Sorry for the short notice, but I only just discovered this myself. BBC Radio 4 Extra is currently featuring a free to listen to audio dramatization of Terry Pratchett's Only You Can Save Mankind (the first book in his Johnny Maxwell series). Part one expires in two days, so get on it.
Double feature for you guys, since I've done two since last posting.
Mass Effect: Retribution
This was pretty damn good, like the other Mass Effect ones. And it takes place between ME2 and ME3. Some familiar characters show up, and there's nice action.
I just downloaded an audiobook app for the iPad (not Audible's -- I checked the reviews and practically nobody likes that one) and found a score of free audiobooks to listen to -- so I'm going to try it out on E E Smith's The Skylark Of Space, a sci-fi classic I read and enjoyed back when I was in high school.
Bad news: I'm sorry, but Captain America was a jackass.
And O.M.I.T. is used as far as Spider-Man and MJ.
I'm very interested in either reading this or listening to it. Right now I'm listening to Kill Alex Cross and will be moving on to Merry Christmas Alex Cross soon.
Once again, BBC Radio 4 Extra is presenting a radio dramatization of a Terry Pratchett novel. This time it's Small Gods. The first episode will expire in a couple days, so if you're interested in listening to it do so ASAP.
Also, since Batman: Legends of Robin isn't really available in any format except cassette, let me know if you want it. I will be happy to get it to you in an easier format.
What kinda format can you get this in. I would love to listen to it.
Also, since Batman: Legends of Robin isn't really available in any format except cassette, let me know if you want it. I will be happy to get it to you in an easier format.
What kinda format can you get this in. I would love to listen to it.
Also, since Batman: Legends of Robin isn't really available in any format except cassette, let me know if you want it. I will be happy to get it to you in an easier format.
What kinda format can you get this in. I would love to listen to it.
Also, since Batman: Legends of Robin isn't really available in any format except cassette, let me know if you want it. I will be happy to get it to you in an easier format.
What kinda format can you get this in. I would love to listen to it.
Well, listening to this has made the TV show unwatchable. In fact, on SK's blog, he says the show will even change the origin of the dome. C'mon..I can understand changes when literature makes the jump to the screen but this isn't even the same story anymore.
Well, listening to this has made the TV show unwatchable. In fact, on SK's blog, he says the show will even change the origin of the dome. C'mon..I can understand changes when literature makes the jump to the screen but this isn't even the same story anymore.
For those who haven't read the Kings reply:
A Letter From Stephen
For those of you out there in Constant Reader Land who are feeling miffed because the TV version of Under the Dome varies considerably from the book version, here’s a little story.
Near the end of his life, and long after his greatest novels were written, James M. Cain agreed to be interviewed by a student reporter who covered culture and the arts for his college newspaper. This young man began his time with Cain by bemoaning how Hollywood had changed books such as The Postman Always Rings Twice and Double Indemnity. Before he could properly get into his rant, the old man interrupted him by pointing to a shelf of books behind his desk. “The movies didn’t change them a bit, son,” he said. “They’re all right up there. Every word is the same as when I wrote them.”
I feel the same way about Under the Dome. If you loved the book when you first read it, it’s still there for your perusal. But that doesn’t mean the TV series is bad, because it’s not. In fact, it’s very good. And, if you look closely, you’ll see that most of my characters are still there, although some have been combined and others have changed jobs. That’s also true of the big stuff, like the supermarket riot, the reason for all that propane storage, and the book’s thematic concerns with diminishing resources.
Many of the changes wrought by Brian K. Vaughan and his team of writers have been of necessity, and I approved of them wholeheartedly. Some have been occasioned by their plan to keep the Dome in place over Chester’s Mill for months instead of little more than a week, as is the case in the book. Other story modifications are slotting into place because the writers have completely re-imagined the source of the Dome.
That such a re-imagining had to take place was my only serious concern when the series was still in the planning stages, and that concern was purely practical. If the solution to the mystery were the same on TV as in the book, everyone would know it in short order, which would spoil a lot of the fun (besides, plenty of readers didn’t like my solution, anyway). By the same token, it would spoil things if you guys knew the arcs of the characters in advance. Some who die in the book—Angie, for instance—live in the TV version of Chester’s Mill… at least for a while. And some who live in the book may not be as lucky during the run of the show. Just sayin’.
