"A Very Strange Trip" by L. Ron Hubbard & Dave Wolverton

"A Very Strange Trip"
by L. Ron Hubbard & Dave Wolverton
Multicast performance
Produced by Galaxy Audio
Approx 6 hours

To start things out, I've gotta say this was one of the funniest sci-fi romps through time I've read. If you like time travelling adventures with some humor thrown in, check out this audiobook. But before I talk about the story I think it's best to talk about the story behind the story.

The original book was an unfinished story by L. Ron Hubbard and being a winner of Hubbard's "Writers of the Future," Dave Wolverton was asked to finish the story. Dave Wolverton began writing during college and entered short stories into various contests, but his career kicked off in 1987 when he won the top award in the L. Ron Hubbard "Writers of the Future" contest.

Writers of the Future (WOTF) is a science fiction and fantasy story contest that was originated by L. Ron Hubbard in the early 1980s. Hubbard characterized the contest as a way of "giving back" to the field that had defined his professional writing life. The contest has no entry fee and is the highest-paying contest for amateur science-fiction and fantasy writers. Other notable past winners of WOTF include Stephen Baxter, Karen Joy Fowler, James Alan Gardner, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Jay Lake, Michael H. Payne, Patrick Rothfuss, Robert Reed, Dean Wesley Smith, Sean Williams, Nancy Farmer, and David Zindell. The winning stories are published in the yearly anthology " L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of Future." The contest enjoys a favorable reputation in the science fiction community, For twenty-five years, L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Contest has discovered and nurtured a steady stream of new authors who have changed the face of SF. Chosen by an impressive panel of judges drawn from the biggest names in the genre, taught at a remarkable week-long workshop, and celebrated at world-class venues such as the Kennedy Space Center, the United Nations and the Science Fiction Museum, Contest winners are given the best possible foundation for a long-standing writing career. Recently Galaxy Press has released a retrospective book, "Writers of the Future, the First 25 Years," that is filled with more than a thousand spectacular images, interspersed with over one hundred success stories and testimonials, this book celebrates the first quarter century of Writers of the Future, this is the perfect coffee table book for any sci-fi fan.

Other awards Dave Wolverton has been nominated for include the Nebula Award in the Best Novellette category for his short story "After a Lean Winter". He has also been nominated for a Hugo Award. In the summer of 1998 Dave Wolverton broke the world record for the most book signings in one sitting, which he achieved with "A Very Strange Trip."

When this novel was released in 1998, it received some negative feedback due to its simplicity, but that is one of the things that I feel makes this book fun. No matter what, though, the audio version produced by Galaxy Audio is a terrific romp through time with some great vocal actors and sound effects so realistic you will actually feel like you are in the middle of a mastodon stampede. There is a full cast and each of the vocal actors portray their parts with the same over the top vigor that makes for one of Hubbard's typical comedic stories. The sound effects are superb, in fact there was a moment in the book where the time machine lands its crew in the middle of a mastodon stampede and it sounds just like you would imagine it to sound. You know the production crew couldn't go out and record such an event so they had to make it up and Galaxy Audio excelled creating great sound effects that move the story along without overpowering the story.

The story is a humorous story beginning in 1991 when Everett Dumphee is caught by police with moonshine in the trunk of his uncle's car. Dumphee's family history of moonshine and bootlegging goes back generations. Everett Dumphee is faced with the decision to spend ten years in prison or to enlist in the United States Army. He opts for what he thinks is the easy way out, the Army. Dumphee is labeled as the fastest bootleg driver in West Virginia and is issued the occupational specialty designation of Expert Truck Driver. He is then selected for a top-secret assignment in a newly designed and state-of-the-art All Terrain Vehicle transporting a contraband Russian time machine and developmental weaponry. Private Everett Dumphee finds himself cast into new settings when the device suddenly activates after the vehicle nearly crashes into a Mcdonalds. What follows are fantastic high-tech experiences that might be called the ultimate off-road adventure through time.

The first stop is at Fort Pitt, in the 1700s . The ATV lands outside the fort and soon while trying to find food Dumphee accidentally purchase three Native American Squaws, who think he purchased them as his bride. When trying to escape the British the crew of four begin their adventures through time, visiting the Ice Age, the time of Mammoths, Mastodons, Sabre Tooth Tigers, the time when Mayans lived in West-Central Illinois (near where St. Louis, Mo. is in Dumphee's time), to the age of dinosaurs, the year 1870, all while heading to the original destination of Denver, Colorado to try and deliver the ATV full of experimental weapons and the time machine. So really it's not a matter of where he'll end up, but when.

While the end of the book leaves you hanging with the feel of a sequel coming out, I don't think that will happen without Hubbard. Wolverton could probably take the next with no problem, but if he did I would hope he takes that unpredictable, over the top fun that makes this story.

Wolverton and Hubbard definitely did some research of the times covered in this book writing in some details that make the story more fun and almost believable, almost. The audiobook version of the book is the way to go. Galaxy Audio knows how to create audio drama, and their production of this book makes the listen a great experience.

"Life" by Keith Richards & James Fox

"Life"
by Keith Richards & James Fox
Read by Johnny Depp, Joe Hurley & Keith Richards
Produced by Hachette Audio (2010)
Approx 24 hours.

I think I may have read one of the most intriguing and entertaining autobiographies ever. "Life," the story of Keith Richards and his life in and out of the Rolling Stones. The Stones were/are one of the world's biggest bands and the stuff of rock and roll legend. I never was a big fan of the Stones before, but after listening to this audio book I am now. Working in radio I have played a few of their tunes and even had a couple of favorites, but I guess I never really gave them a chance.

What has made me a fan most of all is something I found extremely surprising in this audiobook, the easy flow of the story beginning with Keith Richards' early life and just rolling along through his life, warts and all. Also the idea presented that Richards' is a pretty laid back guy. He had his ups and downs with drug addiction, which he discusses through this book, but the amazing thing is that he didn't really have anything bad to say about anybody. Most celebrity biographies/autobiographies, the celeb has a beef with someone or several someones. Or there is an expose feel to a biography which has a purpose of poking at wounds. Keith did have conflicts with people, such as Brian Jones and later with Mick Jagger and a few in between, but each time Keith presented it by always taking the blame for some of the turmoil. He never blamed and there was no fingerpointing and there was no beef with anyone that he had to get out. Keith simply told his story and left it at that.

Many times throughout the book Keith turns the storytelling over to other people due to them having a different perspective, some of the other people are Marlon (his son), Bobby Keys, and just about anyone else involved in his life.

In this book all the myths are exposed, such as did Keith get his "blood changed" to break his heroin addiction? did he really snort his father's ashes? Was it a palm tree he fell from? All this and more including the loves of his life. Other than music Keith loved a few women, from Ronnie Spector to Anita Pallenberg, they're all special and from the words he uses the reader/listener can tell he loved them deeply.

Throughout the book Richards, of course, discusses his love of music. From the discovery of American Blues to Island music, he incorporates it all into the music that becomes the most timeless music of all time, Rolling Stones music. How some of the songs were written and recorded can be surprising and yet once you go back and hear the tunes it makes sense.

The audiobook is also a bit of a Keith Richards sandwich, with Keith providing the intro and the final chapters' narration of the book. Johnny Depp reads for Keith's early years, and musician Joe Hurley reads for the better part of the 70s section and Johnny Depp taking over again for the 80s and beyond. Depp, who based his Jack Sparrow pirate character on Richards, does an awesome job reading as Richards, but Joe Hurley makes the middle section fun doing a great "slight" impersonation of Richards and the others whose voices are required. As far as biographies go this is the best read one I've ever heard.

