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.

* * *

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.

The Audio File: Pseudopod

Guest post by Sam McDonald.

I hope you weren't thinking about getting a good night's rest, because in this edition of The Audio File we're talking about the horror podcast Pseudopod. The middle child of the Escape Artists podcasts, Pseudopod brings listeners the best horror stories week after week. Pseudopod is hosted by Alasdair Stuart, who always provides great observations and insights about the world following each story. In fact, Alasdair has recently released a collection of these musings knows as The Pseudopod Tapes. Like their sister podcast PodCastle, Pseudopod doesn't reprint the text of their stories, but they will usually link to them.

Now, a few things before we move forward. First of all this article will be heavy on the historical horror, but I did manage to find a couple alternate history stories. Second, and a bit more importantly, this is a horror podcast. That means that these tales are meant to terrify and disturb, and you might encounter things that potentially make you feel uncomfortable. If you have little ones you might want to consider listening with the headphones on. You have been warned.

On that note, get ready, because I've got thirteen stories for you...

The Murmurous Paleoscope by Dixon Chance
Narrated by Christina Ellis
Originally published in The Three-Lobed Burning Eye

We start our list off with a steampunk story set during the fossil hunts of the 19th century. Fossil hunter Hazel Cardanell has recently arrived in the Utah Territory and has made an amazing discovery. The new fossil has been named Anomalocaris and it looks absolutely terrifying. Hazel has also been having a series of strange dreams. It's almost as if some mysterious force is reaching out to her from beyond the grave, but it's only a fossil, isn't it?

I always have a soft spot for paleontology stories and this story is no exception. I also enjoyed that the story is presented as a series of letters like many of HP Lovecraft's stories. Anomalocaris was a perfect choice for this Lovecraftian story; go ahead and Google that and tell me it doesn't look like something straight out of Lovecraft's imagination.

Christina's narration did the perfect job of capturing that feeling of a person who's found themselves confronted with forces they can't even begin to comprehend. I also appreciated how the steampunk elements actually played a role in the story rather than simply acting a window dressing. However, I mustn't elaborate on that point or else I'll spoil the story.

It's got fossils, steampunk and Lovecraftian elements. What's not to love about this story.

The Burning Servant by Steven Saus
Narrated by Stephanie Morris
Originally published in Chain Story

We all heard of Sherman's burnings of Atlanta and Savannah, but is there more to the story? According to former slave Sarah Freeman there is. It seems that during the day of the Civil War the plantation owners of the Confederacy went to some desperate lengths to see the South triumph. One might even call their efforts downright Lovecraftian.

Okay, if you haven't figured it out by now, the plantation owners performed a ritual to summon a Lovecraftian monstrosity, but it got out of their control and burned a path of destruction across Georgia. A spoiler, yes, but not too much of one.

This story is in many way an inversion of a typical Lovecraft story. You've got so called civilized men connected with unearthly monstrosities, people of color as the innocent bystanders and the whole thing is told by a woman. Speaking of this story being told by a woman, I thought that Stephanie did an excellent job with the narration. I also appreciated that the depiction of life for slave in the American South wasn't sugar coated or watered down.

Overall and excellent story and a meditation on the various tropes and conventions of Lovecraft stories. Very much recommended.

Tales of the White Street Society by Grady Hendrixs
Narrated by Alasdair Stuart
A Pseudopod Original

This story takes places in 19th century New York City as the White Street Society, a group of gentlemen adventures, are having a meeting. The evening's host, Augustus Morrison recounts his recent adventures in the slums of the Irish immigrants. It seems that the Irish were being plagued by a monster from their old nation. The question is, could more such creatures be on their way to America?

I'm going to slightly spoil what the monster is, but this important for our discussion. The monster is...a leprechaun. Yes, you read that correctly. I tried, but it just couldn't take that very seriously as a monster. However, that's not where the real horror in this story lies for me.

