"The Great Secret" by L. Ron Hubbard

"The Great Secret"
by L. Ron Hubbard
Multicast performance
Produced by Galaxy Audio
approx 2 hours

During the mid-twentieth century L. Ron Hubbard earned his living by writing short stories that were published by many of the pulp-fiction magazines of the time. He wrote in many different genres; westerns, air adventure, sea adventures, science-fiction and more. Recently Galaxy Press has reprinted these stories in their own pulps, each one featuring one or more stories from a given genre. Galaxy Audio has taken these pulps and turned them into audio-pulps by turning them into multi-cast performance audio books.

The production of these audio books is simply superb. They each feature excellent vocal talents and acting, subtle and perfect sound effects and original music. These create a theatre of the mind performance much like the old radio programs from the same time as these pulp magazines.

I kept putting off listening to this audio book because it would be the last of the 6 sci-fi releases from Galaxy Audio. I have listened to several books from the other genres but sci-fi is my absolute favorite. But recently I took a 2 hour road trip and had a car load of differing audio tastes. So I decided this would fit in perfect. The reason this fit in was two-fold, first the sci-fi stories all feature great adventures that are fun to follow and second that this particular audio-book featured four different stories. I don't know about the rest of my passengers but this road trip was made shorter thanks to some exciting stories.

# The Great Secret, published in "Science Fiction Stories," April 1943, and tells the story of Fanner Marston, a man out to discover the secret which will make him the ruler of the universe. Marston's ship crash lands near Parva, a city of the original race of the Universe. Being the only survivor that means the secret will be his and his alone. Pushed ahead by his mantra, "Women, Liquor, Power" and under the searing rays of the world's double sun, Fanner Marston, wracked with thirst and exhaustion, pushes on toward his goal. Soon his mantra changes to "Water." When he finally finds the city and the great secret. What he finds though isn't what he expects.

# Space Can, published in "Astounding Science Fiction," July 1942 is an exciting space battle story. This story tells of an Earth destroyer up against the larger Saturnian ships. The destroyer is riddled with holes, on fire, unable to maneuver, and is an obvious hopeless wreck in the midst of a space battle, there's only one way out: take over the heavier enemy ship. This space adventure not only shows off Hubbard's talent at keeping a story exciting but also shows how much Hubbard pulled from his stint in the Navy by using lots of Navy jargon and ideals to describe the battles.

# The Beast, published in "Astounding Science Fiction," October 1942 is basically a story of a hunter in space. In the jungles of Venus, the mysterious Beast has to be killed—not only because it has murdered, but because it has stolen something Ginger Cranston can't live without—an intangible, absolutely necessary thing: Cranston's courage.

# The Slaver, published in "Astounding Science Fiction," June 1942, Is yet another future look into a time when Earth becomes a slave colony for aliens. Captured by space slave traders, befriended by a slave girl, our hero Kree Lorin outwits his captors, frees the girl, and regains his spaceship.

"Directive 51" By John Barnes

"Directive 51"
By John Barnes
Read by Susan Ericksen
Produced by Brilliance Audio
approx 21.5 hours

All you cyber junkies, technophiles and just anyone enjoying today's modern comforts, enjoy them while you can, because if John Barnes new novel "Directive 51" is a glimpse into our future we could easily find ourselves flung back to times where technology doesn't exist. "Directive 51" takes a look at an America where terrorists, both foreign and domestic all attack at once and not only are the creature comforts threatened but so is the Constitution of the United States of America.

The year is 2024 and many factions are tired of America's slothfulness and reliance upon technology. This time they all band together in a movement called Daybreak and bring not only America but the world to its knees. Think about this in today's political world, there are many factions of those that want things to change in America. You've got the potentially violent militias, KKK, and other political factions such as; the tea party movement, Greenpeace, PETA, and many more. Now picture that on one day all these groups got together and since the big picture was to bring down the government and big business they all "attack" in their own way, all at the same time. Throw into this mix a Muslim terrorist group that has secretly infiltrated this domestic movement, all at once and our government would be scrambling, not knowing which side the enemy was hitting from. Being slightly set in the future John Barnes has created some nasty domestic weapons that these Daybreakers use. Weapons such as nanoswarm, which are tiny microscopic robots that attack electronics using the parts to reproduce the swarm and get carried along in the wind destroying cars, computers, mp3 players and anything electronic. Next we throw in a bio weapon that destroys plastics and other man made compounds reducing them to a smelly pile of mush. That would definitely put a hurt on today's society.

In "Directive 51" this happens along with the kidnapping of the vice president. As the plane is hunted by the military, the nanoswarm and plastic eating biotes are wreaking havoc on the system. The V.P.'s plane is found flying back in to the U.S. through the Baja Peninsula in Mexico and just as the plane is being tracked Daybreak strikes again taking out the radar systems on the west coast. The plane is loaded with a super powerful nuclear fusion bomb and headed to the final game of the World Series in Anaheim, California. Before the plane reaches it's destination it is shot down over the California desert, killing the V.P. (if he weren't already dead.) This devastates the President who was lifelong best friends with his V.P. and the President loses his mental faculties and resigns. This is where the governmental structure of America begins to deteriorate much like the plastics.

In searching for the next successor the turmoil begins. The actual next successor is not a natural born citizen so, according to the Constitution cannot hold the office, the next in line is a senator that has been around since the 1970s and is a cantankerous liberal Democrat. He immediately begins promising jobs soon and not listening to the reports of food riots, violence and the deteriorating infrastructure in America, instead he rides around in a limousine and makes promises. Thanks to technology getting destroyed by Daybreak, the only form of mass communication is a newspaper set up by a woman that remembers the days of newspapers, but when she begins supporting the Republican candidate in her paper (yes it is also and election year) the acting president sends his newly formed special group of guards to arrest her and cease the operations of the newspaper.

This book goes on with many more turnovers in the government while at the same time Americans are having to struggle and reform without the use of any technology. Just when you think the book is about to come to a peaceful "happy" ending, the author throws another wrench into the works. Such as 5 strategically placed fusion bombs which destroy Washington D.C. and the new government, and Chicago, Jerusalem, Shanghai, China and most of Europe.

This book takes what is best about the U.S. Government and people and puts them to the test, showing that the culture can survive but it is not easy. Even through a possible civil war it is the Constitution that keeps America alive. John Barnes shows this extremely well in what can be called a thinking man's sci-fi novel.

The reader, Susan Ericksen, has a tough job in reading this one, but she pulls it off beautifully. I've listened to other audiobooks read by Ericksen and have always been amazed by her ability to create many different characters with her voice and in this book she carries on with that same talent. Each character is given their own vocal qualities and not only does it make it easy to discern who is talking or thinking but also Ericksen makes the vocal qualities match the personality.

This novel will have you entertained, enlightened and constantly thinking about society and politics. Great combination of social commentary, political debate and sci-fi are worked into "Directive 51."

"The Ghost Hunter's Field Guide" by Margie Kay

"The Ghost Hunter's Field Guide"
by Margie Kay
Published 2010 by 7th Planet
204 pages


With the emerging world of digital technology, especially audio and video, it seems that ghost hunting is the thing to do. You see it all over cable television and for years many communities have some sort of paranormal society or ghost hunters. If you think you may want to take up the night vision goggles and camera and find your own phantasm, this may be the book for you.

Margie Kay has put together a handbook for the professional or amateur ghost hunter with a personal touch. Through her years of ghost hunting (33 or so to give you an idea) Margie has had her share of experiences in the paranormal. She is a trained psychic and paranormal investigator and has been instrumental in solving over 30 missing persons cases, numerous homicides and thefts using her unique clairvoyant, clairaudient, clairsentient, and remote viewing abilities, which she has honed over the years with amazing results. She has amazed investigators and law enforcement with her abilities and accuracy, in some cases getting names, addresses, streets, and license plates as well as descriptions of victims and perpetrators. And she still finds time to hunt ghosts.

