Hello and Welcome to Realms Reviews!
Whether you’re new or not, Realms is a fantasy and sci-fi newsletter. As such, I consume tons of sci-fi and fantasy media that I think everyone should know about. In these two genres, I’ll be reviewing books, video games, podcasts, films, and TV shows.
And just like Realms’ short stories, you’ll get reviews once a month. Never on the same week as a short story.
And here’s what I offer with my reviews:
A short, spoiler-free summary
My take and thoughts, and why you should add the reviewed media to your list.
Notable quotes or moments.
And finally, I’ll give what I review a score
Speaking of…I’m stealing my scoring system from fighting video games. From best to worst, it goes: Z, S, A, B, C, D.
That said, this rating system is subjective. Make your own judgments and we can have a great conversation here. Also, I value my time and yours, so I strive to give you short and sweet reviews only on media that is worth our time.
This month, I’m reviewing Celeritas, a sci-fi audio drama. It’s unlike anything I’ve heard before. This is an in-progress review, as the show hasn’t yet completed its first season. There are currently ten episodes available, with an eleventh coming out on December 29th. I’ll post an updated review once it’s complete.
Celeritas In-Progress Podcast Review
The Summary
Celeritas’ premise is simple: Owen, our main character, is sent on a dangerous research mission in space. The mission goes awry, leaving Owen far from home and potentially unable to get back to the family and life he left behind. I won’t say any more. I don’t want to spoil it.
My Thoughts
You might recognize many sci-fi conventions in this premise, but that’s where the predictability ends. The story unfolds in a very unique way that I don’t feel I’ve seen in other sci-fi narratives (much less an audio-drama). Owen is a well-fleshed out character. You get a very solid grasp on his backstory and motivations, which is something more stories need to be clear about, in general. The other characters in this podcast are also equally fleshed out. Plot-wise, there are wonderful cliffhangers and surprises, making each episode a delight. My favorite audio dramas have this in common - and I’ll list them below.
It’s not just the good story that hooked me, it’s also the sound design. It’s rich. It’s detailed. It’s meant to be listened to with the volume way up. If you have hi-fi speakers or sound-canceling headphones, Celeritas will be a treat. When Owen is walking or taking action in the world, you’ll feel right there with him. When he’s dreaming or having an emotional breakdown, it feels tangible. The voice acting and effects immerse you in the story, which is perfect if you’re listening to this when doing chores - I did a lot of dishes while listening to Celeritas - or if you’re someone who can just sit and listen to podcasts. I will note, here, that the dialogue can be unclear during action-packed sections, which is why I recommend listening at high volume and/or with sound-canceling headphones.
Since this podcast is unfinished, I’m wont to say more about the story and even give it a rating. So let me say that I find this show’s production process fascinating. Celeritas is a project created by a very small team, and unlike many other fiction podcasts, is being created on the fly, episode by episode. Many podcasts are created in their totality and then released, giving them a polished and complete feel. Celeritas instead feels fresh and organic, but is in no way lacking polish. There’s even an online community for it where you can chat with other fans and get updates from the creators as the podcast goes.
A recent update for the next as-yet-unreleased episode 11 said this: “Writing and recording these final episodes has been emotional. Seven actors, 60 pages of dialogue, and now staring down the barrel of 150 fx and environments for each episode, it feels like it will never get done... but it always gets done.”
That’s a buttload of work for a small team. Just writing and recording my stories and reviews is a ton of work.
So, if you end up listening to this podcast, you’ll have more to listen to as it goes on, and you can join a community of fellow listeners who love it. I’m sure the creators would love a kind word or two.
To wrap this up, here’s my in-progress score for Celeritas:
A. An incredible story that is well-worth your time.
You can find Celeritas on your preferred podcast platform here. Or you can search for it on your podcasting app.
And if you’re looking for more fiction podcasts, here’s a few I recommend:
We’re Alive - Zombie apocalypse audio-drama. This is a fantastic podcast with a few hundred episodes. Even my mom loves it!
Limetown - Documentary-style audio-drama unpacking the mysterious conspiracy surrounding a fictional place called Limetown.
The Black Tapes - Another documentary-style fiction podcast, this time dealing with the occult. Very creepy. Great for car rides.
Thank you for listening to this Realms review of Celeritas!
I hope you have a wonderful Holiday season full of good food, good company, and even better stories.
Until next time, Realm Walkers,
This is Zach and you’re reading Realms.
Realms Reviews Celeritas, a sci-fi audio-drama