Listen, I’ve always been a situational writer. My idea of what to do with a plot is to shoot it before it can breed. It’s true that when I start a story, I usually have a general idea of where it’s going to finish up, but in many cases I end up in a different place entirely (for instance, I fully expected Ben Mears to die at the end of ‘Salem’s Lot, and Susannah Dean was supposed to pop off at the end of Song of Susannah). “The book is the boss,” Alfred Bester used to say, and what that means to me is the situation is the boss. If you play fair with the characters—and let them play their parts according to their strengths and weaknesses—you can never go wrong. It’s impossible.
There’s only one element of my novel that absolutely had to be the same in the novel and the show, and that’s the Dome itself. It’s best to think of that novel and what you’re seeing week-to-week on CBS as a case of fraternal twins. Both started in the same creative womb, but you will be able to tell them apart. Or, if you’re of a sci-fi bent, think of them as alternate versions of the same reality.
As for me, I’m enjoying the chance to watch that alternate reality play out; I still think there’s no place like Dome.
As for you, Constant Reader, feel free to take the original down from your bookshelf anytime you want. Nothing between the covers has changed a bit.
I've never read the novel (and my only previous exposure to the Dome was The Simpsons Movie) so the TV version is all new to me... and so far I'm enjoying it.
There’s only one element of my novel that absolutely had to be the same in the novel and the show, and that’s the Dome itself.
I'm glad he feels that way because that's all that has remained from his original novel.
I've enjoyed pleanty of TV shows and movies that were based on books I've read and accepted the changes. Under the Dome is a new experience for me. I'm not sure I've ever watched an adaptation that has deviated so wildly from it's source.
The show and the book both start with the dome and then go down alternate paths from there. King is fine with that..it's his baby..and he is making money off the show. I for one was excited to see what I had read(listened to) on the screen...I guess i'm SOL..maybe if I was being paid royalties I'd be more supportive of it too.
A part of the reason for all of the changes from book to screen, as I understand it, is that CBS is hoping to make this an ongoing series if the ratings are decent enough. If so, then a lot of the situations have to 'open up' enough to allow for continuation of characters and subplots and to delay the resolution for as long as possible.
A part of the reason for all of the changes from book to screen, as I understand it, is that CBS is hoping to make this an ongoing series if the ratings are decent enough. If so, then a lot of the situations have to 'open up' enough to allow for continuation of characters and subplots and to delay the resolution for as long as possible.
Ok, but the core of the story is gone. King can say it's all about the dome but even the source of that has changed. This story doesn't even come close to resembling the book. For me, personally, I think they changed too much.
A part of the reason for all of the changes from book to screen, as I understand it, is that CBS is hoping to make this an ongoing series if the ratings are decent enough. If so, then a lot of the situations have to 'open up' enough to allow for continuation of characters and subplots and to delay the resolution for as long as possible.
Ok, but the core of the story is gone. King can say it's all about the dome but even the source of that has changed. This story doesn't even come close to resembling the book. For me, personally, I think they changed too much.
As I mentioned earlier, I've never read the book, so I can't compare the two. All I can go by is what I'm exposed to in the show, and, thus far, the story seems fine to me. (Though I could do without the creepy boyfriend subplot, which I find more distracting than anything else.)
You're probably best off forgetting the book altogether and just look on this as a new story under similar circumstances.
Well, listening to this has made the TV show unwatchable. In fact, on SK's blog, he says the show will even change the origin of the dome. C'mon..I can understand changes when literature makes the jump to the screen but this isn't even the same story anymore.
For those who haven't read the Kings reply:
A Letter From Stephen
For those of you out there in Constant Reader Land who are feeling miffed because the TV version of Under the Dome varies considerably from the book version, here’s a little story.
Near the end of his life, and long after his greatest novels were written, James M. Cain agreed to be interviewed by a student reporter who covered culture and the arts for his college newspaper. This young man began his time with Cain by bemoaning how Hollywood had changed books such as The Postman Always Rings Twice and Double Indemnity. Before he could properly get into his rant, the old man interrupted him by pointing to a shelf of books behind his desk. “The movies didn’t change them a bit, son,” he said. “They’re all right up there. Every word is the same as when I wrote them.”
