Discover Most Popular Audiobooks in Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Sci-Fi: Contemporary

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Title: The Reawakening

Subtitle: The Living Dead Trilogy, Book I

Author: Joseph Souza

Narrator: Dan Lawson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 29 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-24-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 2.5 of 5 out of 10 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Sci-Fi: Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

A series of terrible things begin to happen when a scientist with a dark past resumes his genetic experiments in a small Maine town. The animals suddenly become aggressive for no apparent reason, attacking anyone within sight, including Rick's wife. After slaughtering his diseased herd, Rick realizes to his horror that they have come back to life. Soon the farm is under siege by the deranged animals, and a small group of refugees who have assembled in the farmhouse must hunker down and defend themselves against the terrible onslaught of cannibals.

The entire town soon becomes filled with the human flesh-eaters, threatening the farmhouse and the survivors within it. But they all have the same message before they reawaken: They are seeking the chosen ones. The onset of winter provides a temporary defense against the army of the dead, but with supplies running low, the survivors realize they must formulate a plan before the arrival of spring and the dreaded melt-off. And as the world outside them descends into total madness, a surprising leader emerges from the group who will hopefully lead them to safety.

Editorial Reviews:

Dan Lawson gives a thrilling performance of Joseph Souzas The Reawakening, the first book in the Living Dead Trilogy. His clear voice creates an atmosphere of disquiet for this apocalyptic audiobook. In a small town in Maine, a scientist conducts shady genetic experiments, resulting in aggressive animals that reanimate after death. Soon, the town is filled with creatures hungry for human flesh. The undead are also searching for "the chosen ones". A group of survivors hide in a farmhouse, but their supplies begin to dwindle. Will they be able to reach safety before winter ends?

Members Reviews:

Cannot finish due to poor performance

Narration is so bad I did not finish the story. The narration is equal to listening to my boring monotone history teacher trying to read a story. WANT MY CREDIT BACK! :(

Story seemed okay but cannot tell!

A new plot line at last!

When you have read as many zombie appocalypse stories as I have, it becomes more and more difficult to find a new plot line. The zombies generally wipe out a vast percentage of earth's population, then fade into the backgroun more or less. Some military outfit, religious nutcase, or psychopathic dictator, and their band of "good ol' boys" start looting, raping, etc. The good guys have to spend more time fighting other survivors than defending against the zombies. Here, we have the animals getting involved, which I have not seen before. There are some nasty survivors of course, but most of the time, the good guys are dealing with zombies, which is a refreshing change from the usual plot lines.

The only thing that kept me from giving this book a 5 * rating was the narrator. Unfortunately, Mr. Lawson's narrative style would workd much better for nonfiction than for a novel like this. Still, I would recommend this book to any zombie fans who are looking for something new.

Never have I read a zombie type story were you

Would you try another book from Joseph Souza and/or Dan Lawson?

Maybe if he lifts his game. This book was horrible :(

Has The Reawakening turned you off from other books in this genre?

No just off this author.

Which character as performed by Dan Lawson was your favorite?

None at all. The father was totally useless.

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Title: Triumph

Author: Philip Wylie

Narrator: Tim George

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 37 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-20-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 11 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Sci-Fi: Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

In the worlds upper hemisphere, only one small group has survived World War III: 14 people, sheltered deep within a limestone mountain in Connecticut and with enough supplies and equipment to maintain their subsistence for upwards of two years. The group includes a forward-thinking millionaire and his family, a levelheaded Jewish scientist, a playboy, an aging African American servant and his daughter, a gigolo and the glamorous woman who has been his mistress, a beautiful Chinese girl, a young meter reader, two children, and a Japanese engineer. Fully aware of the outcome of the war that had raged briefly above them, the survivors seethe with hatred, fall into depression over their losses, rise to moments of superhuman bravery, and lapse into behavior that reflects their human weaknesses.

Philip Wylie mercilessly predicts the inevitable end of a world that continues to function as selfishly and as barbarously as our own.

Members Reviews:

Astonishing for 1963

The book's original intent, one speculates, is to examine racial issues of people in tight quarters and in a post-apocalyptic setting. I can see that this would have had great interest and impact in the year it was written, 1963. But reading this in 2009, what struck me was the knowledge and sophistication the author possessed to address all of the related technical content: elaborate bomb shelter (U.S.150-200 million dollars in 1963 currency), the effects of nuclear strikes, not to mention the way he envisioned the catalyst and method of how the two superpowers would war.

