If you’re like me, you like to be entertained at all moments in your day. Anywhere I go, I have to have a book in tow. But what about those instances where reading could prove hazardous? I found the answer to that question years ago by scouring the internet in search of old-time radio programs.
    I can’t tell you how permanent the 1950s radio voice saying, “And now, CBS presents…(wait for it)…The Adventures of Philip Marlowe!” is in my mind. That voice simply refuses to call it quits, and after hearing it over and over again for 90 episodes, I guess I had it coming.
    However, the radio plays of that era have one major flaw: cookie cutter plots.
    Of course, I wouldn’t be writing any of this had I not discovered an amazing alternative to the OTR dilemma.
    A new trend that has been picking up a dominative amount of interest lately is pod-casting, and though there are many dedicated to the practice and news of the written word, few are doing what Escape Pod is doing, and no one is doing it as perfectly.
    Since July of 2005, Stephen Eley—publisher, editor and host—has brought his top choices of science fiction shorts to the audio world for weekly mass consumption. For free! And what’s more, the cheap, slimy feel that comes with a lot of free publications (there are some *a-hem* obvious exceptions) is no where to be found. The various readers that bring Escape Pod audio to life are professionals of the very best that the pod-casting world has to offer.
    Also, the stories are fantastic.
    Much like Susurrus, Escape Pod falls into the “If it’s good and we like it, we’ll publish your story” camp. Mike Resnick has published a few stories with them that have been debatably SF, but undoubtedly phenomenal. This seems to be an ongoing thing that Eley defends constantly, and I for one would like to thank him for it. Not yet has there been a story on Escape Pod that I’ve felt let me down by the end. This is a publication made for and operated by fiction lovers.
    Eley’s raw affection for excellent fiction and the continuation of the short story market is inspiring. His introductions are often as entertaining and well worked as the stories that follow. Overall, Escape Pod should be considered one of the forefront players in the fiction world, telling us to keep in touch with contemporary authors and always, always, always have fun.
    Check out Escape Pod and get to listening. The site is very accessible, and allows you to listen to the shows without the use of iTunes (if you care about that kind of thing, Brian). Escape Pod is twice as good as the OTR programs and will keep you company while you are on the road to work, walking down the street, doing dishes, or just too tired to pick up a book.

10 out of 10, easy.