We're gonna do something a little different in this
edition of The Alt-Hist File. I'm bring you not one, not two, but three podcasts
worth of great stories. We've reached the point where I'll be reviewing
multiple podcast in each post much like I do with The Audio File. Let's meet
the podcast featured in this edition, shall we?
The first podcast we've got is Clarkesworld Magazine. Founded in 2006 by Neil Clarke, this magazine has won or been nominated for pretty much ever speculative fiction award out there. Almost all of Clarkesworld's stories are narrated by Kate Baker. The second podcast we'll be see is Strange Horizons. It was founded in 2000 by Mary Anne Mohanraj and has since been led by editors such as Susan Marie Gropp and Niall Harrison. It has also won many awards and its stories are narrated by Anaea Lay. Not the most exciting descriptions, but as you'll see they both definitely have their merits.
The final podcast we'll be looking at is Cast of Wonders. It was founded in 2011 by Graeme Dunlop and Barry J. North. Cast of Wonders is a young adult podcast featuring stories of the fantastic, by which I mean science fiction, fantasy and everything else in-between. In 2016, Cast of Wonders became an official member of the Escape Artists network of podcasts. Cast of Wonders features narrators from all walks of life. It has also received multiple Parsec Awards, one of the highest honors in speculative fiction podcasting.
The first podcast we've got is Clarkesworld Magazine. Founded in 2006 by Neil Clarke, this magazine has won or been nominated for pretty much ever speculative fiction award out there. Almost all of Clarkesworld's stories are narrated by Kate Baker. The second podcast we'll be see is Strange Horizons. It was founded in 2000 by Mary Anne Mohanraj and has since been led by editors such as Susan Marie Gropp and Niall Harrison. It has also won many awards and its stories are narrated by Anaea Lay. Not the most exciting descriptions, but as you'll see they both definitely have their merits.
The final podcast we'll be looking at is Cast of Wonders. It was founded in 2011 by Graeme Dunlop and Barry J. North. Cast of Wonders is a young adult podcast featuring stories of the fantastic, by which I mean science fiction, fantasy and everything else in-between. In 2016, Cast of Wonders became an official member of the Escape Artists network of podcasts. Cast of Wonders features narrators from all walks of life. It has also received multiple Parsec Awards, one of the highest honors in speculative fiction podcasting.
Well, I think that covers intros. So, without further delay, settle in and let's begin...
"Gold Mountain" by
Chris Roberson
Narrated by Kate Baker
Originally Published in Postscripts
This story is part of Chris Roberson's Celestial Empire series. It's set in a world where China kept its treasure fleet and went on to conquer most of the world. The bits of the world not under Chinese control or influence are part of the Aztec Empire. The story follows Johnston Lien, a woman whose grandparents immigrated to China from Vinland. She's visiting the city of Guangdong to research the construction of Gold Mountain, the world's first space elevator. To that end she's interviewing McAllister James, one of the original workers on Gold Mountain.
Okay, that description seriously sells this story short, but I don't want to give too much away. First a word on names; the names are rendered in the East Asian style of family name first and given name second. Now that we've got that out of the way, let's talk plot. McAllister tell of the absolutely inhuman conditions he and his fellow Vinlanders were subjected to by their Chinese employers. Not only that, but he also speaks of the considerable prejudice and bigotry they faced while trying to make better lives for themselves. The really sad part is, barring a few science fiction related bits, all of that really happened, but in our world it was the other way around.
For that matter, it is best to think of this story as a mirror image of our own world. Chris has said that this was what he intended, and he hopes that the story gives readers new appreciation of the trials and tribulations of immigrants throughout history. He has more than succeeded in that regard. Even in the darkness there a glimmers of hope, such as Johnston, that show that the Vinlanders have been able to survive and even thrive despite the odds. This was my first exposure to the Celestial Empire series, which grew out of the Sidewise award winning short story "O One", and I can't wait to find more.
This story is mostly told from a male perspective, but Kate still manages to pack quite the emotional punch nonetheless. It's an alternate history take on the immigrant’s tale that will keep you thinking. Very much recommended.
"Fade to White" by Catherynne M. Valente
Narrated by Kate Baker
Nominee for the Nebula, Hugo and Sidewise Awards
This story takes place in either the 1950s or 1960s after a nuclear war occurred in the late 1940s or early 1950s. It's unclear who fired the first shot, or who exactly the United States was fighting, but frankly it's kind of unimportant. What is important is that the world has become severely irradiated and society has been forever changed. The story is told from the point of view of a girl named Sylvie and a boy named Martin who are about to come of age. As part of this process they, and everyone else their age, will be tested for fertility. Failing this test has potentially dire consequences.
Another summary that doesn't do nearly enough justice, so let me elaborate. You know that war I mentioned? Well it's going on, and men who flunk the fertility test get conscripted into it. The fertility test itself has some potentially eugenic undertones, as blacks and Asians are automatically disqualified. Polyandry has become necessary to keep society together due to all the men who've died in the war and the general fertility crisis. Throughout the story we get glimpses of the various advertising campaigns used by the government to distract people from how terrible the world is.
Wow, this was a powerful story. You really get the sense that this isn't just a world that's dying, but a world that is potentially on its way out. Some of the most poignant moments were the little bits of off-hand information. For example, it's mentioned that there are more Japanese in Utah than in Japan. This story is a nice example of atompunk. What is atompunk you ask? Atompunk is anything set in the future as envisioned by the 1950s, but with a more cynical twist. It's closely related to Raygun Gothic, but that tends to be more idealistic. To give one example, Fallout is atompunk, while Buck Rodgers and The Jetsons are Raygun Gothic.
The general feel of this story can best be described as an atompunk take on The Day After or Threads. Like I've mentioned before, the world building in this story is absolutely breathtaking. What's also breathtaking is how well Kate's narration captured the emotions of this story. Given how many award nominations it received, and more than earned, do I really need to tell you I recommend it?
"England Under the White Witch" by Theodora Goss
Narrated by Kate Baker
Featured in The Year's Best Dark Fantasy and Horror 2013
In this story 1940s England is invaded and conquered by an ethereal empress who commands power over ice and snow. At first it seems that things will be just fine, but it soon becomes apparent that England may never see spring again. Resistance groups pop up, but they face considerable challenges from the empress' wolves, secret police and even certain trees.
There are probably some of you scratching your heads wondering how this story exists. As long as the words Aslan, Narnia and Pevensie never appear in the story then no copyrights or trademarks have been violated. Since they don't...well, there you go. Personally, I think it worked out better for not having a group of meddling kids and their lion god swoop in to save the day. It was much more effective to leave the fate of this frozen world undetermined.
The imagery and descriptions are absolutely stunning. This story can very much be viewed as an allegory for what it's like to live under a dictatorship. There's initially new opportunities for the disenfranchised, a cult of personality, rewriting of history and the arts, secret police and other totalitarian staples all with a magical twist to them. For the third time in a row we have a great Kate Baker narration with this story.
It's a powerful story about magical totalitarianism that you won't want to miss.
