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

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Title: The Eighth Successor

Author: Pati Nagle

Narrator: Thomas Stephen Jr.

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 5 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-09-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

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

Publisher's Summary:

In the aftermath of battle, the people of Southfld must cope with devastating losses, including their governor...and seven of his successors. The Battle of Skyruach is over. Jharan, a captain of the Southfld Guard, grieves for his friend Maronin as he gathers the remnants of their two companies into one. Encamped on the battlefield, the lven army prepares to mourn the loss of Southfld's governor, even as two of the governor's subordinates come seeking Jharan with news that will change his life.

A story of Jharan (father of Turisan) and Felisan (father of Eliani), this tale takes place long before their children were born and concerns events that precede those in the Blood of the Kindred series.

Editorial Reviews:

Pati Nagle's novella sees the people of Southfaeld dealing with the devastating aftermath of the Battle of Skyruach, including the death of their beloved governor. As Jharan, leader of the Southfaeld Guard, mourns these losses, he is given earthshattering news that could alter the rest of his life. Thomas Stephen gives an unfussy and crisp performance, grounding Nagle's elements of science fiction and fantasy in an accessible manner. The sobriety of his style brings a clarity and emotional depth that can sometimes be lacking in the genre, helping to turn The Eighth Successor into an engrossing experience.

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Title: Zombies: Cure

Subtitle: The New World, Book 4

Author: John Taylor

Narrator: Sean Wybrant

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr

Language: English

Release date: 10-08-13

Publisher: IMT, LLC

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

Publisher's Summary:

While dealing with the loss of a close team member, the group presses forward as the clock is ticking. Can they reproduce the antidote or cure before it's too late and society as they know it all die. Jason the scientist is hard at work in his new laboratory they built on the farm. The team will have to carry out the dangerous mission of catching zombies and bringing them back to the farm for Jason's scientific experiments. Will the team figure out the cure before they are overrun by the zombie epidemic or will the group all perish and die a horrid death?

Members Reviews:

Again great book

I was really into this book when I realized I was at the end. I hope the author decides to keep it going.

Surprise and Suspense

Mr. Taylor threw a curve ball, although this book is not about baseball. I found this, the 4th book in the series to be fast-paced, suspenseful and surprising. There was more emotional resonance among the characters, which we've come to know, or think we know. You certainly won't fall asleep reading this one. I thought the title would mean this was the end of the series, I was wrong. Taylor says book 5 is currently in the works. I suggest that for those who like zombie stories, that you start at the beginning and become acquainted with the Boyd family and their friends and not skip around reading the books out of order, as I did quite by accident. Yep, I would say I liked this one best.

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Title: Whatever Happened to Thomas J. Reynolds?

Subtitle: The Walker Chronicles

Author: Jason Kristopher

Narrator: Andrew McFerrin

Format: Unabridged

Length: 42 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-23-13

Publisher: Grey Gecko Press

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 4 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

This short story references characters, locations and organizations from the novel The Dying of the Light: End, also by Jason Kristopher.

In the final days of the zombie apocalypse, Tom Reynolds led a group of AEGIS soldiers - 8th team - on what was supposed to be a relatively easy assignment. Things didn't go as planned. When rescue arrived hours later, the only thing they found were tattered scraps of uniforms and empty shell casings.

Reynolds and the entire 8th team were listed as KIA. This is their story.

Members Reviews:

great side trip

I was glad to find out Reynolds survived.

This is a great series...

Dying of the Light: End kind of left that string--or the hope of the string--hanging. This short story fits very well with the DotL series; a nice aside "meanwhile on the other side of town..." kind of thing.

A very good story, BUT, if you haven't read Dying of the Light: End, you will be lost. Take the chance, read DotLE. You won't be disappointed. Then follow it with this story, everything ties together very nicely.

WELL DONE Mr. Kristopher....I'm eagerly waiting for Dying of the Light: Interval, due HOPEFULLY around March 2012 *fingers crossed*

It's nice having questions answered.

