Escape Artists
PseudoPod => About Pseudopod => Topic started by: Fenrix on December 31, 2013, 02:41:32 AM
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As the year comes to a close, it's time to nominate what you thought was best from 2013. You shouldn't feel obligated to refrain from participation unless you've listened to every story. If you only listened to three and the blew you away, then by all means nominate them. If you only loved the Ligotti or Dorman or Brooke-Rose story, then please nominate it. As in years past, Flash On The Borderlands stories are grouped together in voting, so the nominations cover the entire episode.
Nominations will be up for a month, and we'll get a poll up in February.
While you're at it, nominate the three best vocal performances. Share your opinion as to whether we should run a poll for the best audio production. Alternately, just talk about them and let Graeme and Shawn know you appreciate their hard work.
The stories are:
316: The Persistence Of Memory (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=6702.0) by William Meikle read by Christiana Ellis
317: ***Enzymes (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=6713.0) by Greg Stolze read by Kyle Akers
318: Venice Burning (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=6723.0) by A.C. Wise read by Ben Phillips
319: Cell Call (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=6728.0) by Marc Laidlaw read byGeorge Cleveland
320: ***The Man With The Broken Soul (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=6735.0) by Matt Wall read by Elie Hirschman
321: ***I Am The Box, The Box Is Me (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=6744.0) by Kyle S. Johnson read by Pete Milan
322: Cry Room (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=6754.0) by Ted Kosmatka read by Peter Piazza
323: The Trinket (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=6767.0) by P.G. Bell read by John Trevillian
324: ***Wings (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=6832.0) by Nathaniel Lee read by John Bell
325: Entrance And Exit / The Terror Of The Twins (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=6890.0) by Algernon Blackwood read by David Rees-Thomas, Simon Meddings
326: Bunraku (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=6969.0) by David X. Wiggin read by John Chu
327: ***What It’s Come To (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7027.0) by Wolf Hartman read by Zhames Tremarco
328: The Suicide Witch (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7044.0) by Vylar Kaftan read by Rikki LaCoste
329: Red Rubber Gloves (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7063.0) by Christine Brooke-Rose read by Kim Lakin-Smith
330: Flash On The Borderlands XV: At Your Service! (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7116.0)
Last Waltz in Texas by Bryce Albertson read by Jacquie Duckworth
***Sterile by Christopher Tepedino read by John “Man Of Many Voices” Bell
***Meat by David Steffen read by Josh Roseman
331: The Ninth Skeleton (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7134.0) by Clark Ashton Smith read by Corson Bremer
332: Willow Tests Well (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7159.0) by Nick Mamatas read by Julie Hoverson
333: Gig Marks (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7168.0) by Ed Ferrara read by Patrick "The Voice" Bazile
334: ***The Curse Of The Mummy (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7178.0) by Andre Harden read by Emily Smith
335: *** Charlie Harmer’s Day Off (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7192.0) by Brendan Detzner read by Eric Luke
336: The Abyss (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7203.0) by Leonid Andreyev read by Tanja Milojevic
337: At The End Of The Passage (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7207.0) by Rudyard Kipling read by Alasdair Stuart
338: Beware The Jabberwock, My Son (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7217.0) by Dixon Chance read by Kevin Hayes
339: The End-Of-The-World Pool (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7225.0) by Scott M. Roberts read by Mark E. Phair
340: Neighbourhood Watch (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7232.0) by Greg Egan read by Ron Jon Newton
341: ***Immortal L.A. (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7237.0) by Eric Czuleger read by Joe Calarco
342: Riding Atlas (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7259.0) by Ferrett Steinmetz read by Christopher Reynaga
343: Magdala Amygdala (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7264.0) by Lucy Snyder read by Eugie Foster
344: The Pit (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7275.0) by Joe R. Lansdale read by John Bell
345: ***Boxed (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7283.0) by Donald McCarthy read by Alex Rudy
346: Prisoner Of Peace (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7293.0) by David Tallerman read by Caith Donova
347: Flash On The Borderlands XVI: Trial & Discipline (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7302.0)
***Passing Grade by Paul DesCombaz read by Kyle Akers
***The Killing Machine by Karen Runge read by Eve Upton
Awaiting Redemption by Maurice Broaddus read by Laurice White
348: ***The Easily Forgotten (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7311.0) by Philip M. Roberts read by Laura Hobbs
349: Apotropaics (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7317.0) by Norman Partridge read by Matt Franklin
350: The Bungalow House (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7357.0) by Thomas Ligotti read by Ralph Walters
