choppy sound was quickly and expertly corrected. Voice variations for individual characters was excellent, distinguishing them well, and seemed to fit the personality of the character.

ORIGINALITY OF STORY: Very fresh, very innovative, and very well executed. Some authors have an interesting idea or novel take on a storyline or genre, but it becomes quickly clear that's that was all they had, an idea.

QUALITY OF WRITING: JP creates this alternate reality with craftsmanship which belies his early career stage. The historically accurate detail, the research needed to get the background right are impressive, and rare at any level a writing. There are no ill-placed scenes, no poor choice of words, or, sin of all writing sins, unacceptable leaps of faith needed to bridge so plot gap. We suspend belief with most books, and all scifi/fantasy, but as you well know, some authors drag us behind a horse through impossible or stupid gaps, and expect us to thank them for their efforts. Jar Jar Binks representing anyone, addressing the Imperial Senate? I rest my case. JP's erects this world and moves the players though it as well as any tapestry on any castle wall in a museum. A full measure, 20 points, for certain.

WOW FACTOR: Wow, that says it all. This book has spellbinding narration, fresh plot, is expertly told, with a lifetime of credible research and context, compelling art work, and it's believable. After we were done, we all but went to Wikipedia to check for our potentially faulty recollection of European history in the Dark Ages. We averted in this effort, not because our memory became clear, but because we realized Wiki was less likely than either JP or us having the facts straight. Sigh! In any case, a full 20 points.

EXTRA CREDIT: Definitely due here. JP's artwork is riveting. There is movement, tension, graphic realism, and soulful quality to it, and it compliments the pages wondrously. 10 extra points for sure.

TOTAL SCORE: A perfect 110; strong work JP, now stop reading this and give us another great book.


You can find out more about Moore at: http://www.jpmooreonline.com/

Dreaming of Deliverance - Delivers And How

This is a fairly new gem on PB.com, and one not to be missed. Dreaming of Deliverance (DoD) is the first novel, and first podiobook in Renee's promising career. As we cite below, reviewing a book in progress is not going to be our norm, but we want to help spread the word on this one early, it's that good. The print copy is out, so technically it's a fet a compli anyway. Here is the author's teaser:

Five years ago when Lindsay Paulson, a naive college student and talented distance runner, was 18, she was convicted of drug smuggling. Now, halfway through a 10-year prison sentence, she begins having what seem to be dreams, in which she leaves her cell in the night and visits another reality called Trae. Dreaming of Deliverance tells of Lindsay’s experiences both in Trae, where she finds herself among people enslaved by terrifying creatures, and in prison where she tries to make sense of what’s happening in her sleep: Is she actually escaping from prison somehow or is she losing her mind?

Our review from PB.com and iTunes, one we wish could be more whole-hearty, but it's a hearty as we can make it:

I generally don’t like to review a podcast till it’s complete, but DoD is so good, I just can’t wait. This is a fresh, well woven story, with credible and empathetic characters, set in dual realities which are adroitly constructed. There is an element of fantasy which spices the mix, while avoiding completely the cliches which liter that genre. Renee’s voice is strong and confident, emoting sufficient feeling to expertly lead the listener along. The sound and technical components are journeyman, and never detract for the story. I for one am looking forward to the concluding episodes and to more of Renee’s excellent writing; strong work.
HOW WE WOULD DESCRIBE THE BOOK IN GENERAL: The author places it under general literature on PB.com, but we think it's definitely more fantasy than straight fiction. Renee creates two parallel worlds, our everyday and a vastly different one where the protagonist must struggle to find meaning. DoD could easily be called speculative fiction, scifi, fantasy, or general fiction, but just don't call it late to be read!

NARRATION: This is one of Ms. Chambliss' long suits. She gifts us with a strong, confident, and thoroughly enjoyable narrative voice. There are no tortured pauses or novice stammering here. She is able to provide us listeners with very nice voice characterizations for the individual players, including not only females, but males and aliens alike. It is very pleasing to lose oneself in her telling of the tale. 20 points for certain.

EDITING/TECHNICAL ELEMENTS: A superb effort, all the more laudable considering its Renee's first sojourn into podcasting a novel. We have it on the up-and-up that her wonderful sound quality is in part attributable to her secret lair; she sneaks away to her young son's tee pee tent and to baffle the sound. You can't hold a good narrator down! 20 points in this category too.

