Download Best Full Audiobooks in Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Sci-Fi: Contemporary Most Popular

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Title: We Few

Subtitle: Prince Roger Series, Book 4

Author: David Weber, John Ringo

Narrator: Stefan Rudnicki, Gabrielle de Cuir

Format: Unabridged

Length: 16 hrs and 5 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-27-06

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 1685 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

Prince Roger is coming home, but home isn't what it was when he left. Traitors have murdered his brother and sister, his nieces and nephews. His mother, the empress, is still alive but in the hands of Roger's own biological father, who controls her through drugs and physical and psychological torture. A new heir to the throne has been conceived, and once the child is born his mother will no longer be necessary to the traitors' plans. Prince Roger must somehow retake the empire from the men who control it before his new brother is born and his mother dies. It's an impossible task, but Prince Roger knows all about impossible tasks.

©2005 David Weber and John Ringo; (P)2005 Blackstone Audiobooks

Critic Reviews:

"Thoroughly satisfactory." (Publishers Weekly)

"Weber and Ringo excel!" (Library Journal)

Members Reviews:

Great Ending To A Great Series

"March Upcountry" thoroughly grabbed my interest in a fascinating well told story with intimately described characters. The first book is still the best of the series, however I think "We Few" comes in a close second. The two other books in between, though also excellent, tended to get bogged down in battle after battle after battle.

In "We Few" the authors do a good job in tying the story together and the book has just enough battle tactics mixed in with well developed characters to create a brilliant ending to a great story. I'm just sorry that it's over:-( Even though "We Few" is a good book on it's own, in my opinion you need to listen to the other books first in order to be able to "feel" and "visualize" everything that is going on.The series is definitely worth the four credits.

...Can I have some more?

The title of this review says it all. The ending was bittersweet but appropriate. I just love the characters and wish there were more books to follow. I gave this book 3 stars because it was so different from the preceding installments. I realize now that I was in love with the setting of scientifically advanced humans in such a primitive culture such as Marduk. I also missed a certain important character from the first 3 books.

The Conclusion(?) to the Prince Roger Series

We Few is the fourth and apparent concluding volume in the Prince Roger series from David Weber and John Ringo, though there have been rumours of a new Prince Roger book. Like the previous books in the series, We Few is excellent MilSF and a rousing good story. As an audio book, it works extremely well, with fast pace and good dialog. Stefan Rudnicki does his usual superb reading of the book, making the Audible edition even more appealing.

If you haven't read the earlier books in the series, start with March Upcountry. But be prepared to be drawn into a world that is difficult to put down and that will have you finding reasons to listen longer than you usually do. If you're a runner or other distance athlete this is the perfect series to encourage extra miles.

A very good ending!

This is the last book of the series, but can be a "Stand alone" also. Moves fast and keeps on going! Prince Roger has matured.

Wonderful

As with most books by Weber or Ringo, the reader is left with a desire for more. This is book four, the final book of the series, but I was left hanging.

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Title: Dune

Subtitle: The Battle of Corrin

Author: Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson

Narrator: Scott Brick

Format: Unabridged

Length: 24 hrs and 57 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-11-04

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 1259 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

Fifty-six hard years after the events of The Machine Crusade, after the death of Serena Butler, the bloodiest decades of the Jihad take place. The human worlds begin to hope that the end of the centuries-long conflict with the thinking machines is finally in sight.

Unfortunately, Omnius has one last, deadly card to play. In a last-ditch effort to destroy humankind, virulent plagues are let loose throughout the galaxy, decimating the populations of whole planets. The war that has lasted many lifetimes will be decided in the apocalyptic Battle of Corrin.

In the greatest battle of science fiction history, human and machine face off one last time....And on the desert planet of Arrakis, the legendary Fremen of Dune become the feared fighting force to be discovered by Paul Maud'Dib in Frank Herbert's classic, Dune.

