Podcasts I like or don't like

[dreamrock]

I totally agree on your statement re: StarShip Sofa. They run a fair amount of good stories, but there's so much editorial that I listen about once a quarter and delete episodes as soon as I find out the title sounds unappealing. I feel bad badmouthing Tony's podcast, but someone needs to edit his episodes after he does.

I'm not sure it's for everyone, but I'm enjoying the hell out of Paulette Jaxton's Empress Sword. It's technically fantasy and some of the info dumps are almost noticable. However, they're not nearly as ... extensive as SF info dumps. I'm not huge on Fantasy in general, and still enjoyed this.

[tbaker2500]

I'll give it a try.

After you recommended it, I've fallen in love with Black Jack Justice and Red Panda. So incredibly pulp, but good.

[Goldenrat]

I disagree about Star Ship Sofa. Tony's editorials don't bother me at all and I like the extra features in addition to the main fiction piece(s). I think his stories have been much better than Escape Pod's over the last six months. He does tend to go for longer stories and I can see where the length would turn a lot of people off but when I have a long drive that is always my podcast of choice (after Drabblecast, of course).

[dreamrock]

The extra features don't bother me. I especially like History of Science Fiction and Jay Campanella's segments. But Tony meanders something fierce and even on my mp3 player's "fast mode," it's more than I can put up with on average. It's a case of a show that would clearly benefit from the Chapters function of M4A if my mp3 player supported M4As.

[normsherman]

The extra features don't bother me. I especially like History of Science Fiction and Jay Campanella's segments. But Tony meanders something fierce and even on my mp3 player's "fast mode," it's more than I can put up with on average. It's a case of a show that would clearly benefit from the Chapters function of M4A if my mp3 player supported M4As.

I very much agree with that statement, even thought about writing Tony about getting a format with chapters. The facts are:

A. SSS regularly runs top sci-fi stories by top-authors. That's not a 100% gaurantee for story success but it certainly keeps the odds high. The cast runs great stories much more often than not.
B. They get diverse readers who usually also do a kick ass job. Again, more often than not.
C. The episodes are long, the stories are long. Like Goldenrat says, this is good for people on trips or with long blocks of empty-- for me, I like short, for a multitude of reasons.
D. It is host heavy. Tony is someone I'd love to meet. He's a big fan of DC, he's stupendously nice, I always listen to his commentary. But most people I send his way aren't that into it and wanna get to the stories etc. A & B are +'s, C is subjective, D is subjective but can also be helped here w/o Tony changing his style, which many of us like.

It's extra work having chapters and the additional MP3 feed but I feel like we're in the same boat as Tony to some degree, and I don't want anyone to miss out on a good story by Krystine Rusch just because I insist on rapping about fastfood diarrhea beforehand.

[alhilton]

It's extra work having chapters and the additional MP3 feed but I feel like we're in the same boat as Tony to some degree, and I don't want anyone to miss out on a good story by Krystine Rusch just because I insist on rapping about fastfood diarrhea beforehand.

Several of the short fiction podcasts (yours, Dunesteef, SSS) attempt to hook people not just with stories, but with a cult of personality. When it works, it hooks people so much harder than stories alone and will keep them coming back even through several episodes of stories they didn't care for. It offers something truly different from print format. But it can backfire. Unfortunately, for me (and other people who've chimed in) your style works and Tony's doesn't. SSS is too long to support that kind of wandering monologue. I already put off listening to it because it looks like this huge time commitment. Often, I'm pleasantly surprised that the story itself is not extraordinarily long, but I don't know that when I'm looking at it in my player. When I listen to Tony, I often start off smiling and nodding, but at some point I get frustrated, and then I'm fumbling around in the episode trying to find the story. Chapter divisions would be nice, but that's just a bandaid. Better would be actually making the cult of personalty work for him. There's no reason it shouldn't, what with that pleasant demeanor and awesome accent. He just needs to set a timer and stop talking after 3 - 5 minutes!