ORIGINALITY OF STORY: It is easy to award the author 20 points in this grouping also. What a fresh, non-beaten-to-dead-cliched-hackneyed story. In a literary landscape unfortunately strewn with endless clones and redo's, DoD stands well clear of the common herd. The concepts are fresh, the characters unique to this novel, and the plot twists are new. Very nice! When we read any book and come away wondering where the ideas came from, we are both pleased and grateful.

QUALITY OF WRITING: Novels are about the writing, and Ms. Chambliss certainly has the chops. The writing is tight, streamline without being sparse, and depicts her imaginative visions expertly. We find no neophytic misadventures or burdensome leaps. She leads us cleanly along the story's path and never wanting for more details. Fouls language and corporal scenes are handled tastefully, non-gratuitously and are appropriate in their number and positioning. Real journeyman writing which portends well for her fan's future happiness. 20 well scripted points handed out, with our applause audible in the background.

WOW FACTOR: As in a poker game, we are all in with 20 big ones here in spades. Why wow? Wow, what a fresh, well told story. Wow, what technical and production effort, first time out of the gate. Wow, the confidence and professionalism already manifest in Ms. Chabliss' initial efforts. Wow, are we in for some treats in the future. Wow, to relay to the readers such a wondrous and epic a tale with such prowess. Wow, nice use of incidental music, not over done and blending in perfectly. In short we mutter, "Wow!"

TOTAL SCORE: A perfect 100, doubtlessly. Get out there and download this one before your friends do, then you can one up them with this FTW title.

You can find out more about R. E. Chambliss at: http://bit.ly/bayqls

ADDENDUM MAXIMUS: We have listened to and consumed with gusto the finished podcast, and trust us, it only gets better. Now stop reading this and go download this peach!

The Colorado Sequence - A Combination For Excellence

Perhaps this was more closely followed when it was in release, but The Colorado Sequence (TCS) is among the mustn't miss reads on PB.com. Here is the author's teaser:

Physicist Dr. Amy Levine has discovered a mathematical sequence--the Colorado Sequence--that describes an underlying pattern and a guiding force within the very fabric of reality. Now she's on the verge of an astonishing breakthrough, and the U.S. government wants to know how she has done it. How has Dr. Levine learned to accurately predict the future? And they're willing to kill her to find out. Levine and a group of friends escape to Colorado to unravel the mystery of the sequence, but there they become snowbound. They must locate a secret treasure room, find a hidden key, and answer an ancient riddle before a devastating eruption destroys them all ... and the power of the Colorado Sequence is lost forever.
Our PB.com 'review', more a comment than a review, written a long time ago when we were young and foolish. I almost didn't include it, but it's humbling to expose my roots:

Very nice book, and it serializes very well. Only 2 minor points, cause we all have to have minor points. First, don’t say gun-metal gray anymore. Second, ease up on the eye color thing, it’s a bit repetitive. Otherwise wonderful, and I be proud if I were you.
How We Would Describe This Book: Definitely fantasy, but with genuinely distinct differences from the standard fantasy genre. Stacey does a great job staying away from mainstream fantasy, no dwarfs, gnomes, or cookie-cutter monsters here, thank goodness! TCS is a sweeping, epic tale which defies the reader to guess where it's going next, then repeatedly dashes one's hopes to have guessed correctly. There is, in fact, so broad a range from where the books starts to where it ends, we're an amazed the author could pull it off, but thank you sweet Muses, he did.

NARRATION: Obviously, with PB.com releases, this is a critical aspect to the product. Stacey went to the trouble, and we're sure considerable expense, of having TCS read by a voice acting professional, Owen Daly. No fault here for bringing in a ringer, though most PB.com releases are read by their author, using a reader is fine. The problem I run into time and again is that the 'reader' is usually a friend, and the give painful new meaning to the expression 'amateur performance'. So, here we are gifted with a pro, and Owen is a marvelous actor. His efforts over a very long book are top notch, displaying a rich tonal range and a confident lilt to his phrasing. He makes some minor attempts to modulate from character to character, so the speakers are distinct, but does not force too great a change; perhaps that's by design, perhaps by limit of his range. In any case it's only a small detractor. We'd say TCS garners 19 points in this section.

EDITING/TECHNICAL ELEMENTS: Very well done, very professional. Again, this is a long book, and it is hard to maintain excellence over the long haul, so kudos to Mr. Cochran again. There were a few, a very few, glitches 2/3 the way though, gaps in editing, but they were isolated and did not significantly effect the overall product. We will award 19 points in the category.