With the book being around 24 hours of listening time, I was a bit wary of the task, but once the book started I was hooked and just couldn't let go. Great bit of rock and roll history with some inside stories that make the trip more fun.

"American Conspiracies: Lies, Lies, and More Dirty Lies That the Government Tells " by Jesse Ventura & Dick Russell

"American Conspiracies: Lies, Lies, and More Dirty Lies That the Government Tells "
by Jesse Ventura & Dick Russell
Read by George K. Wilson
Produced by Tantor Audio (2010)
Approx 10.5 hours

I have just read the first non-fiction audiobook that has left me looking over my shoulder and watching what kind of digital/paper trail I'm creating. "American Conspiracies..." by Jesse Venture and Dick Russell is one of those books that tells you the facts and fallacies and leaves the listener/reader to decide for themselves. Jesse Ventura had a very interesting TV program on TruTV network which exposed a lot of hidden government ideals and this book provides a great supplement to that program. It also works alone in that it presents some things which the network wouldn't touch.

Ventura begins the book with information on all the lone gunman assassinations that have plagued our government since the days of Abraham Lincoln. The first half of the book covers the assassinations of Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and Robert Kennedy. Bringing to question the whole lone gunman theory. Through the latter assassinations Ventura talks about the mind control branch of the CIA commonly referred to as the MK Ultra program. I have always thought that to pull off such high level of killings these folks (Booth, Oswald, Sirhan, Ray) had to have some sort of backing. Think about it these took careful planning and then to carry out the operation had to have a team of experts. Even when the government is the good guy, they need a team to carry out such events. Look at what it took to bring down Hussein & bin Laden.

Ventura then goes on to bring to light some of the darker sides of the Watergate scandel, the Jones town massacre, The stolen elections by Reagan and later the 2 almost three stolen elections by Bush (George W.), the financial crisis of 2007-10 (which is still being felt today) and the questions brought up in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, including the one question I've had why was the bin Laden family on the only allowed flight out of the country during the week after the attacks?

At the end of each chapter Ventura throws in a "what should we do now?" section in which he suggests ideas that the American public can institute to help keep this from happening again. These sections are very thought provoking without starting revolution.

If you love your country (U.S.A.) and want some food for thought check out this book. I will warn you though, thanks to the P.A.T.R.I.O.T. act the government can and will access your digital/paper trail, so if you check this out from the library (like I did) or purchase online they will know. It's funny that I never had any problems with any government institution but one month after checking out this book I started getting strange letters from the IRS and audits on my government based student loans. Makes me feel like being a veteran isn't enough in this day and age.

The reader George K. Wilson, does a great straightforward job of presenting this book and at times reminded me of listening to the Saturday morning news show for kids, "In the News." Giving the listener a nice flow of some very in depth information.

"The Graduate" Stage adaptation by Terry Johnson based on the novel by Charles Webb and the Screenplay by Calder willingham and Buck Henry

"The Graduate"
Stage adaptation by Terry Johnson
based on the novel by Charles Webb and the Screenplay by Calder willingham and Buck Henry
Release Date September 2011
Full cast recording featuring: Kathleen Turner, Matthew Rhys, Linda Purl & Bruce Davison
Produced by L.A. Theatre Works
107 minutes (includes an interview w/ Kathleen Turner)

L.A. Theatre works is bringing the joys of the theatre to homes of audiobook lovers everywhere. The latest installation from LATW is the stage production of "The Graduate." Terry Johnson has adapted the screenplay and the book and conglomerated them to make this version to be performed on stage and with an excellent cast featuring Kathleen Turner as the legendary Mrs. Robinson.

The best thing about these audio releases from LATW is that they put you right in the audience. You don't have to worry about bad angles viewing the proscenium, bad acoustics in the back of the auditorium because you got your tickets too late or trying to find a parking space. This production not only has great casting but the audio recording is perfect in that all characters are heard clearly and all sound effects are perfect. The unzipping of Mrs. Robinson's dress by Benjamin Braddock is heard clearly but subtle enough that it is part of the scene and not distracting.

One of the things I liked about the movie version of "The Graduate" was the music by Simon & Garfunkel. In this production LATW provides music between scenes and acts that reflects the sound and feel of a Simon & Garfunkel tune, without being a bad copy of the music. LATW has thought of everything in this production.

The cast in this production provided that fresh feel to the play and all roles were on spot. I listened to this performance on my commutes to and from work and laughed so much that while listening to this story my workdays went by with less stress. Start the workday out with a laugh and the rest of the day goes smoothly. Maybe the stress relief market would be a good venture for these audio performances.

The story behind "The Graduate" is a dip into the life of any youth asking, "What's it all about?" Benjamin Braddock comes home after graduating college but not sure what to do next. He has a fellowship grant to return to school for his masters so he can go on to be a teacher, but he's disillusioned by life. Wandering aimlessly, Ben gets seduced by Mrs. Robinson and soon they are meeting discreetly in a hotel to have an affair. With Mrs. Robinson (and Mr. Robinson) being friends with his parents Ben never feels comfortable and when Mr. Robinson and Ben's dad set him up for a date with Elain Robinson, Mrs. Robinson forbids him to date her.

Ben initially meets Elaine at a seedy bar where strippers perform in the idea to get rid of her quick. But after hurting her feelings he feels remorse and wants to make it up to her. After some time spent together Ben falls in love with Elaine. Elaine then goes off to finish college and Ben follows.

Ben has finally found out "What it's all about," but by sleeping with Elaine's mother may have ruined that possible future for himself. A funny romp through love and philosophy, this production of "The Graduate" will have you laughing and thinking. Bravo, LATW.

"Three Sisters" by Anton Chekhov

"Three Sisters"
by Anton Chekhov
Multi-cast performance featuring: Jennifer Westfeldt, Sarah Zimmerman, Tessa Thompson and Jon Hamm.
Produced by L.A. Theatre Works (2011)
Approx 2 hours

Every so often you have to go back and visit the classics, okay you don't HAVE to but it is really nice to see what you may have missed either the first time around or for the first time. This time around I visited a classic thanks to the wonderful production of L.A. Theatre Works. L.A. Theatre works has a full catalog of plays which have been artfully reproduced into audiobook form. This is the third play from LATW I've heard and I'm always amazed at how well they are able to translate a visual medium into an audio performance. Not only do you hear every detail but throughout the performance it feels as if you are right in the middle of the audience during the performance.

As with all the other productions I've heard from LATW the cast is excellent, performing their roles and able to translate emotions straight through the audio performance. For those of you interested and wanting some "star factor" to go with your theatre, this performance of "Three Sisters" features John Hamm as Lt. Colonel Vershinin. You may recognize Hamm from the TV series "Mad Men." Now, don't get me wrong, in the ensemble cast everyone shines, but just for a trivia aspect or able to say you know that voice, it's kinda neat.

"Three Sisters" was first performed in 1901 and at first made myself ready for a period piece, but I was surprised by the timelessness. Yes it is a period piece but the theme of the play carries on through the ages. The main theme of the play to me was trying to discover the meaning of life. At times it's a matter of wanting to be happy but other times not knowing what it's about. This was made evident to me in the final lines of Olga (one of the Sisters) and the old Doctor Chebutykin;

CHEBUTYKIN It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter.
OLGA. If we only knew, if we only knew!