"A Sweet Calling" by Tony Pi
Narrated by Kate Baker
This story is set in Ancient China and follows a candyman named Tangren Ao. He has the power to project his consciousness into the candy animals he crafts by calling upon the legendary animals of the Chinese Zodiac. He soon finds himself having to play detective after his friend Lun gets framed for a fire monkey attack in the market place.
I was always fascinated by the Chinese Zodiac when I was a kid, which can probably be blamed by my obsession with the Jackie Chan Adventures series. As such this story had a certain appeal to me. It was a nice touch that the main character preformed magic through candy. I guess you could say he was a...candymancer. Huh, huh? Okay, back to the review. I liked how the system of magic was described as well as the way the spirits were written. Tony is definitely a writer I'll keep an eye out for in the future.
It's short, sweet and to the point. I recommend it.
"A Gift in Time" by Maggie Clark
Narrated by Kate Baker
This story follows a man named Mouse who has the ability to travel through time. He's been trying to win the affections of a rich fellow named Ezra Levitz, who has a fascination with the past. Mouse is determined to use his power to win Ezra's affection.
Yeah, not the best summary, but it is a great story. Clarkesworld typically doesn't accept very many time travel stories, so when they do it's almost guaranteed to be good. I liked how Mouse had to keep trying because everything he brings to Ezra looks so recently made it comes off as a forgery. It was also interesting how most of Mouse's time travel investments failed because the banks he used failed. At times it felt like the story was commenting on such get-rich-quick type stories.
The times Mouse visits were all great, though when he went to the Thirty Years War and encountered Count Tilly my initial thought was "it's the guy from the 1632 series!" Yeah, I gotta put more actual history into my reading rotation. It was also nice to see another homosexual romance represented among the stories.
A story about love and time travel. I happily recommend it.
"Manifest Destiny" by Joe Haldeman
Narrated by Kate Baker
Originally Published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction
This story is set during the days of the Mexican-American War and follows three Americans from various walks of life who become spies for Mexico. They'll be granted land and Mexican citizenship if all goes well after the war. However things don't go quite as they planned.
This story is historical fantasy, but of a decidedly magical realism variety. There are a few blink-and-you'll-miss-it hints of fantastic goings on, but for the most part it reads more like a historical fiction short story. Perhaps the magical realism is fitting, given that the story does take place primarily in Latin America. You really don't see to many stories set during the Mexican-American War, so this story was a rather refreshing change of pace. Then again, most American History textbooks spend, at most, a paragraph or two on the entire war, but I digress.
Many of the characters have sympathetic motivations for their action, and I liked how the story touched on some of the injustices and inequalities going on in America at the time. If you're a fan of Westerns you should enjoy this story. A story about an often neglected historical era. Very much recommended.
"Rolling Steel: Pre-Apocalyptic Love Story" by Jay Lake and Shannon Page
Narrated by Shaun Farrell and Mur Lafferty
This story is set in a world where the United States and Canada fell apart in the 1930s and 1940s due to technocracy movements. By the present day the many fractured nations of North America are entangled in multiple wars. The story follows a man and a woman who are traveling and doing their part for the wars.
Yeah, this one didn't really do it for me. The first problem I had was that the alternate history elements were really more for backdrop than any particular relevance to the story. Actually, it didn't even fell like even that much. This story could easily have been set in the near future and it wouldn't have made any difference to the plot. The other main reason was that, well, I didn't feel the characters were very engaging. That's not to say I thought the story was particularly bad, just that it wasn't very engaging to me.
Shaun and Mur do a pretty good job with the narration, but not enough to make up for the lackluster story. This story was from the early day when Clarkesworld hadn't quite found its footing and before Kate took over the narration. I didn't care for this one, but maybe it'll be more appealing to you. It's at the very least worth checking out.
"The Long Haul" by Ken Liu
Narrated by Kate Baker
2014 Sidewise Award Winner
This story takes place in a world where the Hindenburg disaster never happened. As a result, airships never became discredited as a mode of transport, and continued to flourish. By the present day, airships are making a comeback as a more eco-friendly, and fuel efficient, alternative to airplanes. The story follows a reporter who is interviewing a couple who work on a long haul cargo airship.
This was a well-written story, as per usual with Ken Liu. Though, I'm not sure how realistic it is. Airships were on the way out way before Hindenburg. They had a nasty tendency to crash and/or explode. Plus, since they were large and slow-moving, they made easy targets during war. Still, it is fun to imagine what it would be like if airships were still widely used. For what it's worth, some people have proposed reviving airships specifically to be more fuel-efficient and eco-friendly. I'd imagine that might come at the cost of speed, but I digress.
The husband and wife make for an interesting pair. She was just a peasant girl in China until he met her during a haul. They each take shifts running the ship for six hours with the other sleeps. At best, they'll only meet for a few minutes each day. Their conversations, and arguments, can last absurd amounts of time. Their relationship isn't the most romantic in the world, but they make it work. Hey, at least they get more personal time together when they arrive at their destination.
Another excellent story from Ken Liu that I'm more than happy to recommend.
Narrated by Kate Baker
Originally Published in Postscripts
This story is part of Chris Roberson's Celestial Empire series. It's set in a world where China kept its treasure fleet and went on to conquer most of the world. The bits of the world not under Chinese control or influence are part of the Aztec Empire. The story follows Johnston Lien, a woman whose grandparents immigrated to China from Vinland. She's visiting the city of Guangdong to research the construction of Gold Mountain, the world's first space elevator. To that end she's interviewing McAllister James, one of the original workers on Gold Mountain.
Okay, that description seriously sells this story short, but I don't want to give too much away. First a word on names; the names are rendered in the East Asian style of family name first and given name second. Now that we've got that out of the way, let's talk plot. McAllister tell of the absolutely inhuman conditions he and his fellow Vinlanders were subjected to by their Chinese employers. Not only that, but he also speaks of the considerable prejudice and bigotry they faced while trying to make better lives for themselves. The really sad part is, barring a few science fiction related bits, all of that really happened, but in our world it was the other way around.
For that matter, it is best to think of this story as a mirror image of our own world. Chris has said that this was what he intended, and he hopes that the story gives readers new appreciation of the trials and tribulations of immigrants throughout history. He has more than succeeded in that regard. Even in the darkness there a glimmers of hope, such as Johnston, that show that the Vinlanders have been able to survive and even thrive despite the odds. This was my first exposure to the Celestial Empire series, which grew out of the Sidewise award winning short story "O One", and I can't wait to find more.
This story is mostly told from a male perspective, but Kate still manages to pack quite the emotional punch nonetheless. It's an alternate history take on the immigrant’s tale that will keep you thinking. Very much recommended.
"Fade to White" by Catherynne M. Valente
Narrated by Kate Baker
Nominee for the Nebula, Hugo and Sidewise Awards
This story takes place in either the 1950s or 1960s after a nuclear war occurred in the late 1940s or early 1950s. It's unclear who fired the first shot, or who exactly the United States was fighting, but frankly it's kind of unimportant. What is important is that the world has become severely irradiated and society has been forever changed. The story is told from the point of view of a girl named Sylvie and a boy named Martin who are about to come of age. As part of this process they, and everyone else their age, will be tested for fertility. Failing this test has potentially dire consequences.