In this book she not only gives a great checklist of the items to take on your next paranormal adventure, but she even provides hints on how to acquire some items, even when budgets are tight. Such as some children's toys that could be helpful, or even checking out eBay for some good deals.

Margie uses her experiences to tell the reader how to handle different situations and what to expect in many situations. Through the book are stories of how many of her haunted experiences have gone, from her team being called in to investigate dark shadowy figures haunting a house to what could be recorded impressions from past events while setting up shop in historical downtown Independence, Missouri.

Not only did this book provide nice how to information but also what to do to invite the spirits to "show" themselves. Many of the television shows about ghost hunters approach with a view to try to debunk the hauntings first, kind of like a scientific approach. Margie uses that but also throws in the mix a spiritual/psychic level to the experience so that maybe all that cannot be explained can be observed in a reasonable light. While the information was very nice, I have to admit reading the various experiences she talks about was some fun reading that sometimes, I had to make sure the room from where I was reading was well lit.

Margie closes out the book with an extensive list of haunted sites you can visit and do your own phantasmagorical research. In this list she provides contact info as well as whether or not the sites are open to public or if you have to call in advance to arrange private sessions.

There are also listings of Radio/TV ghost hunting broadcasts that you can tune in and get hints.

So, whether you are a professional Ghost Hunter, hobbyist, or simply curious this book would be the perfect handbook, to keep in your bag of tricks.

"Cattle King for a Day" by L. Ron Hubbard

"Cattle King for a Day"
by L. Ron Hubbard
Multicast performance
Produced by Galaxy Audio
Approx. 2 hours


I've recently discovered the short stories written by L. Ron Hubbard during the mid-20th century, through Galaxy Audio and Galaxy Press. They have been releasing the stories that were originally published in pulp magazines of that era, creating their own pulp magazines, and even audio pulp. All the audiobooks are about 2 hours in length and most contain 2 or 3 stories. This release, scheduled to be released October, 2010, brings back a couple of stories from the old west.

I originally was intrigued by these books by the science-fiction genre and then I checked out some of the other genres, such as; mystery, air adventures, tales from the orient, and sea adventures, and have never heard a bad story. Hubbard was a master storyteller and could weave a tale that not only kept you on the edge of your seat but as these releases prove pass the test of time. I have never had an interest in western stories but with the enjoyment I've had from the other stories released by Galaxy Audio, I thought I'd give them a try. My old friend that tried to get me interested in Louis L'amour stories is probably saying, "I told you westerns were fun." Well, thanks to L. Ron Hubbard and Galaxy Audio, he's proven right.

Most of the props would have to go out to Galaxy Audio because without the superb production value in these audiobooks, I might not have given the westerns a listen. Galaxy provides a talented cast of voice actors, mix that in with perfect sound effects and original incidental music these stories just flow through you making you feel you are in the middle of the action.

This release contains 2 stories from the golden age both telling tales from the old west dealing with men who have been snookered out of inheritances. One story takes place in Montana the other in Wyoming, which Hubbard used his personal experience of growing up in the area in the turn of the century.

"Cattle King for a Day," originally published in "Western" magazine March, 1937 tells of Chinook Shannon who comes to Montana from Arizona after hearing his grandfather has died unexpectedly and has left him the family's Slash S cattle ranch. Chinook has always wanted to be a cattle king and arrives in Montana ready to run the ranch. The only problem is that the ranch will be foreclosed on in 24 hours. While it may only be one day, as it seems, Chinook is ready to run what he can. As it turns out a mining company using cyanide mining methods has killed off the cattle and not much is left, however, Chinook finds that all things aren't right in the area and that his grandfather's death was caused by a murder. Chinook has 24 hours to find out who murdered his grandfather and save his family's ranch. Be ready for double and triple crosses as Hubbard weaves the tale with the expected twists and turns that are always found in his stories.

"Come and Get It," originally published in "Western" magazine October, 1938, finds another man getting rooked out of his inheritance when he comes from "out East" to inherit his father's Wyoming land. This time however the hero learns nothing is left of the land and takes on a job as a cook to go undercover to find his father's murderer. The real twist in this story which made me smile at the end of the book was the identity of the inheritor.

Two great westerns (I never thought I'd say that) by the master story teller L. Ron Hubbard from the Golden Age of Stories

"Sunstorm", book 2 of the Time Odyssey" By Arthur C. Clarke & Stephen Baxter

"Sunstorm", book 2 of the Time Odyssey"
By Arthur C. Clarke & Stephen Baxter
Read by John Lee
Produced by Blackstone Audio
Approx 10.5 hours


One of the greatest science fiction collections has to be Arthur C. Clarke's "Space Odyssey" series (2001, 2010, 2065 & concluding w/ 3001). In what would be his final decade here on Earth, Clarke teamed up with Stephen Baxter to write the "Time Odyssey" series. Clarke said that this series was neither a sequel nor prequel but rather an orthoquel (a neologism coined by Clarke for this purpose, combining the word sequel with ortho-, the Greek prefix meaning "straight" or "perpendicular", and alluding to the fact that time is orthogonal to space in relativity theory).

In book one of the series, "Time's Eye," Bisesa Dutt is taken from her time on Earth along with a few from her time and many others from throughout Earth's history such as Alexander the Great, Kubla Khan, by beings who call themselves the firstborn. The firstborn create a patchwork of Earth from various timeframes and Bisesa and her companions call this new planet Mir, a Russian word for peace but can also mean world. A war is fought between Alexander the great and his ragtag army of various armies from various times and on the other side Kubla Khan and the Mongols. After this war the Firstborn return Bisesa to her time, but only after some warning of what she has in store. She is shown a scorched Earth during an eclipse. Also Bisesa and her friends realize that from the collection of various times on Earth her time (2037) is the latest no one from after that year.

"Sunstorm" answers those clues and more so. Before I go any further into the story of what happens during this novel, I would like to point out that while this book is part of a series, it reads as though it is an independent novel, very little knowledge from book one is needed. There are hints but this book could be read as its own story.

When Bisesa returns to Earth, June 9th, 2037, a major solar flare has wiped out most of the planet's electronics. Being the future this is a lot, from smart cars to communication devices. The Earth is plunged into a world-wide disaster, but recovers relatively well. This is not the bad part, sure there are areas that struggle and human life is endangered, but not nearly as bad as what is to come. A scientist studying the sun has discovered that this sun event is a precursor to one that will come April 20, 2047. This event will be a sunstorm that upon its eruption will destroy the planet, burning a living things on the planet and evaporate the Earth's oceans. Unless human kind can do something about it.

It turns out that human kind is more crafty than some may think. Soon the planet's scientists converge and collaborate with the planet's Artificial Intelligence that is recognized by law as a living intelligent creature, a super computer known as Aristotle and create the a Shield that will be large enough to protect the Earth from space. This major task has to be created and functioning with in 5 years.

During the planning and construction of the shield Bisesa contacts some of those in charge and tells her tale of the Firstborn. She is at first thought of as a bit touched, but when it is discovered this upcoming sunstorm is the product of intelligent beings, the Firstborn. The Firstborn plunged a Jupiter sized planet into the sun around the time of the birth of Christ, (bright & morning star) in preparation for the sunstorm event to destroy humanity.

What turns out to be a great sci-fi race for time, "Sunstorm" will have you on the edge of your seat while listening to this fine classic audiobook.