The most gripping part of the book was a side story covering a few remaining U.S. naval forces and their Soviet counterparts who had prepared their own incredible shelters to survive. The "last ditch" strategy had me thinking about other books on nuclear war from that period that I believe more accurately portrayed military members reluctance to do any more damage after first strike. Here U.S. forces are portrayed as mindless order takers bent on revenge.

The anti-Soviet rhetoric speaks to the times though the enemy seems less menacing, all knowing, and relentlessly diabolical now that time has passed. Character development was so-so, most interesting is the mogul who anticipated so much in the building of his shelter. Inter-relationships were hard to get in to but the claustrophobic atmosphere was well communicated.

Triumph has introduced me to Wylie who is credited with inspiring Doc Savage with his book The Savage Gentleman, also Flash Gordon with When Worlds Collide, and incredibly, Superman with his work Gladiator. The latter I intend to pick up as the story behind the story is as intriguing.

Nice cover art, but contents are a mixed bag

This isn't a great book, but it's interesting. The super shelter is cool, though it seems unlikely even a very rich man could outdo the military (I used to work in Cheyenne Mountain). The dialog is not great and the characters are kind of cartoon characters and the enemy's strategy is a little bit mustache twirling villain, but it's still entertaining and it ends better than it begins.

The parts of the book I like is the ingenuity in finding solutions to hard problems. In a sense a super shelter works against that because you can do just about anything. But with a ridiculous level of nuclear war even the super shelter proves inadequate so they start having to think and that is when it gets better.

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Title: The Moreau Factor

Author: Jack L. Chalker

Narrator: Barry Campbell

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 16 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-14-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 10 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Sci-Fi: Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

A hard-living reporter long past his Pulitzer Prize-winning prime, Chuck Vallone is about to meet a renowned geneticist who needs to clear his conscience. But when Vallone arrives at their rendezvous, he finds the D.C. hotel swarming with government agents. The scientist's room is now a grisly slaughterhouse splattered with blood - but no sign of a body.Vallone knows he has the story of the century, especially when he receives a mysterious package filled with a computer disk and strange samples of DNA. Now he's determined to uncover the truth. But it's no brave new world Vallone will be exploring; rather, a deadly depraved one ruled by preeminent scientists. And this powerful cadre intends to make Vallone both eyewitness and executor of their final ferocious plan....

Members Reviews:

Very Good Book with Some Issues

If you've read much of Jack L. Chalker's works, you'll understand how something related to H.G. Wells' "The Island of Dr. Moreau" might appeal to him. Thus, we've got Chalker's "The Moreau Factor." It's an interesting plot coupled with some of the very serious issues that our technology is presenting us with. I enjoyed it quite a bit. But, it does suffer from some problems. First, there are some editing issues. Oh, not things like misspelled words or grammar. Instead, there are discontinuities where it looks like he wrote the book for a bit and then stopped for a while. Then, when he picked it up again, he didn't re-read the earlier stuff and we get either duplicate or contradicting information. More subtly, the tone of the book changes. The first few chapters feel more gritty and less high-tech than I'd have expected from Chalker. After that, things feel smoother and much higher tech. And then, the remainder of the book reads more like Chalker's other works (i.e., very high tech and centering around personal transformation). This isn't a major problem, but it does jar a bit. More bothersome is that even though, by the end, we learn who's doing what to whom and why, I still have problems with it. There are much easier, cheaper, and less messy ways of solving the problems the antagonists were facing than what they chose. To me, it looks like they chose these methods because that's what Chalker likes to write about. But, even with that, I found the story to be a good one. So, I'm rating the book (with some slight misgivings) at a Very Good 4 stars out of 5.

FARCICAL CHUCKLES

What starts out like a comic strip Moreauville slowly draws the reader into a whirlpool dystopia--science gone mad. What happens when man develops intellectual, symbiotic relationships with genetically smart supercomputers? Chalker paints a computer, Ariel, who can design stem cells to either transform men into unique chimera animals or give them the forever sought after fountain of youth. The book leads the reader through some heavy plodding as the protagonists are pitted against some beasts from hades. The hoped for ending will not disappoint, however, if ever there was ever a contrived, spit in your eye, happy ending this is it.