Critic Reviews:

"Dune addicts will happily devour Herbert and Anderson's spicy conclusion to their second prequel trilogy." (

Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

The Battle for Corrin

Brian Herbert and Anderson have done Frank proud. This last installment of the fascinating prequel to Dune is as rich and detailed as the previous works. The complexity of characters and development of simultaneous plots provides an exciting read. These authors truly make the Universe of Dune come alive for the reader in a way unparelled since the original series. I cant wait for another chapter of this series.

Dune: The Battle of Corrin (Unabridged)

Excellent third installment in the Prequel to the Prequel of the Dune series. When I finished it, I was sad to hear in the interview with the authors, that they really did not seem to plan to continue with another series. It seems that the transition from VenKey Enterprises (Norma) to the Spacing Guild, as well as the development of the Reverend Mothers would be the next point to be covered. As anyone reading this can see, the key to Brian's and Kevin's Genius, is that it can go on.

You know you'll read it anyway

If you are a fan of the original Dune series (like me), you will probably buy this book no matter what anyone says - the prospect of reading about the Butlerian Jihad and the beginnings of the Guilds will be too much to pass up. However, you will probably grit your teeth through the entire book. I want to be clear that I have read many of Kevin Anderson's other books (notably the Star Wars titles) and enjoyed his work very much. However, although the basic plot outline that he and Brian Herbert have come up with are intriguing, I find their collabarative writing style very off-putting. In a post-book interview Anderson even states that many fans have thanked him for creating a series more readable than the original. Unfortunately, if you liked the original, these books seem like the 'young reader's edition' of a more literary work. The prose has none of the style and granduer of the original writings; it seems to me they take fifty words to say what Frank Herbert said in ten. Plot points are often repeated over and over again, to make absolutely certain you realize that this is how something in the original series originated. All this being said, I view the Dune prequels in the same way I view Clive Cussler novels - I can't stand the writing, but the plotlines are interesting enough that I buy them anyway, and then later swear that I won't do it again.

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Title: World War Z: The Lost Files

Subtitle: A Companion to the Abridged Edition

Author: Max Brooks

Narrator: Max Brooks, Martin Scorsese, F. Murray Abraham, René Auberjonois, Bruce Boxleitner, Denise Crosby, Paul Sorvino

Format: Abridged

Length: 6 hrs and 13 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-14-13

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 598 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

Fans of Max Brooks' original abridged recording of World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War will be thrilled to add this companion piece to their audio library. Offering listeners five hours of previously unrecorded content, World War Z: The Lost Files features 21 Hollywood A-list actors and sci-fi fan favorites performing stories not included in the original abridged edition.

Narrators of World War Z: The Lost Files are Academy Award-winning director Martin Scorsese, Spiderman star Alfred Molina, The Walking Dead creator Frank Darabont, rapper Common, Firefly star Nathan Fillion, Shaun of the Dead's Simon Pegg, F. Murray Abraham, René Auberjonois, Bruce Boxleitner, Nicki Clyne, Denise Crosby, Ade M'Cormack, Parminder Nagra, Masi Oka, Kal Penn, Jürgen Prochnow, Jeri Ryan, Paul Sorvino, David Ogden Stiers, Brian Tee, and Ric Young. Max Brooks reprises his role as The Interviewer.

PLEASE NOTE: World War Z: The Lost Files offers five hours of stories from characters not included in the original abridged recording, published as World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War. Also available from Random House Audio is World War Z: The Complete Edition, which offers these five extra hours of stories integrated with the original abridged recording.

Members Reviews:

The performers were just reading.

The readers were a little bland. not how I had read it in my head.

Amazing

So much better than "Walking Dead" as you get a planetary perspective of stories taking place all over the Earth and Space above it.

