Discover New Releases Audiobooks in Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Sci-Fi: Contemporary

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Title: Paradise

Subtitle: The Galactic Comedy, Book 1

Author: Mike Resnick

Narrator: Zach Herries

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 45 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-18-12

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 6 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

The Earth-like planet Peponi has vast riches, an abundant and opulent wildlife, and most importantly, compliant natives. But now that humanity is on the brink of opening up an entirely new world, has it learned its lessons from the past?

A thought-provoking novel from the author of Ivory.

Members Reviews:

Three strikes and I'm out

What would have made Paradise better?

The entire story was told without much emotion at all. Which is strange because the story is a story about an interview, and is told as the first-person narrator relates the story to the interviewer; he is relating his life's adventures on a remote frontier-planet - my thoughts are that it SHOULD have been exciting to tell. Maybe the interviewee was monotone and boring, and that's what the director asked for, so that is what we got.

Has Paradise turned you off from other books in this genre?

No, I am a big fan of interstellar exploration sci-fi, but this book reads like an African safari story written by a colonialist bigot talking about how it "just isn't the same since we mined out this region," or "before we hunted them 'nonsense-word' to extinction, you couldn't throw a stone without hitting 20."

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Zach Herries?

It's hard to say, he may only be reading as the director instructed. But if I wanted to "just read the book" I could have done that myself. It was a flavorless and forgetable narration.

George Guidall is an icon in narration because he can make even the slowest story move well - I would like to see what he could do for this one.

You didnt love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

It just never grabbed my interest. I listened to it three times, and it was emminently forgetable. I tried to use it as a focal point and as a background listen, neither method helped. The third time just sealed its fate with me.

Any additional comments?

Please take it back and give me a credit to listen to anything else.

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Title: The Best Rootin' Tootin' Shootin' Gunslinger in the Whole Damned Galaxy

Subtitle: Tales of the Galactic Midway, Book 4

Author: Mike Resnick

Narrator: Kerry Woodrow

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 52 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-18-12

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 7 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

Five years into his traveling carnival tour of the galaxy, Thaddeus Flint and his alien business partner are rolling in the dough for the Corporation. When Billybuck Dancer, the trick shot artist, gets bored and starts taking dangerous chances with his own safety, Flint captures his attention by arranging a much-publicized and highly-profitable showdown between Dancer and his nemesis, Doc Holliday.

Members Reviews:

Best Trick Shot Artist from Earth Seeks Challenge in the Far Future

In the far future, the best trick shot artist from Earth looks for a challenge. He is in a sideshow run by somewhat unsavory individuals, but his motives are pure.

He eventually finds one. Very interesting book.

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Title: The Ring of Charon

Subtitle: Hunted Earth, Book 1

Author: Roger MacBride Allen

Narrator: John Haag

Format: Unabridged

Length: 16 hrs and 13 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-12-12

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 24 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

The first book in the Hunted Earth series, published to tie in with the hardcover publication of its sequel, The Shattered Sphere.

The Earth has disappeared, but was it destroyed by an unauthorized gravity experiment, or was the planet kidnapped by an alien race? Humanity must discover the answer before it's too late.

Members Reviews:

Hoping book two gets the ball rolling...

Would you try another book from Roger MacBride Allen and/or John Haag?

I hate to start a series and not finish it, but this may be a first. The storyline just doesn't quite grab your attention. I kept waiting for things to become interesting.

Would you ever listen to anything by Roger MacBride Allen again?

I would be willing to give them another try.

Could you see The Ring of Charon being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

NO!

Good Book

What made the experience of listening to The Ring of Charon the most enjoyable?

The story is very intriguing. An alien race older than humans and not aware of humans, this is a new twist.

What other book might you compare The Ring of Charon to and why?

Can't think of any similar stories.

What didnt you like about John Haags performance?

His reading is a little wooden.

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

No.

Any additional comments?

Very good book but you have to pay attention to the story closely to follow what's going on.

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Title: Dancers in the Afterglow

Author: Jack L. Chalker

Narrator: Al Dano

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 4 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-11-12

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 5 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

First came the tourists. Ondine was a resort planet. Sixteen million tourists traveled there from just about every world you could think of to live and love in sixteen million different ways.

Members Reviews:

A quick but profound glimpse of the future...

Dancers In The Afterglow is a short but powerful book. Like a lot of Sci-Fi it looks at trends and extrapolates a plausible future wrapped in an interesting story. I believe Chalker was looking at three primary trends in this book. Collectivism, the personal disconnectedness of modern Western Civilization and man/machine integration. Today 25 years after its publication Chalker saw clearly into the future. Collectivism is manifested in today's political correctness which seeks to blur the line between the superior and the inferior, making everyone equal. In the West the young are purposely interfacing with machines more than with each other leading to a personal disconnect from human to human contact and integration into the "cyber world". Deep down Dancers In The Afterglow is about the demise of human soul more than anything.

