tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484180326012950400.post2703670808537559678..comments2024-03-27T23:55:17.673-07:00Comments on Flogging Babel: Who Are the Great Readers of Science Fiction?Michael Swanwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18389836784776252022noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484180326012950400.post-10234143101141127662007-10-29T13:29:00.000-07:002007-10-29T13:29:00.000-07:00Coming late to this, but my favorite was Roger Zel...Coming late to this, but my favorite was Roger Zelazny. He would read in a sort of flat voice, just expressive enough, that put a real edge on his often-rococo language.khatru1339https://www.blogger.com/profile/01675113887821061409noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484180326012950400.post-46672884732545900452007-10-20T11:18:00.000-07:002007-10-20T11:18:00.000-07:00Come to think of it, has anybody here heard Barry ...Come to think of it, has anybody here heard Barry Malzberg read? I haven't, but when he falls into a monlogue, it can be mesmerizing. I wonder if that carries over.Michael Swanwickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18389836784776252022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484180326012950400.post-58427730224178277322007-10-19T00:07:00.000-07:002007-10-19T00:07:00.000-07:00Liz Hand--a brilliant actor, the work becomes Real...Liz Hand--a brilliant actor, the work becomes Real.<BR/>M. John Harrison--gets the perfect dry tone of attitude in his work,.<BR/>Nalo Hopkinson--teaches you how to read her work.<BR/><BR/>Gaiman I find a bit too "poetry". Like it in short form, but very happy to listen to Lenny Henry instead.Farah Mendlesohnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01951321462450109434noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484180326012950400.post-68272750739309438062007-10-18T23:05:00.000-07:002007-10-18T23:05:00.000-07:00Neil Gaiman, Jonathan Carroll, Geoff Ryman, all di...Neil Gaiman, Jonathan Carroll, Geoff Ryman, all ditto. Amazing readers.<BR/><BR/>And I wholeheartedly agree with your assessment of Andy. When he was first starting out, and I was one of maybe two or three in the audience, he still gave incredible performances. One thing that makes his readings so enjoyable is that he's so incredibly relaxed, and he looks like he's having a helluva lot of fun. He's also like that in regular conversation; his stories about his parents or about pranking John Kessel are hilarious and riveting. The dude is an absolute natural storyteller.Jason Erik Lundberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18159887257065611447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484180326012950400.post-21277192279170278632007-10-18T14:24:00.000-07:002007-10-18T14:24:00.000-07:00Two come right to mind - Jeff Ford's voice and pre...Two come right to mind - Jeff Ford's voice and presence and accent make him my favorite all time reader. Perhaps being a Long-Islander myself makes me a little bit biased. Michael Cisco also does a great job when he reads. Oh, and China Mieville could read the ingredients to a package of Twinkies and have it sound cool. Thomas Cook stole the show from under the feet of Peter Straub, no slouch himself, when I saw them @ The KGB. Jonathan Carroll can pull you right into one of his stories and leave you feeling as if the story had been about your own life.Lukehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04472034452330089928noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484180326012950400.post-76413270166679835092007-10-18T13:33:00.000-07:002007-10-18T13:33:00.000-07:00Whoops. I forgot Harlan. Harlan and H'ard tied f...Whoops. I forgot Harlan. Harlan and H'ard tied for first, by popular acclaim. I haven't heard Kelly or Neil or Geoff read, though clearly I should. Terry's brilliant, I agree. But if I ever heard Jack read, it was decades ago. But he has such a sly delivery that he's got to be good.<BR/><BR/>Hmmm. It's possible I wouldn't make the Top Ten after all. When I'm good, I'm unbeatable. But I'm not always at the peak of my game.<BR/><BR/>Anybody other names come to mind?Michael Swanwickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18389836784776252022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484180326012950400.post-72263818149308573322007-10-18T12:58:00.000-07:002007-10-18T12:58:00.000-07:00I have to add Kelly Link. Her reading style is und...I have to add Kelly Link. Her reading style is understated, but her stories are amazing. Encountering an unpublished Link story by having her read it to you is mind boggling.<BR/><BR/>Oh, and I've heard that Swanwick guy read. He's pretty good too.<BR/><BR/>Steve L.Steve Lhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07453389355477794363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484180326012950400.post-61820034500890962482007-10-18T11:38:00.000-07:002007-10-18T11:38:00.000-07:00I once had the pleasure of hearing Andy read Edwar...I once had the pleasure of hearing Andy read Edward Lear's "Dong with the Luminous Nose." For one night we were all convinced that Lear had been a Southerner, at least at some point in his life.Jacobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13027327899781962529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484180326012950400.post-53627322794382580632007-10-18T09:45:00.000-07:002007-10-18T09:45:00.000-07:00Harlan Ellison. Live or Memorex, he is a master re...Harlan Ellison. Live or Memorex, he is a master reader. Certainly ranks number two or three.TN-Tanukihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11911252662784008847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484180326012950400.post-15281888695710291812007-10-18T08:31:00.000-07:002007-10-18T08:31:00.000-07:00I haven't heard nearly enough SF/F/H writers read ...I haven't heard nearly enough SF/F/H writers read their own work, so I can't say who belongs among the Top 10 Best.<BR/><BR/>That said, I'm a huge fan of Neil Gaiman's readings; for my money, anything spoken in a British accent is that much more pleasant to the ear. Plus, he's very good at pacing himself, at speaking clearly, at delivering the funny or solemn bits with equal grace.<BR/><BR/>I know podcasting has grown a lot over the past year or two; I keep meaning to check out what's available.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11296151266906700357noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484180326012950400.post-6415578775413193272007-10-18T07:51:00.000-07:002007-10-18T07:51:00.000-07:00Geoff Ryman. Actors have an advantage.Jack Womack...Geoff Ryman. Actors have an advantage.<BR/><BR/>Jack Womack. Again, the accent helps. Close to twenty years ago, Jack and Terry Bisson read "They're Made Out of Meat" together at Dixon Place, and it was unimprovable.Scrapshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16874243983012948223noreply@blogger.com