It's the same book

There's little or no new stories. It's just world war z in an odd order missing certain stories. No 20$ worth of material

SO MAD - This is not new stories

If you already have the newest version of World War Z, DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK. It is a selection of stories that I guess were added to the new version. So basically I bought a collection of short stories that were already included in the version of World War Z that I had, not new "lost files". I feel ripped off.

Repeat stories from the full version

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Had I known this was just a repeat of several stories from the full version of World War Z, I wouldn't have bought it. I would only give it 5 stars had I not bought it!

If youve listened to books by Max Brooks before, how does this one compare?

Repeat stories from the full version.

Any additional comments?

The story synopsis should have told us that this was the same stories - Nothing new here folks, move along -

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Title: 1632

Subtitle: Ring of Fire, Book 1

Author: Eric Flint

Narrator: George Guidall

Format: Unabridged

Length: 19 hrs and 27 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-20-12

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 1578 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

New York Times best-selling author Eric Flint has received glowing critical praise for his Ring of Fire alternate history series. In this first installment, a West Virginia town is transported from the year 2000 to 1631 Germany at the height of the Thirty Years War. Thrust into conflict, the town residents must also contend with moral issues, such as who should be considered a citizen.

Critic Reviews:

Gripping and excellently detailed.... A treat! (

Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Great idea superficial follow through

Any additional comments?

I really thought the idea of the clash of personalities, technology, and perspective was a great premise for a terrific book. The problem I had was that the characters were only partially developed and explored. There were many missed opportunities to build the story line and really pull in some historic research. The final rationale for the "ring of fire" happening was sort of dropped in your lap at the end and really should have been built more slowly throughout the story. It was entertaining but lacked the back bone it needed to make it a really engaging book.

The UMWA takes on the 30 Years War.

Eric Flint's 1632 is the first in an entire universe of books known as the "Ring of Fire". The premise is that Grantville, a West Virginia coal mining town, is plopped down in the middle of Thuringia(one of the Germanic states) in the year 1632, right in the middle of one of the bloodiest and nastiest wars in history, the 30 Years War.

This book, and the follow on books, are extremely well researched and will give you insights into a period and area most of us know nothing at all about. But forget all that, they're FUN, especially those written exclusively or primarily by Eric Flint. The protagonist from the Grantville side is Mike Stearns, the President of the United Mine Workers of America Local. How the people of Grantville, especially the UMWA miners, survive, interact with their new neighbours, and ultimately thrive in this new environment makes for an engrossing tale.

The book is very well read by George Guidall. His pace is good, his ability to distinguish voices without hamming it up is excellent, and the overall result is that I enjoy his reading without the reading overpowering the story. Highly recommended.

Entertaining but predictable

I have read other alternative history novels (Destroyermen, Lost Regiment). They all work the same way: a time/space tunnel sends our all-American-heros to a backward and cruel world, some times human (as in this case), other times alien. Our guys find some naive local friends, teach them modern technology and together they overcome great difficulties and enemies, albeit never completely so that a new book in the series can be written and purchased by the eager fans of the series. It would be entertaining to figure out the history of this type of book plot to understand who copied whom. This book is written and read competently, can be listen to with ease and provides good mindless entertainment. The bad guys get whipped mercilessly making the listener feel warm and cozy. The story smells of neocolonialism as we finally find a receptive foreign crowd that soaks up the American way. Of course, being post medieval mittel-Europe, most current cultures would have been a better way of life. In summary, I enjoyed listening to this book but did not get any smarter in the process.

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Title: Ancillary Mercy

Author: Ann Leckie

Narrator: Adjoa Andoh

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 54 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-06-15

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 892 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

The stunning conclusion to the trilogy that began with the Hugo, Nebula, and Arthur C. Clarke award-winning Ancillary Justice.

For a moment things seemed to be under control for Breq, the soldier who used to be a warship. Then a search of Athoek Station's slums turns up someone who shouldn't exist, and a messenger from the mysterious Presger empire arrives, as does Breq's enemy, the divided and quite possibly insane Anaander Mianaai - ruler of an empire at war with itself.