Mankind had made it's way into the stars and eventually came across an alien race - inevitably war ensued. The Machists stuck in a stalemate with humanity struck out at Ondine a resort world of some 16 million souls. In a race against time the Machists brutally transformed the human population into soulless, identity-less collective. The Combine of Human worlds struck back with their secret weapon, Daniel. Daniel was once a skilled fighter pilot, but a tragic accident left him clinging to life as a disembodied brain and spine. He was integrated into the greatest machine ever conceived and was set against the Machists. He was a soul without a body and the victims of the Machists were soulless bodies.

This book is a quick read, but very well done and is extremely thought provoking. 4 stars!

extremely out there

it's been years but i still remember the book well and it is(like all chalkers books)really sci-fi out there. what an imagination! besure to check out "web of the chozen" too!

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Title: Story Time

Author: Linell Jeppsen

Narrator: Amy Gramour

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 3 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-08-12

Publisher: World Castle Publishing

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 10 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

In the not-too-distant future, a young woman bears witness to the end of her world. Earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions rock the planet, reducing cities to smoking rubble, burying entire islands and coastlines beneath cataclysmic waves. Religious fervor and human evil erupt and entwine, becoming a maelstrom of madness in the days after, bringing with it the horror of apocalyptic war.

As a population in the depths of despair struggles to overcome insurmountable odds, can a single glimmer of hope flare into a beacon for the survivors? This is her tale....

The world is ours...and now, it's Story Time.

Members Reviews:

Oh...My...God...Becky....

Wow. "Bad" does not even begin to describe this book. I'm not sure what was more unbelievable, the flying school bus, or the idea that a Denver Nugget would drive a Prius. The narrator droned-on in a monotone voice, and it took all my will just to get to the rather abrupt ending. The bad guys were all bigoted, gun-toting White Christian cannibals (with bad teeth), while the good guys were a rainbow coalition of peace loving do-gooders. This was, hands down, the most politically correct science fiction story I've ever read (heard?), and it was neither believable or enjoyable. Save yourself eight hours of your life you'll never get back and spend your credit elsewhere.

I like the book hate the narrator

What did you like best about Story Time? What did you like least?

It's an intriguing switch on the apocalypse - a bit too hard core on good guys - bad guys

Would you be willing to try another book from Linell Jeppsen? Why or why not?

Maybe - I like the unique viewpoint

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Bigtime by a very flat monotone delivery

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No. I like happy endings at home

Any additional comments?

If the narration was better I would have been happy to listen. Unfortunately it put me off

Fun story - distracting narration

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The story is entertaining, but not very sophisticated. Pople have the stock reactions of so many fantasy novels: They receive bad news by getting angry at the messenger; they spend pages telling each other there's no time to waste; and men need to be violent to each other to maintain their self respect. An editor could have helped.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Story Time?

There are fun moments, as when a character comes to meet an alien race and dubs their repreentatives "Uncle" and "Aunty."

How did the narrator detract from the book?

I seriously checked to see if the narration was some sort of AI experiment. The cadence and emphasis is not quite human. "She ran her hands over her face" is renderedd "She ran, her hands over her face." And thousand of more odd line readings. Voices and accents are okay. It was in the paragrpahs of that the odd, inhuman rhythm sometimes became distracting.

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Title: Hazards: The Chronicles of Lucifer Jones 1934-1938

Subtitle: Lucifer Jones, Book 4

Author: Mike Resnick

Narrator: Ian Eugene Ryan

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 3 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-06-12

Publisher: Audible Studios

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

Publisher's Summary:

Lucifer Jones is back and Subterranean s got him!After his Adventures in Africa, his Exploits in Asia, and his Encounters in Europe, everyone's favorite man of the cloth is back to tell you about the Hazards he encounters in South America. They include the terrifying Island of Annoyed Souls, the discovery of the Lost Continent of Moo (spelled correctly for a change), a battle with safari ants that even Charlton Heston wouldn't want any part of, and a pair of Bird Girls who live in matching Chartreuse Mansions.

You'll meet some old friends such as Capturin Clyde Calhoun, old heartthrobs such the Scorpion Lady, old rivals such as Major Theodore Dobbins and Rupert Cornwall, an old nemesis (the remarkable Erich von Horst), a pair of naked high priestesses (or goddesses, take your choice), the sinister Dr. Mirbeau, the incredibly wealthy and incredibly undesirable Baroness Schimmelmetz, and a score of others including Bubbles, an anaconda with an attitude.

And making his way through these hazards is the irrepressible Right Reverend Honorable Doctor Lucifer Jones. So come along if you don't want to miss the fun!

