[listening] Audio books and dramas
- Thread starter Guvnor
- Start date
Dr Who Big Finish
The Wormery
6th Doctor. Following close to the trial of the Doctor in the final series of Colin Baker's run, this is a curate's egg. The core conceit is derivative, but the drama and the acting from Katy Manning as the inebriated Lancashire Time Lord Iris Wildthyme, Maria McErlane as Bianca and Jane MacFarlane as Mickey are excellent. As is often with transparent plots, it would make a good scenario for an RPG.
7/10
The Wormery
6th Doctor. Following close to the trial of the Doctor in the final series of Colin Baker's run, this is a curate's egg. The core conceit is derivative, but the drama and the acting from Katy Manning as the inebriated Lancashire Time Lord Iris Wildthyme, Maria McErlane as Bianca and Jane MacFarlane as Mickey are excellent. As is often with transparent plots, it would make a good scenario for an RPG.
7/10
Dr Who Big Finish
Seasons of Fear
Nice exploration of a moral collapse perhaps exaggerated by the 8th Doctor and then unpicked by him. Several nice acts set from Roman Britain to Anglo Saxon England to Georgian England. Strong women and a well acted and villain one has sympathy with even as Charlie keeps suggesting assassination!
8/10
Seasons of Fear
Nice exploration of a moral collapse perhaps exaggerated by the 8th Doctor and then unpicked by him. Several nice acts set from Roman Britain to Anglo Saxon England to Georgian England. Strong women and a well acted and villain one has sympathy with even as Charlie keeps suggesting assassination!
8/10
Radio 4
The Case of Charles Dexter Ward
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06spcbl
A friend put me on to this. A modernisation of HP Lovecraft's novella about a resurrected sorceror taking over a naive descendant's life. Lovecraft purists will probably hate it, and it bears little resemblance to the original story (I thought it borrowed a fair amount from another HPL story, The Thing on the Doorstep) but I still enjoyed it. Rather admired the way it threw in everything but the occult kitchen sink, with references to Aleister Crowley, Nazi pseudo-paganism, Ancient Mesopotamia and the New Forest Witch Cult, amongst others. A heavy weight supporting cast includes Nicola Walker, Alun Armstrong and Adam Godley.
Have embarked on the sequel The Whisperer in Darkness, which relocates the original's tale of fungoid menace in New England to Rendelsham Forest, site of the infamous 1980 UFO incident.
The Case of Charles Dexter Ward
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06spcbl
A friend put me on to this. A modernisation of HP Lovecraft's novella about a resurrected sorceror taking over a naive descendant's life. Lovecraft purists will probably hate it, and it bears little resemblance to the original story (I thought it borrowed a fair amount from another HPL story, The Thing on the Doorstep) but I still enjoyed it. Rather admired the way it threw in everything but the occult kitchen sink, with references to Aleister Crowley, Nazi pseudo-paganism, Ancient Mesopotamia and the New Forest Witch Cult, amongst others. A heavy weight supporting cast includes Nicola Walker, Alun Armstrong and Adam Godley.
Have embarked on the sequel The Whisperer in Darkness, which relocates the original's tale of fungoid menace in New England to Rendelsham Forest, site of the infamous 1980 UFO incident.
Last edited:
Enjoyed this audiobook of Lovecraft's The Dunwich Horror.
Not entirely sure about some of the accents, they sound a bit southern to my admittedly unpractised ear, but that's a minor quibble. I'll certainly be giving Chilling Tales for Dark Nights' other work a listen.
Not entirely sure about some of the accents, they sound a bit southern to my admittedly unpractised ear, but that's a minor quibble. I'll certainly be giving Chilling Tales for Dark Nights' other work a listen.
Last edited:
Just finished Chapter House Dune audiobook. Just started tackling the Thomas Covenant books on Audible .
Audiobooks I would recommend for peeps to try. The NPCs by Drew Hayes. It is about NPCs in a fantasy world becoming PCs. It is a very interesting take on RPGs and a game world and real world plot developing.
Audiobooks I would recommend for peeps to try. The NPCs by Drew Hayes. It is about NPCs in a fantasy world becoming PCs. It is a very interesting take on RPGs and a game world and real world plot developing.
Well look what I found on audible. The Designer and Dragons The 70s. Spooky as I am reading this at the moment.
https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Design...7a8-61cbe73eab89&pf_rd_r=2AK4B1HM5EJG8SRXWXW5
Also a book about certain Mr Gygax. I have already read and listened to this.
https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Empire...f91-b3cad83c5183&pf_rd_r=0Z8T1TVHXZZPC1ET2WWC
https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Design...7a8-61cbe73eab89&pf_rd_r=2AK4B1HM5EJG8SRXWXW5
Also a book about certain Mr Gygax. I have already read and listened to this.
https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Empire...f91-b3cad83c5183&pf_rd_r=0Z8T1TVHXZZPC1ET2WWC
https://open.spotify.com/show/0iCwWITI2p0Ucaq3ISCxV2?si=7Lx6HyogQQC8oaXkHOAkqQ
The Left/Right game with Tessa Thompson. I approve.
The Left/Right game with Tessa Thompson. I approve.
