Of Now And Then

Realm

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FICTION
EVERY TWO WEEKS

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Fictional stories in the public domain that speak to our present and near future, some with alarming prescience.

28/03/2023

The Machine Stops (Part 3)

By E.M. Forster, 1909 After initial publication in The Oxford and Cambridge Review, the story was republished in Forster's The Eternal Moment and Other Stories in 1928. After being voted one of the best novellas up to 1965, it was included that same year in the populist anthology Modern Short Stories. In 1973 it was also included in The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume Two. The Machine Stops describes a world in which most of the human population has lost the ability to live on the surface of the Earth. Each individual now lives in isolation below ground in a standard room, with all bodily and spiritual needs met by the omnipotent, global Machine. Travel is permitted, but is unpopular and rarely necessary. Communication is made via a kind of instant messaging/video conferencing machine with which people conduct their only activity: the sharing of ideas and what passes for knowledge. MUSIC: "Candlepower" by Chris Zabriskie "Tomie's Bubbles" by Candlegravity "But Enough About Me, Bill Paxton" by Chris Zabriskie "God Be With You Till We Meet Again" by Chris Zabriskie "Oxygen Garden" by Chris Zabriskie "Algorithms" by Chad Crouch "I Don't See the Branches, I See the Leaves" by Chris Zabriskie Of Now And Then retells fantasy and future fictional stories in the public domain produced as audiobooks. The show is voiced, edited and produced by Aram Vartian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

30 min
02/07/2022

The Machine Stops (Part 2)

By E.M. Forster, 1909 After initial publication in The Oxford and Cambridge Review, the story was republished in Forster's The Eternal Moment and Other Stories in 1928. After being voted one of the best novellas up to 1965, it was included that same year in the populist anthology Modern Short Stories. In 1973 it was also included in The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume Two. The Machine Stops describes a world in which most of the human population has lost the ability to live on the surface of the Earth. Each individual now lives in isolation below ground in a standard room, with all bodily and spiritual needs met by the omnipotent, global Machine. Travel is permitted, but is unpopular and rarely necessary. Communication is made via a kind of instant messaging/video conferencing machine with which people conduct their only activity: the sharing of ideas and what passes for knowledge. MUSIC: Candlepower (Chris Zabriskie) Tomie's Bubbles (Candlegravity) Of Now And Then retells fantasy and future fictional stories in the public domain produced as audiobooks. The show is voiced, edited and produced by Aram Vartian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

32 min
01/06/2022

The Machine Stops (Part 1)

By E.M. Forster, 1909 After initial publication in The Oxford and Cambridge Review, the story was republished in Forster's The Eternal Moment and Other Stories in 1928. After being voted one of the best novellas up to 1965, it was included that same year in the populist anthology Modern Short Stories. In 1973 it was also included in The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume Two. The Machine Stops describes a world in which most of the human population has lost the ability to live on the surface of the Earth. Each individual now lives in isolation below ground in a standard room, with all bodily and spiritual needs met by the omnipotent, global Machine. Travel is permitted, but is unpopular and rarely necessary. Communication is made via a kind of instant messaging/video conferencing machine with which people conduct their only activity: the sharing of ideas and what passes for knowledge. MUSIC: "Candlepower" by Chris Zabriskie) "Tomie's Bubbles" by Candlegravity) Of Now And Then retells fantasy and future fictional stories in the public domain produced as audiobooks. The show is voiced, edited and produced by Aram Vartian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

35 min
02/05/2022

The War Prayer

By Mark Twain, 1904 Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, entrepreneur, publisher and lecturer. Among his novels are The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885), the latter often called "The Great American Novel." "The War Prayer", a short story or prose poem by Mark Twain, is a scathing indictment of war, and particularly of blind patriotic and religious fervor as motivations for war. MUSIC: "Candlepower" by Chris Zabriskie "Patriotic songs of America" by New York Military Band and the American Quartet "Tomie's Bubbles" by Candlegravity Of Now And Then retells fantasy and future fictional stories in the public domain produced as audiobooks. The show is voiced, edited and produced by Aram Vartian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