Members Reviews:

Funny, funny book

So there's this Doctor Jones who goes poking about the world looking for treasure and such in the 1920s and 30s, but his first name isn't Indiana (or even Henry): it's Lucifer.

This is the third or fourth volume of the tales of Lucifer Jones, depending on how you count. The first volume was _Adventures_. The second and third were _Exploits_ and _Encounters_, but I first saw them in a single volume called _Lucifer Jones_.

Lucifer Jones, or more properly (or improperly) The Right Reverend Doctor Lucifer Jones, is the pastor of a religion what he and the Lord worked out between themselves one afternoon in Moline, Illinois. His religious activities mostly consist of seeking donations to build the Tabernacle of Saint Luke (guess who that is...) and saving fallen women, mostly for himself. In the first three or two volumes, Jones has got himself barred from Africa, Asia, and Europe - North America came before the series started. This happens because he is not merely a ne'er-do-well looking for the big chance, he's that combination of sneak and innocent that manages always to miss the big chance, to cheat himself out of the prize.

_Hazards_ finds him in South America, where his run of self-made bad luck continues, as he meets old acquaintances like the Scorpion Lady, the hunter Catch-em-all Calhoun who brings 'em back alive (but not necessarily intact), and Erich von Horst, who manages to outcon him twice in this volume, mainly by relying on Jones's greed. He discovers the Island of Annoyed Souls, the Lost Continent of Moo, and the Forgotten Kingdom of Macho-Something-Or-Other. And much, much more.

The books are, and this one certainly is, fast-moving and funny as hell, as Jones's combination of hurt innocence and man-of-the-world bravado keep him contradicting himself and the facts, and in the course of the dozen or so chapter/stories it contains, Jones manages to find himself barred from yet another continent, leaving Australia the only habitable major land mass he can go to ... but that's for another book, which I hope Resnick will write soon.

or nodding that there is no way anyone can be that dumb.

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Title: Dead Earth: The Vengeance Road

Author: Mark Justice, David T. Wilbanks

Narrator: Jay Snyder

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 26 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-19-12

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 36 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

When you've lost everything, the only thing left is vengeance. Invaders from another world have used demonic technology to raise an unholy conquering army of the living dead. These "necros" destroyed Jubal Slate's home and everyone he loved. Now the only thing that matters to Slate is payback. No matter how far he has to go or how many undead warriors he must slaughter, Slate and his motley band of followers will stop at nothing to end the reign of the aliens.

Editorial Reviews:

In the second installment of Mark Justice and David T. Willbanks' Dead Earth series, two groups of survivors remain after aliens have introduced a plague that turns humans into zombies. Luther Kemp heads a renegade group of bikers, and the aliens give him a power that allows him to control both the undead and the living humans. Jubal Slate leads the other group, and he is hell-bent on revenge. When the two groups clash, the future of humanity is at stake. James Snyder's smoky voice booms and rasps, evoking the ruined landscape and tense scenes, and creates a marvelous ambiance.

Members Reviews:

good b movie material

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

a zombie novel WITH an ending. and a satisfying ending. how novel! lol

What three words best describe James Snyders performance?

i totally dig j snyder's performance. i've liked his narration since i heard him narrate the day by day armageddon series.

Was Dead Earth: The Vengeance Road worth the listening time?

yes, it is a quick fast-paced story you can finish in one sitting.

Any additional comments?

good b movie material!

earth...the not too distant future. area 51...military experiment in string theory accidentally opens a portal to an alien world. strange gas pours through, turning humans into zombies.

the story starts some time after that event. zombies have trashed central and northern america. not much is known about the rest of the world b/c most of the world net is down.

dead earth follows 2 groups of survivors in mexico. one group is led by luther kemp and composed of bikers and other dregs of society. mother is one of luther's enforcers. while not as sadistic as the others, mother stays with the group b/c there's safety in numbers. one of the aliens sees luther's group of misfits ferociously battling a horde of zombies and decides to freeze the zombies. the alien drops a metallic ring by luther and he puts it on his head. this ring transmits the aliens' instructions to luther and allows him to control the zombies. as the story progresses, luther is slowly transformed by the mysterious ring.

the other group of survivors is led by jubal slate. they are composed of other survivors who want to take the fight to the enemy instead of just hiding. wallly, the old guy, is a jack of all trades. mike and jewel were raised as fighters by their mysterious father, who seemed to know something about the experiments at area 51. mike has an implant that allows him to interact with what's left of the world net.

these 2 groups have skirmishes as they both race to area 51. i like being surprised when main characters are bitten or killed.

overall, it was a pretty fun fast-paced story with a satisfying ending. although, there is enough story left for a possible sequel.

as a side note, this is the 2nd book in the series. i just learned that after googling the book's title.