Overall the play is about the decay of the privileged class in Russia and the search for meaning in the modern world and takes place in four acts. Each act progressing through time for the characters. At this point I would like to say for this production It would have been nice to know how much time had elapsed at the beginning of each act. LATW produced the play with music separating the acts, but I personally would have liked to know in advance how much time has elapsed. As each act progresses it becomes fairly obvious but it did seem a bit confusing at first.

Another nice production from the folks at L.A. Theatre works, I can't wait to see what they serve up next, but in the meantime, I'll be visiting their back catalogue.

Field Report: Behringer EPA150

Field Report: Behringer EPA150

review on a nice portable PA system

"The Importance of Being Earnest" by Oscar Wilde

"The Importance of Being Earnest"
by Oscar Wilde
Multicast performance Featuring: James Marsters, Charles Busch, Emily Bergl, Neil Dickson, Jill Gascoine, Christopher Neame, & Matthew Wolf.
Produced by L.A. Theatre Works (2009)
Approx 2 hours

There were three main reasons I was drawn to this audio book / audio drama. The first was that the actor playing Jack/Earnest was James Marsters. I have really enjoyed Marsters delivery on audio books before and have come to love his acting. Second I have studied theater and one of my favorite plays is this one, I love the twists on words. And finally, it was a L.A. Theatre Works production. I recently listened to their production of "A Raisin in the Sun" and was impressed by how great their stage productions translated to audio book format without losing anything.

L.A. Theater Works has a large catalog of plays that have been produced into audio book form and I know I'll be going back for more, I was attracted to this because of James Marsters, but the other actors were hilarious and perfect to the roles. The casting and direction of these plays is perfect as comes out in these releases. The minor sound effects are heard and it sounds as if you are in the front row of the performance. The audience response is even heard making this even more of a sitting-in-the-audience experience.

The reason I like this play is the use of language. The plays on words are fun and at times have a bit of a message for the audience. Deep down the play demonstrates that over all we must all be honest. Wilde pushes this idea through the English parlour type of a play where people aren't who they seem to be.

Jack tells his household that he is off to visit Earnest, his brother who is ill. Earnest doesn't exist but it gives Jack the excuse to leave home and get out of social events. When Jack is off visiting Algie he goes by the name Earnest. Jack confesses his alter ego to Algie and gives Algie an idea on how he can do the same. Jack then meets Algie's cousin Gwendolyn and falls in love, but she couldn't love anyone other than someone named Earnest. Jack goes back home and is determined to become christened to be Earnest, but first he tells everyone his brother has died.

The death of Earnest is a big surprise, because Algie goes to visit Jack under the guise of Jack's brother Earnest. Algie falls in love with Jack's ward, Cecily, but Cecily would only marry someone named Earnest, Algie now makes arrangements to be christened.

In the big scene real names are revealed including the surprise that Jack is not who he thinks he is. All in all the mixed identities are fun but the real fun is the use of language. With this play Wilde paved the way for future comedies in this genre including Monty Python's Flying Circus. Great way to have fun for a couple of hours, just pick up this audio book from L.A. Theatre Works.

"Spy Killer" by L. Ron Hubbard

"Spy Killer"
by L. Ron Hubbard
Multicast performance
Produced by Galaxy Audio
approx 2 hours

Once again I dive into a Story from the Golden Age, with another pulp fiction classic from the master Storyteller, L. Ron Hubbard. This time we go on another adventure with at tale from the Orient.

Each one of these stories by Hubbard from the Mid-20th century launch me into a new adventure. Galaxy Audio makes these stories transition to audio books in a phenomenal way. Each one of these books is transformed into an audio drama that closely resembles an old fashioned radio drama. With great music, perfect sound effects and vocal acting that not only blows away the listener but makes the over the top characters created by Hubbard come to life.

Originally published in the April 1936 issue of "Five Novels Monthly," "Spy Killer" is one of the most violent and darker stories from this era of Hubbard's book. Kurt Reid has just escaped from the S.S. Rangoon and is on the run from those that want to charge him with murder. He flees to pre-Communist Shanghai, China and finds himself hunted by the most vile of persons, Lin Wang. Wang, a vile disgusting figure, wants Reid to kill a spy, in return he will give Wang a written confession to the murder Reid is being charged with. The confession is from another member of the crew of the Rangoon who Reid watched Wang torture the confession from.

Reid finds a woman from his past, Anne Carsten, is friends with a White Russian Spy, Varinka Savischna and both are in Shanghai. Reid seeks out the spy he is ordered to kill and it turns out to be Varinka. They then both conspire to kill Wang and try to escape with their lives.

In a story that is non-stop twists and turns, and secret identities as well as identity changes, Hubbard keeps you wondering what will happen next in this constant thriller.

"A Lion Among Men" by Gregory Maguire

"A Lion Among Men"
by Gregory Maguire
read by John McDonough
Published by Harper Audio (2008)
Approx 12 hours

Well I just finished listening to the third installment in Gregory Maguire's take on the Land of Oz. "Wicked" took the world by storm, and has been a hugely successful Broadway production. "Son of a Witch" told of Liir, the son of the Wicked Witch, Elphaba, who was melted by Dorothy, as he hunted for his half-sister Nor. It seems as though Maguire has closed up his version of Oz, but has left himself some room in case he wants to revisit this land. This time around we learn more about the Cowardly Lion, Brr and even more on how Elphaba became what she was.

Before we get into the story, I have to say that John McDonough does a superb job narrating this book, giving voice to all the characters. I was so happy to hear that he didn't try to give the lion the same voice Bert Lahr did. In all of Maguire's books all the characters have a bit of a darker side to them and the Bert Lahr Cowardly Lion just would not have worked. While still able to show some of the cowardly, lacking of nerve aspect to the lion he also gave him a bit of a scholarly sound in his voice. After all when the book opens the Lion is seeking information on behalf of the Emperor of Oz. McDonough does a great job representing the voice of Yackle who has been trying to die and failing and therefore holds a bit of snarkiness in her voice.

As the book opens the armies of the Emerald City and Munchkinland are marching toward each other in what will be the battle of battles. In the middle is the Mauntery, which has been the epicenter for Elphaba, Yackle, Liir, and Candle. Yackle still lives despite losing her eyesight and longing for death. At her request, the Maunts bury her in their crypt alive with only a few candles and some wine. She's eventually forgotten, but not by all. The Lion arrives wanting to question her regarding Elphaba, and eventually we find out also the Grimoire, in which the power of all powers could be attained. One of the sisters at the Mauntery is explaining that Yackle is dead just as Yackle comes walking into the room. The sister faints at the sight of the dead Yackle, who is now blind and very very old.

Yackle and Brr begin a bit of bartering to tell stories so Brr can gather the information he's seeking. In this we learn more of Brr's beginnings, how he was abandoned and alone in the forest and taught himself to talk while listening in on humans (he had the ability but no one to teach him). In his early years he comes across one of the Wizard's soldiers caught in a trap that was meant for an Animal like himself. He is too cowardly or maybe just excited about making his first friend and cannot find himself leaving the soldier alone. Brr stays with the man until he dies and sets out with the soldier's medal of courage and some books to tell his family.

