Tannis Island
Debra Karin Hillgrave is faced with a dilemma; she has first hand experienced an epic discovery, and one greater than any other in mans history, but something has gone very wrong. The world of man is now in grave danger. Debra is not a skilled writer, and she knows it, but she must tell her story to the world. Her tale is hap-hazard, and confusing at first, but she knows this story may save the world from destruction, or possibly it will guarantee it.
Debra must reveal everything in her own words, as she remembers the events, her own mistakes, and those of her father. The tale leads them to many parts of the world, and many long lost places. The Discovery of a place and a people man has not seen in over ten thousand years is only the beginning of the disaster that awaits mankind. Debra’s plight becomes a race against time, and a fight against not only this lost civilization, but also against man himself.
In the end, a choice must be made… live together in peace with them, or choose which race will die in war?
February 11th, 2006 at 10:16 am
A classic tale with a sense of geographic adventure tied up into a big mystery…what could be better. I can’t wait for the next chapter to come out!!
February 12th, 2006 at 5:41 am
Wow this podiobook rocks!! Previously I had ignored this and Seeds of the Machina, because of their “weird” descriptions. But then I downloaded them anyway I am hooked beyond belief. Tannis Island is simply outstanding, it’s like a cross between Tomb Raider and an Apocalyptic movie!! The first chapter will have you begging for more because its so good. Its such an engrossing tale, so I strongly encourage anyone you loves a good adventure/thriller should really really check this one out : )
February 22nd, 2006 at 3:30 pm
I think that there are some very interesting ideas in this book, and that the plot is fine, but the writer really need the help of a good editor. Most of my problems have to do with the way the characters are written, both in their dialog, and in their actions. There are several inconsistencies in character, which leads them to be almost interchangeable when delivering dialog. Also, their actions and opinions seem a bit immature and at time even stupid, considering that they are supposed to be some of the top minds in their fields. I really think that a professional editor could clear up some of the annoying coincidences, and plot holes and make this good story better.
February 22nd, 2006 at 11:48 pm
Well Simeon, There are reasons for the silly dialogs in Tannis Island, and also the sometimes weak character actions. Some of the most well educated people I know, make some of the most stupid mistakes. Also this story is being told by an individual that is not saposed to be a literary giant. In fact the entire book is meant to be a singular perspective, and told in a very every day kind of speach. That was the idea behind it, and it is a look at ourselves in a way many people rarely do. As far as seeking an editor, I unfortunatly do not have that luxury, and they are very costly. If I were to have the novel edited by such, then no one would hear this novel here, and everyone would be spending 16 dollors or more at the bookstore for it. This novel was the first time I ever wrote anything, and I do not concider myself an author or writer, but a story teller, much like you would find around the campfire on a weekend outing. Tannis Island, is meant to entertain you, and if it did, then It has done what I wanted it to do.
February 23rd, 2006 at 12:21 pm
Uhm… G.L…. it’s “supposed” and “speech”.
I’m enjoying the story. Who is the narrator/reader?
February 23rd, 2006 at 2:45 pm
I have typo’s all the time, chornbe, and it’s a sign of old age I think? my eyesight is not very good, and I have a hard time reading small fonts like this. However, the entire narration of Tannis Island, from the design of the cover to the pod-cast narration and recording, was done entirely by me. That is my voice you are listening too, and all of this Novel was done in my small office here at home. I had no one else to help with it, but forged ahead on my own. I was trying to learn exactly how to write, edit and narrate an audiobook on my own. In the future I hope to offer this as a service to real writers, and narrate audio books as a retirement activity.
March 1st, 2006 at 3:30 pm
Echoing both Simeon and chornbe: You have a really fascinating story-line and very good pacing. The ‘silly’ bits are not in what the characters say but rather in how they say it. They often repeat words or phrases needlessly (which I certainly do when talking to my teenagers) which really snags the flow of the action and energy of a scene. (Even something like using the word ‘which’ twice in the same sentence, as I just did, slows the mind a bit, and really bothers the ear.) Or, they say things explicitly which they wouldn’t usually and which we (depending on who you are seeing as your audience) already know and understand. You have some great material. Find someone (does NOT have to be a professional editor) whom you trust and who will be honest with you to read it. It is REALLY difficult to self-edit. Our eyes and ears often see and hear what we expect rather than what is really there.
