Please welcome Alex White to the site, as he begins releasing the free serialized audiobook version of his steampunk novel, The Gearheart:
Jonathan Andrews, Initiate in the Seekers of the Arcane Unknown, joined the society two years ago with the hopes of protecting the secrets of magic from the greedy world beyond. However, a ravening shadow appears with a hunger for Seekers and Jonathan finds himself out of his depth. When Jonathan’s friend is attacked and the young initiate is assailed with apocalyptic visions of the future, he must find a way to uncover the past and stop the beast before it tears his group, and the world, asunder. It’s a ripping tale of magic, adventure and gunfights!
The first five episodes of this free audiobook are in the default feed. Like always, you can also get a custom feed and choose how often episodes are sent down to your system. E
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on Monday, October 5th, 2009 at 6:59 am and is filed under New Books.
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October 8th, 2009 at 3:27 am
I’ve been following this feed from their website for some time and I have to say that this is one of the most entertaining stories I’ve heard in a long time. The oration and production is fabulous and they really know how to make a cliffhanger, leaving you on the edge of your seat from episode to episode. I’m glad to see them on the podiobooks feed. Kudos to The Gearheart!
October 9th, 2009 at 1:57 am
[...] Audiobook “The Gearheart” steht bei Podiobooks zum freien Download [...]
October 11th, 2009 at 6:00 am
A very interesting series. I always wondered why more people didn’t take up the steampunk genre.
The story reminds me very much of the very immersive universe presented in the Thief games (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thief_(series))
October 27th, 2009 at 9:08 am
If you like well thought out, pulpy storytelling, then you’ll love Gearheart. It’s a successful mix of sci-fi, fantasy, and steampunk served up with heavy doses of sword fights, magic, cool contraptions, and big guns. I’ve listened to all the big names in podcasting over the years and I would put Gearheart at the top of the list. The production values are top notch, episodes are released regularly, and there’s even an original soundtrack. I happened to stumble on the story after release of the first episode and it’s quickly climed the ranks to be one of my favorites. Thanks Alex and Renee and keep up the great work.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:19 am
I have been a long time fan of podcast fiction. The Gearheart is completely unique, and a very fun tale.
The voice actors, Alex and Renee, do an exceptional job. I am consistently amazed at the number of individual voices each can do.
If you like steampunk, magic or just a rousing tale, you should consider giving The Gearheart a listen.
October 28th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
Great steampunk story being told by someone who so obviously appreciates the concepts of storytelling. The work is witty, entertaining, and very well voiced. I highly recommend this podcast.
November 27th, 2009 at 8:41 am
To start let me say thank you Podiobooks.com for showcasing new authors like Alex White! I have been listening to different authors on this site for awhile and it is always a pleasure to come upon a gem like The Gearheart.
I’ve not only been impressed with the plot of the story, which is intriguing and excellently paced, but also with the production. Part of the fun of listening to podcasts instead of reading a story is the extra sensory input a good author/producer can put into their work. Unfortunately, as I have found, the opposite can be said when the production and narration is lifeless or poorly done. I’m listening to a podcast right now which has an excellent plot, but the narration is so plodding and monotonous that it truly detracts from the pleasure of the story. Luckily i never have to worry about those problems with Alex and Renee.
Thank you so much for this story and please keep it coming!
November 30th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
To lump The Gearheart into the genre of steampunk fiction would do it and author Alex White a great disservice. It is an exciting and inspired blend of pulp, fantasy, diesel-punk (1920′s/30′s sci-fi/fantasy/alt history) and as the title would suggest, steam.
The story is fast-paced and, as is to be expected from a serial podcast, many of the episodes end with cliffhangers. I started out listening to one or two entries at a time, but as the action ramps up, I find myself saying “well, just one more…” and before I know it, I’ve listened to four episodes in one go.
The characters are varied, memorable and though sometimes they might do things that are questionable or downright reprehensible, you honestly care what happens to them. This is a testament to the voice-acting of Alex himself and his wife Renee White. With a few exceptions where the tone/accent of a character doesn’t quite seem to suit the actor’s voice, the large cast is wonderfully brought to life by their exceptional talents. A few of the more mystical and enigmatic characters are given additional punch through the use of some very cool voice-altering effects.
Some nice touches in Alex’s production of his audiobook include: original music between acts, ambient sound effects to set his scenes, weekly challenges for loyal listeners, and hilarious “ads” from faux sponsers to end each episode. From episode 10 or so through 13 (where I currently am) there have also been delightful 5 second bloopers at the tail end of the podcast.
All in all, I can’t say enough good things about The Gearheart. Give it a listen and you won’t be disappointed.
December 11th, 2009 at 11:36 am
One of the better stories I’ve found here at podiobooks.