One of the reasons I liked this story, and the author, is because of his need to tell the story of a secondary character who made a impression in the book. I have read many stories where a background character stands out in a book only to exit the story, and wonder what happened to them. This short story, as with his others, regarding these characters is a great way to bring the bigger picture of the story to life.

good story am glad they didnt get dead

this is just a short story about a few of the characters thought left for dead in the previous book, a very likable character. it was cheap and i was glad that the survived.....but it wasnt easy. definately worth money to here reynolds get away. now my question to mr mallard...are you going to bring them out of the bunker in another episode or is this it?

Awesome short story

The walker chronicles are definitely one of my favorite zombie series and I was glad to find out that reynolds makes it.

If you have read the other walker chronicles, this short story is a definite must.

A fun, escapist zombie Series

I liked this back fill to the original story; however this could have been inserted into the original. It was still nice to find out what actually happened.

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Title: A Drop of Rain

Author: Jason Kristopher

Narrator: Andrew McFerrin

Format: Unabridged

Length: 21 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-23-13

Publisher: Grey Gecko Press

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

Publisher's Summary:

"Our planet is dying; we have to leave. There is another nearby world, ready to receive us, but the Governor placates the people with lies and threatens them with arrest or execution instead of acting to save our species. I have a plan, and it will take all I have and more to see it through. I hope I am strong enough."

Written in the style of Ray Bradbury's Martian Chronicles, this story asks the ultimate question: how far would you go to save your world?

Members Reviews:

A Single Drop does little for Thirst

I'll be honest I have a bit of mixed feelings on this one. Maybe how this story could have been a prologue for a sci-fi novel but all we are given is a small drop of what could be. I hope the author will come back to this idea and give us an ocean to dive in or even just a stream to wade in, not this thirst.

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Title: Kate's Calling

Subtitle: The Last Days

Author: Julie Cooper Brown

Narrator: Teri Schnaubelt

Format: Unabridged

Length: 2 hrs and 31 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-17-13

Publisher: julie brown

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 2 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

The second book in The Last Days series by Julie A. Brown. Kate Roland is a Private in the U.S. Army and is paired with her longtime friend to fight the undead during the zombie apocalypse 2013. The task becomes more complex when they find Angel, a sweet little girl who was abandoned in the midst of the undead. Join Kate in her journey to protect the innocent child.

Members Reviews:

loved it

What did you love best about Kate's Calling?

I loved the story..I really like how the story flowed and picked up where the first story left off..this is my first audible book..I plan on buying this book for my kindle also..I really like this author!!

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Title: Taco Del and the Fabled Tree of Destiny

Author: Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff

Narrator: Vikas Adam

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 56 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-11-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 2 of 5 out of 1 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

Visit a future San Francisco in which Golden Gate Park and the Presidio are thriving farms, luxury hotels are the palaces of neighborhood kings and book shops are treasuries of wisdom. This is the world of Taco Del, Merlin to His Majesty, King of Embarcadero. In this world, the young wizard must unravel a great mystery to save his besieged kingdom. King Elvis wants to steal its secrets, mysterious outsiders want to expel its citizens, an ancient and sinister Force threatens spiritual domination. Salvation rests on the slender shoulders of Taco Del and his unlikely alliesa red-haired Chinese girl, a ghostly tribe of Mission Indians and a small fir tree named Doug.

Editorial Reviews:

Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff sets her work of speculative fiction in a San Francisco of the future where the young wizard Taco Del is responsible for saving the urban kingdom.

Vikas Adam has an MFA in acting from UCLA, and a listener can hear it in the way accents, dialects, and emotions roll off his tongue. The actor is also quite comfortable in the sci-fi genre, having performed books by Orson Scott Card and Gregory Benford. He has the talent to commit fully to an imaginative world and imbue it with authority. Listeners might hear spiritual themes buried in this audiobook, as the author Bohnhoff is a member of the Bahá'í Faith, but that religious underpinning by no means nullifies the novel's sense of humor.

Members Reviews:

Don't let the purple cover dissuade you.

Don't let the purple cover dissuade you. (I almost didn't get it because of that!) This is a delightful book with charming characters. Taco Del, the "Merlin" to Hismajesty, the King of the Embarcadero in a future San Fancisco after a great migration from the major cities, must battle a neighboring king, a group of high-tech invaders who want to boot the natives out to make a tourist attraction, an ancient Chinese demon with dreams of mortality and his own lack of self-confidence in order to save his way of life.