ORIGINALITY OF STORY: The full 20 points here, and this is one of many cases where we'd like to cheat and slip in a few extra, but that would be, as we tattled, cheating. The aforementioned sweeping, imaginative and completely unantcipatably fresh scope of TCS is worth the price of admission in and of itself ( alright, don't be snarky and remind us it's a free podiobook, you whither our hyperbole). It is humbling to see the application of such creativity in a book, especially one of this length. One long standing ovations from us, with a bow mid-stream.

QUALITY OF WRITING: TCS is very well written. We see in PB.com releases, three general categories of writers: the good, the not so good (not bad, we wish it were so, for alliteration's sake if nothing else), and the ugly (which reaches way out to encompass a lot of the bad mentioned a moment ago). With TCS, we are proud to include this author in the good group, as a serious writer, not a story teller. There was some element of the style more conducive to the audiodrama genre, and not up there with the best writers we've encountered in PB.com, maybe an offshoot of the epic nature of the story. For example, I felt the author slipped in not allowing the protagonist to be stronger, more assertive and confident at a critical stage. She foresaw her friend in mortal danger while standing on a pile of gold coins, but when her friend rose to stand on a pile of gold coins, where she did in fact meet her end, the heroine said nothing. So, we'd say the writing pulls down an 18, just a bit off perfect, but never a serious detractor.

WOW FACTOR: There are definite wow factors in this book. The often mention sweeping imagination, the creation of parallel worlds and bold characters really pull TCS up to the top tier. The use of music is stunning, generating real impact, adding significantly to the book. So, wide-ranging vision, top notch narration, unparalleled use of music, great writing, and a satisfyingly long tale make TCS's wow equal to 20 points.

TOTAL SCORE: 96 well earned points for this compelling story, a must read for any audiodrama, fiction, or imagination fan.

For more information about Stacey Cocrhan: http://www.staceycochran.com/

The Communion of the Saint - A Blessing To Our Ears

As far as we can tell, this precious little jewel is under-acknowledged on PB.com. Perhaps this results from it's self-classification as 'magical realism', which may off put some and be avoided by others. Whatever the case, Alan David Justice's The Communion of the Saint (TCotS) is a terrific book, not to be missed by any true PB.com fan. Here's the author's ample teaser:

Clio Griffin, an out-of-work academic with an attitude and a tendency toward sarcasm, travels to England to interview for a last-chance job--as the pet historian for an antiquarian group who hope to use her to build the reputation of the local saint--Alban, the first Christian martyr of Britain.

No sooner does she arrive than the saint, dead for seventeen centuries, starts talking to her--out loud. The voice is hard enough for Clio to take; her mother, in her final illness, had lost touch with reality, and Clio fears the same fate. When the saint drags her unwilling into the past, to live the lives of people long dead, Clio fights to hold on to her reason. At the same time, in "ordinary" life, she starts to define--and have defined for her--a place in the life of the town. The resident mystic takes a liking to her; when she dies, she leaves everything to Clio. The sexton of the cathedral becomes a malevolent presence who threatens Clio at unforeseen intervals. She falls in love with an Anglican priest on the cathedral staff, who is jealous of the very mystical experiences Clio struggles to deny.

When the the past itself comes to life in Clio's present, in the person of a medieval plague victim who appears in her living room, Clio must choose between her rationalism and her compassion for the dying young man. Her decision lands her in a mental hospital, where she has to confront both the fear of losing her reason and the reality of her experiences.

When Clio gains her release from the psychiatric ward, her psychiatrist, like many others, asks her to pray for him. As she re-enters the community, she finds that other people, whom she doesn't even know, have been taking care of the cottage left her by the mystic. When her employer is injured in an auto accident, Clio's half-believed prayers seem to lead to a miraculous healing.

Throughout the story, past and present are shuffled like two halves of the same deck of cards. With each descent into history, Clio learns about other lives. With each return to the present, she has to make sense of her own life in light of what she's learned.

THE COMMUNION OF THE SAINT (the title is a paraphrase of a line from the Apostle's Creed) is a novel of past and present, skepticism and belief.

The story question: how does a modern, skeptical, rational person fit the irrational, the supernatural, into her life and still make some kind of sense of it all?

The answer: not easily.

Our juxtaposedly brief PB.com review, penned a long time ago, was:

An excellent book, congratulations! The story was well thought out, well told, and well read. The descriptions and the religious details were wonderful. Most importantly, the characters were developed expertly, and they were believable.

Ah, to be young again!

How We Would Describe the Book: We would, in the speed round of genre assignation, label this a fantasy. There, whew, we said it. There is an essential religious and spiritual theme, but this is not a preachy New Born affirmation. This is a serious novel about a confused, uncommitted young woman discovering, at time reluctantly, herself and her purpose. Spirituality is incorporated into the tale, as is mysticism, but it is not the point of the book, only a vehicle. If Frodo battles an ancient Sauron it's epic fantasy, so a modern-day gal battling in a creative world of spirits is not?