Breq refuses to flee with her ship and crew because that would leave the people of Athoek in terrible danger. The odds aren't good, but that's never stopped her before.

In the Ancillary world:

1. Ancillary Justice

2. Ancillary Sword

3. Ancillary Mercy

Members Reviews:

Excellent performance augments excellent conclusion of series

This intelligent, well-conceived performance brings to the forefront nuances within the relationships between the large cast of characters that are drawn together onto the stage for this final book in the trilogy. Having read much of this in print parallel to listening to this performance, I felt the performer's understanding of the irony and withheld information dancing around so many of these exchanges deepened my interest in (and understanding of) the evolution in these characters that brings this series from the lively action of the first book through to the dramatic changes that become possible by the end. There are those who have mentioned preferring the first book because of the action and genre play, but in my opinion the much more challenging and impressive work Leckie has accomplished is best recognized in this third book.

Boring

Honestly, the first book was great, the second half as good, and this... Was just so boring. Hardly any adventures, just dry space station politicking. Lame.

Reader was wonderful.

A Fine Space Opera

The continuing struggles of an AI reduced to one human body against a corrupt empire.

Really great

Excellent story, gripping. The narration was first rate, the choice differentiation precise and the choices made very good. Highly recommended.

V. Good!

I'm very impressed with the performance! Different British accents for all of the characters, really helps keep them straight.

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Title: The Reluctant Adventures of Fletcher Connolly on the Interstellar Railroad

Author: Felix R. Savage

Narrator: Nick Podehl

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 31 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-12-17

Publisher: Podium Publishing

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 73 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

An Irishman in space. Hoards of alien technological treasures to be discovered. What could go wrong?

Don't answer that....

Fletcher Connolly hasn't got a lot to lose. Since he and half the galaxy signed on to the rat race of the technological relics trade, Fletch has come to terms with the idea that he will join the ranks of unlucky explorers that perish light years from home without a dime to his name.

But bankruptcy is a great motivator. With friends and family counting on him to strike it rich, Fletch embarks on an unwilling quest for alien treasure. His decrepit exploration ship, the Skint Idjit, and her successor, the Intergalactic Bogtrotter, plunge disastrously through the wildest regions of the Interstellar Railroad...from an uninhabited planet appropriately named Suckass...to a deliberately misnamed mafia-run planet known as Arcadia...to a rogue planet inhabited by aliens resembling cuddly teddy bears...to a moon covered with giant cacti...and, ultimately, to the supermassive black hole in the center of the galaxy, where Fletch's terrible judgment comes back to bite him in the rear for the last time.

Epic catastrophes and belly laughs pile up breathlessly in this delightful comic sci-fi adventure, a worthy successor to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

This complete edition of The Reluctant Adventures of Fletcher Connolly on the Interstellar Railroad contains all four episodes of Fletch's unlucky career:

Felix R. Savage is the NYT, WSJ, and USAT best-selling author of the Earth's Last Gambit Quartet and many other books. This is by far the funniest one.

Members Reviews:

So much fun!

I'm calling this narrator "Nick O'Podehl" from now on. He's always fantastic but this performance of a really witty and fun book is brilliant. So much to love - CBs on the LP, Fletch's American accent brought out to save his skin, wicked corporate overlords, fancy dress parties, tree cats. Really glad I spent this credit.

Nonstop entertainment

Any additional comments?

This book was great. I listened to it all in one go without stopping, chuckling to myself the whole way. I really hope that there are more stories of the Connolly family, especially Fletcher.

Super awesome!!!!