The part of this story that truly horrified me was the ghastly descriptions of daily life for the Irish immigrants. The descriptions of these people living to absolute squalor at the bottom rung of society, and with nobody caring about their plight, will be sure to haunt you for days. Tellingly, at the end of the story, when the characters talk of how evil leprechauns are, it easily sounds like they're talking about the Irish instead.

The story does a really good job of capturing the attitudes and prejudices of the 19th century. It certainly does come across as a satire/pastiche of Victorian Gothic novels, and that certainly helps. Now, as I mentioned in the past, when Alasdair Stuart is pair with the right story he absolutely shines. This story is a prime example of that, though I will say that at times his British accent made me forget that the White Street Society were Americans and not British.

A frightful satire of Victorian fiction well worth your time.

Silver and Copper, Iron and Ash by Nathaniel Lee
Narrated by Dominick Rabrun
Originally published in Coins of Chaos

This story is set in rural Colorado in the 1930s. Our protagonist James is struggling to made ends meet and provide enough to eat for his pregnant wife. While out hunting James discovers a mysterious Indian Head coin. He tries to get rid of the coin on the advice of a passing vagrant. The coin, however, keeps reappearing and each time it brings even stronger feeling of hunger.

If there's one central theme to this story it's hunger; be that for food, money or anything else. Even before the supernatural elements become more obvious you can almost see hunger as the main antagonist. The atmosphere to this story was absolutely perfect, and is a testament to Nathaniel's writing talent.

Dominick did an excellent job conveying that atmosphere and feelings of hunger in audio form. I also found the backdrop of the Great Depression to be more than fitting for a story centered around hunger and money.

It's a story sure to leave you hungry for more.

Bophuthatswana by Lavie Tidhar
Narrated by Elan Ressel
A Pseudopod Original

This next story is set in South Africa after years after the fall of Apartheid. Our protagonist would have been considered colored under the Apartheid. He's lost loved ones to various far-right extremist groups and he's out for revenge. Yet these are more than just racist extremists. The men he's after feed on the blood of the innocent and they have for centuries because they are vampires.

Okay, a couple things. First of all there's quite a few Afrikaans slang words throughout this story, but Pseudopod does provide a glossary of their meanings on their page for this story. Second, it's debatable as to whether the extremists are literally vampires or if that's simply a metaphor. Personally, I say both interpretations are equally valid, you just get slightly different stories.

I liked this story's depiction of post-Apartheid South Africa. You see people learning from the past and trying to move on, but at the same time there's still a lot of tension and resentment left over. It was also nice to see this aspect of South Africa as it is usually ignored in fiction. For example, there was a scene mentioning that South Africans of Asian ancestry didn't qualify as white under Apartheid, but also didn't qualify for compensation following its fall.

All in all a good, if dark, depiction of South Africa after Apartheid.

Pran's Confession by Joel Arnold
Narrated by Ben Phillips
A Pseudopod Original

We're taking a holiday in Cambodia for our next story. Samnang, a former prison guard, is revisiting a prison he worked at during the Pol Pot regime. He can stop thinking about one particular prisoner named Pran, who was defiant to the very end. Samnang also worries that the spirits of the dead might not be at rest after all these years.

I always knew things were grim under Pol Pot, especially during the Khmer Rouge, but until I listened to this story I'd never really envisioned just how bad things were. An all consuming ideology that would make North Korea blush, people with glasses sentenced to death, entire fields converted into mass graves and countless other horrors. I almost feel that the supernatural wasn't needed to add more horror to this story.

Ben did a great job conveying the stark hopelessness of this story. I feel there really isn't much more I can add. The story really speaks for itself.

For a glimpse into the nightmare of the Khmer Rouge, look no further.

