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Darwinia

Written by: Robert Charles Wilson
Narrated by: Kevin Pariseau
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Publisher's Summary

In 1912, history was changed by the Miracle, when the old world of Europe was replaced by Darwinia, a strange land of nightmarish jungle and antediluvian monsters. To some, the Miracle was an act of divine retribution; to others, it is an opportunity to carve out a new empire.

Leaving an America now ruled by religious fundamentalists, young Guilford Law travels to Darwinia on a mission of discovery that will take him further than he can possibly imagine...to a shattering revelation about mankind's destiny in the universe.
©2007 Robert Charles Wilson (P)2009 Audible, Inc.
Alternate History Adventure
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What the critics say

"Wilson's two-tiered story structure reminds one of Michael Moorcock's work, but it is much more coherent and accessible. In the blurring of character identities, he is comparable to Philip K. Dick or to A.E. Van Vogt. He owes something to Colin Wilson and Lovecraft as well, in the discovery through dreams and archeological wonders of a hidden reality. That he is able to weld the two realities so fluently is remarkable indeed." (Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about Darwinia

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Profile Image for Blythe

Interesting but not necessarily highly enjoyable

In 1912, "The Miracle" occurs. Most of Europe is suddenly replaced by an entirely new landscape, known as Darwinia. With strange creatures and new perils, it's a completely unknown and unexplored land. Guildford Law, photographer, leaves his wife and child behind in the newly re-founded London, and joins an expedition to explore the newly unknown continent and as they face not only the dangers of the unknown wildlife and environment, but also attacks from bounty hunters sent to sabotage their mission by some unknown source.

It's reminiscent of older science fiction such as Edgar Rice Burroughs or Jules Verne, and of Victorian tales of exploration. However, part way through things take a rather bizarre twist as the reason for the "Miracle" is revealed, first to the reader, and only much later to the actual characters. What starts as a somewhat bleak exploration-of-the-new-frontier style story turns into something more like The Matrix, as the nature of reality itself is called into question.

Overall interesting and thought-provoking, but a rather bleak read. Many of the characters aren't particularly likeable, and/or are killed off abruptly or otherwise meet not particularly happy fates. I wasn't a big fan of the early and abrupt reveal of the origin of the Miracle to readers; I would rather have learned about it as the characters did. Still, there's some thought-provoking ideas and interesting philosophy, and the book definitely goes into unexpected places. I'd rate this somewhere between 3 and 4 stars really; interesting, but not necessarily extremely enjoyable. #Audible1

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  • Overall
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Profile Image for Norman

Whose history is it, anyway?

This is a very odd book, and gets odder as it continues. The Earth has been transformed. No, wait, it's not the Earth, it's the galactic memory of the Earth. If you remember another life, maybe that's the real one... All very disturbing.

The four parts of the novel are somewhat disjointed from one another, and many characters are sadly mistreated.

I believe one of the antagonists' "Gods" may be Cthulhu.

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