mazirian

I've been seduced by this form lately. I'm listening to Full Cast Audio's reading of Airborn by Ken Oppel. After initially disliking it as a half measure between a straight reading a full fledged audio drama, I've really warmed up to it. Is anyone else here listening to full cast readings, and, if so, would you care to recommend some?

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Bradford Bowman

SupComTabz

Tee Morris' Moravi Remastered is full cast read. So is his Billibub Baddings.

http://teemorris.com/

So is PG Holyfield's Murder at Avedon Hill.

http://www.pgholyfield.com/maah/


I'm really enjoying the style, though I'm sure it's harder to pull off for the producer - lots of fun.

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mazirian

Thanks for the suggestions!

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Bradford Bowman

Doug Wood

A few more are available at Podiobooks.com as free downloads. (donation suggested)


Space Casey by Christianna Ellis, SF/comedy - swindler in space

Serve it Cold by Ronnie Blackwell, crime/mystery, (gets rolling nicely after a slow start)

Shadow Falls by Mark Yoshimoto Nemkov, horror

The Masha Chronicles by Lisa Beth Kovetz

.. and I may have missed some. Those are the completed ones I recall.

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And Librivox.org drama selections lists 17 complete with 22 more in production for future release.

.

mazirian

Thanks. I'm a huge fan of Space Casey. I think of it as more full on audio drama though. I stopped listening to Shadow Falls after it stopped being an audio drama. Maybe I'll pick up the story again now.

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Bradford Bowman

Jack J Ward

I'm glad you can enjoy them my friend. I've found myself falling out of love with full cast audio dramatic novels. Maybe I've been spoiled, but I've found myself only able to listen to the genre when its children books doing as a full cast.

My problem (and I admit it is probably only mine) is that when its a full cast audio drama then I'm thrust into the story... When its a novel the audio drama actually takes me out of the narration and vice versa. I feel kind of like I'm sitting there waiting for this kind of thing....

The darkness grew with ever nefarious intent until suddenly there was heard a small voice...
OTHER ACTOR: "Help me! Help me!"
... it said.. and I wonder where it came from.

Flipping in and out of those voices throws me a whole lot as a listener and takes me from the story.
J

mazirian

Jack, I had that experience initially too. I had to re-wire my brain a bit. I think it really depends on how the story is written whether it will cross that divide. The first story I tried to listen to had suspension of disbelief crushing aspects to the narration that made me shut it off. Well, frankly, it was just so poorly written that it didn't matter how well the cast read it. But I'm am able to listen to Airborn without getting ejected from my immersion in the story. The transition from actor to narrator is quite smooth, almost like he wrote it for this form.

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Bradford Bowman

SupComTabz

Yeah Space Casey isn't a book - it's an audio drama

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Wesley

The confusion is because it (they) is (are) on podiobooks.com. To be on podiobooks it doesn't have to be a book, just fiction (and regularly produced or complete).

Not knocking either, of course.

And thanks, Jack, for saying that. I've been flound... er... I mean pondering what direction to take the Crimson Lien, and Full Cast audiobook was, I had feared, the best way to go. Knowing that it's not an absolute (full cast) > (single reader) equation helps me make my decision.

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Daniel

I listen to audiobooks quite a bit, and I personally wasn't that impressed with Full Cast Audio's "Airborn." The idea of a full cast reading is a good one, and their casting was good, but I think you have to do two things to make it really work for me. First, I don't mind a good third person narrator, but take out the unnecessary narrations, like saidisms, which are totally irrelevant when there's a cast differentiating between the characters and the emotions. Trim down some of the "bookish" stage directions. They work well on the written page, but can sound really strange and awkward translated over to the audio medium. Second, it's going to cost a little more to produce, of course, but I think sound design and more impressive music in the production is a nice touch. After all, as long as you're going with a full cast, you might as well go all the way and do something really interesting with music and sound design to take it as far as it can go, not just have your actors playing in empty space and silence. I'd like to see these audiobook publishers really try harder in those areas. So, although a full cast reading is a nice try at being more cinema quality, for me it's still on the same level as a plain audiobook, and I feel that these readings are for people who are audiobook fans, but have never really discovered the full power of radio drama.