Cheers,
Dr. B
March 1st, 2006 at 4:22 pm
It’s not so much an editing issue, Barry, but a narration issue. There are a number of little things that got by me during the recording of the audio. I had a bad habbit of not reading the story, but thinking it instead. However, the entire podcast novel was a learning tool, and I used it to tech myself how to pace an narrate a story. Most of the errors are in the narration, and not in the written story itself. The narrated novel, and the written one are quite a bit differant. However the written one you may find at your local theater some day, but is not called “Tannis Island.”
This was the first time I had ever tried to podcast an audio book before. I chose to share it just as a fun story to entertain everyone for a few hours, and never expected it to be the next “Harry Potter.” I have also discovered that several of the audio files were not the ones I had intended to upload, but were from the first revision of the audio novel, and chapters 2 – 6 were not edited at all. I have learned a lot of lessons from its creation, and I think it would have been far better is someone else had narrated it, but I did not have that as an option.
March 2nd, 2006 at 10:25 am
Well, Mr. Lowe, I’m really enjoying Tannis Island. It’s kept me up late listening a couple of nights, which is a good sign. Yes, there are some aspects of the writing and narration that obviously would be more polished in a professional production, but given the price I paid to listen I’d hardly feel justified complaining about them. Overall I feel you’ve done a commendable job given the resources available to you and it is an excellent first attempt.
March 5th, 2006 at 7:05 am
Ah guys, its a FREE podiobook!!!! COME ON!! Hehehe.
Well I am super glad I got that out of the way. Its been ages since I last logged on here and its awesome that the author is checking these posts out. Gavin buddy waaaaaay to go!! I adored this work. I finished it the same day that you posted the last episode and I was real sad to let it go until the last few minutes when you dropped the bombshell and announced that this awesome novel was going to have a sequel. I jumped out of my chair and yelled HELLL YEAH! at the top of my lungs (good job I was listening to it at home!!!) I just wanted to pat you on your back and thank you immensely for the hours of joy that you brought me. I thought that the story was fab and the plot was awesome. I loved how things progressed, from the awesome begining where it was more of a cool Indiana Jones thingy to when the whole truth was revealed and finally to the nail biting final years of the story. Wow! totally good stuff. Hell I would be the 1st to admit that the narration wasn’t exactly Scott Sigler or Mark Jeffery material but heck I brushed it aside and went with it. The pay off was worth it. Screw the narration and the “teenage dialog” (Huh??!!). It was the guy’s 1st podiobook, its fricking FREE, and its meant to be a fun listen. If you wanted “professional” grade audiobooks then go on over to Audible for crying out loud. IMHO it was a great 1st try from this author. Way to go; I am sure that TI2 will be much better. Take care guys and keep up the great posts. C ya.
March 5th, 2006 at 3:14 pm
Thanks Ryan, “Tannis Island” had a fairly unusual plot, and I was trying to do something different than UFO’s and alien worlds. I wanted to come up with a story that had nothing to do with magic, distant worlds, or alien life forms. I wanted this story to focus on what might be here on earth today, and have the story play on some of our myths, or unexplained legends. The written book, does not even begin the way the pod-cast does, but I rewrote the pod-cast version just for the pod-cast. I also split the novel into two seperate books for the podcast.
However, I have a new Novel out in pod-cast form, “It is here on Podio-Books as well,” and it is entitled “The Seven Scrolls of Scallose.” The plot in this book is far better than the one in TI, or at least I feel it is.
The Seven Scrolls novel has stunned the few who have read it so far. All I can say is… “Nothing is what it appears to be.”
