Alternate History Weekly Update: Sam McDonald

Showing posts with label Sam McDonald. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Anime Review: Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade

Guest post by Sam McDonald.

I can think of any way to open this review so let's get right to it. Today we'll be taking a look at the anime movie Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade. It takes place in a world where Germany won the Battle of Stalingrad and conquered the Soviet Union. After that it wasn't long before all of Europe was under Germany's control. With Europe secured Germany began to turn its attention towards its former ally Japan. Despite a valiant effort Japan ultimately surrendered after Germany used atomic bombs. Shortly thereafter Japan was formally occupied by Germany.

Jin-Roh takes places during the 1960s. The Germans are beginning to pull out and Japan is finally getting some room to breathe. The Japanese government has instigated several rapid industrialization programs in order to boost their economy. Unfortunately, there's also quite a bit of social unrest as a result of these programs. Riots frequently breakout, socialist movements are getting worryingly popular and anti-government terrorists seem to get more numerous by the day. To restore law and order a special paramilitary police force known as the Kerberos Panzer Cops has been established.

The movie follows a member of the Panzer Cops named Kazuki Fuse. He's allways considered himself a loyal member of Kerberos, but he's shaken to his core after witnessing a young girl blow herself up during one of the riots. He finds himself increasingly drawn towards the girl's sister, Kei Amemiya. At the same time there's an ongoing investigation into a possible counterintelligence cell that has infiltrated the Panzer Cops. This cell is known by the name Jin-Roh.

Okay, before we go any further we need to talk about how this movie came to be. Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade is based upon the Kerberos Cycle manga by Mamoru Oshii, who also helped with the production of the movie. It's actually the third adaption of the Kerberos Cycle. There are two live-action movies, The Red Spectacles and Stray Dog, which came out before Jin-Roh. Chronologically, however, Jin-Roh comes first since it takes place in the 1960s while the live-action movies take place in the 1990s. Mamoru Oshii has also been involved with several classic anime films such as AKIRA and Ghost in the Shell. Now let's examine the alternate history itself.

Plausibility wise this movie is probably on the softer side. Nazi Germany never had any plans to expand into East Asia or to stab Japan in the back. Then there's the reason Japan fell to Germany: the atomic bomb. For multiple reasons Germany was nowhere near developing atomic bombs in our world, and they wouldn't be any closer in the world of Jin-Roh. On the flip side, the socioeconomic situation in post-occupation Japan is a bit more believable because it echoes the real world. We see several left-wing movements gaining popularity, particularly among the youth, just like in our world's Japan in the 1950s. The rapid industrialization and urbanization, along with all of the resulting problems, parallels South Korea during the 1960s and 1970s.

Now let's talk about the art style. Nine times out of ten if you watch an anime it's probably going to employ the standard anime art style. The technically term for this is Mukokuseki, which roughly translates as statelessness. This often employed to add visual diversity to a cast characters and make them easier to differentiate. Jin-Roh falls into the remaining one tenth that forgo Mukokuseki in favor of a more realistic art style. Personally, I tend to favor the typical anime look, but Jin-Roh's art style does make for an interesting change of pace.

This movie has really great atmosphere to it. It has a very gritty and cynical feel to it, and there's shades of grey all around. The terrorist may have legitimate grievances, but their violent and destructive methods aren't serving anyone. The Panzer Cops are certainly necessary to maintain order and protect the populous, but they have to resort to increasingly harsh measures to do so. At the end of the day nobody really looks that good, and there really aren't any easy answers. This is very much a movie steeped in cynicism, and if you're the kind of person who likes happy endings you might be disappointed.

There's a lot of wolf imagery throughout the movie. For example, the members of the Panzer Cops frequently get compared to wolves and their organization's flag features a wolf. The original version of Little Red Riding Hood also features prominently throughout the movie. If you're not familiar with that version, I won't give the ending away. I will, however, mention that in the original version there was no woodsman. The guns, uniforms and vehicles are all clearly German and very accurately depicted. This does make sense, given that Germany has only recently pulled out of Japan.

Overall I found this movie to be enjoyable, but there were a few minor flaws here and there. I felt like Fuse and Kei's relationship could have been developed just a bit more. The pacing of the movie also felt like it got a bit rushed towards the end. It's not really a flaw, but I do kind of wonder what happened to America in this world. Granted, the movie is focused on Japan, so that wouldn't be plot relevant, but I still wonder about how America fared.

The English language dub is absolutely top-notch, and the whole cast does a great job. The English dub was licensed by Bandai Entertainment, which closed its North American division a few years ago. Fortunately, Discotek Media was rescued the license and re-released Jin-Roh on DVD and Blu-ray.

Well there you have it. Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade is a dark and cynical alternate history political thriller. If you enjoy darker anime movies you won't want to miss this one. As a side note, I know you guys enjoy The Audio File, and I assure you that slowly but surely I'm putting together a new edition. Though I may have one more anime movie to share before we get to that just yet.

Well I think that's enough from me for now. I will see you guys next time.

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Sam McDonald is a college student from Shreveport, LA. When not involved with his studies he can be found blogging on Amazing Stories, making and posting maps across the web and working on short stories that he hopes to have published in magazines such as Lightspeed, Strange Horizons, and the Escape Artists Podcasts.

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Thursday, July 14, 2016

Anime Review: Full Metal Panic!

Guest post by Sam McDonald.

When it comes to alternate history in anime there are a few name which immediately make it to the top of the list. Code Geass is probably the one that most people will think of, but the anime we're looking at today is defiantly a close second. What is this anime you ask? Today we are going to be looking at Full Metal Panic!

Full Metal Panic! takes place in a world where Mikhail Gorbachev was assassinated before he could implement his any of his political reforms. As a result the Soviet Union never collapsed and the Cold War continues to rage on into the 21st century. The other major change to history is that combat mecha known as Arm Slaves are now commonly used by militaries throughout the world. Tension remain high between East and West, but the international anti-terrorism organization Mithril is doing its best to keep the world peaceful and oppose the forces of tyranny.

The series follows the adventures of Sgt. Sōsuke Sagara. He may only be sixteen years old, but he's one of the best soldiers Mithril has on hand. Sōsuke has been on many dangerous missions in the past, but he's about to be deployed on his most challenging mission ever: high school! Technology such as the Arm Slaves is only possible because of a group of people, known as The Whispered, who have psychic powers that given them access to Black Technology. Mithril has identified a sixteen year old Japanese girl named Kaname Chidori who they believe to be a Whispered.

There are plenty of unsavory organization who would want access to the Black Technology, so Mithril has assigned Sōsuke to guard Kaname. There's plenty of laughs as Sōsuke tries, and fails, to fit into the life of an average high school student. There's also plenty of action and suspense as Kaname gets drawn into Sōsuke's life with Mithril. It's funny, charming, action-packed and at times even touching. Now let's go in more detail about all of that.

Like I said before, next to Code Geass, Full Metal Panic! is probably one of the best alternate history anime out there. History diverged closer the present day, so the worldbuilding is a bit less exotic compared to Code Geass. That having been said, there are plenty of alternate historical details. For example, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan was a success. China experienced a civil war during the 1990s and is divided into a democratic south and a communist north, with the Yangtze River servring as the border between the two. Hong Kong has been split between the two Chinas, a la Berlin. The Gulf War still happened, but a small scale nuclear missile was used against the American-led forces.

Okay, so now for the moment you've all been waiting for. Which series is better: Code Geass or Full Metal Panic? Speaking for myself, I found Full Metal Panic! to be the better of the two. The plot and character development of Full Metal Panic! are much more streamlined and consistent than Code Geass. It also does a much better job of balancing the comedy/slice of life aspects with the action/drama aspects; so neither side ever overwhelmed the other nor felt out of place. Don't get me wrong, Code Geass has a lot going for it, but the choppiness and disjointedness of its plot and pacing kept it from achieving its full potential in my eyes.