"Blockade Billy" By Stephen King

"Blockade Billy"
By Stephen King
Published 2010
by Cemetery Dance Publications
144 pages

As many fans know, Stephen King is a baseball fan, especially of the Boston Red Sox, having written the book "Faithful..." chronicling the Red Sox' 2004 season. This time around King has mixed his passion of baseball with his talent for writing chilling stories. "Blockade Billy" takes a fictional baseball team that could have been contenders for the series if not for the dark tale of their strange catcher, William "Blockade Billy" Blakely.

This story goes back to the golden age of baseball and tells the struggling tale of the New Jersey Titans. The 1950s was a decade of real baseball heroes and Blockade Billy was on the road to become one of those heroes. The Titans seemed to have problems with their catchers during spring training. The star catcher was arrested for killing a woman due to drunk driving and another was severely injured while taking a collision to put a man out at home. The Titans send out to their farm team to find someone to at least start their season, until a replacement can be found.

Turns out that replacement is sent to them from Iowa. "Blockade Billy" gets his name during his short stint in the big leagues because the road to home was closed due to his blockade style. Billy was also a great hitter so the package deal came in with this young farm boy. During one exciting play at the plate a player gets cut and while nothing can be pinned on Billy the equipment manager has his concerns.

King mixes in some of the notable players at that time to make this story seem true and the constant reference to how the record of the team being erased from the books due the dark history behind Billy makes you want to look up the player roster for the New Jersey Titans. In fact the early publications of the hardcover of this book came with a promotional baseball card depicting "Blockade Billy." The story is told in a way that seems as if King were sitting in a home interviewing the old equipment manager and he is reliving the memories.

This book also comes with a second story, "Morality." This second story is that of a struggling young couple, barely able to pay their bills get an indecent proposal of sorts. The wife is a nurse that has taken on a job of taking care of a pastor after he as suffered a stroke. The husband is trying to bring in money by taking on substitute teaching jobs while trying to write a book.

The pastor is about to die and says to the wife that if she were to help him commit one sin he would pay her over $200,000. This money would allow them to move to a better home and allow the husband to finish the book. Is the 2 hundred grand worth the cost? I won't tell you the sin, but I will tell you it changes the young couple forever.

Two great stories from a master of suspense. Enjoy.

"Sense and Sensibility and Sea-Monsters" By Ben H. Winters & Jane Austen

"Sense and Sensibility and Sea-Monsters"
By Ben H. Winters & Jane Austen
Published 2010 by Quirk Books


Having read a few other "mashup" books; "Pride & Prejudice & Zombies," "Dawn of the Dreadfuls," and "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter," I thought I'd give this one a try. I'm sorry to say I found this one hard to get through. I'm not sure what it lacked, but at times when the sea-monsters sections were introduced they seemed forced. I admit though it did have its funny moments but I would have done better to avoid this book.

The premise of the story is the Dashwood family from the Jane Austen novel continue on as Austen wrote them but with many dangers lurking in the waters of the world. An event known as “The Alteration” has turned the creatures of the sea against mankind, this unexplained event spawns numerous “sea monsters,” including sea serpents, giant lobsters, and man-eating jellyfish. Those are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg, but you get the idea.

Basically, Henry Dashwood is out to find the cause of the "Alteration" and upon his return is attacked by hammerhead sharks. Before he dies from the wounds inflicted Mr. Dashwood inscribes a message in the sand for his son to take care of his mother and sisters, since they will be females and have no legal recourse to the inheritance. The Dashwood women are not taken care of due to the son's wife's greediness.

They move to Pestilent Island where the two older sisters are soon to find suitors. One suitor, Colonel Brandon, is inflicted with a disease in which his face is sprouting tentacles. Just picture Davy Jones from the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies. Another suitor is Willoughby which is actually very close to the presentation in the original novel, but in this book he as a sidekick of an orangutan. The people who were kind enough to let the Dashwoods stay in a shack on their island are the Middletons. Lady Middleton was captured in Africa and carried off against her will to become Sir John Middleton's wife and she's always trying to escape.

If you have read the original novel and you pick this up you can tell some of the events are forced however there are some funny moments that will cause you to chuckle. I would say bypass this one and enjoy the other mashup novels with vampires and zombies.

"Infinity: Chronicles of Nick book 1" by Sherrilyn Kenyon

"Infinity: Chronicles of Nick book 1"
by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Read by Holter Graham
Produced by Macmillan Audio
Approx. 8 hours.

I think I have just listened to the next juvenile fiction craze. Okay it's really hard to figure out what today's youth will read, but if the recent trend of supernatural series is any kind of sign this series will glide right in. This one not only has vampires and werewolves, but within this first in the series (or rather sub series, but I'll explain that later) the hero getting bit by and then chasing zombies, befriended by demons, getting suspended from school and worse yet getting grounded by his mother.

Nick Gautier (pronounced Go-shay not Go-tee-ay or Goat-chay, that has an extra H in it and as Nick's mom says, "We're so poor we couldn't afford the extra letter.") is your typical high school freshman. Okay, typical in some aspects, like full of sarcastic wit, worried about bullies, and fully aware of girls. Now he's not so typical in that his mom dances at a strip club on Bourbon Street to pay for Nick's tuition to a private school that because he tested so high got somewhat of a scholarship and is the only reason he is in a school where everyone else constantly reminds that he doesn't belong.

Nick also has one more secret, one that he doesn't know himself, he's not quite human. It is never revealed fully what he is but it is powerful. His father is in prison and is the secret behind what Nick is and what Nick could become.

One day before school Nick's mom gives him a hideous Hawaiin shirt, Nick knows he's going to be picked on, AGAIN, and the shirt will be the cause, but, because Nick loves his mom so much he doesn't argue with her to protect her feelings. When he arrives at school, sure enough he's picked on. This time Nick takes the taunting about his shirt. He even takes the taunting about his being poor. But, when the taunting by the school's football team bullies becomes about his mom Nick fights back. This fight gets him suspended and grounded. His mom only allows him to go to work, but he feels so bad about letting his mom down so he skips work to go apologize to her. On the way back he runs into some friends that say that if he stands lookout while they pull a job they'll pay him 200 bucks. This will be the biggest deposit in Nick's miniscule college fund ever, so Nick decides to help. When he the "friends" proceed to rob a couple of tourists at gunpoint, Nick helps the tourists escape and then gets beat up and shot by the "friends."

This turn of events is witnessed by Kyrian, who turns out to be a Dark Hunter. Here's where the idea of the "sub-series" comes in. Sherrilyn Kenyon has written numerous books about the Dark Hunters, the Dark Hunters are death to those that prey upon humans. This book is the first in a series in which Kenyon is writing for a younger audience. The nice thing is that as a writer when the readers get older they can discover her earlier works which are actually later in the life of Nick and the Dark Hunters. But for now this series is full of fun, thrills, zombie chases, crazy rednecks and very strange supernatural beings of all sorts.

Kyrian takes Nick on as an assistant to help Nick on the right path. Before Nick can fully enjoy his job he discovers Kyrian and his many friends are demons or supernatural beings. He also discovers his uncle is a demon that stays hidden to keep him safe and to aid in his training, that some demons love to eat humans with barbecue sauce, the football team is made up of shape shifters and the world is not what it seems. Then again this all takes place in New Orleans, and New Orleans has never really been what it seems.

The reader of this audio book, Holter Graham, does a superb job of interpreting this book to audiobook form. He captures Nick, with all his sarcasm, angst and discovery perfectly and captures all the characters in their own uniqueness, from the redneck zombie hunter, Bubba, to the extremely wealthy upper class of Kyrian. Some of you old-schoolers may recognize the name Holter Graham as the kid from the Stephen King movie "Maximum Overdrive." He has grown up and honed his talent to becoming a great voice actor that brings this fun novel to life.