351: ***The Blues (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7476.0) by Cameron Suey read by Gabriel Diani
352: Enough With The Crazy (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7442.0) by Emile Dayne read by Joe Scalora
353: FLASH ON THE BORDERLANDS XVII: Keeping Up Appearances (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7499.0)
Down By The Sea Near The Great Big Rock by Joe R. Lansdale read by Corson Bremer
***The Demon Fields by Keith McCleary read by Kevin Hayes
***Pawn by Jaki Idler read by Julia Rios
354: ***The Eulogy of Darien Meek (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7529.0) by Niccolo Skill read by Rich Girardi
355: ***The Chair (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7742.0) by Leah Thomas read by Justin Riestra
356: The Night Wire (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7618.0) by H.F. (Henry Ferris) Arnold read by Eric Luke
357: ***Growth Spurt (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7656.0) by Paul Lorello read by Steve Anderson
358: Apathetic Flesh (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7664.0) by Darren O. Godfrey read by Bill Ruhsam
359: ***Face Change (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7677.0) by Jeff Hewitt read by ANSON MOUNT
360: Anasazi Skin (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7689.0) by Matt Wallace read by Lance Roger Axt
361: The Murmurous Paleoscope (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7697.0) by Dixon Chance read by Christiana Ellis
362: Go, Go, Go, Said The Bird (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7706.0) by Sonya Dorman read by Heather Welliver
363: Footsteps Invisible (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7717.0) by Robert A. Arthur, Jr. read by Kevin Hayes
364: The Yellow Sign (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7735.0) by Robert W. Chambers read by B.J. Harrison
365: ***Whispers In The Dark (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7742.0) by Andrew Marinus read by Graeme Dunlop
366 To Build a Fire (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7752.0) by Jack London read by Wilson Fowlie
Bonus Christmas Flash - Helpers (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7748.0) by David Steffen read by Rikki LaCoste
*** indicates PseudoPod originals
ETA: corrected a name
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Small request: could the story titles for the Flash on the Borderlands episodes be added in?
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Small request: could the story titles for the Flash on the Borderlands episodes be added in?
Done.
As a bonus, I added notation as to whether or not they were PseudoPod originals based on the info in the episode headers.
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Here are my om nom noms for story. I usually think narrations are tied in too closely with stories to nominate them separately, or else I would.
STORY:
322: Cry Room by Ted Kosmatka read by Peter Piazza
333: Gig Marks by Ed Ferrara read by Patrick "The Voice" Bazile
339: The End-Of-The-World Pool by Scott M. Roberts read by Mark E. Phair
Honorable Mentions:
319: Cell Call by Marc Laidlaw read byGeorge Cleveland
332: Willow Tests Well by Nick Mamatas read by Julie Hoverson
353a: Down By The Sea Near The Great Big Rock by Joe R. Lansdale read by Corson Bremer
359: ***Face Change by Jeff Hewitt read by ANSON MOUNT
Bonus Christmas Flash - Helpers by David Steffen read by Rikki LaCoste
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I'm struggling to get my list down to three. It's like Lansdale's "The Pit" in my head as the stories who are friends beating each other bloody for the privilege of survival.
Also, many thanks to Bdoomed for pinning the thread and adding links to the individual stories.
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Small request: could the story titles for the Flash on the Borderlands episodes be added in?
Done.
As a bonus, I added notation as to whether or not they were PseudoPod originals based on the info in the episode headers.
Woot!
And the "originals" notation is also greatly appreciated. I need to figure out what stories I'm nominating for the Hugo this year, but since most of my short fiction consumption is via podcasts which mix reprints and originals, anything to speed up the process of separating one from the other is greatly appreciated.
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Narrations:
Ron Jon Newton - Neighborhood Watch
Christiana Ellis - The Murmurous Paleoscope
Laura Hobbs - The Easily Forgotten
Stories:
Pseudopod 322: Cry Room
Pseudopod 326: Bunraku
Pseudopod 343: Magdala Amygdala
Goddamn, that was hard to narrow down.
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My nominations:
Stories
1) Red Rubber Gloves
This one bothered me a whole lot. Not because of the content, but the form and structure were so opposite all good narrative and writing advice and worked so tremendously well that I can't do anything but slow clap at the result.
2) Apotropaics
I loved this one because the horror worked better if it wasn't supernatural at all. Dramatic irony is awesome and is so rarely done with such flawless grace as this. I still find the image of that unmarked grave covered in knives chilling.
3) Flash On The Borderlands XVI: Trial & Discipline - Passing Grade
I can't help but love little kids fighting monsters, even if this story seems like they might not win. I enjoyed this one thoroughly and will continue to do so for purely personal reasons.