Now then, let's talk about Full Metal Panic's plot and character development. A lot of the comedy of the series comes from the fact that Sōsuke has pretty much no clue about civilian life, and all of the misunderstandings and misadventures that result from that. Well, that and all of the times Kaname losses her temper and slaps Sōsuke around. At the same time there's plenty of serious moments as well. A big part of Sōsuke's backstory is that he was an orphan child solider in Afghanistan until his was eight or eleven and was adopted by a Mithril general. Kaname herself is a bit of an outsider herself since she was raised in America for most of her childhood. There's also a throwaway line that indicates that she also lost her parents, which would explain why she appears to be living on her own. Sōsuke and Kaname start off as a bit of an odd couple, but they grow closer over the course of the series, and their relationship feels genuine.

In other characters we have Melissa Mao and Kurz Weber. Melissa is Sōsuke's commanding officer and Kurz is an ace sniper. They have a sort of surrogate older sibling relationship with Sōsuke. They constantly trying convince Sōsuke to loosen up and have fun, but they're also there to provide moral support and guidance when Sōsuke needs it.

Rounding out the main cast is Captain Teletha Testarossa, but everyone calls her Tessa. She's a cute, clumsy sixteen year old girl who also happens to be the captain of Mithril's flagship submarine the Tuatha De Danaan. All of this is possible because she's one of the Whispered and in fact helped design the Danaan. I'll admit, I really wasn't sure about Tessa when she was first introduced. As time went on, however, she grew on me and proved to be a solid character.

Besides being alternate history Full Metal Panic! is also a example of the Real Robot genre even more so than Code Geass. The Arms Slaves are large, but not excessively so. Mithril and American Arm Slaves tend to be sleek and aerodynamic, while Soviet Arm Slaves tend to be bulkier and turtle-like. On the whole it's all fairly realistic and grounded, with the exception of Sōsuke's Arm Slave which is known as the Arbalest. It comes equip with a device known as the Lambda Driver that can convert emotions into energy shields and blasts. The Arbalest also has a limited AI operating system. The reason only Sōsuke has an Arbalest was that its creator died before it could be replicated, and apparently didn't leave any notes or blueprints. It's also acknowledged in-universe that Arm Slaves are only possible thanks to the Black Technology of the Whispered.

That all having been said, I'm not sure about the structure of Mithril. We get to see that their military forces are more than capable of going toe-to-toe with the American and Soviet militaries; yet they appear to answer to nobody's authority but their own. America and NATO are close allies with Mithril, but it seems a bit odd that America wouldn't be concerned about an organization that could potentially match them militarily and can't be held accountable to any authority. Perhaps, Mithril has some connection to the United Nations? If so, the anime never provides any evidence of this.

Now let's talk about how Full Metal Panic! came to be. The most common basis for an anime is for it to be an adaption of a manga series. There are some series that are entirely original, such as Code Geass, but those tend to be somewhat rare. The second most common source for anime adaptions is light novels. Light novels are a bit tricky to describe since they don't really have a counterpart in the West. I can best describe them as a spiritual successor of sorts to the pulp novels and magazines. They're primary targeted at a young adult audience, though not exclusively. They get their name from their short length, use of simplified kanji compared to more literary novels and include illustrations interspersed throughout the text.

The Full Metal Panic! light novels are written by Shouji Gatou. There are twelve novels in total along with several short story collections. Only the first five novels have received an English translation, though that sort of works out since the anime gets its plot from those five. The plot is mostly the same between the light novels and the anime, but there are a few differences. The biggest being that in the light novels Sōsuke is from Afghanistan, but in the anime he's from the fictional nation of Helmajistan. This is due to the events of the War on Terror causing the production team to think it might be in bad taste to have an Afghan main character. I've said Afghanistan up until this point because Helmajistan is Afghanistan in all but name.

The anime is divided into three seasons. The first season is forty-seven episodes long and is simply entitled Full Metal Panic! The second season is twelve episodes long and is entitled Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu. The third season is thirteen episodes long and is entitled Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid. In 2015 it was announced that a fourth season of Full Metal Panic! is in production and should be coming out in the near future.

The first season does a perfect job of balancing comedy and drama, but as for Fumoffu? It...has issues. Fumoffu discards most of the action with Mithril to focus on the wacky antics at Sōsuke and Kaname's school. In and of itself this isn't a bad premise, but the problem lies with the execution. By the end of season one Sōsuke and Kaname go through some major character development. Sōsuke learns to loosen up and fit in better, Kamane realizes she's been unnecessarily mean to Sōsuke and they both grow closer together. Come Fumoffu, however, they both become almost caricatures of their pre-character development selves. Sōsuke was so oblivious I found it astounding that he could figure out how to put on his pants. Kaname was such in hot-head in Fumoffu that she came across a borderline sociopath at times.

The first six episodes are divided into two eleven minutes halves, and the quality suffers as a result. Look, I love a good screwball slice-of-life anime as much as the next guy, but in the context of Full Metal Panic! it just feels out of place. Also, little tip for all you aspiring writers, personalities are not punchlines. Having said that, about halfway through the quality of the episodes noticeably improves. They run a single plot for the whole episode and there's actually some legitimately funny and touching moments. Fumoffu certainly isn't the worst anime I've ever seen, but it is incredibly awkward at times.

Thankfully, Second Raid is a welcomed return to form. This is because it is a direct sequel to the first season, whereas Fumoffu was primarily a filler season. If you can't handle the wackiness of Fumoffu you can skip ahead to Second Raid without really missing anything. Second Raid picks up the plot a few months after the events of season one and follows Sōsuke as he finds himself increasingly torn between his duty to Mithril and his life with Kaname. I won't give away the ending, but I though it neatly wrapped things up while leaving open the possibility of future installments.

Now let's talk about the voice acting. I gave me spiel about why I only focus on the English dubs in my Code Geass review, but I'll summarize the main points. I'm a very audio oriented person, so if I can't understand the audio it significantly diminishes my enjoyment of a show. Anyway, let's get back on track. I thought that Chris Patton did an excellent job voicing Sōsuke. He was excessively formal with being completely stoic. Likewise, Luci Christian gave a pitch perfect sweet and spicy performance as Kaname. Really, the the whole cast gave great performances.

There have a couple manga adaptions of Full Metal Panic! though their plots are slightly different. Full Metal Panic! also managed to capture Hollywood's attention. In 2009 there were talks about a live action movie that would have starred Zac Efron as Sōsuke. Yes, the guy from Disney's High School Musical trilogy. That might actually have worked out considering that Zac Efron is a huge fan of Full Metal Panic! and of anime and manga in general. On the other hand, live-action adaptations of anime tend to not go that well. Perhaps it's for the best that the live-action movie never got off the ground.

Well there you have it. Full Metal Panic! is funny, action-packed, charming and even touching. It's got high school antics and military science fiction adventure. It's got a little something for everyone all wrapped up in an alternate history setting. It's one of my favorite anime and I'm sure you'll love it as well. And with that I'm off to find more great anime to review and share with you guys. See you next time.

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Friday, July 1, 2016

Friday, June 3, 2016

The Audio File: 5 Year Anniversary Special

Guest post by Sam McDonald.

So here we are, the 5th anniversary of Alternate History Weekly Update. I've got a very special edition of The Audio File for you guys this time. We're going to revisit podcasts that I've featured in the past. For various reasons I didn't include in my previous Audio Files. Sometimes I simply forgot, sometimes the story hadn't come out yet but I'm making up for that now.

Normally I'd talk about the podcasts that are to be featured, but thought we could talk about The Audio File itself and a bit of my own history. I don't quite remember when I found this blog, but I knew I wanted to be part of it instantly. I made some flags, and I made maps covering episodes of The Twilight Histories. I'm not ashamed of any of that, but I always felt that I was stumbling around and not really finding my voice. So what could I do to stand out from the crowd?

I'd noticed that Matt said he wasn't that into audiobooks, so perhaps that would be something. I'd also noticed that a lot of the audio fiction podcasts I listen to tended to have somewhat shoddy search systems; so looking up a particular episode could be a bit of a pain. It would be nice if there were a certain list of sorts complete with reviews of the stories. With all of this in mind I knew what my path ahead would be. Now the only question was what would I name my creation?

