Simply The Best Audiobooks in Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Sci-Fi: Contemporary Popular Titles

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Title: Janus

Author: John Park

Narrator: Thomas Stephen Jr.

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 27 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-29-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

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

Publisher's Summary:

In the near future, Jon Grebbel arrives on the colony world of Janus, and finds himself mysteriously without memory of his life on Earth. It seems that the long journey has caused severe memory loss in many of Janus's colonists. While Grebbel wants to start his new life, he also wants his memory back, and starts treatments to restore his past. But they only leave him angry and disturbed and he begins to doubt the glimpses of the past the treatments reveal.

Grebbel meets Elinda, an earlier arrival, whose lover, Barbara, vanished and then was found lying in the woods, apparently brain-damaged. Elinda has also lost her memories of Earth, but unlike him she has abandoned the effort to recover them. Now their meeting brings each of them a glimpse of an experience they shared back on Earth.

Investigating Barbara's fate and their own, the two find their love and their search for justice turning toward bitter self-discovery and revenge, even as they begin to uncover the darkness at the heart of their world.

Members Reviews:

Could have been great

I almost didn't finish this book. The storyline was good. The delivery wasn't. Unfortunately, seamless this book is not. There is a lot of subcontext that is left out. The author assumes you understand when & why he's jumping from one scene to another, but he leaves out the important subcontext to explain it. He also uses a lot of made up names referring to equipment, plants & animals on the new world of Janus, however, he doesn't offer any explanation of these items, so when he talks about a character using the 'dirigible' (or however it was spelled), you have no idea what he is talking about because not only does he not explain what the 'dirigible' is, he doesn't explain what the characters are using the 'dirigible' for. He just states they are using the dirigible. It makes for a very un-cohesive & frustrating read. Honestly, I felt like I was drunk the whole time I was reading the story. I think the storyline is great and interesting. I just think the author needs to work on writing for other people and not writing what is in his head alone, since he makes a lot of assumptions about what the reader does or does not know or understand about the world he's writing about. I really had much higher hopes for this novel.

Hidden pasts on a mystery planet (3.5 stars)

Most of us have a hidden side, a part of our personality or past that we choose (sometimes unsuccessfully) to bury. Janus plays with that reality (sometimes unsuccessfully) by introducing characters with a hidden past, albeit not hidden by choice.

Traveling through the Knot (which, though unexplained, is presumably something like a wormhole or a stargate) to the planet Janus seems to provoke amnesia in about 30 percent of the people who make the journey, a condition that technicians on Janus are trying to correct. Attempts to restore Elinda Michaels' memory have been unsuccessful; why she emigrated from Earth to Janus remains a mystery to her. Her lover Barbara suffers from the same impairment. New arrival John Grebbel is troubled by the scars on his hands and arms but does not remember their cause. He just knows that something feels wrong.

Shortly after leaflets appear suggesting that immigrants have come to Janus from asylums and prisons, Barbara disappears.

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Title: Dragon Drive on Terul

Author: Wyatt McLaren

Narrator: Joe Roark

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 15 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-17-13

Publisher: Michael Hearing

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

Publisher's Summary:

It was tough enough herding longhorns - an undertaking fraught with danger and hardship - to Abilene or Kansas City or Sioux City. So just think what it would be like trailing dragons instead of cattle hundreds of miles across the uninviting terrain of planet Terul. But Buck Johnson, Skeeter Evans, and Snort Jones are attempting it. And if everything goes right, they'll sell the dragons for a good price and finally be able to get off Terul. But things seldom go as planned especially when dragons and Terullians are involved.

This collection of Buck Johnson stories, titled Dragon Drive on Terul, comprises three short stories. Think of Star Trek, The Rounders, and a little Lonesome Dove all shaken together and poured out, and you'll have some idea of what you're about to taste when you step into Buck Johnson's life.

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Title: Boddekker's Demons

Subtitle: Pembroke Hall, Book 2

Author: Joe Clifford Faust

Narrator: A. C. Fellner

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 20 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-15-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

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

Publisher's Summary:

Boddekker's not just a faceless copywriter anymore, grinding out ads for VR simulators and mood/attitude orienters. Now he's the "500-pound gorilla" of the Pembroke Hall agency, lumbering toward fame, fortune, and a fabled house in Princeton with shapely Honniker in accounting. All thanks to Ferman's Devils, the four New York City street thugs whose record-breaking (and bone-breaking) commercial has won them billions of fans and made gangster chic the latest rage.

