by Jen

What happens when tbe cast of two hilarious podcasts decide to collaborate on a new project?  If the podcast in question is Citation Needed, one thing is certain – hilarity ensues!
 
I’ve long been a fan of God Awful Movies, which features the comedic talents of Noah Lugeons, Heath Enright, and Eli Bosnick, so when I heard they were launching a podcast with Tom and Cecil of Cognitive Dissonance, I could hardly wait to check it out.
 
The premise of Citation Needed is simple: each week, the guys select a topic, read a single Wikipedia article on the subject, and present the information as if they were experts – because, of course, that’s how the internet works. 
 
You might think five hosts would be too chaotic for a single podcast, but that’s not the case with this crew.  So far, their topics have included biographies of ostensibly notable Americans such as J. Edgar Hoover and Andrew Jackson; historical incidents like Watergate and the Goiania incident; and the allegedly scientific investigation known as the Stanford Prison Experiment.
 
If you need a good laugh, check out Citation Needed – you’ll be glad you did!

After two highly entertaining podcast finds on podiobooks.com, I decided to search the site for something new - and a bit more light-hearted than the intense 7th Son series.

I came across a little YA audiobook fantasy adventure called Shadowmagic and decided to give it a shot. It took an episode or two to get used to the author's voice, which seemed a bit gruff (like a Boston stand-up comedian) for a youthful fantasy book - but after a time, I was so swept up in the story I set that aside and enjoy it immensely.

Turns out author John Lenahan IS a stand-up comedian as a day job - go figure. It definitely explains the joyful snark and humor of the characters.

Exploring 'The Land' with Connor and his friends is a fantastically good time. The story is chock full of magic, prophesy, mystery, and adolescent blundering. The writing is evocative and fun, allowing you sweeping visualizations, out loud laughs, and some tears as the author personally reads you his wild tale.

The book was so well reviewed and successful on podiobooks.com that it was picked up by Harper Collins for publishing. Surprisingly, they allowed John Lenahan to offer the second book, The Prince of Hazel and Oak, free for the listening on the site as well.

While listening to The Leviathan Chronicles the author, Christof Laputka, recommended another narrative fiction podcast series - the 7th Son trilogy by J.C. Hutchins. Since I enjoyed Leviathan so much, I figured I'd give it a shot.

The story begins with the assassination of the US president by a very unlikely person. As a result, seven very different men are gathered together by a secret government group to solve the deep conspiracy behind the shocking murder. Once together, one thing becomes very clear - each of them (despite minor differences) are the exact same person! They soon discover that the dangerous mastermind they hunt is the very man they were all cloned from...

Unlike Leviathan Chronicles, this series is more like a traditional audiobook, read and interpreted by the author alone. He manages to bring nuisance to each of the characters, and the story is action packed and full of enough twists and turns to keep you binge listening for days.

So, while you are waiting for the return of Orphan Black, you may want to take the time to get to know some new clones. You can find the free episodes on podiobooks.com (don't forget to tip your author!), and the Hutchin's website. The print version of the books are also available for purchase at B&N and Amazon.

by Lauren

I have a long commute. A very long commute. Every. Day. I've reached the point where radio just doesn't pass the time for me, and talk radio just makes me cranky. So, I have taken to podcasts for my drivetime entertainment. After blowing through several years of backlogged Nerdist episodes, I needed a new 'fix.'

Luckly, Dungeon Dame recommended an older fictional podcast to check out - and within the first 5 minutes, I was HOOKED. The Leviathan Chronicles, by Christof Laputka, is a full-on audio drama with lush sound design and a fantastic cast of voice actors. With a sweeping story that spans the globe, soars through the stratosphere and plunges into the depths of the deepest ocean, the Leviathan Chronicles is a one-of-a-kind compelling drama that will captivate you from beginning to end.

The science fiction adventure series follows the story of Macallan Orsel, a University student who finds out (violently) that her whole life is a lie -  and the truth of her very being is stranger than she could ever imagine. On the run from immortal despots, genetic monsters and secret government agencies, Macallen must find allies, befriend enemies, and above all survive long enough to save the world...

The series started in back in 2008 and ran 1.5 seasons consisting of thirty-eight, 45min-1hr long episodes. Unfortunately, there has been no information since October 2014 on the progress of any new episodes, and with the author's move to San Fran and apparent return to a career in finance, there is little hope of a proper conclusion. Sadly, the story 'ends' with a bit of a cliffhanger, but I promise you it is still well worth the listen.

You can find the free episodes at podiobooks.com, through the Apple iTunes podasts app, and on the official website, www.leviathanchronicles.com, which includes some bonus episodes you can purchase, along with some merchandise.

by Jen

​October is upon us, and in preparation for Halloween I decided to go shopping for a scary podcast.  I have a special place in my heart for the works of H.P. Lovecraft, so I thought that would be a good search term to start with - and lo, success!
 
