The Downloaded 2

Get 3 months for $0.99 a month

LIMITED TIME OFFER
The Downloaded cover art

The Downloaded

Preview
Get this deal Try for $0.00
Offer ends December 16, 2025 11:59pm PT.
Amazon Prime member exclusive: get any 2 titles with your free trial. Terms apply.
Just $0.99/mo for your first 3 months of Audible.
1 audiobook per month of your choice from our unparalleled catalog.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, podcasts, and Originals.
Auto-renews at $14.95/mo after 3 months. Cancel anytime.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo + applicable taxes after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Downloaded

Written by: Robert J. Sawyer
Narrated by: Brendan Fraser, Luke Kirby, Vanessa Sears, Colm Feore, Andrew Phung, full cast
Get this deal Try for $0.00

$14.95/mo after 3 months. Cancel anytime. Offers ends December 16, 2025 11:59pm PT.

$14.95 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $37.53

Buy Now for $37.53

About this listen

In 2059, two vastly different groups of people portrayed by the compelling trio of Brendan Fraser (Academy Award winner), Luke Kirby (Emmy Award winner), and Vanessa Sears (Dora Award winner) undergo cryonic suspension. While their bodies are frozen, their minds, still active and awake, are uploaded into a massive quantum computer. The first group are all astronauts, about to leave Earth on a one-way interstellar colonization mission. The second group consists of convicted murderers and volunteers who elect to serve their sentences in a virtual-reality prison. But while both groups are suspended, a global cataclysm devastates most of the Earth, and their cryosleep is extended by more than 500 years.

Now available in Dolby Atmos on Audible.

©2023 Robert J. Sawyer (P)2023 Audible Originals, LLC.
Post-Apocalyptic Science Fiction

Trailer

0:00

About the creator

Robert J. Sawyer — called “the dean of Canadian science fiction” by the Ottawa Citizen and “just about the best science fiction writer out there” by the Denver Rocky Mountain News — has won all three of the world’s top awards for best science fiction novel of the year: the Hugo (which he won for Hominids), the Nebula (for The Terminal Experiment), and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award (for Mindscan). He’s also won the Robert A. Heinlein Award; the top SF awards in Japan (three times), Spain (three times), France, and China; and a record-setting seventeen Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Awards (“Auroras”). Rob’s 25 bestselling novels include Calculating God (winner of the 2009 Audie Award for best science fiction or fantasy audiobook of the year) and FlashForward, which was adapted into the ABC TV series of the same name. Rob was a guest of honor at the 2023 World Science Fiction Convention (the Worldcon), and he’s a member of the Order of Canada, the highest honor bestowed by the Canadian government. He lives just outside Toronto.

About Brendan Fraser

Brendan Fraser is an Academy Award®-winning actor whose inspired performances and eye for thought-provoking material continue to garner critical acclaim. Fraser can most recently be seen as the lead role in Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale, for which he received several award nominations including his first Academy Award win & nomination for Best Lead Actor. Upcoming this year for Brendan includes starring as the lead in Legendary Pictures’ Brothers alongside Glenn Close, Josh Brolin and Peter Dinklage. He’s also a supporting role in Martin Scorsese’s new epic Western, Killers Of The Flower Moon. Other notable works include Universal’s Mummy franchise; Crash, directed by Paul Haggis; Phillip Noyce’s The Quiet American, based on Graham Greene’s 1955 thriller of the same name; and Bill Condon’s Gods and Monsters, opposite Sir Ian McKellen, and Lynn Redgrave. He received a BFA in acting from the Actor’s Conservatory, Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle.

About Luke Kirby

Luke Kirby is an Emmy® Award-winning theatre, film, and television actor who has performed on stages in Toronto and NYC over the years, including productions of Troilus and Cressida, Jump/Cut, Defender of the Faith, and Judgement Day. Luke starred opposite Michelle Williams in Sarah Polley’s film Take This Waltz, and opposite Samuel L. Jackson in The Samaritan. More recently, Luke starred as Ted Bundy opposite Elijah Wood in No Man of God. In television, one of Luke’s favourite roles was in the critically acclaimed mini-series, Slings and Arrows, opposite Rachel McAdams. He has also had regular roles on HBO’s Tell Me You Love Me, The Sundance Channel’s Rectify, and Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel in the role of Lenny Bruce.

About Vanessa Sears

Raised in Deep River, Ontario, Vanessa Sears is a Dora® Award, Toronto Theatre Critics, BroadwayWorld and Critic’s Pick Award-winning artist. She has starred on stages across Canada including the Stratford Festival, Shaw Festival, the historic Winter Garden Theatre and many more. Vanessa has also appeared in numerous films and television programs, including Suits, CBC’s Tallboyz, Lifetime’s Too Close for Christmas, Sex/Life (Netflix), and more. Up next, you can see Vanessa starring in Fourteen Love Letters, as well as Royally Wrapped for Christmas.

Behind the Scenes

0:00
All stars
Most Relevant
What I love about Sawyer’s writing is that it always makes me think. His set ups are always something I never would have thought about, but I always find enthralling. Another great story, sir.

The voice acting, and production was also very well done. I find some full production audiobooks distracting because of all the noise. This one was enjoyable to listen to.

Makes You Think

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I enjoyed this very much. I highly recommend it and would love to hear more about the characters beyond this story.

A great story and entertaining.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Packed with both near-future and far-future SF ideas. It's narrated by an all-star cast, and accompanied by just the right touches of foley--supporting the stoy's atmosphere without intruding--and the result feels like a radio play. The best science fiction doesn't shy away from moral and political issues, and this story is no exception. I was both entertained and left with plenty to think about.

Idea-rich hard SF with a terrific cast

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Characters reaction are often "not real". They feel stupid at times or devoid of proper emotions. They get over stuff way too quickly unless we are supposed to understand that there was a lot of time that passed but as it is it's like a what a week for the whole thing?

The story doesn't really make sense either, I won't spoil but if the events described really happened that building would not be there still. The robot thing is also weird and shoed in. It's like the author tried to look as progressist as it could be, you have religious people that are better than everyone else, gender identity, AI rights, politics...

The voice actors and sound effect were very good, they did the best they could with what they had.

Good thing it was free and only 5h39.

Just not good

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

too much about covid and complying with the government and mandates enough already let's move on

bringing up covid

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

See more reviews