By the end of the book the Clockwork Dragon Oracle makes its return and reveals all to the players involved just before the war comes to them. Allowing each to make a decision about their pasts and futures.

Maguire could end his Oz saga here, but he did leave the door open for further exploration. This book really allows you to emphathize with all the characters, even the ones who seem bad/evil and is a great addition to Maguire's stories.

"Under the Black Ensign" by L. Ron Hubbard

"Under the Black Ensign"
by L. Ron Hubbard
Multicast performance
Produced by Galaxy Audio (2008)
Approx 2 hours.

Back when I first started listening to these audio book productions of tales from the days of Pulp Fiction, or Stories from the Golden Age, I was only interested in the Science Fiction and Fantasy tales, but soon I was curious to hear some of the other genres because of the high quality of performance and production put into these books.

Galaxy Audio produces each story from the days of pulp fiction magazine into phenomenal performances that will remind you of the early days of radio. The characters created by Hubbard are already well rounded and over the top and the voice actors bring each character to life, each one sounding like a character from the mid-20th century, just like the high drama and suspense stories that were on the radio at the time. The vocalizations, the sound effects and the original music all come together to bring you a true theater of the mind performance.

Once I had listened to all the sci-fi and fantasy stories I started then listening to the back issues of these audio pulps, and no matter what genre I heard, I was entertained and enjoyed the great story. Hubbard wrote many stories during the time of the pulp magazines and in many genres. This time around we dive into a sea adventure, but even more exciting (I was especially looking forward to listening to this one) a pirate adventure.

Originally published in "Five Novels Monthly" August, 1935, "Under the Black Ensign" could be called the perfect swashbuckler romance. Set in the Caribbean of the 17th century this story blends piracy, British men-of-war, a girl of aristocratic birth disguised as a boy, and an officer unjustly stripped of rank.

Tom Bristol's career as first mate of the Maryland bark Randolph abruptly ends during shore leave when he is press-ganged into serving aboard the British HMS Terror. Back in the day the crews of naval vessels were the underlings and treated as such. One day onboard the Terror Bristol drops his marlin spike while working aloft and it nearly falls on a Lord who is on his way to take over a fort and prison in the Caribbean. The Lord, being the hoity toity well-to-do royalty type, thinks Bristol was attempting to assassinate him orders Bristol to be given 100 lashes (a punishment that would bring death.

Just as Bristol is about to receive his lashes, the vessel is overtaken by pirates and after the melee Bristol is seen to be tied to the mast and given the opportunity to join the pirates. Bristol is one of the valuable few that understand navigation on the high seas.

When Bristol is confronted by another pirate that wants to commit mutiny he kills the mutinous scalawag. His new pirate mates desert him quickly after he's found guilty of killing a mutinous pirate and unwittingly harboring a woman on board. The woman was actually Lady Catherine who escaped the Spanish by disguising herself as a boy. Bristol is then marooned on a deserted island, with nothing but a small supply of water, a gun and just enough bullets to kill himself.

The woman is put off toward more civilized confines but she steers her boat toward the island where Bristol is alone and they set up camp to decide what to do. As fate would have it Bristol watches a Spanish ship battle a Dutch slave ship and abandon the Dutch ship and its cargo. Bristol and the lady row out to the ship and free the slaves, who are sailing men themselves. Bristol now has a crew and they manage to seize a ship through trickery and he sets out for revenge against the pirates and the British on his own vessel sailing under the black ensign.

Great swashbuckling, pirates, battles, and dames what more could you ask for. This story beats any Pirates of the Caribbean story you'll find.

"Paul is Undead" by Alan Goldsher

"Paul is Undead"
by Alan Goldsher
read by Simon Vance
published by Blackstone Audio (2010)
Approx 8 hours

As the kids say, "OMG," I am still giggling thinking about this book and I finished it 2 days ago. "Paul is Undead" has got to be one of the funniest books I've read in a long time. This book is written in the format of the many biographies of rock stars in that it is a series of interviews that tell the story. This time though the story is not the story we all know as the rise of The Beatles to the "Toppermost of the Poppermost," a phrase used by John Lennon throughout the book and the definition is not fully understood until the very end.

In the tradition of all the horror mashups that have been released recently, (e. g. "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies," and "Sense and Sensibility and Seamonsters," and "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter") Alan Goldsher gives it a go, mashing up the supernatural and the Beatles. The entire history of The Beatles is retold with The Beatles now being Zombies and wanting to take over the world. Okay, really only 3 of the Beatles are zombies, Ringo is a 7th level Ninja, of course.

When you rush out to get this book, I would HIGHLY recommend getting the audiobook version. Simon Vance does a superb job of not just reading the book but performing it as well. Vance does his best impression of all celebrities mentioned in the book including the Fab 4, but with more, he does the voice of the Chicago reporter who is writing the book, Mick Jagger, Ed Sullivan, Elvis, Rod Argent, Yoko Ono, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, Satan and more. At times I felt as though I were listening to an audio biography produced by Ken Burns (but without the long drawn out scenes.) Vance had me laughing out loud with my headphones on with his presentation of this already hilarious book.

The book opens with Howard Cosell breaking in and announcing the attempted beheading of John Lennon by Mark David Chapman. Lennon's head is reattached and Chapman is arrested. From there we go back to the birth of John Lennon when as he came out of the womb he was zombified via the "Liverpool Process." The "Liverpool Process" of creating zombies is different from many other zombie creations known around the world. The "Liverpool Process" produces a super human zombie that can think, has supernatural powers, great speed, can hypnotize anyone, and can tear off and reattach any limb and more. Oh they still hunger for the gray matter but they can also eat , drink and experiment with drugs, the brain eating is saved for special occasions.

John then recruits/turns Paul and the duo are unstoppable, George Harrison is turned by Paul because John thinks he is too young. Stu Sutcliffe doesn't get turned to a zombie instead after quitting the Beatles he becomes a vampire. After the three play a few gigs they realize they need to replace Pete Best because they need a drummer who can protect the band. Enter Ringo Starr, a 7th level ninja, who can turn himself invisible (great subtle joke there).

Sure they have their problems, after all the world doesn't quite know what to do with zombies, but they make great music. Even worse, world renowned zombie hunter, Mick Jagger, is always trying to destroy them. Rod Argent is accused of riding the Beatles' coattails by naming his band The Zombies, even though they aren't undead. Roy Orbison is a deity of unknown proportion who doesn't allow Paul to steal his glasses. Smoking marijuana creates zombie flatulence which creates a purple haze of a more potent material that takes Bob Dylan by surprise. The Mahareshi Yogi gets dismembered, and finally Yoko Ono a 9th level ninja, has it out for Ringo.

All the stories are there, from their first Ed Sullivan appearance, the Shea Stadium troubles, and the band playing a concert on the rooftop of Abbey Road Studios, but with the hilarious zombie twist. For any Beatles fan this book is a must, it will have you laughing throughout.
Lots of gory laughs to be had.

"Dearly Devoted Dexter" by Jeff Lindsay

"Dearly Devoted Dexter"
by Jeff Lindsay
Read by Nick Landrum
Published by Recorded Books (2008)
Approx 9.5 hours

My book choice process has no pattern to it. This last time around was actually a recommendation from my nephew. He handed me a paperback copy of "Dearly Devoted Dexter," while asking if I had ever seen the TV series. I had never seen the series but heard it was interesting. After all a serial killer that works for the police and only chops up bad guys kind of grabs your attention. Well, my nephew told me the books were really good and handed me this one. I wanted to read the book but I had two other books given to me by publishers that had priority and I kept putting this off. Finally I decide I couldn't wait no more and found an audio book version and loaded it onto my iPod. But then I had copies of audio books from publishers I had to get to and I found myself listening to this part time while listening to the other books. Finally I got so interested in the story I had to put the others aside for a bit and dedicate myself to this one.