So, if you are a fan of the Dark Hunter series and would like to share the series with your younger friends and family, or just want to know what made Nick, Nick put this one on your list. I you like reading supernatural fiction, no matter what your age this is one I highly recommend you give a listen.

"The Trail of the Red Diamonds" by L. Ron Hubbard

"The Trail of the Red Diamonds"
by L. Ron Hubbard
Multicast performance
Produced by Galaxy Audio, 2010
Approx. 2 hours.

This September marks another month where Galaxy Audio and Galaxy Press release another set of "Stories from the Golden Age." This audio pulp will take you on an adventure with a couple of tales from the Orient. The book is also availaby from Galaxy Press in a pulp version you can hold in your hand and read but this review covers the audio book version.

All the audio books from Galaxy Audio have all been a pleasure to hear. I started out with my interest in Science Fiction (which Hubbard wrote some really fun sci-fi) but since discovering these releases from Galaxy Audio, I have been testing out all the genres. I'm still waiting to sample some of the westerns, but I have a feeling that'll be coming soon. I mean it's gotta be good if any of the others are a sign. All these audio books have superb voice acting, original music and subtle yet effective sound effects. These all combine with the excitement and thrills of the twists and turns of Hubbard's writing to make for an experience that will leave you looking for more.

The two stories in this collection are:

"The Trail of the Red Diamonds," originally published in "Thrilling Adventure" magazine January, 1935 and is a story of betrayal, espionage, death and adventure. This story was originally written under the pseudonym of Lt. Jonathan Daly, who by chance, but more likely by design, is the main character in the story. This story mixes in a lot of reality in that the authenticity comes from Hubbard's many experiences in China.

Lt. Daly translates an original manuscript of Marco Polo's travels and discovers that Kublai Khan was buried with some rare red diamonds. The diamonds were to light the Kahn's way to heaven. Lt. Daly sets out to follow Marco Polo's directions to find the red diamonds. Along the way are double crosses, death and deception. At what cost to Daly is the trail to these diamonds? Untold riches sound good but when the Chinese army and renegades want those riches for themselves, Daly has some competition.

"The Hurricane's Roar," originally published in "Thrilling Adventure" magazine April, 1939 is another story of betrayal, espionage, death and adventure. Hubbard's second story about the man the Chinese call “Feng-Feng” or “Wind-Gone-Mad" the true interpretation for the Chinese slange for hurricane, actually pilot-adventurer Jim Dahlgren—and a conspiracy to incite a provincial war. "Wind-gone mad" plays both sides of a provincial war against each other to have them discover they have already been played against each other, along the same lines he stops a war by creating a war between the provinces. As you can tell this story is full of twists and turns and double crosses that only L. Ron Hubbard does so well.

These two stories are a perfect pairing for some adventures in the orient that will be the perfect companion in your next audio adventure.

"Eternity In Death" (novella) book 29 of "...In Death" series by J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts)

"Eternity In Death" (novella)
book 29 of "...In Death" series
by J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts)
read by Susan Ericksen
Produced by Brilliance Audio
approx. 3.5 hours

Okay, I've been reading a huge batch of vampire, zombie and werewolf novels and thought I'd go back to listening to one of my favorite futuristic detective novels. Once again I visit the "...In Death" series by J.D. Robb and the thrilling world of Lt. Eve Dallas of the NYPSD as she solves another series of murders. Well guess what? This book, which I just picked out of the blue as one in the series I haven't read yet, has vampires. Either that is synchronicity at work or just luck, either way this book was great to hear.

To sum up Lt. Eve Dallas has escaped a childhood of torture only to become the best homicide detective on the New York Police and Securities Department in the mid 21st century. She is assisted by a wonderful cast of characters including her husband, Roarke, an Irish immigrant that now seems to own half the world and even a few planets and satellites, that may be a bit of an exaggeration, but not much of one. Other fun characters are here detective assistant Delia Peabody, Peabody's main squeeze Electronics Division Detective McNabb, the Chief of Electronics division, Feeney (her former partner in homicide) and Psychologist/Profiler Dr. Mira. The setting of these books is just far enough into the future to have some really cool sci-fi toys to work with or contend with, yet close enough where real detective work is still done.

The entire series is read by Susan Ericksen, who does a smashup job of capturing each and every character vocally. Sometimes I wonder if Ms. Ericksen doesn't suffer from some sort of personality disorder with all the voices that come out of her. Each character is distinct and acted vocally to perfection.

This book opens with a young, famous-for-being-famous, socialite anticipating the visit of a dark stranger that has promised she will keep her 23 year old youthful appearance, but first she has to die.

The next morning the socialite's body is discovered drained of blood and two punctures on the neck. Lt. Eve Dallas is called to the scene where the adventure into the darker side of New York City begins. Dallas, in no way believes in vampires, but her assistant, Peabody, does get the creeps on this one and starts wearing a cross.

The clues lead to a vampire themed club in New York's seedy underground. In Eve Dallas's time New York's Underground is a place where even the police have no jurisdiction. A club called "Bloodbath" is where the socialite recently frequented and the owner of the club seems to have some strange powers. Eve must pull in all her resources to ignore the supernatural beliefs trying to sneak into her thoughts and bring down a murderer masquerading as a vampire.

Once again J.D. Robb (a.k.a. Nora Roberts) creates an exciting detective thriller that you can't stop until the last word is spoken. Once again I will point out the single downfall of the entire series and that is the explicit sex scenes. I realize that J.D. Robb is a pseudonym for Nora Roberts, and Nora Roberts is a romance writer, but come on, enough is enough. The scenes are totally unnecessary. The story moves great without them and they add nothing to the story, plot or characters. The good side of this novella is that it is short and only one of these scenes is in the book. In audio format I just fast forward and lose nothing in the missed scene.

"Carnival of Death" by L. Ron Hubbard (audio book review)

"Carnival of Death"
by L. Ron Hubbard
Multicast Performance
Produced by Galaxy Audio
approx 2 hours.

I would never really say L. Ron Hubbard was a horror writer, for the most part he wrote some great Sci-fi, but Hubbard did write a lot of fiction from various genres back in the golden age of pulp-fictions in the mid-twentieth century. In one of those genres, mystery, some of the stories tended to branch out into the horror realm. This book is one of those that branches out and adds a little of the horror genre of fiction into the mix.

Galaxy Audio has taken Hubbard's short stories that were published through various aviation, sports and pulp magazines and have created a series of somewhat audio pulps. These audio books are all about two hours in length and contain one or more short stories within a given genre. The production mixes subtle sound effects, original music and an extremely talented cast of voice talent to create a cinematic audio experience that provides the perfect audio escape from reality.

This book includes the following two stories:

"The Carnival of Death," originally published in "Mystery/Detective" magazine November, 1934, starts out as a bit of a horror story but with the twist and turn expert of Hubbard's typewriter becomes a spectacular mystery in which a drug ring is thwarted. A Carnival has recently imported four "Headhunters" from Darkest Africa to scare the audiences in America. When the 4 escape and headless corpses begin showing up US Treasury Agent Bob Clark working undercover as Security for the carnival must solve the mystery and before the horror of headless corpses continue.

"The Death Flyer," originally published in "Fantasy" magazine April, 1936, is a great ghost story that would be worth listening to around the campfire, especially if there is a train track nearby. Jim Bellamy, finds himself stuck to a train track where decades before a train crashed killing dozens of people. He cannot free himself from being stuck before a train begins bearing down on him. Suddenly the train stops and the engineer yells down for Jim to hurry aboard they've been waiting for him. It seems Jim has found himself on-board a ghost train, but for what reason? Give this one a listen and you'll never hear a distant train whistle the same again.