I wont reiterate what all the other comments have already said because all the praise is true and well worth it.
Does anyone else get the feeling like we’ve come into the middle of the story? At points I feel as if there was a book before this one that I haven’t read yet. I do hope more of the backstory comes out soon. There’s so much history there it could be another complete book on its own (hint hint).
Great work!
M
January 20th, 2010 at 10:20 pm
So I’ve got this roommate who’s very skeptical of audiobooks. I was listening to this one courtesy some awesome technology, and he got sunk into it in the middle of the series! Can’t wait for the next episode, including new commercials! Thanks to the Whites for sharing this with us!
February 17th, 2010 at 7:10 pm
This audiobook is great. If you create another one, Alex, it would be nice if it were more like an audiodrama or radio play and had straight dialogue rather than narrated dialogue.
March 2nd, 2010 at 11:58 am
This is one of the better productions on Podiobooks, both in production and writing. Like a previous poster I sometimes get the impression that I got dropped into a running series, with all the references to things that happened in the past. On the whole I actually like that; it gives you a sense of a much bigger world, but occasionally the references were so casual that I actually felt the urge to look for those missing episodes.
March 4th, 2010 at 9:27 am
Renée and I want to thank everyone for the incredible comments! We really, really appreciate all that is said, and we want you to know we’ll do our best to live up to it! You guys make this so much better for all of us!
March 7th, 2010 at 3:18 am
Just wanted to say that I REALLY REALLY REALLY enjoy this podiobook. The storytelling is awesome, the characters are infectious, and the setting is superb. This is a true classic. Keep up the good work Alex and Renee
March 9th, 2010 at 4:58 pm
Hi Alex, I have finally caught up with The Gearheart. I started listening at the end of January. You and your lovely wife have done an incredible job with the podcast. The story is rich and full of exciting characters that I really care a great deal for. The steampunk and magic are two great tastes that go great together. Fantastic stuff!
March 10th, 2010 at 8:21 pm
For those of you skipping around searching for a fantastic podiobook, look no further. To say that this novel is amazing is an understatement. It’s loaded with steampunk adventure, magic, edge-of-your-seat drama and characters that drag you in from the moment they’re introduced. The writing is fantastic, the voices are phenomenally performed and the story is one that will leave you clamoring for more. And the music! Outstanding! Well done, Alex and Renee. You have me completely addicted. I’m torn between wanting to know how it ends and NEVER wanting it to end. The Gearheart has made its way to the top of my all-time favorite list and I can’t thank you enough for that!
March 18th, 2010 at 12:27 pm
I love audiobooks and have a subscription to a professional audiobook service. This is the first free audiobook I have ever listened to, and I was skeptical about how much I would enjoy it when it was suggested to me. My misgivings have been assuaged!
I was astounded at the quality of the recording, voice-acting, and, most of all, writing. At this point, I would place this book in my top 3 favorite audiobooks of all time. The company it keeps are Stephen King’s “Darktower Series” and Douglas Adam’s “Hitchiker’s Guide” Series. That is pretty good company if you ask me.
March 31st, 2010 at 12:10 pm
This audiobook is a great mix of fun and adventure. My husband and I enjoy listening to it together, and the story is compelling! The audio quality is great, and I appreciate the little details at the end of the podcast.
If you’re looking for a good steampunk adventure, listen to “The Gearheart”!
April 13th, 2010 at 6:40 pm
It is a measure of how wonderful this podiobook is that I tried to make it last. Last week I caved in and listened to the final episode. Alex has created a fully realised world full of magic and steam, but it is the characters that will hook you. Cog is a particular favourite- and I truly hope we can hear more of her. I recommend this cast to everyone.
April 20th, 2010 at 7:42 pm
Great production value in this podiobook. The story was a great ride, with lots of action and adventure.
There are a lot of characters and sub plots to follow and sometimes I found that a little overwhelming. A few characters could have been left out and things could have focused more on the main plot, it felt a little distracting with so many things to follow. I also had a tough time grasping the world that the players operate in. There are magicians, but also androids, and pistols and cars, but also swords and body armor. So I never did quite figure out the era that the story took place in.
April 25th, 2010 at 6:16 pm
This was a great podcast. One of the better ones I’ve heard in a while. The characters got slowly fleshed out. I like that better than having all the background info thrown at you in the first few pages. The action was riveting and I was able to picture every rune being finger drawn and every bullet taking flight. The pain and happiness of the characters was deeply felt. A very well written story and very much worthy of your time.
May 1st, 2010 at 2:45 pm
Hello Alex, i very much *did* kick back and enjoy my cups of tea. I am just chiming in here to all the other praise and thanks for what you and Renée have created together, and thats a damn fine piece of steampunk fiction, all around. Beyond the already mentioned i particularly loved your musical scores, and also the intermezzo’s… I wish you and your family all the good of this world and more, thank you again.