Someone's going to say, "But Dunesteef can babble for an hour and it's entertaining!" Yes. Yes, they can. I have no idea why. Maybe because there are two of them.

And, for all I know, Tony's cult style is working for most people and we're just the outliers. This sort of thing is so individual. Pass the Kool-aid, Norm.

[dreamrock]

Apparently, there's something called ID3v2ChapterTool which adds some of the benefits of M4A to mp3s, but the format additions aren't well supported by players at the moment. I guess we, as podcast fans, can start pressuring player makers to support it. But I doubt we'll see any major improvements in that field in the short term.

And I have to echo all the nice things everyone has said about Tony. I really do hate to say anything bad about him at all because he is a stand up guy. From what I can discern just being a fan, I'm pretty sure he's one of the nicest humans to ever exist and who ever will exist. If I didn't listen to 47+ podcasts, plus regularly listen to LibriVox books (at an average of more than one a week), I doubt I'd be bothered by the SSS editorials.

[Talia]

Must say I too enjoy Tony's rambling editorials. But I understand the points of view who those who don't, I am assuming the new format being offered is in part a response to this (I have no doubt we are the only ones commenting so) but for the short term it doesn't necesarily seem effective if it does not work on most mp3 players.

I do imagine they are open to suggestions on formatting options that will make everyone happy, though.

[normsherman]

Also, blows my mind that Starship Sofa is a nonpaying "for-the-love" market and gets great stories donated by people like Terry Bisson, Ben Bova, David Brin, Spider Robinson, Nancy Kress, Dave Levine, Rob Reed the list goes on. Only a guy as nice as Tony could somehow pull that off.

[doubleU46]

I really enjoyed "Weather Child" by Philippa Ballantine. Also "Metamor City" podcast by Chris Lester.

[Mikes]

SSS has stories by Ben Bova? Hat damn, I missed that one.

Before I skip on over there to search, I've been listening regularly to Jonathan Stahan's Notes from Coode Street: http://www.jonathanstrahan.com.au/wp/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Not stories, but Jonathan's a sci fi editor and has weekly discussions with Gary K Wolf about current books in the genre and what's upcoming. It's current affairs approach means it's really not worth listening to back episodes, but it's only been going for a few months, so it's not like you're missing anything.

Also, they've started doing a segment called 'Books You Don't Have to Read', which take a genre classic and distill down what it's important and what it gave to following writers, giving you lots of geek knowledge to impress your friends with without having to wade through archaic language.

[BarryJNorthern]

There's so many I like and listen too, including some great factual ones from the BBC, such as In Our Time and Science in Action, but recently I've been getting into the Dunesteef and Julie Hoverson's 19 Nocturne Boulevard -- I tell you, it's dangerously close to out-weirding the Drabblecast.

[themorg]

I really enjoyed "Weather Child" by Philippa Ballantine. Also "Metamor City" podcast by Chris Lester.

I just got into Metamor city and i have to say it is really good. A new one i just started listening to is The Tolkien Professor. It really breaks down everything Tolkien ever wrote and discussion form a class that he teaches.

http://www.tolkienprofessor.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I have read and am re-reading to follow with their lectures and it is really fun.

[Non-Euclidean Geo.]

My commute is an hour and fifteen minutes one way, so I've got lots of time for podcasts.
These here are the ones other than Drabblecast that I look forward to the most every week.

H.P. Lovecraft Literary Podcast (required listening for fans of the man from Providence)
The Moth (true stories told on stage. subscribe this second)
Selected Shorts(weekly, but it's all reruns in the Summer so it's not the time investment it appears to be)
This American Life (Pure f-ing genius)
Radio Lab (Pure motherf-ing genius)
Skeptoid (listen and feel superior to others within minutes)
Escape and PseudoPod
Beware the Hairy Mango

Now, about Starship Sofa; holy cow what a weight off my chest. I thought I was the biggest dick in the world for getting annoyed with the uber-nice host with an adorable accent, Tony Smith. Seriously, SSS is a great podcast, but how does he pull in such high-caliber stories for nothing. I remember a year back or so I actually unsubscribed for a couple months after he slammed the author Greg Egan on his podcast for not giving SSS a story free of charge. I missed me my Amy Sturgis and her science fiction history lessons, so I resubscribed, tail between my legs. Still, I'm scratching my head as to why authors give him anything when there are podcasts that pay (even if it's only beer money). Aren't there any other Harlan Ellisons out there?