PS: Congrats to Chalker for breaking sexual taboos in sci-fi by including the exploits of a bragging Italian Stallion and a Big Breasted Babe.

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Title: Migration

Author: James P Hogan

Narrator: Gary Dikeos

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 29 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-11-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Sci-Fi: Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

From the ashes of post-apocalypse Earth a new order has arisen to reach for the stars. Planet of salvation Hera is discovered and a generation ship will carry a select group from wrecked, ravaged Earth to a better future for their children. But who to take on the voyage? Why not your best and brightest tech-smiths and tinkerers? And, as far as political systems go, heck, why not send along everything - representatives of ALL the societies and political systems now surviving? Its a desperate gamble to forge an intergalactic species of humanity - on the trip out!

Members Reviews:

Very good read

Interesting story with all the subplots interweaved perfectly. I would recommend this book to anyone who is truly a science fiction enthusiast.

My favorite Sci-Fi author

Well written. Author has passed away. Sad but there will be no more stories to entertain.I have all of his works so don't try and sell me more Hogan.

Three Stars

Ok but not his best

Five Stars

Excellent Book

Two Stars

Just could not get into this book, very slow.

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Title: Small Miracles

Author: Edward M. Lerner

Narrator: Gabriel Sloyer

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 35 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-07-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 25 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Sci-Fi: Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Garner Nanotechnology is developing nanotech-enhanced protective suits and autonomous first-aid nanobots. Its cutting-edge stuff, and when it saves Brent Cleary from a pipeline explosion that killed hundreds, the Army takes notice.

Near-death experience changes a person, so no one is entirely surprised when easy-going Brent turns somber and studious, focused and cold. Not at first. But Kim ODonnell, Brents best friend, cannot get past some of the changes. This just isnt her friend, and she wonders whats gotten into him.

With an Army field trial imminent and the companys future at stake, possible nanotech side effects arent something anyone wants to discuss. The bad news is, Kims right. Something has gotten into Brent - and he isnt the only one changing.

If Kim cant stop themmaybe well all change.

Members Reviews:

Well done

This book was extremely well narrated. The story was quite good for Sci Fi of this type-- I enjoyed the evolution of Brent and Kim, the main characters. This is the 2nd Lerner novel I have read-- the first one being Fools Experiment. You have to know what type of book youre getting into with Mr. Lerner, but if you like that style as I do, the narrator renders the characters in a way that enhances the narrative. Good audible version.

Cool Sci-Fi Ride into Nanobot Land Easy Listening!

Im a big fan of the merger of science fiction and technology, futurism and the corporate condition. Edward Lerner offers a fun ride here taking a look at those miraculous suits of Garner Nanotechnology with his protagonist Brent and worthy side kick Kim O'Donnell. This story deserves to be read aloud with its fusion of everyday problems answered by the transformation of physics and biology into medical nanobots capable of doing almost anything. The narrator, Gabriel Sloyer, contributes to the fun with an extremely intelligent performance. I welcomed his characters and many voices, excellent and believable. Smooth hours of great brain candy.

Science Gone Wild

Like a nanobot, the reader is injected immediately into bodies in Small Miracles, both corporeal and non-corporeal. Nanotechnology is probed and prodded, along with the body of Brent Cleary. Up for dissection are the bioethics involved in this revolutionary technology, as well as the problem of how to rein in science gone wild. Cleary is employed by a company attempting to market nano bodywear; that is, a suit designed to shield its wearer from death in the event of major physical injury. While demonstrating the purported invulnerability of this armor, Brent is involved in a catastrophic pipeline explosion that decimates the population around him. He is the lone survivor, ostensibly due to the ER nanobots that are engaged to deliver coagulants and keep him in alive in the event of such calamity. Surviving this unplanned test drive has its own perils, however, as Brent is never the same, even though the nanobots that saved his life are theoretically dead and excreted after 24 hours of being activated. Brent's best friend, Kim, notices these changes, and the story propels forward through Brent's dissolution into a maelstrom of abnormal behavior and Kim's efforts to help recover her friend in the face of the One.

Small Miracles was my first foray into science fiction after a lengthy absence.