On his side of the battle are the captain of Hismajesty's army (a redheaded beauty), a strange derelict whose body has a life of its own, his adoptive parents Bag and Kaymart, the spirits of the Native American tribe that Father Serra famously eradicated in the guise of saving their souls, and a fir tree named Doug. If they don't succeed, that blight on our historical past may just repeat itself.

This book is a very good, quick read, quite funny at times, and I found myself wondering if there will be further adventures from this magical land. (I'm particularly keen to find out about that community on the Mountain with the golf carts.)

I read it all the way home from California.

Taco Del is a thoroughly engaging protagonist with a vivid personality. This book is charming, engaging, and thought-provoking. I enjoyed seeing a post modern world with such a strong sense of community.

A new twist on the Merlin

This story chafed at some long held (mistaken) idea that I'd read everything available about The Merlin. It left me uncomfortable thinking about what could become of society and seeking ways to avoid it. It made me think while giving me several laugh out loud moments as well.

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Title: Fire in the Light

Subtitle: The Portal's Light, Book 2

Author: Andrew Wehrlen

Narrator: Andrew B. Wehrlen

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 43 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-31-13

Publisher: ABW Voice Overs, LLC.

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

Publisher's Summary:

In this second part of The Portal's Light trilogy the war between the humans and the Phynellonians begins in earnest. The human spirit endures as destruction reigns from the sky. Families fight to stay together and what is left of the U.S. government attempts one last desperate plan to deal the alien invaders a gigantic setback by throwing Fire in the Light

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Title: Powerhouse: Hard Pressed

Subtitle: Adventures of Powerhouse, Book 2

Author: Adam Graham

Narrator: Scot Wilcox

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 25 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-28-13

Publisher: Adam E. Graham

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 1 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

Dave Johnson's dreams have come true. He's taken Seattle by storm as Powerhouse, a metal-clad crime fighter. His awesome array of powers has the underworld on the run, his charitable efforts are a success, and he has a popular comic book. When his publisher is bought out, he's given every fan's dream: he's tasked with creating his own line of comic books. His biggest problem is his tendency to attract campy, wannabe supervillains who aren't worthy opponents.

Mitch the Pharaoh Farrow wants to turn Dave's dream into a nightmare. Mitch's job is to spread cynicism ahead of an interdimensional alien invasion. The aliens' king has promised to cure Mitch's dying daughter when he takes over and Mitch will do anything to save her. He uses every tool at his disposal, from a massive media smear machine to a force field bubble that crushes its victim into atoms. With the help of new allies and old friends, Powerhouse strives to protect his family and the citizens of Seattle from the forces of cynicism.

Members Reviews:

You'll Be Hard Pressed To Find Another Power-house of Fun Like This.

If you grew up with the TV version of Batman as I did, you'll love this. Adam Graham wrote this with his tongue so implanted in cheek I think it needed to be surgically removed. If you laughed at the Joker, Riddler, and Penguin in the '60's series, you haven't seen anything till you meet the menaces of the Boomerang Bloke, the Silver Medal (who almost beat several heroes), and the greatest threat of all, Mister Manners.

This book is part of a series. You don't need the previous installments to enjoy this. However -- MINOR SPOILER ALERT -- the ending makes it clear the story's not over. One other note -- this book seemed more episodic for the first two-thirds, until the major battle and themes pop up.

Is this book merely mindless entertainment? Fear not. There are some important lessons woven in the story. By the way, if you have a problem with positive mentions of Christianity, skip this. Those who are more open-minded will enjoy this. And I feel this book is suitable for middle-school up.

This is a nice, entertaining read which I highly recommend.

Now for the disclaimer. I received the product for my fair review -- no masked vigilantes after me if I didn't write a positive one.

Superhero Fantasy

"Powerhouse: Hard Pressed" comes alive as Dave Johnston not only works hard to have his own line of comic books released after his publisher's bought out, but to shield his family who are his biggest supporters, and to protect humanity from corruption.

The main threads of this story follow Dave Johnson's fight against the nefarious schemes of Mitch "the Pharaoh "Darrow as he tries to undermine the hero's dream and the ongoing plight of Major Speed. With so much going on and several abrupt breaks in the flow of the story, I had to backtrack to make sure I didn't miss anything.

Although the novel is short in length, the action doesn't stop as Mitch keeps recruiting allies to outwit and squash Dave, only to keep losing.