I also have concept artwork of the charaters from “Tannis Island” on my website. everyone can check them out at, “www.gavinsworld.net”
March 7th, 2006 at 12:46 pm
I am really enjoying Tannis Island tremendously. I listen to a ton of audiobooks because I drive back and forth from the Bay area to LA once a week (6+ hours each way). Perhaps its because I somewhat have to pay attention to my driving, so I may not always be paying 100% attention to all the dialog, but I don’t have any problem with the way the characters are behaving and what they say; believe me, being a scientist myself, I find their actions, interactions, and dialog more than believable for professional scientists. Social maladaption is the norm for such people, as is improper grammar, speech and language (unless you are a social scientist of some sort). In any case, I was also very happy to learn that you are reading the text yourself, as that certainly lends to the feeling that I am hearing the text read as the author meant (for emphasis on particular words, phrasing etc.). Some audiobooks (in fact there are a bunch of them) as read by professional readers, sometimes seem cold and distant in their readings, and you sometimes have a feeling of disconnection from the author’s meaning. I think you’ve done a really excellent job, and I look forward to the scrolls. My only problem is that it seems the link to dowload anything past chapter 9 is broken or not working right now, so I am dreading my next drive wiithout hearing what happens to these great characters!
March 7th, 2006 at 1:50 pm
This is the first time I have heard of anyone having trouble downloading the chapters, but I will forward your concern to the staff, and maybe they can get this resolved for you.
March 7th, 2006 at 2:04 pm
Heya Folks…
I just subscribed to and downloaded all the episodes in this book…so I’m not sure where the issue lies. Wolfgang…can you contact me via the feedback link can give me some more information?
Thanks!
Chris
March 7th, 2006 at 3:38 pm
Just got the rest of the chapters, no problem. I am not sure what the problem was, perhaps on my end. Thanks, and i am really looking forward to finding out what happens!
March 13th, 2006 at 10:49 pm
I’m really enjoying this book – especially the tone and pacing — and can’t wait to hear what happens next. This is my first podiobook experience, and I’m impressed with what I’m hearing. Thanks! Jina.
March 20th, 2006 at 3:50 pm
Tannis Island was my first attempt to create a podio-book, but I would like to thank those whom have commented on this novel. All of the comments have influenced my decision to rethink the way I originally created this narration. Instead of making the second novel as I had originally planned, I have decided to do something a bit different.
Tannis Island was based off of a fully written novel I wrote last year, entitled “The Lost Civilization of Altas Island.†this book is over six hundred pages long. However,
I have decided to bring the entire novel to podio-books rather than continue with the highly abridged short stories called “Tannis Island,†and “Legend Of The Wind Walkers.â€
The narration of “The Lost Civilization of Altas Island,†will include a cast of readers, and be read from the fully edited manuscript. It will also be performed in a real studio.
Imagine trying to hold a page in one hand, control the recording software, watch the monitor, read the page, and keep the cat off the keyboard all at the same time… Well that was my studio.
Tannis Island was only a glimpse into the story, but when you hear the entire book, I doubt anyone will be disappointed.
March 23rd, 2006 at 12:08 pm
Great story. I enjoyed it and passed it on to others who may give it a listen.
March 31st, 2006 at 1:25 pm
It was fairly well written, moved along well, and had a great plot but there were 2 drawbacks that would keep it from my top pick list.
1) For me, the reading was horrible. It was so slow with so many long pauses that it made the book less than it could have been. I would not listen through another book with this reader. I would consider buying the paper book on the Author’s next attempt.
2) I’m a sucker for good endings. The plot could have gone a lot of ways other than 90% of the human race being killed.
April 7th, 2006 at 6:16 pm
It is unique and creative. I love the story and the series of events that creates this imaginary world or perhaps real civilization. It is well written and it seems to have been very hard to narrate but I applaude the writer’s dedication and perseverance. Very well documented and very detailed in his descriptions, it was like becoming part of the plot. I can’t wait to get his second novel, I’m sure it will be as delighted.
April 8th, 2006 at 10:53 am
Wow – Just finished the Book. It was excellent! I felt I was part of the book. Great – Plot. Why cant we just all get along – with a touch of greed. I have to say that all should listen to this book.
April 25th, 2006 at 4:13 pm
After reading some of these comments I wonder if I listened to the same book ya’ll did. I thought the production values and narration were excellent, and found the storyline very interesting. Having read stories “into a can” for recording myself, I can sympathize with Mr. Lowe’s above statements about the trials of getting a clean and editable take! True, everyone’s entitled to his or her own opinion, but I thought this was a fantastic piece of fantasy writing, and I applaud Mr. Lowe on a great first-effort podcast.
