Listen to Your Favorite Audiobooks in Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Sci-Fi: Contemporary Online

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Title: Hard Spell

Subtitle: Occult Crimes Unit Investigations, Book 1

Author: Justin Gustainis

Narrator: Peter Brook

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 49 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-28-14

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 189 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

Scranton, the strangest city on earth has an uneasy live and let unlive relationship with the supernatural. But when a vamp puts the bite on an unwilling victim, or some witch casts the wrong kind of spell, thats when they call me.

"My names Markowski, a Detective Sergeant on the Scranton PDs Supernatural Crimes Investigation Unit. I carry a badge. Also, a crucifix, some wooden stakes, a big vial of holy water, and a 9mm Beretta loaded with silver bullets."

Justin Gustainis was born in Northeast Pennsylvania in 1951. He attended college at the University of Scranton, a Jesuit university that figures prominently in several of his writings. He is currently a Professor of Communication at Plattsburgh State University. His popular series of urban fantasy novels featuring investigator Quincey Morris include Evil Ways, Black Magic Woman, and the forthcoming Sympathy for the Devil.

Members Reviews:

Predictable and Flat

I was really hoping to like this. I'm a fan of the paranormal detective/thriller genre. But apart from being superficially 'noirish', this was deeply disappointing. It's gravely lacking in any of the attributes that make the genre engaging. It does nothing creative with any of the various paranormal mythologies. The plot is predictably structured and plods along. But all that would be forgivable if the characters had any depth or humour or a spark of intelligence.

They don't.

It was not helped by the clichéd and annoying narration.

Narrator Make It Sound Like A Bad Cartoon

Would you try another book from Justin Gustainis and/or Peter Brook?

From the author maybe.

The narrator no, not even if it was the next Dresden book.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Change narrator, only the main guy and characters with one or two lines had a "normal" voice. All most every one else had an over the top almost slap stick voice. Guys first partner was described as a big guy bit over weight, Brook makes him sound like like that big dumb guy from the old merry melodies cartoons, he was only missing the "duh which way did he go George". (Spoiler warning) Sorry but I was glad when he died in the very beginning of the book so i didn't have to hear to much of it. Others are more annoying others less but over all it really kills the feel of the story.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Peter Brook?

If I could pick, Michael Kramer or William Dufris. There two of my favorite but both also have a wight range of normal sounding voices to pull from.

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

Story wasn't bad, could be polished a bit better.

Any additional comments?

I don't know who this Peter Brook is but he should narrate children books. That's about the only place I can see those voices fitting in and not killing a story.

I tried.. I really did..

What disappointed you about Hard Spell?

The narrator. He is the worst perfomer I have ever heard. His "voices" are ridiculous. It sounded like a stupid cartoon. I was unable to get past chapter 2. And that is a shame because the premise of the story seemed like it might be really good. But I will never listen to this narrator again.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

never finished it.

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Title: Melt Down

Subtitle: Breakers, Book 2

Author: Edward W. Robertson

Narrator: Ray Chase

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 4 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-07-14

Publisher: Podium Publishing

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 231 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

In upstate Idaho, Ness Hook is run out of his mom's house by his bullying brother Shawn. In Redding, California, Tristan Carter is graduating college, but with no job and no prospects, she'll have to move back in with her parents. Then the world ends. After Ness discovers his best friend dead of disease, Shawn takes their family to the mountains to wait out the plague.

As Tristan's parents fall sick, she's left to care for her younger brother, Alden. Both sets of siblings dig in for the long haul. Humanity is reduced to splinters. And then the creatures who sent the virus appear in the sky. Flushed from the mountains, Shawn and Ness join a tribe at a nuclear power plant, where they plan to launch a guerrilla war against the invaders. In California, Tristan and Alden are taken prisoner. Separated from her brother, Tristan crosses the ruins of America to track him down. She will stop at nothing to get Alden back - but her fellow survivors prove even more dangerous than the monsters who broke the world.

Members Reviews:

A let down from Book 1

What did you like best about Melt Down? What did you like least?

I really wanted to like this - Book 1 was exceptional, but sadly this compared poorly to the first book, and I was disappointed by the plot. Whilst the narration and performance by Ray Chase was first class, the story seemed to take a diversion to Camelot / Westoros which was a step too far. Like a good film the author should sweep the reader along in a willing suspension of disbelief , sadly this scenario was a complete disconnect from everything preceding it.

Has Melt Down turned you off from other books in this genre?

