The Audio Book and Radio Play Thread

[Paul Monk]

I listen to a lot of audiobooks and plays from the radio and noticed that there isn't a thread on them.
So what are your favourite audio books and radio plays?

I'm currently working my way through the whole run of BBC Sherlock Holmes plays. I'm halfway through the Adventures at the moment.

I've always loved these plays, they're some of the best Holmes adaptations ever I think and Clive Merrison and Michael Williams have a really good chemistry.

[Jon Masters]

I've been recording all the Sherlock Holmes audios off BBC7 since they were repeating them (managed to miss 3) - now they're onto ones written by Bert Coules himself. I managed to get THOTB as well, but I'm hoping they might do the other long books too.
I agree about the chemistry between them (although these new ones have Andrew Sachs as Watson) and Merrison makes an excellent Holmes, though not as brooding as Brett.

Otherwise I just love BBC7 - especially the old comedies and other series (like Philip Madoc as Cadfael), though I was a bit disappointed that some of the Sci-Fi classics were basically someone just reading the book, rather than a proper play.

Radio 4 I might catch the odd thing, but they have too many plays about personal angst and modern living for my liking. I don't really need another suburban based drama on the bleakness of the human soul, thanks.
HST Book at bedtime (even when its in in the day ) is sometimes a good one - I especially liked Martin Jarvis reading his autobiography which was on over Christmas I think.

[Wayne]

I've only got two!
I've got an audio drama adaptation of Stephen King's: "Salem's Lot", which is excellent.
And an audiobook of Bram Stoker's "Dracula" read by Anthony Valentine, which not bad. I keep threatening to get the one read by Christopher Lee, but i never seem to get round to it.

[Dirk Gently]

I have quite literally over a hundred audio plays & books, just over half of which are Doctor Who related.

I have nearly two dozen Dick Francis novels, the Harry Potter books on CD, Red Dwarf books (abridged & unabridged), nearly 3 dozen Star Wars novels, HHGttG CD's, War of the Worlds, BBV CD's, All the Benny stories, Sapphire & Steel CD's, J.R.R. Tolkien L.o.t.R, Hobbit, the Silmarillion...oh loads.

[Paul Clement]

I remember borrowing the Lord of the Rings audio from the library a dozen or so years ago and trying to fathom how they expected you to bring it back in a fortnight. It was so long, I had to renew it for a further two weeks and still only just managed to finish listening to it in time.
All I have are a couple of Blackadder cassettes, Sword of Shannara on cassette which I picked up from a boot fair years back and a couple of Doctor Who BF's and BBV's I didn't manage to sell when I had my clearout.

[Wayne]

I have quite literally over a hundred audio plays & books, just over half of which are Doctor Who related.

You do surprise me, Tim.

Seriously though, I didn't know there was that many! BF's etc... aside.

[Captain Tancredi]

The only ones I listen to on a regular basis (i.e. every couple of years) are two I have based on N.E. Genge's unofficial X-Files guides, which I bought on tape in a sale about ten years ago. They're particularly good because they're nothing to do with the series at all- it's all research into the background material. Quite spooky stuff to listen to before bed.

[Lord President]

I have sh*tloads of audiobooks. Almost the complete Stephen King, Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams and Doctor Who. I also have some Red Dwarf, Tolkein, Narnia, Stephen Hawking, Cracker, X-Files, Star Trek, Star Wars, John Grisham, Navy Lark, Goon Show, as well as some TV audio recordings of Yes Minister & Blackadder. I love audio, and cannot sleep without an audiobook playing in the background! If anyone has any recommendations, I would be grateful!

[Paul Clement]

Has anyone got the Pratchett audiobooks, and are they any good?

[Dirk Gently]

...Stephen King, Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams and Doctor Who.

I think someone might have.

[Paul Clement]

I think someone might have

I must have had a mental block there, I read his post just before hand and completely missed that reference.

[Wayne]

I have sh*tloads of audiobooks. Almost the complete Stephen King, Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams and Doctor Who. I also have some Red Dwarf, Tolkein, Narnia, Stephen Hawking, Cracker, X-Files, Star Trek, Star Wars, John Grisham, Navy Lark, Goon Show, as well as some TV audio recordings of Yes Minister & Blackadder. I love audio, and cannot sleep without an audiobook playing in the background! If anyone has any recommendations, I would be grateful!