A couple of stories from the Golden Age, by L. Ron Hubbard that provide some nice chills of horror, nothing too scary.

“Dog Blood” A Novel by David Moody (audio book review)

“Dog Blood” A Novel
by David Moody
Read by Gerard Doyle
Produced by Blackstone Audio
Approx 9 1/2 hours

David Moody has created a thrilling joyride through an apocalyptic world of zombies, but without an apocalypse or zombies. This may need some further explanation, so bear with me. First of all this novel, “Dog Blood” is the sequel to Moody’s previous novel, “Hater.” In “Hater” the world changed. Many people suddenly began killing other people, it was soon discovered that a percentage of the population was changing into what was being labeled as Haters.

The Haters would kill for no reason using only their bare hands in most cases. The book “Hater” followed Danny McCoyne as he tried everything he could to protect his family, but near the end of the book Danny, became a Hater. The change in him was sudden as if a switch was thrown. Once he had changed he immediately felt the urge to destroy the Unchanged. One of the Unchanged was his father-in-law. When his wife witnessed this she knew he had become a Hater. As she gathered the children to make their escape Danny looked into the eyes of his 5 year old daughter and knew she was like him, but by then he was incapacitated and could do nothing. This left the novel “Hater” with either the most thrilling ending ever or a serious hint at a sequel.

As it turns out David Moody has written this novel, “Dog Blood” and continues the story with such a a delivery that you get tired as if YOU are the one running around and trying to survive. The story creates such a unique insight into the world of Haters and Unchanged, that not only do you read about the battles, the survival, the lack of governmental control but Moody writes in such a fashion you feel as if you are part of the story. The reader, Gerard Doyle, does such a great job that he further presses that urgency and emotion that is within the story it is as if the story were written with him as the intended reader. Doyle at times when the story calls for it can be emotionless but within a splitsecond the story telling turns to a rage fueled story and Doyle makes those shifts perfectly clear with some very artistic voicework.

In “Dog Blood,” Danny McCoyne continues the bloody kills to destroy the Unchanged but this time he is also looking for his five year-old daughter, Ellis. Danny makes his way back to the city from which we was taken to where his wife and daughter could be hiding/surviving. Danny was taken to a camp where the Haters where being mass slaughtered not unlike the German concentration camps of World War II. After escaping Danny learns of the Haters, led by a former politician, grouping to form an army to destroy the Unchanged. The biggest obstacle in this is that as a Hater organization is hard to come by because all killing is done by instinct, not unlike a zombie horde. This is where the zombie aspect comes in, the Haters act as vicious as any zombie from any zombie movie or story, but they can think and they don’t eat their victims, well, not always.

Moody also takes us through the lives of the Unchanged by jumping into the story of Mark Tillotsen as he helps the military to scout for food and survivors in the area. Mark gets extra rations for this volunteer work, which he needs because he has recently taken in a family member and his wife is pregnant.

Survival, hordes of violent attackers, and the possible end of the world, “Dog Blood” takes up where “Hater” left off and I will warn you the ending keeps you questioning. I will warn you also to make sure you allow extra listening time when you approach the end of the book, the last few chapters are so exciting you CANNOT stop listening. Actually, you won’t want to stop the book at all once you start.

"Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls" by Steve Hockensmith

"Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls"
by Steve Hockensmith
read by Katherine Kellgren
produced by Brilliance Audio
approx 9 hours

So you've read "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith, what next? I highly suggest following up with this novel, the prequel. The zombie smashing mashup that mixed the undead with Victorian primness was hilarious and yet a bit educational. Sure you were reading about zombies, but by golly, Jane Austen's classic was still in there so you got some culture. This time around, though, there is no classic literature involved. I will give you a heads up in that this book still captures some of that same mood and writing involved in Jane Austen's style. This time around there is a lot more humor. I know, humor and zombies, what is he talking about? Trust me, there are many laugh out loud moments.

Let me first give the proper praises to the reader, Katherine Kellgren. She read/performed this book with the same Victorian delivery, trying to keep the culture in the story telling, but when it came to zombie howls and moans and the Bennet sisters' battle cry, she delivered with uncanny realism. So while listening you feel high-brow until the carnage begins and the battles roar.

Basically in the first book we learned that England has been over run by zombies, or rather the "unmentionables," because no proper English person would ever speak the "Z" word. The Bennett sisters have been trained, like their father, in the "Deadly Arts." They were trained int the fashion of Shaolin monks, with skills in the martial arts, katanas, nun-chuks, and throwing stars, in order to defeat the undead scourge sweeping the country. In this prequel we learn not only the hows but the whys of their training and of their prejudices in finding suitable men to marry.

As the book opens the Bennett family is attending the funeral of a friend. All is quiet and solemn until the deceased rises from his coffin and begins to moan. Mr. Bennett, having fought the undead in the previous war, knows what is happening and more importantly knows what must be done. Ushering everyone, except his two oldest daughters out of the church, Mr. Bennett then begins the process of separating the unmentionable from his head. However he has his daughters do the dirty work so they can begin to be trained in what must be done because the zombies have returned.

Returning home from the funeral and beheading of the zombie, Mr. Bennett reclaims his Dojo (Mrs. Bennett has turned it into a gardening shed, hanging tools from the various swords and arsenal), and begins the Bennett girls' training in the Deadly Arts. At this time he also alerts the nearest officials that the zombies are back, and sends word back to his master that he needs someone to train his daughters.

This book is full of fun and zombie smashing once the troops arrive. The troops are all very young boys led by a recently promoted captain who has no arms or legs. To make up for the lack of appendages he is wheeled around by some soldiers referred to as "Limbs." When he needs to shake someone's hand he orders, "Right Limb, shake that man's hand." This creates many comical moments. It also seems that the Captain and Mrs. Bennett have a history that works in some more fun. The troops are accompanied by a mad scientist. This mad scientist is out to catch a zombie and try to turn him back into a proper Englishman.

The Bennett sisters begin their training once the Master arrives from the Far East, and during their training sessions there is more hilarity, especially having to deal with the different personalities of the sisters.

The book leads up to Elizabeth Bennett's coming out ball and a zombie invasion in which they all seem to be doomed. But knowing that this is a PREQUEL, you know the important characters survive, but you will be on the edge of your seat while listening to this supremely funny horror classic. I would have to say that this book is more fun than the first book but keep in mind the first one was a mashup in which Jane Austen's writing was the basis.

"Last Sons" by Alan Grant

"Last Sons"
by Alan Grant
Multicast Performance
produced by GraphicAudio
Approx 2 hours

With the help of superb audio book production I have recently become a DC comics fan. I used to only be a Marvel fan, but hey even Stan Lee did some stuff for DC a few years ago, so I can bend a little. The thing that really got me was the "Movie in your Mind" created by these audio books from GraphicAudio. They take excellent voice talent mix in out-of-this-world sound effects and original incidental music and blend it all in to become a cinematic audio production of some great novelizations. They cover other genres of literature, but my favorite by far is their productions of DC comics novels.

This book has sold me even more on DC comics in that I have found my new favorite DC Character. Most of DC comics superheroes are square-jawed, do gooders in tights but this time we are introduced to the bounty hunter, Lobo. Lobo is meant to be DC's answer to Marvel's Wolverine. I think DC also took a bit of Lobo's personality from Marvel's "Merc with a mouth," Deadpool. Deadpool is my all time favorite hero or rather anti-hero, because he is quick to crack wise and has a psycopathic disposition that sometimes leads him to have witty conversations with himself. One thing Deadpool does that I have yet to hear Lobo do is break the fourth wall, you know, turn and talk to the audience. But maybe in the future when Lobo gets his own comic that can happen. There has been a short run of Lobo comics, but I have yet to read them.