NARRATION: Wonderful, probably the second best aspect of this podcast. Alan David Justice, whom we shall refer to more familiarly as Alan henceforth, has a marvelous voice. There is a clarity and confidence in it which is alluring, and a sweet sarcastic undertone which adds invigorating impetus to the project. He is the sole reader (soul reader too, but we digress), and varies the diverse character's voices just enough to break the cadence and add depth. A full 20 for his efforts.

EDITING/TECHNICAL ELEMENTS: As always, this is a category where the author starts with a perfect score, and whittles it down actively with faux pas and snafus. Alan does a very nice job with the production elements. He uses rare Gregorian chants to bumper the narration, which is nice icing. There are no serious flaws, but there are a few missed edits or miss-speaks. We'll award 18 points here; strong work.

ORIGINALITY OF STORY: In our ledgers, this is a quintessential category, really a make or break one. Alan meets or exceeds our snooty and often pissy expectations with a truly fresh tale. If we listen to a PB and find ourselves asking us where this dude came up with this stuff, we are pleased. A young woman moves to a place she's out of her element, no biggy. Hearing voices, moving back and forth in time, spirit guides, the effects of chance, and evil ancestors, man, it just keeps enriching itself. A 20-wishin'-we-could-hand-out 5-more score here.

QUALITY OF WRITING: As we have intimated before, there are, on PB.com, authors, people who write words down, and clowns who should have asked at least one other human what they thought of their drivel before posting it up. Alan, we are pleased to say, is a proud member of the first, and only credible group, an author. He weaves the plot lines expertly, never tipping his hand as to where the story is heading, and builds interest and suspense masterfully. Again, where he came up with his ideas is often perplexing, and that's a great treat. There are a few scenes where the writing is a tad weak, but they are quite limited, and detract little from the overall stellar book. We recall times where the protagonist did something less than wisely, which could have been done better, depicting a more insightful character. Also, there were a few segments which were too loosely jointed to the adjacent material, or were too hard to accept, but these were minor, we are fussy. An entirely seperate marvelous part of the writing is the historical detail Alan brings to bare. The details of medival past are rivoting, and reflect an expert craftsman. All told, we'll have to award 18 points.

WOW FACTOR: Alan picks up the full 20 here, making up for the minor flaws sited above. The imagination, power of action, incorporation of religion without being preachy, and the consistency start to finish are impressive indeed, and make us wow for more.

TOTAL SCORE: 96 big ones for this better-not-miss read. So, don't be a stranger Alan David Justice, throw us another tasty bone!

You can find out more about the author at: We could only find info at PB.com. Olly olly oxen free, where is Alan David supposed to be?

Additional useful reviews are found at: http://www.sffaudio.com/?p=2714

The Corridor - A True Path To Good Listening

This 2006 release is well worth listenning to. Without any follow-up release or ongoing promotion by the author, Zan, it seems to be less followed, which is a shame. Here is the author's teaser:

The Corridor [TC] is a fantasy/horror story about Stuart Morrow, a man who has lost all hope and reason to live. However, a strange coincidence brings him unexpectedly into contact with a multitude of worlds beyond our own. Hunted by a despot who rules over countless alternate realities, Stuart’s only hope is to seek help amongst the assortment of bizarre and grotesque characters who await him in the Corridor.

As of now, we have not reviewed this on Podiobooks.

How We Would Describe This Book: This is a dark fantasy, but rather far from the standard fantasy template we think of when this descriptor is employed. Zan creates a bizarre and full novel world, or series of worlds, all attached by 'The Corridor". The parallel worlds are all similar to each other, subtly changing from one to the next, so that after many versions, the substances are very different from Earth. The universe is dominated by a detached non-human power manifesting itself tough an evil madman who controls all events in all worlds. Magic is real, horrific creatures abound, and Stuart, our hero, must navigate the entire mess to save existence without ever having a real clue what he's up against.

NARRATION: This is one of the real strengths of this book. Zan has a clear, professional voice, accentuated by his beautiful accent (Australian, we think, but information about Zan turns out to be difficult to find, it would seem). He doesn't vary his voice much in the solo-read but this does not make the story difficult to follow are become monotonous, as non-varied reads are want to be. For an earlier PB.com effort and adding his brilliant accent, we will award a strong 17 points.

