Let’s get right to the point here….
This, is awesome.
If you like things that are awesome, you should buy it, listen to it, then probably buy it again just to give away to your friends who also like things that are awesome.
Need more reasons? Fine, here you go…
First, it’s BBC. So you know it’s not crap right off the bat.
Moreover, it stars Simon Jones. (Who many of you know as Arthur from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.) He absolutely nails the comedic timing of Blake all the way through this.
Secondarily, this is the best the best radio drama I’ve ever come in contact with.
Sixth and lastly: It’s cleverly written, brilliantly acted, and directed with a smooth, fast-paced clarity I’ve never experienced before.
Thirdly, I have bought no less that eight copies and given them all away as gifts.
And, to conclude, I’d like to officially add the director, Dirk Maggs, to the very short list of people I would unreservedly trust to do an alternate-media version of The Name of the Wind.
pat
Edit: I’m removing all “First” posts in order to nip this behavior in the bud. I did it as an ironcial-type joke in the last blog, and didn’t mean to establish a trend.
56 Comments
Lame @ “first” posts.
-___-
Do you think a radio drama version is likely, pat?
Honestly, I don’t think it’s very likely. I don’t think my book is well-suited to that format.
And that’s without even considering the problems like the production cost. How many hours would it take to get NOTW into a radio-drama type story? 10? 20?
It’s expensive doing an audiobook, but it’s way more time and labor intensive to do radio drama because in there you have multiple actors, sound effects… hell, they’d have to hire someone to play lute, too. It would be really pricey to make…
What you say is somewhat true. But pricey is in the eye of the beholder.
I think that it would be expensive for a radio drama but not expensive in terms of potential profit to be made.
Radio can achieve multimillion $ effects for pennies on the dollar.
No, pricey is in the eye of the producer.
These days, so many people simply steal audiobooks/radio dramas that it’s hard to justify the expense of producing one. This thing cost tens of thousands of dollars to script, foley, act, edit, burn and distribute the CDs. Then some dickhead decides that he doesn’t want to actually support any of those people by paying 18 dollars, so he downloads it.
That’s part of the reason I’m mentioning it on the blog. I hope if enough people buy a copy, it will pay for itself and they’ll make a second one.
Out of interest how do the likes of Audible fit into this. I’m a member and it has really opened up the world of audio books to me, but are they good from an author’s perspective?
I assume (hope) they increase volume and the likelihood of audio versions?
I dunno about English, but they did make a radio drama-type audio book (with a number of well-known voice actors) for LotR in Germany. If they can make a radio drama for the Lord of the Rings and its gazillion characters and pages, they can make one for NotW… and I’m praying it’ll happen. :D Preferably in English, but hey.
I understand your point of view Pat, but there are companies out there who are producing good “radio” plays and audiobooks. The medium is not dead, it’s just going through a period of change. Time was when an audiobook would cost you $60+ now that’s come down and more people are able to buy it. anyway are you familiar with graphic audio (a movie in your mind is the coolest slogan ever!) ? They do a great job on their audio-plays.
I think that’s a cultural thing in Germany, though. My parents are German (I grew up there until I was 4) and I had dozens and dozens of radio dramas on cassette tape when I was a kid.
But none of the American kids had a single one.
Actually, until I read it on this blog, I never had a word for “those stories on tape I used to listen to as a kid”. Now I know what to call them…. Radio dramas. :-) Thanks!
I don’t think you could actually produce a real song that would have the profound impact on its audience that “Sir Savien” had, either. It seems like a thing that will have to be kept in the heart of the readers, because if i heard what was supposedly the official version of the song, i would probably go “that is not the song!” and be irritated, rather than emotionally stirred. that is also a reason why you should not think about a movie until you are old and bored. if ever.
I agree with you about the “Sir Savien” problem.
I never heard a song that moved me so much as to cry everytime I hear it. I mean, I may have cried once or twice while listening to a song, but to ALWAYS be moved to tears by the same “ballad” (it does exist in english, right ?)… Quite impossible to produce such a song and the perfect melody to accompany it.
And speaking about downloading thing instead of buying it… I can’t find “The Road to Levinshir”. The book “Subterranean: Tales of Dark Fantasy” doesn’t even exist anymore. Wouldn’t it be possible for you to put it online ?
And would it help with I mention that I’m a girl ? A french girl ? (guess it doesn’t work as well on american than on english… too bad)
XD this is the first time somebody has commented on my comment on a blog like this! sorry, im a dork :P
I agree about Sir Savien. No one could ever write that song properly. The expectation is way too high.
