Synthetic Voices #17 – April 2013 Top Picks

*Top Picks from April 2013* "The Queen And The Cambion" by Richard Bowes Podcastle Ep. 257 46:58 mins/sec -- This was a delightful story of Merlin and a queen of England. I have always enjoyed historical fiction, but I have recently discovered how much fun a fantastical twist can add to such fiction. In this story, we follow a Benjamin Button-esque relationship between the young queen and wizened Merlin. While Merlin's backwards aging is a well-known trope, this is the first time I've ever seen it used in quite this way. "For Love’s Delirium Haunts the Fractured Mind" and "Tethered" by David Mercurio Rivera StarShipSofa Eps. 286 and 287, respectively ~45 mins/sec and ~1 hr, respectively -- These two stories kept me thinking about them long after they finished, always a good sign. "For Love’s Delirium Haunts the Fractured Mind" sets up the world in which both stories take place. We see an alien people that is not only foreign to our biology and our customs, but that grows even more bizarre as they come into contact with us. Not giving away the clever idea behind the aliens, suffice it to say the story invokes questions of class, morality, and self-delusion. "Tethered," a somewhat more relatable tale, focuses on the close relationship between one of the young female aliens and a human girl. Their story not only shares more about the aliens' physiology, but also lets us into their psychology, and how they might choose to interact with foreigners. Overall, these two stories kept me engaged throughout and ended with sufficient power. "Making My Entrance Again With My Usual Flair" by Ken Scholes Escape Pod Ep. 391 30:05 mins/sec -- Need a bit of lighthearted fun in your podcast lineup? Well look no further than this roadtrip story, starring an underweight clown and a strange monkey in a box. This farce has a witty, yet deadpan humor that made me laugh out loud repeatedly. There is a bit of gratuitous sexual humor mixed in, but I believe the thoughtful listener will find it only enhances the story's bizarre sensibility. "Deep Blood Kettle" by Hugh Howey Lightspeed Magazine's April Issue 18:00 mins/sec -- I have to admit that this story did not "stay with me" as do others I mention on here. In fact, "Deep Blood Kettle" revved up, did its thing, and then left me with a sense of futility and emptiness Then again, bucking the recent trend of "post-apocalypse" stories, this is an "apocalypse-only" story, plain and simple. I found the perspective of the narrator, a rifle-toting country boy, engaging, and I think it might be a nice story to listen to as you rock on your porch with a tall glass of lemonade (or maybe a flask of whiskey). "The Exchange Officers" by Brad Torgersen StarShipSofa Ep. 285 ~40 mins -- One genre of SF I've always had a hard time connecting with is military SF. This isn't to say that I don't like it, but I often find the grit and determination a little too forthcoming from the protagonists. Either that or they are portrayed as spineless weasels. This is why I was pleasantly surprised by "The Exchange Officers," as I greatly enjoyed both the military aspects and the characters involved. In this one, we meet two military officers used to flying remote aircraft such as UAV drones. In their new role, they are assigned to play human puppeteers to humanoid robots working up in space. When an unexpected attack occurs, the action picks up quickly and doesn't stop until nearly the end of the story. "Melt With You" by Emily C. Skaftun Clarkesworld Magazine's April Issue 25:28 mins/sec -- Normally I think of Clarkesworld for their grandiose literary fiction, but this story could easily fit into the weird section of The Drabblecast. Maybe Clarkesworld's April silliness,