The Prophet's Daughters by Michael J. DeLuca
Narrated by Tina Connolly
Originally published in Oniresmes.com

The story take place in the Ancient Greek colony of Sybaris and one character's quest to follow in their mother's footsteps by becoming soothsayer of Sybaris. Okay, not the most exciting of summaries, but this is a great story. The atmosphere of this story was absolutely top notch. I really felt like I was walking along side the religious processions and rituals. Speaking of which, loved the emphasis this story placed on the rituals and practices of Ancient Greek religion.

That being said, I did find it a bit annoying that the gods and goddesses were referred to by their Roman names given the story's Greek setting. As for the narration, I though Tina did an excellent job conveying the terror and mysticism present in the story.

It's short, Ancient Greek and incredibly descriptive. Very much worth your time.

Acceptable Losses by Simon Wood
Narrated by Ian Stuart
A Pseudopod Original

The story is set during World War II, and follows the British campaign against the Japanese. During an expedition the British discovered a strange gelatinous organism with the ability to predict the future and communicate telepathically. Unfortunately, the organism, since named Oracle, feeds exclusively on human flesh. Therefore, one out of ever five battles is an intentional failure to provide Oracle with food. The Captain in charge of Oracle is beginning to wonder how he'll be able to live with himself after the war is over.

It's often said that those who wage wars must be ready to pay the price of those wars. The heart of this story is really all about asking what is the price of war. At the same time, there aren't any clear answers. The price to keep Oracle alive is undoubtably horrible, but at the same time it saved more than a few lives with its predictions.

Ian does an good job conveying the human emotions of the captain as well as the otherworld, yet familiar, speaking style of Oracle. I also liked that this story featured British soldiers fighting the Japanese, a topic often ignored in most works of fiction involving World War II.

It's a Lovecraftian take on an often ignored topic. Very much recommended.

The Three Chimes by David Longshore
Narrated by Corson Bremer
A Pseudopod Original

This story follows Louis XVI in the days leading up to his execution. Louis spends his time thinking about a strange clock that seemed to bring doom wherever it went. The clock seemed to cause otherwise inanimate object to try to eat him and he worries about what it will cause next.

One of the things I love about this story is that way it took something Louis XVI loved and then turned it into a source of terror. In real life Louis XVI was absolutely obsessed with clocks, and in the story his beloved clocks have become the instigator of his doom. It seemed rather fitting that the clock caused things to try and eat Louis, give that in a way his death was due to having been fed to a guillotine.

Corson did a spot on job with his narration. I also liked how the story presented a very human and historically accurate depiction of Louis. I have, in the past, encountered works of fiction set during the French Revolution that depict Louis XVI as a corrupt tyrant. He might have been incompetent, and he inherited quite the mess from his predecessors, but he was hardly tyrannical in his rule.

A great historical horror centered around Louis XVI. I heartily recommend it.

The Spirit of Nationalism by Richard Marsden
Narrated by Mike Bennett
A Pseudopod Original

This story is set in 1812 during Napoleon's campaign against Russia. A young solider named Gregorie has become lost in the snow and feel abandoned by Napoleon. He's been found by a fellow soldier who demands that he push on. Together they set off through the wind and ice to find the great general once again.

This story is very much a Jack London style man vs. nature story; though supernatural elements do appear towards the end. The atmosphere for this story is great; you get a sense of just how bleak the Russian winter is. This is really a story that feels like something you might have read in school, but you can't remember when. As for the narration, well, I think you can guess by now that I thought Mike did a great job capturing this story's feeling.

A story of finding meaning in the face of great odds. Well worth your time

Last Respects by Dave Thompson
Narrated by Scott Sigler
A Pseudopod Original

This story is actually an alternate history, well, kind of sort of. It takes place in a world where not only do vampires exist, but they got into a war with humanity and won. Following the war humans have been reduced to little more than animals. Also, Jesus might have been a vampire in this world. The story itself follows an older vampire as he and his family mourn his wife's recent passing.

For those of you wondering, yes, this is the same Dave Thompson who is former editor and host of PodCastle. It takes a special breed of writer to craft a story that is simultaneously deeply touching and utterly horrifying. Fortunately, Dave is one of those authors. The story juxtaposes a deeply touching family drama about coping with the loss of a loved along side the utter horror of what's happened to humanity.

