Author Topic: PC124: Squonk And The Horde Of Apprentices  (Read 39796 times)

Irioth

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Reply #50 on: October 04, 2010, 02:25:26 AM
It has been a long time since I heard the previous two Squonk stories. I remember liking them as cute children's stories. This one, however, I didn't like much. I think mostly because this seemed to be a a sort of transition, something that would happen in the middle of a chapter. The only problem to overcome was Wendell's need to teach the animals. That hero's journey just wasn't compelling to me.

I do not recall my first Escape Pod story, but I do remember that hearing the Union Dues stories was what sold me on it. I'm at the point with EA where, if there is a slow start to a story, or one that just does not seem to catch my interest in the beginning, I take a deep breath and remind myself that I have come to trust the editors of Escape Pod and Podcastle, and to just relax and listen--to stop thinking about changing to another podcast.



ts52

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Reply #51 on: October 04, 2010, 05:45:54 PM
I love love love the Squonk stories. Thanks for giving us another one. Now I have to go download them all, listen to them again, and save them for the next long car trip with my girls. Hmmm, not sure I'll be able to wait that long.



Raj

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Reply #52 on: October 04, 2010, 10:24:07 PM
It made my evening when I saw the title of the newest PodCastle come into my podcatcher and I really enjoyed listening to it.  I agree with others that the story was somewhat slight, but there was enough in the interaction of the characters that still made me grin.  Like ChristianB I had hoped that Steve and Anna would read it and like him, I wandered over to Steve's Twitter feed and was sad.

On the subject of my first EA podcast, I think it was Mountain, Man, which didn't grab me as a story, but I was intrigued by the idea of free SF fiction in audio format, so I went back, grabbed the entire archive and spent the next few months catching up (something I'm still doing with the Drabblecast).  I've been hooked ever since, and subscribed to the PodCastle feed as soon as the website went up (although not PseudoPod since I'm not really a horror fan).  Even if I don't necessarily like all the stories, the quality and consistency of the stories and the production has never failed to impress me.

http://lordofthemoon.com ; (Former) Editor of TBD magazine: http://tbd.org.uk


lyndystitches

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Reply #53 on: October 05, 2010, 11:57:54 AM
I enjoyed hearing another tale of Squonk.  Since hearing the first one, I have wanted more of this world and cast.   

I have been listening to PodCastle and EscapePod for a number of years now, but have not participated in the forums before now.

My first ever PodCastle story I listened to was Illuminated Dragon by Sarah Prineas, and having had a hapazard literary education, I had no idea such short stories could be so wonderful to hear.  I was hooked.  I went back and have since listened to ever Podcastle release, and most of the EscapePods. 



naum nurgle

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Reply #54 on: October 05, 2010, 03:54:45 PM
I really enjoyed this one

usually I'm not a huge fan of read children's stories (mainly having 2 means that children reading in in their time not mine, into my ears I want to hear stories for me) but the story came at the right time (having listened to the Drabblecast Lovecroft month and then Black Feather I was in the mood for something lighter) and the story had such whimsy, humour, and the total lack of tentacles around dark corners, well it gave me a huge grin and a mildly teary eye. I thought Wilson was fab!

As for 1st story (curse you competitions making me examine file lists in dusty archives of media files) I have EP114 but the first one I really remember was the first Union Due's; similar to another poster. Been listening for a while I guess

"Eu acreditaria somente num Deus que soubesse dançar."
(I would believe only in a God that knows how to Dance.)  Nietzsche


Loof

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Reply #55 on: October 05, 2010, 05:52:02 PM
Wow, this was so much fun. This was my first Squonk, and I found it really enjoyable.



rjfromva

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Reply #56 on: October 05, 2010, 10:53:33 PM
This story makes me nostalgic for the days when my boys were very young and just starting to enjoy reading and learning.  This would have been a great story to share with them. Nowadays their tastes have matured which makes me happy but I still might send this one there way so they can enjoy the innocence that this podcasts holds.
« Last Edit: October 05, 2010, 10:55:31 PM by rjfromva »



Sholdyn

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Reply #57 on: October 05, 2010, 11:40:07 PM
This was my first Squonk story, but I rather enjoyed it. Simple and fun.

The narration was great!



s1nglecut

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Reply #58 on: October 06, 2010, 01:13:41 AM
I really enjoyed listening to this story with my Kids.  They both wanted the earlier stories added to their personal podcasts.  Thanks very much for this!

My first escape pod episode was The Dinner Game, Steve had me hooked from there.



Drewcifer3939

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Reply #59 on: October 06, 2010, 10:49:05 PM
Dang it, now I'm gonna have to move up downloading the Escape Pod archives in my priorities list.



StarKitten

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Reply #60 on: October 07, 2010, 08:58:38 AM
My first Escape Artists story... I think it was Feng Burger. I've been listening since there was only one podcast. Now there are three. The Squonk stories are very cute.



