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Jali: The Short Story Collection
As an Audio Show - free for members - when you add Jali: The Short Story Collection to your library, you'll get all 6 episodes.
Written for audio format, this collection of six science fiction stories draw on themes of arrival, discovery and destination. Commissioned especially for Audible, and narrated by outstanding performers, these stories evoke the traditional storytelling of West African Jali as the unknown and distant are brought to life for audiences.
In this collection Chris Beckett and An Owomoyela use the theme of 'discovery' to shape tales of searching; Nikesh Shukla and Lauren Beukes consider 'destination' in stories of finding a home; and Ken Liu and Paul Cornell each discuss 'arrival'.
Jali is one of three short story collections written by our favourite best-selling novelists and emerging authors, and curated based on the themes of arrival, discovery and destination. Bard collates contemporary fiction while Skald features six crime stories.
Written for audio format, this collection of six science fiction stories draw on themes of arrival, discovery and destination. Commissioned especially for Audible, and narrated by outstanding performers, these stories evoke the traditional storytelling of West African Jali as the unknown and distant are brought to life for audiences.
In this collection Chris Beckett and An Owomoyela use the theme of 'discovery' to shape tales of searching; Nikesh Shukla and Lauren Beukes consider 'destination' in stories of finding a home; and Ken Liu and Paul Cornell each discuss 'arrival'.
Jali is one of three short story collections written by our favourite best-selling novelists and emerging authors, and curated based on the themes of arrival, discovery and destination. Bard collates contemporary fiction while Skald features six crime stories.
Audible Audio
First published April 10, 2018
3 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
About the author
Chris Beckett
106 books350 followersChris Beckett is a British social worker, university lecturer, and science fiction author.
Beckett was educated at the Dragon School in Oxford and Bryanston School in Dorset, England. He holds a BSc (Honours) in Psychology from the University of Bristol (1977), a CQSW from the University of Wales (1981), a Diploma in Advanced Social Work from Goldsmiths College, University of London (1977), and an MA in English Studies from Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge (2005).
He has been a senior lecturer in social work at APU since 2000. He was a social worker for eight years and the manager of a children and families social work team for ten years. Beckett has authored or co-authored several textbooks and scholarly articles on social work.
Beckett began writing SF short stories in 2005. His first SF novel, The Holy Machine, was published in 2007. He published his second novel in 2009, Marcher, based on a short story of the same name.
Paul Di Filippo reviewed The Holy Machine for Asimov's, calling it "One of the most accomplished novel debuts to attract my attention in some time..." Michael Levy of Strange Horizons called it "a beautifully written and deeply thoughtful tale about a would-be scientific utopia that has been bent sadly out of shape by both external and internal pressures." Tony Ballantyne wrote in Interzone: "Let’s waste no time: this book is incredible."
His latest novel, Dark Eden, was hailed by Stuart Kelly of The Guardian as "a superior piece of the theologically nuanced science fiction".
Dark Eden was shortlisted for the 2012 BSFA Award for Best Novel.
On 27 March 2013 it was announced that Julian Pavia at Broadway Books, part of the Crown Publishing Group, had acquired the US rights to Dark Eden and Gela's Ring from Michael Carlisle at Inkwell Management and Vanessa Kerr, Rights Director at Grove Atlantic in London, for a high five-figure sum (in US dollars).
Beckett comments on his official website: "Although I always wanted to be a writer, I did not deliberately set out to be a science fiction writer in particular. My stories are usually about my own life, things I see happening around me and things I struggle to make sense of. But, for some reason, they always end up being science fiction. I like the freedom it gives me to invent things and play with ideas. (If you going to make up the characters, why not make up the world as well?) It’s what works for me."
Beckett was educated at the Dragon School in Oxford and Bryanston School in Dorset, England. He holds a BSc (Honours) in Psychology from the University of Bristol (1977), a CQSW from the University of Wales (1981), a Diploma in Advanced Social Work from Goldsmiths College, University of London (1977), and an MA in English Studies from Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge (2005).
He has been a senior lecturer in social work at APU since 2000. He was a social worker for eight years and the manager of a children and families social work team for ten years. Beckett has authored or co-authored several textbooks and scholarly articles on social work.
Beckett began writing SF short stories in 2005. His first SF novel, The Holy Machine, was published in 2007. He published his second novel in 2009, Marcher, based on a short story of the same name.
Paul Di Filippo reviewed The Holy Machine for Asimov's, calling it "One of the most accomplished novel debuts to attract my attention in some time..." Michael Levy of Strange Horizons called it "a beautifully written and deeply thoughtful tale about a would-be scientific utopia that has been bent sadly out of shape by both external and internal pressures." Tony Ballantyne wrote in Interzone: "Let’s waste no time: this book is incredible."
His latest novel, Dark Eden, was hailed by Stuart Kelly of The Guardian as "a superior piece of the theologically nuanced science fiction".
Dark Eden was shortlisted for the 2012 BSFA Award for Best Novel.
