Please welcome Mark Eller to the site. Today he begins the serialized audiobook release of his novel, Traitor, Book 1 of The Turner Chronicles:
Last Chance – a small town set on the edge of the far frontier. It is a place of gentle manners and common civility. After all, it should be since more than three quarters of its residents are women. However times change when a Talent Master runs rampant, savages threaten war, and an illegal militia from an alternate universe plans invasion and empire. A hero is needed. A Savior. Meet Aaron Turner, the small unassuming man who runs the Last Chance General Store. He is this town’s–this world’s–only hope. Unfortunately for the town, Aaron also happens to be a soldier and Militia spy whose job is to prepare the ground for the Militia’s invasion. To help him with this task, he has a cellar filled with advanced weaponry and the unique ability to teleport between the two worlds. However after a year of living within Last Chance, Aaron is no longer sure in which direction his loyalties lie.
The first five episodes are in the default feed for those who want to leave Mark in control. Me? I’m a fan of custom feeds, so I get to choose when additional episodes are sent to me. Pick one!
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on Wednesday, May 13th, 2009 at 7:20 am and is filed under New Books.
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May 13th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Given how my first glance at the title of this series kinda threw me, perhaps it is important to mention, this is the Turner CHRONICLES, not the Turner DIARIES. Whole nother thing entirely.
I’ll have to subscribe. Looks interesting.
May 17th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
Mark, I just got all caught up listening to all of the released episodes of Traitor. I love the storyline so far, the characters and the surprises you throw in there. Keep up the great work Mark. Looking forward to the next episode.
May 20th, 2009 at 3:11 am
The narration is getting better. The first couple of episodes had a lot of hesitation between words, but the reading is getting better. I am enjoying the story so far. Keep improving.
May 23rd, 2009 at 4:23 am
This book rocks I’ve finally found an author who fills my Harlan
Ellison fix- having gone through everything he’s written years ago. Mark writes brilliantly. Check it out.
June 5th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
I am enjoying this story more and more as it develops. The narration, while always easy to listen to, has improved as well.
For me, I keep comparing the style to Nathan Lowell’s “Quarter Share” book. While the story is not action packed, I am drawn into the it and characters every episode. I find myself waiting for the Friday release of the next episode.
Keep up the nice work!
June 11th, 2009 at 3:17 am
I am really not trying to be mean but you read like an absolute retard. I wanted to give the book a chance but you stutter the words out in a way that makes me want to blow my brains out rather than listen to another single word.
June 11th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
Max, Give it a few episodes. The reading quality improves as he gets more experienced at it. He may never be as polished as you require, but for an author doing his own work I think he is doing fine.
June 14th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
Is it just me, or is there a serious problem with the promo for this book? Your voice drops out completely in the middle, and the music continues… Tried to play it on my live show on BlogTalkRadio, and -then- I found the problem — embarassing when one is trying to do a live show.
I know how hard it can be. I’ve recorded a few myself. But you might want to take a look at that…
Griz
June 15th, 2009 at 7:28 am
I have to agree that you can tell that Mr. Eller’s reading is a little hesitant at first, but he does improve with time.
It does seem that part of it is either intentional (and fitting for the main character’s personality), or is just part of his speech pattern.
Either way, the rough edges are smoothed down by the third or fourth episode.
Perhaps Mr. Eller would consider re-recording the first few episodes when he finishes the story, just so the whole book has the same level of polish, for the new listeners?
A very entertaining book, I am awaiting the next episode, and the next book!
June 16th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
Mark, i’m really enjoying this story. Learn from the criticism, but don’t let them get you down. This storyline is clever and entertaining. Is this book in print? are there more?
June 16th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
I read the PDF. I did not listen to the audio version. That said, I enjoyed the book. It is an entertaining read, and not my preferred genre. Mark was kind enough to send me the PDF as I listen to horribly angry music while writing, and I write all the time. Which means, I can get a PDF read in a day; listening to an audio version can take me weeks. It is a story well-told with strong characterization and a good example of world building.