Another summary that doesn't do nearly enough justice, so let me elaborate. You know that war I mentioned? Well it's going on, and men who flunk the fertility test get conscripted into it. The fertility test itself has some potentially eugenic undertones, as blacks and Asians are automatically disqualified. Polyandry has become necessary to keep society together due to all the men who've died in the war and the general fertility crisis. Throughout the story we get glimpses of the various advertising campaigns used by the government to distract people from how terrible the world is.
Wow, this was a powerful story. You really get the sense that this isn't just a world that's dying, but a world that is potentially on its way out. Some of the most poignant moments were the little bits of off-hand information. For example, it's mentioned that there are more Japanese in Utah than in Japan. This story is a nice example of atompunk. What is atompunk you ask? Atompunk is anything set in the future as envisioned by the 1950s, but with a more cynical twist. It's closely related to Raygun Gothic, but that tends to be more idealistic. To give one example, Fallout is atompunk, while Buck Rodgers and The Jetsons are Raygun Gothic.
The general feel of this story can best be described as an atompunk take on The Day After or Threads. Like I've mentioned before, the world building in this story is absolutely breathtaking. What's also breathtaking is how well Kate's narration captured the emotions of this story. Given how many award nominations it received, and more than earned, do I really need to tell you I recommend it?
"England Under the White Witch" by Theodora Goss
Narrated by Kate Baker
Featured in The Year's Best Dark Fantasy and Horror 2013
In this story 1940s England is invaded and conquered by an ethereal empress who commands power over ice and snow. At first it seems that things will be just fine, but it soon becomes apparent that England may never see spring again. Resistance groups pop up, but they face considerable challenges from the empress' wolves, secret police and even certain trees.
There are probably some of you scratching your heads wondering how this story exists. As long as the words Aslan, Narnia and Pevensie never appear in the story then no copyrights or trademarks have been violated. Since they don't...well, there you go. Personally, I think it worked out better for not having a group of meddling kids and their lion god swoop in to save the day. It was much more effective to leave the fate of this frozen world undetermined.
The imagery and descriptions are absolutely stunning. This story can very much be viewed as an allegory for what it's like to live under a dictatorship. There's initially new opportunities for the disenfranchised, a cult of personality, rewriting of history and the arts, secret police and other totalitarian staples all with a magical twist to them. For the third time in a row we have a great Kate Baker narration with this story.
It's a powerful story about magical totalitarianism that you won't want to miss.
"A Sweet Calling" by Tony Pi
Narrated by Kate Baker
This story is set in Ancient China and follows a candyman named Tangren Ao. He has the power to project his consciousness into the candy animals he crafts by calling upon the legendary animals of the Chinese Zodiac. He soon finds himself having to play detective after his friend Lun gets framed for a fire monkey attack in the market place.
I was always fascinated by the Chinese Zodiac when I was a kid, which can probably be blamed by my obsession with the Jackie Chan Adventures series. As such this story had a certain appeal to me. It was a nice touch that the main character preformed magic through candy. I guess you could say he was a...candymancer. Huh, huh? Okay, back to the review. I liked how the system of magic was described as well as the way the spirits were written. Tony is definitely a writer I'll keep an eye out for in the future.
It's short, sweet and to the point. I recommend it.
"A Gift in Time" by Maggie Clark
Narrated by Kate Baker
This story follows a man named Mouse who has the ability to travel through time. He's been trying to win the affections of a rich fellow named Ezra Levitz, who has a fascination with the past. Mouse is determined to use his power to win Ezra's affection.
Yeah, not the best summary, but it is a great story. Clarkesworld typically doesn't accept very many time travel stories, so when they do it's almost guaranteed to be good. I liked how Mouse had to keep trying because everything he brings to Ezra looks so recently made it comes off as a forgery. It was also interesting how most of Mouse's time travel investments failed because the banks he used failed. At times it felt like the story was commenting on such get-rich-quick type stories.
The times Mouse visits were all great, though when he went to the Thirty Years War and encountered Count Tilly my initial thought was "it's the guy from the 1632 series!" Yeah, I gotta put more actual history into my reading rotation. It was also nice to see another homosexual romance represented among the stories.
A story about love and time travel. I happily recommend it.
"Manifest Destiny" by Joe Haldeman
Narrated by Kate Baker
Originally Published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction
This story is set during the days of the Mexican-American War and follows three Americans from various walks of life who become spies for Mexico. They'll be granted land and Mexican citizenship if all goes well after the war. However things don't go quite as they planned.
This story is historical fantasy, but of a decidedly magical realism variety. There are a few blink-and-you'll-miss-it hints of fantastic goings on, but for the most part it reads more like a historical fiction short story. Perhaps the magical realism is fitting, given that the story does take place primarily in Latin America. You really don't see to many stories set during the Mexican-American War, so this story was a rather refreshing change of pace. Then again, most American History textbooks spend, at most, a paragraph or two on the entire war, but I digress.
Many of the characters have sympathetic motivations for their action, and I liked how the story touched on some of the injustices and inequalities going on in America at the time. If you're a fan of Westerns you should enjoy this story. A story about an often neglected historical era. Very much recommended.
"Rolling Steel: Pre-Apocalyptic Love Story" by Jay Lake and Shannon Page
Narrated by Shaun Farrell and Mur Lafferty
This story is set in a world where the United States and Canada fell apart in the 1930s and 1940s due to technocracy movements. By the present day the many fractured nations of North America are entangled in multiple wars. The story follows a man and a woman who are traveling and doing their part for the wars.
Yeah, this one didn't really do it for me. The first problem I had was that the alternate history elements were really more for backdrop than any particular relevance to the story. Actually, it didn't even fell like even that much. This story could easily have been set in the near future and it wouldn't have made any difference to the plot. The other main reason was that, well, I didn't feel the characters were very engaging. That's not to say I thought the story was particularly bad, just that it wasn't very engaging to me.
Shaun and Mur do a pretty good job with the narration, but not enough to make up for the lackluster story. This story was from the early day when Clarkesworld hadn't quite found its footing and before Kate took over the narration. I didn't care for this one, but maybe it'll be more appealing to you. It's at the very least worth checking out.
"The Long Haul" by Ken Liu
Narrated by Kate Baker
2014 Sidewise Award Winner
This story takes place in a world where the Hindenburg disaster never happened. As a result, airships never became discredited as a mode of transport, and continued to flourish. By the present day, airships are making a comeback as a more eco-friendly, and fuel efficient, alternative to airplanes. The story follows a reporter who is interviewing a couple who work on a long haul cargo airship.
This was a well-written story, as per usual with Ken Liu. Though, I'm not sure how realistic it is. Airships were on the way out way before Hindenburg. They had a nasty tendency to crash and/or explode. Plus, since they were large and slow-moving, they made easy targets during war. Still, it is fun to imagine what it would be like if airships were still widely used. For what it's worth, some people have proposed reviving airships specifically to be more fuel-efficient and eco-friendly. I'd imagine that might come at the cost of speed, but I digress.
The husband and wife make for an interesting pair. She was just a peasant girl in China until he met her during a haul. They each take shifts running the ship for six hours with the other sleeps. At best, they'll only meet for a few minutes each day. Their conversations, and arguments, can last absurd amounts of time. Their relationship isn't the most romantic in the world, but they make it work. Hey, at least they get more personal time together when they arrive at their destination.