I considered names such as Freebies or Cheapskates in reference to the free nature of the audio fiction, but no. Then I thought about The Audio File, a play-on of audiophile in reference to my love of audio fiction. Audio File also happens to be the name of the premiere audiobook magazine, but I didn't find that out until later. I quickly put together an inaugural article and waited to see how thing played out. It has been more successful than I could have ever imagined.

Those first two editions are perfectly fine in their own right, but it's obvious that I was working out some of the kinks. The third edition, where I covered Pseudopod, was really where I felt like I'd firmly found my footing. Now, you'll probably note that I tend to praise stories more than I condemn them. The reason for this is two-fold: I'd much rather share a story I liked than rant about one I disliked, and space is limited by the word count so I have to pick my story with care.

Stick around after the reviews for a special announcement. Well, I think that's enough about me for now. So without further ado, once again it's story time...

PodCastle

Her Windowed Eyes, Her Chambered Heart by Cat Rambo

Narrated by Dave Robinson

Originally Published on Patreon

This story is set in a steampunk 19th century America and follows two detectives named Artemis and Elsbeth. Artemis is a robot who is powered by the element phlogiston. Elsbeth has feelings for him, but Artemis doesn't love her back, or so he claims anyway. The two detectives are off to investigate the automated home of a crazed inventor.

There really ought to be more robot characters in steampunk. It's an area of underutilized potential, so I'm glad that Cat chose to make use of it in this story. You could definitely see what Artemis goes through, constantly worrying about being deactivated, as an analog to the treatment of minorities at the time. For those of you who don't know, phlogiston is a fictional element that was believed to exist back in the 19th century. It was believed to exist in combustible material and to be released during combustion.

I thought that Dave did a good job with the narration. I especially liked the metallic echo that was used for Artemis' dialogue. It's a weird western with a robot detective. Need I say more?

Mister Hadj's Sunset Ride by Saladin Ahmed

Narrated by Cheyenne Wright

Originally Published in Beneath Ceaseless Skies

This story is set in the Old West and follows a nameless narrator as he travels with a man named Mister Hadj. Hadj had lost his faith in many things before meeting the narrator but now he's on the path to redemption. Part of that redemption involves taking down a clan of fundamentalist Christian vampires.

For me, Saladin Ahmed is an example of being able to like a writer's work without having to like the writer themselves. While we have our areas of overlap, more often than not I find myself in opposition to his views and I find him to be a rather annoying person in general. Having said that, I can still appreciate his work on its own terms. I enjoyed this story's theme of seeking redemption in a cynical world. The unnamed narrator is implied to be half-Arab which, while not entirely out of the question, would still probably be a bit odd given the time period. Then again, immigrants from the Ottoman Empire were arriving in America during the 19th century, so maybe not.

As stated above this story was featured in Beneath Ceaseless Skies, who have produced their own podcast of this episode. It was also reprinted in their special Weird West issue. In terms of narration I thought that absolutely Cheyenne nailed it with his narration of the story.

I story of faith and redemption in the weird west, and one I happily recommend.

Hart and Boot by Tim Pratt

Narrated by Amy Elk

Originally Published in Polyphony 4

This story follows a pair of outlaws named Pearl Hart and John Boot. Pearl is a former heiress from Canada who wanted to experience the thrill of being an outlaw in the Wild West. John is a mysterious man with the ability to phase through solid objects. The duo quickly become the scourge of the west and experience quite the thrill, but how long can they keep it up?

Tim Pratt has a reputation for knowing how to write female characters well, and this story is no exception. Pearl Hart is easily one of my favorite Tim Pratt characters. I just love how completely irreverent and carefree she is. I would have liked to know a bit more about John Boot though. I know that Tim deliberately left details about him vague, but I would have liked at least a token explanation about his origins and powers. Despite this I'd say that overall it's a fun little unconventional romance with a wild western flare.

Amy did an amazing job capturing Pearl's snarky personality with the narration. I think I've already covered my recommendation of this story.

The Litigatrix by Ken Liu

Narrated by Anaea Lay

Originally Published in GigaNotoSaurus

This story takes place in the 17th century and is set in the fictional kingdom of Dawul. Dawul is located between China and Korea and was founded during the collapse of the Ming Dynasty. The story follows Sui-Wei Far, the daughter of a great litigatrix. She wishes to follow in her father's footsteps, but often faces discrimination because she is a woman. Sui-Wei is about to take on her biggest case yet. The home of a wealthy family has burned down and everyone thinks the servant girl did it. It's now up to Sui-Wei to prove otherwise.

Let me start off by saying there is some really great worldbuilding here. Dawul, because of its location, is a real melting pot of cultures. The most obvious cultural influences are of course Chinese and Korean, but you've also got Manchurians, Mongols, Japanese ronin and even some European traders thrown into the mix. I liked how, even though she was limited by the time and place she lived, Sui-Wei still managed to be a strong and competent female character. This story felt rather reminiscent of other Far Eastern detective stories such as the tales of Judge Dee and Judge Ooka. The ending was especially ingenious, but I wouldn't want to spoil that for you.

Anaea Lay's narration tends to be a bit hit and miss. Here, however, she does a really good job. Another Ken Liu story that knocks it out of the park, and one that I happily recommend.

Senator Bilbo by Andy Duncan

Narrated by Frank Key

A PodCastle Original

This story is set either in an alternate history or in the future of Tolkien's Middle Earth. The Shire has long since become industrialized, wizards are grumbling about having their university funding slashed, and orcs are an oppressed minority among other things. The story follows a hobbit senator named Bilbo, a decedent of Bilbo Baggins himself, as he goes about his day doing various political work related to The Shire.

Okay, I'm not entirely sure if this one's an alternate history, but I figured it was close enough. Certain works of fiction are considered sacred cows that one simply does not tip. Lord of the Rings is often counted among such works. To me, part of what made this story so enjoyable was how it parodied and satirized Tolkien without abandon. Well, that and I never was the biggest fan of Tolkien, so the sadistic part of me enjoyed seeing Middle Earth corrupted by crooked politicians.

I'll admit that maybe my disappointment with Tolkien is because of how everyone hypes Lord of the Rings. On the other hand, I kind of side with China Melville's analysis of Tolkien as somewhat conservative and reactionary. Underneath the mythical imagery and epic battles I've always felt an undercurrent of Tolkien pinning for a past that never really existed. I know you could debate this view, but if you keep that in mind you'll probably get more enjoyment out of the story.

Frank did a great job capturing the humor of this story with his narration. Die-hard Tolkien fans probably won't like this one, but if you keep an open mind you just might like it. I recommend it.

Pseudopod

The Western Front by Patrick Samphire

Narrated by Paul Jenkins

A Pseudopod Original

This story follows a group of soldiers as they make their way across France during World War I. They soon find themselves helping to guard a rose, but this isn't just any rose. It radiates warmth, light and hope. If the rose dies there's no telling how much worse their already hellish world could become.

Okay, the description leaves something to be desired, but I promise you that the story is well worth your time. World War I was a major turning point in world history. It was the first time industrialized warfare was used on a global scale, and we still feel its effects even to this day. Even without the supernatural elements I have no doubt that this would still have made for an effective and terrifying story.

For a story like this you need just the right sort of narrator or else it all falls apart. Fortunately, Paul is the right fit for this story. Not much more to add here, the story really speaks for itself.

Unheil by Kathryn Allen

Narrated by Elie Hirschman

Originally Published in Pantheon Magazine and collected in Typhon: A Monster Anthology

This story is set in 1909 in German Southwest Africa, what is now Namibia. It follows a man from British Rhodesia who has come to work for the German colonists. The work is hard, but he's sure it will be worth it in the end. Then, late one night, he is greeted by a woman caught between life and death. She tells him of the horrors she endured under the rule of the Germans.

You don't often hear about German colonialism in Africa, so in that regard this story was refreshing. The description of life for the natives under German rule is absolutely chilling. What really sold this story for me was bit after the story where Alasdair Stuart gives more context to the horrors of German colonialism. That's not to say that the story doesn't stand on its own merits, it just that it was a little something extra that gave context to the horrors. It's a chilling tale, and apart from the supernatural bits, it's all true.