June 17th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Hey guys, sorry being late checking in here, there have been some family issues going on and a bunch of stuff with that television show that I am slightly connected to. Yes, the first three or four episodes are a bit rough for several reasons, mostly having to do with spring and allergies, and also because the pace of this book is so different from my other podcasts that it took me time to get the voice or pace needed. I’ll redo those chapters in a couple weeks after I get back from a little trip. Grizz, sorry about the promo. I had it reloaded after the same issue with it appeared in the first upload. Apparently, even though the promo is good on my side, it is not uploading properly, so I will have to make a new one. Unfortunately I have not had the time to keep really on top of things due, once again, to the family health issues thing.
Criticism? Trust me on this, I never ever get discouraged by criticism. Criticism is an opportunity to learn and improve and it has helped improve my writing tremendously. Praise is nice, but good constructive criticism is better, especially by a peer who is in a position to know and help out.
Appreciate all the good comments and the constructive crit comments and thanks to you all.
Mark
June 19th, 2009 at 8:47 pm
Hey Grizzley, I just did a listen to the promo that is available for Traitor, and apparently you had the first version that did not upload properly. The version that is there right now is the entire thing, complete and whole. While I have you here, I just want to say thanks for your support and comments…and since I am writing anyway, I would like to encourage anybody reading this to listen to Arlene Ardasky’s The Fox. I did not hear the podcast, but I read the book and it is excellent.
June 26th, 2009 at 6:18 am
Hi Mark,
I’m half a dozen chapters in, and I’ve been drawn into the story. I have not found your delivery to be distracting. Rather, it adds character dimension to Aaron – whether intentional or not. You have an interesting world (or worlds!) developing here and I’m a sucker for “reluctant hero” stories. Thanks for presenting you work in this format.
July 6th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
When I first started listening to it I was a bit concerned with the audio quality, but after a couple of chapters I have to agree with JaneAtPlay, Mark’s voice adds character to Aaron. After I got into it, I could not turn my iPod off! I started listening to this after the final episode was posted so it was pretty much gobbled up in a couple of days.
There are a few editing notes scattered about in the episodes, but not a big deal. I really enjoyed the story and the experience!
Thanks Mark!
Can we hope for book 2?
July 8th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
Thank you Dan. I am presently working on the second edit of Book Two with my publisher. In total there are four books that take place over increasingly larger canvases during a decade and a half. When the editing process is far enough along that I actually have a book cover, I will start recording Book Two, Betrayed. It will take a while because I have this unfortunate habit of writing a long time. Book one was about 15,000 words. Book two, it looks like, will fall into the 170,000 word range.
And now I am going to stop writing because I am back from vacation 3 days. White water rafting was fun. Ziplining was fun, however there was a small problem with spraining a wrist and stressing a few muscles when I did not slow down fast enough. Did you know trees trunks are hard?
July 10th, 2009 at 6:27 am
Yesterday I received word from Mark’s wife Dani that his vacation came with an unintended side effect: Rocky mountain spotted fever. Yes, the “tick disease”.
Mark was admitted to the hospital and was there again overnight. From what I can gather in her emails, Mark is recovering. This is a serious condition, but he seems to be responding well to treatment.
If you’d like to leave well-wishes for him, contact him via email. I think Dani is accessing his mail and letting him know who is writing. I doubt she’s checking here, so be sure and contact him from his website if you want your comments to be read by him while he’s out of commission. Other wise, you can leave them here and he’ll see them when he returns.
His website is http://www.hellholetavern.com/
July 30th, 2009 at 12:05 am
[...] Traitor, Book 1 of The Turner Chronicles (podiobooks.com) “A hero is needed. A Savior. Meet Aaron Turner, the small unassuming man who runs the Last Chance General Store. He is this town’s–this world’s–only hope. Unfortunately for the town, Aaron also happens to be a soldier and Militia spy whose job is to prepare the ground for the Militia’s invasion. To help him with this task, he has a cellar filled with advanced weaponry and the unique ability to teleport between the two worlds. However after a year of living within Last Chance, Aaron is no longer sure in which direction his loyalties lie…” [...]