Honorable Mentions:
- Cry Room
Almost more of a fantasy than a horror, which I don't consider a criticism. I like subtle and mixed flavors in my fiction. Furthermore, I endorse both monster babies and avoiding assholes in church. This was the nearest miss of near misses for my top three.
- Bunraku
The mental image of the protagonist trying to have sex with the wife-doll while the creepy old man just fades into the background remains one of the more upsetting things Pseudopod has put in my head. Thanks, Pseudopod!
- The End-Of-The-World Pool
I liked this one about two hundred percent more before it was revealed what the underlying message and imagery were intended to be. I retain a lingering fondness for the story *I* read, anyway.
- Flash On The Borderlands XVI: Trial & Discipline - The Killing Machine
Lovely structure, interesting premise, but it went on just that little bit too long and hammered its point home just that one time too many for me to be wholly enthusiastic about it.
Narrations
1) Red Rubber Gloves
No, really, I loved this episode a lot. The GlaDOs-esque reading was perfect and helped bring about the trancelike state that I so enjoyed.
2) Venice Burning
A striking and bold set of moves that made this story work better for me than it otherwise would have.
3) Face Change
Minor confession time: I actually had read this story before it was published... in a slush pile, where I was unenthused. However, the reading brought it completely to life and utterly revitalized the self-help guru. Somehow giving him an outrageous Southern accent and hearing the joy and enthusiasm in his voice gave the whole story a new gloss and shine. It's still honestly not my favorite, but the narration was definitely tops.
Side Notes
At The End Of The Passage by Rudyard Kipling was awesome because Kipling is awesome (and also racist, though not as much as others, equally or more venerated.) The sense of oppression was palpable, and the only reason it's not in my top three is because I try to at least avoid nominating stories from a century ago as the best of the current year.
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Stories:
1. Neighborhood Watch
2. The Murmurous Paleoscope
3. Bunraku
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I find it really difficult to separate the story from the reading. In this medium, the reading affects the story so much it's hard to consider them separately. Anyway my stories are:
* The Night Wire
* Face Change
* The Murmurous Paleoscope
...and you see therein lies my problems as I'd probably say these were my favourite readings :)
I also enjoyed:
* The Ninth Skeleton
* The Yellow Sign
* To Build a Fire
which suggests to me I have a lot of catching up to do in the "classic horror" area. I've really enjoyed hearing some of the classics this year. Great picks, Shawn :)
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Thank you, sir!
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Disclaimer: I've only just started listening, since about the 8 most recent episodes, so I wasn't going to participate in the nominations. But after thinking about it, I don't think naming my top 50% from that pool is really going to hurt anything, so I'm throwing my hat into the ring. :)
Of course, feel free to ignore these in light of my noobishness: I will be using all of your lists to hit the highlights so I can participate for realsies in the final voting.
1. The Murmurous Paleoscope
2. Go, Go, Go Said the Bird
3. The Yellow Sign
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It is an aspect of this process that episodes from earlier in the year tend to get short shrift in the memory department - nobody's fault, of course, just the reality of an information overloaded life - but your situation is the most understandable and I thank you for voting regardless.
Those who have listened all year and have not voted yet - consider going back and re-reading your own posts on the episodes!
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One of the main reasons I like to include links to the respective forum posts for each of the stories is that I can be reminded of a story I haven't heard in a long while by going over some of the comments. Furthermore, the links to the audio are in those posts, in case they no longer exist on a harddrive.
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And thank you for that thoughtfulness!
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And thank you for that thoughtfulness!
Seconded!
I like it when an author picks an evocative title. For instance, when I hear "The Murmurous Paleoscope", only one thing comes to mind. That's less true for stories like "Boxed" where I thought at first it was the story about the POV that was apparently in a box at the docks, but it was really the one about the box that can wipe your memories at your selection.
If an author doesn't pick an evocative title, then forum comments are awesome at recalling my memory. In the cases where even that doesn't work, then I probably just had trouble focusing on the story for whatever reason.
Authors, take note--evocative titles are your friend!
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Very tough to narrow, but I am going to go with Helpers in First Place. I think Helpers was just as entertaining as anything on the list and it did it quicker and crisper in my opinion.
Second Place - The Night Wire
Third Place - The Easily Forgotten
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This was really really hard to narrow things down. I could only make cuts without significant pain down to about half the list. So here’s what I think:
Story:
331: The Ninth Skeleton by Clark Ashton Smith read by Corson Bremer
361: The Murmurous Paleoscope by Dixon Chance read by Christiana Ellis
362: Go, Go, Go, Said The Bird by Sonya Dorman read by Heather Welliver
I spent a bunch of time hunting down permissions for two of these, so I believe in them. The final slot goes to the awesome steampunk Lovecraftian tale.