Yeah, the story is that intriguing. After I got about halfway through this book I started looking up information on the author in preparation for this review and found out this was the second in the series of five (so far) books. I was surprised because It didn't seem any backstory was needed. The author took the time to explain anything that had existed before and this story was a stand-alone story. While I didn't miss anything by not reading the previous book, I am definitely going back and reading or listening to the first book. Jeff Lindsay wrote with a constant mystery and knew how to weave in every detail that in the end all the clues fell into place while at the same time I was on the edge of my seat with some great thrills, mystery and even a few chills.

Dexter Morgan is a forensic blood spatter pattern analyst for the Miami Police Department. That's his day job. By night and especially around the full moon his "dark passenger" takes over. The "dark passenger" is a serial killer that lives inside Dexter. Dexter has honed his talent through his life with the help of his foster-father who was a police officer. He taught Dexter that his "talent" for killing can be used for good. When a known killer escapes justice on a technicality Dexter can make sure the criminal can never do harm again. Once Dexter has delivered his justice, he keeps a souvenir of a blood drop on a slide, which he keeps a collection of in his home.

Dexter's sister, Deborah, knows of Dexter's darker side yet seems to ignore it for the most part. Deborah has recently been taken off vice, where she had to always pose as a prostitute for sting operations, and moved to homicide where she now uses her talent along with help from her brother's darker side to solve crimes.

Dexter has an enemy in the form of Sgt. Doakes. Doakes does not trust Dexter and does everything he can to make life hell for Dexter.

Those are the main characters of the series that you need to know of so far. Let's talk about this book now. The book opens with Dexter tracking down a child-killer/pedophile in order to serve his dark justice. He investigates the killer by sneaking on to his boat to find absolute proof, the code of Harry (Dex's father) says to always make sure. When Dexter finds photos of the dead children and the man in the photos the same as the one he's tracking Dexter has his proof and proceeds to chop the man in pieces, and keeping a drop of blood as a souvenir. In the process Dexter realizes some other person was there taking the photos. When the victim won't tell him who it is Dexter searches for more clues. Just as he finds who the 2nd party is a wrench is thrown into the works.

Sgt. Doakes decides that he is going to catch Dexter. To do so Doakes follows Dexter everywhere he goes and even parks outside Dexter's home as if on a stake out. This seriously inhibits Dexter's plans to get the second man in his dark justice system. This not only frustrates Dexter but also, and maybe worse, frustrates Dexter's Dark Passenger.

Soon though, a case comes up in that involves Doakes, Deborah, Dexter and a mysterious government agency. A body is found with all the limbs removed and all facial features as well. Leaving what Dexter refers to as a "squealing pillow." Some evil person has sugically removed all the limbs while the victim is alive and medicated (to stay conscious) and in front of a mirror so the victim can contemplate their hideous mutilation.

Dexter, having been forced to suppress his own psychopathic urges by the suspicious Doakes, welcomes the distraction and begins to focus on hunting down the second possible child killer. However, Dexter finds himself drawn into the case of the mysterious "Dr. Danco" when his sister Deborah's new boyfriend, detective Kyle Chutsky, turns out to be on the torturer's hit list, as well as Sgt. Doakes.

Amidst all the chaos, Dexter finds himself accidentally engaged to his girlfriend Rita, and begins to suspect Rita's children Astor and Cody of having sociopathic tendencies of their own.

The book is written in first person and the delivery of the reader, Nick Landrum is so perfect that you feel as if Dexter is talking to you directly. I think I'm gonna go with audiobook versions of the rest of this series because Nick Landrum is so good at his job.

"The Sky Crasher" by L. Ron Hubbard

"The Sky Crasher"
by L. Ron Hubbard
Multi-cast performance
Produced by Galaxy Audio (2009)

Pulp magazines (often referred to as "the pulps"), also collectively known as pulp fiction, refers to inexpensive fiction magazines published from 1896 through the 1950s. The typical pulp magazine was seven inches wide by ten inches high, half an inch thick, and 128 pages long. Pulps were printed on cheap paper with ragged, untrimmed edges. The name pulp comes from the cheap wood pulp paper on which the magazines were printed. Magazines printed on better paper were called "glossies" or "slicks." They were most often priced at ten cents per magazine, while competing slicks were 25 cents apiece. Pulps were the successor to the penny dreadfuls, dime novels, and short fiction magazines of the 19th century.

Although many respected writers wrote for pulps, the magazines are best remembered for their lurid and exploitative stories and sensational cover art. L. Ron Hubbard published many short stories and novellas during this period in these pulps. Galaxy Press has been reprinting these stories and have created their own pulps (these have better paper quality) featuring stories from the many genres in which Hubbard wrote. I have to admit my favorites are from the Science-Fiction and Fantasy genres, but recently I've been exploring some of the other genres. I've been amazed at what other genres I began liking; such as Westerns. I never thought I'd be a fan of westerns, but Hubbard wrote some fun stories in that genre. My favorites, other than sci-fi/fantasy, seem to come from the Air and Sea Adventures, maybe that has to do with my Navy background.

What also makes these stories fun is that I've chosen to listen to these books. I love audio books and when I first tried out one of these stories from Galaxy Audio, I was amazed. First of all they sound like old radio dramas, like back in the day the stories were originally published, and the talent behind these productions is phenomenal. Starting with the actors, these stories take on a new life with superb voice actors performing them. The actors even give the characters a larger than life feel which is true to the Hubbard stories.

The next aspect of these stories in audiobook is the sound effects and music. Between chapters and stories Galaxy Audio segues with original music that blends perfect with in the genre. The sound effects are perfect and at the same time subtle enough to not be overbearing. They sweep you up into the story and don't allow you to let go until the end.

This latest excursion for me was the book "The Sky-Crasher" which featured two stories in the air-adventures genre.

The first, "The Sky-Crasher," was originally published in "Five Novels Monthly," January 1936.
Caution Jones has taken the safe side of the air travel industry since watching his father risk his life as a stunt pilot, but the days of caution are over when the world's airlines are to compete for a million dollar contract. He knows it's a risky venture to race around the world but when the rival airline tries to sabotage his every move, caution must be thrown into the wind and win the competition to save his airlines.


"Boomerang Bomber" is the second story in the book and was originally published in "Sky Aces magazine" June, 1938. Clint Ragen has been contracted to take a bomber to China. The Japanese consider this an act of War and seize Ragen's bomber (which is in crates, not yet assembled) and threaten to imprison Ragen. The problem is Ragen is the only person that knows how to assemble the bomber. Maybe he can work off his imprisonment by assembling the aircraft or maybe he has other plans.

Two great stories, both with some great air battles, one with guns and one with wits.

Torchwood Audio Dramas "Lost Souls" "Asylum" "Golden Age" "The Dead Line" Directed by Karen McAll

Torchwood Audio Dramas
"Lost Souls"
"Asylum"
"Golden Age"
"The Dead Line"
Directed by Karen McAll
each episode approx 1 hour.