May 11th, 2010 at 2:27 pm
This was one of the only podcast where I have gone back and listen twice to many episodes, because of the quality of the story and the atmosphere of the reading. Alex this story is a cut above the ordinary, loved the ending where you seem to leave it unsaid the Cog and Jonathan will always be together, an interesting twist on unrequited feeling.
May 16th, 2010 at 6:46 pm
Thanks so much for the great comments! I really appreciate it! David, killer statements. It’s so awesome to hear things like that. Nilos, thanks for the well-wishes. We’ll be alright, no matter what. Thejamaican…SPOILERS!
Seriously, thanks again!
May 25th, 2010 at 10:36 pm
Well done! I look forward to your next book. One of the best podcasts ever on podiobooks.
May 30th, 2010 at 10:30 am
Great production quality and writing. The music is perfect as well. I started listening two days ago and am now almost done. I’m hooked, and am not looking forward to not having more episodes to listen to.
June 6th, 2010 at 4:28 pm
We arrive in the middle of the Gearheart saga and are given just enough history to provide answers to the mysteries of who and how. Soon however, we are trapped by spiders and steam engines in the imagination of this wonderful story’s author. True to the steam punk style we are carried off into a world of steam engines as we find ourselves enveloped in magic, thrown in for good measure is a smidgeon of sci-fi and watch as young men and women become heroes and heroines against a broken-hearted, black-cloaked villain. The voices are so well done, it would be hard to guess the real accent is of the two readers, and make listening to an already excellent story even more pleasurable and the many characters more easily followed. Very, very well done. Thank you Alex for writing and producing this podcast your inspirational wife Renee, for her voices and patience.
October 5th, 2010 at 9:15 am
This is a wonderful rich world to loose yourself in!
December 19th, 2010 at 3:52 am
In my opinion one of the best audio productions on podiobooks: interesting plot & great audio!
January 28th, 2011 at 9:03 pm
I’m more than 2/3 of the way through this rollicking steampunk-ish thriller. Enjoying it a lot. Over-the-top suspense, intrigue, fantasy adventure, read with a straight face. The setting and character development are good but perhaps spread out a little too thin. Story can be a strain on credulity. It adds excitement to my commute though. The humorous fake commercials at the end of each episode are like the cherry on top. Recommended.
March 17th, 2011 at 11:04 am
I really was not expecting to get hooked on this, but The Gearheart has some of the most entertaining and original characters I’ve heard/read in a long time! Already recommended to my friends, and now to anyone else that likes sci-fi or steam punk or fantasy, I will miss this when its finished!
May 11th, 2011 at 7:08 am
I stumbled across this novel by happy accident. It was a joy to listen to. Alex has created a rich world with relatable characters and a deep back story that serves to flavor, rather than overwhelm his tale: secret organization recruits callow youth to save world. Along the way he encounters: souls trapped in immortal automatons; fractured alchemy; shape-shifters; unkillable assassins; genetic ancestor possession; mechanical magic run amok and hyper-intelligent, pan-dimensional, brain-sucking arachnids. It’s a fast-paced, rollicking ride; so grab your gat & fedora, hop on the sideboards and let’s go! I highly recommend that you reserve the time to give this a listen. You won’t be sorry that you did.
I really enjoyed this one, it appealed to the pulp nerd in me. I searched Podiobooks looking for Steampunk books and up this popped. There is a debate akin to a holy war going on over what does and does not constitute Steampunk that I’m not going to get into right now. Suffice it to say that The Gearheart does have airships and appears to take place in a world on technological par with our late 1920s to early 1930s. It’s a world where magic is hidden, alchemy is suspect and a group with one incredibly cool name (Seekers of the Arcane Unknown) hoards secret knowledge and practices the forbidden arts. It would appear to be closer to Dieselpunk than Steampunk, with a hefty dose of magic thrown in for good measure. Normally, I don’t care to have my genres all that mixed, but Alex has made it work very well. So, call it whatever makes you the most comfortable, you’re almost guaranteed to enjoy it.
We open in a gritty, noir atmosphere. There’s a warehouse heist replete with wise guys, Tommy guns and soul swords, topped by a biplane’s strafing run and a Bruckheimer explosion. Then, the action starts. It’s an ensemble cast of distinct characters that almost fits the classic quest model. We have the naïve youth, the experienced mentor, the love interest, the lovable rogue, the plain spoken fixer and the impenetrable warrior, among others. They retrieve the magical whatnot from the warehouse and set off on the heroic quest.