13 min
02/04/2022

The Colour Out Of Space

By H.P. Lovecraft, 1927 Howard Phillips Lovecraft (August 20, 1890 – March 15, 1937) was an American author who achieved posthumous fame through his influential works of horror fiction. Virtually unknown and published only in pulp magazines before he died in poverty, he is now regarded as one of the most significant 20th-century authors in his genre. Lovecraft was born in Providence, Rhode Island, where he spent most of his life. Among his most celebrated tales are “The Call of Cthulhu” and “The Shadow over Innsmouth“, both canonical to the Cthulhu Mythos. Never able to support himself from earnings as author and editor, Lovecraft saw commercial success increasingly elude him in this latter period, partly because he lacked the confidence and drive to promote himself. He subsisted in progressively straitened circumstances in his last years; an inheritance was completely spent by the time he died at the age of 46. "The Colour Out of Space" is a science fiction/horror short story by American author H. P. Lovecraft. An unnamed narrator pieces together the story of an area known by the locals as the "blasted heath" in the hills west of the fictional town of Arkham, Massachusetts. Special thanks to our good friends BattleBards for their amazing sound effects! MUSIC: "Cylinder Two" by Chris Zabriskie "Gagool" by Kevin MacLeod "Dark Elf City" by Mike Bridge "Moorland" by Kevin MacLeod "Unlight" by Kevin MacLeod "The Tale of the Spine Breaker" by Stephane Lorello "This House" by Kevin MacLeod "Trance of Cluster" by Ars Sonor "Bellow" by Ben Carey "Oneiri" by Kai Engel "Oppressive Gloom" by Kevin MacLeod "Away" by Twilight Tipi "Touch the Darkness" by Kai Engel "Somnolence" by Kai Engel "Dancing on the Edge" by Kai Engel "Universe in Hands" by Kai Engel "Tomie’s Bubbles" by Candlegravity "Candlepower" by Chris Zabriskie Of Now And Then retells fantasy and future fictional stories in the public domain produced as audiobooks. The show is voiced, edited and produced by Aram Vartian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1h 30m
02/03/2022

2BR02B

By Kurt Vonnegut, 1962 Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (November 11, 1922 – April 11, 2007) was an American writer. In a career spanning over 50 years, Vonnegut published 14 novels, three short story collections, five plays, and five works of non-fiction. He is most famous for his darkly satirical, best-selling novel Slaughterhouse-Five (1969). Vonnegut published his first novel, Player Piano, in 1952. The novel was reviewed positively, but was not commercially successful. In the nearly 20 years that followed, Vonnegut published several novels that were only marginally successful, such as Cat's Cradle (1963) and God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater (1964). Vonnegut's magnum opus, however, was his immediately successful sixth novel, Slaughterhouse-Five. The book's antiwar sentiment resonated with its readers amidst the ongoing Vietnam War, and its reviews were generally positive. After its release, Slaughterhouse-Five went to the top of The New York Times Best Seller list, thrusting Vonnegut into fame. He was invited to give speeches, lectures, and commencement addresses around the country and received many awards and honors. "2BR02B" is pronounced "2 B R naught 2 B" and references the famous phrase "to be, or not to be" from William Shakespeare's Hamlet. In the story, the title refers to the telephone number that one dials to schedule an assisted suicide with the Federal Bureau of Termination. Special thanks to our good friends BattleBards for their amazing sound effects. MUSIC "Candlepower" by Chris Zabriskie "Readers! Do You Read?" by Chris Zabriskie "Carefree" by Kevin MacLeod "Somewhere Else" by Candlegravity "Cylinder Six" by Chris Zabriskie "The Star Spangled Banner" by The United States Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps "Frozen Star" by Kevin MacLeod "Tomie's Bubbles" by Candlegravity Of Now And Then retells fantasy and future fictional stories in the public domain produced as audiobooks. The show is voiced, edited and produced by Aram Vartian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

22 min
02/02/2022

The Star

By H.G. Wells, 1897 Herbert George Wells (21 September 1866 – 13 August 1946)—known as H. G. Wells—was a prolific English writer in many genres, including the novel, history, politics, social commentary, and textbooks and rules for war games. Wells is now best remembered for his science fiction novels and is called a "father of science fiction", along with Jules Verne and Hugo Gernsback. His most notable science fiction works include The Time Machine(1895), The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896), The Invisible Man (1897), and The War of the Worlds (1898). He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature four times. Special thanks to our good friends BattleBards for their amazing sound effects! MUSIC: "Cylinder Two" by Chris Zabriskie "Cylinder Three" by Chris Zabriskie "Cylinder Five" by Chris Zabriskie "Cylinder Seven" by Chris Zabriskie "Cylinder Eight" by Chris Zabriskie "Original Rags" by Scott Joplin "hydroscope" by Gallery Six "Digya" by Kevin MacLeod "Devastation and Revenge" by Kevin MacLeod "Low Horizon" by Kai Engel "Tomie's Bubbles" by Candlegravity "Candlepower" by Chris Zabriskie Of Now And Then retells fantasy and future fictional stories in the public domain produced as audiobooks. The show is voiced, edited and produced by Aram Vartian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

32 min
01/01/2022

The Glass Dog

By Lyman Frank Baum, 1901 Lyman Frank Baum (May 15, 1856 – May 6, 1919), better known by his pen name L. Frank Baum, was an American author chiefly known for his children’s books, particularly The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. He wrote thirteen novel sequels, nine other fantasy novels, and a host of other works (55 novels in total, plus four “lost works“, 83 short stories, over 200 poems, an unknown number of scripts, and many miscellaneous writings), and made numerous attempts to bring his works to the stage and screen. Special thanks to our good friends BattleBards for their amazing sound effects. MUSIC: Candlepower (Chris Zabriskie) Teller of the Tales (Kevin MacLeod) Thaxted (Kevin MacLeod) Wagner Bridal Chorus (Kevin MacLeod) Cambodian Odyssey (Kevin MacLeod) Tomie’s Bubbles (Candlegravity) Of Now And Then retells fantasy and future fictional stories in the public domain produced as audiobooks. The show is voiced, edited and produced by Aram Vartian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