In a recent audio book produced by GraphicAudio, "52," there was a slight mention of Lobo but not enough to really note. This time Lobo is the main character. Lobo is a psychopathic bounty hunter that only thinks about 3 things; himself, booze and broads, in that order. I guess you could throw in mayhem and finding the next criminal to bring in. Lobo is an expert biochemist and has the uncanny ability to know exactly what to do next, mix this in with his super healing factor and the ability to track any molecule via sense of smell and his super strength, this makes for one bounty hunter you hope you never have after you. He used his biochemical expertise to wipe out his entire race/planet and become the last known survivor of his planet before moving on to become a bounty hunter.

This book opens with Lobo bringing in a gang of thugs but as he's rounding them up they manage to blow up his space bike, oh yeah Lobo is also a biker, and to fix the bike, which is no ordinary bike, he uses the brain of one of the thugs to replace the destroyed brain of the bike. Yeah, it's a pretty cool bike. As he returns he finds that he has been requested to bring in J'onn J'onnzz (The Martian Manhunter) with a 1 million cred reward. This would provide some serious booze and broads for "The Main Man," as he refers to himself.

If you don't know, J'onnzz is the last remaining of his species from Mars. He prides himself on being on the side of justice and could never break any law. After a brief battle between J'onnzz and Lobo, Superman (the last son of Krypton) intervenes and after Lobo presents the warrant, he and J'onnz decide the warrant is legit and J'onnzz decides to allow to be taken in and find what the mixup is about. Superman is wary but allows his friend to be taken in. In being wary Superman heads to the office where bounty hunters are dispersed and finds that no crime is listed. He then follows the 2 to where J'onnz is to be delivered.
The delivery point is a planet where the race of beings are excellent at carving rocks. An artificial intelligence, calling itself Alpha, has latched on to these beings, making them its slave and forcing them to create a body so the electrical based artificial intelligence can inhabit. From there the Alpha begins making the planet into a giant supercomputer/space ship (similar to the Death Star in Star Wars). Alpha also has the beings carve out spacecraft which it plans on using to destroy all live in the universe.

Lobo is heading to the Alpha's planet not knowing what the Alpha is planning, but just wanting to collect the bounty. When he arrives he sees J'onnzz placed into a prison cell and the Alpha declares that he is keeping J'onnzz because he is the last of his race. Knowing he is also the last Lobo prepares to battle his way out, but is not able to act fast enough before being subdued and imprisoned himself.
This leaves Krypton's last son, Superman to try and save them, but the Alpha is prepared and has Kryptonite on hand to subdue Supes. J'onnzz, Superman and Lobo have to put aside their differences and team up if there is to be any hope for the survival of the universe. Once again through some great battles and with even greater witty rapport on the part of Lobo this story creates a fun adventure in the world of DC comics.

"The Tramp" by L. Ron Hubbard

"The Tramp"
by L. Ron Hubbard
Multicast Performance
produced by Galaxy Audio
Approx 2 hours.

Once again we get the treat of some superb audio book production from another Story from the Golden Age from Galaxy Audio. Galaxy Audio and Galaxy Press have been releasing the many short stories and novellas which were previously published in the pulp-fiction magazines of the mid-twentieth century into their own pulps and audio pulps.

I say audio pulps because that seems to be a fitting description due to all the audio book releases are about 2 hours in length and contain one or more stories within the many genres Hubbard composed his fictions during that time. Another thing that makes the moniker stick is the production. The sound effects, music and voice acting all meld to create a unique sound that hasn't been heard since the early radio programs from that same era. Hubbard's characters and stories are all over the top and larger than life (that's what makes these stories so fun) and the actors voicing the characters act with that in mind. The music produced is perfect for each story and the sound effects are subtle, believable and unique.

This story originally was told in 3 parts in "Astounding Science Fiction", September, October and November of 1938 and is the only story in this release. "The Tramp" begins with a police chase as a small town USA sheriff, after getting a heads up on gang activity among vagrants riding train cars through the Midwest finds "Doughface" Jack hitching on the rails. As Jack tries to run away the eager sheriff shoots and hits Jack in the head. The town's doctor happens to be nearby and immediately takes Jack back to his office. There the doctor discovers the bullet aimed for jack has destroyed the top of his skull, being a small town doc and only able to work with what is on hand manages to fix Jack up. The surgery is a bit bizarre in that the doc has to sew the two halves of Jack's brain together and then replace the skull with a silver bowl.

When Doughface Jack recovers a couple of days later, he wakes to find himself in the small room that can be called a hospital in this small town. In one bed a patient is dying of cancer and in another a woman is recovering after losing her eye and receiving multiple injuries after being in a car crash the night before. The nurse comes in and Jack "cures" her of a mole on her chin. Very strange soon Jack cures the cancer patient, the crash victim and causes the doctors body to regress to being 40 years younger.

The doctor realizes this may have something to do with his surgery process, but even more so to a process called "mitogenetics." The explanation of mitogenetics is that in an onion field only onions grow, the onions "communicate" through mitogenesis and kill out weeds and heal each other. Some professors whisk "Doughface" Jack to New York to study him. The small town doc is worried because...not everyone is an onion.

True enough after venturing out on his own Doughface Jack discovers that not only can he heal but when he is frightened, he can also kill. When Jack meets up with a vindictive, formerly blind beggar woman his troubles begin. She seems to want to use Jack to get back at those that mistreated her. Soon Jack and the "Witch Woman" are on their way to Washington D.C. to take over the country. Can he be stopped? How do you stop someone with such a strong psychic power? Pick up this audiobook and enjoy the great story and find out.

"Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" By Seth Grahame-Smith

"Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter"
By Seth Grahame-Smith
Narrated by Scott Holst
Published by Hachette Audio 2010
Approx 10 hours

I have just listened to one of the most all around entertaining books of all time. Yes, this book "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" is it. This book offers a little bit for everyone, history, civil rights, and vampires. Seth Grahame-Smith says in an interview included with this audio book that he got the Idea for the story around 2008-2009 just as the country was celebrating the bicentennial of Lincoln's birth. He saw that all the bookstores were stocking the shelves full of books about Abraham Lincoln and at the same time the only other books that were visible was the "Twilight" series of books and the other books caused by this vampire craze. So he did what any creative writer would do and said, "Hey, what would happen if you combined the two?" (I paraphrased that, a bit.) Then after his mashup "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" became a best seller he got the chance to mix Lincoln with vampires.

The historical aspect of this book is priceless, Grahame-Smith and his key researchers, did some great work in maintaining a believability factor in this book by writing around historical facts. Most having to do with Lincoln's life and can be verified by many of the biographical books on Lincoln, but some of the history talks about some significant facts of our nation's history. One that sticks out is the mystery behind the Lost Colony of Roanoke, Virginia in 1590. Grahame-Smith makes a pretty decent argument as to what could have happened. There are many features through the book that made me look up the characters mentioned only to find that most of what was said was true, such as the haunting of the Surgical College in St. Louis, Missouri by Dr. McDowell, who wore a breast plate armor because he was paranoid...or was it because he was a vampire.

There are times during this book when you just can't help but laugh. I know, it was a dark time in our history when our country was divided, and I know that vampires are scary blood sucking demons, but bring them together and there is fun aplenty. This book would be perfect for any history buff, civil war buff, Lincoln buff or vampire buff. For those looking at the historical aspect the adventure is fun. For those looking at the vampire aspect, be careful you just may learn some of that history that you slept through in freshman history.