Another excellent story from Ken Liu that I'm more than happy to recommend.
"The Creature Recants" by Dale Bailey
Narrated by Kate Baker
This story takes place in a world where Creature From the Black Lagoon actually happened. The Creature has moved to Hollywood to become an actor. He's done reasonably well, with a movie deal depicting his life, but he can't shake his feels of emptiness and dissatisfaction.
One of Dale's talents as a writer is that he takes various B-Movie plots and ideas, and uses them to make emotional and meaningful stories. From the description, this story might sound humorous, or even a little crazy, but it works. It has depth and emotion to it. The Creature begins to wonder if he's truly happier with he new-found self-awareness. Was he, perhaps, happier when he was just hunting for fish and swimming in the Amazon? It's a great story. What else can I say?
I think you know that I recommend this one.
"Teenagers from Outer Space" by Dale Bailey
Narrated by Kate Baker
This story takes place in the 1950s in Milledgeville, Ohio. Aliens have arrived on Earth via a dimensional rift, and they've come to peruse the American Dream. They open-up business, join the work force, and their kids attend the local schools. The story follows a teenage girl named Nancy Miller as she navigates high school and observe society change and react to the aliens.
One of the recurring themes of Dale's stories set in the 1950s is about what a repressed and repressive time the 1950s were. This story very much taps into the desire for great freedom many women felt during the 1950s. The aliens were, well, truly, alien. What I mean is, they were described looking like more than just people with funny costumes, like you'd see in most 1950s sci-fi B-Movies. It is a very emotional story that carries a whiff of nostalgia, but also acknowledges the underlying contradictions and hypocrisies of the 1950s. The only real issue I had was towards the end, where we suddenly get a rather heavy-handed pro-immigration. Overall, I'd say I'm fairly pro-immigrant, but I can't understand why people are opposed to mass immigration; especially working class people who might not be in favor of it. As such, it always annoys me when stories strawman those opposed to immigration as being bigots and racists. Still, over it is still a good story.
A story repression, longing for freedom, and the American Dream. I say give it a try.
"A Man Out of Fashion" by Chen Quifan
Narrated by Kate Baker
Originally Published in Science Fiction World
Translated by Ken Liu
This story follows a man named Du Ruofei. He participates in a program to be cryogenically frozen for 300 years. He awakens to find a world completely different to anything he's known. The story follows him as he becomes a celebrity and attempts to navigate the brave new world of the future. Along the way, he finds himself in the middle of a political revolution.
The summary isn't much, but I promise that this is a good story. It is always interesting to explore Chinese science fiction. Chinese writers have a lot to say, but they have to be weary government censorship boards, and of potential consequences of drawing the Chinese government's ire. Consequently, there's a lot of constraints Chinese writers have to deal with. For example, time travel to the past, especially to escape a repressive present, is forbidden. You can criticize past government regimes, to an extent, but criticizing the current one is a major no-no. Well, you can, you just have to be creative about how you do it.
It is mentioned that this story was heavily edited when translated into English. Perhaps to be more true to the author's original intent? Anyway, Du Ruofei finds himself in a world of advanced technology, but also one that is emotionally shallow and more than a tad hedonistic. Materials science is much more advanced, but space travel isn't much better than what we currently have. Sadly, that seems depressingly likely given how uninterested the world seems in manned spaceflight as of late. His assistant, of sorts, is named Jingjing. He chides her for having a name only given to pandas, but I've know a Jingjing or two. Also, apparently pandas, among other animals, are extinct in the future. Du Ruofei does discover that there are people who are dissatisfied with the state of the future, and he does become swayed by their ways. Ah, but I mustn't spoil the ending.
A story about a man making his way in the future. I recommend it.
"Martian Blood" by Allen M. Steele.
Narrated by Kate Baker
Originally Published in Old Mars
This story takes place in a world where Mars is a habitable planet; just as it was believed to be before the Mariner probes proved otherwise. The story follows Jim Ramsey. He works as a tour guide in the Martian wilderness. He has been hired by a professor named Omar al-Baz. Dr. al-Baz wants to test the genetics of the Native Martian aborigines, and how they relate to the genetics of humans. When Dr. al-Baz makes a startling discovery, Jim must make a decision that could decide that fate of the Native Martians.
Overall, this was a very fun story. Worlds where Mars and Venus are habitable planets are one of my favorite alternate history scenarios. The imagery is very evocative. You get a real sense of the desolate beauty of the Martian landscape. You also get a sense of why Jim fells more at home there than in the more civilized parts of Mars. I should have mentioned before that the Naive Martians refer to themselves as Shetan, which means people in their language. I found their culture written and realized quite well.
While I did enjoy the story overall, I do have to object to the ending. So runaway now if you don't want it spoiled. If those who want put are gone, let's discuss the ending.
Turns out Shetan DNA is identical to human DNA. Jim fears that this will lead to an influx of settlers as more researchers arrive. This, in term, might lead to the Shetan getting colonized and forced off their lands. He deliberately loses Dr. al-Baz get separated in a dust storm, leaving him to die, and destroys all the tests and samples. He does mention that humans and Shetan have come into conflict in the past, but I don't buy is reasoning. True, there would be those who would try to manipulate the Shetan, but also many who would rally to their defense. Plus, what if another researcher get a hold of some Shetan blood? Better to get the research out, and use it as a please to recognize the rights and humanity of the Shetan.
Still, despite the somewhat shaky ending, overall it is an excellent story. I happily recommend it.
"The Yorkshire Mammoth" by Harry Turtledove
Narrated by Kate Baker
This story takes places in a world where Ice Age megafauna survived into historic times. The story follows a vet in England as he helps to treats some wooly mammoths.
I wanted to like this story, I really did, but it just didn't work for me. Despite having a great premise, it just fell flat and came off as rather dull. It was as though the story never built up enough steam to reach critical mass. Kate's rather monotone narration certainly didn't help matters. Regrettably, I must give this story a thumbs down.
Narrated by Kate Baker
This story takes place in a world where Creature From the Black Lagoon actually happened. The Creature has moved to Hollywood to become an actor. He's done reasonably well, with a movie deal depicting his life, but he can't shake his feels of emptiness and dissatisfaction.
One of Dale's talents as a writer is that he takes various B-Movie plots and ideas, and uses them to make emotional and meaningful stories. From the description, this story might sound humorous, or even a little crazy, but it works. It has depth and emotion to it. The Creature begins to wonder if he's truly happier with he new-found self-awareness. Was he, perhaps, happier when he was just hunting for fish and swimming in the Amazon? It's a great story. What else can I say?
I think you know that I recommend this one.
"Teenagers from Outer Space" by Dale Bailey
Narrated by Kate Baker
This story takes place in the 1950s in Milledgeville, Ohio. Aliens have arrived on Earth via a dimensional rift, and they've come to peruse the American Dream. They open-up business, join the work force, and their kids attend the local schools. The story follows a teenage girl named Nancy Miller as she navigates high school and observe society change and react to the aliens.