18 min

8 Episodes

After a groundbreaking event changes the world, all clones— familiar and unknown— must face the consequences. Starring Emmy award-winning actress Tatiana Maslany, Realm presents the official continuation of the hit TV series Orphan Black. “The sequel fans deserve.” —Comicbook.com “Wildly fun, sexy sci-fi.” —Chicago Sun-Times Since their victory against Project Leda eight years ago, the original sestras—Sarah, Alison, Cosima, and those they love—have been free to live quiet, anonymous lives. But that anonymity comes at a cost: Cosima is unable to pursue the cutting-edge science that saved her life; Sarah’s daughter Kira is suffocated by her mother’s insistence on secrecy; and Charlotte, the youngest Leda clone, questions why her family gets to survive while other, unaware clones get sick and die. Everything changes when Vivi Valdez, a CIA Agent, discovers she, too, is a clone—and goes rogue. Vivi’s pursuit of the truth brings chaos to the original Clone Club when one of them is accused of murder. To prove their innocence, they must step out of the shadows and publicly claim the secret they’ve sacrificed everything to protect. Family ties will be tested, long-lasting alliances betrayed, and the future of all clones hangs in the balance. Season 2 picks up where Season 1 leaves off, with (spoiler alert!) the Clones exposed to the general public. Now that the news is out, hundreds of previously unaware clones strive for justice and clash with anti-clone protestors. In the middle of it all, the Sestras and their families wrestle with the consequences of their actions, and what it means for their future. Emmy Award-winning Orphan Black actress Tatiana Maslany returns for Season 2, but is now joined by original TV show cast members Jordan Gavaris (Felix), Evelyne Brochu (Delphine), and Kristian Bruun (Donnie). Orphan Black: The Next Chapter is a Realm production written by Malka Older, Madeline Ashby, Mishell Baker, Heli Kennedy, E.C. Myers, and Lindsay Smith. Listen Away. For more shows like this, visit Realm.fm

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TV & FILM
ADRENALINE is a collection of Realm’s most riveting thrillers, mysteries, and crime stories. Every season, a new audio series will bring you to the edge of your seat — and keep you there. With episodes dropping weekly, you’ll never be without something to keep the adrenaline flowing. Current Season: The Understudy How far would you go to protect your daughter? Carolyn, Bronnie, Elise, and Kendall are bound together by one thing—their four daughters are best friends at the highly competitive Orla Flynn Academy for the Performing Arts. Last year the foursome exploded because of brutal bullying between the girls, but they've since forgiven each other. The mothers, however, haven’t been able to move on. When new threats surface and "accidents" begin to happen—just as a mysterious new girl enters the scene—the mothers take matters into their own hands. But they will have to risk their own secrets being exposed if they stand a chance at uncovering the truth. Looking for more thrills, crime, and mystery? Just pick any season to start: Season 1: The Triangle Season 2: Outliers, narrated by Rory Culkin Season 3: Memory Lane, written by Sara Shepard (Pretty Little Liars) Season 4: Overleaper, starring Thora Birch Season 5: Low Life Season 6: Echo Park, starring Harry Shum Jr. Season 7: Ninth Step Murders Season 8: The Signal Season 9: Greeting from Salton Sea Season 10: Dead Air Season 11: False Idols Season 12: Chinook, starring Sanaa Lathan & Kelly Marie Tran Binge Ad-Free & Early! Subscribe at realm.fm.

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SOCIETY & CULTURE
When anyone asks Audrey why she moved to Alaska, she tells them for a fresh start. But a lot of the people in Alaska are hiding from something. And Audrey is no different. When she journeyed to Alaska, she found something even more dangerous. Maybe we feel the uncanny valley because long ago, we had to fear something that pretended to be human.

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DRAMA
Joy to the World follows Joy, an astronaut alone on the ISS, as they take calls from around the world on a lonely Christmas Eve. It's about end-of-year holiday spirit in general, exploring different experiences of what makes this time of year special.

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FICTION
The first test of light speed flight has gone wrong, hurling an astronaut deep into the future where he searches the planets for remnants of the human race. 12 Episodes. Created, written and directed by Alexander Adell. Join our Discord for bonus content, discussion and AMAs https://discord.com/invite/JbwJN3TVGK Celeritas creator Alexander Adell is writing his next project in public, follow on Instagram to watch the train wreck: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_deDLtoROk/

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SCIENCE FICTION
Equal parts "Mad Max" and "The Stand," this post apocalyptic saga is set in a world 15 years after the collapse of the world as we know it. A brother and sister grow up in rural Maine and unwittingly embark on a adventure to save the City from the religious zealots and ruthless military fight for control over the fallen world. An epic serialized audio drama adventure with 30+ actors, cinematic sound design and original music. Winner of Mark Time Award for sci-fi audio and finalist in Romania's Grand Prix Nova award. For more shows like this, visit Realm.fm.

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SCIENCE FICTION