I'd already read the first two books in this series, and liked them. The humor is fun, and the characters are memorable. I'm already a fan of this author's Elfrida Goto series, or whatever he's calling it now that it's past book 3. This series appealed to me in the same way. There's humor, grand adventures, and ALIENS! I absolutely loved these. I would recommend to anyone who likes the original Star Wars trilogy, and wished there was a little more humor (NOT Space Balls level, just a little more than Lucas felt necessary), or just wished their sci-fi was a bit more tongue-in-cheek. The voice actor sounds familiar, and I will definitely be looking for more from him, as well.

awesome fun

This is a great audio book. Great fun and engaging. I hated to see it end.

Great listen!

If you like witty humourous SciFi then this book is for you. Irishman in space, what more could you want?

We need more Audible! Mr. Podehl does a great job as narrator.

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Title: Stark's War

Author: Jack Campbell

Narrator: Eric Summerer

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 18 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-28-09

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1133 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

BONUS AUDIO: Includes an exclusive introduction written and read by author Jack Campbell.

Stark's War was originally published as "by John G. Hemry".

Members Reviews:

Mutiny

I have listened to Jack Campbell's Lost Fleet series and got hooked. After finishing the series and listening to the off shoots books I looked around for more books by Campbell. This series appears to be a bit different from the other military Sci Fi have listened to in that this story is about army forces fighting on the moon and so far it has been all land battles. The story has a world run by corporation telling the government what to do and a big schism between military and civilian population. The troops are being killed in useless attack created by a General without regard to the lives and safety of the troops until Stark lead a mutiny. Now I have to listen to the next book to find out what happens to them. Eric Summerer did a good job narrating the book.

All too believable

At first I was a bit repulsed by this book as it portrayed the US soldiers as mindless idiots commanded by moronic officers. Then you realise that what you are reading is the logical extension of today's technology to combat operations where officers away from the battlefield start giving tactical orders because technology allows them to, with missions chosen by large corporations. What develops is a very entertaining tale of how the experienced combat soldiers take control back and begin to fight using their own skills. The main characters have to learn to control divisions rather than squads, and find themselves up to the challenge. The translation of combat issues into low-gravity operations feels well thought out and consistent. I thoroughly enjoyed the story.

Excellent listen

I had no major complaints about the book or its presentation. While not quite up to the level of the Lost Fleet series, the book is fast paced and keeps the listener interested in the story. The author does a very good job of setting the listener within the main character's perspective and allowing us to see how his decisions are shaped through respect, loyalty, and the willingness to finally question absurd orders.

I'm watching weekly for Audible to include the final two books in this series!

Heavy-handed

You get the gist of this story within the first hour, and then get beaten over the head with it over and over and over for the remainder.

Corporate entities have co-opted government, armies have been privatized, and the soldier on the ground is endangered more by bureaucracy than by the enemy. It's a good premise, and not horribly executed, but...it lacks subtlety. It's pretty preachy at times.

The sci-fi stuff -- the military parts -- are good, though not up to the standards of Campbell's Lost Fleet books, and they play out like interludes between the preaching about how the officers don't know anything and the non-coms should be able to run the army without oversight.

loved it!

I have really enjoyed Jack Campbell/John Hemry's works and even though this was his first series it has a great story line and is an interesting topic. Be sure to listen to his comments at the beginning - even he notes that he would change things now, but I'm glad he didn't. It is fun to see his writing style develop as the characters do.

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Title: Sanctuary

Subtitle: A Postapocalyptic Novel (The New World, Book 3)

Author: G. Michael Hopf

Narrator: Keith Szarabajka

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 16 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-27-14

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 361 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

Surviving the attack proved to be more than they could have imagined.

Months after a super-EMP attack devastated the United States, the country is now unrecognizable. Major cities are run by gangs, survivors are dying of starvation and the government is falling victim to lawlessness. Those who were prepared for the end find that they weren't really prepared at all.

While some seek vengeance for their losses, others are determined to restore the nation. Gordon, Samantha, Sebastian, Barone, Connor and Pablo are all on different paths, but they are all in search of a home away from chaos. They are all in search of a sanctuary.

Members Reviews:

Good 3rd book. Do NOT change narrators mid-series

What did you love best about Sanctuary?

