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Fractal Noise cover art

Fractal Noise

Written by: Christopher Paolini
Narrated by: Jennifer Hale
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Publisher's Summary

Long-listed, Barnes and Noble Best New Books of the Year 2023

This program features sound design and special effects to enhance your enjoyment of Fractal Noise. Listen out for the sounds of the anomaly at the center of Talos VII and original music evoking the barren landscape.

"Narrator Jennifer Hale's outstanding performance brings this story of alien invasion to life....every unique voice enhances the listening experience." AudioFile, on Earphones Award winner, To Sleep in a Sea of Stars.

"Jennifer Hale's narration of this sci-fi novel is exemplary work. Her variety of voices and characterizations, as well as her grasp of the intense drama, is stunning. And just when you think she can't get better, she sings in character, and it transforms her entire performance into art. The combination of Paolini's gripping drama and Hale's voice acting should not be missed."- AudioFile on Fractal Noise

"Narrator Hale’s performance backed by immersive sound effects, elevate this science fiction audiobook about a small team of scientists on the precipice of a major discovery."- Booklist

A new blockbuster science fiction adventure from world-wide phenomenon and #1 New York Times bestseller Christopher Paolini, set in the world of New York Times and USA Today bestseller To Sleep in a Sea of Stars.

July 25, 2234: The crew of the Adamura discovers the Anomaly.

On the seemingly uninhabited planet Talos VII:a circular pit, 50 kilometers wide.

Its curve not of nature, but design.

Now, a small team must land and journey on foot across the surface to learn who built the hole and why.

But they all carry the burdens of lives carved out on disparate colonies in the cruel cold of space.

For some the mission is the dream of the lifetime, for others a risk not worth taking, and for one it is a desperate attempt to find meaning in an uncaring universe.

Each step they take toward the mysterious abyss is more punishing than the last.

And the ghosts of their past follow.

The Fractalverse Series

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars

Fractal Noise

The audiobook is read by Jennifer Hale, a prolific and highly acclaimed Canadian American voice actress and singer, who has performed an impressive array of characters for video games, audiobooks, and animated television shows. Hale is renowned for her portrayal of Commander Shepard in the Mass Effect series and as Rivet in Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, for which she was nominated for a BAFTA. She made her audiobook debut with Christopher Paolini’s To Sleep in a Sea of Stars.

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books.

©2023 Christopher Paolini (P)2023 Macmillan Audio

What listeners say about Fractal Noise

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Excellent narrator, disappointing story

Even Jennifer Hale’s narration isn’t enough to make this depressing story one to recommend.
The polar opposite of, A Sea of Stars by the same author.
I’m sorry to say that I have to agree with the other negative reviews

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

unfulfilled

At times I couldn't get away from this story because I had hoped for some grandiose conclusion/beginning. it never came. this is more a story of human spirit than exploration.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

What a waste.

I loved the previous book, but this one has nothing to do with that storyline and nothing in common with it's themes. I kept waiting for it to get good, but it just stayed depressing and boring until the very end. I thought the bad reviews were because of the AI art cover, but the book is just bad.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Well written, but disappointing

Enjoyed listing to it, enjoyed the interactions/sounds, but overall completely disappointed with how it ended.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Depressing, repetitive, unsatisfying

I have Loved every other Christopher Paolini book, and this book is not a good representation of his other books, which are of a much higher quality; are rich & full; and are both enjoyable AND satisfying, unlike Fractal Noise.

The characters were never really developed, they were all super sad, mad, or feeling bad the whole book - like 2 smiles in the whole book. The characters personas were completely carried by the narrator.

The dialogue, the main guy's inner thoughts , the action, the substance... it was all just repeated, over & over. It's all beautifully written, but too repetitive. Nothing happens!

Then, just when I thought it couldn't possibly get more depressing - the chapter called "desolation" began. More of the same aching greif & inner anguish. again.
Then I thought, It's fine because there is going to be an explanation for all 'this' eventually.
There isn't one, a short platitude, The End.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Kept waiting

just kept waiting for something interesting to happen. Narrator was engaging and carried the characters. Otherwise disappointing ending.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Good narration bad story

Very few redeeming qualities to this story.

Most of the characters have zero likeable traits or as close to 0 as you can get. I'm not sure what I expected but certainly not this.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

worst book, he's written to date.so much blah bla

Narration was horrible. I'm a story with laugh We'd struggle to stay interested in this book.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Disappointing

The wishing noise the Fractal sound made began to annoy me as much as the characters. Besides that performance was great
story was disappointing not much there.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Boring and unfulfilled

mostly boring back story and left you unfulfilled by the end. nothing came of this waste of time.

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