[fangirlymoment]A reply! <3 My life has been validated!
[/fangirlymoment]
Ok, so maybe not a radio drama… What about a BBC television series? Or a graphic novel (holy shit that would be so fucking amazing.)?
I know you've thought about these things.
Stephen Fry to narrate the bbc series, perhaps? :D
On a not-really side note, there's no Australian sources, is there? I'd have import it?
I’m guessing it would be easy to get it in Austrialia, as most UK publishers also publish down there…
Try an ABC shop they should have most BBC stuff.
look and ye shall find
http://shop.abc.net.au/browse/product.asp?productid=244290&SearchID=3019140&SearchRefineID=6455012
ah, but most of The Name of the Wind is spoken aloud in order for Chronicler to record it…i think it would be cool (if a little unwieldy) to produce an acted audio version.
PirateXxEsque, a TV version wouldn’t work.
Kvothe is 8 at the beginning, 15 at the university, and 25 when he tells his story to Chronicler. You’d have to find at least 3 actors, plus put a lot of make up on the kid for the Terbean episode, for he is not a kid anymore, but not a teenager yet either.
Plus, I’m pretty sure the producer would end up putting Robert Pattinson to play Kvothe (since he kind of plays in every move staring a “young” man, these times), and it would be… terrifying.
But still, would have been nice to put a real face on Kvothe…
(sorry if I made any mistakes, english isn’t my native language)
Hmm… interesting.
Also available on iTunes and Audible, for those like me that abhor buying physical media (the effort! the loss of instant gratification!).
just purchased it. Cant wait to hear it. thanks for the recommendation.
Gruff
Nice one, will give it a go. Bound to be aired on Radio 7 again soon (in the UK)
One of the writers is Mil Millington, author of “Things My Girlfriend and I Have Argued About”, an essential read IMO. (see also http://www.thingsmygirlfriendandihavearguedabout.com)
Look what you started by putting First on your last blog Pat, you’ve created a Monster… PS any chance you can give us the story of the beard, was it a lazy thing? Have you always wanted a beard like that? I am sure its an interesting tale with lots of intruge and womanizing.
Can we all just give a big hurrah for Dogberry’s system of enumeration? Pat, are you trying to make us all more literate by sneaking in semi-obscure Shakespeare references?
And while I’m on the subject, where do you stand on the true authorship of Shakespeare’s plays?
Pat…
You’ve so got me with your last argument >.<
Ok, Pat, you brutalised me with that awesome series of endorsements.
I’ll buy a copy.
Hell, I’m going to buy two, and give one away as a present, WITHOUT LISTENING TO IT FIRST, simply on this recommendation.
“What’s this?”, my friend will say.
“Who cares, PATRICK ROTHFUSS endorsed it!”
Then we’ll share a mutual high-five moment. Life will be good.
That is an insane set of endorsements. Pat, the power of your words have inspired me to listen to this greatness. Cheers!
I assume that this was a finding after the what-should-I-listen-to post?
Actually, I bought an imported copy way back in February and listened to it non-stop in my car for almost a month before giving it to a friend.
I wanted to talk about it on the blog then, but I realized people here in the US wouldn’t be able to buy it until April, so I’ve been waiting to mention it…
Thanks for doing that ^w^
Well, I’m off to find it now.
Thanks again,
~ Ree~
*makes a note to buy the HECK out of this as soon as she gets home*
Just when I was looking for good audio books/radio dramas, too!
Hello. Not to be excessively weird, but are you the “industrious little gnome” Priscellie?
(word verification: south dampens. Har! )
This sounds too awesome. The cable company only just realized they’d been giving us free cable for 10 months and consequently turned it off, so I’ve been in dire need of some non-television-related entertainment.
Although now that summer’s coming, I can FINALLY read that book I won from Worldbuilders >.<
You should write a review for Amazon (which, amusingly now has on the Sexton Blake page “Frequently Bought Together
Customers buy this book with The Name of the Wind (Kingkiller Chronicles, Day 1) by Patrick Rothfuss”)
Good idea…
I’ve never listened to a radio drama but i’m always looking for interesting stories. Honestly, in my mind i thought that radio dramas died out with The
Ware of the Worlds era of radio. I’ll have to check out this completely untapped form of entertainment. Thanks for the recommendation!
…that should be WAR of the Worlds
Thanks for the awesome recommendation. On awesome related subjects, are you gonna post about your participation in Books for Boobs? I saw your name when Jim Butcher’s tweet led me that way. Very awesome Pat!