Once again I'm astounded by the creative sci-fi writing for British television. I've been a fan of Doctor Who from way back. Get past the what are now, and even then, considered cheesy special effects, and you find some very smart writing in these series. When the Doctor Who TV series experienced a rebirth back in 2005 I was wary. I was afraid they would not be able to keep up with my image of Doctor Who, I was a huge fan of Tom Baker's portrayal of the Doctor. How could they keep up with the humor and the fun in space and time travel? Well only recently I decided to give it a try. I had six seasons to watch and I watched them all. I was astounded. The writing was excellent and all of the new doctors kept the tradition alive. David Tennant was my favorite of the New Doctors, since he was the closest to what Tom Baker brought to the character.

The cool thing about the new series was that it launched two spin-off series. One was aired on CBBC (the children's portion of BBC tv), "The Sarah Jane Adventures." This series focused on the longtime Doctor Who companion Sarah Jane Smith. The adventures were more of a live action Scooby Doo series (sans semi-talking dog, unless you count K-9) It was a kids show but the Doctor made a couple of appearances and the aliens were all ones that were experienced on Doctor Who. There was even a crossover episode of Doctor Who which featured Sarah and her alien hunting crew along with the crew of the other spin-off, "Torchwood."

This second spin-off series, "Torchwood," was one that really got my attention. "Torchwood," is a series about alien hunters that were established by Queen Victoria in 1879. The Doctor saved the Queen from a werewolf at the Torchwood Estate, in Scotland. After the Doctor saves her she knights him and then banishes him and establishes Torchwood to keep out all aliens. (Something note here; Torchwood is an anagram for Doctor Who.) Later in the Doctor Who Series Torchwood blasts an alien ship out of the sky, which The Doctor had just made it's passengers promise to never come to Earth again. Going against the Doctor on this the British Prime Minister learns not to cross the Doctor. In yet another episode of Doctor Who Torchwood is destroyed by the Daleks.

The Torchwood team is led by Captain Jack Harkness, who is a time agent and can never die. He met up with Doctor Who early in the new series and several times there after. After Torchwood is destroyed, Captain Jack rebuilds Torchwood because "The 21st Century is when Everything changes." He rebuilds the base in Cardiff, Wales, because there is a rift in time and space above/around Cardiff that aliens and time travelers find their way through. His team's job is to detain the arrivals or if possible send them back, keeping the world safe from aliens. So far the series has run 3 seasons with a fourth one coming soon, according to rumor at the time of this writing.

Set between the end of Series Two and the beginning of Series Three, the BBC aired four Torchwood radio dramas featuring the cast of the series, with the first airing September, 2008 and the last three July, 2009. That is the focus of this review. After I watched all of the new Doctor Who series and all the Torchwood series, I had to find more material. There are other audiobooks available but I wanted to start out with these radio dramas. They are available separately on amazon.com at last check.

So, let's talk about these audio dramas. They all feature the full cast and are written just as well as the TV series. If you want to continue in the Torchwood world it is best to start with these since they do feature the full cast. They also include the same music as the TV broadcasts as well as phenomenal sound effects that blast you into the middle of the story.

Here's a summary of each episode:

"Lost Souls" written by Joseph Lidster, begins with Captain Jack Harkness and his crew chasing weevils (annoying aliens that are constantly coming through the rift). Jack gets a call from Doctor Martha Jones, a former companion of The Doctor, who needs his help at CERN. Just hours away from a major discovery in particle physics people have gone missing. Torchwood arrives to find that the people have a particle missing from their atoms and must save the Earth from something brought to our univers via the Hadron Collider.

"Asylum" written by Anita Sullivan, is about a girl that comes from the future through the rift, she is caught shoplifting clothes and Torchwood is called in because of the weapon she's carrying. Turns out the young girl is from a bleak future and has a secret. Why did she come back in time and more important who sent her?

"Golden Age" written by James Goss, tells the story of the Delhi branch of Torchwood which was closed down by Captain Jack Harkness back in 1924 yet the people inside are not only still receiving packages addressed to Torchwood but have also found a way to freeze time. This can't be good for planet Earth.

"The Dead Line" written by Phil Ford is more of a haunting tale of a phone call you never want to receive. People in Cardiff are winding up in the hospital after answering the phone and going into a coma. When the call is traced the phone number is one that has not been connected since 1975. When Jack answers one of those calls it is up to Ianto Jones and Eve Myles, the other two members of Torchwood to find answers.

Four great sci-fi stories that will leave you wanting more. You can always go back and watch the series and check out the other audiobooks based on the series. Glad I could get you started.

Hostage to Death by L. Ron Hubbard

Hostage to Death
by L. Ron Hubbard
Multi-cast performance
Produced by Galaxy Audio (2009)
Approx. 2 hours

Once again it's time to dive into the Golden Age of Stories, when many Americans could get great escapism fiction from pulp magazines. One of the most prolific pulp fiction writers was L. Ron Hubbard, writing stories from many genres and being published in nearly all the pulps. This time around we go on a far flung adventure and join up with the French Foreign legion.

I can remember when I was young that a young man would instead of run away and join the circus had the option of running away and joining the Foreign Legion, I think I remember some TV show where a kid threatened to do so but being only 9 years old was talked out of it by his parents. The French Foreign Legion has been known to be an elite force with training that is more intense than any other military allowing anyone from any nationality to serve the French Army.

This story, "Hostage to Death" was originally published in "Five Novels Monthly" July, 1935 and is an adventure that will lead to double crosses within double crosses. Legionnaire Officer, Bill Reilly receives a severed hand that serves as a message and a threat. The hand is that of some unlucky soul that crossed into Abd El-Ulad's territory and that if nothing is done an Englishwoman, Kay MacArthur's hand will be sent next, basically challenging the Legion to rescue her. Knowing it could be a trap, Reilly's sense of honor overrides and he sends his squad in to rescue the woman. The good news, the woman is rescued. The bad news, it was a trap and the railroad they were supposed to be guarding is blown up. Reilly is tried and convicted to 15 years for abandoning his post.

But the Legion has other plans for Reilly. Now that Reilly is known to be sent to the roughest prison in history the Legion plans for his escape so he can infiltrate another enemy's camp, that of Abd El-Krim. Reilly takes to Krim the plans for movement of ammunition and basically sells Krim several trainloads of Legion weapons. The Legion does this so the enemy can attack and weaken Spain, who is threatening the French. The problem is that the French have one more plan of double-crossing Reilly which could put him and Kay MacArthur in the path of certain death.

Once again Galaxy Audio productions along with a superb cast present an adventure from the Stories from the Golden Age. The sound effects alone put you in the middle of the fight with rattling machine guns and clashing of blades. You may find yourself ducking the gunshots while trying to rescue the dame while listening.

"Sh*t My Dad Says" by Justin Halpern

"Sh*t My Dad Says"
by Justin Halpern
read by Sean Schemmel
Published by Harper Audio (2010)
Approx 3 hours

I've been listening to some pretty heavy duty literature lately and decided I needed some light-hearted entertainment. Also I am taking part in the local library's Adult Summer Reading program and for every ten books read I get an entry into the drawing for some cool prizes, so I needed to find some shorter books. I have been a follower of Justin Halpern's twitter feed for "Sh*t My Dad Says" before the book and the TV series and and have found the musings to be hilarious at times. This book surprised me in that it not only has those funny quotes but also includes some short stories/essays on various events in Justin's upbringing. Some of them surprisingly poignant. Justin's Dad, Sam Halpern, who provides the colorful views of the world comes across a bit harsh at first but after listening to this book I was left with the overview of a worldly wise man that sincerely loves his family.