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Title: Hail Hibbler

Subtitle: Odd Jobs, Inc., Book 1

Author: Ron Goulart

Narrator: Ray Chase

Format: Unabridged

Length: 3 hrs and 48 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-12-12

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

Jake and his wife grapple with a harebrained Nazi doctor.

Jake Pace is battling a bistros worth of robotic mafia goons when the government comes to ask him a favor. The Department of Big Business has a particularly sensitive murder on its hands, and Jake, proprietor of Odd Jobs, Inc., is a sensitive detective. A week ago, Statz Kazee announced to a television audience of 140 million that his next scoop would blow the lid off the international business community. Hours later, he was found shot to death, and every federal policemen sent to investigate the murder has wound up dead. Now its Jakes problem.

After battling malfunctioning skycars, sinking houses, and mysterious cowboys, Jake and his wife learn that Statz had information about the fearsome Adolph Hibbler, the nastiest sinner to ever come out of the Nazi scientific community. Seventy years after the end of the war, Hibbler is back, and hell burn America to the ground if Jake cant handcuff him first.

Members Reviews:

Quirky and fun. Brillant stuff

Ron goulart is a real gem. Quirky and fun. Brillant stuff

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Title: Lords of Night

Author: Thom Brannan

Narrator: Jonah Cummings

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-30-12

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 12 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

The Ancient Enemy has risen from the depths of time and turned the world into a darkened and desolate place. The last outposts of humanity are hidden in the sewers and subways, guarding against patrolling hordes of walking dead and their overseers, the sadistic and inhuman Locust People.

Struggling to survive in the New York underground is a young man named Jack. But Jack has an edge: a growing psychic power he uses to fight The Enemy's lieutenants. With the world at stake, Jack and a team of ex-Special Forces operatives set off on a quest to find an artifact from the dawn of time that will put an end to the Ancient Enemy's reign and restore the world. But what will Jack have to become to defeat the evil older than mankind?

Editorial Reviews:

Jonah Cummings gives an exhilarating performance of Thom Brannans apocalyptic novel Lords of Night. His dulcet voice serves as a counterpoint to the death and destruction that pervades the story. The Ancient Enemy has enacted a reign of terror. Humanity is hiding in sewers and subways, trying to ward off the undead and their masters, the Locust People. A young man named Jack resides underground in New York, and discovers he has psychic powers that increase by the day. He joins a group of ex-Special Forces operatives on a mission to obtain an artifact that can banish the Ancient Enemy and restore order.

Members Reviews:

Enjoyable. Memorable. Ready for the Sequel!

Would you listen to Lords of Night again? Why?

The characters are distinctive, constantly giving each other a hard time, and realistically portrayed. The Ranger is intriguing. He catches flack for being loony (he actually wears a mask and thinks the military hospital's mental ward was a hoot), but in the end, no one doubts his skill.

What did you like best about this story?

Brannan is unpredictable. I thought I was getting a typical zombie apocalypse story, but there are so many surprising and creative aspects to this novel I was blown away.

Have you listened to any of Jonah Cummingss other performances before? How does this one compare?

This is my first listen to Jonah Cummings. I thought he did a fine job. All the characters are uniquely voiced.

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

The end choked me up, especially the part about the chain of glow sticks.

Any additional comments?

I look forward to book two.

Dull and Boring

Any additional comments?

I was really disappointed with this one. It sounded really interesting but it just didn't cut it for me. The narrator even sounded bored!

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Title: Trapped

Subtitle: League of Peoples, Book 6

Author: James Alan Gardner

Narrator: William Dufris

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 35 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-01-12

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 14 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

Life under the thumb of the Spark Lords - the League's Earthly representatives - is dull but comfortable for Philemon Abu Dhubhai and the other teachers at a third-rate private school for second-rate rich kids. But all that changes when a female student is found murdered by an unknown alien organism, and her boyfriend, the prime suspect, goes missing. Suddenly an unofficial homicide investigation has snared Philemon and five other "misfits" - plus one of the planet's most powerful criminals, the mother of the murdered girl - trapping them all in a web of terrifying conspiracy that could involve the Spark Lords ... and even the League of Peoples itself. For all is perilously not what it seems, on Earth and in the heavens. But then again, neither are Phil and his compatriots....

Members Reviews:

Another solid story in the series

Trapped, apparently the penultimate League of Peoples novel, is a solid and enjoyable novel. Set on the original Earth, in a second rate boarding school near Niagara Falls. A mobster's daughter has been murdered and her teachers undertake a quest to find the nanotech created shapeshifter responsible for the murder and who also kidnapped the victim's enchanted boyfriend. Gardner creates a vivid world with just enough details to make believable worlds and consistent with the Peoples series. (I'm only slightly disappointed by Admiral Ramos's absence from Trapped.)