Radio at the End of the World: Audio Fiction and Drama Podcast Roundup July 2020
Each day it feels like at least one new audio drama or fiction podcast pops up on my radar. Even more so since starting this series. What was once a simple wandering game of finding new shows has become a deliberate hunt to find and consume as many audio drama and fiction podcasts as I can.
With my ears and mind open, I delved into an array of new and familiar audio dramas and fiction podcasts this month to find the top 7. I found some that were doing things that I had never come across before in an audio drama like making their podcast interactive and giving the audience a choice at what happens next.
The ones I selected for this month’s installment of Radio at the End of the World are the best from this month’s bunch.
In this new series from Discover Pod, I’ll be doing a monthly roundup of the best, and maybe worse, audio fiction and drama podcasts out there.
I’ll be covering all genres and themes in hopes of delivering a wide sample of new and beloved podcasts to listen to on your walk, while doing the dishes, or for when you’re in the mood for something fictious and yet, real.
WEIRD FICTION
Boston Harbor Horror ‘A Whisper in the Dark’
For fans of eldritch horror and weird fiction, Boston Harbor Horror hits that spot, delivering a story filled with atmosphere, character, and monsters. This audio drama series follows Coast Guard Petty Officer Alex Devereaux as he responds to a mysterious incident on the shores of a small island in Boston Harbor. ‘A Whisper in the Dark’ finds Alex yet again on the shores of this island wondering what exactly is wrong with the place. People familiar with audio dramas might recognize the voice acting of Mike Gagne who has appeared in other podcasts like Witchever Path and Personalized. What I love most about this podcast was the fact that it was able to capture the New England vibe without making it cheesy or gimmicky.
Listen Here: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify
FANTASY
Uncanny Magazine Podcast #35A
Uncanny Magazine is an online fantasy and science fiction magazine that runs a podcast corresponding with the stories and poems published in their issues. Each issue is packed with breathtaking stories beyond simple sword and sorcery fantasy or whitewashed science fiction worlds. The July episode of the Uncanny Magazine Podcast features two stories, a poem, and an interview. All worth a careful listen for the tricks of the genre. One story in particular from the recent episode deserves a mention. That’s Tina Connolly’s story ‘Once More Unto the Breach (But Don’t Worry, the Inflatable Swords Are Latex-Free)’, which is set during a child’s birthday party and is from the POV of a parent who has been to too many children’s birthday parties. Tina Connolly is a familiar name in podcasting as the co-host of Escape Pod and host of the Toasted Cake Podcast—two phenomenal audio fiction podcasts.
Listen Here: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify
HORROR
We’re Alive Entire Series
We’re Alive released its final episode back in November of 2019. Lucky for us, that means there’s no wondering if there will be end in sight for these weary travelers of the zombie apocalypse. As far as the zombie genre goes, We’re Alive stands up there with stories like The Walking Dead and 28 Days Later. It’s a serious story with characters that sound and feel real to the point where you want, no, need them to survive so that you can survive until the next episode. Because this isn’t just a zombie story, this is a survival story that puts at its heart the relationships between characters and themselves, like any great zombie story. Currently, this series is working on a new series in the same world called We’re Alive Descendants that will be set 17 years in the future.
Listen Here: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify
Obsidian
Episode ‘When the Buildings Begin to Bleed’ by Vanessa Taylor
Obsidian podcast is an audio fiction podcast focused on Afrofuturism and spotlighting the stories of Black writers. Similar to podcasts and magazines like Nightlight Podcast and Fiyah Lit Mag, Obsidian doesn’t just publish Black authors but specifically aims to publish stories that blend the Black narrative into genres that normally exclude their voices. Vanessa Taylor’s story was the type of Muslim spec fic story I needed when I was younger. It was haunting and beautiful, giving listeners a glimpse into the horrors of grief.
Listen Here: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify
SCIENCE FICTION
Continuum Force Episode ‘Chapter 19: Aces’
Continuum Force has been around for a while, and at first, I wasn’t going to include this in the list, but I pushed past my initial dislike of the show’s info dumps until I reached ‘Aces’, which by this point I was hooked onto the story of Continuum Force because of the actors’ abilities to make me feel like I’m along for the ride. This is a science fiction audio drama about a space crew jumping through time fixing the wrongs committed against our history and memories by an unknown menace. Continuum Force is fun, imaginative, and everything you could want in a science fiction audio drama. ‘Aces’ catches the crew performing a jump that could break the world all so that they can rescue one of their own from the clutches of a terrible fate in the far distant past.
Listen Here: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify
MYSTERY
Witchever Path ‘Chosen’
Horror and mystery elements blend in this interactive audio drama that puts the characters’ fates and choices in the hands of the audience. Witchever Path just wrapped up its second season Chosen all about old friends, metal music, and the things we try to keep buried no matter how hard they claw to get out. As a fan of interactive fiction, Witchever Path grabbed me instantly with its interactive component, but what kept me listening through to the end was the music and mystery. Both added deeper elements to the show that made for a great listen through. Since the season is done, you won’t be able to vote anymore, but listening through the season gives listeners an idea of how the voting changes the pacing and trajectory of the story creating at times unbelievable cliff hangers.
Listen Here: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify
ROMANCE
Black Widow Season 3 Episode 8 ‘Home Again’
CW: Rape, Incest, and Suicide
Black Widow is like listening to a friend talk about their dating life, sometimes in graphic detail. It’s intimate, funny, serious, and steamy. One of the first podcasts I’ve come across with erotic elements acted out by the voice actors. The series centers around a young Black woman’s dating life and what it’s like to be a millennial in the world, searching for love or a connection. One of the episodes released in July delved deep into the generational trauma that plays a part in how we love ourselves and the people we let into our lives. Brittany Rae has written a piece so torn from life, you’ll get caught up in the arguments, reveals, and emotions expressed throughout this heartbreaking episode.
Listen Here: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify
All of these are available for free for listeners, so don’t hesitate to start your new favorite show or binge listen. Next month, I’ll be rounding up more podcasts from around the net and cataloging them in Radio at the End of the World.
I hope you continue to join me as I showcase what is out there for your listening pleasure.
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