The H.P. Lovecraft Literary Podcast began in 2009, with friends Chris Lackey and Chad Fifer talking about their own admiration of Lovecraft's writing and what brought them to this podcast.  I was super psyched to hear one of the guys talk about playing the old Call of Cthulhu RPG, which I played frequently in college.  
 
Each episode includes a discussion of one of Lovecraft's stories, along with dramatic readings of excerpts by special guests.  Like any true Lovecraft fan, Chris and Chad  gamely acknowledge that not all of Howard Phillips' stories are literary masterpieces, but it's delightful to listen to them discourse about not only the tales themselves, but also the time in which each piece was written and how events in Lovecraft's life might have affected it.
 
In addition to discussing the stories, the guys recommend movies and other resources that feature Lovecraftian themes.  One of the more humorous was this Elder Sign infomercial:

​It helps to read or listen to each story before you hear the podcast discussing it, and I found LibriVox to be a great resource for most of Lovecraft's tales.
 
Six years into the podcast, they've covered the entirety of Lovecraft's works and have now moved on to stories and writers that influenced him.  But you can still download the early podcasts and start from the beginning - I'm on episode 14 now, and looking forward to many more hours spent with this duo!
 
Whether you're a longstanding fan of H.P. Lovecraft or a new reader seeking a better understanding of the 1920s horror genre, I highly recommend the H.P. Lovecraft Literary Podcast to all lovers of scary stories.

by Meghan

​Have you ever been listening to your favorite podcast and thought “Hey, I want to do that! I’ve got opinions/stories/jokes!” Well, believe it or not, it’s incredibly easy to get started recording yourself, your friends, or anyone else you can think of and broadcast it to a worldwide audience. I recently attended a panel by the guys at Shedless, a funny, pop-culture based (and rather geeky) podcast, about how YOU can easily create your own podcast, too! 

One of the myths they busted is one I hear many times from my friends: “every topic has already been covered by tons of people!” Sure, there are already plenty of podcasts out there, but what really matters is a unique perspective. Last I checked, you were all pretty unique, so I’m sure you can bring something to the table that no one else has. Another roadblock is putting off the actual creation of the show - the guys admitted easily to their problems with procrastination. Be sure you have someone to keep you accountable, and a reliable schedule to keep you on track.

All you truly need to start creating your own show is a recording device with a microphone; if you own a smartphone, you probably already have this covered. Everything else is just gravy - if anything, getting a better microphone is all you need to sound great. 

There was plenty more covered in their panel, but luckily they recorded the whole thing: have a listen at ShedlessPodcast.com and look for “Greetings from Atlanta!” You can also hear them heckle me quite a bit - what can I say? I like sitting in the front row.

Now that I’m inspired, is a Geek Girls, Inc. podcast in our future? 

by Lauren

The show is basically you listening in on our host(s) - mainly Chris Hardwick, with Jonah Ray and Matt Mira- shoot the shit (cussing and all) with a celebrity. They a have accumulated an eclectic library of comedian, actor/actress and musician interviews. 

Some shows are what the call “Hostfuls” where it is just the guys BS-ing about whatever is on their minds. As a geek girl, it’s a fascinating study on how geek guy’s minds work.

Chris is surprisingly insightful, self-aware and has a great way of instantly putting guests at ease so it is less like a formal interview and more like a conversation - or sometimes even a therapy session! I catch myself laughing out loud in my car all the time.

Frankly, I don’t know what took me so long to find this podcast - I have no excuse. I have had a mad fangirl crush on Chris Hardwick for years. Also, I admire him. He took being a nerd and a stand-up comedian - and through a ton of hard work - turned it into a massively successful mini-industry and one of the most recognizable brands in the all of geekdom.

It may have started with the podcast, but has now grown into innumerable TV and Con hosting gigs, their own theater for live podcasts, stand-up and improv shows and classes, and an entire network of podcasts and webseries dedicated to all the things we love.

I know what you are thinking, if the podcast has been going on so long, how can I get into this show? 

Well, each one is pretty stand-alone, so you can just start with the newest episode and dive in - or I recommend at least listening to the “hostful” podcast from their 5th anniversary show this past January where they talk about the show’s journey and each member of the team. It is a nice primer for the whole thing.

There are two podcasts released a week - I don’t listen to all of them, frankly some guests are less interesting to me than others  - but they are never boring.

Some of my favorites so far have been Andrea Romano, who has voice-directed practically every cartoon I love from the last 30 years; Billy Crystal & Josh Gad; The Sklar Brothers; Kristen Schaal;  the cast of Undateable - and any time Wil Wheaton is on. There really are too many to choose from, and I’m still trying to keep up with the new ones and working my way back through time on old ones from the last few years!

I'm caught up on the most recent episodes, so I am listening to some of older ones now. Yesterday, it was Benedict Cumberbatch. Today, I’m listening to the interview with Clark Gregg - tomorrow who knows?!  But I can tell you, it will certainly keep my mind off being stuck in traffic, and really, isn’t that what podcasts are all about?

Enjoy your burrito!

Geek Girls Inc reviews our favorite podcasts.