I enjoyed this series, and eagerly sped through all the books. But this audiobook takes a great story and throws the listener a huge curve ball with a narrator change. I am not going to speak to the talents of the narrators, but rather to the HUGE MISTAKE of changing narrators mid-series. That is just plain dumb. I don't know what led to that decision, whether it was deadline, availability, or some decision-makers personal preference.But let me just say loud and clear: DON'T DO THAT TO YOUR AUDIENCE. Having the voices of the narrator change is jarring, but also the tremendously altered voices of various characters changed is completely off-putting and unacceptable.BTW I know I said I wasn't going to speak to the talents of the narrators but I have to make one exception: The voice used by Keith Szarabjka for Barone on this book is horrible. Horrible.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Sanctuary?

Now as to the story, it was actually pretty good. Memorable moments? Hmm. That's tough. It's a fairly steadily progressing story with some real bursts of action...yet as an avid listener I don't think I was ever surprised by what was happening, as by the time something happened (most..not all.. of the time), I already saw it coming. But that's okay.

Would you be willing to try another one of Keith Szarabjkas performances?

Perhaps. As I said, I'm most offended by the change of narrators on the third book in a series. That's terrible. I'd probably listen to and enjoy other performances by Keith Szarabjka if the story was good.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. But still enjoyed. Did all three books in as many weeks.

Any additional comments?

Overall I found the book great. A few scenarios in this series were over the top (Rahab storyline) but overall pretty good. I found the use of profanity slightly excessive, but appropriate in some places. I thought there were a few too many characters that became "unhinged" and this story device seemed a bit forced at times. (Lexi, Barone at the end, Brandon). Slightly 2 dimensional on those supporting characters.

Worst narrator EVER!

Would you listen to Sanctuary again? Why?

No. This narrator has completely ruined the story. I was so looking forward to book 3 and was disappointed to see that Joseph Morton had been replaced by this clown. I have fast-forwarded over quite a few parts, esp. those where Pablo and his minion Pasqual, a.k.a. Speedy Gonzalez, are speaking. Szarabjka's accents are utterly ridiculous and so overly-dramatic that he lends a comical feel to the story.

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Title: Mech 1: The Parent

Author: B. V. Larson

Narrator: Mirron Willis

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 49 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-18-12

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 544 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

Bio-tech aliens battle Mechs built by humans! After centuries in stasis, a lost task force returns home. Arriving from the infinite void, the surviving ships discover that the Imperium lies in ruin. The Homeworld itself is destroyed, and nothing lives in the Ancestral System except an infestation of unknown bipedal beings - creatures soft, red of blood and warm of flesh.... When you colonize a planet, make sure the owners aren't coming back.

MECH is the story of a new Earth colony built upon the ancient Homeworld of a civilization presumed (incorrectly) to be long dead. MECH is a full novel, 90,000 words in length, by best-selling author B. V. Larson.

Members Reviews:

This book needs a prologue

I had read most of B V Larsons StarForce series and, thinking that the series was not bad, decided to try this book. The premise, as explained in the Audible description, was that a long lost race returned to find humans had taken hold of their home world. I had assumed that there would be some kind of reasonable first contact between rational beings and that it might be worth reading how this was resolved. But the book disappointed me in many ways. There are no spoilers in this review, but I have listed what about this book made me feel disappointed.

First, the description is incorrect. The home world itself was physically destroyed and did not, as I assumed, only contain some kind of ruins. The humans did not inhabit the home world but an adjacent world. That is clear in the first 10 minutes of the book. The description was almost certainly provided by the publisher and so this is not Audible's fault.

Second, there is no back story to explain about the religious group and the story, as it unfolds, was almost unintelligible to me. I could not understand who they were, why they were acting as they were and why anyone would choose to make the decisions the reader eventually finds they have made. I could not help comparing those people with the characters in Heinleins "The Puppet Masters" since they were essentially in the same situation.