You've just reminded me that i've a got some (still unlistened to) Trek audiobooks on MP3.

[Lord President]

Has anyone got the Pratchett audiobooks, and are they any good?

Email me at bdwa@foot-ansteys.co.uk and we can discuss them further

[cullsoft]

Earlier today I had a listen through the first 5 episodes of "Uncle Mort's Celtic Fringe" by Peter Tinniswood. The Uncle Mort stories always bring a smile to my face. I haven't been listening to many Audio Dramas lately... think the last one I listened to was "Operation Lightning Pegasus" on BBC7 - an "alternative" view of how the siege of Troy came about and happened...

I probably ought to listen to more of the Who Audios... seeing as I listened to a few of the ones on BBC7, it's not like I have an excuse that they're not suitable for listening to while working. :P That said, I'd have to do so during a time when I can be certain I'm barely going to be interrupted if at all... it's always a pain when I have to switch back and forth to iTunes whenever someone grabs my attention, then wind up backtracking a minute or two instead of a few seconds as I inevitably miss a bit...

[SiHart]

I had a listen to the first Agatha Rasisin radio play the other day. Penelope Keith plays the amateur detective and does so very well. She really captures her snobbishness. So it was good fun to listen to overall, and a pretty decent adaptation.Sometime soon I'll make a start on the second CD.

Si xx

[stuartdg]

I shall be listening to Solaris,Chocky and A Fall Of Moondust-the latest in the classic sci-fi range from the BBC as they arrived today

[MacNimon]

I didn't know that A Fall Of Moondust had been released...I remember listening to it on it's original broadcast on a Saturday night in the early 80s...I'll have to pick up a copy of this one!

[Lissa]

Two words - Paul and Temple. They are great audio serials. Everything about them is warm and cosy and so wonderfully 1950s that even the horrific violence seems genteel and lovely.

[Paul Monk]

Yesterday whilst waiting to see the consultant (4Hrs we waited! Grrr) I listened to a couple of episodes of Nebulous with Mark Gatiss. Its ok and enjoyable enough and I really want to like it but the big problem I have is that for a comedy its just not very funny. Its a real shame because a lot of detail has gone into the programme and there are loads of great references to many British sci-fi classics and the parodies are spot on. The writer is Graham Duff who if I recall correctly wrote Dr Terrible's House of Horrible whilst suffered from exactly the same problem.

[Lord President]

Yesterday whilst waiting to see the consultant (4Hrs we waited! Grrr) I listened to a couple of episodes of Nebulous with Mark Gatiss. Its ok and enjoyable enough and I really want to like it but the big problem I have is that for a comedy its just not very funny. Its a real shame because a lot of detail has gone into the programme and there are loads of great references to many British sci-fi classics and the parodies are spot on. The writer is Graham Duff who if I recall correctly wrote Dr Terrible's House of Horrible whilst suffered from exactly the same problem.

I've now listened to all three series of Nebulous, and I absolutely love them! Gatiss is spot on and most of the episodes are superb. I love the concept that Professor Nebulous rebelled against his Clown family to become a scientist, and that he has to try and live down the shame of accidentally destroying the Isle of Wight.

There are great cameos from Steve Coogan, Peter Davison and David Tennant, and regular appearances from Graham Crowden and David Warner.

[stuartdg]

Recent audo acquisitions include
the BBC Classic Sci-fi range of Frankenstein,RUR and The Lost World

[shada pavlova]

How about that radio play from 1994, Whatever happened to Susan?

It was on the DVD of The Dalek Invasion of Earth. It's good, but it's not canon.

[Si Hunt]

Yes it is.

Si.

[Jon Masters]

Whilst looking for something completely different, a strange set of Internet leaps led me to this website where you can download (for nowt !!) a whole load of Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes radio plays from the 1940s.

Have only listened to a bit of one - they're very nostalgic, if only for the crass US style adevrtising

[SiHart]

I have been listening to the new Blake's 7 audio book- the Way Back read by Gareth Thomas. It's in a similiar vein to the Target Audio books and is really well read by Gareth Thomas. The book is better than I remember it being too.

I'll be looking forward to Paul Darrow doing Cygnus Alpha next. I suspect the narration may be a joy for that one...

Si xx