Annihilation Aria

By: Michael R. Underwood

Narrated by: Chris Andrew Ciulla, Caitlin Kelly

Length: 12 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

Max is a cheery xeno-archeologist from Earth, stranded and trying to find a way home.

Lahra is a stern warrior of a nearly extinct race, searching for her people's heir.

Wheel is the couple's cybernetic pilot, running from her past and toward an unknown future.

On Wheel's ship the Kettle, the trio traverses the galaxy, dodging Imperial patrols and searching ancient temples and ruins for anything they can sell. Back on the Wreck, their home and base of operations, they're deeply in debt to the drifting city's most powerful gangster, and she wants her money back.

So when a dangerous but promising job comes their way, Max, Lahra, and Wheel have little choice but to take it. But the crew of the Kettle gets more than they bargained for when they find themselves in possession of a powerful artifact - one that puts them squarely in the crosshairs of the Vsenk, the galaxy's ruthless and oppressive imperial overlords. Can they evade space fascists, kick-start a rebellion, and save the galaxy, all while they each try to find their own way home?

©2020 Dreamscape Media, LLC (P)2020 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Ambitious

Interesting plot but fails to hold reader's attention. Too much exposition in the beginning, after a very short burst of action. Overburdened with usual tropes.

Good read

I enjoyed the characters and relationships. The diversity of species was very fun. Looking forward to a sequel.

Underwood at his Best

Annihilation Aria takes everything Michael Underwood developed in his previous novels and masterfully weaves them together like perfectly crafted Atlan cybernetic limbs. He manages to paint a vivid galaxy without bombarding the reader with too much information, gives us a main cast you grow to love and worry for, and side characters whose names you make a point to actually remember. His love of the space opera and epic adventure comes through with the Kettle's crew of lovable misfits; Lahra, Max and Wheel, and he folds their own stories of personal growth (and that of their eventual nemesis) beautifully into a much grander overarching plot, each with exciting arcs, satisfying endings, and tantalizing hooks. Perhaps more than any book from him so far he thrusts us into a multicultural universe, giving life to more than a half dozen civilizations, and presenting rich and interesting takes from economic, social and diplomatic angles, shown to us through four unique character experiences and through the larger cultures they represent, and differ, from. It's truly a feast for the imagination.

Chris Ciulla and Caitlin Kelly both performed wonderfully, bringing each character to life distinctly through tone, timbre and pacing. I sincerely hope they reprise their roles in the sequel that is surely to come.

I can't wait to see where the song of Annihilation Aria's universe takes us next; when that book comes out, I'll be hurling myself into the Warp to get it as fast as I can!

Great Sci-fi action story

Really, really loved this story. The narrators did a solid job, and I liked using a make and female narrator for make and female characters. The two narrators didn't quite get their takes on the different characters to match up, but it was good enough. Overall, I really enjoyed the story and the characters, and there were times I didn't want to stop listening. Looking forward to the next one!