[Mikes]

I'm still new to SSS, but I'd assume they don't get the Hugo for best fanzine for nothing. They must have a decent following.

[Talia]

Regardless of whether you normally care for SSS, everyone really should take a listen at this week's episode. It starts off with a phone interview with sci fi legends Frederick Pohl and Jack Vance, both at once. Now, Pohl is 91 and Vance is 94, but they're both still sharp as tacks (though Vance rambles. Pohl seems aware of this and cuts him off several times, which is kind of funny), and its really fantastic hearing them talk to each other and to Tony.

The episode starts right off with the interview, so you can even skip the rest of the podcast if you're so inclined.

[tbaker2500]

I'm really enjoying "The Returning", by our very own eggyolk.
http://www.heyescast.info/thereturning/ ... rning.html

Providing a fresh take on alien abductee stories, it surprises me with tackling plot head on, rather that just alluding to horrors. Good stuff!

[swamp]

Regardless of whether you normally care for SSS, everyone really should take a listen at this week's episode. It starts off with a phone interview with sci fi legends Frederick Pohl and Jack Vance, both at once. Now, Pohl is 91 and Vance is 94, but they're both still sharp as tacks (though Vance rambles. Pohl seems aware of this and cuts him off several times, which is kind of funny), and its really fantastic hearing them talk to each other and to Tony.

The episode starts right off with the interview, so you can even skip the rest of the podcast if you're so inclined.

That interview was fantastic! They barely let Tony get a word in edgewise. I love how they still argued over a disagreement they had years ago, but did so in a friendly way.

I have just recently started listning to SSS, largely because of the discussion here. I've heard about it for years, but have never listened because I was woried about the time commitment. But it is great! Fantastic articles, interviews, and fiction. I had the same thought: "And he gets all of this great content for free!?" I will continue to listen.

[swamp]

I'm really enjoying "The Returning", by our very own eggyolk.
http://www.heyescast.info/thereturning/ ... rning.html

Providing a fresh take on alien abductee stories, it surprises me with tackling plot head on, rather that just alluding to horrors. Good stuff!

I've been meaning to listen to that.

[normsherman]

Now, about Starship Sofa; holy cow what a weight off my chest. I thought I was the biggest dick in the world for getting annoyed with the uber-nice host with an adorable accent, Tony Smith. Seriously, SSS is a great podcast, but how does he pull in such high-caliber stories for nothing. I remember a year back or so I actually unsubscribed for a couple months after he slammed the author Greg Egan on his podcast for not giving SSS a story free of charge. I missed me my Amy Sturgis and her science fiction history lessons, so I resubscribed, tail between my legs. Still, I'm scratching my head as to why authors give him anything when there are podcasts that pay (even if it's only beer money). Aren't there any other Harlan Ellisons out there?

First off, good podcast suggestions, my list is about 80% the same!
Second, I wanted to chime in on that episode of SSS, which I remember distinctly myself. I listened to that one right after I had decided and announced that we were doubling our pay rate to authors (which is quite a financial commitment for the rest of a market's history!) I can understand Tony's frustration-- I've been blown off by Neil Gaiman's people after literally asking them to name their price for a story. But if people don't want to sell you something, they don't have to, and they definitely shouldn't be villianized for not giving it away for free. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't just a bit jealous of SSS for getting all that top-notch fiction regularly donated, but at the same time I'll be even more proud when we're able to double our rate again, paying authors even more for their hard work.