Perhaps the author was under pressure for a quick follow up to Book 1, this has made me think carefully about Book 3.

Any additional comments?

I would caution listeners to only use spare credits on this episode in the series, in retrospect I kind of wish the series had been limited to Book 1, it was that good, and this struggled to reach 60% of the heights reached in the first book.

Not a sequel

This is not an actual sequel to the first book in the series. It runs concurrent with the original so anybody hoping for a continuation of the story will be seriously disappointed..

Snappy Dialogue Perfect for Ray Chase

What did you like about this audiobook?

The dialogue between characters was really interesting - a bunch of nailed one liners and retorts, especially from Tristan. That gal has a biting verbal slap on tap and has no compulsions about letting them loose.

Ray Chase scored another 10 out of 10 on my narrator excellence scale. He brings every character to life in a uniquely cool way. In my opinion, he has secured a spot on the starting squad of the top team in the big leagues when it comes to narration.

How has the book increased your interest in the subject matter?

Subject matter being.......science fiction? How humanity copes with sudden mass extinction through a pandemic prior to alien invasion? As long as the author is creative as Mr. Robertson and Ray Chase is sitting in the narrator's chair my interest will continue to wax.

Does the author present information in a way that is interesting and insightful, and if so, how does he achieve this?

To be frank, this question doesn't exactly jive with a science fiction book focused on 2 sets of siblings trying to stay alive and together while humanity slouches into oblivion around them.

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Title: Knifepoint

Subtitle: Breakers, Book 3

Author: Edward W. Robertson

Narrator: Ray Chase

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 10 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-07-14

Publisher: Podium Publishing

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 171 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

Raina was just a girl when the plague came. She survived. Her parents didn't. Neither did the world. As civilization fell, she took to the ruins of Los Angeles, eating whatever she could catch. After two years alone, she's found and adopted by a fisherman and his wife. Their makeshift family lives a quiet life - until a man named Karslaw sails in from Catalina Island with an army of conquerors. Driven by visions of empire, he executes Raina's new father as a traitor and takes her mother captive. But Karslaw's people aren't the only ones vying for control of the ruined land. As violence wracks the city, Raina joins a rebellion against Karslaw's rule. She will stop at nothing to free her mother - and to have her revenge.

Members Reviews:

Awesome

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

This series is written so well. Once you start listening you can't pull yourself away.

Another Victory for Robertson

This series has been one of my favorites to listen to. The performance is captivating from beginning to end, and the story keeps a solid pace throughout.

The Best Yet!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Raina - The most amazing unique character Robertson has captured yet. Absolutely loved listening to her story.

Return to form

Any additional comments?

This book took me a little by surprise - after book 2 in the series it took me a while before getting back into it , as I was disappointed. The performance by Ray Chase was as good as ever, the parallel story lines crafted expertly so that at times they touched but were still allowed on their own way. I welcomed the return of Walt, visits by Ness and Sebastian, and the new perspective on events afforded by a 15 year old girl.

Overall the dry wit, narration and characterization was the best part, and leaving aside yet more overt nods to Game of Thrones ( Medieval marauders with meglomaniac leader,living in an island castle, the main female character behaving very similar to Arya, complete with assassin like training, even a totem called Reek, for goodness sake) it was an enjoyable adventure.

Great After The End of the World Story

Would you consider the audio edition of Knifepoint to be better than the print version?

Don't actually read for entertainment. I have no idea.

What did you like best about this story?

I like "end of the world" stories but this one was fun to listen to. For this type of subject matter, I was surprised I laughed so much. The dark humor was quite funny.

What does Ray Chase bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

Ray Chase did an excellent job bringing the characters to life. With the dark humor, he played off the lines really well. I will have to see what else Mr. Chase has narrated.

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

No, but I did finish the story fast for me. I wish there were more stories in the series. I figure I will take a break because I read 1, 2 and 3 pretty quickly, one after another. I will read something else and come back to book 4.

Any additional comments?

I was surprised that I really enjoyed this series and had quite a few laughs. Hopefully this author has other books I might like.