Oh. I didn’t know that was going on right now. Thanks for the heads up…
Have you ever heard the audiobook of The Eye of Samarkand? It is highly amusing.
Its sad that there aren’t more radio dramas. I love them myself.
Again the unseen consequences of piracy come into play. So many people feel that its a victimless crime and that there are no big negative consequences. But the long run effect will eventually be that we will no longer have any decent TV, books, movies or radio. Because if people cannot make money by producing these things, they will not be produced.
Pat, I think you are referring to Peter Jones rather than Simon Jones.
Also, try the following from the BBC as they are fab – Paul Temple series, Round the Horne – this is VERY British humour, which I hope you will get, as is the Navy Lark and finally, Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. In fact material like this can be listened to for free on Radio 7 BBC. As this is a digital station you can listen to it in the States also with a bit of finagaling.
LOVE the reference to Much Ado About Nothing! Having played Dogberry before, I can tell you there are few characters as much fun as he.
Whoops, fucked up my link post and dont know how to edit my other one, so once more:
P-Roths book for boobs
so… and why don’t you talk about book 2, i hear u saying…?
Sigh…as if my shame at yielding to the temptation of “first” comment wasn’t great enough already…
How cruel of you, Sir Rothfuss, to endorse a trend by indulging in it yourself, only to enforce punishment upon those who followed suit.
…I’d have done the same thing. :)
Pat,
Does this coveted short list contain any names beyond Dirk Maggs and Joss?
If you’re having a hard time getting BBC radio dramas (for a while there it was difficult to obtain the Hitchhiker’s series, for example), the UK amazon is a good source. When stuff is good, you just get it. Pretend it’s in dollars and not pounds, and revel in the fact that you are getting something with cool airmail markings.
The NPR Star Wars series is quite good, too.
Hey, speaking of which, what DID you listen to on the wedding road trip?
I want to know too!
Hi.
Do you take blogular requests? Because I’m really dying for The Perils of Fan Fiction-Part II. Like, really dying. Wasting away even. I might even be looking more forward to that blog post than I am to book 2 which, if you knew me, you knew would be an even Bigger FD than health care. =)
word verfication: of saratoga. This amuses me.
Hi Pat,
Long time reader, first time writer. I’d just like to recommend the BBC Radio series ‘Bleak Expectations’. There are currently three seasons of it, and it is (by and large) an absolutely hilarious production from the good people at the BBC. It is worth listening to just for Anthony Head’s (better known to most Americans as Giles from Buffy) performance. As always, best wishes.
Another good radio drama? C.S. Lewis’s Screwtape Letters. If you’re at all familiar with the characters, you may be excited to hear that Andy Serkis (Gollum) plays Screwtape.
Really, really fun.
I am truly surprised that no one has brought up Firesign Theatre’s “The Further Adventures of Nick Danger” as a response to this. The acting/comedy is top-notch and just dirty enough to keep my interest! I highly recommend it as 20+ minutes well spent, and endlessly quote-worthy (in the voice of Rocky R).
I sent your blog post to Dirk Maggs, who replied that he’ll have to buy you a drink soon. Also: BBC didn’t want a second series of Sexton Blake (BOOOO!)
Greetings from Spain!
Firstly, I want to thank you for an odd thing: these days I’m studying for my English exams at School of Languages and I’m training them listening to you in several interviews
you’ve done and reading every article related to you or your books. The student’s book that we have is very boring and, as the exams consist in show our skills in reading and
listening comprehension, among others, I’ve found in you a very funny way to improve them.
I don’t know if I’ll pass, but, anyway, I’ll try it and at least I’ve discoverd you, and It’s worth.
As you can see, I talk about my listening and readings skills, but perhaps I have a long way ahead for my writing ones. I hope that this comment was understandable.
As I said before, thank you very much for, of course for your book (which I haven´t finished ye, but that is another story…).
Best regards!
First of all I’d like to say hello, this is my first comment on one of these new-fangled blog type thingummys.
Second of all I’d like to say how wonderful your book is, but I’m kind of guessing you already know that judging by the huge fan base you have. :P
And finally I’d like to say that this post reminded me of something….and I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. So I re-read it and then I realised that the format you used (sixth and lastly etc) was something I knew from elsewhere. Some more brain-racking later and I remembered! That format was used by the character of Dogberry in Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing….now I no idea why I felt it necessary to point this out, but there we go.
Thanks again for such a wonderful world,
Kara xx