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  • Off Armageddon Reef

  • Safehold Series, Book 1
  • Written by: David Weber
  • Narrated by: Oliver Wyman
  • Length: 29 hrs and 58 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (53 ratings)

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Off Armageddon Reef

Written by: David Weber
Narrated by: Oliver Wyman
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Publisher's Summary

Humanity pushed its way to the stars—and encountered the Gbaba, a ruthless alien race that nearly wiped us out. Earth and her colonies are now smoldering ruins, and the few survivors have fled to distant, Earth-like Safehold, to try to rebuild. But the Gbaba can detect the emissions of an industrial civilization, so the human rulers of Safehold have taken extraordinary measures: with mind control and hidden high technology, they've built a religion in which every Safeholdian believes, a religion designed to keep Safehold society medieval forever.

800 years pass. In a hidden chamber on Safehold, an android from the far human past awakens. This android, Merlin, emerges into Safeholdian society to begin the process of provoking technological progress, which the Church of God Awaiting has worked for centuries to prevent. To conceal his formidable powers he finds a base of operations in Charis, a mid-sized kingdom with a talent for naval warfare, where he plans to make the acquaintance of King Haarahld and Crown Prince Cayleb, and maybe, just maybe, kick off a new era of invention. Which is bound to draw the attention of the Church…and, inevitably, lead to war.

It's going to be a long, long process. And David Weber's Off Armageddon Reef is going to be the can't-miss Sci-Fi epic of the decade.

©2007 David Weber (P)2006 Audio Renaissance, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishers LLC

What the critics say

“Wyman rises nicely to the near Herculean challenge of performing this 30-hour epic. His clear, expressive reading never falters while he skillfully navigates his way through a labyrinth of plot twists and multiple characters. Whether describing high-tech space battles or the covert activities of courtiers and spies, Wyman brings Weber's intricate world of Safehold to life.” —Publishers Weekly

What listeners say about Off Armageddon Reef

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Start of a whole new Weber universe

David Weber once again creates a whole universe. developing characters and atmospheres with his usual great detail.
perfect choice of narrator #Audible1

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

interesting concept

the first book is a little slow compared to other series by Weber.. (like HHH) but I'll continue to see if book 2 picks up.. as the characters are interesting..

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
  • MLD
  • 2022-01-04

Can’t believe this is written by David Weber

I Can’t believe this is written by David Weber, it is so tedious…I thought after the 2nd book it would pick up but it is just repetition and exceedingly boring… not worth my time to continue reading/listening.
NOT worth your time - I am reviewing this after listening to book 1 & 2 and speed touches on the 3rd…. And I am so disappointed in the flow of the story, the constant repetition, shallow character development, lack of humour and banter. The story plot sounded interesting but fails because of the points I have listed. I have loved the Honor Harrington series that I am so surprised that this series doesn’t even come close to enjoyable. Instead it is frustratingly boring.

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

good listen well preformed and fast paced

This was a great story well worth the time and credit I will listen to it more than once

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

A Fascinating Blend of Scifi and Pike and Shot!

So when it comes to science fiction, generally I find I prefer visual media to written for the sake of the eye candy and what is performed by large vehicles or superstructures in the universe. imagine my surprise when I find a very fantasy-like story woven around the nanotubes of a technically scifi robot. A must read, characters are fun and the narrator is excellent, and David Weber is very skilled at a now often lost talent of decent banter rather then the commonplace doom and gloom.

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

Don't waste your time.

Hard to get through. Since when does a future planet all have various British accents. Would never choose it again.

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