On 27 March 2013 it was announced that Julian Pavia at Broadway Books, part of the Crown Publishing Group, had acquired the US rights to Dark Eden and Gela's Ring from Michael Carlisle at Inkwell Management and Vanessa Kerr, Rights Director at Grove Atlantic in London, for a high five-figure sum (in US dollars).
Beckett comments on his official website: "Although I always wanted to be a writer, I did not deliberately set out to be a science fiction writer in particular. My stories are usually about my own life, things I see happening around me and things I struggle to make sense of. But, for some reason, they always end up being science fiction. I like the freedom it gives me to invent things and play with ideas. (If you going to make up the characters, why not make up the world as well?) It’s what works for me."
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 10, 2019
Maybe 3.5. There were some amazing stories in this little audio anthology and some that were much less strong. My favourite story was definitely The Magic Paintbrush, followed by When We Get There.
May 10, 2018
On going review as several short stories
1. When will we get there? Chris Beckett
Oh those pesky IA on space ships! A group of 8 females set out centuaries ago from Earth to discover and populate a new planet. They are all asleep except for one day every now and again. Sometimes there are two crew members awake at the same time, sometimes only one.
The AI- Athena- and her "helpers" keep the ship running and keep a look out for a suitable planet, but does she have an alliterative motive.
Narrated by Clare Corbett who does a wonderful job of making Athena seem like another member of the crew.
1. When will we get there? Chris Beckett
Oh those pesky IA on space ships! A group of 8 females set out centuaries ago from Earth to discover and populate a new planet. They are all asleep except for one day every now and again. Sometimes there are two crew members awake at the same time, sometimes only one.
The AI- Athena- and her "helpers" keep the ship running and keep a look out for a suitable planet, but does she have an alliterative motive.
Narrated by Clare Corbett who does a wonderful job of making Athena seem like another member of the crew.
September 2, 2022
Like most short story collections, some are better than others. I liked "When Will We Get There" by Chris Beckett and "The Star That Sings in the Darkness" by An Owomoyela. One of my favorites was "The Magic Paintbrush", I like almost everything I've read by Ken Liu. I didn't finish the last story, I just wasn't connecting with it.
May 2, 2023
A short story collection with a wide spectrum of quality.
"When Will We Get There" was a good one, in classic sci-fi fashion.
"The Star That Sings in the Darkness" was a neat idea, although it could have been extended a bit more. The conclusion is fine, but the last events leading to it felt a bit rushed/forced.
"When Will We Get There" was a good one, in classic sci-fi fashion.
"The Star That Sings in the Darkness" was a neat idea, although it could have been extended a bit more. The conclusion is fine, but the last events leading to it felt a bit rushed/forced.
May 26, 2018
I’d probably give this collection 3 and a half. They were all ok, but none of them made me look at other work by the authors. I quite enjoyed listening to them though - a nice interlude when I couldn’t decide what else to read.
November 4, 2022
“When will we get there” is amazing. Reminds of the sacrifice by Tarkovsky. “The magic paintbrush” is also nice and full of hope. “The star that sings” reminded me of Artie C. Clark in some twisted way. The others didn’t speak to me personally.
July 16, 2018
The first and last stories in this collection are excellent, the last story "Conclusion" is particularly brilliant, intelligent and original. The other stories...not so much.
August 22, 2018
The first story by Chris Beckett is good, the best one in the collection, most of the others are just OK.
August 23, 2019
An enjoyable collection of short stories, which are free for Audible members. I enjoyed the stories by Chris Beckett, Nikesh Shukla and Lauren Beukes the most.
June 2, 2020
A free collection of short stories available on Audible. A mixed bag but one it lovelies!
Recommended
Recommended
March 28, 2021
I like Ken Liu’s story. Not sure about others.
July 22, 2021
3.5
Thought provoking. Some better than others
Thought provoking. Some better than others
December 13, 2021
DNF this one too. I was not interested enough in the stories and those three stories I listen to in full, I don't remember much.
September 2, 2023
This collection of 6 short science fiction stories varies quite a bit. When Will We Get There, by Chris Beckett, was wonderfully imaginative and terrifying. The Start that Sings in the Darkness and Anuj were less compelling to me, just a little less delightful in the writing. The Star That Sings was a little bit hard to follow and just didn't quite gel for me. Anuj was pretty heavy-handed with the social commentary and for what. Internal Architecture was quite good but I had a hard time following the ending. Still the premise was very compelling. Magic Paintbrush was for me a bit trite. But everything came together again quite a bit with the last story, the conclusion, which was a very chilling defeatist discovery tale into the meaning of our lives. It was quite deliciously dark.
All in all, if you've got some time to kill and you like science fiction, give it a try. Otherwise, take a pass and you won't be any the worse off.
All in all, if you've got some time to kill and you like science fiction, give it a try. Otherwise, take a pass and you won't be any the worse off.
April 2, 2020
Cool..sci-fi ..futuristic etc!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews