Quite Quotable

"A man who dwells in the past will only have shadows for company, and that is not enough.  The soul will sicken and starve."

 James Axler, Deathlands 24: Trader Redux

Next Exit: Deathlands

 I love truck stops.

Not the get-your-food-and-gas kind of truck stop. They’re convenience stores, no matter how big they are. No, I mean the honest-to-goodness-get-your-food-gas-shower-and-any-kind-of-electronic-device-you-can-think-of-kind-of-place. I’m talking about the kind where you can have a sit-down meal, the kind where you can buy all kinds of Harley Davidson and Native American paraphernalia.

That’s a real truck stop.

Before we go any further, you must know I’m not, nor have I ever been, a trucker. I’m not an extensive traveler. I’m not some kind of truck stop deviant lurker either. I am a science fiction fan.

Honestly, I love truck stops primarily for their books, music, and movies. Truckers love good 60’s and 70’s classic rock. They seem to enjoy classic war and western movies, the kind Clint Eastwood used to star in. And they love good books. We’re talking action/adventure stories, classic westerns, and a decent smidgen of science fiction and fantasy. And they like James Axler’s Deathlands.

Deathlands was born of the post apocalyptic craze back in the 80’s. Axler became the house name for the series after the original writer, Laurence James, died. The story follows Ryan Cawdor and his motley company as they make their way across the ruins of America 100 years after a massive nuclear exchange. There’s lots of action, lots of mutants, and endless possibilities. (Though, I must confess, in the hands of some of the lesser writers, the tales can be a bit redundant and boring.) Being the post apocalyptic junkie I am, the books have always appealed to me. How could you not love those covers – especially the ones by Mark Herring?

However, I must confess I never got around to reading them.  Why? Well, the older ones are hard to find, unless you’re willing to pay a collector’s price for them. (Which, I am sad to say, I am currently doing.) And for another, the series is up into the eighties right now. That’s a lot of reading. How do you catch up?

The answer came to me at a truck stop: Graphic Audio CDs.

The first time I saw them, I thought they were simply another set of audio books. (Truck stops have lots of those, too.) I have tried several times to listen to audio books but just couldn’t do it. It always seemed too passive for my imagination. I put it off and put it off, until I finally read the back of one. Their slogan hooked me: “a movie in your mind.” According to the case, the cds had a full cast, sound effects, and a score. Definitely didn’t sound like an audio book, so I thought I would give it a try.

My initial reaction cannot be put into words really. It was one of those intensely personal reactions, something that clicks deep-down inside you. I can’t even begin to think about putting it into words, so let me just say “Wow.” Had I not been wearing my sandals at the time, it would have knocked my socks off. It was all true: the full cast, the sound effects, the score. And the stories were pretty awesome, too.

The actors are the key, however; Richard Rohan in particular, who narrates and portrays Ryan Cawdor. They provide a depth and insight to the characters that you just wouldn’t get from a standard audio book. The effects are awesome and rev up the action so that it feels like you’re there in the thick of it with bullets whizzing by your head and smacking disgustedly into those near you.

Again, I’m no trucker, but I’ve become quite addicted to them. I don’t have long stretches of listening time, but I will go through a chapter or two running errands to Wal-Mart or the grocery store. I even find myself volunteering to go get a gallon of milk late at night. I’ve even listened on the exercise bike.

Now, Deathlands will not be for everyone. They are rated M for mature audiences, and believe me, they deserve it. Lots of violence and harsh language and, in the earlier ones, sexual content. If they were films, they’d be a strong R at least.

(By the way, I’ve discovered that you don’t have to listen to the stories in order for the most part. However, I would recommend listening to the first ten or so just to get the full back stories on the main cast of characters.)

Graphic Audio produces a host of other titles if Deathlands is not to your liking. There’s Axler’s Outlanders, westerns, and series by R.A. Salvatore, Elizabeth Moon, and Simon Green. There’s even comics. They’ve adapted DC’s epic 52 and some Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman stories. They’re even doing Pendleton’s classic Executioner series.

Unfortunately, not all of us live near truck stops. I don’t. The closest one to me is over a hundred miles away. You can go to Graphic Audio’s website and order them. They have CD and MP3 versions. You can also download them to you computer. There are stores on the internet, some even sale used copies. I get mine off of a store on ebay (user id causinhavokinwv). At truck stops they run about $16.99, which is not bad for a seven hour production. Every story is unabridged. If you order, of course, you’re going to have to pay shipping. Downloading is the cheapest way to go.

Still, there’s nothing like traveling down the road and seeing that gianormous billboard telling you there’s a truck stop ahead. It can be your next exit to adventure.