Sam Halpern, is a retired doctor (Nuclear Medicine) and former Navy man and can cuss better than anyone I know. In the book Justin says his favorite is "Bullsh*t," and can use the word to mean a variety of different things and all those things vary by his intonation. On top of that the reader, Sean Schemmel is able to portray Sam exactly the way I heard him when I read the tweets, and is able to discern the different intonations of "Bullsh*t." Sean does a superb job of voicing this fun book.

I will say that if foul language highly offends you, you may want to stay away...but they are only words in fact Sam Halpern says this, ""They're offended? F--k, s--t, a----le, s--tf--k; they're just words...Fine. S--tf--k isn't a word, but you get my point." I found the book extremely funny and for 3 days my commute to and from work was the best ever. I could list several quotes in this review but instead I'll just provide the link to the twitter feed so you can get a good idea of some of the quotes, but keep in mind many of the good parts of this audio book are the stories told. Many of the stories are in reference to a father providing help in the different phases of any kid growing up, at times I recognized myself in the stories and while Justin Halpern had a more colorfully described life, I could definitely relate.

When all is said and done this book is basically about a man that loves his family and will do anything for them, the rest of the world can go to hell.

Here's the link for the twitter feed: http://twitter.com/Shitmydadsays

"Son of a Witch" by Gregory Maguire

"Son of a Witch"
by Gregory Maguire
Read by the author
Produced by Harper Audio (2005)
Approx 14.5 hours

I still haven't had the chance to see "Wicked" the musical, but I couldn't just stop after reading the book. I found Gregory Maguire had written two sequels to the book so I thought I would get going on that aspect of the story. So here it is I've just finished "Son of a Witch" and have found the story to be interesting but didn't seem to close out the story. In the interview at the end of the audiobook the author says he doesn't have any plans to come up with another book in the spin off from the world of the Wizard of Oz. But it seems as though this book screams for a sequel. In that same interview Maguire says he got the idea from two sources; the numerous letters from young female fans who wondered what happened to Nor (daughter of the witch) and after seeing the torture photos from Abu Gharib prison. The problem with this is that this book seems to leave even more questions about what happened to Nor, although the prison scene is in the book.

This audiobook is read by the author and after reading stories (he also writes children's stories) to children he has honed his craft of quality voice acting. Maguire delivers the story probably the way it should be, the voices all sound as he intended so you get more depth to the characters. His delivery is perfect for the story and the different characters come across well defined. Keep in mind this is a story from the "Land of Oz" so there are some interesting characters such as, a talking Goose, a Phoenix and an Elephant disguised as a human princess. Each one comes across just as you and the author would think they should sound.

The first section of the book consists of a series of flashbacks that jump back to after the Wicked Witch of the West (Elphaba) is killed by Dorothy and Liir (the Son of the Witch) accompanies her and her band (Scarecrow, Tinman, Lion and Toto to) back to the Wizard, and the "present" when Liir's body is found along the roadside thought to be another victim of "The Scrapings." Citizens are found dead with their faces scraped off by some mysterious force. When Liir is found to be still alive he is brought back to the Cloister of Saint Glinda in the Shale Shallows. The Superior Maunt recognizes the young man and identifies him as Liir, the young boy who left the Cloister with Elphaba a decade or so ago.

In the "present" time Liir is brought back to health by A Quadling girl, Candle who rarely speaks, and only in her native tongue, Qua'ati (though she understands other speech). Raised in Ovvels, she and some relatives became itinerants. She is left at the Cloister of Saint Glinda by her uncle, and ends up working in the kitchen under Sister Cook. She becomes a skilled player on the domingon, a Quadling musical instrument which sounds like it closely resembles a lute. When a phoenix plucks one of its own feathers to give to Candle and place in the domingon, the instrument seems to be complete, and Candle is able to "play" Liir Back to health by making him remember his past.

Candle and Liir are forced to leave the Mauntery and seek shelter in an abandoned farm which also served once as a press for an underground newspaper. Liir then learns he must go back to Oz and destroy the dragons, reclaim his broom and cape (which belonged to his mother) and guide the Council of Birds to Safety. In the process Liir learns his uncle Shel is now the Emperor of Oz and is running a corrupt government. The big lesson for Liir in this is that the he cannot simply sit back and let the world go by, he must take part in it in order to make change.

The story remains very interesting and entertaining, but I feel the book was not complete. I guess that's why Maguire wrote the sequel "A Lion Among Men," which is on my summer reading list.

"The Cylons' Secret" by Craig Shaw Gardner

"The Cylons' Secret"
by Craig Shaw Gardner
Published by Tor Books (2006)
303 pages

It seems as though not a day goes by that I don't have a thought about how great the reconceived "Battlestar Galactica" tv series was. The storylines were multidimensional, the actors were perfect and the whole series had a purpose. Why did it have to end? Well they did try to revisit the glory with the short-lived series "Caprica," but it seemed they weren't given the chance to tell the story. It seemed like a J. Michael Straszinski story that was constantly building into something but you had to have patience. But people wanted it to be awesome too fast so the show somewhat failed.

So what do we do for our Galactica fix for now? Well, I'm not sure about you but I have found one release, books. I have started reading some fiction based on the new and old series and have decided to create my own world based on the series with reading. Before the reimagined series came out Richard Hatch (yes the actor that played Apollo in the original series and Tom Zarek in the reimagined series) wrote a few. There was the Glen A Larson book which told of the beginnings from the original series point of view (this one featured the long lost daggit). There was a novelization of the pilot miniseries and now I found this gem which is a prequel to the reimagined series and features Adama, Tigh, and Zarek in a post Cylon war / pre Galactica seeks Earth adventure. A couple of fun things thrown into this book are the appearance of Viper pilot Athena, who was in the original series but was never written into the new series, and the Battlestar Pegasus, which made a major appearance in the new series.

The story created in this novel centers around a research base on the outskirts of space that has been forgotten. The original function of the base was to examine ways the Humans and Cylons could work together in harmony. The problem is that the Cylons sought to destroy humankind and the Cylon war broke out. When the war broke out this base was forgotten. Now 30 years later scavengers/pirates are out seeking lost treasures from things on the fringes of navigable space. The scavenger Cruiser Lightning comes across Omega Base and hear an antiquated recorded warning message transmited from the base saying the planet is under quarantine. Finding the recording to be from before the Cylon war they decide to scavenge what they can. When arriving at the planet they find it populated by a few research scientists and Cylons. When the scavengers begin shooting the Cylons fight back. The Cruiser is forced to flee when a Cylong Dreadnought ship appears and destroys the Cruiser's shuttle and Vipers. The shuttle actually only crashes since its last minute pilot, Tom Zarak has no experience flying, let alone running away from Cylons out to kill. The captain of the Cruiser Lightning never loses any of his crew and escapes but with revenge creeping close to the surface.