Narration:
333: Gig Marks by Ed Ferrara read by Patrick "The Voice" Bazile
343: Magdala Amygdala by Lucy Snyder read by Eugie Foster
359: ***Face Change by Jeff Hewitt read by ANSON MOUNT
While I liked them before, both Gig Marks and Face Change were truly elevated by phenomenal narration. I already loved Magdala, but Eugie made it haunting.
Production:
318: Venice Burning by A.C. Wise read by Ben Phillips
319: Cell Call by Marc Laidlaw read by George Cleveland
350: The Bungalow House by Thomas Ligotti read by Ralph Walters
All three of these received light production touches that really elevated the story and assisted with immersion.
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All three of these received light production touches that really elevated the story and assisted with immersion.
Thank you! I think all of the ideas for those were Shawn's. I just executed them. I mean did them. Not like, you know, KILLED them.
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All three of these received light production touches that really elevated the story and assisted with immersion.
Thank you! I think all of the ideas for those were Shawn's. I just executed them. I mean did them. Not like, you know, KILLED them.
All these proclamations of innocence sound like a guilty conscience at work. The soil on your shovel looks rather fresh.
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Since I can't say "Best" or even "Favorite", let me instead pick the episodes I am most proud of presenting this year:
329: Red Rubber Gloves by Christine Brooke-Rose read by Kim Lakin-Smith
350: The Bungalow House by Thomas Ligotti read by Ralph Walters
336: The Abyss by Leonid Andreyev read by Tanja Milojevic
Honorable mentions
362: Go, Go, Go, Said The Bird by Sonya Dorman read by Heather Welliver
363: Footsteps Invisible by Robert A. Arthur, Jr. read by Kevin Hayes
364: The Yellow Sign by Robert W. Chambers read by B.J. Harrison
356: The Night Wire by H.F. (Henry Ferris) Arnold read by Eric Luke
349: Apotropaics by Norman Partridge read by Matt Franklin
344: The Pit by Joe R. Lansdale read by John Bell
342: Riding Atlas by Ferrett Steinmetz read by Christopher Reynaga
340: Neighbourhood Watch by Greg Egan read by Ron Jon Newton
337: At The End Of The Passage by Rudyard Kipling read by Alasdair Stuart
319: Cell Call by Marc Laidlaw read byGeorge Cleveland
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Here are my nominations... I haven't listened to the entire year, but most of them.
1) To Build a Fire
2) Willow Tests Well
3) Face Change
Honourable Mentions:
The Yellow Sign
The Bungalow House
Footsepts Invisible
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I'm sure I'm a bit late for this party but I had to mention my favorites (oh no, there are four and not three! Can't... Limit... Self...)
Cry Room (maybe because my baby was just slightly younger and just slightly less chaotic than this little girl when I heard this, or maybe I'd had a really hard week as a new mother of a high needs girl, but this one murdered my soul and I reposted it in as many places as I could).
Immortal LA (hit me in the right way. i don't usually care about vampires stories and this one was great).
Venice Burning (this put me in such a weird mood after hearing it, like I was dreaming the rest of the day. Hard to do good Lovecraft universe and this did.)
Enzymes (most unique thing I've heard in forever. I like new ideas SO MUCH!)
Favorite voices:
Ron Jon Newton (WHAT THE VOICE?!! My nightmares thank you for existing.)
Kyle Akers (have remembered him since his first reading so really, he must have struck me. He does subtlety well and that's hard. Takes his time and makes me listen.)
Joe Calarco (knows when to whisper, knows when to yell, knows when to get crazy... Doesn't sound like he's reading. Great stuff!)
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All four of those are amongst my all time favorites:) Excellent choices.
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I know a piece has to be good when instead of browsing the titles of the year and casually making up my mind, I find myself quick-scanning for the ones that match the scars they left on my psyche the first time, police line-up style.
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And hey, here's my yearly Best of Pseudopod list:
http://www.diabolicalplots.com/?p=4009
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Poll and such coming soon, depending on how my work day goes today and tomorrow :)
Anyone want a story battle again? Or just the polls?
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Polls, I think.
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Poll delayed due to low nomination quantity. If you haven't yet nominated some stories, get them in! Nominations will continue to run through February.
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Not that this is the right thread for this question, but is there a thread for the best EPs of 2013 that I am blind to?