EDITING/TECHNICAL ELEMENTS: Journeyman work, where there are no obvious errors or weaknesses. There is a smooth telling of the tale, free from echo and background noise. Zan pulls down a full 20 points.

ORIGINALITY OF STORY: Very is inadequate in labeling the originality of TC. We are veterans of many a podcast and fantasy novels, and we can identify no copy-cat elements or template applications here. It is actually quite difficult to imagine what the creative processes and dark recesses much be like in Zan's mind, to produce so twisted yet cohesive a story. Our hat is off, as always, to any author who can muster powerful imaginatively originality, and Zan definitely earns our respect with TC. 20 points for certain.

QUALITY OF WRITING: TC is quite long, and starts in our familiar setting, following a lack-luster mentally unstable protagonist and ends up with him being a strong, dominating character in a foreign place, very much in control. This is not a mean feat as wide ranging scope is a difficult commodity to do expertly. TC is written very well. We would describe Zan's style as straight forward narrative, lacking any guile or unanticipated plot twists, and in this regard, though it is well suited for podcasting, it misses top marks in terms of writing prowess. Also, toward the stories end, some themes and settings are beaten somewhat to death, hence the tone grows a tad monotonous when it need not be. A last example of the areas the writing could have been stronger were that the evil lord's lead minions were too few in number to support the action fully, and the paucity of trusted supporters seemed odd. Still, these are nit-picky points on our end; this is written better than three quarter of the PB.com books we've heard. 15 Points.

WOW FACTOR: TC definitely pulls down a goodly number of wow points. The wide ranging scope of Zan's imagination, the power of the action, the quality of the characters, and the use of music bumpers all add significantly to this marvelous tale. We mentioned it twice already, but the accent is a wow also. Maybe from where ever Zan hails from everybody sounds like him, but it is a joy to hear him speak none the less. we'd dole out 17 wow points here.

TOTAL SCORE: A very strong 90 point total for TC. In reading the comment blog found on PB.com, it seems to us Zan felt his time and effort were under-rewarded by the response to TC, so he did not produce a sequel or any other podcast novel. Pity. He is the real deal, a credit to podcast storytelling, and we would very much snap up any subsequent efforts with glee.

Additional information about Zan can be found at: http://the-corridor.info/index.php. He seems to be a shy guy though, without any real personal content to the blog, and Zan appears to have abandon the blog in 2007. A fantasy writer whose a mystery; there you have it!

The House of Grey - Home Of A Whale Of A Tale

The House of Grey (HoG), a 5 year-in-the-making opus, is one of PB.com's flagship productions, a true labor of love, and a Don't Miss Selection if there ever were one. Here's the author's tease:

14-year-old Monson Grey faces the same challenges that any freshman high school kid would. Difficult classes, weird teachers, food fights…girls. Except Monson Grey is not Monson Grey. At least, when he looks at himself in the mirror, the scarred face staring back is not someone he recognizes. Now he finds himself attending an extraordinary school, the recipient of an incredible scholarship, among ridiculously rich classmates, and with no memory of how he got there or what to expect. As bizarre events start to unfold around him, Monson wonders what secrets lay locked in his hidden past. Add all this to a mysterious silver stone, an Indiana-Jones-copycat professor, Merlin the wizard, and even Atlantis, and you’ll find yourself in a fantastic tale in which magic does exist and everything is never as it seems.

How We Would Describe This Book: Fantasy for sure, but no dungeons and dragons, dwarf and elf type here. We disdain using the words in mixed company, such as this blog, but if you blithely asked, "What is HoG similar to?" we would use the HP word [Harry Potter, for the strong of stomach, insistent on knowing folks on the other side of this screen]. Teenagers with budding hormones, mysterious origins for the hero, struggling against powerful, dark, and obscure magic, that sort of stuff. Had HP stopped after the second book, maybe our visceral response to it would be less distressing, and HoG could be seen as on par with it, but HP's descent into books 3 through infinity (well, it feels like there are that many, and we keep saying 'so far', because thirsty animals return to the watering hole when stressed, in spite of the hazards; but we digress).

NARRATION: Stellar, absolutely state-of-the-art superb. While Collin Earl wrote this epic, Chris Snelgrove did the entire gargantuan narration, and we point to it often on PB.com's Mentorship pages as one of the Gold Standards. Chris has professional phrasing and cadence, unbelievable range, spot on reproducibility of characters, and just enough of actor show-through to allow the listener bond with him as a personal level. No more need be said, 20 points, period.