The narrator does a superb job of bringing voice to this fun novel. It is narrated like a history channel special most of the time, leaning toward making the novel a credible historical work. During the dialog scenes the narrator does a superb job of distinguishing between the different voice and really brings out the difference between a young, buff, ax-wielding, vampire slaying Abe Lincoln and the older presidential, tired of bloodshed Lincoln. As an extra bonus if you get the audio CD you also get a pdf file with photos proving the vampires existence in Lincoln's day that would be in the physical book.

This book brings us the history of Lincoln and of early America with the premise of vampires coming to the New World and promoting slavery to provide a blood supply for the undead. Throughout Lincoln's life he was followed by mysterious deaths, like his mother's death from an unknown disease that was caused by a vampire. This vampire was a loan shark and loaned the Lincoln family enough money to start a farm in Indiana, when the farm failed, Abe's father could not repay the loan, so the vampire came back and poisoned Abe's mother with his vampiric blood. When Abe becomes a teenager his father relates this story to him and Abe then schemes to bring this vampire back to the farm where a young Abe Lincoln stakes his first vampire. From there he learns that there are many more in the area and begins his career as a vampire hunter.

Lincoln soon learns of a vampire that is stealing children from their beds and tracks her down to Evansville, Indiana and attempts to stake her. He makes many mistakes and is nearly drowned in the fight that ensues, but just before he blacks out he sees her destroyed by another man. Abe wakes up in the home of this man days later, and learns the man is a vampire by the name of Henry Sturges. Henry teaches Abe the ways of the vampyr and begins giving Abe assignments to destroy vampires. Why does a vampire wish to destroy his own kind? Because those that prey on the innocent do not deserve to live.

All the way through Lincoln's assassination he and Henry have a give and take relationship that leads to the deaths of many vampires. Do yourself a favor and pick up this book and enjoy it for what it is...a fun book stocked with many historical facts.

"Dead and Gone" Book 9 of the Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire Mysteries. by Charlaine Harris

"Dead and Gone"
Book 9 of the Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire Mysteries.
by Charlaine Harris
Published 2009 by Ace Books

With Season 3 of HBO's "True Blood" starting and the recent publication of book 10 of this series, "Dead in the Family," I decided to get to jumping on the continuing adventures of Sookie Stackhouse from Bon Temps, Louisiana and her life dealing with the supernatural.

Sookie is pretty much the average bar waitress in a small town in Louisiana, it's just that the rest of the world going on around her is way beyond the average. You see, in these novels the vampires have "come out of the coffin," which is to say they have revealed to the rest of the world that they do indeed exist. With the invention of synthetic blood, "True Blood," they no longer have to prey upon humans for their food source. This coming out has created some very interesting times for the world and especially for Sookie Stackhouse. There have been some bad times because of the vamps coming out. One of those is for a religious group taking offense to the existence of vampires, saying they are an abomination. This group calls themselves "The Fellowship of the Sun," and they are always wreaking havoc upon the vampires.

Okay I say Sookie is pretty much average she does have one "disability," she can read people's minds. So as you can figure she doesn't have much of a dating life because she knows exactly what her date is thinking. Enter the vampires. Sookie discovers that (for the most part) she cannot read the thoughts of vampires. With this she finds relief finally she can be with someone and not learn of their deepest darkest secrets. She falls in love with a vampire and then learns of a whole new world that exists within the realms of the "real" world. The supernatural world not only consists of Vampires, but also; werewolves, shapeshifters, witches, fairies & fae, goblins and probably more.

In the previous novel Sookie has just found out that her great-grandfather is a prince of fairies. He is one of the last remaining fairy royalty. This makes Sookie part fairy, and explains why she's so attractive to vampires (vampires cannot resist fairy blood) also this may explain her "disability." In this novel it seems as though the fairies are not happy with the intermingling that has been going on with humans. This starts a civil war amongst the fae and Sookie's great-grandfather, Niall, has come to warn Sookie that her life may be in danger. The fairies all want to go into their own world and never again return to the human world, but before they leave they want to remove all traces that fairies ever existed. This means killing those that are part fairy, like Sookie and her brother, Jason.

As if this weren't enough, the Were community (which includes werewolves, were panthers [Jason Stackhouse has been turned into a werepanther], were tigers, were foxes and shapeshifters of all sorts) have decided to also reveal themselves to the world since the vampires have been pretty successful with their reveal. They do so on television nationwide and in prominent areas have representatives shift into their animal form so the normal humans can see. This includes the bar where Sookie works. Sam, the owner of the bar where Sookie works, and a true shape shifter (he can shift into any animal shape)reveals himself to the community. Many folks take the big reveal with little unease. After all they have vampires, why not werewolves.

At least that's how it seems at first. The next day, Jason's ex-wife and werepanther, Crystal Norris is found crucified in the parking lot of Sam's bar, Merlotte's. Sookie is determined to find the killer.
In the vampire world Louisiana is just getting into the groove of the new King of Louisiana, and the only remaining original sheriff of the vampires, Eric Northman, in order to protect Sookie from becoming a slave to the new King, tricks her into what can be seen as the vampire equivalent of marrying Eric. Sookie seems at first upset, but then again, she does have feelings for Eric, so she decides to see how it plays out.

Soon the fairies attack and Sookie is forced to call in all her markers from the werewolves, the vampires and the witches to keep her safe, but the war begins and Sookie is kidnapped by fairies, keep in mind these aren't your Tinker Bell type fairies...these are vicious killers.

The war is on and Sookie is in the middle, can she be protected? Will she find Crystal's murderer? You'll have to pick this one up yourself and find out. Here's a clue...there is a book 10 in the series and this one is number 9.

Roll Them Bones By David Niall Wilson

Roll Them Bones
By David Niall Wilson
Narrated by Jeffrey Kafer
Total Listening Time: 3 Hours 1 Minute

David Niall Wilson (no relation) has created a nice little horror story with “Roll Them Bones.” One that could be read around a campfire or shared around Halloween. Actually, both of those elements are a part of this book. Add in that the audio book is only about 3 hours in length and this makes for some chills to share just about anytime. For the average listener thinking about picking up this audio book, allow me to oversimplify the story a bit. Take a little bit of Stephen King's “It” sprinkle in a bit of “The Blair Witch Project,” and add in a huge hunk of Wilson's imagination and you are on this haunting hike in the woods called “Roll Them Bones.”
The story takes place in the fictional rural community of Random, Illinois, where just like any small midwestern town, nothing much has changed in the last century. Kids grow up and move out of town. In this story four school mates are reunited to finish off something that has haunted them and left them sleepless since they “burned a witch” one Halloween night in their youth. Even moving away from Random does not keep the nightmares at bay.
Jason, Frank, Ronnie and Lizzy were all friends in small Random, Illinois and one Halloween they decided to visit a witch that lived in the Woods. They all sought to have their fortune told by the town's legendary haunter of the woods. The only problem is that once they reached the witch's campfire things went all wrong. Frank, who grew up to be a famous horror novelist, learned the witch may have known some dirty secret about his family. Ronnie, or as known to his friends “Redneck Ronnie,” chickened out and went running into the woods and Jason and Lizzie, who had a “thing” for each other soon were witness to the witch and her home burning down, killing the witch, or so they thought.
Many years later they have all moved out of Random, except for Ronnie, and moved on in their lives. The problem is that they all are being haunted by nightmares of the witch. Frank manages to become famous writing stories about the experience, keeping the nightmares at bay, however that doesn't always do the trick. Ronnie goes out to the woods by the lake to discover that the cabin has “come back.” Soon, Frank requests they all get back together for a reunion of sorts in Random. Their reunion consists of returning to the cabin to make sure the witch is dead and to bring an end to their nightmares.
Upon arrival at the lake and the cabin soon after many secrets are revealed and events happen that change their lives forever. This haunting tale is a fun little chiller that you may want to hear with all the lights on.
While the story itself may be fun, the production of the audio book has some elements that I'd be remiss in my duties if I didn't bring them up. The reader of this audio book, to my ear, was quite difficult to hear. His narration was monotone and his word emphasis seemed ill-placed. He read the novel as if it were a detective novel, better yet a “film noir” detective novel. Just picture Jack Webb (of TV's Dragnet fame) reading a horror story. The dry delivery really took a lot out of the performance. Not to be all bad, when he was reading the dialogue between the characters, he was excellent separating the different characters by subtle voice changes. If the story had all been dialogue then this would have been a great reading, however his narration left me wishing that the characters would hurry up and get back to talking. Again this delivery did not work for me, maybe some listeners would prefer the dry delivery, I just had a hard time wanting to hear the rest of the story because of it.