One of the recurring themes of Dale's stories set in the 1950s is about what a repressed and repressive time the 1950s were. This story very much taps into the desire for great freedom many women felt during the 1950s. The aliens were, well, truly, alien. What I mean is, they were described looking like more than just people with funny costumes, like you'd see in most 1950s sci-fi B-Movies. It is a very emotional story that carries a whiff of nostalgia, but also acknowledges the underlying contradictions and hypocrisies of the 1950s. The only real issue I had was towards the end, where we suddenly get a rather heavy-handed pro-immigration. Overall, I'd say I'm fairly pro-immigrant, but I can't understand why people are opposed to mass immigration; especially working class people who might not be in favor of it. As such, it always annoys me when stories strawman those opposed to immigration as being bigots and racists. Still, over it is still a good story.
A story repression, longing for freedom, and the American Dream. I say give it a try.
"A Man Out of Fashion" by Chen Quifan
Narrated by Kate Baker
Originally Published in Science Fiction World
Translated by Ken Liu
This story follows a man named Du Ruofei. He participates in a program to be cryogenically frozen for 300 years. He awakens to find a world completely different to anything he's known. The story follows him as he becomes a celebrity and attempts to navigate the brave new world of the future. Along the way, he finds himself in the middle of a political revolution.
The summary isn't much, but I promise that this is a good story. It is always interesting to explore Chinese science fiction. Chinese writers have a lot to say, but they have to be weary government censorship boards, and of potential consequences of drawing the Chinese government's ire. Consequently, there's a lot of constraints Chinese writers have to deal with. For example, time travel to the past, especially to escape a repressive present, is forbidden. You can criticize past government regimes, to an extent, but criticizing the current one is a major no-no. Well, you can, you just have to be creative about how you do it.
It is mentioned that this story was heavily edited when translated into English. Perhaps to be more true to the author's original intent? Anyway, Du Ruofei finds himself in a world of advanced technology, but also one that is emotionally shallow and more than a tad hedonistic. Materials science is much more advanced, but space travel isn't much better than what we currently have. Sadly, that seems depressingly likely given how uninterested the world seems in manned spaceflight as of late. His assistant, of sorts, is named Jingjing. He chides her for having a name only given to pandas, but I've know a Jingjing or two. Also, apparently pandas, among other animals, are extinct in the future. Du Ruofei does discover that there are people who are dissatisfied with the state of the future, and he does become swayed by their ways. Ah, but I mustn't spoil the ending.
A story about a man making his way in the future. I recommend it.
"Martian Blood" by Allen M. Steele.
Narrated by Kate Baker
Originally Published in Old Mars
This story takes place in a world where Mars is a habitable planet; just as it was believed to be before the Mariner probes proved otherwise. The story follows Jim Ramsey. He works as a tour guide in the Martian wilderness. He has been hired by a professor named Omar al-Baz. Dr. al-Baz wants to test the genetics of the Native Martian aborigines, and how they relate to the genetics of humans. When Dr. al-Baz makes a startling discovery, Jim must make a decision that could decide that fate of the Native Martians.
Overall, this was a very fun story. Worlds where Mars and Venus are habitable planets are one of my favorite alternate history scenarios. The imagery is very evocative. You get a real sense of the desolate beauty of the Martian landscape. You also get a sense of why Jim fells more at home there than in the more civilized parts of Mars. I should have mentioned before that the Naive Martians refer to themselves as Shetan, which means people in their language. I found their culture written and realized quite well.
While I did enjoy the story overall, I do have to object to the ending. So runaway now if you don't want it spoiled. If those who want put are gone, let's discuss the ending.
Turns out Shetan DNA is identical to human DNA. Jim fears that this will lead to an influx of settlers as more researchers arrive. This, in term, might lead to the Shetan getting colonized and forced off their lands. He deliberately loses Dr. al-Baz get separated in a dust storm, leaving him to die, and destroys all the tests and samples. He does mention that humans and Shetan have come into conflict in the past, but I don't buy is reasoning. True, there would be those who would try to manipulate the Shetan, but also many who would rally to their defense. Plus, what if another researcher get a hold of some Shetan blood? Better to get the research out, and use it as a please to recognize the rights and humanity of the Shetan.
Still, despite the somewhat shaky ending, overall it is an excellent story. I happily recommend it.
"The Yorkshire Mammoth" by Harry Turtledove
Narrated by Kate Baker
This story takes places in a world where Ice Age megafauna survived into historic times. The story follows a vet in England as he helps to treats some wooly mammoths.
I wanted to like this story, I really did, but it just didn't work for me. Despite having a great premise, it just fell flat and came off as rather dull. It was as though the story never built up enough steam to reach critical mass. Kate's rather monotone narration certainly didn't help matters. Regrettably, I must give this story a thumbs down.
"The Lucky
Strike" by Kim Stanley Robinson
Narrated by Anaea Lay
Originally Published in Universe 14
Hugo and Nebula Award Nominee for Best Novella
This story takes place in 1945 just before the atomic bombings of Japan. The Enola Gay has exploded during a test flight and so a new crew has had to be selected for the critical mission. Frank January, the mission's pilot, isn't sure he's willing to unleash such a destructive force upon innocent civilians. What consequences will his actions have?
Sometimes time is not kind to a story. Such is the case here. The bombings of Dresden and Munich aren't controversial. We recognize they were necessary to defeat the evil of Nazi Germany. Despite Imperial Japan being just as bad, and in a lot of ways worse, than the Nazis, this story wants us to sympathize with them. It wants us to sympathize with the monsters who committed the Rape of Nanjing and the Bataan Death March, and who enslaved Koreans women as sex slaves, among other crimes against humanity. Apparently, this story would have us believe that the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were worse than all that. If Japan has surrendered after the first bomb, maybe we could have that conversation. But they didn't. For that matter, many of them wanted to keep going even after the second bomb. The damage wasn't even that different to a convention fire bombing. Main difference was that it was accomplished with a single bomb. If nothing else, this story demonstrates why we need to teach more about the War in the Pacific.
Narrated by Anaea Lay
Originally Published in Universe 14
Hugo and Nebula Award Nominee for Best Novella
This story takes place in 1945 just before the atomic bombings of Japan. The Enola Gay has exploded during a test flight and so a new crew has had to be selected for the critical mission. Frank January, the mission's pilot, isn't sure he's willing to unleash such a destructive force upon innocent civilians. What consequences will his actions have?
Sometimes time is not kind to a story. Such is the case here. The bombings of Dresden and Munich aren't controversial. We recognize they were necessary to defeat the evil of Nazi Germany. Despite Imperial Japan being just as bad, and in a lot of ways worse, than the Nazis, this story wants us to sympathize with them. It wants us to sympathize with the monsters who committed the Rape of Nanjing and the Bataan Death March, and who enslaved Koreans women as sex slaves, among other crimes against humanity. Apparently, this story would have us believe that the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were worse than all that. If Japan has surrendered after the first bomb, maybe we could have that conversation. But they didn't. For that matter, many of them wanted to keep going even after the second bomb. The damage wasn't even that different to a convention fire bombing. Main difference was that it was accomplished with a single bomb. If nothing else, this story demonstrates why we need to teach more about the War in the Pacific.
