fantastic scifi novel

super original story and the performance suits the characters well. I need to go find more Clarke

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1 person found this helpful

Worth listening to but not breathtaking

To begin with, the narration of the book was pretty good. The narrator sounds a bit overly formal in his speech but you get used to it and overall he did a good job. He does not do a great job with accents however. Throughout the book there are several characters with different European accents and they all sound vaguely similar and not exactly accurate. Still, he makes an effort which is worth something.

For me, the book was very interesting at the beginning and end but drags in the middle. There is a lot of description of what life is like under the Overlords which I found to be unnecessary. There are also some parts of the book which I find hard to believe, mostly in how Clarke thinks humans would behave in the circumstances.

One aspect to be aware of is that based on the way the book is structured from the beginning there is very little suspense. There is no real expectation that things in the book will turn out in radical or unsurprising ways. The book gives the sense of a preordained plot slowly playing out. In this way, the true joy in reading the book is in watching how things play out. The way they play out may not be what the audience expects but it always plays out how the Overlords expect.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and it is certainly a different kind of book compared to something like Rendezvous with Rama.

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Great book

I really enjoyed the story. I wish there was more to explore in this storyline, as there's a lot of unanswered question. if there was a sequel with what happens next, I'd be 100% in.

Definite bonus points for some scientific accuracy mixed in with the scientific fiction.

 #Audible1

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The Best:

I have heard that some people think this is the best of Authur C. Clarke's science fiction. I've read a number of his books over the years and have to agree with that assessment while not criticizing his other works.

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Best all time

prophetic beyond comprehension, true brilliance unparalleled in the modern era. Huxley's brave new world is completed with Clarke's mysticism and ponderings of the ultimate mystery.

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1 person found this helpful

Classic Sci Fi

It's been early school years since I read this but it's very refreshing listening to audio. Great book all around.

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spoiler alert

I loved this until the music at the end started battling with the narration.

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Great 50's Sci Fi Classic

Holds up impressively well
would recommend for anyone looking to get into sci fi books

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4 people found this helpful

Great story, great narration!

One of his best works and it was put together very well. I’ve already listened to it 3 times.

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1 person found this helpful

Terrifying

Definitely slow to start, but hold on - it really builds well.
riveting and terrifying.

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