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Title: A Jungle of Stars

Author: Jack L. Chalker

Narrator: Dave Courvoisier

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 49 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-25-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 7 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Sci-Fi: Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Paul Carlton Savage died on July 20, 1969, in Vietnam - but that was only the start of his troubles! Approached by a mysterious entity called The Hunter, Savage was offered immortality in exchange for his services in The Hunter's continuing war against The Bromgrev. Suddenly, Savage found himself pitted against an enemy he had never seen, an enemy who could be anyone, anywhere, at any time . . . an enemy determined to destroy him and all who got in his way.

And in this raging intergalactic war between Good and Evil, Savage discovered that he couldn't be sure whose side he was on.

Members Reviews:

Fun Light Reading

It has been some time since I read A Jungle of Stars. It is one my favorites from Chalker. If you love a good space opra with lots of twists and turns, this one's for you. A uniquely interesting take on the "Good Vs. Evil" theme.

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Title: The Future Is Now

Subtitle: An Alternate History

Author: Edwin Harkness Spina

Narrator: Edwin Harkness Spina

Format: Unabridged

Length: 28 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-24-13

Publisher: Higher Dimensions Publishing, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 11 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Sci-Fi: Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

A Mind-Bending Alternate History

The Future is Now is a short, mind-bending alternate history about the nature of time and how we all have the power to change the future - how one single act can literally change the course of history.

Set in today's world, but with a twist. John Blunt is an ex-Word War Two fighter pilot, living in England. At his wife's urging, he visits an energy healer to get some relief for his aching back. Things are not what they seem, as the healer takes John back to the source of his pain, a failed mission where he crash landed his beloved Spitfire aircraft.

If you've ever wondered, "What if ...?" and pondered the ideas of alternate realities, parallel worlds and alternate timelines, then you will love this piece of alternative fiction by the author of the award-winning visionary thriller, Mystic Warrior.

Members Reviews:

Spina does it again!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, this book shows that tyranny never has to be accepted or even tolerated, thatall things are possible with God, including altering the past to create a Better future for all.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The Spitfire pilot and the Doctor who never gave up Hope!

What about Edwin Harkness Spinas performance did you like?

Ed's inflection is flawless and it always nice to have an author read his own works.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When the Doctor was looking in his roster for his patient , the name was missing...

Any additional comments?

I hope Ed's next book is much longer and includes human's with Psi abilities theyusefor the good of their fellow Human beings.

The Future is Now: Will leave you wanting more!

What made the experience of listening to The Future Is Now the most enjoyable?

It was was wonderful listening to the author read you his book.

What did you like best about this story?

It was very cleverly written, you are immediately absorbed into the story. You wonder is the story a glimpse into the past or changing the future. It really makes you think!

What does Edwin Harkness Spina bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

You just feel his passion in the story!

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

This film will cause you to dig deep into the possibility of Alternate Realities.

Any additional comments?

This Book is a quick read & very interesting. I highly recommend it!

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Title: The Maze in the Mirror

Subtitle: G.O.D. Inc., Book 3

Author: Jack L. Chalker

Narrator: Darren Stephens

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 22 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-24-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 9 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Sci-Fi: Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Third in the G.O.D. series, this novel features the characters of Sam and Brandy Horowitz. Horowitz, private eye, works for G.O.D., Inc. - the company that rules the Labyrinth between infinite alternate Earths. He becomes involved with rebels who plan to wreck the Labyrinth.

Members Reviews:

The last of the series (and that was such a good thing)

Althoug this book is rather good and enjoyable. I find it not as well ploted an interesting as the first two of the series.

The autor mention that this is the last of the series, because of lack of plotlines to further it, and although the plot is in anyway weak, the freshness of the first two books is not there. Lacking are also the interesting descriptions of the parallel worlds that explain, within certain limits the personalities of the antagonists. I must mention that, in my opinion, this book is most (and even only) interesting if you had read at least one of the other books of the series.

The protagonist, a detective by profesion, is forced to solve a crime in the enemy organization higher ranks, at the same time he is trying to stop the latest, and potentialy deadliest, plan of this group of fanatics to destroy G.O.D. Inc (althoug the protagonist find his own side, and especialy his hereditary upper management, extremaly inmoral in his commercial practices an full of bigotry and sexism), in the end everything is solved in an almost unbeliaveledly happy ending.