I’m thoroughly enjoying his newest work, The Seven Scrolls of Scallose, ya’ll ought to check it out. It’s quite a bit darker than Tannis Island (If anything gets darker than the near-obliteration of the human species!) and I think most fantasy/ horror fans will enjoy it very much.
Thanks,
George
July 15th, 2006 at 5:03 am
Geez Lenny, nice of you to give away the ending! I haven’t finished this one yet, but I’m lovin’ it! Yeah so, the reading wasn’t 100%, but it’s alot better than I could do!
Keep up the good work. I’m looking forward to “The Lost Civilization of Altas Islandâ€
August 9th, 2006 at 5:27 am
Finished the book. Very good story. Well read. I was hooked the opening and enjoyed it coming full circle to the end of the story.
It left me with a “Lovecraft-ian” feel, the scope, the story the fearful edginess, and thats a compliment.
August 21st, 2006 at 7:46 am
Just finished the book and really enjoyed it. Great ideas, the story really kept me hooked. Tied in classic mythology and futuristic technology into a nice solid mystery.
August 21st, 2006 at 5:45 pm
It had been a few months since I visited this forum, and I see that my comment sparked a reply and some discussion. First of all, G L, I admire you. I have never complete one novella, let alone a 600 plus page tome plus the two pieces that I know of here on Podiobooks. My criticism was only offered because I like your work, and I feel that, with help, it could be made stronger. I didn’t mean necessarily a professional editor, but I believe that if you gave your work to someone you trust who has a good sense, but no emotional attachment, your work would be better. If you do not have anyone, Writing.com has that rate my writing thing, kind of a writer’s peer review.
For the people that say, “oh come on, it is a FREE podcast audiobook!” Yes it is, and that is how and why we found it. I appreciate that fact, and I am glad I took the tome to enjoy it. That said, the nice people at Podiobooks saw fit to have an area of their site devoted to discussing the books. The link doesn’t say “say thank you for this book”, it says “discuss this book”. There are quite a few books that I cancelled my subscription to after a few installments, but this one was in fact a good story. Some of the authors who podcast here are published in a more mainstream sense, and some will never be. I just felt that there were some weak elements in this book that, when they are fixed is every bit as worth of paper and shelf space as many that I have read.
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:04 pm
I just finished listening to the book and I thought it was really good. The narration and everything was well done. A sequel was mentioned and I am highly looking forward to it.
One question that I have is that I kept hearing a noise in the background of the recording, it didn’t destract or anything, but was that a fax machine or something else?
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:14 pm
The noise you heard was the fans in my old Power Mac G5.
The sequel is not really a sequel… Its the book I based Tannis off of.
Its called “The Lost Legend of Altas Island.”
G L Lowe
December 2nd, 2009 at 11:01 am
I can’t for the life of me figure out why some people think they must look for things to criticize. This is a great plot, well written, and I also really enjoyed the narration. Thanks for a great “read.”
January 4th, 2010 at 11:39 pm
I loved this story, and was very interested in hearing more about this world, but I have been confused why it was no longer available on podiobooks. I am very happy to see it has returned, though I am still hoping to see something about the sequel at some time, but I guess when it has already been this many years since this book was released there is no reason to keep holding my breath. I most definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a good book.
February 25th, 2010 at 7:19 pm
its a very good story, but I HAVE to say this, I dont know if anyone else pointed this out to you, because I am at work and dont have time to read all the comments, but once more unto the breach was Henry V not julius Caeser.
December 5th, 2010 at 2:00 pm
I recently finished listening to Tannis Island. I don’t seem to be able to find either one of the other 2 books mentioned by the author, on podiobooks. Where they ever finished?
December 6th, 2010 at 12:06 pm
Tannis Island is the only book currently on the site by Gavin. I think there were a few more, but he requested them come down from the site. You may be able to contact him and see if they are in print or if other options are available to you.
December 23rd, 2010 at 10:56 am
Is the author’s website wrong? It is currently a slideshow about bugs, and I can’t find anything about this author except on this site.
December 23rd, 2010 at 9:22 pm
No idea, Josh. Haven’t heard from Gavin in a very long time.
May 5th, 2011 at 12:40 am
Top notch stuff. I really enjoyed the book. Worth a listen.