"If I Were You" by L. Ron Hubbard

"If I Were You"
by L. Ron Hubbard
Multicast Performance
produced by Galaxy Audio
approx 2 hours.

It's time once again to jump back in time when authors were paid around three cents a word and pulp magazines in every genre carried thrilling and fun stories. This time we are going to go to the fantasy genre with a couple of stories from the golden age, by L. Ron Hubbard.

Galaxy Audio and Galaxy Press have been re-issuing the short stories from L. Ron Hubbard's writing career of the mid 20th century. Hubbard wrote many stories spanning genres such as Science-Fiction, Fantasy, Sea and Air Adventures, Tales from the Orient, Westerns and more. In this audio book Galaxy Audio has put together 2 stories from the Fantasy genre to create an audio pulp magazine to rival all other pulps.

One of the key features of the Galaxy Audio releases is their super production quality. With original music, and subtle yet effective sound effects these audio books are like a great trip back to the days of radio dramas. The biggest factor in these productions is the superb vocal talents. All the books have a general cast of very talented voice actors that capture the larger than life characters that Hubbard created. In some of the audio books they feature some actors that offer a little more. In this audio book the lead character, circus midget, Little Tom Little, is portrayed by Nancy Cartwright, yes the same one that voices Bart Simpson. It's pretty cool to hear her voice, you recognize her, but as can be expected she can change it up enough to where she can still portray a circus midget without you having to say, "Hey, that's Bart Simpson." At first it does grab your attention but just like all the other voice talent in these audio books by Galaxy Audio it blends in and fits perfectly with the character in the story.

This audio book contains the following two stories.

"If I Were You" originally published in the February 1940 issue Five-Novels Monthly, turns out to be a morality tale of what truly makes a person, soul or stature. Circus attraction and King of the midgets, Little Tom Little is not happy with being a sideshow attraction. Tom wants to be the Ringleader. When the mysterious Professor calls Tom to his deathbed, Tom is amazed, the Professor never really liked him. But the Professor leaves Tom his entire collection of magical books. He tells Tom it's because he had the courage to make fun of the Professor with no fear of retaliation. Tom then goes back to his wife Maisy and tells here it is all about to change. Within the magical tomes is a spell marked specifically for Tom that allows him to jump from body to body.

Tom immediately wants to take advantage of this newfound power and become the circus' ringleader. The problem is that the ringleader Hermann Schmidt is a corrupt person and has been skimming off the top of the profits. This leads to Tom jumping from body to body and eventually landing in the body of the big cat tamer, Tom has a fear of the big cats, and Tom finds himself in giant-sized danger. The fun with this story is the unexpected twists Hubbard is able to throw in that keeps you guessing as to what will happen next.


"The Last Drop" was originally published in Astonishing Stories, November 1941 and is another story of big becoming little or big becoming small, therefore making a great story to accompany the main story. Euclid O'Brien and Harry McCloud are partners in bar ownership in New York. Euclid's Brother Aristotle has sent a bottle of some strange liquid which the natives call "swello." Mac (McCloud) takes the bottle as a dare and mixes an interesting concoction and gulps it down. Euclid warns him that it could mean trouble. Mac says nonsense and walks out the bar with no ill-effects, at least not yet. Soon a fly lands on the concoction and after feasting on the mixture begins to grow. The fly grows to the size of a dog and the patrons, along with Euclid immediately think of Mac. They put together the idea behind the mixture and realize they must mix up something to counter act the growing. After a while they mix up the swello with some other drink items and after testing on a fly have created a drink to reverse the process.

Before they can go after Mac, the local mob boss stops in for his monthly "protection" fee. Euclid is more worried about Mac and tries to get rid of the boss. Well the Boss drinks down the reverse formula and says that Euclid will be sorry, as he leaves. But before he leaves they notice the Boss Shrinking down.

The fun begins as the boss's henchmen demand a fight between Euclid (after being shrunk down) to settle the score. All this while Mac grows to super-size and becomes a threat to New York City.

With some humorous scenes and antics by all the characters this story is a fun one from the Golden Age of Stories.

"Crisis on Infinite Earths" by Marv Wolfman

"Crisis on Infinite Earths"
by Marv Wolfman
Multicast performance
Produced By GraphicAudio 2009
approx 7 hours


Before we dive into this awesome collection of every superhero created by DC comics, let me first say that before I started listening to GraphicAudio productions of DC comic novels I was a Marvel only fan. Sorry Stan, but while I still say "Make mine Marvel," I now append that with, unless it's an audiobook from GraphicAudio.

GraphicAudio does a superb job of creating audiobooks with the best in voice-acting, great music and excellent sound effects. They promise "A Movie in your Mind," and they deliver with a punch.

Now let's talk about this comic series turned novel turned audiobook. Back in the mid-80s DC comics realized they had continuity issues with all their runs of comics. There were different versions of The Flash, Superman never aged, superheroes that had appeared in the early years of comics but never again and many other problems. So to solve this DC and Marv Wolfman came up with the 12 issue series "Crisis on Infinite Earths," which created the "Multi-verse" in which there were different versions of Earth.

Marv Wolfman wrote the comic series and later turned the series into a novel, this novel is what this audio book is based on. In the novel most of the story is told from the Barry Allen version of "The Flash." Barry's nephew, Wally West, became kid flash and after Barry's death became the flash. This story also tells of Barry Allen's death. No, that is not a spoiler because the opening of the book is The Flash witnessing his own death as he is plunged through time via the speed force. The Barry Allen Flash, is the catalyst for this story in that he witnesses the events ahead of time and then is plunged back in time to interact the correct way. One of the things I should mention is that there is lots and lots of time traveling going on in this book. The paradoxes of time are explored and they seem to get by some of the potential problems by the fact that Barry is somewhat of a ghost that is going back and forth through time, sometimes a ghost and sometimes his physical self.

The main idea of the story is that the creation of the multi-verse was an accident by one of the Oans (the creators of the Green Lantern Corps) and in creating the multi-verse universe of anti-matter was created. The anti-matter universe and it's creator have been trapped in time until now. Now the anti-matter universe is destroying the universes of the multi-verse making it stronger and its creator. All the superheroes (and villains) of all the remaining multi-verses must gather together to prevent the destruction of untold millions of worlds and lives.

With The Flash narrating and telling the story of the gathering of the heroes and the heroes all teaming up against a common foe there is lots of action in this book and leave it to GraphicAudio to keep your heart pumping as friends and foe alike battle in true superhero form.

You will say good bye to some heroes but your favorites will make their appearance.