Author Topic: Best of Pseudopod 2014 Nominations  (Read 14488 times)

Bdoomed

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on: January 05, 2015, 12:41:32 AM
2014 tripped and fell, and we all left it for dead.  That means, assuming we all survive, we can talk about it, remember the good times.  So let's nominate our favorite stories of 2014!  Please nominate your top three favorite stories, any honorable mentions, and also your favorite readers from 2014 if you have an opinion on them!  You know the drill.  And remember, Flash on the Borderlands should be nominated as one episode, not for individual story.

The nomination period will run for a month, with the first poll going up sometime early February.

2014 Stories:
*** indicates a Pseudopod original

Pseudopod 367: Flash On The Borderlands XVIII: Pseudopod Forum 2013 Flash Contest Winners
     *** “Whispers From The Trench” by Robert McKinney read by Joel Nisbet
     ***“The Violin Family” by James Douglas read by Donna Scott
     ***“Mr. Flyspeck” by R.K. Kombrinck read by Dani Cutler
Pseudopod 368: Short & Nasty by Darrell Schweitzer read by George Hrab
Pseudopod 369: Four Views Of The Big Cigar In Winter by Charlie Bookout read by Emily Smith, Matt Franklin, and Laura Hobbs
***Pseudopod 370: Mary by Krista Soli Foster read by Joe Calarco
***Pseudopod 371: The Unfinished Room by Joshua Rex read by Bob Eccles
Pseudopod 372: Silver And Copper, Iron And Ash by Nathaniel Lee read by Dominick Rabrun
***Pseudopod 373: The Metal And Its Mold by Tim W. Burke read by Paul Jenkins
Pseudopod 374: FLASH ON THE BORDERLANDS XIX: Blood On The Tracks – Departure, Transit, Arrival
     "Midnight Express" by Alfred Noyes read by Paul Jenkins
     “Destination: Nihil by Edmund Bertrand” by Mark Samuels read by Jorn Meyer
     “The Terminus” by Kim Newman read by Siobhan Gallichan
Pseudopod 375: The Signalman by Charles Dickens read by Ian Stuart
Pseudopod 376: Quieta Non Movere by Reggie Oliver read by David Moore
Pseudopod 377: Showcase: The Dark Audio Tone Poems of The Spectre Collector by Ron Jon read by Ron Jon
Pseudopod 378: The Haunted Spinney by Elliott O’Donnel read by Alasdair Stuart
Pseudopod 379: The Greatest Good Of The Greatest Number by Gertrude Atherton read by George Hrab
***Pseudopod 380: Abigail by Hunter Gray read by Alethea Kontis
Pseudopod 381: Scarred by Damien Angelica Walters read by Becky Stinemetze
***Pseudopod 382: Her Face All Sharp by Sara Larner read by Marguerite Kenner
Pseudopod 383: Blood Women by Usman T. Malik read by Saladin Ahmed
Pseudopod 384: The Old Traditions Are Best by Paul Finch read by Ant Bacon
Pseudopod 385: FLASH ON THE BORDERLANDS XX: Community
    ***“Penance” by Liz Colter read by Ant Bacon
    “Mallecho” by Stephen Willcott read by John Trevallian
    ***“Jack” by Mohammad Naim Kabir read by John Bell
Pseudopod 386: The Dogs Of Ubud by Conda V. Douglas read by David Cummings
Pseudopod 387: Nightside Eye by Terry Dowling read by Graeme Dunlop
Pseudopod 388: The Cotswold Olimpicks by Simon Kurt Unsworth read by David Rees-Thomas
Pseudopod 389: The House, The Garden And The Occupants by Amanda C. Davis read by Pamila Payne
***Pseudopod 390: Party Games by Richard Farren Barber read by Tina Connolly
***Pseudopod 391: Jack The Ripper’s Bedroom by John Paul Davies read by Simon Meddings
Pseudopod 392: The Dog’s Paw by Derek Kunsken read by Lewis Davies
Pseudopod 393: West Gate by Mitchell Edgeworth read by Ron Jon
Pseudopod 394: Summer Girls by Caspian Gray read by Robert A.K. Gonyo
Pseudopod 395: Fishhead by Irvin S. Cobb read by Maui Threv
***Pseudopod 396: The Buchenwald Man by Benjamin Sonnenberg read by Dave Robison
***Pseudopod 397: Gut Check by Toni Nicolino read by Stephanie Morris
Pseudopod 398: Prince Of Flowers by Elizabeth Hand read by Christiana Ellis
***Pseudopod 399: The Wriggling Death by Harold Gross read by Veronica Giguere
Pseudopod 400: The Screwfly Solution by James Tiptree Jr. read by Matt Franklin, Tina Connolly, Anna Schwind, Matt Weller, Rish Outfield, Eric Luke, George Hrab & Jarus Durnett
Pseudopod 401: The Lighthouse Keeper’s Wife by Dave Beynon read by Wilson Fowlie
Pseudopod 402: The Recovery by H.V. Chao read by George Hrab
Pseudopod 403: FLASH ON THE BORDERLANDS XXI: The Tyranny Of Objects
    ***“Digit” by Gabriel R. Miller read by Kyle Akers
    “File Under” by Lisamarie Lamb read by Mignon Fogarty
    “Good Boy” by David Stevens read by Graeme Dunlop
Pseudopod 404: Unforgotten by Chris Fowler read by Joel Nisbet
Pseudopod 405: A Fine Sacrifice by Steve Vernon read by James Silverstein
Pseudopod 406: Breath Stirs In The Husk by Eileen Wiedbrauk read by Abra Staffin-Wiebe
Pseudopod 407: Train Tracks by W.P. Johnson read by Sam Ferree
Pseudopod 408: Knife Fight by David Nickle read by Dave Robison
Pseudopod 409: Sideshow by Catherine MacLeod read by Tatiana Gomberg
Bonus Pseudopod Halloween Flash Episode: Jack And The Bad Man by Annie Neugebauer read by Rikki La Coste
Pseudopod 410: Flash On The Borderlands XXII: Britshock
    ***"The Day The Words Took Shape" by Francesca Haig read by Alasdair Stuart
    ***"Juggernaut Revisited" by Lou Morgan read by Wilson Fowlie
    ***"The Anniversary" by Den Patrick read by Alasdair Stuart
    ***"Kraken Rising" by Andrew Reid read by Dave Robison
    ***"Party at the Witch House" by Richard Kellum read by Rikki La Coste
    ***"The Lake" by Severity Chase read by Siobhan Gallichan
    ***"The Biggest Candle of Them All" by Peter Newman read by Graeme Dunlop
Pseudopod 411: Flash On The Borderlands XXIII: Grief
    “Poor Me and Ted” by Kate Jonez read by Tatiana Gomberg
    “The Beachcomber “ by L.R. Bonehill read by John Michnya
    ***“Sanctuary” by Steve Calvert read by Roberto Suarez
Pseudopod 412: Rule Of Five by Eleanor Wood read by Alasdair Stuart
Pseudopod 413: Variations Of Figures Upon The Wall by Silvia Moreno Garcia read by Claudia Smith
Pseudopod 414: The Photographer’s Tale by  Daniel Mills read by George Cleveland
Pseudopod 415: Night’s Foul Bird by Orrin Grey read by Cunning Minx
Pseudopod 416: Punksnotdead by Eric Czuleger read by Joe Calarco
***Pseudopod 417: The Blistering by Johnnie Alward read by Matt Haynes
***Pseudopod Christmas 2014 Bonus Flash: Tradition by L.M. Ball read by Isis LaCoste
Pseudopod 418: Shadow Transit by Ferrett Steinmetz read by Marie Brennan
« Last Edit: January 07, 2015, 12:07:10 AM by Bdoomed »