Elie did a great job with the narration. Fittingly enough he's from Zimbabwe, which at the time of the story was known as Rhodesia. Another story of realistic chills, and one you won't want to miss.

Cast of Wonders

There Are No Marshmallows in Camelot by Christian McKay Heidicker

Narrated by Marguerite Kenner

A Cast of Wonders Original

This story follows a little girl named Leticia Andrews who discovers the great wizard Merlin is trapped in her play house. Merlin has been thrust forward in time following a battle with the evil sorceress Morgan La Fay. At first Leticia thinks that it'll be great and that she'll get to learn magic, but what will happen if Merlin doesn't get back to Camelot in time?

The historical accuracy of the King Arthur legends is highly debatable, to put it succinctly. At the very least it's agreed that Merlin probably was real; especially since he and Guinevere were from previously unrelated Welsh legends. Similarly, Lancelot was from an unrelated French ballad, so that cast doubt on him. Still, there might be just the tiniest grain of truth buried in there, and this story had time travel so I decided to roll with it.

It was a cute little story. I liked the notion that you can find magic in your every day life if you know the right places to look. The conversations between Merlin and Leticia were fun and I liked the way magic was described. I also enjoyed the bits that follows Leticia later in her life as she searches for sources of magic. It was a nice little touch that tied everything together.

As I've mentioned in the past, every year the crew of Cast of Wonders select stories that they thought were particularly outstanding for a special honor. This story was Alexis Goble's pick for 2015. It is always a joy to hear Marguerite Kenner narrate a story, and this was no exception.

A fun little story about time travel and marshmallows. I recommend it.

The Great Game series by James Vachowski

Narrated by Barry J. North and Graeme Dunlop

A Cast of Wonders Original

This story follows...well, we never really learn his name. We do learn that he used to serve in the British army during the early 20th century and went on many fantastical adventures for king and country. From finding flying carpets in Persia to discovering the lost city of Iram in Arabia. The stories are framed as him recounting his adventures to students doing research at a library.

This one's going to be a group review since there are seven stories in the series. Overall I'd say these stories were a bit hit and miss. A couple were reasonably good pastiches of Victorian adventure stories, a couple started off good before running out of steam, and a few were just kind of meh. I guess that's kind of my biggest issue with these stories. They had interesting concepts, but for the most part they failed to realize their potential. Don't get me wrong, there we a few gems here and there, but overall I didn't find this collection of stories particularly memorable.

The stories are almost all narrated by Barry, though Graeme did narrate one of them. They both made valiant efforts, but it wasn't enough to salvage the stories which didn't work. I didn't quite care for these stories, but I'll say they're at least worth checking out. Who know, maybe you'll like them.

StarShipSofa

Don Quixote by Carrie Vaughn

Narrated by Nicola Seaton-Clark

Originally Published in Armored

This story follows a pair of American reporters who are in Spain to cover the Spanish Civil War. They come across a pair of brothers who have invented a diesel powered robot tank in hopes of defeating Franco's forces. The invention is a marvel of engineering, but what are the consequences of such a device?

It's often said that the Spanish Civil War was the first shots fired in World War II. I've always found it to be an interesting subject and it was nice to see a story set in it. I liked that this story wasn't so much anti-technology as much as it was a caution about the potential misuses of technology. I mean, just imagine what might have happened if Nazi Germany got their hands on an army of robot tanks like the ones in the story.

Stories that have narrators that are the opposite gender of their characters are always a bit of a gamble. Here, however, it works out reasonably well. I'm sure you all remember Nicola Seaton-Clark from when I covered Far-Fetched Fables. It's another great story from Carrie Vaughn I'm sure you'll enjoy.

The Wreck of Mars Adventure by David D. Levine

Narrated by David D. Levine

Originally Published in Old Mars

This story takes places in a world where physics and astronomy function as they were believed to in the 18th century. The notorious pirate Captain Kidd has finally been captured, but he's been given a chance to escape execution. He has been charged with leading a mission of diplomacy and discovery to the planet Mars. Little does Kidd know that's he's in for the adventure of his life.

This story had a certain nostalgic element for me. I was very much reminded of the often forgotten Disney movie Treasure Planet. For those who haven't seen it, it's basically Treasure Island in a space opera setting. I have many fond memories of watching that movie when I was younger. The writing style itself was very evocative of the high seas adventure stories of the 18th and 19th centuries. You really get that sense of excitement about exploring new horizons in an age of discoveries.

Authors narrating their own stories has its pros and cons. They can often do the characters' voices closer to their original vision, but they must have proper narration skills to pull it off. David is quite the narrator in addition to being a good writer, so it all works out.

An adventure on the high seas of outer space that I happily recommend.

Lightspeed Magazine

Time Shards by Greg Benford

Narrated by Stefan Rudnicki

Originally Published in Universe 9

This story follows to researchers at the Smithsonian Institute who are helping to create a vault-size time capsule that will be opened in 1000 years. They're also researching items from 1000 years in the past as part of a special exhibit to celebrate the BiMillennial. During this process they discover that, by running copper wiring against clay pots, they can hear voices from the past.

For those of you wondering, this is an alternate history, albeit a subtle one. The story seems to take place in 2000 or thereabout, and it's mentioned that the president is a woman, though I have no clue who that could be. The other obvious divergence is the discovery the researchers make by playing the clay pots like records. I found that particularly intriguing because it sounds like something that could happen in the real world. It was interesting getting to hear the Middle English messages in the pots. It didn't sound anything like Modern English, but at the same time I could catch little snippets that I understood or could guess the meaning of.

I guess you could almost consider this a time travel story with history as the time machine. As usual, Stefan does a great job with the narration. I give this story a hearty recommendation.

Selfie by Sandra McDonald

Narrated by Judy Young

This story follows a girl from the future named Susan. Her mother is a researcher at a colony on the Moon, and her father is a time traveling travel writer/tour agent. She's been on plenty of vacations to the past with her dad, but she yearns for the promise of outer space. To get out of the latest trip to the past she buys a robot copy of herself known as a Selfie. It seems like the perfect plan, but things don't work out as she expects.

Yeah, it's kind of hard to talk about this story without spoiling the whole thing, but I'll give it a shot. First off, I have no relation to Sandra. I found Selfie to be an interesting concept. You can give them any memories you choose, send them off to do whatever you want and when you're done their memories of the experience are downloaded into you. A time traveling tourism agency also sounds intriguing, though you'd think it would have to be highly regulated because of all the things that could potentially go wrong.

I thought Judy did a really good job with the narration. I can't really say much more, but I can say you ought to check this story out.

The Drabblecast

A Last Kiss For Lazarus Winters by D.K. Thompson

Narrated by MarBelle

A Drabblecast Original

This story is set in the world of Dave Thompson's St. Darwin's Spiritual series. It is a world where Charles Darwin developed goggles that allow the living to see the dead. The story follows Lazarus Winters, a black man living in London. He makes a living by extorting spirits for money and information. He's currently investigating the murder of his friend Neena. The investigation soon leads him to uncover a conspiracy of religious fanatics with a vendetta against the spirits.

As you may remember, I reviewed another St. Darwin story during my second article on Escape Pod. Of the two I think I prefer this one better. I liked how this story showed what it was like for people of color in Victorian Britain. We defiantly get to see the seedier side of this universe, and I think that was to this story's benefit. Also, there are no steam powered marvels or airships in this story, so if you don't like those you'll be good with this one.

Another things helping this story with MarBelle's narration and the excellent use of music and sound effects. All in all, another great entry to the St. Darwin's Spiritual universe.

Five Ways to Fall in Love on Planet Porcelain by Cat Rambo

Narrated by Norm Sherman

Originally Published in Near+Far

This story takes place in an alternate universe populated by sentient porcelain people. Their world is a hub of interdimensional travel and tourism. The story follows a porcelain woman named Tikka as she falls in love with a human from Earth.