The way the story handled religion was both tasteful and respectful. The vampires' version of Christianity is presented as no different than human Christianity; albeit vampire communion is a tad more literal. Of the implication that Jesus was a vampire, I won't comment much; though as the story itself mentions, Jesus did encourage his followers to eat his flesh and drink his blood in hopes of rising from their graves.

Scott's narration did a perfect job of balancing the emotion and horror of this story. This is the first story I've ever found from Dave, and I've got a feeling his writing has a very bright future ahead of it.

It's a story that will touch your heart and made you cringe with terror. I couldn't recommend it more.

The Corpse Army of Khartoum by Grady Hendrix
Narrated by Alasdair Stuart
A Pseudopod Original

Yes, I've got another story of the White Street Society for you. This time Augustus Morrison is on adventure to Egypt and Sudan. In particular, he's investigating the city of Khartoum and the rumors that it's home to sorcerers who can raise the dead.

There's a lot of overlap between my thoughts on this story and the last White Street Society story, but I'll do my best to add something new. First of all, you do see a bit of a colonialist attitude throughout the story, but then it is a satire on Victorian literature. Overall I can say it's a great adventure story with a supernatural twist to it. Though I must admit that when Augustus encounters the corpse army and describes them as smelling like...spiced chicken, it slightly ruined the mood for me.

Another fine addition to the White Street Society series. Very much recommended.

The Republic of the Southern Cross by Valery Bryusov
Narrated by Eric Luke
Originally published in Zemnaya Os, but is now Public Domain

I saved one of the best for last. It's not an alternate history per se, but it does have the feel of one. It's a Russian science fiction/horror mashup for the early 20th century. Without further delay, let's talk about this story.

This story chronicles the rise and fall of the Republic of the Southern Cross. The titular republic is located in Antartica, and is initially presented as a worker's paradise. Then several citizens come down with Contradiction; a disease that causes people to do the opposite of what they intend. At first the citizens take it in stride and find it all somewhat comical...then doctors and nurses start slitting their patients throats and pharmacists start handing out poison. Before long society begins to unravel at the seams.

Like I said before, this isn't exactly alternate history, but it does have the feel of one. The Republic itself has a predominately Russian feel to it, but there are hints if other cultures as well. In many ways this story feels like listening to an excerpt from a history book written in an alternate timeline. Fortunately, the writing never gets too dry and Eric's narration really brings things to life.

The famous comic book writer/artist Jack Kirby once said that you can tell a lot about a people based on their fantasies. With this story you really get a sense of the hopes and fears of the Russian people from the time this story was written. There as sense of wanting to improve the lot of workers, but also a considerable fear for what might go wrong.

It's one of my favorite Pseudopod stories, and I can't recommend it enough.

Conclusion 

Well, we've made it to the end of the list, and I'd like to take this opportunity to talk a bit about why I started The Audio File. First, because there are so many great stories out there, but sometimes they can be a bit hard to find if you don't know where to look. So, I figured that it would be nice if there was a place that had them all listed in one convenient location.

The Second reason is that last year all three Escape Artists podcasts experienced a bit of a financial crisis. Fortunately, this was resolved quickly, but for a few very tense weeks the future of Escape Pod, Pseudopod and PodCastle was up in the air. I contributed money, but I wanted to do a bit more. It is my hope that these articles will get enough people interested that it might, even if only in a small way, prevent future budget issues. Because what's really scary is a world without great podcasts and stories like these.

Of course, it's not just the Escape Artists I'm going to talk about. This is The Audio File, we cover all kinds of podcasts. In fact, next time we'll venture beyond Escape Artists and on to other great podcasts, starting with The Drabblecast. I'll see you then.

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Sam McDonald is a college student from Shreveport, LA.  When not involved with his studies he can be found 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.