As you may realize, I’m a big fan of audio theater that tells contemporary stories, the kind you might find in the latest short story review or premium cable channel (but are especially well suited to the audio form). These productions are a little edgy, often dark, and attempt to speak to something greater than the cleverness of the medium.

So it was with great interest that I discovered Buried in Falling Sand by Dreamseed, LLC (care of a link by William Spears’ Lit Between the Ears blog). Buried in Falling Sand, by Alexander Davis, is the story of a future where anyone can take a drug to forget about their workday — appealing to everyone from movie clerks and grocery store cashiers to lawyers and corporate executives. It’s always time to relax or party when you take the drug, and life is just a dream… isn’t it?

With a nod to Philip K. Dick, the story has authoritarian government forces with dubious motives, doomed romantic relationships, and a bit of a twist for the ending. The story is told throughout with clean, well-chosen sound effects and a stellar score (great for the mood, though almost too much at times). The story is plotted well, with appropriate set up, scenes, and conflict, though the intentions of the government remain a mystery, and the point of their inclusion dubious. Since the storyline itself doesn’t really hinge on the government’s quasi brain-washing with the drug, it just seems like a sci-fi cliche rather than a vital part of the story world.

Minor weaknesses aside, there are precious few stories being produced to this caliber and as an introductory effort by Dreamseed, it’s very impressive. Stay tuned for their next release, Soul Rift, a series about a futuristic anti-ghost police force.