Black Aquarius: Not an audio book/drama but not really a podcast either (?). Archived Radio 4 programme about 1970s UK pop occultism. Presenter Matthew Sweet overdoes it a bit, especially in the introduction. Still an interesting survey of the phenomemon though and I wouldn't have minded it being longer, even a series perhaps. Possible inspiration for a period set horror game: I've heard the Highgate Vampire story before and thought it was bunk but it would make a good scenario seed.
Next one on my list, The Sandman. That should do me until end of next week on my daily commute to work.
https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/The-Sa...f91-b3cad83c5183&pf_rd_r=9MXJV0RPGK6BW3QYAX67
https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/The-Sa...f91-b3cad83c5183&pf_rd_r=9MXJV0RPGK6BW3QYAX67
I know where my next Credit is going, after I finish House Atredies audiobook. Designers & Dragons The 80s. The decade which started it all for me.
https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Designers-Dragons-The-80s-Audiobook/B08X7KFZ3T
https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Designers-Dragons-The-80s-Audiobook/B08X7KFZ3T
After finishing Designers & Dragons The 80s, well recommended by the way. A great insight of the 80s RPG scene. I am about to start the 10 book Epic which is The Shadows of The Apt. That should see me through the next few months of listening pleasure.
https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Empire...228-794441551983&pf_rd_r=QD478031TM6TNMHXM0V0
https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Empire...228-794441551983&pf_rd_r=QD478031TM6TNMHXM0V0
http://bafflegab.co.uk/productions/the-scarifyers/
They're also available for free on the Apple podcast app.
They're also available for free on the Apple podcast app.
Trying out The Shadow of the Apt Series by Adrian Tchaikovsky. Books 1 to 4 are available now. Books 5 to 7 are released end of July. Books 8 to 10 are released mid November. I read books 1 to 5 many, many years ago and never finished the Saga.
Humans take on the characteristics of insects. Each People have Gifts which relate to their Insect type. There are 2 types. The Apt who understand and use Technology. There is steam power, flying machines and tanks. Then there is the Inapt who stick to the Old Ways, with Magic and medieval weapons.
The Narrator does the various accents with great skill. Each of the Kinden have an accent. The Main Characters have Yorkshire, Irish and American accents. Others is Australian, West Country, Scouser or Manc. He is more than capiable bring each Character and the Story to life.
Humans take on the characteristics of insects. Each People have Gifts which relate to their Insect type. There are 2 types. The Apt who understand and use Technology. There is steam power, flying machines and tanks. Then there is the Inapt who stick to the Old Ways, with Magic and medieval weapons.
The Narrator does the various accents with great skill. Each of the Kinden have an accent. The Main Characters have Yorkshire, Irish and American accents. Others is Australian, West Country, Scouser or Manc. He is more than capiable bring each Character and the Story to life.
I've been listening to lots of audiobooks in the last year - a perk of working from home:
2020
The War of the Worlds - HG Wells
The Time Traveller - HG Wells
The Kraken Wakes - John Wyndham
The Day of the Triffids - John Wyndham
Survival - John Wyndham
2021
The Island of Dr. Moreau - HG Wells
How to Stop Worrying and Start Livings - Dale Carnegie
Dragonflight - Anne McCaffrey
I've also indulged in some James Bond radio plays (from Radio 4 with Toby Stephens as Bond):
Goldfinger, Dr. No, Diamonds are Forever, Thunderball, Moonraker, Live and Let Die, and The Man with the Golden Gun.
The HG Wells and John Wyndham ones came from a free trial with Audible (I picked a couple of releases that had multiple books
). The HG Wells ones are especially good as they have some excellent narrators (Jason Isaacs, Hugh Bonneville, etc.)
The others I've found on YouTube. I also have a few other Pern ones lined up for later.
2020
The War of the Worlds - HG Wells
The Time Traveller - HG Wells
The Kraken Wakes - John Wyndham
The Day of the Triffids - John Wyndham
Survival - John Wyndham
2021
The Island of Dr. Moreau - HG Wells
How to Stop Worrying and Start Livings - Dale Carnegie
Dragonflight - Anne McCaffrey
I've also indulged in some James Bond radio plays (from Radio 4 with Toby Stephens as Bond):
Goldfinger, Dr. No, Diamonds are Forever, Thunderball, Moonraker, Live and Let Die, and The Man with the Golden Gun.
The HG Wells and John Wyndham ones came from a free trial with Audible (I picked a couple of releases that had multiple books
). The HG Wells ones are especially good as they have some excellent narrators (Jason Isaacs, Hugh Bonneville, etc.)The others I've found on YouTube. I also have a few other Pern ones lined up for later.
Last edited:
I've been listening to the Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Rivers...f91-b3cad83c5183&pf_rd_r=2P54WM6RPJMDKBGJASVF (although listening time has been hampered by Covid and not spending 10hours a week in the car)
They're in a similar mould to the Dresden Files books, but based in London and IMO much superior; more believable setting, less world-weary smart-arsery, and much more rounded (especially female) characters.
They're read by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith who is a fantastic narrator.
Will no doubt buy the Chaosium game when it comes out.
They're in a similar mould to the Dresden Files books, but based in London and IMO much superior; more believable setting, less world-weary smart-arsery, and much more rounded (especially female) characters.
They're read by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith who is a fantastic narrator.
Will no doubt buy the Chaosium game when it comes out.