WalkinPneumonia

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Reply #61 on: October 07, 2010, 01:01:30 PM
I don't remember my first story, but I do always love the Squonk stories.



seth.e.shaw

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Reply #62 on: October 07, 2010, 05:40:35 PM
YAY for Squonk!

Like many others I don't recall what my first EA story was. What I do recall is that Squonk the apprentice was one of the first. I had to go back and listen to Squonk the dragon. I have been listening to Escape Pod ever since but was incredibly happy when Podcastle was announced.

Will post for more excellent audio fiction


Dame

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Reply #63 on: October 07, 2010, 10:42:16 PM
Oh, I'm a grump. I didn't like this story much. The mother bird voice hurt my ears, and I would rather spend my listening time on adult stories that give me a strong emotional response or make me think. This one wasn't my little acorn cup of tea.




Maplesugar

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Reply #64 on: October 08, 2010, 12:03:27 AM
PodCastle never ceases to surprise me.  I found this story quite charming and a bit refreshing as well. I went looking for the first two stories right away after listening.

I can't remember my very first EA story, but one of the first ones I heard was Eugie Foster's "Sinner, Baker, Fablist, Priest; Red Mask, Black Mask, Gentleman, Beast".  While I was confused at the beginning by the changing personas, I enjoyed this story a great deal, as I was able to relate it to my own experience of people wearing many different masks in life.  Some people are like chameleons, switching personas to suit the situation.  I have found myself doing doubletakes at someone I thought I knew well when all of a sudden they are acting like a complete stranger.

Thanks for the stories!

Maplesugar



Turbo Funnelcake

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Reply #65 on: October 08, 2010, 03:27:35 AM
This had the feel of a children's story and I LIKED it.  :D

What does that say about me?

There is something about these Squonk stories that instill some childhood nostalgia in me; I love them! This is what storytelling is all about. 



Shaddicus

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Reply #66 on: October 08, 2010, 05:39:31 AM
Several months ago I had bought the escape pod collection on CD, and had loved Squonk the dragon.  However I had petered out after 4 disks, and didn't know there was a second Squonk story out there until Dave told me in the intro to this one.  Stop, itunes, aha, load, listen... and continuity intact.

I too wished you'd gotten the Eleys to read it, but no world is perfect.

The first escape pod story I ever listened to was a quirky story about immortality achieved through writing... literally.  And how the electronic media was going to melt that for the future.  I could do a descent job of retelling it but have no clue of the title, author, or episode #.



stephanieb

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Reply #67 on: October 08, 2010, 02:30:11 PM
Another Squonk story is always exciting. The reading was great, but the Eleys would have been awesome. I can't remember the first episode I listened too, it must have been in mid to late 2006. Some of my favorite early ones are How Lonesome a Life Without Nerve Gas and Connie, Maybe.



KittKatTiff

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Reply #68 on: October 08, 2010, 07:44:55 PM
Anothr Squonk story! I really enjoy these. Is that a bad thing since I am not a child? Hope there are more in this series



Thomas

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Reply #69 on: October 08, 2010, 09:56:18 PM
Squonk, awesome. Told my daughter the was a new squonk story (she's 15) she actually SQEEEEEEE!!'d

Squonk, the name says it all... great fun. easy listen. well read.

as for my first escapepod?? that would be i do not remember, but what i do remember is that it was before the first Squonk story.

Enjoy and be nice to each other, because "WE" is all we got.


noriker

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Reply #70 on: October 09, 2010, 01:20:39 AM
Squee!  Squonk made my day less dreary.  I loved the reasons the remaining animals had for studying wizardry.



herogeorge

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Reply #71 on: October 09, 2010, 03:58:21 AM
I loved the closing lines.



Artemis

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Reply #72 on: October 09, 2010, 08:48:22 PM
At first, I was completely bemused by this episode, but as it progressed the characters really grew on me. I loved the fact that, at the end, only the animals that wanted to be taught were there. It could almost be an after-school club in the real world!

Despite the dragon being the title character, I hope future episodes will show more the magician and his character development. For me, he was the most fun to listen to. But then, the narration was fantastic, the voices entertaining and diverse so there was never a dull moment.



baker8680

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Reply #73 on: October 10, 2010, 02:27:24 PM
This was a great story and a good reminder of the fact that at the end of the day all of these stories are about people and our ability to understand them.  To add to the earlier string my first story was Mr. Penumbra and the twenty four hour bookstore.  I to will be looking up the other two squonk stories as well.



motoyugota

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Reply #74 on: October 11, 2010, 03:37:33 PM
I liked the story well enough, but I have to admit I didn't really like the voice the mother bird was portrayed with, if only because it was pretty annoying.  Maybe that was the point though =).

I agree with you completely. And if that was the point, maybe a different point should have been made instead. That voice was almost too much to continue listening to the story at times.