Such a shame, I usually like things written by Kim Stanley Robinson. Regrettably, I must give a thumbs down. Don't waste your time.
"The Suitcase Aria" by Marissa Lingen
Narrated by Anaea Lay
This story is set in 1780 Berlin and follows a young opera singer named Udo. He is a castrato with the ability to perform magic through his songs. He's going to need all the song he can manage to handle the nix that's been harassing the opera house.
So a few terms we ought to cover before moving forwards. A nix is a type of Germanic water spirit. A castrato is a type of high pitched opera singer, and in the past they typically consisted of boys who were castrated before reaching puberty. A suitcase aria is a song that would be sung by a traveling opera singer. Now that we've got that out of the way let's talk about the story.
It's often said that music is a kind of magic, and this story just took that one step further. It was a nicely constructed system of magic. I personally would have liked to have heard a bit of singing with this story, but at the same time I can understand that this would be hard to translate into text. Also, hats off for using an obscure mythological creature rather than something more obvious like a siren.
A story about the magic of music and those who make it. Well worth your time.
"Rib" by Yukimi Ogawa
Narrated by Anaea Lay
This story takes place in Japan during the Tokugawa Shogunate and follows a skeleton woman who feeds on men's souls. She's recently found herself caring for a young boy named Kiichi. Together they're teaming up to steal back a hair stick that belonged to Kiichi's mother from a heavily guarded temple.
There's a bit more to this story, you'll have to read/listen to find out more. I really loved how snarky and sarcastic the skeleton woman's dialogue was. As you should know by now, I am always eager to learn about new mythological beings, and so it was with this story. It was also nice to see a story set in Tokugawa Japan that was about something other than samurai. Without giving much away I can tell you that the ending is really heartwarming. As for why this story is titled Rib, well, you'll just have to find that out for yourself.
A fun little story with a touching ending. I happily recommend it.
"The Suitcase Aria" by Marissa Lingen
Narrated by Anaea Lay
This story is set in 1780 Berlin and follows a young opera singer named Udo. He is a castrato with the ability to perform magic through his songs. He's going to need all the song he can manage to handle the nix that's been harassing the opera house.
So a few terms we ought to cover before moving forwards. A nix is a type of Germanic water spirit. A castrato is a type of high pitched opera singer, and in the past they typically consisted of boys who were castrated before reaching puberty. A suitcase aria is a song that would be sung by a traveling opera singer. Now that we've got that out of the way let's talk about the story.
It's often said that music is a kind of magic, and this story just took that one step further. It was a nicely constructed system of magic. I personally would have liked to have heard a bit of singing with this story, but at the same time I can understand that this would be hard to translate into text. Also, hats off for using an obscure mythological creature rather than something more obvious like a siren.
A story about the magic of music and those who make it. Well worth your time.
"Rib" by Yukimi Ogawa
Narrated by Anaea Lay
This story takes place in Japan during the Tokugawa Shogunate and follows a skeleton woman who feeds on men's souls. She's recently found herself caring for a young boy named Kiichi. Together they're teaming up to steal back a hair stick that belonged to Kiichi's mother from a heavily guarded temple.
There's a bit more to this story, you'll have to read/listen to find out more. I really loved how snarky and sarcastic the skeleton woman's dialogue was. As you should know by now, I am always eager to learn about new mythological beings, and so it was with this story. It was also nice to see a story set in Tokugawa Japan that was about something other than samurai. Without giving much away I can tell you that the ending is really heartwarming. As for why this story is titled Rib, well, you'll just have to find that out for yourself.
A fun little story with a touching ending. I happily recommend it.
"Kulturkampf" by
Anatoly Belilovsky
Narrated by Hans Fenstermacher
A Cast of Wonders Original
This story takes place during a steampunk version of the Franco-Prussian War where musical symphonies are used a weapons of war. The story told as a series of letters sent by Richard Wagner as he creates symphonies as his contribution to the Prussian war effort.
Every year the staff of Cast of Wonders each select a story they feel was particularly worthy of praise. This story was Barry J. North's pick for 2013, and I can easily see why. It was a great touch to play bits of Wagner's symphonies as the story was read. They really do sound like they could be used as weapons of war. I haven't seen too many stories about the Franco-Prussian war, and this was a nice change of pace from the typical Victorian Britain setting of many steampunk stories.
As for the narration, I thought Han's did an excellent job. It's a great musical steampunk story you won't want to miss.
"The Haunted Jalopy Races" by M. Bennardo
Narrated by Alasdair Stuart
A Cast of Wonders Original
This story is set in a small American town during World War II and follows the yearly race of the spirits of two teenage boys who died in a racing accident. Each year they grow into increasingly caricatured versions of who they were in life; the hero is practically a knight in shining armor and the villain has a flaming skull. But is the story really all that it seems?
What I liked most about this story is the way it deals with how we collectively handle death. All too often we remember idealized versions of who the deceased were rather than who they actually were in life. That's why I personally oppose the notion of never speaking ill of the dead. This story really did a great job of commenting on that sort of mentality by introducing a supernatural spin.
In terms of narration I thought that Alasdair did a great job. A story about how we remember the dead. Very much recommended.
"Above Decks" by Terry Ibele
Narrated by Phil Lunt
A Cast of Wonders Original
This story takes place in a steampunk version of Canada and follows a boy from Rupert's Land who works on an airship. He joined thinking it would be a life of adventure and sightseeing, but he spends most of his days shoveling coal below deck. One day, however, he decides to break free.
Okay, so this is a steampunk story with an airship, but I promise it's a good one. I liked how this story focused on the potentially less than glamorous aspects of steampunk and the Victorian era. It was also a nice touch the upper classes considered mechanical augmentation to be fashionable. Towards the end of the story, even despite all of the horrors, you get a sense of awe and wonder for how amazing airships must have been. On the other hand, you get a long look at 19th century labor conditions as well.
Overall Phil did a good job with the narration, though at time he made the captain sound a bit like Yosemite Sam. All in all a pretty good story that's worth your time.
Narrated by Hans Fenstermacher
A Cast of Wonders Original
This story takes place during a steampunk version of the Franco-Prussian War where musical symphonies are used a weapons of war. The story told as a series of letters sent by Richard Wagner as he creates symphonies as his contribution to the Prussian war effort.
Every year the staff of Cast of Wonders each select a story they feel was particularly worthy of praise. This story was Barry J. North's pick for 2013, and I can easily see why. It was a great touch to play bits of Wagner's symphonies as the story was read. They really do sound like they could be used as weapons of war. I haven't seen too many stories about the Franco-Prussian war, and this was a nice change of pace from the typical Victorian Britain setting of many steampunk stories.
As for the narration, I thought Han's did an excellent job. It's a great musical steampunk story you won't want to miss.
"The Haunted Jalopy Races" by M. Bennardo
Narrated by Alasdair Stuart
A Cast of Wonders Original
This story is set in a small American town during World War II and follows the yearly race of the spirits of two teenage boys who died in a racing accident. Each year they grow into increasingly caricatured versions of who they were in life; the hero is practically a knight in shining armor and the villain has a flaming skull. But is the story really all that it seems?
