In the Embers

The Great Northern Audio Theatre

By: Brian Price, Jerry Stearns

Narrated by: Edwin Strout, Robin Miles, full cast

Winner, 2017 APA Audie Awards—Audio Drama

In the Embers: An Independent Feature-Length Audio Drama by Brian Price and Jerry Stearns

Length: 215 minutes (3 hours, 35 minutes, 50 seconds)

Authors: Brian Price; Jerry Stearns

Narrators (in this order): Edwin Strout, Robin Miles, Olivia DuFord, Dawn Krosnowski, Gordon Smuder, Susanne Becker, Tom Joyal, Charlie Meitzner, Dean Johnson, Jacquie Maddix, E. G. Bailey, (interview extras: Joe Bevilacqua, Jerry Stearns, Brian Price)(c) (p) 2015 Brian Price and Jerry Stearns, Great Northern Audio, in association with Waterlogg Productions

A song, a pressed flower, and the sound of two girls' voices recovered from a burned wooden beam by using a brand-new laser technique to read a charred surface like the grooves of an old 78 rpm record. These are the clues that archaeologist Digger Morgan discovers while working on a routine dig at a Maryland plantation. Who were the girls? When was the fire? The answers all lead to 1920s jazz pioneer Kit Jeffers, whose voice mysteriously appears on Digger's computer and whose existence remains haunted by a singular tragic event.

With the sound design, rhythm, and detail of an independent film, In the Embers stars Audie Award winner Robin Miles and features an original score, inventive sound effects, and a fine ensemble cast.

Bonus tracks: music from the production and interviews with the cast.

Cast: Edwin Strout—Digger Morgan; Robin Miles—Kit Jeffers; Olivia DuFord—Young Alice Jeffers; Dawn Krosnowski—Susan; Gordon Smuder—Tom; Susanne Becker—Cindy; Tom Joyal—Berringer; Charlie Meitzner—Denny; Dean Johnson—Epstein; Jacquie Maddix—Old Alice; E. G. Bailey—Reynolds.

©2015 Brian Price and Jerry Stearns (P)2015 Great Northern Audio Theatre Productions, in cooperation with Waterlogg Productions

Critic reviews

"The story is excellent, the music is excellent, the audio quality is excellent, and so are the actors. This is a drama that goes in the permanent collection." (Scott Danielson, SFFaudio.com)

"Fascinating story, with some terrific performances." (Stefan Rudnicki, actor and narrator)

Where’s the content?

The story itself was only an hour, how did they fill the next two hours with music and commentary? The story was cute, but really seems to take itself too seriously by adding all that filler at the end.

Anti climatic schlock

I normally don’t write reviews because most of the audiobooks I listen to are pretty good but I had to make an exception here because this audiobook is horrible. It’s short, poorly written, poorly mixed and poorly acted. It’s completely anti climatic and the making of the audiobook is longer than the actual audiobook. Whenever the lady sings it’s mixed so much louder than the dialogue I had to turn it down and then back up again once the “actors”, more like local playhouse fare, started talking. Pass, pass and pass.