EDITING/TECHNICAL ELEMENTS: Again, state of the art, professional and seamless. We recall hearing once in the half decade unfolding of this tale hearing a mis-edit, that's how good the production was. Sound effects, music, pacing, and segues were all marvelous and added to the joy which was the consumption. Level 20 points, of course.

ORIGINALITY OF STORY: We like Collin Earl, knowing him as we do through Twitter and other new media sources. Wonderful fellow, in spite of his other career involving The Bar ( no, not a bar, The Bar. If it were the former, we'd respect him just fine, thank you). That stipulated, HoG is, as alluded to above, a teenage coming-of-age journey of self-discovery, friends like you'll never have again, maniacal evil fiends attacking type tale. Nothing wrong with that, the genre works for a reason and resonates with the audience instinctively. While not fresh, the format can be refreshing, as it is here with HoG. There are nice original aspects, which differentiate HoG from its numerous cousins, and they are imaginative and well developed indeed. We snatch a score of 12 from mid air for HoG on this count.

QUALITY OF WRITING: Did we mention we liked Collin? Prince of a guy, real stand up type. Yes, well, we were dreading this category's arrival, as we loved HoG like ice cream on a hot summer's evening, and simply had to review it, but we kept remembering someone (wait that was us!) put this pesky criteria in the ranking protocol. So, accentuate the positive, Mary Poppins once told us, so be assured HoG is far from poorly written. Large segments are credible, well worded, snappy and most entertaining. But, and there had to be a but in there somewhere, major issues plague the book which whack the score down rather soundly. As a reminder, this is an audiobook, audio drama, podcast, and is not presented anywhere as a text, with Collin's writing is more a screenplay than novel, so Dickensonian prose was never his goal. However, when inexperienced teenage swordsman turn to talk to their girl friends during a fight they are losing, and characters appearing from nowhere are enbued with powers and secondary goals far in excess of which chance would support, we are left a tad slack jawed. Monson is told in a dream to tell his 'guardian' a very important fact [a gate has been breached, whatever that was] and yet he does not tell anyone, including his legal 'guardian', who turns out to be 'The Guardian' , so why was that part of the plot? Monson goes to a cave with an enigmatic date where there are wondrous lights, but we never found out what the lights were, why they were entered into the stream of the story, and the cave did not return later to help resolve any issue. Monson is in the process of saving the babe he's got the hots for, but inexplicably leaves her unconscious and goes off on some chase. There are these dolls, which Monson finds, that look like students and warriors, and seem to have magical voodoo powers or something, but we for one cannot for our live's sake tell what they were used for, why they were mentioned, or where they acted downstream to effect anything, let alone something pivotal. Then there's the ending. After such a long tale, we would have expected to have a tighter, more satisfying resolution. Yes, sequels must be set up, but still, the story deserved a better crafted conclusion. We trust you take our general point concerning this aspect of HoG. We like Collin, love HoG, and perhaps as fault of these affections award 10 points for writing prowess.

WOW FACTOR: OK, forget about those wordy things immediately in front of these wordy thingies, HoG is nigh on the definition of wow. Stellar narration, fast paced entertaining tale, quality beyond price production value, and fun characters. In fact, we defy anyone to listen to this joyous gift and not be fully wowed. You heard that, we challenged you, now go out and download and be wowed this very instant. What if you are not wowed, you ask, after completing our personal challenge issued so dramatically? Well, then we will not be hoping to spend much time hanging out with you, and we might even use you as an example of how poor a judge of merit some PB.com subscribers are, truth be told, are. 20 out of 20 wowful points.

EXTRA CREDIT: Though technically not an ensemble production, Chris' narration garners some credits in this grouping, do to his sheer brilliance. Also, come on, 5 years in the making, let's share some love here, OK? 5 bonus points.

TOTAL SCORE: 87 consummate points total for this true gem of a tale. Thanks to Collin and Chris for their yeoman's work and this special gift of a podcast. The only problem we envision is coming up with subsequent efforts equal to the standard that HoG will always be. Thanks Dudes, and party on.......

You can find out more about HoG, and it's creators at: http://houseofgreybook.com/. As an added bonus, Collin has a lively and dynamic forum you can find there to which he welcome one and all.

A Few Rapid-Fire Reviews

As mentioned, there are several podcast novels we have started and abandoned for various reasons. Losing our interest, or trying our patients, is worthy of report as it may help the reader decide on a book and it may help the writer improve. Formal scores cannot be given as the review is not a complete one.

