From the Car: Toothless

Name:  Toothless
Author: J. P. Moore
Read by: J. P. Moore
Format:  Podcast Novel told in three parts
Episodes: 24
Podiobook link: http://www.podiobooks.com/title/toothless
Author website: http://www.jpmooreonline.com/
Published Status:  Published as a paperback by Dragon Moon Press.
One Sentence synopsis:  A Zombie struggles with his identity after being raised from the dead to be n the army that killed him.

Since it is Halloween and I’m eagerly awaiting the premiere of Walking Dead I figured a Zombie Podiobook would be the best thing to review.  This particular zombie story is a very different take on the genre.  Two of the three parts are told from the perspective of the zombie himself as he comes to terms with what he is.

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Written on October 31st, 2010 , From The Car
From The Car: Audiobooks vs Podiobooks

Over the last week and a half or so I have been listening to quite a few “professional” audiobooks.  In particular I have been listening to the Dresden Files series, but I have quite a few audiobooks in my library.  I have also been listening to the Audio version of Tracy Hickman’s serial fiction EvenTide.  This is a paid for work, but also is being done privately without a publishing house.  This left me wondering which category it fell into.  It also made me think about the differences between audiobooks and podiobooks and whether there actually was a difference other than price.  For the case of this discussion we will classify a podiobook as a freely published work released by the author and an audiobook as a for sale product released by a publisher.

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Written on September 17th, 2010 , From The Car
From The Car: The Crypt

Name:  The Crypt Book 1
Author: Scott Sigler
Read by: Scott Sigler
Format:  Podcast Novel of short stories
Episodes: 22
Length:  8.3 hours
Podcast Feed:  http://www.podiobooks.com/title/the-crypt-01/feed
Author website: http://www.scottsigler.com/
One Sentence synopsis:  A collection of short stories introducing you to the crew of the PUV James Keeling.

This podiobook was a little different than most I had listened to.  Instead of being a linear story The Crypt is a series of short stories being used to set up a larger story that is yet to be told.  In each part Scott Sigler introduces you to a new crew member or gives you a piece of history about how this ship came about.  The only story that does not fit into this mold is the spine chilling “The Tank”.  I figured out the context of “The Tank” and what the big reveal was very quickly, but I still found myself chilled by the brutal and disturbing nature of that story.  My hat goes off to mister Sigler as; he is the only podiobook author that can continue to consistently disturb me with his descriptions.  I am most definitely not an easy man to disturb, but this author is truly a master of violent imagery.

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Written on September 10th, 2010 , Columns, From The Car
From the Car: Quarter Share

Name:  Quarter Share
Author: Nathan Lowell
Read by: Nathan Lowell
Episodes: 14
Length:  6.9 hours
Podcast Feed:   http://www.podiobooks.com/title/half-share/feed/
Author website: http://solarclipper.com/
Print Status:  Published by Ridan Publishing

Normally when I write these reviews I have listened to the podiobook months ago and it is just on a long list waiting for review.  This one however is different.  In the comments of an earlier review William Pall recommended Quarter Share as “awesome”.  I am always looking for new podiobooks so I took his suggestion and set it to download that night.  As I looked into this book I noticed that it was the first in a series.  Typically I wait until I have listened to the whole series before reviewing the first book.  I guess this week’s review is going to be unique in a number of ways because I just listened to this last week and I’m currently only on book 3 of 5 written with a 6th currently underway.

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Written on September 3rd, 2010 , Columns, From The Car
From the Car: Making the Cut a Metamor City Novel

Name: Making the Cut
Author: Chris Lester
Read by: An ensemble cast
Episodes: 33 Episodes
Chapters: 31
Format: Part of a Podcast
Running Time: 27.6 Hours
Author\Novel Website: http://www.metamorcity.com/
Podcast Feed: http://www.metamorcity.com/?feed=podcast
One sentence synopsis: In a world where magic and technology developed side by side one man after making a huge mistake decides that the best way to fix his life would be to become a woman.