This one's a bit unusual as far as alternate histories go, but I figured it was worth squeezing in. I found it somewhat confusing that the porcelain people were assigned social class arbitrarily. It almost reminded me of the classic EC Comics story "Judgement Day". Conversely, I was intrigued by the descriptions of other universes. For that matter, the porcelain people seem like they'd need to have been created by something else, but what made them? There's a universe inhabited by purple griffins and a universe with sentient rainbows, among other worlds. I can't really say much about the story's central romance without giving it all away. You'll have to find that out for yourself.

As usual, Norm does an excellent job with the narration. A slightly unusual alternate history, but one that is well worth your time

Conclusion

Well, we've reached the end of the list once again. What can I say, it's been a great ride. At this point I'm kind of waiting for the pool of stories to refresh itself, so it might be a bit before the next edition of The Audio File. I can't say when, but one day it will return. But don't worry, this is not goodbye.

I've noticed that the Update is in need of an anime expert, and I think that is how it will move forward in my contributions. In fact, I'm working on a very special review to come in the next month or so. I'm keeping it under wraps, but I can give you a taste. You may know that I enjoyed the anime Code Geass, flawed though it is. Well, this anime that I will be reviewing, I liked it even more than Code Geass.

I hope that you have enjoy The Audio File. I hope that it has brought great stories, great podcasts and great peoples into your life. And hey, if you're still hungry for more I've got another version of The Audio File over on Amazing Stories. So if you've been looking for great non-alternate history audio fiction, let's just say I've got you covered. You'll probably be seeing a lot more from that Audio File in the near future. On a side note, props to Matt for bringing great content week after week. You keep a way better blog schedule than I do with my own blog.

Happy listening to you all, and happy fifth anniversary Alternate History Weekly Update. Thank you for listening, I will see you guys next time.

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Thursday, May 19, 2016

Anime Review: Hetalia

Guest post Sam McDonald.

So today I'm going to be reviewing the anime Hetalia. The series began its life as a popular webcomic by Hidekaz Himaruya, but it didn't take long for it to receive an anime adaptation. The series is a lighthearted and humorous retelling of various world history events with the nations of the world anthropomorphized as humans. Originally the focus of the series was on the Axis Powers and their on-going struggle against the Allies. Hetalia has since moved beyond World War II and has focused on other historical events and nations.

Some of you probably think that this sounds kind of similar to Polandball. I suppose that's more or less true, but there's a couple of things you ought to keep in mind. First of all, Hetalia did come first, but it's hardly the first series to feature anthropomorphic nations. Second, and far more importantly, do not under any circumstance compare the two to each other. While there are fans of both Hetalia and Polandball, for the most part the fandoms tend not to play well together. All I'm saying is tread carefully when discussing Hetalia and Polandball in the same forum thread.

Now then, let's talk about the series itself. There really isn't any overarching plotline to speak of. Certain historical periods do tend to get more episodes than others, but overall the series is just as episodic as the webcomic that inspired it. Each episode clocks in at about five minutes if you count the intro and credits. So if you're short on time, or have a short attention span, then Hetalia should suit you quite well.

The characterization of the various nations are, in large part, based upon Japanese stereotypes of those nations. As a result we have Italy, rather than France, as the one who's cowardly and quick to surrender. It's all meant in good natured fun and isn't meant to be offensive or taken too seriously. Even Japan gets in on the fun, being portrayed as a shut-in who takes way too many pictures while on vacation. In fact most viewers tend to find the depiction of their home nations absolutely hilarious.

Hetalia may be a comedy series, but it does know how to be serious when the occasion calls for it. The most notable example of this episode that involves the American Revolution. Rather than a glorious struggle for independence it is portrayed as a tragic parting of ways between America and England. It packs even more of an impact when we see how England was like a big brother to America during America's younger days. Admittedly, the American Revolution episode was hyped to hell and back, which killed a bit of its impact. That being said, it still is easily one of the most powerful episodes of the whole series.

In general, though, Hetalia keeps things on the lighter side and tends to stay away from topics that are too serious or controversial. Himaruya has stated that this is why Mexico has yet to have an on-screen appearance. Curiously though, Cuba, who arguably would be more controversial, has appeared on a couple of occasions. Germany does feature prominently in the World War II segments, but he's never depicted as subscribing to Nazism and he isn't exactly fond of his boss Hitler.

The historical and cultural references are very well researched. Don't worry about missing out on any of the jokes or references. The anime has several text pop-ups that explain things in great detail, and the webcomic has little notes that also provide explanations. In fact, Hetalia's one of the best researched anime with regards to European History and history in general. If you're not careful you might just learn something new.

The gender balance of characters is skewed towards the male side. Himaruya admits that this is largely because he had trouble drawing female characters when he first started the webcomic. You might think this would hurt Hetalia's popularity with the female demographic, but you'd be quite wrong. As a matter of fact women make up the majority of Hetalia fans, and there's also a strong LGBT fan base.

Hetalia has proven to be the inspiration for a few other series over the years. The most prominent being the webcomic Scandinavia and the World. It's pretty similar to Hetalia, but the cast is more gender balanced and the stereotypes are ones Scandinavians hold. You can find Scandinavia and the World on Deviantart and it is worth checking out.

In other inspirations we have the webcomic Planetary Moe. It's basically Hetalia but with celestial bodies rather than nations. In fact, some of the character designs are similar to Hetalia designs. I've only recently found out about this one so I can't say much. I can say, from what little I've seen, it looks like a pretty good webcomic. It can also be found on Deviantart.

I thought that the English dub was quite excellent as well. I can't imagine anyone other than Todd Haberkorn as Italy or Eric Vale as America and Canada. Though Vic Mignogna, who was eventually cast as Greece, gave some very admirable auditions for Italy and America. J. Michael Tatum gave such a good performance as France that I almost didn't realize that it was him.

Seasons one and two of Hetalia are known as Hetalia: Axis Powers. Seasons three and four are called Hetalia: World Series. Season five is known as Hetalia: The Beautiful World, while season six has yet to be released stateside. There's also been a movie released called Hetalia: Paint it White. Several of the webcomics have been collected in manga format and are available for purchase.

Well there you have it. Hetalia: it's funny, it's educational and it's a whole lot of fun. It's a series that I enjoy quite a bit and I'm sure you will to. Well that does it for now. I've got a very special edition of The Audio File for next time, so that's something to look forward to. I will see you guys next time.

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Friday, April 1, 2016

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Anime Review: The Place Promised in Our Early Days

Guest post by Sam McDonald.

Last year I served as the resident audio expert here on The Update. With some of the things I've got lined up for this year I'm probably going to wind up as the resident anime correspondent. Though I haven't completely abandoned audio works. Anyway, today we are going to take a look at an anime movie. We're reviewing The Place Promised in Our Early Days.

It's set in a world where the Soviet Union has occupied almost all of the island of Hokkaido since 1973. The Soviet began construction on a mysterious tower after they secured Hokkaido, while the rest of Japan is backed by the United States. The movie follows three characters named Hiroki, Takuya and Sayuri. The three initially meet as teenagers and make a promise that one day they will fly to the mysterious tower. The movie then skips ahead three years as tensions grow high between the United States and the Soviet Union.

Takuya is a physicist who is working with the United Nations on a project to contact other universes. Hiroki is a student in Tokyo and has been greatly effected by Sayuri's disappearance and is doing everything he can to find her. Meanwhile, Sayuri has slipped into a coma and is being monitored for possible psychic abilities. As the world draws closer to World War III could she be the key that ties everything together?

Now that sounds like a pretty good set up with lots of alternate history possibilities. Well, we'll talk about that in a minute. For now let's talk about the alternate history itself. Unless the Soviet Union was feeling suicidal, 1973 is way too late for them to nab Hokkaido. At best you might see them getting it in an alternate World War II outcome, but even that's kind of dicey given how small the Soviet Pacific fleet was. I suppose the film makers were trying to draw parallels to the partition of Korea. Also, the tower appears to stretch miles into the atmosphere and can be seen from Tokyo. The technology to build something like that didn't exist in the 1970s, or even in the present day for that matter.

The Soviet Union is shown to have survived to the present day though that was a bit more believable. Also, though it's never mentioned, I would assume that Korea is United under communist rule in this world.