Here’s where Alex goes sideways. It’s not the classic quest model after all. The Seeker organization isn’t what it seems. Corruption has crept in and governments are plotting to diminish the Order. Villains flourish, heroes die (including one shocker I won’t spoil here) and our besieged group reluctantly finds itself in a race to literally save the world.
Each of the 37 episodes is set up like an old movie serial reel: a brief synopsis then straight into action for about 20 minutes, followed by a short close and some of the funniest faux commercials I’ve ever heard. Each episode ends in an evil cliffhanger (including the last one). I was fortunate enough to download all the episodes at once from Podiobooks and so was spared the agony of waiting a week between each of them. The episodes clock in about 20 to 25 minutes in length apiece; perfect for my day job commutes. The exceptions to this rule are the final three; episodes 35 and 36 are double length and 37 is triple length.
Alex is a jack-of-all-trades, writing both story and soundtrack and performing the male voices and soundtrack (with the occasional guest artist). His wife Renee handles the female characters. Both actors have more than sufficient range to provide separate and distinct characterizations for the cast, although one character’s accent required a couple of episodes to settle into a regional one I could recognize.
The pacing and delivery are transparent, so much so that I found myself resenting the end title when the music began playing under. That’s a thumbs up to the quality of the writing as well. Though, there were a couple of places where I was taken aback. One instance is the description of the shapeshifter’s teeth. They were described as ebon and sharp, invincible with the ability to puncture and rend everything. The teeth were glassy … Glassy? Hmmmm. Not a show stopper, just not the choice I would have made. These instances were few and far between. I mention it because the overall quality was such that it made these instances stand out.
Technically, there were some episodes where the end title music tended to overwhelm the dialogue. Your mileage on this may vary, however. I was listening to the podcasts on a single ear Bluetooth headset. Better headsets may very well diminish or remove this issue.
The story line started out with a bang and keeps up a fast pace through the first 18 or so episodes. Then the pacing slows. In comparison to the first half of the podcasts, it almost wanes. However, that doesn’t last long, the action picks right back up and the series finishes with a bang, a zinger and an unexpected twist.
The Gearheart has an open ending. Given the amount of craft I’ve seen invested in this, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a sequel. I know I’d like to see one.
September 29th, 2011 at 4:30 pm
The way I do it is, I find a bunch of podiobooks that sound interesting, then download Chapter 1 of each of them. I listen to them all, then whichever one catches my attention the most is the one I will listen to next. From the opening strains of the utterly amazing music (which has been running through my head for several weeks now), I was completely hooked on this story. I wish I even knew where to begin in my praise. I’ll start with the technical aspect:
This is one of the most professional-sounding podcasts I’ve ever heard in my life. The music is well-written, well-produced, and reliable, the audio quality is spectacular, the promos are well-timed and fitting for the audience, the “old timey radio ads” are HILARIOUS and brilliantly done, and the voice-over work is nothing short of inspired. I don’t know if Alex and his lovely wife have received any professional voice acting training, but their performances were lively and moving; often the emotion behind certain lines were enough to bring tears to my eyes, moreso than I would have experienced just reading them.
The story is compelling from the get-go. The characters are well-established and surprisingly realistic for the genre. So many authors choose to stereotype their characters in the fantasy realm that it takes away from the experience, and don’t get me wrong – Alex’s characters definitely fall into certain predictable categories – but in this case, the characters make decisions that somehow manage to fit them while also taking the reader by surprise.
Maybe I’m gullible, or easily distracted by good writing, but I did not predict any one of the twists that occurred in this podcast novel. Alex subverts tropes throughout the story until you don’t know what’s going to happen – and in fact, the fate of the world itself was, for me, in question until the very last minute. I truly did not know what would happen.
To get a little finer into the writing style, I have never heard such interesting, unique, yet utterly understandable visual descriptions in my life. Everything from a character’s appearance to the way the sunlight glints off a piece of glass is verbally crafted to sound exactly like it must look. Even the most obscure and unusual descriptions gave me a complete image of the world. It would be a lie if I said I hadn’t dreamed of a few of these images over the last few weeks. Alex White even writes fight scenes imaginatively and descriptively, so that they are at once exciting and understandable – and trust me, that is no small feat!
Like Paul, who reviewed this audiobook before me, the episodes were the perfect length for my daily commute, only I was able to fit two episodes into each trip, allowing me to knock out four episodes per day. Also like Paul, I was listening in only one ear, which I believe contributed to some issues where the music overwhelmed the speaker until the voice was obscured.
I have listened to dozens of audiobooks over the last two or three years, and this is only one of two that I have saved in my iPod to be listened to again. That is how special it is. It’s truly a masterpiece, and I cannot wait to start listening to the prequel! And the sequel! Please? Write a sequel?