Third the characters seem to be more caricature than character. The villains have no saving graces at all and are either cowards, thieves, closet pedophiles, sadists or some combination thereof. The heroes and heroines seem to have no failings at all and, in the end, only one character seemed real to me at all.

Last, but not least, I found the reading to be less than stellar and, at least at the beginning, difficult to follow. Eventually I became familiar enough with the narration that it stopped bothering me but I always felt that it was a distraction from the book rather than being either neutral or a positive addition.

Mr. Larsons web site says of this book that people either love it or hate it and I can believe that. Although I fall closer to the latter than the former I can see how people might find all of the weirdness appealing in books that often seen to be clones of one another. This book is definitely weird but the one positive thing I can say about it is that it is not a clone of anything else I have ever read. It would have been improved (for me) if there had been a prologue explaining who the various groups were and something about the riders, but perhaps I am not typical.

All in all I do not feel that I can recommend this book but I do feel that some people will positively enjoy it.

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Title: Beyond Exile

Subtitle: Day by Day Armageddon, Book 2

Author: J. L. Bourne

Narrator: Jay Snyder

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 40 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-13-10

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 3288 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

The first book of Day by Day Armageddon took us deep into the mind of a military officer and survivor as he made a New Year's resolution to start keeping a journal. The man kept his resolution and brought to us the fall of humanity, day by day. We see the man transition from the life that you and I live to the prospect of fighting for his very survival against the overwhelming hordes of the dead. We see him bleed, we see him make mistakes, we witness him evolve. The highly anticipated sequel to the best-selling underground cult classic, Day by Day Armageddon, begins where the first novel left off.

BEGIN INTERCEPT

Armies of undead have risen up across the U.S. and around the globe; there is no safe haven from the diseased corpses hungering for human flesh. But in the heat of a Texas wasteland, a small band of survivors attempt to counter the millions closing in around them.

INTERCEPT COMPLETED

Day by day, the handwritten journal entries of one man caught in a worldwide cataclysm capture the desperation--and the will to survive--as he joins forces with a handful of refugees to battle soulless enemies both human and inhuman from inside an abandoned strategic missile facility. But in the world of the undead, is mere survival enough?

Members Reviews:

We don't need Character Development.

Any additional comments?

Day by Day is simply the best Zombie book I have read. All the negative reviews that accuse this book of lack of character development and straying from the Novel Format are completely missing the point of this book. Its a Day by Day account of one guys journey through surviving the Zombie outbreak. Unlike other novels that start out as a journal then morph the reader into the scene to over hear conversations and thoughts of the characters, this book stays in true Journal format so there are no conversations between characters we get to experience there are no side plots there are no other points of view - from the first page to the last page, this is a documentation of survival.

As if the reader were to find this Journal in an old desk, we get a glimpse a snap shot of this guys life. What he sees, what he thinks, who he meets, how he reacts I was not so sure a book like this would keep me invested but honestly, I have never had a book grab hold of me so hard and so fast literally by the 3rd page I was hooked. In spite of the limitations the author gave himself in picking this writing style, he still manages to make us care about our hero - and care about the things he cares about (other characters). We feel his fear right along with him. We feel his frustration, his denial, and his determination. All this without any character development at all. (Now thats a great writer in my book!).

I highly recommend this book! And take my suggestion, if you do purchase this book, have your Google Maps ready you will find yourself wanting to follow along with the character. :)

The narrator is excellent! He does a good job at sounding like hes talking to himself fits in very well the feel of the book.

For Zombie Lovers

Make sure you start with Book 1 "Day by Day Armagedon" then sit back and enjoy Beyond Exile. I love J.L. Bourne's writing style and the Narrator Jay Snyder, has the perfect voice for this part. I enjoy a good Zombie story and or movie, some more then others, and this is rated right up there with my #1 picks.