Okay, now for the big one. You know all of that alternate history I just told you about within the setting? Well it's not really the main focus of the plot. Don't get me wrong, it does factor into the plot and is involved with moving the the story forward, but it isn't front and center like in something like Code Geass. Also, you only find our certain details of the setting if you read the back of the box the DVD comes in. The primary focus of the plot is on Hiroki and Sayuri's relationship. So how does it do in that regard?

I'd say, all things considered, reasonably well. Their relationship builds slowly and steadily. There's no grand deceleration of love or love at first sight. It all feels very genuine and sincere. They, as well as Takuya, are just average people trying to live their lives even as the world inches closer to conflict. I guess that's kind of how history works for the average person on the street. There are events going on around us that shape the world we live in, and will live in, but we all go on with out lives as best as we can.

I'd also like to take a minute to talk about the soundtrack. It's filled with lots of classical music and violin pieces. It is beautiful, elegant and adds a lot of emotional depth to the movie. The artwork, especially the scenery and flying scenes, is quite good as well. It's very reminiscent of the film's of Hayao Miyazaki and there are a few instances that feel like visual references to those films. The voice acting, and here I'm referring to the English dub, was also quite excellent.

All things considered, I quite enjoyed this movie and I think you will too. It's beautiful, elegant and heartfelt. However, if you're going into it primarily for the alternate history aspect you might be a bit disappointed, so just be aware of that.

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Thursday, March 3, 2016

Thursday, February 25, 2016

Book Review: Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

I've been meaning to review Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld for quite some time now. Not only is it a good example of young adult alternate history, but I received it as a Christmas gift from Sam McDonald. Since he was kind enough to read and review the gift I got him for Christmas, I thought it was only fair that I reciprocate.

Leviathan is set at the start of our timeline's World War I, but there are some differences as you could expect. For one thing, technology is highly divergent from our own. The Central Powers are known as "Clankers" for their use of mechanized war machines. I particularly liked the walking land ships that bring the power of a naval dreadnought to the front-lines. Although it appears some of these vehicles run on steam, hence why so many call Leviathan a steampunk story, some run on other fuels, like kerosene, which suggests a dieselpunk-level of technology, but I won't split hairs. They also have airships (of course), but nothing as interesting as what the Entente has.

You see the Entente are know as "Darwinists" for their use of fabricated creatures. The point of divergence for this timeline is farther back in the 19th century due to Charles Darwin not only discovered evolution, but also genetics and how to manipulate the DNA of creatures to create whatever type of animal you need. For example, pollution has become a thing of the past in Britain since fabricated animals (which often combine the DNA of several species) do all the heavy lifting instead of machines. The Darwinists have a biopunk aesthetic to them, which makes Leviathan at its heart a conflict between two different punk genres. Kind of ingenious actually, but does the actual story hold up?

As you may expect our story begins with Archduke Franz Ferdinand being assassinated in Sarajevo and the Serbians being blamed for it. Westerfeld makes some more changes, however, to the timeline by having the Archduke only have one son, Prince Aleksandar (Alek). He needs to be spirited away to Switzerland by his father's supporters on a Austrian walker (think AT-ST), because the Germans were actually behind the killings and wanted to blame the Serbs in order to start a general European war.

While Alek gives us the point of view from the Clankers, our other point of view character is Deryn (Dylan) Sharp. She is a girl who wants to join the British Air Service, so she pretends to be a boy. When the inflatable jellyfish she way flying is cut from its mooring during her first test, she is picked up by the Leviathan, a Darwinist airship which is primarily a flying whale with an entire ecosystem of other critters that not only help keep it aloft, but give it offensive capabilities (like hawks that trail wires between them to cut open airplanes, or the bats that vomit metal barbs...did I mention the Darwinists are weird?). She is brought on board and later becomes a full member of the crew, joining them on their secret mission to the Ottoman Empire. Eventually she and Alek run into each other and help forge an alliance between their two groups as war spreads across Europe.

I enjoyed Leviathan. The writing was good and the characters were likable. The Darwinist creations were ingenious and how their society would react to the fabricated animals (with some embracing them and others seeing them as abominations against God) was reasonably portrayed. A part of me wishes the Clankers were a little more fleshed out. It seemed they had a fetish for putting legs on anything that moved, regardless of how practical it is. This is actually cool when it comes to the land ships, but they even did it to smaller vehicles like trucks. Seems like you are overcomplicating something just for the sake of aesthetics.

People who really enjoy plausible alternate histories won't like Leviathan off the bat for the genetic weapons and steam-powered walkers that inhabit this timeline. That being said, Westefeld does play fast and loose with history even after unleashing his alien space bats. Besides the changes to the Archduke's children and death (he is poisoned, not shot), real people like Nora Barlow have completely different careers. Then there is the case of nations like Italy. Check out this map that came with the book:

It is a really pretty map, but if I am reading it correctly, Italy is a Darwinist nation. Italy, however, was technically allied with Germany and Austria-Hungary before the start of World War I in our timeline. While they stayed neutral at first and later came in on the side of the Entente, wouldn't that make them more like a Clanker nation in this universe? Whoever wrote the Wikipedia article for the book even suggested they "appear to be Clanker", but I didn't read anything in the book to suggest that unless the Wiki editor is pulling from some of the later books.

That may be where they got the info on the United States. According to the editor, America is half-Clanker in the North and half-Darwinist South...which doesn't make much sense if you know the South's history with Darwin. You would think this would make America a fully Clanker state and even an ally of Germany. Personally I feel Westerfeld didn't delve deep enough into the alternate history created by this alternate Darwin nor fully appreciate just how much society would change if it embraced a form of genetic manipulation in the 18th century that is more advanced then what we have in 2016.

The biggest issue with the Darwinists, however, is the creatures themselves, especially those used as weapons. To be honest, I am not sure how the Darwinists expect to win this fight. Their creatures are impressive looking from a design standpoint, but in general, flesh and claws don't do well against bullets and steel armor. Although the Darwinists do appear to use some Clanker-esque technology, I don't see their armies standing up against gargantuan walking tanks. It is sort of like the Yuuzhan Vong of the New Jedi Order series. Yeah there organic weaponry and armor sound cool, until you realize that the only reason the high-powered lasers, missiles and magic the good guys use don't work on the bad guys is because the writer says they don't work. Humans and animals, to be a tad simplistic, are just bags of juice which can be easily punctured by the right needle.

Now some might say "its alien space bats, let it go", but I don't think authors should use that as a cop out. One of the reasons why I enjoy stories like SM Stirling's Emberverse or John Birmingham's The Disappearance is that the authors tend to limit their intentional implausibilities to the thing that changed the timeline. The story then progresses logically from the point of divergence, without having to add new divergences for the sake of the story. A good implausible point of divergence creates the story. The story does not create implausible points of divergence.

Even with everything I said above, I don't want you to walk away thinking I didn't like Scott Westefeld's Leviathan. Despite being marketed to young adults, I still enjoyed reading it and I would have loved to see more stories like this when I was younger. It didn't shy away from adult themes or skimp on the adventure. It taught a little history even and I presume some younger alternate historians who read it may have been inspired to read more about the real World War I or some of the other topics mentioned in the book. I enjoyed the few illustrations that went with the book. They were well-drawn and didn't distract from overall story. Admittedly it was a short and easy read, but I can think of a few adults who may enjoy that.

If you don't mind implausible alternate histories or want to introduce you kid to your favorite genre, I can certainly recommend Leviathan. At its heart its an adventure story about two kids caught up in a war that is about to tear a continent apart.

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Thursday, February 18, 2016

The Audio File: Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Apex Magazine and Far-Fetched Fables

Guest post by Sam McDonald.

Before we begin this edition of The Audio File, I'd like to say that I have some big news, but you're going to have to wait until the end of the post to find out. For now, let's meet the podcasts that we'll be looking at today: Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Apex Magazine and Far-Fetched Fables.

Beneath Ceaseless Skies has been bringing excellent literary adventure fantasy for over seven years. Its editor-in-chief and podcast host is Scott H. Andrews who, along with Tina Connolly, narrates most of the stories. Every now and again, however, the podcast will feature a special guest narrator. Besides the main show there's also The BCS Audio Vault podcast. It features past stories which are introduced by their authors, who give some background to the stories.