August 13th, 2009 at 10:41 am
Aaron Turner is everyman. Well, that is if everyman has the power and talent to transfer to another world. So far he is one of two people who have that power and it seem they both are working for a man who wants to take over the other world. The world they live in now is polluted and corrupt. As Aaron learns to live in the small town in the otherworld, he finds that he is a nice man who really can come to like himself and fall in love.
He has a problem, however, he goes back to his first world to get supplies and make reports to the General. In the old world he is a crippled man who is made fun of and hates coming back. So he lies about what is happening in the new world.
The lies grow bigger as the tension builds between Aaron, his general, and the Federal government. Aaron does not want to work for this world anymore and figures out how to do that. But then he finds he has an arch-enemy in the new world. Life there is not as good as he thought it would be, it is always presenting challenges.
Mark Eller has made his characters believable and likeable. His scenarios are well described and I can imagine myself in them. I laugh and cry with Aaron as he finds his way in his new world and really look forward to the next Turner Chronicles adventure. Bravo, Mark.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:21 pm
I’m afraid I abandon the story 2/3 through, cause Aaron was just too whiny, weak, indecisive and, well, unappealing. I really like the story otherwise, and was looking forward to it’s conclusion. Good technicals and I liked you voice Mark, once I got used to it. But when Aaron just stood there as Sarah and Earnest went up in flames, knowing he had killed Glenn by teleporting him away, and he didn’t teleport Haarod to the moon (or the basement) or his family away, well, it was the last sniveling thing I could bear from his character. I will definitely be ready to check out your next efforts though, as I do think you are capable of spinning a good yarn……craig
October 22nd, 2009 at 2:40 pm
[...] Traitor, Book 1 of The Turner Chronicles (podiobooks.com) [...]
November 15th, 2009 at 12:06 am
Hey Craig, thanks for your input. Seriously, thanks.
Unfortunately, I’m afraid at the point of the story you mention Aaron could no longer teleport Beech high in the sky. Please remember that the wiring in his back had been reconnected, thus changing the nature of his talent. Also, he was up against a Talent Master, somebody who not only had his talents, but many more besides, to a much stronger degree. In this case, Aaron was badly outgunned, at this time.
That being said, one of the purposes of a book is for characters to change, to give them room to grow. Aaron was raised as a victim, half-crippled, butt of jokes, with little confidence in himself. This had to have a long term effect on him. Having him change around in just a few months to become a decisive take charge person, especially since this is a four book series, would not leave him much room to learn and grow later on. It would also not be realistic, um, if that can be said of a sci/fi novel encompassing two worlds with psychic talents besides.
All that being said, I still appreciate your comments and thank you for listening. I am still busy revising book two with my editors, but within a few months I should be able to start recording it.
Mark
March 1st, 2010 at 12:08 am
4 book series, where are the other 3?
August 1st, 2010 at 4:08 pm
I enjoyed Book 1 immensely. The audio quality improves after the first episode, so stick with itif you are just starting to listen. I am eagerly awaiting book 2. When will it come out?
AG
August 11th, 2010 at 3:54 pm
Hello Mark,
I would have liked to tell you that your book was a real page turner… Uhm, but I suppose the days of such colloquial terms are long gone. However, I just needed to let you know what a serious risk your book poses to those of us who listen to it…
while driving…
to work…
both ways…
I can’t seem to recall much of my drive time over the last week. And if that doesn’t say it plain enough then you should know that I just sent $19.99 to you from Podiobooks.
Thank you, I have not encountered a book this good in a very long time.
-Mark Stanley
December 20th, 2011 at 10:46 pm
Had to comment and let you know how much I enjoyed your work. Really looking forward to the next in the series.