The Beast that Shouted Love at the Heart of the World and Other Works

By: Harlan Ellison

Narrated by: Angelo Di Loreto

Length: 17 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

In a post-apocalyptic future, 15-year-old Vic wanders the wasteland with Blood, his genetically-altered telepathic dog, in a struggle for survival against violent marauders, deadly radioactive insects, and an underground community desperate to restore the human race in the Hugo Award-nominated and Nebula Award-winning novella, A Boy and His Dog - the basis of the cult classic film.

An intergalactic conspiracy infects the minds of the most powerful politicians in the Republican Party - and only one jolly old elf can save them in “Santa Claus vs. S.P.I.D.E.R.” 

And in the Hugo Award-winning title story, disparate threads of violence, conflict, and conversation weave an intricate tapestry across worlds and times in an experimental tour-de-force of the imagination. 

This groundbreaking collection brings together some of Harlan Ellison’s most innovative and intriguing stories, frightening and funny visions of human nature that can only come from the peerless Grand Master of Science Fiction.

©1969 Harlan Ellison; 1984, 1994, 1997 by The Kilimanjaro Corporation (P)2019 Recorded Books

The formatting for this audio book is very strange

There are actually two short story collections here. The final chapter in Beast is the story A Boy and His Dog (a great story btw). After that story ends, the collection Approaching Oblivion is hidden within that same chapter and contains another 11 stories. The problem is that none of those stories have any chapter breaks or designations. Makes it a real pain to find stories you want to reread. That being said; Approaching Oblivion has the story I'm Looking Kadak, which is hilarious and worth the price of admission alone.

Actually 4.5 starts all around...

Actually 4.5 starts all around, but the app wouldn't allow halves.

I'm listening to this (Harlan Ellison) based on recommendations from Neil Gaiman's writings.

I had a difficult time getting into this. I'm not sure if it was the narrator's voice or the author's voice. once I was in, I was in.

A very interesting writer. I was also drawn to Mr Ellison from the episode he wrote for Star Trek TOS. IMHO, it's the best episode of TOS.

Most, if not all, of these stories have a dark tone, but they are well written and worth the journey.

I would recommend this listen, but I agree with the other comment about the odd formatting of the stories.

Ellison Wonderland - Without any B.S.!

This is a great collection of stories by a writer who had tremendous talent--and a tremendous ego. I got it on a two-for-one sale, and by gum, I'm reliving the enjoyment I felt at this man's work many years ago, before his narcissism totally turned me off. I'll bet he's smiling up right now reading this!!

Fantastic collection

Full of fantastic creativity and daring. So many great Harlan Ellison stories in here and some great discussion from the author himself. Only problem, whoever put the audiobook together messed up and did not mark any of the stories in Part 2, so it was very difficult to listen to the second part. If you plan on studying his short stories, keep this issue in mind. I hope they fix it.

Nothing like Ellison

There isn't a mediocre story here, or anywhere in Harlan's oeuvre as far as I'm concerned. So many of the stories and few brief essays feel like they were written for the present day, dealing with issues right out of the headlines. Incredible throughout.

My only quibble is that this collection doesn't bookmark all of the stories. Bookmarks end after "A Boy and His Dog." Makes it more difficult to scan the collection.

More goodies from Ellison

Overall this compilation was fun, maybe not thatuch of a blast as I have no mouth, except a Boy and His Dog, and Approaching Oblivion was mediocre imo, as a whole it is a very good compilation of Harlan's work

Great writing, good reading, poor formatting.

As always Ellison's writing is excellent. The readers are good as well. But the book's chapter marks are incomplete, and since it's a collection of short stories that makes accessing the last half difficult.

harlan is worth the weird editing

the entire series of harlan's collected works are weirdly edited or adapted for audible. they all have the same cover art style, like this one. sometimes the chapter is on its own and sometimes a section of the book appears as a chapter on audible. at the end of this book several stories become one chapter.
it's fine production though, the narrator is great, harlan reading at the end is delightful, and the stories are beautiful, powerful, and inspiring.

Another case of excellent narration saving the day

The stories were lackluster, but the stellar voice performance kept me listening all the way to the end.

good stuff

enjoyed the stories and the narrator was good but I dislike how a large chunk of stories was put in one chapter and not labeled as chapters individually