Alas, Babylon

By: Pat Frank

Narrated by: Will Patton

Length: 11 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

This true modern masterpiece is built around the two fateful words that make up the title and herald the end - “Alas, Babylon.” When a nuclear holocaust ravages the United States, a thousand years of civilization are stripped away overnight, and tens of millions of people are killed instantly.

But for one small town in Florida, miraculously spared, the struggle is just beginning, as men and women of all backgrounds join together to confront the darkness. Will Patton's narration paints this classic tale as an ominous picture of the terrible possibilites of the nuclear age.

©1959 Harry Hart Frank (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

• Audie Award Winner, Fiction, 2012

"An enthralling and vivid story of the follies and failures of people, their courage and cruelty, their treachery and triumphs. Mr. Frank is a magnificent writer." ( Chicago Sunday Tribune)

"A warm, continuously interesting story of what can happen to a group of ordinary people in a perilous situation." ( New York Herald Tribune)

“Will Patton is a calm and steady narrator whose quiet intensity wraps around this post-apocalyptic saga...He reflects the tones of deference of women to men, nonwhites to whites, and children to adults. In a conversational tone, he quietly brings the characters and their relationships to life.” ( AudioFile)

A solid telling of classic apocalypse fiction

What made the experience of listening to Alas, Babylon the most enjoyable?

The voice narration was very well done. The story was good, if a bit exagerated and naive in places.

What other book might you compare Alas, Babylon to and why?

I would loosley compare it to The Earth Abides in that they're both post-apocalypse fiction and deal with the troubles of rebuilding a community of sorts. In Alas Babylon, they're quite a bit more restricted in movement due to the radioactive areas around them. Other than that, they both deal with having to make do without modern conveniences, though they do try to continue on with them as long as possible. Both books mildly address a return to primitive ways.

Have you listened to any of Will Patton’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I haven't listened to any of his other performances, but I did like this one quite a bit. He did a very good job developing voices for the various characters in the story and it was easy to keep track of who was who for the most part. Female characters are always a problem for male narrators and this performance suffered in that regard also.

Any additional comments?

A classic post-apocalyptic tale with a very solid voice performance. I would highly recomend this.

Great Re-Visit to an All Time Classic

As revelent then as it is now. Puts you in the scene imagining how you would cope were disaster to strike.

Wow!

This book is as appropro today as it was 60 years ago. Very tightly written.

Post-apocalyptic story, well-developed characters

Where does Alas, Babylon rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of my favorites, because I love post-apocalyptic stories and this one tells it without the grim depressed feeling so many others have.

What did you like best about this story?

The characters in the story are courageous, real and flawed. Not predictable.

Have you listened to any of Will Patton’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. Not that intense that you couldn't stop for the night. But I never lacked interest in what would happen next.

Makes you think about the I important things

I picked up the book for an audible recommendation and I am glad I did. It laid out a much more plausible situation after a disaster of that magnitude (no Hollywood dramatization). People had to choose to help or hurt, to live or give up, and to lead like Americans can lead.

Could Have Happened

Where does Alas, Babylon rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is a very rare book that needed a second read. Read it in paperback years ago. Saw it on Audible. Listened to it and enjoyed it even more than the first time. I am old enough to remember the "Duck and Cover" days in grade school.The Cuban Missile Crisis happened during my high school years and makes this story almost to real. Read "12 Seconds After". Required reading at the War College and it`s another good read.

Who was your favorite character and why?

What does Will Patton bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Always one of the very best readers. A little dash of the bayou helps even a slow story. This story does not need it but even a good hotdog is enhanced by a little onion and relish.

An interesting look at post nuclear war America.

Would you consider the audio edition of Alas, Babylon to be better than the print version?

Somewhat dated in reference to technology, but absolutely right on about people and possible scenarios in a small town in Florida after a nuclear war. One difference between this book and other similar books is that we get to experience the actual war.

Loved It !!!

This was a great story , period. I wanted to add one more thing but, I can't without giving a part away

New Fan of Pat Frank

While I've been a longtime fan of narrator Will Patton from James Lee Burke novels, this is my first book by Pat Frank. Will Patton and Pat Frank are another winning combination.

Fabulous...Alas Babylon hit the Trifecta

It's almost inconceivable that a 60 yr old book would feel as relevant and useful as Alas Babylon easily does.

I was concerned at first, when I realized that it was written in 1959, that it would be too quaint and unrelateable...I figured out quickly that I was wrong.

After listening to hundreds of audiobooks, I can easily say this is in my Top 5 for Quality of the Story, Quality of the Performance, and for the Quality of the Writing.

I would recommend this book to anyone...especially anyone interested in surviving the end of the technical age.