1. The Crypt Book 01: The Crew by Scott Sigler. We made it most of the way though two episodes before tuning out. If you like Mr Sigler's style and his stories, this will most likely please you. Apparently we do not fancy his wares, as this is the third book of his we did not get very far in before aborting. We find his story telling jarring and his writing style rough and pedestrian. He is certainly able to turn out a vivid scene, full of action. His analogies are colorful, to a fault. We hear the podcast as if we were very drunk, melting over our bar-stool, and Mr. Sigler turned to us and said loudly, "Hey, pal, have you heard the one about the cursed spaceship?" The story at its core is hard to empathize with. This spaceship named The Crypt is of an alien design and is so haunted or possessed (or something equally inconveinient) that only the worst crew-members are sent there as punishment. To be transferred to The Crypt is a death-sentence. Oh my. So members of the Armed Forces so bad that they should die are not tossed out of the service but transfered, and a ship on which all the crew members die is kept in service. Oh my. That's not a promising start. Suspend disbelief, yes. Defy belief, no. In any case, as arguably PB.com's most successful author, our review is of little consequence and should have little effect. We'll simply call it a heads-up to the true neophyte.

2. The Confederacy of Heaven by Margaret R. Taylor. This is a brand new offering from a PB.com newbie. We made it most of the way though the first episode before losing interest. Ms. Taylor's narration is okay, if uninspired, and the recording is descent enough. What lost us was the story itself. It is very basic, full of cliched scenes and settings, and the beginning did not suggest anything to make us think things were likely to improve any time soon. Plucky primitives defend themselves against flying beasts with arrows. The 100 or so villagers are devastated to learn their barrel of water was knocked over, since it was to last the winter. A barrel of water was to last a hundred people more than a few days? The reluctant young warrior we follow is an unwed girl, as single people are warriors, but then aren't when they are married. Huh? Primitive societies in the past were not likely to have survived if able-bodied adults were not warriors and little barley trained girls were the go-to guys. Sorry, not enough meat on the bones of this story to hold our attention.

3. Peace Lord of the Red Planet by Steven H. Wilson. Didn't quite do it for us either. Another new offering, the premise was shaky, which is not, in and of itself, a problem, only an issue, but it ultimately crippled the tale. An annoyingly holier-than-thou doctor is hanged and turns up on a weird planet where men and women are warring against each other. He blinders his way from one side to the other side, befriends a young man who blindly follows him, and he insults almost everybody. What really did us in was that the protagonist whined and whined and whined. We can observe this behavior each and every day at work, why would we wish it to invade our quiet-time too? He exploded in righteous indignation at the boy for the alien's expectation that the ceremonially-demanded man-on-man sex act be performed. Come on, the boy's culture demanded it, how is it possible to be so insensitive, Mr Protagonist? Well, you could be if you were a poorly crafted lead in a story which an avid reader lost interest in quickly. Oh wait, you are, and we did. Nuf said.

The Prophet of Panamindorah, Books I, II, & III

Now for one of our favorites, a Must Read for all PB.com fans, even if you think fantasy is not your preferred cup of tea. The Prophet of Panamindorah (PoP) is one book in three instalments which are a contiguous tale, and the merits so consistent, that we will review them as one opus. Here are the three author's teasers:

The Prophet of Panamindorah, Book I Fauns and Filinians Corry showed up at the orphanage two years ago, unable to remember how he’d gotten there. He spoke a language no one recognized, and he was afraid of cars and planes and computers. Corry can remember snippets of another life, but no matter how hard he tries to remember, it just keeps slipping away. Then one day, he meets a fauness in an orange grove. She’s from a world called Panamindorah, and he can understand her language. In addition, Corry can read a language that no one in Panamindorah has been able to read for three hundred years; has he really been gone that long? Now he must recover his lost memories and rebuild his life, because the person who tried to kill him once is about to try again. The Prophet of Panamindorah is for listeners 13 and older.

The Prophet of Panamindorah, Book II Wolflings and Wizards
Things have gone horribly wrong for the fauns at the spring festival of Lupricasia. A princess has been kidnapped, and visiting feline dignitaries have been blamed for the kidnapping. Corry, the young wizard shape shifter who saw the kidnapping, has been sent hurdling over a waterfall at a deadly height. Meanwhile the wolfling bandits who unwittingly hold the clues that would explain the kidnapping are about to be discovered by a bounty hunter and his employer, bent on their destruction.

This is the second book in The Prophet of Panamindorah trillogy . If you haven’t listened to Book I, you might want to start there. If you need a refresher or you really want to dive in midstream. [listen to 8 minute summary of Book I]

The Prophet of Panamindorah, Book III Fire and Flood

Nothing unites old enemies like new ones. This is especially true for the inhabitants of Panamindorah as they begin to set aside their differences to fight their true enemies. In Laven-lay, wolflings and wood fauns are sharing counsel for the first time in a generation. In Danda-lay, cliff fauns and cats have joined forces in a last desperate attempt to save the city from the swamp faun invaders. In Kazar swamp, cats and their shelts have been reunited after hundreds of years of separation and abuse. But have all these answers and reunions come too late? Time is running out to stop their true enemy. The ruin of Selbis is awaking to welcome her king. Gabalon is coming home.

This is the third book in The Prophet of Panamindorah trilogy. If you haven’t listened to Books I and II, you might want to start there. If you need a refresher, listen to the brief summary of Book II.

How We Would Describe The Books: Fantasy through and through, in the finest traditions and formulations. Ms. Hilton occasionally amends the label of "Young Adult" to the descriptor for PoP, but there is nothing juvenile about it. Sure, there are talking animals, no sex, and no significant violence (chain saw dismemberments, gratuitous body part removals or the like to state what too much too often is), but the story is one for all ages. We, trust us, are most adult, and we are still mesmerized by PoP. The young child with a clouded past discovering he is a power broker in a magic world is certainly not a new plot element, but the innovation and creativity the author puts in this book make it well worth the time invested in enjoy PoP.
NARRATION: Such a joy! PoP is a solo read by Ms. Hilton, unlike her later Guild of the Cowry Catchers, so we are treated to a long exposure of her silky, rich and professional sounding voice. She brings an ethereal element to the mystical world she creates with the slight vibrato she is gifted with, and the slightest hint of ironic sarcasm under-toned. As Rudyard Kipling might have paraphrased, she reads it 'just so'. We can sense the rigorous commitment she makes to clear, well paced, and varied speech. A yeoman's job on a long narrations done with such excellence garners a full 20 points.
EDITING/TECHNICAL ELEMENTS: Very consistent and journeyman in nature, there were as far as we recall no error or weak links in Abbie's production efforts. Judicious uses of sound effects and music loops spice the story without over loading it. There is a very real feel that she is telling the listener the tale directly and personally, not merely reading a book to a recording devise. 20 points.
ORIGINALITY OF STORY: PoP is so admirably and energetically original, that even we are at a loss as to original enough praise to bring to task. The author creates for us a new, fresh, and fully consistent world, which exists parallel to and with the slightest contact with our reality. She not only crafts this vibrant universe, but the author populates it with multiple new and bizarre species and creatures. Half fox or cat sentients interact with their pure bred brethren and the rare human. Cultures, mores, and diets must all be generated, and they are done so believably and consistently, no mean feet for such a long story. PoP is one of those books which give one pause when finished, contemplating the creative processes and inner workings of the author's mind. 20 original flavored point for Abbie.
QUALITY OF WRITING: PoP is most definitely well written, combining wondrous scope and brilliant detail. This book is a substantial re-write of text originally written several years earlier, and the author does a great job re-assembling the story seamlessly and fluidly, not subjecting the reader to painful gaps or inclusions. Central to the story are all the novel beasts and critters, so clarity and painting a picture with words is essential in our comprehension. There are few instances where our initial image or concept of an animal are not full, complete, and correct. We did note a rare breakdown in the writing, such as when part of the troop heads to an creepy underworld, and the motivations and landscapes are not completely picture prefect, or when the young protagonist enters an alternate world where he's put to the ultimate test, where events and intents were a bit sketchy, but these minor wrinkles are more nit-picky on our part than deal breakers on the reader's part. Writing efforts pull in a near perfect 18.
WOW FACTOR: Slack jawed all but drooling wow is what we would emote to sum up PoP. Rare it is indeed when a new author can create such a vivid and fully original world, and then tell us a fascinating tale wrapped up in superb writing and narrative efforts. The tiny snippets of art enhance the experience and are again, well crafted and well presented. Plus, catch the Parsec Logo above? Finalist for 2009! Wow!! This first effort by Ms Hilton portends exceedingly well for both her writing future and our listening future. We have no hesitation awarding 20 wow points to PoP.
TOTAL SCORE: 98 points all told, and thank you Abbie for such a powerful, creative, and well crafted experience (98 to each book please, we hope you're not thinking 32.667 for each book are you, you stingy reader you). Never think for a moment that all the time and effort you put into PoP doesn't show though fully and lovingly. Now stop reading this review and whip us up some more gourmet podiobooks.
You can find out more about Abbie Hilton at her website: http://www.panamindorah.com/. She has links to her high tech and lively forums, as well as how to follow her on new media outlets like Twitter.