As in many Chalker books, a subtext of the use of sexual humilliation as a mechanism of imposing power and dominiation is present, and could be anoying for some readers (and somewhat exciting for others).

Overall a good, but no excelent, book, particulary interesting as the third part of trylogy.

Good buy

Book came in a timely manner, and looked as good as they said it would. No complaints I would shop with this seller again.

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Title: Space Angel

Author: John Maddox Roberts

Narrator: Roy Samuelson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 40 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-19-12

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 6 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Sci-Fi: Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

For Kelly, it was an impossible dream come true when he shipped out on the Space Angel. Ship's boy was the most menial job aboard, but it was excitement enough just to be in space.

Things became more exciting than even Kelly wanted when an unimaginably old and powerful entity commandeered the Space Angel and sent the freighter on an incredible mission to the center of the galaxy - with two hereditary killers and a poetic crab added to the crew for extra interest! Kelly knew that he would finish the trip as a seasoned spacer - or a very dead one.

Members Reviews:

Good solid enjoyable listening

John Maddox Roberts has become one of my favorite authors. I so enjoyed his "SPQR" Roman series that I branched out and started reading and listening to his earlier tales of science fiction and fantasy. This particular audible book did not let me down, and I was glad I used a precious credit on this light tale of science fiction. Enjoyable characters, fast paced, and a very good narrator. If you enjoyed the old Robert Heinlein "juvenile" SF books like "Space Cadet" or "Spaceman Jones" then this is very similar to that type of book - and you should take a chance and use a credit on this gem.

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Title: Between the Strokes of Night

Author: Charles Sheffield

Narrator: Melissa Edris

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 51 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-11-12

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 11 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Sci-Fi: Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

The author of Sight of Proteus and The Selkie brings a unique brand of sci-fi to this riveting story. To long-established worlds of starfaring humans come the Immortals - beings with strange ties to ancient Earth, who seem to live forever, who can travel light years in a day - and who use their strange powers to control the existence of ordinary mortals.

Members Reviews:

very interesting but poor narrator

i kept thinking of Matrix mixed with Inception and Aldis' Nonstop with a little 2001... I liked the story and the science gets a little mind bending trying to keep track of the "reality" situation at times but I liked the ideas behind it and the keeping humanity alive genre of space exploration. there's even a little Hunger Games bit that pops up. I'm not a fan of the narrator though. she mispronounced words and read very uninspired. a more dynamic narrator would have sped the novel up a tad and made it more enjoyable. I would try another of Sheffield. though i do have to say that the writing style itself is not very exciting. in general I think that many scifi authors have great ideas, but lack the writing style that would push their novels into the next level of literature. when you run across one where the style and ideas exist on high levels those works stand out and deservedly become classics with the added depth, i'm thinking of F451 and Childhood's End and 1984 and others that you can return to repeatedly and keep interpreting.

Excellent and creative story. Decent narration.

If you could sum up Between the Strokes of Night in three words, what would they be?

FIrst a disclaimer: I am a fan of hard science fiction and of Charles Sheffield in particular. Although there are works of his that I have liked more than Between the Strokes of Night, it is an excellent stand-alone story. Sheffield creates an entirely internally consistent universe and I appreciate that he does not feeling an obligation to engage in long expository to explain every last element. The characters are rich. Melissa Edris's narration does not do the novel the justice it deserves but neither does it completely detract from it. It annoyed me that she did not know how to pronounce some fairly mainstream words which were not neologisms of Sheffield's. Nonetheless, I enjoyed it very much and am delighted that Audible has added several of Sheffield titles that they had not offered before.

It's all about the concept

Honestly this was wasn't the greatest writing example when it comes to characters. Though I did get semi invested in some of them. And as stated the narration was so-so, though it wasn't as bad as some other reviewers reported. The true appeal of the story is the intriguing ideas on his humanity may tackle both space and time.

A good SF book from Sheffield, very poor narration

Would you listen to Between the Strokes of Night again? Why?

A good story, well written, but read without any sense of intonation or interest or anything. I will not listen to this again; but I would read it.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Melissa Edris?

Just about anyone; my cat is unemployed at the moment.

Any additional comments?

Mr Sheffield is a very good SF writer with a solid scientific background. The reader is so bad that it reduces the story to a bunch of unrelated words. This one will be returned to Audible before I get to part 2.

Good Book.