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Funny you should ask. I put that thread up today, it's here (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=7829.0)
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Stories:
361: The Murmurous Paleoscope by Dixon Chance read by Christiana Ellis
356: The Night Wire by H.F. (Henry Ferris) Arnold read by Eric Luke
359: ***Face Change by Jeff Hewitt read by ANSON MOUNT
Only one nomination for narration:
359: ***Face Change by Jeff Hewitt read by ANSON MOUNT
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All three of these received light production touches that really elevated the story and assisted with immersion.
Thank you! I think all of the ideas for those were Shawn's. I just executed them. I mean did them. Not like, you know, KILLED them.
But in the sense of "killing it," you DID kill them. Ironically, that brought them to life. Necromancer!
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Nominations:
Whispers in the Dark
The Murmurous Paleoscope (I can already predict this one is going to win.)
Cry Room
Honorable mentions:
Riding Atlas
Apotropaics
Bunraku
Boxed
Cell Call
I loved hearing "The Yellow Sign." It's one of my all-time favorites. And, honestly, the story that terrified me the most this year and made me feel like I was slowly going insane was "At the End of the Passage." However, I can't bring myself to nominate stories by long-dead authors either. They just don't need the exposure. Until Pseudopod finds a way to bring them back from the grave. You guys are working on that, right?
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Until Pseudopod finds a way to bring them back from the grave. You guys are working on that, right?
Hmmmm. We might have to start paying them, though.....
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Until Pseudopod finds a way to bring them back from the grave. You guys are working on that, right?
Hmmmm. We might have to start paying them, though.....
Just stick 'em with the bill for the resurrection. They'll be working for you for the next 100 years, and thank you for it! ;)
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Until Pseudopod finds a way to bring them back from the grave. You guys are working on that, right?
Hmmmm. We might have to start paying them, though.....
Just stick 'em with the bill for the resurrection. They'll be working for you for the next 100 years, and thank you for it! ;)
I just want to know how my donation money is being spent.
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Until Pseudopod finds a way to bring them back from the grave. You guys are working on that, right?
Hmmmm. We might have to start paying them, though.....
Just stick 'em with the bill for the resurrection. They'll be working for you for the next 100 years, and thank you for it! ;)
I just want to know how my donation money is being spent.
I'm sure it's just the usual: paying authors, hiring necromancers, whatever Alasdair's on that makes his intros/outtros so witty, beer therapy for the slush readers...
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Until Pseudopod finds a way to bring them back from the grave. You guys are working on that, right?
Hmmmm. We might have to start paying them, though.....
Just stick 'em with the bill for the resurrection. They'll be working for you for the next 100 years, and thank you for it! ;)
We may or may not be working on that... (http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=2883.0)
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therapy for the slush readers...
Does torture count as therapy?
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therapy for the slush readers...
Does torture count as therapy?
The beatings will continue until morale improves...
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therapy for the slush readers...
Does torture count as therapy?
Is it really torture if you're a masochist?
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So much great stuff out there this year guys. Darn near impossible to choose.
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I'll nominate Venice Burning, The Murmurous Paleoscope, and Cell Call.
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I'll nominate Venice Burning, The Murmurous Paleoscope, and Cell Call.
Great choices, Trish. Thanks for nominating :)
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So much great stuff out there this year guys. Darn near impossible to choose.
All you need is an opinion. There's no wrong choices :)
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I'll nominate Venice Burning, The Murmurous Paleoscope, and Cell Call.
Great choices, Trish. Thanks for nominating :)
I hesitated for a little while over Cell Call, because it's fairly simple and short compared to my other two favorites, and I fear how quickly it may become dated. However, I think that very simplicity gave it a clarity that really put me in the moment, from feeling the driver's early frustration through feeling a creeping dread through knowing that Things Are Very Wrong, Uncannily Wrong, Impossibly Wrong, and Cannot Be Fixed. It just grabbed me.
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I suspect I'm much too late, but here goes anyway:
Best Stories:
Murmourous Paleoscope
Willow Tests Well
Wings
Best Voices:
Red Rubber Gloves (Because I wouldn't have enjoyed reading this story at all, but the narration made me take the time to experience it)
Face Changer (Yay Anson Mount! Way more versatile than I expected a grungy cowboy to be.)
Neighborhood Watch
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Waaaayyy to late on my end too late buuutttt...
1: Riding Atlas- So many wonderful levels here.
2: Magdala Amygdala- Loved it, just so so so strange and beautiful.
3: The Blues- I find myself thinking about this story at the most random times. It really stuck with me.
I can't help but vote for Mr. Joe Calarco- He's the man.