It is hard to narrow this novel down into the one sentence synopsis.  There are really three major stories going on that are all tied together.   Any one sentence cannot capture the scope of this story as it changes and evolves over time.  It cannot relay the complex metaphysical politics that are contained within as Vampires and Psychics maneuver to gain the upper hand against each other.  All the while a simple love story is caught in the middle.
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Written on August 27th, 2010 , From The Car
From the Car: Brave Men Run

Episodes: 15 episodes with a few bonuses
Format: Podcast Novel
Running Time: 7.7 Hours
Author\Novel Website: http://www.mattselznick.com/
Podcast Feed: http://www.podiobooks.com/title/brave-men-run/feed/
Print Status: Published by Swarm press
Theme Song: “In a perfect World” I can’t tell you who it was by because  I just can’t make it out when the author says it. I enjoyed the song and hope to find out.
One sentence synopsis:  One different child’s life is forever changed when a man with powers announces his existence and declares himself and everyone like him to be Sovereign.

Brave Men Run was a Podiobook recommended to me by Aron right before my trip to Metropolis earlier this year.  I listened to it the first time as a way to pass time on that drive.  Did Aron recommend a quality podiobook or does he have horribly taste.  Read on to find out….

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Written on August 20th, 2010 , From The Car
From the Car: Ida

Name:  Ida
Author\Read by:  Tim Callahan
Episodes:  31
Format:  Podcast Novel
Running Time:  10.7 Hours
Author\Novel Website:  http://www.timothypcallahan.com/
Podcast Feed:  http://www.podiobooks.com/bookfeed/sampler/95/book.xml
One sentence synopsis:  A mining space station orbiting an asteroid has to fight for its freedom after a wave of babies are born.

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Written on August 13th, 2010 , From The Car
From the Car: Infected

Name:  Infected
Author\Read by:  Scott Sigler
Episodes:  22 Episodes
Format:  Podcast Novel
Running Time:  11.8 Hours
Author\Novel Website:  www.scottsigler.com
 Podcast Feed:  http://www.podiobooks.com/title/infected/feed
Print Status:  Published by “Crown”
Theme Song by uncrowned
One sentence synopsis:  A strange infection drives ordinary people to kill those closest to them.

This novel is not for everyone.  To quote the author it has “Mature situations, Language, and lots and LOTS of violence.”   He is not exaggerating about any of that.  The novel has quite simply some of the most grotesque scenes that I have ever heard described.  Just when you think the story can’t possibly get any more disturbing he always finds a way to turn up the dial and not just a little notch.  On the narrating disturbing scenes scale of 1-10 Scott Sigler likes to crank it up to 12.  So if you are squeamish or easily offended than this is not the story for you.  If however you have no problem with violence than read on to see what you have in store.

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Written on July 30th, 2010 , Columns, From The Car
From the Car: Playing for Keeps

Name:  Playing for Keeps
Author\Read by:  Mur Lafferty
Episodes:  15
Format:  Podcast Novel
Author\Novel Website:  http://www.playingforkeepsnovel.com/
Podcast Feed:  http://www.podiobooks.com/title/playing-for-keeps/feed
Print Status:  Published by Swarm Press
Theme Song :  “Playing for Keeps” by  Beatnik Turtle
One sentence synopsis:  A bar owner is thrown into the middle of a Villain plot and a Hero conspiracy because of her unique powers.

This week’s review is about a book that holds a special place for me in my listening library.  Playing for Keeps was the first non-compilation podcast novel that I ever listened to.  It also has the distinction of being the first podcast Novel that I have gone out and bought the print book of.  I discovered this one from Mur Lafferty’s podcast “I Should be Writing” which as a writer who struggles with the motivation to actually write I find very helpful.  I highly recommend it to any struggling writers.  So now that I have listened to it again does “Playing for Keeps” live up to the pedestal I have placed it on?  Read on to find out.

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Written on July 23rd, 2010 , From The Car
From the Car: Voices New Media Fiction

Name: Voices:  New Media Fiction
Format: Podcast Compilation Novel
Running Time: 9.3 Hours
Episodes: 23 Episodes\18 stories
Website: http://www.podiobooks.com/title/voices-new-media-fiction
One sentence synopsis: Voices: New Media Fiction is a collection of previously released short stories from 10 different authors ranging a variety of subjects.

This Podcast Novel was actually the first I had ever listened to.  It introduced me to the concept of podcast novels and opened my eyes to their possibilities.  Like any compilation\anthology the goal of this particular podcast is to introduce listeners to the authors and hopefully draw you into their works.  As such this review will be a bit different than most as I will need to touch on each of the 18 different stories contained within.  I’m sorry in advance for the longer than usual length.

To be effective this podcast should entertain and pull you into the various author’s other works.  Was it effective?  Read on to find out.

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Written on July 16th, 2010 , Columns, From The Car
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