Author Topic: Pseudopod 342: Riding Atlas  (Read 20662 times)

Unblinking

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Reply #25 on: October 10, 2013, 07:35:17 PM
Ferrett Steinmetz has become one of the major authors that I watch for short stories from because he so consistently hits the right mark, with good speculation, compelling characters, great imagination--to an extent that he's on a par with Tim Pratt who I've cited as my clear favorite short story writer for years.  But this one I found quite lackluster, easily my least favorite Steinmetz story.

The whole thing read like a journal about a first trip on any kind of hallucinogen.  Which is okay, I guess, if you couldn't already find accounts of those from anyone who has taken a hallucinogen--it's not like they'd be hard to find.  While the telling was convincing enough that I could believe that this was a real experience, I just didn't care.

It really didn't help that the main character just irritated the hell out of me.  If you need to go through a hallucinogenic experience that you really don't want to take to save a relationship because you think she might leave you, maybe you need to reconsider her investment in your relationship. If she's that easy to lose, let her go.  Obviously it's easier to say that from the outside--I'm sure that breaking up wouldn't be easy, but it was just so clearly the right thing to do here, to me, that the whole story's motivations didn't work, and when nothing much happened other than the drug trip... bleh.

I'll still watch for the next Steinmetz story closely, as this is the only time I've felt disappointed that I can remember.



Sgarre1

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Reply #26 on: November 15, 2013, 08:01:41 PM
Got a (brief) mention on the Human Echoes Podcast

http://humanechoespodcast.blogspot.com/2013/11/hep-62-dont-cut-rope.html
« Last Edit: November 15, 2013, 09:36:55 PM by Sgarre1 »



kcc1982

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Reply #27 on: November 17, 2013, 04:13:42 PM
There is something wrong with the audio from this episode. Even when I stream it directly from the page.



Bdoomed

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Reply #28 on: November 17, 2013, 08:01:33 PM
There is something wrong with the audio from this episode. Even when I stream it directly from the page.

How so?

I'd like to hear my options, so I could weigh them, what do you say?
Five pounds?  Six pounds? Seven pounds?


kcc1982

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Reply #29 on: November 17, 2013, 10:18:20 PM
Seems to occur when I advance it. The audio gets really muffled and its barely even audible.



DerangedMind

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Reply #30 on: December 13, 2013, 03:17:00 PM
This story just didn't work for me, and I ended up ditching it about 10 minutes in.  I found the writing style to be good, but the topic and approach was making me feel uncomfortable (I don't especially like needles...)  And, the thought of a story that seemed like it was going to be all about an experience getting high wasn't something that especially appealed to me.




Venser

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Reply #31 on: July 29, 2017, 02:09:27 PM
This is my alltime favorite Pseudopod story and every now and then I come back to listen to it again.



Marlboro

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Reply #32 on: December 25, 2019, 05:52:31 PM
I suggest trying a re-download - there were audio issues with this episode that lead to the delay.  It was tweaked and posted, but I believe Graeme then did a second tweak to bring up bass levels, so I'd say try a re-download -  but, yes, regardless, it is quieter than the host intro.

Shawn


I can hear the story segment just fine on my PC but it is completely incomprehensible on my Kindle. It isn't just a matter of volume; it's very garbled. It's the same problem I had with episode 251: Yardwork.

Just mentioning this so that anyone else who has issues hearing this one will know to try it on another device.
« Last Edit: December 25, 2019, 06:22:14 PM by Marlboro »