Author Topic: PC Giant: The Curandero And The Swede: A Tale From The 1001 American Nights  (Read 32269 times)

Heradel

  • Bill Peters, EP Assistant
  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 2938
  • Part-Time Psychopomp.
PodCastle Giant: The Curandero And The Swede: A Tale From The 1001 American Nights

by Daniel Abraham.
Read by Kip Manley.
Read by Dave Thompson

“He’d been down here about six years when I knew him. Had a girl he was seeing name of Corine. She was pretty. Had this line of dark little moles, just like pinpricks, all along her jaw. Made me think of the sort of bangles they put on women’s veils out in Baghdad. She’d come by the shop sometimes, and we’d have to make him stop working until she went away for fear he’d get distracted and lose a finger.

“He’d been seeing her for maybe six months when Martin Luther King got killed. That was before you were born, so I don’t expect you’d understand it. And, honest to God, I’d never say this outside the family, but the Blacks have got a whole different contry they live in. Even someone like the Swede who worked with us and drank beer with us and all? Now I was sorry to hear about it when King died, and I’m not ashamed to say it. But it wasn’t that much to me. For the Blacks, though. . .”

Dab shook his head.

“It was different for them. What with everything else that was going on back then, King’s getting shot was like Kennedy in Dallas and the planes in New York all wrapped up in one…

Rated R. for language and difficult situations.
« Last Edit: February 14, 2011, 05:10:37 PM by DKT »

I Twitter. I also occasionally blog on the Escape Pod blog, which if you're here you shouldn't have much trouble finding.


stePH

  • Actually has enough cowbell.
  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 3906
  • Cool story, bro!
    • Thetatr0n on SoundCloud
Isn't this PodCastle #75?

"Nerdcore is like playing Halo while getting a blow-job from Hello Kitty."
-- some guy interviewed in Nerdcore Rising


Heradel

  • Bill Peters, EP Assistant
  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 2938
  • Part-Time Psychopomp.
Isn't this PodCastle #75?

The Giants have their own numbering system, and this is the fifth Giant. I cut the number because it was that or truncate the title, which I try to avoid.

I Twitter. I also occasionally blog on the Escape Pod blog, which if you're here you shouldn't have much trouble finding.


stePH

  • Actually has enough cowbell.
  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 3906
  • Cool story, bro!
    • Thetatr0n on SoundCloud
Okay, then it's #74b by my numbering system, where I keep the episodes in release order.

I should have just looked back at my saved episodes ... but I'd also mistakenly numbered "Carnival Park" as #39 when it should be #74a, so I almost labeled this one as #40.

"Nerdcore is like playing Halo while getting a blow-job from Hello Kitty."
-- some guy interviewed in Nerdcore Rising


Heradel

  • Bill Peters, EP Assistant
  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 2938
  • Part-Time Psychopomp.
Okay, then it's #74b by my numbering system, where I keep the episodes in release order.

I should have just looked back at my saved episodes ... but I'd also mistakenly numbered "Carnival Park" as #39 when it should be #74a, so I almost labeled this one as #40.

You could just date them (eg, PC 102109 TheCuranderoAndTheSwede).

#blantantripoffofmybureausfilingsystem

I Twitter. I also occasionally blog on the Escape Pod blog, which if you're here you shouldn't have much trouble finding.


jalsk

  • Extern
  • *
  • Posts: 4
Is it just me or was the narration on this podcast recorded using the built-in mic on a macbook pro? I can hear the fan in the background really well. It is a bit annoying.



MacArthurBug

  • Giddy
  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 648
  • I can resist anything except temptation
    • undercaffinated
I'm going to have to try and listen to this on my "big" speakers. The sound quality of the recording is truly disgusting. Can't tell if I like the story. I promise to chime in later- after I've found something I can tolerate listening to it on.

Oh, great and mighty Alasdair, Orator Maleficent, He of the Silvered Tongue, guide this humble fangirl past jumping up and down and squeeing upon hearing the greatness of Thy voice.
Oh mighty Mur the Magnificent. I am not worthy.


pfischer

  • Guest
I wanted to really get into this story, but the audio quality was so poor it hurt to listen to it. I had to bail. If the editors are listening, please please please make sure your readers supply you with an audio sample before you choose them for a story. I couldn't even give the story a chance. I feel bad because I know how much effort the reader must have put in to make this available for us. But if I'm fatigued by listening, I just have to dump it and wait for the next one.



MacArthurBug

  • Giddy
  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 648
  • I can resist anything except temptation
    • undercaffinated
found something I could handle listening on. This story was wasted on bad equipment and a half hearted reading. The content- the stories tangled within the story- was astounding. The point it drove home was wonderous. I have no personal problems with whomever was the reader this week- but better audio quality coupled with a more impassioned reading would be GREATLY appriciated in the future. Especially with a story of this quality!

Oh, great and mighty Alasdair, Orator Maleficent, He of the Silvered Tongue, guide this humble fangirl past jumping up and down and squeeing upon hearing the greatness of Thy voice.
Oh mighty Mur the Magnificent. I am not worthy.


Ocicat

  • Castle Watchcat
  • Moderator
  • *****
  • Posts: 3722
  • Anything for a Weird Life
I tried listening in the car, but coudln't.  I'll try again at home, when I have time.  The 10 minutes of actual story I heard were quite promising, and for what it's worth I thought the reading was pretty good - as far as I could tell.  But I kept missing words under the background hiss.  Just really bad.



Gia

  • Palmer
  • **
  • Posts: 49
I didn't like the reading either. It was a hair too fast and there wasn't enough enunciation.

In Arabian Nights there were always stories within stories. I liked that and it made me happy to see that included in this story. Unfortunately, I would lose my place a lot and that made it hard for me to get the overall point.



stePH

  • Actually has enough cowbell.
  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 3906
  • Cool story, bro!
    • Thetatr0n on SoundCloud
God's balls this is some atrocious audio.  Even lying in bed with my wife asleep beside me, I had trouble listening.  The background hiss/hum is louder than the reader's voice. 

I tried to listen to more of it in the car on the way to work this morning ... not happening.

"Nerdcore is like playing Halo while getting a blow-job from Hello Kitty."
-- some guy interviewed in Nerdcore Rising


ridiculouslee

  • Extern
  • *
  • Posts: 8
The audio quality made this story totally unlistenable for me and I stopped listening after 10 minutes and 33 seconds, which is really sad because the reader sounds so good and the story it's self sounds really interesting. I can just barely make out the readers voice over the white noise in the background. I'm really surprised at how bad the quality was because all of the Escape Artist recordings are usually high quality.



stePH

  • Actually has enough cowbell.
  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 3906
  • Cool story, bro!
    • Thetatr0n on SoundCloud
Oh, and I keep forgetting to check out Kip Manley's work, since I live in the actual "City of Roses".  I remember that being mentioned in a past PC episode and I meant to look into it.  I liked Megan Lindholm's Wizard of the Pigeons being set in Seattle, too (my other Home City).

"Nerdcore is like playing Halo while getting a blow-job from Hello Kitty."
-- some guy interviewed in Nerdcore Rising


yellowhat

  • Extern
  • *
  • Posts: 1
The audio quality really was awful, but I could really see what kind of person the Uncle is from the style of the reading.  Hasn't anyone else had a long-winded uncle who takes forever to get to the point of a story?

The content was just amazing.  There should be a story for important people.  One thing doesn't ever just lead to another.

I loved it and I can't wait to hear the other 1000 stories from 1001 American Nights.



stePH

  • Actually has enough cowbell.
  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 3906
  • Cool story, bro!
    • Thetatr0n on SoundCloud
Argh, no Kip Manley in my local library.  :(

"Nerdcore is like playing Halo while getting a blow-job from Hello Kitty."
-- some guy interviewed in Nerdcore Rising


internalogic

  • Palmer
  • **
  • Posts: 33
No offense to anybody but I have real trouble relating to the negative comments.

This story was so amazing.  This is a really excellent, excellent story.  And actually once you get past the sound quality, the narration was truly kick-ass.  It didn't even seem like a narration.  It just seemed like you were listening to Dab tell the story.  It was so damned excellent.  I was truly moved by this.

I always hear comments on the podcasts about people being moved to tears by a particular story, and it never really happens for me.  But this one...this one did it.  I actually got the intuition that I was becoming a slightly better person by listening to this.  As though the story channeled some of the healing energy of the queer and the curandero.  

I didn't consider Dab longwinded at all.  oHe was a man who appreciated the power of story, the power of 'significance'.  The investing of life with significance.  He's realized that as far as he's concerned there really is no other point.  And so he wraps himself, his family, and his whole life in the power of significance.  He has realized that it has a healing power.  

The true story has no beginning and no end, because every new moment is getting woven into it.  Dab knows this.  That's why he talks the way he does.  He's not long-winded.  Look how he talks when the women come over to the porch.  Barely says 3 words.  But he sees the spiritual condition of his nephew and he knows that the healing of the story is needed for this kid or he's going to be in a lot of trouble.

The magic in this story is not only in the actions of the curandero and the queer.  The true magic that happens is what Dab does to the nephew.  He's initiating him.  And by listening to it, we are initiated as well.  

Thank you so much, Daniel Abraham!



Swamp

  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 2230
    • Journey Into... podcast
No offense to anybody but I have real trouble relating to the negative comments.

This story was so amazing.  This is a really excellent, excellent story.  And actually once you get past the sound quality, the narration was truly kick-ass.

I don't think anybody has actually had negative comments about the story, and mostly, not the narration either.  The negative comments have been about the sound quality.

I agree with you that the story was amazing.  It was quite bold and a different style of writing than most comtemporary fantasy (at least than I am aware of).  Quite a difference from "The Cambist and Lord Iron" (which I loved).  Daniel Abraham continues to impress me.  I may have to read his Long Price Quartet books.

Facehuggers don't have heads!

Come with me and Journey Into... another fun podcast


DKT

  • Friendly Neighborhood
  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 4980
  • PodCastle is my Co-Pilot
    • Psalms & Hymns & Spiritual Noir
We appreciate everyone's chiming in about the sound quality. Sorry about that. For the record, it wasn't all Kip's fault. We were having some issues gaining access to the files for a while, so I apologize for that.

That said, I love this story - stories about stories always seem to remind me a bit of Neil Gaiman's The Sandman but this one really floored me. It did make me feel like it was challenging me to up my life, if you know what I mean. I've heard several stories by Daniel Abraham that hit me (Cambist and Lord Iron, Flat Diane over at PP), but I think this one might just be my favorite.

And sound qaulity aside, I think Kip Manley did a hell of a reading of this story. I loved his narration and I hope he comes back to read more for us.


corydodt

  • Extern
  • *
  • Posts: 7
Thank goodness I wasn't the only one who noticed the unlistenable audio.  I turned it off after 5 minutes.  Is there any way this story could be remastered or just rerecorded?  I'd love to listen to it, but won't do so as-is.



stePH

  • Actually has enough cowbell.
  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 3906
  • Cool story, bro!
    • Thetatr0n on SoundCloud
Finished this in bed last night.

A good story and a good reading, cut off at the knees by the worst recording in Escape Artists history.  I was unable to listen to it anywhere except in bed with my wife already asleep, so I had to split the listening across three sessions.

PLEASE for the love of BOB don't let this happen again.
« Last Edit: October 25, 2009, 03:06:59 AM by stePH »

"Nerdcore is like playing Halo while getting a blow-job from Hello Kitty."
-- some guy interviewed in Nerdcore Rising


stePH

  • Actually has enough cowbell.
  • Hipparch
  • ******
  • Posts: 3906
  • Cool story, bro!
    • Thetatr0n on SoundCloud
Isn't this PodCastle #75?

The Giants have their own numbering system, and this is the fifth Giant. I cut the number because it was that or truncate the title, which I try to avoid.

Looking back at my podcast directory I see that:
"Moon Viewing at Shijo Bridge" was PodCastle #29.
"Hell is the Absence of God" was PodCastle #40.
"Bright Waters" was PodCastle #47.

The "Giants have their own numbering system" only started with the fourth, "Captain Fantasy and the Secret Masters".

"Nerdcore is like playing Halo while getting a blow-job from Hello Kitty."
-- some guy interviewed in Nerdcore Rising


Yargling

  • Peltast
  • ***
  • Posts: 139
Fantastic story(ies). Awful, horrible recording of a great reading. After awhile, I just heard the reading without hearding the noise too much, and it was great. But please, please, PLEASE record future stories better - or filter out the noise.



Talia

  • Moderator
  • *****
  • Posts: 2682
  • Muahahahaha
WOW. That genuinely was an amazing story. And like others as it progressed I noticed the errant audio less and less.

Really very moving. Folktale-ish, in a story within a story within a story way. Full of the colorful details and entirely human elements that, for me, just really make a story, drag me in.

Wonderful.

Also, I would add, regardless of the recording's fault, the READING was perfect. Exactly the way a rambly uncle would sound!

I highly recommend those who had a hard time with the audio to give it another try and hang on. It's well worth it.
« Last Edit: October 26, 2009, 02:09:44 AM by Talia »



Biscuit

  • Peltast
  • ***
  • Posts: 113
Isn't this PodCastle #75?

The Giants have their own numbering system, and this is the fifth Giant. I cut the number because it was that or truncate the title, which I try to avoid.

My bad. I totally got the numbering system out of whack.