Yet Boddekker's new protégés are on the fast track to hell. First they assault a famous talk show host. Then they murder a former child celebrity in cold blood. And the more outrageous their actions, the more popular they become. So when another murder occurs, this time just too close to home, Boddekker knows he must find a way to take the Devils down. He made them and he can break them...if they don't break him first.

Members Reviews:

good, but gads is it grim...

Well, this was sort of unexpected. Ferman's Devils was a very fun, light read, despite the ever-present darker elements. This second tome more or less cuts out the "fun, light" bit, in favour of expanding on said darker elements. You may have noticed that, despite the gang's alleged brutality, you never actually see them kill anyone. Here, you see them make a whole lot of people die. In addition to that, the company comes across as much more evil, and Boddekker's ladylove is much more cold, cynical, and generally repulsive. It's still a good read, but it's certainly a shock.

"Demons" as scathing as "Devils".

Faust's second book in the "Pembroke Hall" series is as scathing and wickedly hilarious as it's predecessor "Ferman's Devils". Beleaguered Boddekker jumps from the frying pan into the fire while all around him turn up the heat! The author hasn't let his fans down one bit. Anyone looking for their "daily Jones" of Faust satire will be pleased.

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Title: Breach

Subtitle: The Union, Part 1

Author: Robert Allan

Narrator: Commodore James

Format: Unabridged

Length: 55 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-15-13

Publisher: Robert Allan Prevost II

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 1 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

Breach is the first part of a science fiction series which chronicles the annexation of Earth into the intergalactic governing body called The Union. Breach sets everything up by describing the events leading up to the first contact between Earth and citizens of The Union.

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Title: Buck Johnson: Drive's End

Author: Wyatt McLaren

Narrator: Joe Roark

Format: Unabridged

Length: 30 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-15-13

Publisher: Michael Hearing

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

Publisher's Summary:

A dragon drive is a grueling and chancy undertaking - far tougher than trailing longhorns to Kansas City. So when Buck, Snort, and Skeeter approach the drive's end at Skrintax, they're looking for a big paycheck and a little fun. But the Terullian Karposh reappears and throws some obstacles in their path. Still, after some ingenious planning on bootleg vendor Quincy Poindexter's part, it all works out in the end...

Think of Star Trek, The Rounders, and a little Lonesome Dove all shaken together and poured out, and you'll have some idea of what you're about to taste when you step into Buck Johnson's life. It's a wild mix of Fantasy, Action/Adventure, Western, and Science Fiction.

Buck Johnson: Drive's End is the fourth short story in the Buck Johnson series.

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Title: Eden 12

Author: Paul Cooke

Narrator: Derrick Hardin

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 6 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-06-13

Publisher: Paul Cooke

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

Publisher's Summary:

Many millions of years after the planet earth was totally destroyed by human beings a new species has evolved underground and now dominates the planet. This is the story of human evolution and one scenario of how the future could be and how the new species of creatures would adapt and dominate all around them. But are they alone on the planet and are they really in control? This is the first part in the series with more to come from the author Paul Cooke former founder and drummer from the 80's group Sade.

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Title: LYCCYX Episode 2

Subtitle: Rise of the Hyans

Author: Brian Barber

Narrator: Mike Paine

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 30 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-27-13

Publisher: Brian Barber

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 2 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

The highly-anticipated sequel to an Amazon Top 10 (Military Science Fiction) is finally here. The Battle for New Earth breaks out into a full-scale war and introduces upgraded technology on both sides.

Will the Resistance succeed in delivering the cure or will humanity finally embrace the inevitable?

Join us for the adventure of a lifetime and remember: nothing grows unless it dies.

Members Reviews:

Read the book first, now cool to hear the story.

Where does LYCCYX Episode 2 rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

I haven't listened to too many audio books, but I have listened to many podcasts and lesson plans. This is ranks high for me. It's not boring. The narrator has a great radio style voice and reads the story well.

What did you like best about this story?

I read the eBook first. Having the story read to me helps bring the story to life more. The story itself I like is that it is set up like a journal of a soldier trying to find himself.

Which character as performed by Mike Paine was your favorite?

Zander, the main character.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

For me this was a good icing on the cake for the LYCCYX series. Can't wait for the movie!

Any additional comments?

