The Voice from the Edge midnight in the sunken cathedral [Audiobook, Unabridged] [Audio Cassette]

Harlan Ellison (Reader)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 30, 2001

This new collection of stories by award-winning author Harlan Ellison includes “Midnight in the Sunken Cathedral,” “Jeffrey Is Five,” “Prince Myshkin, and Hold the Relish,” “The Resurgence of Miss Ankle-Strap Wedgie,” “Anywhere But Here, With Anyone But You,” “The End of the Time of Leinard,” “In Lonely Lands,” “Rat Hater;” and one all-new story. This first audio collection of one of the great American short story writers is read by the author with a voice that The New York Times has called “liquid lava.”

Editorial Reviews

From AudioFile

Eleven spine-chilling, super creepy short stories are read by the Master of Science Fiction and the Supernatural, Harlan Ellison. In his deep, hard voice, Ellison weaves tales dating from 1956 through 1995, including the title story and "Rat Hater" and "Go Toward the Light." Ellison's incredible imagination and vocal manipulation of words and emotion create an entire world and atmosphere with the very beginning of each tale and enthusiastically and dynamically maintain them to the very end of each story. In "Midnight in the Sunken Cathedral," Ellison delves into the mysteries of death and where souls reside. As a diver dies a horrifying death, his soul is drawn into the terrifying vortex of the seas, entering another realm, where he meets his father and learns the truth about death. In "Rat Hater," Ellison portrays a vicious criminal who emotionally and physically tortures a petty criminal with rats. As the narrator foams at the mouth with pitilessness, the criminal is terrified to death. These tales are rife with dramatization and emotional suspense. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Fantastic Audio; Unabridged edition (March 30, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1574534122
• ISBN-13: 978-1574534122
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,385,196 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No One Reads Ellison Like Ellison, July 4, 2001

By 

Jay Smith (Harrisburg, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Voice from the Edge midnight in the sunken cathedral (Audio Cassette)

The market for Ellison's work is growing, slowly, ...There's something about picking up Ellison's work in an early or original edition that gets you closer to the author. It gives you a sense of historicity and a taste of the times when the work first hit the palate of his reading public.

The better way to get this feeling is by listening to Ellison read his own work. There is no better way to get into an Ellison story than to listen to the guy read it. He's a cranky, angry, loud man with a lot of opinions and I think he is heard mostly because he makes an articulate point when he opens his mouth. His commentary comes from his heart and it shows in his delivery. When he reads his stories, he has the same kind of passion and range, but add to it his spectacular storytelling ability. This is a guy you want around your campfire one night if just to tell one ghost story to the kiddies.

"Excuse me, Mr. Ellison...would you mind telling the one about the Function of Dream Sleep? The scouts'll love it."

Fair bet some of the scouts will leave camp with bed wetting problems for years to come.

Among the stories is the classic short story "Jefty is Five" which, in print eluded me for years. I just didn't dig the story. Once I heard Ellison read it, however, I had a Joycian epiphany and now hold it as one of the best stories ever written...scifi or otherwise. Get this collection for the car or home or wherever. You will love it.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful listening -, October 26, 2001

By 

David Prentice (Gloucester, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Voice from the Edge midnight in the sunken cathedral (Audio Cassette)

Harlan Ellison writes with an edge, to say the least - and it's an edge I've enjoyed for years.

To hear him read his own stories allows you to hear the edge, though - and this provides a whole new perspective on his work. His voice was captivating from the very first moment of the first story, and lead me through material both familiar and new. His own commentary is offered at a few points in the tape - another fantastic addition.

I did occasionally find the recording quality somewhat questionable, but the pleasure of hearing this master storyteller in action more than makes up for the problems.

A true listening experience - I highly recommend it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great author and also a great reader........., June 20, 2006

By 

Cynthia (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Voice From the Edge: Midnight in the Sunken Cathedral (Audio CD)

I bought this CD with trepidation. Why trepidation? Because often when I've listened to an author read his own work I want to write that person and tell him/her to stick to writing. NOT in this case. Harlan Ellison has always been one of my favorites, ever since discovering the anthologies he edited: 'Dangerous Visions' and 'Again, Dangerous Visions'. I could not stop listening to the stories in this cd set. My gosh what range of voices this man has! What a delight! He really made his stories come to life. All I can say is 'thank you, Mr. Ellison! You delighted me and made me think with your work on the printed page and now you give me further pleasure via this means. Thank you for adding to my life (and I don't say that lightly). For those of you thinking of getting this cd set -- stop thinking. You deserve the treat of Mr. Ellison.