Monday 23 April 2018

Audible’s Animal Instinct, Human Zoo



The importance of audio in publishing cannot be underestimated as our lives become more time constrained - reading often suffers. Some may mutter “…..but are novels relevant in these days of online streaming of entertainment?”

I would assert that reading imaginative work, be they novels, novellas or short fiction is more important now than ever, due to the rising levels of anxiety in society. It is widely known that the reading of fiction [aka Biblio-Therapy] is a very useful method of reducing stress and anxiety. In fact, Stephen King in his work “On Writing” said –

“Life is not a support system for the arts, it’s the other way around”

Recently I have become evangelical about the Audio Dramatizations, from Audible Studios. I wrote about audiobooks last year, when Audible announced their Audio New Writing Award, steered toward the Crime and Thriller Genre – Read More Here

I always have plenty of Audio books, loaded on my Iphone and Laptop, for my car and for traveling by train, as it helps manage my time and my thoughts; allowing me to escape my problems by becoming lost in someone else’s’ problems. It also keeps my mind occupied and I learn about life, and how some of us cope with existence. And is there any better pleasure in life than being read to, before the arms of sleep comfort us? The audible app for Iphone has a sleep-timer, so you can have a chapter read to you before you succumb to slumber.

I am huge follower of Audible’s original content, the dramatizations, such as The X-Files, Aliens, and Stephen Fry’s extraordinary vocalisation of the complete Sherlock Holmes among many others.

And so it was a delight to discover the remarkable audio-drama Animal Instincts, Human Zoo written by Simon Booker, and performed with a cast which includes Fehinti Balogun, Pippa Bennett-Warner, Ed Bluemel, Imogen Church, Brendan Coyle, Laurence Dobiesz, Victoria Hamilton, Rebekah Hinds, David John, Harry Lloyd, Brigid Lohrey, Joseph Marcell, Michael Shon, James Smith, Jo Stone-Fewings, Niky Wardley, Sarah Whitehouse and Lia Williams.
The recording is evocatively realised with three-dimensional sound, complete with echoes and effects as we follow a former British Cop [who, still suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder] agrees to help a friend, not realising what he will have to confront.

Here’s a sneak preview of what to expect


Ex-policeman Joe Cassidy has a keen interest in animal behaviour and how it can have a bearing on some of the most heinous of human crimes - a talent that has heavily informed his detective work over the years. Although until now, he thought that he had left detective work behind....
Suffering from PTSD and wracked with guilt and failure after a grisly discovery in a particularly disturbing case, Joe lives in a lonely shack in the shadow of the nuclear power station at Dungeness. But when the daughter of an old friend goes missing, the investigation centres on the wealthy family's animal park.
Owing the owner a favour from years past, Joe is drawn further and further into the enquiry - hoping to solve the riddle of the disappearance amid the family's increasing dysfunction and desperate to find redemption for himself in the process.
And here’s a behind the scenes peak on the production of this engaging drama –


So if you haven’t discovered Audible Original Productions, then Simon Booker’s Animal Instincts / Human Zoo is a good place to start

More information from www.audible.co.uk


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