I'm looking forward to seeing more from Brian Barber.

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Title: Tides

Author: Scott Mackay

Narrator: A. C. Fellner

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 7 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-26-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 1 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

Tides tells the tale of the rise of two intelligent species on the same planet, at a time in their history when they first encounter each other. Paras and Ortok are the only two continents on this planet, the homes to these two different species, and are separated by thousands of miles of ocean. Paras is lush and hospitable, a place where no one ever knows want. It has produced a culture of kindness and honesty. Ortok is bleak and volcanic, where the inhabitants survive at a subsistence level. It has given rise to a culture of cruelty and deceit. But, will the citizens of Paras forever remain honest? And will the sentient species on Ortok finally cast out deceit?

Hab, a Parassian mariner, follows a cloud of volcanic ash 20,000 leagues across the world-spanning ocean, battling iced-over seas, the decimation of his crew, and, worst of all, the killer tides - tides that because of two close moons are monstrous in size and are virtually unnavigable in any but the most ingeniously designed ships. Watch cultures collide in this brilliant new novel by the award-winning author of "Omnifix" and "Orbis".

Members Reviews:

Intriguing

Its a very thought provoking story, even if the reader was the worst I ever heard, I still wont turn it in for my credit because the story was nice. At times the reader would start a sentience over. But really he made the story so mone-torn it made me think of a how people read epic old stories like the Iliad. So old and distant that the reader couldn't connect and just just reading to get it over with.

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Title: Scop

Author: Barry N. Malzberg

Narrator: Casey Jones

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 56 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-01-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 1 of 5 out of 1 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

Bitterly, bitterly, Scop is a failure! Scop is doing his job.... He has spoken to President Kennedy, warning him to leave Dallas immediately...spoken to Zapruder, asking him not to take pictures...pleaded with Elaine Kozciouskos, begging her only to scream, has even fornicated with her - part of the job. In spite of the pain, he has witnessed, on location, the last minutes of Jack Kennedy, King, Malcolm, Robert Kennedy - all for the fate of mankind. But bitterly, bitterly, he knows he is a failure. Scop is trying to alter, has merely reinforced the future....

Members Reviews:

YOU ARE NOT HERE

THERE ARE NO EXPLANATIONS

ARE YOU DEAD?

ARE YOU DREAMING?

IS THIS REAL ?

This seems to be about time travel. Scop keeps traveling back in time, usually to the Kennedy assassination. He is trying to change the past in order to change his present. He is anti-violence, but pro rape. According to his girlfriend he is lousy in bed. I was pretty much lost from the get go. I listen to over half of it, hoping something would happen to explain the whole thing. That something would be explained to make everything else fall into place. It did not happen in the first half of the book and I did not believe it was going to happen. This might be good if you are tripping on Acid or something similar.

Malzberg seems to have been semi-popular back in the early 70's. He seems to have been sort of bitchy like Ellison. Unhappy with the way things were going in the Sci-Fi field. If this is an example of his work, then I am unhappy with him and wonder how he ever got published. This is one of the worse books I have ever attempted to read. It had sex in it and I love stories with sex in them, so that shows just how bad he was.

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Title: Tactics of Conquest

Author: Barry N. Malzberg

Narrator: Craig Jessen

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 33 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-01-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

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

Publisher's Summary:

"You mean we're truly going to play for the fate of the Universe?"

"Exactly," the Overlord said, "a forty-one game chess match to be broadcast throughout all civilized sectors of your Universe so that everyone can witness it."

"But why chess? Why me? Why this planet?"

"Because chess is ideal for such a final judgment; it is a methodical game with absolutely no element of luck, and therefore there can be no complaints by the loser. Chess is known only to your plant, and you and your opponent are the most evenly matched living players. Good against evil. No other chess players are so close in true potential abilities. There is no other reason."

Members Reviews:

Too long for a story

Good idea for a short story Ending was not very satisfactory. Left the reader with no resolution and wandered about throughout the story.

Can you say "stretch"?

It stars off with a grandmaster of chess losing in FOUR moves. I really like chess so I kept on reading anyway. I was intrigued with the overlords and wanted to find out more about them. Instead, I found that I was reading paragraphs instead of lines and chapters instead of paragraphs. "I have something of vital importance to tell you" three pages later we still do not know what is so important. That really smells of someone who wrote a short story and wanted to make it in to a book. I got fed up at page 100 and gave up.