I feel the same way about Under the Dome. If you loved the book when you first read it, it’s still there for your perusal. But that doesn’t mean the TV series is bad, because it’s not. In fact, it’s very good. And, if you look closely, you’ll see that most of my characters are still there, although some have been combined and others have changed jobs. That’s also true of the big stuff, like the supermarket riot, the reason for all that propane storage, and the book’s thematic concerns with diminishing resources...
I don't necessarily disagree with King on this. But I do feel whenever a writer quotes that (oft-quoted) line from Cain, what they are really saying is, "I cashed the check, darling."
Also- I enjoyed Under the Dome as an audiobook, and I do plan on seeing the CBS adaptation eventually, mostly because BKV is the head writer on it. As for the changes- I usually am excited to see an adaptation deviate so that it becomes a newer, more distinct experience with more surprises.
In good cases, the changes are to better suit the work to the medium it is now being made for (e.g. serial TV vs. prose novel).
Of course, in many cases, changes are made out of fear, convention, and an aversion to risk. That can happen, too. (Of course, some original works can be just as fearful, cliche, and safe as well.)
So I don't mind changes, or even a complete reimagining.
Bad news: I'm sorry, but Captain America was a jackass.
And O.M.I.T. is used as far as Spider-Man and MJ.
I've listened to a lot of GA's DC product. Hearing those voices as Marvel characters took me out of the story. That's not on GA. That's on me. Doctor Doom is correct. Stark comes off much better in this production than he did in the comics. I think it's because this production doesn't go into the same depth as the comic. The actor that did Cap's voice doesn't help either. I've always imagined Cap to speak with a note of sympathy & understanding. The actor has none of that. His Cap is pure Alpha Male. He has no time or patients for those that can't keep up.
After listening to The Ocean at the End of the Lane I had to find another book narrated by Mr. Gaiman. There is something special when an author reads his own work..the tone of voice, pauses, etc..the text is read exactly as it was intended.
Both books were great and I'm really sorry to hear Neverwhere doesn't have a sequel(considering some hanging threads left at the end).
After listening to The Ocean at the End of the Lane I had to find another book narrated by Mr. Gaiman. There is something special when an author reads his own work..the tone of voice, pauses, etc..the text is read exactly as it was intended.
Both books were great and I'm really sorry to hear Neverwhere doesn't have a sequel(considering some hanging threads left at the end).
Now, if only American Gods was narrated by him...
There are a lot of authors I do not want to hear narrate their own books—they just don’t have good voices. I did not enjoy L’Engle’s reading of Wrinkle in Time, nor Ursula K. Le Guin’s reading of Wizard of Earthsea.
Harlan Ellison does a good job with it, but Neil Gaiman is probably the best at it I’ve heard.
Comments
BBC Radio 4 Extra is currently featuring a free to listen to audio dramatization of Terry Pratchett's Only You Can Save Mankind (the first book in his Johnny Maxwell series).
Part one expires in two days, so get on it.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jlxd
Mass Effect: Retribution
This was pretty damn good, like the other Mass Effect ones. And it takes place between ME2 and ME3. Some familiar characters show up, and there's nice action.
A nice little (then-live) radio play in seven parts.
The best part is... SPOILER: Every annoying character gets what they deserve.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00b5lq5/episodes/player
And indeed, I was hooked after the first 5-10 minutes.
It was funny, informative, and made me hungry for more of his exploits and commentary.
A Letter From Stephen
For those of you out there in Constant Reader Land who are feeling miffed because the TV version of Under the Dome varies considerably from the book version, here’s a little story.
Near the end of his life, and long after his greatest novels were written, James M. Cain agreed to be interviewed by a student reporter who covered culture and the arts for his college newspaper. This young man began his time with Cain by bemoaning how Hollywood had changed books such as The Postman Always Rings Twice and Double Indemnity. Before he could properly get into his rant, the old man interrupted him by pointing to a shelf of books behind his desk. “The movies didn’t change them a bit, son,” he said. “They’re all right up there. Every word is the same as when I wrote them.”