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


adrianh

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Reply #1 on: January 05, 2015, 11:56:32 AM
Top three:

Pseudopod 400: The Screwfly Solution - It's a classic for a reason.
Pseudopod 394: Summer Girls - The calm acceptance of the dead girls ghost by everybody…
Pseudopod 399: The Wriggling Death - Coz the whole pregnancy as death sentence world disturbed the heck out of me.

Honorable mentions:

Pseudopod 371: The Unfinished Room
Pseudopod 375: The Signalman
Pseudopod 384: The Old Traditions Are Best
Pseudopod 395: Fishhead
Pseudopod 408: Knife Fight
Pseudopod 414: The Photographer’s Tale
Pseudopod Christmas 2014 Bonus Flash: Tradition
Pseudopod 418: Shadow Transit

To be honest, outside of Screwfly Solution which was a sure thing a personal old fave, any of these would have probably made it into my top three on a different day.



Fenrix

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Reply #2 on: January 05, 2015, 09:43:53 PM
My three favorite stories of this year:

Pseudopod 395: Fishhead by Irvin S. Cobb read by Maui Threv
Pseudopod 400: The Screwfly Solution by James Tiptree Jr. read by Matt Franklin, Tina Connolly, Anna Schwind, Matt Weller, Rish Outfield, Eric Luke, George Hrab & Jarus Durnett
Pseudopod 404: Unforgotten by Chris Fowler read by Joel Nisbet

My three favorite narrations this year:

Pseudopod 375: The Signalman by Charles Dickens read by Ian Stuart
Pseudopod 377: Showcase: The Dark Audio Tone Poems of The Spectre Collector by Ron Jon read by Ron Jon
Pseudopod 409: Sideshow by Catherine MacLeod read by Tatiana Gomberg

With an honorable mention for Pseudopod Christmas 2014 Bonus Flash: Tradition by L.M. Ball read by Isis LaCoste

All cat stories start with this statement: “My mother, who was the first cat, told me this...”


