It was fun reading through the responses and being reminded of many of these. My top three favorites were:
PC 280: The Devil and Tom Walker by Washington Irving, read by Wilson Fowlie
Not a new story, but new to me. A lot of fun and a great reading.
PC 271: Nightfall in the Scent Garden by Claire Humphrey, read by Kara Grace
Not one I would have expected to like, but very touching and a spot-on narration
PC 269: Selected Program Notes From the Retrospective Exhibition of Theresa Rosenberg Latimer by Kenneth Schneyer, read by Peter Wood
A really unique story in terms of format.
Honorable Mentions
PC 268: The Phoenix on the Sword, featuring Conan the Barbarian by Robert E. Howard, read by Graeme Dunlop
I love Conan and this is a good story and a great reading, but I've read it a bunch of times since I was a kid so it didn't give me the same "wow" feeling as the ones above - not to say I wouldn't want more Conan (or Solomon Kane)!
PC 276: Juan Caceres in the Zapetero’s Workshop by Derek Kunsken, read by Roberto Suarez
Despite its modern setting, I think this was a much better fairy tale than Episode 300. An archetypal Trickster hero, a sense of menace and Ogre Toe!
PC Miniature 75: Doctor Diablo Goes Through The Motions by Saladin Ahmed, read by Roberto Suarez
Just a fun listen.
Thinking through these selections, I've realized that the quality of the reading makes a huge difference. I usually listen at night when I'm walking my dog so I can really focus on the story and a good reading adds a tremendous amount to my enjoyment. I read to my two oldest children when they were smaller and they still best remember the books that allowed me to ham it up a little (Wee Free Men, The Hobbit). My youngest is hooked on the My Weird School series and expects a different voice for each of the main characters.
I also realize that two of my favorite stories were ones I probably wouldn't have listened to if I had read through the descriptions. People are able to customize so much of their entertainment these days (Netflix, Pandora) - it's nice to have something like Podcastle where you can just listen without having to make a selection. This does mean that you listen through some episodes you just don't like, but it also means that sometimes you find something new that you'd never would thought you'd like.
