The old
days of radio-drama shows like "The Shadow" or "War of the Worlds" were quickly
replaced with the advent of the Television Set. But because of the planetary
phenomenon of the Internet, the
dwindling number of book sales, and the increasing popularity of things like
podcasts and satellite radio, the pizzazz of radio-drama could be making a
comeback.
The
Leviathan Chronicles is a new webcast that has been advertised as "Blending the drama of old-fashioned radio shows with
vanguard web technology, cutting edge sound effects and a cast that includes
over 40 voice actors and an original musical score. Inspired by
a darker blend of science fiction, the story tracks Macallan Orsel, a
young genetic scientist in present-day New York City
who discovers that immortality is not fantasy, but rather a reality for a
several factions of powerful immortals secretly living among us. Across
centuries and continents, they have battled for supremacy-and Macallan must
suddenly grapple with a mysterious and lethal virus, a covert government
organization aware of the immortals-and her own family's connection to both.
In order to save herself and the immortals, Macallan must learn to use a
key hidden within her own DNA. But a deadly secret has been kept deep in
the bottom of the ocean for over a thousand years that could threaten not just
the immortals, but all of mankind."
Regarding his inspiration for the story and its themes, creator Christof Laputka writes:
"The first inkling of the Leviathan Chronicles came to me while cave
diving in the Cayman Islands. I was with a guide who I
foolishly convinced to take me out to some deeper dives that a lot of
tourists didn't get to normally see. We entered this beautiful cave at
150 feet underwater. It had several holes in the ceiling to allow just
enough light to penetrate and let us seeing where we were going. We
stopped at one point and just kneeled in the cave's main chamber and it just
took my breath away. It was so still and remote. And all I could
think is, if something goes wrong, NOBODY would ever find us. And that's
an unusual thing in our times. With Blackberries, GPS, cell phones, when
are we ever truly inaccessible? Where could we go on Earth that other
human beings literally couldn't reach us. Everest is pretty inaccessible,
but it's Grand Central Station compared to some of the remote regions of the
deep ocean.
And
the question I wanted to really explore was how immortality would change a
person. If you really, truly knew that you were never going to die of old
age, how would you live your life differently? Who would you love?
Only another immortal or a human? Where would you live? Out in the
open or hidden away in an underwater fortress like Leviathan where one could
escape the endless misery of the human condition? You would most likely
be very rich (invest $100 at 5% for a few hundred years and see your new
balance!) but would money provide the same comforts as an immortal? Would you
even consider yourself part of humanity anymore?
By exploring some of the
deeper questions, I've tried to make Leviathan a relevant and character based story that is
set in a science fiction world, and not just focused on aliens and laser beams."
Click here to download the first four episodes from the Leviathan Website.