What I liked most about this story is the way it deals with how we collectively handle death. All too often we remember idealized versions of who the deceased were rather than who they actually were in life. That's why I personally oppose the notion of never speaking ill of the dead. This story really did a great job of commenting on that sort of mentality by introducing a supernatural spin.
In terms of narration I thought that Alasdair did a great job. A story about how we remember the dead. Very much recommended.
"Above Decks" by Terry Ibele
Narrated by Phil Lunt
A Cast of Wonders Original
This story takes place in a steampunk version of Canada and follows a boy from Rupert's Land who works on an airship. He joined thinking it would be a life of adventure and sightseeing, but he spends most of his days shoveling coal below deck. One day, however, he decides to break free.
Okay, so this is a steampunk story with an airship, but I promise it's a good one. I liked how this story focused on the potentially less than glamorous aspects of steampunk and the Victorian era. It was also a nice touch the upper classes considered mechanical augmentation to be fashionable. Towards the end of the story, even despite all of the horrors, you get a sense of awe and wonder for how amazing airships must have been. On the other hand, you get a long look at 19th century labor conditions as well.
Overall Phil did a good job with the narration, though at time he made the captain sound a bit like Yosemite Sam. All in all a pretty good story that's worth your time.
"The Authorized Biography" (Part 1 and Part 2) by Michael G. Ryan
Narrated by Brian Rollins
A Cast of Wonders Original
This story follows a man named Tim Toonby. He has just written what he hopes will be the Great American Novel. One day he discovers a book claiming to be his biography. It tells of how Tim become a best selling author, but his son gets shot at one of his book signings. Tim must decide he must change the future, but at what cost?
Overall, I greatly enjoyed this story. The writing is very well done, the characters are compelling, and the story is great. That having been said, I can't help but feel that this story is misplaced. Perhaps this story would be more at home at Escape Pod. Our protagonist is a middle-aged man contemplating the death of his child. Not saying young adults can't relate to that, but I am saying an adult would probably get this story better. This does tie in to something I've been feeling for a while: Cast of Wonders is suffering from an identity crisis. It runs YA stories, but never seems to know if it wants to appeal to adults or teens/tweens. In fact, at times it almost seems to be ashamed of the fact that it is a young adult podcast. Certainly leans a bit too much into the "YA can be more than just love-triangles and dystopia!" mentality at times. The current way Cast of Wonders seems to define YA and middle age is: "If you feel embarrassed for reading it, it's middle grade; if it's just respective enough to be read in public, it's YA."
Still, credit where it is due, at least weren't any trigger warnings,mor other patronizing tags. I'd complain about how annoying politically correct and woke Cast of Wonders has gotten, but that's a can of worms for another day. Still shaking my head over that time they include trigger warning because a story had spiders in it. Anyway, back to the review.
Tim certainly does his best to change his son's fate, but money and fame are certainly tempting. Also, at one point he takes his dog to be put down, even though it breaks his heart, because otherwise his wife will have an affair with the he vet. Uh, he should have taken the dog anyway. Pets are often incredibly scared during their final moments, and frantically search for their owners of the owners aren't there. Also, while his books sound interesting, they are about a man going on a journey of spiritual and religious enlightenment and discovery. I'm not so sure how well that would sell in these increasingly secular days. I will say that Brain did an excellent job with the narration.
Categorization aside, this is still an excellent story that I happily recommend.
"The Isle of the Dancing Dead" by Rick Kennett
Narrated by Barry Haworth
Originally Published in The Fifth Book of After Midnight Stories
This story appears to take place in the 19th century in a British colony. I'm not quite sure where specifically? Africa possibly? Or perhaps North America? At any rate, two paranormal investigators named George and Monty are on the case. The coffins within a crypt have been moving about, despite the tomb being sealed tight. The locals claim it is the spirits of the dead moving the coffins, but might there be a more rational explanation?
This story reminded me of the tales of Thomas Carnacki the Ghost-Finder by William Hope Hodgson. He was like a supernatural Sherlock Holmes. What made Carnacki so effective was, though he was prepared to deal with ghosts, he was also open to the possibility that there was a mundane explanation for the goings on. At least half the time, this turned out to be the case. I liked that this story takes the same approach. Apparently, this story has been translated into multiple languages, and is often used in classes teaching English as a second language. Barry did an excellent job with the narration.
A story of skepticism and the supernatural, and one that is very much recommended.
"Below the Serapeum" by Kelsey Dean
Narrated by Alethea Kontis
A Cast of Wonders Original
Featured in Cast of Wonder's Banned Books Week
This story takes place in a fantasy world not too different from Ptolemaic Egypt and the Roman Empire. Halena is an apprentice working at the Great Library. The library was recently destroyed by a fire started by the soldiers of Epiria. As such, her work mostly consists of preserving books and helping raise funds for a new library. Unfortunately, Epiria is preparing for another invasion of Masser. She must stand strong against the coming dark times.
Overall, I did enjoy this story. It is nice to see a fantasy story taking inspiration from the classical world for a change. The Great Library of Alexandria was one of the great losses of history. What wonders might there haven been on those shelves. We know that Homer wrote a sequel to The Odyssey titled The Telegony, and possibly even more epic poems. We also know that Sophocles wrote a fourth Theban play, and possibly more. Sadly, these and many other works have been lost to the sands of time. It is both fun and frustrating to speculate on what we might have had if the Library hadn't burned.
I did like that Halena's aunt and mother encouraged her to see the humanity in the children of Epiria. Further more, they even encourage her to see the humanity of Epirian soldiers. They speak of how the soldiers are merely following orders, and the blame should be placed on the Epirian emperor. This isn't a rout most stories would take, so I applaud Kelsey for doing so.
Now, I must criticize this story for having a bit too much parallelism at points. For example, the temple the character work at is called a Serapeum. In real life, there were temples consecrated to the Ptolemaic god Serapis, and often included libraries and places of learning. However, in the story the temples are consecrated to the fictional goddess Minosega. As such, calling them Minosegeum would have been more appropriate. Calling them Serapeum would be like having a Roman centurion speaking in a Texan accent and dropping lines about BBQ. Perhaps it would have worked better as a piece of historical fiction. I'm just saying, Escape Artists really should add historical fiction to the genres they cover. Also, Epiria sounds a bit like empire, as in Roman Empire. A bit on the nose there.
Still, overall not too bad of a story. Alethea's narration is certainly great.
A low fantasy retelling of the Library of Alexandria. I say give it a try.
Narrated by Brian Rollins
A Cast of Wonders Original
This story follows a man named Tim Toonby. He has just written what he hopes will be the Great American Novel. One day he discovers a book claiming to be his biography. It tells of how Tim become a best selling author, but his son gets shot at one of his book signings. Tim must decide he must change the future, but at what cost?
Overall, I greatly enjoyed this story. The writing is very well done, the characters are compelling, and the story is great. That having been said, I can't help but feel that this story is misplaced. Perhaps this story would be more at home at Escape Pod. Our protagonist is a middle-aged man contemplating the death of his child. Not saying young adults can't relate to that, but I am saying an adult would probably get this story better. This does tie in to something I've been feeling for a while: Cast of Wonders is suffering from an identity crisis. It runs YA stories, but never seems to know if it wants to appeal to adults or teens/tweens. In fact, at times it almost seems to be ashamed of the fact that it is a young adult podcast. Certainly leans a bit too much into the "YA can be more than just love-triangles and dystopia!" mentality at times. The current way Cast of Wonders seems to define YA and middle age is: "If you feel embarrassed for reading it, it's middle grade; if it's just respective enough to be read in public, it's YA."
Still, credit where it is due, at least weren't any trigger warnings,mor other patronizing tags. I'd complain about how annoying politically correct and woke Cast of Wonders has gotten, but that's a can of worms for another day. Still shaking my head over that time they include trigger warning because a story had spiders in it. Anyway, back to the review.
Tim certainly does his best to change his son's fate, but money and fame are certainly tempting. Also, at one point he takes his dog to be put down, even though it breaks his heart, because otherwise his wife will have an affair with the he vet. Uh, he should have taken the dog anyway. Pets are often incredibly scared during their final moments, and frantically search for their owners of the owners aren't there. Also, while his books sound interesting, they are about a man going on a journey of spiritual and religious enlightenment and discovery. I'm not so sure how well that would sell in these increasingly secular days. I will say that Brain did an excellent job with the narration.
Categorization aside, this is still an excellent story that I happily recommend.
"The Isle of the Dancing Dead" by Rick Kennett
Narrated by Barry Haworth
Originally Published in The Fifth Book of After Midnight Stories
This story appears to take place in the 19th century in a British colony. I'm not quite sure where specifically? Africa possibly? Or perhaps North America? At any rate, two paranormal investigators named George and Monty are on the case. The coffins within a crypt have been moving about, despite the tomb being sealed tight. The locals claim it is the spirits of the dead moving the coffins, but might there be a more rational explanation?
This story reminded me of the tales of Thomas Carnacki the Ghost-Finder by William Hope Hodgson. He was like a supernatural Sherlock Holmes. What made Carnacki so effective was, though he was prepared to deal with ghosts, he was also open to the possibility that there was a mundane explanation for the goings on. At least half the time, this turned out to be the case. I liked that this story takes the same approach. Apparently, this story has been translated into multiple languages, and is often used in classes teaching English as a second language. Barry did an excellent job with the narration.
A story of skepticism and the supernatural, and one that is very much recommended.
"Below the Serapeum" by Kelsey Dean
Narrated by Alethea Kontis
A Cast of Wonders Original
Featured in Cast of Wonder's Banned Books Week
This story takes place in a fantasy world not too different from Ptolemaic Egypt and the Roman Empire. Halena is an apprentice working at the Great Library. The library was recently destroyed by a fire started by the soldiers of Epiria. As such, her work mostly consists of preserving books and helping raise funds for a new library. Unfortunately, Epiria is preparing for another invasion of Masser. She must stand strong against the coming dark times.
Overall, I did enjoy this story. It is nice to see a fantasy story taking inspiration from the classical world for a change. The Great Library of Alexandria was one of the great losses of history. What wonders might there haven been on those shelves. We know that Homer wrote a sequel to The Odyssey titled The Telegony, and possibly even more epic poems. We also know that Sophocles wrote a fourth Theban play, and possibly more. Sadly, these and many other works have been lost to the sands of time. It is both fun and frustrating to speculate on what we might have had if the Library hadn't burned.
I did like that Halena's aunt and mother encouraged her to see the humanity in the children of Epiria. Further more, they even encourage her to see the humanity of Epirian soldiers. They speak of how the soldiers are merely following orders, and the blame should be placed on the Epirian emperor. This isn't a rout most stories would take, so I applaud Kelsey for doing so.
Now, I must criticize this story for having a bit too much parallelism at points. For example, the temple the character work at is called a Serapeum. In real life, there were temples consecrated to the Ptolemaic god Serapis, and often included libraries and places of learning. However, in the story the temples are consecrated to the fictional goddess Minosega. As such, calling them Minosegeum would have been more appropriate. Calling them Serapeum would be like having a Roman centurion speaking in a Texan accent and dropping lines about BBQ. Perhaps it would have worked better as a piece of historical fiction. I'm just saying, Escape Artists really should add historical fiction to the genres they cover. Also, Epiria sounds a bit like empire, as in Roman Empire. A bit on the nose there.
Still, overall not too bad of a story. Alethea's narration is certainly great.
A low fantasy retelling of the Library of Alexandria. I say give it a try.
Narrated by Marguerite Kenner
A Cast of Wonders Original
This story follows a little girl named Leticia Andrews who discovers the great wizard Merlin is trapped in her play house. Merlin has been thrust forward in time following a battle with the evil sorceress Morgan La Fay. At first Leticia thinks that it'll be great and that she'll get to learn magic, but what will happen if Merlin doesn't get back to Camelot in time?
The historical accuracy of the King Arthur legends is highly debatable, to put it succinctly. At the very least it's agreed that Merlin probably was real; especially since he and Guinevere were from previously unrelated Welsh legends. Similarly, Lancelot was from an unrelated French ballad, so that cast doubt on him. Still, there might be just the tiniest grain of truth buried in there, and this story had time travel so I decided to roll with it.
It was a cute little story. I liked the notion that you can find magic in your every day life if you know the right places to look. The conversations between Merlin and Leticia were fun and I liked the way magic was described. I also enjoyed the bits that follows Leticia later in her life as she searches for sources of magic. It was a nice little touch that tied everything together.
As I've mentioned in the past, every year the crew of Cast of Wonders select stories that they thought were particularly outstanding for a special honor. This story was Alexis Goble's pick for 2015. It is always a joy to hear Marguerite Kenner narrate a story, and this was no exception.
A fun little story about time travel and marshmallows. I recommend it.
The Great Game series by James Vachowski
Narrated by Barry J. North and Graeme Dunlop
A Cast of Wonders Original
This story follows...well, we never really learn his name. We do learn that he used to serve in the British army during the early 20th century and went on many fantastical adventures for king and country. From finding flying carpets in Persia to discovering the lost city of Iram in Arabia. The stories are framed as him recounting his adventures to students doing research at a library.
This one's going to be a group review since there are seven stories in the series. Overall I'd say these stories were a bit hit and miss. A couple were reasonably good pastiches of Victorian adventure stories, a couple started off good before running out of steam, and a few were just kind of meh. I guess that's kind of my biggest issue with these stories. They had interesting concepts, but for the most part they failed to realize their potential. Don't get me wrong, there we a few gems here and there, but overall I didn't find this collection of stories particularly memorable.
The stories are almost all narrated by Barry, though Graeme did narrate one of them. They both made valiant efforts, but it wasn't enough to salvage the stories which didn't work. I didn't quite care for these stories, but I'll say they're at least worth checking out. Who know, maybe you'll like them.
Conclusion
So we've reached the end of the list and I hope you've
had a good time. You know I always want to say something deep and meaningful in
these concluding segments, but I never do. Oh well, maybe someday I will. For
now, just take a moment to reflect on all the good stories we got to discover,
and look forward to the next time that we will get to do this. Let us look
forward to all the stories we will discover in this new year together. Until
then, I will see you guys next time.