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Title: Incandescence

Author: Greg Egan

Narrator: Paul Boehmer

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 7 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-03-14

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 76 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

The long-awaited new audiobook from Greg Egan! Hugo Award-winning author Egan returns to the field with Incandescence, a new novel of hard SF. The Amalgam spans nearly the entire galaxy, and is composed of innumerable beings from a wild variety of races, some human or near it, some entirely other. The one place that they cannot go is the bulge, the bright, hot center of the galaxy. There dwell the Aloof, who for millions of years have deflected any and all attempts to communicate with or visit them. So when Rakesh is offered an opportunity to travel within their sphere, in search of a lost race, he cannot turn it down. Roi is a member of that lost race, which is not only lost to the Amalgam, but lost to itself. In their world, there is but toil, and history and science are luxuries that they can ill afford. Rakesh's journey will take him across millennia and light years. Roi's will take her across vistas of learning and discovery just as vast.

Critic Reviews:

"The driving forces of this novel are a pure scientific puzzle and the intellectual joy of finding answers.... Those who like their science hard will appreciate his thorough research and intricate speculations." (Booklist)

Members Reviews:

Incandescence Science / fiction

This is hard core science fiction with the science part underlined. There were times during the story when I felt I was in an advanced Physics class listening to a lecture on Orbital Mechanics; but the overall experience was entertaining and should excite the hardcore science fiction fan.

Set in the far distant future where DNA based life forms (humans) have advanced and can now freely travel across the known universe with the exception of its galactic core which is inhabited by a species that prefer isolation and are appropriately called the Aloof, the story is separated into two separate plot lines which are told alternately throughout the book. In our first plot line DNA is discovered in part of the Universe controlled by the Aloof and it sends a couple to seek out its source. We learn about an inspect-like species that are trying to come to grips with their relativity in the second. These two plot lines seem destined to come together in the end, but they never really do.

Overall I found Greg Egans descriptions of a galaxy-spanning, post human civilization fascinating and the narrator, Paul Boehmer, gives a good performance.

Good narrative boring book

Should have trusted the other reviews. It's not that this is a bad book but it is Boring with a capital B. No real action just and poor description of applying math concepts from Kepler to Newton.

Two hard SF tales of outer & inner space

The POVs of the two alternating narratives that comprise this novel are so wildly different in style, that it feels like two separate authors are at work. One follows a restless citizen of a far future galactic civilization on a quest to discover something, anything, new and mysterious in the aseptically tame society he inhabits. The other narrative observes an alien species in an environment wildly different than our own discovering fundamental physics on their own terms under the threat of environmental disaster. Of the two, I must say I preferred the space opera former to the rock opera latter because it offered a broader cosmic scope in dimension and more wonder. As others have noted, the alien (ark dweller) storyline is incredibly thick with mathematical exposition.

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Title: Shadow Ops, Book 3: Breach Zone

Author: Myke Cole

Narrator: Korey Jackson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 54 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-28-14

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 98 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

In the wake of a bloody battle at Forward Operating Base Frontier and a scandalous presidential impeachment, Lieutenant Colonel Jan Thorsson, call sign " Harlequin," becomes a national hero and a pariah to the military that is the only family he' s ever known. In the fight for Latent equality, Oscar Britton is positioned to lead a rebellion in exile, but a powerful rival beats him to the punch: Scylla, a walking weapon who will stop at nothing to end the human-sanctioned apartheid against her kind.

When Scylla' s inhuman forces invade New York City, the Supernatural Operations Corps are the only soldiers equipped to prevent a massacre. In order to redeem himself with the military, Harlequin will be forced to face off with this havoc-wreaking woman from his past, warped by her power into something evil.

Members Reviews:

even better then the first two

Myke Cole weaves a complex set of characters into this futuristic clash between worlds. The exciting plot of his previous books is strengthened by back story that gives depth to a fast-paced battle for the future of humanity.

amazing story

fast paced action packed story. i couldn't stop till i got to the end.

Easily the best book in the series thus far

I'm going to keep his short. Originally I was never going to read this book because the previous books in the series pissed me off for various reasons. But I heard a sufficient number of good things about this book for me to give this book a chance, and it paid off. It wasn't a spectacular book by any means, but it was quite enjoyable and I can see myself listening to it again (which is something I cannot say for the other books in the series).

Good fun and enjoyable finish to the series

Where does Shadow Ops, Book 3: Breach Zone rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

About 3rd / 4th out of 5.

If youve listened to books by Myke Cole before, how does this one compare?

Compares about the same although Cole seemed more at ease in the delivery of this book which was good.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

Made more of the characters and voices.

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Title: Quin's Shanghai Circus

Author: Edward Whittemore

Narrator: Brian Zelis

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 7 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-20-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

In Edward Whittemores masterful and surreal alternate history, a mans search for answers about his vanished parents propels him on an odyssey from the present into the past, from a bar in the Bronx to Tokyo and Shanghai during the Second World War. Quin, born in China and raised in the Bronx, is orphaned in the closing days of the Second World War when his parents go missing and are presumed dead in Shanghai.

Years later, in a Bronx bar, Quin encounters a stranger who hints that he can uncover the secrets of his past by accompanying Big Gobi, an adult orphan too simpleminded to travel alone, on a journey to meet his guardian in Tokyo. Quin arrives in Japan determined to uncover the truth about his parents past, but his search soon raises more questions than answers.

What are the connections between a Russian anarchist, a one-eyed baron who is head of the Japanese secret service known as the Kempeitai, and the atrocities committed during the rape of Nanking? And what does any of it have to do with Quins parents?

Part espionage novel and part surreal fantasy, Quins Shanghai Circus, the first novel by Edward Whittemore, is a remarkable and audacious literary feat. Alive with a fascinating cast of characters and equally enthralling turns of events, former CIA officer Whittemore offers readers a mesmerizing glimpse at a secret history of the twentieth century.

Members Reviews:

A circus of horrors

A bizarre shaggy dog story set in Japan and China, spanning 60 years of war, love, espionage and terrible crimes

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Title: The Land Across

Author: Gene Wolfe

Narrator: Jeff Woodman

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-26-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 83 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

An American writer of travel guides in need of a new location chooses to travel to a small and obscure Eastern European country. The moment Grafton crosses the border he is in trouble, much more than he could have imagined. His passport is taken by guards, and then he is detained for not having it. He is released into the custody of a family, but is again detained. It becomes evident that there are supernatural agencies at work, but they are not in some ways as threatening as the brute forces of bureaucracy and corruption in that country. Is our hero in fact a spy for the CIA? Or is he an innocent citizen caught in a Kafkaesque trap?

In The Land Across, Gene Wolfe keeps us guessing until the very end, and after.

Members Reviews:

Give the man a (dead) hand

In The Land Across, our hero, a travel writer named Grafton, is determined to become the first to publish a travel guide for an unnamed Eastern European country he refers to as "the land across the mountains". He takes a train across the border and is immediately arrested. His passport is confiscated and he is delivered to and becomes the prisoner of a suburban homeowner. We then follow Grafton as he first attempts to regain his passport and secondarily tries to understand the mores and culture of the country for his book, but Grafton quickly becomes embroiled in mysteries and dramas far beyond his expectations. The American travel writer stumbles across a lost treasure mystery, becomes dangerously entangled in a black cult and the JAKA (the country's secret police) efforts to stop them, as well as becoming the recipient of an animated dead hand all the while dealing with the amorous attentions of virtually every woman he meets including a ghost girl!

The book begins in a quasi-travelogue style, but moves into more of a first person mystery tale fairly early in the narrative. There's a little bit of a lot of paranormal thrown in - allusions to Vlad the Impaler, voodoo, ghosts, angels, demons, second sight, etc. - although the paranormal side of the story never quite finds a real focus. There is a fairly good use of foreshadowing, some great settings that enhance the creepy feeling of foreboding, several clever plot twists, and some very fun characters that keep this story fast-moving and very entertaining. This is one of those books where you can see some big plots holes in the rear view mirror, that aren't too troublesome during the story. (I had the same feeling about Lexicon and 14 - too much fun during the story to worry about plot holes until AFTER I finished the book.)

I wouldn't normally really like this protagonist because EVERY woman he encounters is so enamored of him which I usually find tiresome, but Grafton has some good qualities and Gene Wolfe's characterization of this "every-man" controlled by powers he doesn't understand and Jeff Woodman's great narration combine to make Grafton rather likable in spite of himself. Some of Wolfe's female characters are a little thin, but he does have a pretty great female JAKA agent that I really liked and Woodman does a terrific job with voices including the women.

More of a mystery with paranormal facets than a true fantasy, The Land Across is fun and entertaining. Most of the book can be followed easily without using all of your attention, but the last two hours require more focus as all the loose ends are tied together.

A Sound Decision.

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Title: Playing God

Author: Sarah Zettel

Narrator: Tara Ochs

Format: Unabridged

Length: 15 hrs and 52 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-08-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 2 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

To save an alien world, a human architect must risk destroying it

For two centuries, the planet of the Dedelphi has been riven by war. Though delicate, swanlike creatures, the planets natives are fierce in battle, and their ceaseless conflict has reduced their world to a wasteland. To save themselves and their world, the Dedelphi have forged a fragile peace and called for outside intervention. The Earth corporation Bioverse constructs a plan to heal the shattered planet. Its the most ambitious engineering project the universe has ever seen, and if it backfires, the result will almost certainly be genocide.

Hired to oversee the massive undertaking is architect Lynn Nussbaumer. Rebuilding the planet will take decades, and Nussbaumers first challenge is to arrange for a generation of Dedelphi to live out their lives in orbit around their home. When old conflicts and fresh violence emerge aboard the station and on the planets surface, she finds that it takes more than a talent for design to draft a blueprint for peace.

Editorial Reviews:

The Dedelphi race is facing extinction, their planet All-Cradle under attack by a deadly biochemical weapon. Ceasing an interminable war, the Dedelphi are seeking aid from Earth's Bioverse Corporation, led by Dr. Lynn Nussbaumer. Praeis Shin t'Theria aids in the truce, but it may not be enough for her people to survive. Sarah Zettel weaves a complex tale in Playing God, and Tara Ochs plays a crucial role with her composed and enthralling performance. Ochs has an almost detached otherworldliness to her voice that conveys the multi-planetary dimensions, and uses a diverse array of accents in performing these well-drawn characters.

Members Reviews:

a good read. individuality vs corporation

individuality and choice vs corporatism and culture of war and greed

the science is a bit odd but the story works.

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Title: Orbital Decay

Author: Allen Steele

Narrator: Jonathan Yen

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 53 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-08-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 57 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

The award-winning, bestselling author's first novel. The beamjacks work in zero-gravity constructing satellites in the vacuum of deepest space. And they're not going to let the military control them anymore.

Members Reviews:

Hard to follow

Lots of extra material, missed some section here and there, story difficult to follow. Wish it was more succinct.

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Title: The Walk Up Nameless Ridge

Author: Hugh Howey

Narrator: Jonathan Davis

Format: Unabridged

Length: 39 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-27-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 135 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

On planet Eno, there stands a mountain that has never been summited. Many have tried. All have failed. This climbing season finds three teams making their bid up this murderous peak. And one man among them will discover these ugly truths: There are fates worse than death. There are fates worse than obscurity. To be remembered forever can be its own curse.

Editorial Reviews:

Jonathan Davis is the perfect narrator for the main character of this audiobook, a man dead set on fame and glory. Davis narrates the protagonist's dark thoughts with harsh cadences that jut out of a usually cold and deadpan voice. The Walk up Nameless Ridge is a science fiction, set on the remote planet Eno, where a mountain twice the height of Everest remains to be climbed. Listeners will be on the edge of their seats as our protagonist's insatiable appetite for stardom lets him stop at nothing - not even murder - to conquer this mountain. The audiobook is both a gripping adventure and an acute look at what kind of evil men are capable of.

Members Reviews:

Engrossing short story

Originally posted at Fantasy Literature.

The Walk up Nameless Ridge is a short story (18 pages, 39 minutes on audio) written by indie writer Hugh Howey of recent WOOL fame. You can order it for less than $2 at Audible or purchase it for 99c as a Kindle Single and then add the professional narration (Jonathan Davis!!!) for 99c more.

The story is about a mountain climber who hopes to be the first person to summit the famous 60,000 foot peak on the planet Eno, even if it kills him. What he wants more than anything is to leave a legacy, even if it means he has to leave other people, including his family, behind. There are others on the mountain who, presumably, have the same goal. What price are these climbers willing to pay in order to be remembered? After all, nobody cares who got there second. Our climber must grapple with these ethical issues and must live (or die) with the choices he makes.

I was completely engrossed by The Walk up Nameless Ridge. With only 18 pages, Hugh Howey makes the mountain and the climber come alive. I was surprised at the range of emotion I felt toward the climber. At first it was admiration, then it was wariness, then. well, I dont want to spoil the plot. Ill just say that the ending surprised me with its emotional impact.

This is the second time (two for two) that Hugh Howey has pleasantly surprised me with his self-published books, so Ive ordered several more. In most cases the Kindle/Audible pairing is very reasonably priced.

Jonathan Davis is one of my very favorite (top three, probably) audiobook narrators. If youre not an audio reader and want to see how engrossing audio can be, give this one a try. Youll get to hear one of the best narrators in the business and if you dont like it, youre only out $2 and 39 minutes of your time.

My new favorite short story.

What did you love best about The Walk Up Nameless Ridge?

The writing was great. I believe I know the character even though it was a short story.