Okay, I'm back. This is going to be a very long post, so sit down and get comfortable, and start reading. Anyway, I'm terribly sorry about my last post. I forgot to put in the details about The Official Guide: Second Edition. So, the first part of this post is dedicated to what my opinions are of the upcoming Adventures in Odyssey releases.
First off, in this abnormally large fall lineup is "Adventures in Odyssey: 90 Devotions For Kids". This book contains thirteen weeks of devotions, with sidebars from Whit, Connie, Eugene, and Wooton enforcing life applications. Each week has an individual theme, seven devotions that reference Odyssey episodes, and an activity, puzzle, or game to reinforce the core biblical truths taught during the week. I am very excited about this release, and personally am expecting it to be a good seller. This is only the second Adventures in Odyssey devotional book, the first being "Adventures in Odyssey Devotions". I couldn't find the year it was released, but considering the cover has Dylan Taylor, I'm estimating it was released in the late 1990's. (See below.)
AIO's first devotional book
Next comes "The Official Guide: Second Edition". When news of this book was first released, people thought it would be practically worthless. They said it would be the old guide with six albums tacked on the end. I've heard differently, however. Apparently, there will be new trivia for the old fifty albums, along with new photos. This is definitely going on the top of my wish list, and I can't wait for it to come out.
Next up is what us Odyssey fans have been waiting for the most: "Album 56: The Grand Design". We have excuse to be fanatically excited, though. I'll only put the highlights of this album in abbreviated form, because if you'll read one of my older posts, "A Promising Album, Indeed", I got carried away about this album. Here are the highlights: Jason returns to Odyssey, and Joanne comes back on the air, the Room of Consequence, the Imagination Station, and the Inspiration Station come back, the Odyssey Owls will be featured, an episode with Penny, Connie, and Wooton, a highlight for fans in recent seasons, a Kid's Radio episode, and an episode on tithing. And the cover is just amazing. All the inventions. Also, on the Soda Shop Message Boards someone said there would be an episode that was a tribute to ALL of Whit's inventions.
The Silver Celebration, Adventures in Odyssey's 25th anniversary album, is a collection of Odyssey's best episodes ever, and the sequel to Odyssey's 20th anniversary Platinum Collection. Currently none of the episodes are known, but these are the producer's picks, and with over 13 hours of audio entertainment, if the cover is correct, whoever owns this will have hours of Odyssey's best in one little package.
Finally, the Imagination Station Volumes 8 and 9 will release this fall as well, and you can read my opinions for them in "Push the Red Button!"
Now it's time. I know people on the Soda Shop are waiting expectantly for this, my opinions on Abby and Mandie's Adventures in Odyssey Podcast. First of all, Wooton Bassett does an amazing job designing logos. He did this one, and he did mine, too. He's done some non-Odyssey website logos as well, and those are good, too.
Okay, to my review. When I first heard about this, it was because of the Soda Shop. Abby and Mandie are both Soda Shop members, so they were talking about it. Then they only had one episode, and I thought it was neat, but I didn't get around to checking it out until Episode #2 came out. When I listened to it, I liked it, but I would have given it about three and one half stars. See, in the first one, they had an interview with Katie Leigh, and although it was good, it seemed a little rushed. Mandie was very hard to hear in the first two episodes. Episode 2 was good, but Mandie knew what she was talking about, (Good for you!), but because she was over the phone I got about half of it. If any of you listened to it, Mandie did a good portion of the talking that episode, so you got about half of the podcast. It was still good, though. Please don't think I hate this. Wait until the end of the review. I love it when fans do things like this, and doing a podcast with someone who lives in a different state, and trying to plan it and record it all over the phone, that's what is remarkable. These girls have an amazing love for the show. I would have kept supporting them, because they were doing good. Well, tonight I finally got around to listening to Episode 3. My reaction: "This is SO much better quality." Now, don't get me wrong, the other two were good, but this one blew me away. When Mandie talked, what I could hear of her went from 55% in the first two to 95% in this one. And then they interviewed Paul McCusker, longtime Odyssey writer and writer of the Green Ring Conspiracy. It was absolutely amazing. I they keep up that sound quality, they'll be amazing. Now, their podcasts are on YouTube, and I can't give you the links so here's what to look for.
Episode 1 is titled "Abby and Mandie's Adventures in Odyssey Podcast".
Episode 2 is titled "AIO episode review "The Labyrinth".
Episode 3 is titled "Abby and Mandie's Adventures in Odyssey Podcast #3".
The YouTube channel they're on is called "theabbyandmandieshow".
Anyway, they now have a logo, which is good. People can now identify you with something whereas previously they couldn't. In your next episodes keep titling them "Abby and Mandie's Adventures in Odyssey Podcast #" whatever the number is.
All in all, this was a good podcast that got into a groove and became so much better. My current rating for this is 4 and 3/4 stars. Keep up the good work. Well, that's all for now, so stay tuned, and I hope you enjoy Twists and Turns!
---The Old Judge
Okay, to my review. When I first heard about this, it was because of the Soda Shop. Abby and Mandie are both Soda Shop members, so they were talking about it. Then they only had one episode, and I thought it was neat, but I didn't get around to checking it out until Episode #2 came out. When I listened to it, I liked it, but I would have given it about three and one half stars. See, in the first one, they had an interview with Katie Leigh, and although it was good, it seemed a little rushed. Mandie was very hard to hear in the first two episodes. Episode 2 was good, but Mandie knew what she was talking about, (Good for you!), but because she was over the phone I got about half of it. If any of you listened to it, Mandie did a good portion of the talking that episode, so you got about half of the podcast. It was still good, though. Please don't think I hate this. Wait until the end of the review. I love it when fans do things like this, and doing a podcast with someone who lives in a different state, and trying to plan it and record it all over the phone, that's what is remarkable. These girls have an amazing love for the show. I would have kept supporting them, because they were doing good. Well, tonight I finally got around to listening to Episode 3. My reaction: "This is SO much better quality." Now, don't get me wrong, the other two were good, but this one blew me away. When Mandie talked, what I could hear of her went from 55% in the first two to 95% in this one. And then they interviewed Paul McCusker, longtime Odyssey writer and writer of the Green Ring Conspiracy. It was absolutely amazing. I they keep up that sound quality, they'll be amazing. Now, their podcasts are on YouTube, and I can't give you the links so here's what to look for.
Episode 1 is titled "Abby and Mandie's Adventures in Odyssey Podcast".
Episode 2 is titled "AIO episode review "The Labyrinth".
Episode 3 is titled "Abby and Mandie's Adventures in Odyssey Podcast #3".
The YouTube channel they're on is called "theabbyandmandieshow".
Anyway, they now have a logo, which is good. People can now identify you with something whereas previously they couldn't. In your next episodes keep titling them "Abby and Mandie's Adventures in Odyssey Podcast #" whatever the number is.
All in all, this was a good podcast that got into a groove and became so much better. My current rating for this is 4 and 3/4 stars. Keep up the good work. Well, that's all for now, so stay tuned, and I hope you enjoy Twists and Turns!
---The Old Judge