The second podcast we'll be looking at is Apex Magazine. It was founded in 2005, but it's podcast didn't start until 2014. It publishes science fiction, fantasy and horror. Apex was nominated for the Hugo Award in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Okay, not a terribly interesting history, but hey, it is what it is.

Our final stop for this issue will be with Far-Fetched Fables. It's part of the District of Wonders podcast family. They're the same people who create StarShipSofa and its sister podcasts. It's the youngest of the District of Wonders podcasts and is hosted by Nicola Seaton-Clark.

Well that about does it for the intros. So without further ado let's move on to the stories.

Beneath Ceaseless Skies

The Last Gorgon by Rajan Khana
Narrated by Anonymous

This story is set in a mythological Greece that's in the middle of an industrial revolution. Steam powered machines bring new innovations and opportunities by the day, colonies are being established in foreign lands and overseeing it all are the children and descendants of the gods. The story follows an adventurous heroine named Naima. She's caught the fancy of a descendant of Poseidon named Clytos, and she'll do anything to get him to back off. She can't kill him with a sword, for it is forbidden to kill those with blood of the gods, so she'll have to get creative.

As a huge mythology enthusiast I fell in love with this story almost instantly. I really liked the idea of having an industrial revolution in the middle of a magical world, even if it wasn't given much focus. I also liked how the story explored the potential social ramifications that demigods and their descendants would have on society. I always figured it would lead to an incredibly ridged class system. The descriptions in this story are really vivid and I can easily imagine myself strolling down the streets of New Knossos.

As you may have noticed, the narrator of this story is anonymous. I contacted Beneath Ceaseless Skies for some clarification, but the narrator chooses to remain anonymous. Whoever she is, she did an excellent job with the narration of this story.

It's an alternate history take on the world of Greek Mythology, what more could you ask for?

Memories in Bronze, Feathers, and Blood by Aliette de Bodard
Narrated by Scott H. Andrews

This story is set in an Aztec Empire that successfully resisted European colonization and is on the cusp of an industrial revolution. The story is told from the perspective of a flock of steam-powered robot birds, who collectively form an artificial intelligence. They were made by a warrior-turned-inventor named Nezahual and are powered by hearts made of silver vials containing drops of Nezahual's blood. The flock watch as Nezahual comes to terms with his past and looks ahead towards the future.

This is probably the first Aztec steampunk story I've ever encountered. I really like the ways that the steampunk elements were adapted to Aztec culture, such as with the hearts of the birds. I really think this story did a great job of capturing the alien nature of a mechanical mind, especially a hive mind like the flock's. As usual, Aliette does a great job with the research into Aztec culture. Scott's narration of this story did seem a bit detached and a little stiff, but that actually worked out in this case. It is a story told from the perspective of a group of robots after all.

Hey, it's an Aztec steampunk story, do I need to say more?

The Use and the Need by M. Bennardo
Narrated by Tina Connolly

This story takes place in New York City during the days of the Temperance Movement. Tom Brown is the owner of a saloon, and he's had more than a few run-ins with the Women's Christian Temperance Movement. The movement’s latest attempt to run him out of business is to destroy is saloon with a steam powered robot. It isn't long, however, before things spiral out of control.

Okay, I did not enjoy this story at all. My main issue was just how smug and self-righteous the members of the WCTM were. For crying out loud, they nearly destroyed a man's livelihood, nearly murdering him in the process, and then they had the nerve to demand an apology from him! The worst part is, he obliges and turns his saloon into a lunch counter. The other issue is, due to the benefit of hindsight, I know just what a bad idea the Temperance and Prohibition movements were. If anything, they just made alcohol related issues worse and more profitable by forcing them underground. All things in moderation would have been a much better philosophy...and I'm going to stop before I get too political.

Bottom line, don't waste your time with this dud.

No Sweeter Art by Tony Pi
Narrated by John Meagher
2015 Aurora and Parsec Award Finalist

This story is a sequel to "A Sweet Calling", which I review in the post about Clarkesworld, however, you don't have to have read that story to enjoy this one. Set in Ancient China, it follows Tangren Ao, the candyman with the ability to bring candy zodiac animals to life. He's going to need all the magic he can muster as the spirits of the Chinese Zodiac send him on another mission to combat evil-doers.

I'm going to do something different for this one. It goes without saying that I give this story I hearty recommendation. Now then, let me tell you a little something about The Parsecs. They are an annual award given out for exceptional speculative fiction podcasting. They come in many different categories, and the best way I can describe them are sort of like the podcasting equivalent of the Hugos or the Oscars. Also, parsecs are a unit of measurement for distances in space.

A good story an some info about a little know award, a two for one special.

Mr Morrow Becomes Acquainted with the Delicate Art of Squid Keeping by Geoffrey Maloney
Narrated by T.D. Edge

This story is set in 19th Century Australia in a world where humanity fought a war against alien invaders known as Kraken. The Kraken resemble crosses between pigs and humans, but they kept a strange species of cuttlefish that don't match any known species from Earth. The story follows several well-to-do members of society as they attend a costume party, listen to a professor's theories about the Kraken, grow squids for heads, turns into cuttlefish and...okay, yeah, this story's kind of weird.

Admittedly, thought it does get a bit trippy, but overall I found this story enjoyable. I liked that this was a Victorian story that didn't immediately go for steampunk. It was also nice to see a somewhat Lovecraftian story that reveled in its strangeness and didn't necessarily become a cosmic horror story. I also enjoyed the way this story mimicked the style of writing common in the Victorian era. T.D. Edge did a really good job depicting the various characters in this story.

It's a little on the stranger side, but it's still very much worth your time.

The Good Deaths, Part II by Angela Ambroz
Narrated by Tina Connolly

This story is set in a world in which Buddhism is the dominate religion of the West. Also, in this world Buddhist beliefs are known for a fact to be real. The story follows Carrie Amelia Nation as she travels across the Wild West to do the work of the Buddha and seek redemption.

Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy this story but...well, I'm kind of disappointed. This story had a really interesting premise, but it failed to make the most of that premise. The United States still exists, the Civil War still happened, slavery was still a thing and Christianity still exists, albeit as a minority religion. I find it kind of hard to believe that everything would have gone exactly as it did in our world, especially in a world where the reality of Buddhist beliefs are a fact of daily life.

Now, this isn't to say that this story is necessarily bad, but if you're looking for a story that examines what a Buddhist dominated world would be like, then you'll probably be disappointed. For what it's worth, I thought Tina did a pretty decent job with the narration.

It's not exactly bad, but be aware of what you're getting into if you give it a listen.

Of Thinking and Being Beast by Michael J. DeLuca
Narrated by Michael J. DeLuca

The setting of this story is a bit unclear. It's either a world where the Ancient Greeks colonized the New World or else a fantasy world combining aspects of both Ancient Greece and the Wild West. Either way, it follows a satyr named Boreas who works for the Circus of King Minos' Masque. His boss, Nessus, has just purchased a mechanical combat bull and intends to test it again a minotaur Boreas has taken a liking to and Boreas must now find a way to escape.

Like I said, I don't know the exact setting of this story, but I quite enjoyed it. I like how centaurs, rather than humans, are the dominant species in this world. It's always annoyed me that humans tend to be the dominate species even in fantasy worlds where they don't have technological or magical advantages of other races, so this was a nice change of pace. As you might have guessed, I enjoyed the Greek Mythology connections this story had. There really ought to be more alternate history based around Greek Mythology because it just has such great potential.

Michael isn't just a good writer, he's also a really great narrator. It's another mythology based alternate history you won't want to miss out on.

Apex Magazine

Jackalope Wives by Ursula Vernon
Narrated by Wendy Bowlsby
World Fantasy Award Nominee, Nebula and Cóyotl Award Winner

This story is set in the deserts of the Southwestern United States during the days of the Old West. Within the wilds of the desert are creatures known as Jackalope Wives, creatures that can change from jackalopes to beautiful women by taking off their skin. To keep them as wives their jackalope skins must be burned to keep them from changing. The story follows an old woman named Grandma Harken as she tries to help a Jackalope Wife who is stuck between forms.