Meanwhile the Battlestar Galactica, with executive officer, William Adama and Flight crew Officer, Saul Tigh, is patrolling that sector of space trying to track down scavengers who have a path of destruction in their wake. When the Galactica approaches the planet and Omega Base, they are warned that they have Cylons, but the Cylons are Companions not the war seeking models from the war. And that they would like to share their experiment results with the colonies and some of the humans on the base would like to return to the Colonies. Adama is sent down as a diplomat and sets out to find the secrets of Omega Base. It seems the humans aren't the only ones who have taken an interest in the base that has been forgotten. When the Cylon Dreadnaught makes it's appearance near the Galactica the Cylon war seems like it's about to begin again.

Craig Shaw Gardner weaves a tale that keeps with the in depth plots and characters that made the reimagined series a hit.

"Under the Diehard Brand" by L. Ron Hubbard

"Under the Diehard Brand"
by L. Ron Hubbard
Multi-cast performance
Produced by Galaxy Audio
Approx 2 hours

I've said it before, and I'll say it again; I never thought I'd enjoy reading a Western novel or story. In the past these just never interested me, actually I'm still not all that interested in just any old Western story. A friend once tried to get me to read some Louis L'Amour, but I just couldn't get past 10 pages without becoming utterly bored. But here I am reading yet another Western story from L. Ron Hubbard.

I think, no wait, I know what it is that keeps me interested. It's the great production that goes into these Stories from the Golden Age produced by Galaxy Audio. The sound effects are perfect and keep you trapped in the story. The incidental music, between chapters and stories, just screams the "old west." But most importantly is the actors. The characters in the stories by L. Ron Hubbard are always super real and over the top and the characterizations provided by the voice actors in these productions represent them perfectly. Whether it's an outlaw named Holy George who speaks as though from a pulpit or a cantakerous gold prospector left alone in a ghost town, the actors let you know every aspect of the characters in these stories by superb acting and vocal expertise.

Galaxy Audio and Galaxy Press have been releasing the short stories from the master storyteller, L. Ron Hubbard for a few years now and continue to do so. These releases are from the mid-20th century writings which were originally published in the "pulp" magazines of the time. These works of "pulp-fiction" proved some great escapism fiction for the American readers and the pulps represented almost every genre of fiction. Hubbard wrote stories for nearly every genre and this time around I jumped into another collection of Western stories from the Stroies from the Golden Age. Each release from Galaxy Audio and Galaxy Press are issued to closely resemble the pulps of the time. This release contains the following three stories.

"Under the Diehard Brand" was originally published March, 1938 in "Western Aces" magazine and tells the tale of the Lee Thompson, son of the sheriff of Wolf River, coming back to his father after being away to help his father. When he arrives in town his father, Sheriff "Diehard" Thompson, doesn't recognize him and tells the young boy to keep on drifting or get a job. The son finds his father has gotten older and some local ruffians and cattle rustlers have over run the town of Wolf River. Lee then comes up with a plan to build back up his father's reputation and rid the town of the criminal element by joining up with the rustlers.

"Hoss Tamer" was originally published January, 1950 in "Thrilling Western" magazine.
An ex-circus horse trainer finds himself out of a job when the circus folds and sells off all its property in a foreclosure. The trainer tries to find a job as a bronc buster, after all he could "train" horses. But he gets injured and maimed the first time he tries and is forced to work for the town's livery stable. The Gopher Hole gang, the band responsible for his bronc busting disaster attempts to rob the Wells Fargo Train town, can a circus horse trainer foil the Gopher Hole Gang's attempt to rob the Wells Fargo train through their horses?

"The Ghost Town Gun-Ghost" originally published August, 1938, in "Western Action" magazine is a humorous story of an old prospector that seems to have lost his wits after being abandoned in a town when the gold ran out. A young fellow arrives in town and is shown about the town by the prospector who acts out the role of everyone in town from the mayor, to sheriff down to the the man running the Wells Fargo. When a few unsavory characters arrive in town it seems the prospector and young man may meet their end in a battle over stolen money hidden in town.

Naked Lunch: The Restored Text by William S. Burroughs

Naked Lunch: The Restored Text
by William S. Burroughs
Read by Mark Bramhall
Produced by Blackstone Audio, Inc. (2009)
Approx 10.5 hours

Every so often I have to go back and revisit a classic novel, this time around I was going to listen to “Naked Lunch” by William S. Burroughs, but I found that there had been a restored text version released which contains sections that were thought to be lost as well as some additional essays by Burroughs. I remember last time I tried to read this I couldn't quite get through the whole book. There were and still are parts that are extremely disturbing. Burroughs wrote the better part of this book while addicted to heroin and living in Tangiers. The stories/segments really display the torn state of consciousness he must have been experiencing.

The book starts out fairly straight forward in which a junkie (Burroughs) runs from the police in New York City and heads off across the country to escape and score more drugs. His adventures take us to Mexico City, Tangiers and into a alternate reality location referred to as “the Interzone.” Once he arrives in Mexico things get really weird when he meets up with Dr. Benway. By weird I mean really blow your mind type of weird. The descriptions of junkies using drugs in the not so “normal” way and even taking drugs that are way beyond the norm border on the disgusting. The weirdness hits when the author takes the reader/listener overseas and sexual deviancy becomes extremely disturbing. I did have to stop listening to this book at times just to clear my mind of the vivid imagery created by Burroughs.

At this point I would like to talk about the reader/Narrator, Mark Bramhall. Bramhall delivers this audiobook with absolute vocal perfection. His raspy voice is strangely soothing and yet some of the stuff he describes are over the top. His ability to do separate voices for each of the characters is worthy of applause not only because of the vocal gymnastics needed but also because of the ability to expose the characters through his voice alone. I'm gonna be looking for more audiobooks voiced by Bramhall, because he is just that good.

This novel presents a glimpse into the emerging counter cultures of the 1950s and gives interesting insights into how these forces effect the ongoing development of modern society. In one of the essays that Burroughs wrote in the early 60s, Burroughs continues this glimpse by further exploring the idea of treating addicts. His essay should be read by anyone involved in today's “War on Drugs.” The book was written in a non-linear fashion, in that the reader could pick up and start reading any chapter in the book and not lose the form of the storyline. I found it very interesting that the book ends exactly where it starts with the junkie running away from the cops. The story was brought full circle and at no point did I realize it was headed this way.

As for the historical significance of the book here is some of the information I found. The book is extremely controversial in both its subject matter and its use of obscene language (something Burroughs recognized and intended), the book was banned in Boston and Los Angeles in the United States, and several European publishers were harassed. It was one of the most recent American books over which an obscenity trial was held. The book was banned in Boston in 1962 due to obscenity, but that decision was reversed in 1966 by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. The Appeals Court found the book did not violate obscenity statutes, as it was found to have some social value. The hearing included testimony in support of the work by Allen Ginsberg and Norman Mailer.

Sections of the manuscript were published in the spring, 1958 number of Robert Creeley's Black Mountain Review and in the spring 1958 University of Chicago student-run publication The Chicago Review. The student edition was not well received, and caused the university administration to discuss the future censorship of the Winter 1959 edition of the publication, resulting in the resignation of all but one of the editors. When the editor Paul Carroll published BIG TABLE Magazine alongside former Chicago Review editor Irving Rosenthal, he was found guilty of sending obscene material through the U.S. mail for including "Ten Episodes from Naked Lunch," a piece of writing the Judicial Officer for the United States Postal Service deemed "undisciplined prose, far more akin to the early work of experimental adolescents than to anything of literary merit" and initially judged it as non-mailable.

If you do chose to pick up this book I will warn you, reality will be altered and no matter who you are you will be disturbed.