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Title: The 8th Q Strand

Subtitle: Science/Technology Action Force

Author: Lee Lyte

Narrator: Jack Nolan

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs

Language: English

Release date: 08-13-13

Publisher: LJ Thomas

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 1 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

STAF II is a next generation group of brilliant young individuals. They display exceptional skillfulness in science, technology and cyberspace warfare. With two amazing dogs and one remarkable vehicle, they also excel in the execution of the armed warfare of the older, battle-hardened and highly decorated military men who lead them.

Action and adventure build as the team takes on the task of destroying an international criminal cabal determined to reshape the world in its image. The forces against the team are great; the odds against their success are high. Nevertheless, with a devoted steadfast mindset to save the world from the would-be gods' devices, STAF II overcomes all obstacles. The younger members accomplish this while maneuvering paths through mental, physical and spiritual challenges they meet on the journey.

Zea (Zephyr) Strom is the tale's heart, nineteen and the only female member of the team. Her nature is a mystery immersed in intrigues. She was a content loner, her only family was Pax her dog and 8ight her vehicle. A new family now surrounds her. Zea is a skillful resource in enabling the destruction of the covert group and for cause of a myth - someone wants her dead....

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Title: The Clone Who Didn't Know

Subtitle: The Genehunters Series, Book 3

Author: Simon Kewin

Narrator: Tom Scott

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 3 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-17-13

Publisher: One Acre Audio Books

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 1 votes

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

Publisher's Summary:

A clONE death-squad catches up with Simms. But instead of killing him they give him a damn job. Which makes no sense at all. Meanwhile, Simms starts to work the Boneyard case, without knowing what the hell Forty Days expect from him. He just needs to make sure neither Ballard nor clONE find out what he's up to.

Then he gets to meet up with Kelly again. And that's where it all goes completely wrong...

A Sci-fi cyberpunk novella set on an Earth slowly going to hell. The Clone Who Didn't Know is the third of five science fiction stories following the adventures of Simms, genetic detective and all-round nice guy.

Members Reviews:

Plot and Backstory Blend Seamlessly Together

In this third installment ofThe Genehunterby Simon Kewin (buy the omnibus edition, btw, and save a few bucks!) Simms is introduced to, as the title indicates, "The Clone Who Didn't Know." As a law-bordering gene-hunter, Simms tracks down the DNA of famous past figures for the wealthy elite (to duplicate at their leisure, presumably), and this time comes face to face with an unlikely clone.

But he's gotten himself into a bit of trouble as of late with ruthless and competing adversaries - and owes each of them something different. In episode 3, it's an anti-cloning organization who has their grips on him (following on the heels of a mysterious and fanatical religious group from episode 2) and they give him an ultimatum: Give up gene-hunting or die. If only it were that simple...

As one might suspect, I'm sold on the premise. Kewin offers up a wonderfully crafted plot, gripping and exciting. The individual stories (5 short novellas) are quickly paced. And the techno-future, cyberpunk, crime-noir setting of this series is fantastically imaginative. In this particular novella the author effortlessly brings the reader up on the needed backstory (without the info-dump common to a lot of writers) while advancing the plot to the final climax which I can tell is just around the corner.

Mature themes and language make this suitable for adults and upper high schoolers, imo, but if you want a sci-fi thriller of a page-turner, this collection comes highly recommended.

To Know or not to Know

Just when you thought things couldn't get more complicated for Simms, along comes The Clone Who Didn't Know. In this episode, Simms must acquire the DNA of a saint from among the well-guarded relics at an Italian church. Forty Days, a fanatical religious group, isn't paying Simms for this job, unless you count not being killed as payment. Tread carefully through these scenes if you're claustrophobic. Simms also has a cLONE death squad breathing down his neck. They want him to find the last remaining clone of a Dr. Grendel, one of the pioneers in human clone research, who, by all accounts, was a bit of a monster. And then there's Simms' ex-girlfriend and his daughter thrown into the mix to add a twist to his inner turmoil. Simms is on the cusp of an unimaginable existential crisis.

The Genehunter is Amping Up

This might be my favorite episode so far, with Simms' plug-ins taking a major role: augmenting his appearance and speech, and supplementing his muscles with more strength.