I feel the same way about Under the Dome. If you loved the book when you first read it, it’s still there for your perusal. But that doesn’t mean the TV series is bad, because it’s not. In fact, it’s very good. And, if you look closely, you’ll see that most of my characters are still there, although some have been combined and others have changed jobs. That’s also true of the big stuff, like the supermarket riot, the reason for all that propane storage, and the book’s thematic concerns with diminishing resources.
Many of the changes wrought by Brian K. Vaughan and his team of writers have been of necessity, and I approved of them wholeheartedly. Some have been occasioned by their plan to keep the Dome in place over Chester’s Mill for months instead of little more than a week, as is the case in the book. Other story modifications are slotting into place because the writers have completely re-imagined the source of the Dome.
That such a re-imagining had to take place was my only serious concern when the series was still in the planning stages, and that concern was purely practical. If the solution to the mystery were the same on TV as in the book, everyone would know it in short order, which would spoil a lot of the fun (besides, plenty of readers didn’t like my solution, anyway). By the same token, it would spoil things if you guys knew the arcs of the characters in advance. Some who die in the book—Angie, for instance—live in the TV version of Chester’s Mill… at least for a while. And some who live in the book may not be as lucky during the run of the show. Just sayin’.
Listen, I’ve always been a situational writer. My idea of what to do with a plot is to shoot it before it can breed. It’s true that when I start a story, I usually have a general idea of where it’s going to finish up, but in many cases I end up in a different place entirely (for instance, I fully expected Ben Mears to die at the end of ‘Salem’s Lot, and Susannah Dean was supposed to pop off at the end of Song of Susannah). “The book is the boss,” Alfred Bester used to say, and what that means to me is the situation is the boss. If you play fair with the characters—and let them play their parts according to their strengths and weaknesses—you can never go wrong. It’s impossible.
There’s only one element of my novel that absolutely had to be the same in the novel and the show, and that’s the Dome itself. It’s best to think of that novel and what you’re seeing week-to-week on CBS as a case of fraternal twins. Both started in the same creative womb, but you will be able to tell them apart. Or, if you’re of a sci-fi bent, think of them as alternate versions of the same reality.
As for me, I’m enjoying the chance to watch that alternate reality play out; I still think there’s no place like Dome.
As for you, Constant Reader, feel free to take the original down from your bookshelf anytime you want. Nothing between the covers has changed a bit.
http://www.stephenking.com/promo/utd_on_tv/letter.html
btw: I agree with the King :D
I've enjoyed pleanty of TV shows and movies that were based on books I've read and accepted the changes. Under the Dome is a new experience for me. I'm not sure I've ever watched an adaptation that has deviated so wildly from it's source.
The show and the book both start with the dome and then go down alternate paths from there. King is fine with that..it's his baby..and he is making money off the show. I for one was excited to see what I had read(listened to) on the screen...I guess i'm SOL..maybe if I was being paid royalties I'd be more supportive of it too.
You're probably best off forgetting the book altogether and just look on this as a new story under similar circumstances.
In good cases, the changes are to better suit the work to the medium it is now being made for (e.g. serial TV vs. prose novel).
Of course, in many cases, changes are made out of fear, convention, and an aversion to risk. That can happen, too. (Of course, some original works can be just as fearful, cliche, and safe as well.)
So I don't mind changes, or even a complete reimagining.
So long as it works.
Doctor Doom is correct. Stark comes off much better in this production than he did in the comics. I think it's because this production doesn't go into the same depth as the comic. The actor that did Cap's voice doesn't help either. I've always imagined Cap to speak with a note of sympathy & understanding. The actor has none of that. His Cap is pure Alpha Male. He has no time or patients for those that can't keep up.
by Neil Gaiman
by Neil Gaiman
After listening to The Ocean at the End of the Lane I had to find another book narrated by Mr. Gaiman. There is something special when an author reads his own work..the tone of voice, pauses, etc..the text is read exactly as it was intended.
Both books were great and I'm really sorry to hear Neverwhere doesn't have a sequel(considering some hanging threads left at the end).
Now, if only American Gods was narrated by him...
Harlan Ellison does a good job with it, but Neil Gaiman is probably the best at it I’ve heard.