Of course, things were a little different when I was asked to narrate SIDEWAYS by Rex Pickett. The movie had already come out, and in this instance, the book was so very similar to what people saw on the screen that I actually employed a mild bit of mimicry while recording it. As I’ve said before, I won’t ever try to do an impression of a specific actor while doing a book, but I will try and keep a particular actor’s voice in my head so I can duplicate their cadence and tempo. In a book like SIDEWAYS, that seemed more than enough. So, when it came time for that one particular scene, I got to do my best Paul Giamatti impression when wailing, “I’m not drinking any freakin’ merlot!” Only, of course, I didn’t say “freakin’,” I said the Queen Mother of all Curse Words. You know the one I’m talking about.

(Funny story, we were working from various early versions of the manuscript and were marrying them together while recording, so we wound up doing that line, and only that line, as a pickup afterward. Which was really funny, considering I drove over to the studio, sat down in the chair, got myself comfortable, waited for the okay from our producer, then yelled “I’m not drinking any freakin’ merlot!” at the top of my lungs, only to then hear, “Okay, I think we got it, that’s a wrap.” Easiest day of work I’ve ever had.)

There have been other times where lines, immediately recognizable to moviegoing audiences, have come across my microphone, and made me wonder, “How the hell…?” Just a few months ago, in fact, I narrated THE GRADUATE by Charles Webb. Yep, you’re already ahead of me, aren’t you? And c’mon, can you actually imagine hearing anyone say “Mrs. Robinson, you’re trying to seduce me,” without thinking of Dustin Hoffman? Or even, “Elaine, Elaine!” Nope, not a chance. I couldn’t help it, I sounded as much like Hoffman as I possibly could. In that circumstance, it would just be wrong NOT to.

So you can imagine, when approaching a book like FRANKENSTEIN, there would be a certain amount of trepidation about encountering “It’s alive, it’s ALIVE…!” After all, the delivery of it by actor Colin Clive isn’t exactly a paragon of realism, y’know?

But imagine my surprise… that line ain’t in the book.

Click here to hear Scott read from FRANKENSTEIN

and buy the hard copy or digital download (both with bonus features)

And I have to say, despite a perverse desire to actually say that line, I loved the way the scene played out – there’s an absolutely perfect reason why it’s not there. This book is absolutely amazing, and trust me, if you’ve never read it, you’ll realize firsthand how good science fiction is supposed to be done. I’m also happy to say that this recording of FRANKENSTEIN is the first of what I hope will be a long line of Brick By Brick books called FIRST EDITIONS. In it, I’ll endeavor to bring to you classics that have stood the test of time, and in such a way that recreates as closely as possible the way they were originally presented. That means there will be no modern translations, no revised texts, no edits whatsoever. What you’ll get will be the author’s original words in their original form.

In the case of FRANKENSTEIN, Mary Shelley’s 1818 text was quite different from the subsequent 1831 edition that ultimately became the standard in print editions today. In the updated version, Victor’s true love Elizabeth became an adopted cousin rather than a distant cousin, so as to avoid any hint of incest. Also, the character of Victor Frankenstein himself was redrawn to be more sleek, more heroic, and less the tragic, deluded man fans of the book first saw upon its debut thirteen years previously. So I’m proud to say this book represents the vision of the author as it originally stood. I hope you enjoy it. And as always, I hope you’ll let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

In the meantime, it’s back to the studio I go, another book calls, and I must answer. And no, one of my favorite movie lines of all time isn’t in this one, but then again, “Bartender, Jobu needs a refill…!” didn’t really spring from a book, y’know?

Thanks for listening,

Scott Brick