Bdoomed

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Reply #3 on: January 11, 2015, 06:19:19 AM
Crickets, I hear crickets.

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


Sgarre1

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Reply #4 on: January 11, 2015, 06:14:11 PM
As editor, this always have to come with the expected caveats.  Still:

Top Three stories:
Pseudopod 379: The Greatest Good Of The Greatest Number by Gertrude Atherton read by George Hrab - another envelope pusher for the cast, a reminder that the real world is more horrible than any fantasy.
Pseudopod 393: West Gate by Mitchell Edgeworth read by Ron Jon
Pseudopod 400: The Screwfly Solution by James Tiptree Jr. read by Matt Franklin, Tina Connolly, Anna Schwind, Matt Weller, Rish Outfield, Eric Luke, George Hrab & Jarus Durnett


Top Three Narrations:
Pseudopod 385: FLASH ON THE BORDERLANDS XX: Community - “Jack” by Mohammad Naim Kabir read by John Bell - a freaking tour-de-force!
Pseudopod 375: The Signalman by Charles Dickens read by Ian Stuart
Pseudopod 408: Knife Fight by David Nickle read by Dave Robison


Honorable Mentions:
Pseudopod 374: FLASH ON THE BORDERLANDS XIX: Blood On The Tracks – Departure, Transit, Arrival - theme, theme, theme
Pseudopod 377: Showcase: The Dark Audio Tone Poems of The Spectre Collector by Ron Jon read by Ron Jon - scratched an itch I've had since grade-school
Pseudopod 395: Fishhead by Irvin S. Cobb read by Maui Threv - classics!
Pseudopod 398: Prince Of Flowers by Elizabeth Hand read by Christiana Ellis - gamelan deployment (the gamelan is one of the most beautful instruments ever)!
Pseudopod 396: The Buchenwald Man by Benjamin Sonnenberg read by Dave Robison - see comment on Getrude Atherton above
Pseudopod 416: Punksnotdead by Eric Czuleger read by Joe Calarco - a bigger reaction than I ever expected!

and everything else as well!



TrishEM

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Reply #5 on: January 11, 2015, 08:05:22 PM
Top Three:
Pseudopod 400: The Screwfly Solution by James Tiptree Jr. read by Matt Franklin, Tina Connolly, Anna Schwind, Matt Weller, Rish Outfield, Eric Luke, George Hrab & Jarus Durnett
        (sadly feels as though it were just as plausible and terrible now, if not more so, than it probably did when originally published)
***Pseudopod 399: The Wriggling Death by Harold Gross read by Veronica Giguere
        (disgusting, disturbing, fascinating worldbuilding, and a twisted sisterly relationship -- highly memorable)
Pseudopod 418: Shadow Transit by Ferrett Steinmetz read by Marie Brennan
        (that poor mom, struggling with her reluctance and guilt as her daughter seems happy training to fight eerie doom)
 
Honorable Mentions:
Pseudopod 393: West Gate by Mitchell Edgeworth read by Ron Jon
        (intense snapshot of panic in flight from an unknown menace)
Pseudopod 394: Summer Girls by Caspian Gray read by Robert A.K. Gonyo
        (mixture of uncanny yet taken-for-granted floater-ghost with real-life creepiness of an entitled-feeling guy)

As for best narrators, I'm afraid I rarely think to take note of the narrator when the reading is great but the story is only good, although that does uplift the experience and makes the story itself give a better impression. All of the above readers are great, but there are many other award-worthy readers, so I guess I won't nominate in this category.

I can't think of any stories this year that were less than good! Horror isn't my usual thing, and I only came to this podcast because of listening to the siblings, Escape Pod and Podcastle; however, Pseudopod selections are always interesting and often very evocative, and the characters and their reactions to impossible, horrific situations seem very real. I value the fresh perspectives I get from these "true" stories, even if they aren't comfortable listening!



adrianh

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Reply #6 on: January 11, 2015, 08:18:19 PM
There were so many excellent readers this year I hesitate to call any out, but Dave Robison's reading of Knife Fight was one that really stuck in my head.

Knife… Fight…

Brrrr.



albionmoonlight

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Reply #7 on: February 03, 2015, 10:24:20 PM
Greatest Good for the greatest number
Screwfly solution
The signalman



Unblinking

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Reply #8 on: February 09, 2015, 04:00:25 PM
The Screwfly Solution
The Wriggling Death
Shadow Transit



Fenrix

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Reply #9 on: February 09, 2015, 04:27:49 PM
If we keep going like this, we'll only need a poll for second place.

All cat stories start with this statement: “My mother, who was the first cat, told me this...”


Rikki LaCoste

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Reply #10 on: February 28, 2015, 08:12:27 PM
"Tradition" by L.M. Ball, narrated by Isis LaCoste  ;)