In many ways this story can be described as a Wild West retelling of the Selkie legend. Selkie's are creatures from Irish and Scottish folklore who function one the same principles, though they turn into seals, and their skin doesn't need to be burned. It was nice how this story combined a classical folk tale with a bit of American folklore. I thought that Wendy did a good job with the narration. She really captured Grandma Harken's snarky and sarcastic personality.

Hey, just look at all of those awards, clearly it's a pretty good story.

Anthracite Weddings by John Zaharick
Narrated by Wendy Bowlsby

This story has a somewhat unclear setting. It appears to take place in 19th century Pennsylvania, but certain detail suggest otherwise. Most notably is the fact that religion appears to be based around the veneration of spirits known as the Burning Ones, who act in opposition to spirits known as the Blind Ones. The story follows a girl named Katherine who lives in a small mining town. She's found herself ostracized from everyone in town due to reasons you'll have to read about. She's also begun seeing some of the Burning Ones, and begins to wonder if they're really as bad as people claim them to be.

Like I said, the settings a little unclear her. There's frequent mention of the Commonwealth militia, and Pennsylvania is technically a commonwealth, but combined with the odd religious practices seems to suggest the story takes place in an alternate history of America. Regardless of its world, I enjoyed the way this story depicted life in a 19th century small town. The story had a certain quality to it that brought to mind the story you find over at The Moonlit Road. I do kind of wish the story had gone a bit more into the lore of the various spirits.

It had a few iffy elements, but overall it's a pretty good story.

A Sister's Weight in Stone by J.Y. Yang
Narrated by Lisa Shininger

This story is set in 19th century Singapore and Malaysia. It follows a girl named Little Phoenix who is on a quest to save her sister who has been taken hostage by sea dragons...or has she?

So, are the sea dragons real or all in Little Phoenix's head? Well you'll have to read or listen to find out. I will say, no matter what, the fact the Little Phoenix is willing to go to such length for her sister is rather touching. This story is primarily a historical fantasy story with minimal steampunk elements, so something to consider for those who may not care for steampunk. It was also nice to see a story set in Southeast Asia during the 19th century.

As for the narration, I thought that Lisa did a great job. All in all, I'm going to give this story a recommendation.

Far-Fetched Fables

Space Operetta by Adam Browne
Narrated by Mark Kilfoil

This story is set in the year 1453, but one in which physics and astronomy function as they are described by Aristotle and Ptolemy. The Holy Roman Empire faces invasion from the Ottoman Turks, and a prophecy foretells of an Ottoman victory accompanied by a shooting star. It's up to a group of daring German adventurers to ensure that the star doesn't come anywhere near Earth.

The writing for this story had an almost lyrical and poetic tone. I really like the way this story depicted modern concepts such as cosmic rays and photons, but in a way someone working with a Ptolemaic world view might describe them. It really felt like the way someone from the 15th century would write a space opera story, and I loved the combination of styles that resulted. Of course, a story with this sort of style needs the right kind of narrator to bring it all together and Mark more than delivers.

It's a space adventure most lyrical and one you won't want to miss out on.

Clockwork Fairies by Cat Rambo
Narrated by Anthony Babington
Originally Published on Tor.com

This story is set in the Untied Kingdom during the 19th century. It follows a gentleman named Claude who is caring for a young lady named Desiree. She shows great skill when it comes to working with mechanical devices, but Claude wishes that she'd learn to be a proper lady. One day they are visited by a mysterious man who speaks of fairies and others worlds. Is he all that he seems?

As someone who has written about the Fair Folk, I appreciated how this story hearkened back to the older tales of fairies. Prior to their cutesy modern incarnation, fairies were considered to be mysterious forces of nature that could be benevolent or cruel at a whim. It was also nice how the story touched on the various restrictions and limitation placed on women by Victorian society. With regards to the narration, I thought the Anthony did a good job.

All things considered it's a pretty decent story that I'll give a recommendation.

And Such A Small Deer by Chris Roberson
Narrated by Anthony Babington

This story takes place in 1850 where Dr. Abraham Van Helsing is on assignment to the island of Sumatra. He's come to investigate claims regarding sightings of rats the size of elephants. Could it possibly have something to do with an eccentric British medical student named Moreau?

As you might have guessed this story kind of has a League of Extraordinary Gentlemen thing going on. If like me you're a fan of those type of crossover stories then you will enjoy this one. Really, most people will probably enjoy this one. Once again Anthony has done a great job narrating the story.

It's another story that I give a hearty recommendation to.

Tengu Mountain by Gregory Frost
Narrated by Gregory Frost

This is story is set in Ancient Japan and follows a man named Ando as he travels to visit his aunt who lives high in the mountains. Along the way he's greeted by a monk who warns him of the tengu and their trickery. It isn't long before Ando begins to suspect that all is not as it seems.

Okay, it's kind of hard to review this one without spoiling some major plot twists but I'll try my best. I enjoyed the presence of the tengu, as I do with most mythological creatures. I can't tell you what the twist was, but I can say that I defiantly didn't see it coming and really thought it was a great touch to the story. Gregory isn't just a good writer, he's also an excellent narrator.

Can't tell you much, but I can tell you to give this story a listen.

Steam Girl by Dylan Horrocks
Narrated by Pete Nixon

This story follows a boy who is an outcast at school, but who manages to befriend a mysterious girl who calls herself Steam Girl. Everyday during their spare time Steam Girl tells him elaborate tales of her steampunk adventures across the kingdoms of Mars and jungles of Venus. As time goes on our protagonist begins to suspect that these might not just be mere stories.

Throughout this story there's a bit of an ongoing debate about whether Steam Girl is telling the truth or if she's just making things up as a way to cope with her rough life. I'd say the story presented equal evidence for both sides, though certain events towards the end suggest that Steam Girl was being truthful. If that is the case then this story was a brutal deconstruction of the Refugee From TV Land trope. It showed just what a culture shock a character from a fantastical world would have if they were to wind up in our much more mundane world.

At the same time, and if it wasn't all true, then the story could be read as a mediation and defense of escapism. It's certainly a story that will give you something to chew on. As for the narration I thought that Pete did a great job.

It a story that will keep you thinking for days, and one I happily recommend.

The Price of Glamour by Steve Berman
Narrated by Eric Luke

This story is set in London in 1844. It follows a boy named Tup Smatterpit who is spending his Christmas Eve helping one of the Fair Folk steal some glamour powder. You see, this powder allows the folk to live amongst human society unnoticed.

There really isn't much to say about this story, and if it's all the same to you guys, this list has kind of worn me out. I'm going to end this list here, but you should still give this story a listen. It's a nice little Christmas themed story.

Conclusion

And so we've reached the end of our list once again. I hope you enjoyed it, and I'd like to thank you all for your patience as I worked on this edition of The Audio File. While we're on the subject, I think I'll take another month off while I work out my next edition of The Audio File. Don't worry though, I plan to review something anime related to hold you guys over until then.

On a slightly more personal note my alternate history flash fiction story "Happy Dominion Day" has recently been published in Issue 6 of The Wolfian, edited by Jay Wolfe. It's available for 99 cents on Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, Apple iBooks and soon physical copies will be available. Get your copy today, it's got tons of great articles and stories, and you certainly won't regret it.

Well, that about does it for this edition of The Audio File. I will see you guys next time.

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Pages

Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Anime Review: Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Top 5 Posts from July 2016

Thursday, July 14, 2016

Anime Review: Full Metal Panic!

Friday, July 1, 2016

Top 5 Posts from June 2016

Friday, June 3, 2016

Top 5 Posts from May 2016

The Audio File: 5 Year Anniversary Special

Thursday, May 19, 2016

Anime Review: Hetalia

Friday, April 1, 2016

Top 5 Posts from March 2016

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Anime Review: The Place Promised in Our Early Days

Thursday, March 3, 2016

Top 5 Posts from February 2016

Thursday, February 25, 2016

Book Review: Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

Thursday, February 18, 2016

The Audio File: Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Apex Magazine and Far-Fetched Fables