Cloud Atlas

A Novel

By: David Mitchell

Narrated by: Scott Brick, Cassandra Campbell, Kim Mai Guest, Kirby Heyborne, John Lee, Richard Matthews

Length: 19 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

By the New York Times best-selling author of The Bone Clocks

Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize

A postmodern visionary and one of the leading voices in 21st-century fiction, David Mitchell combines flat-out adventure, a Nabokovian love of puzzles, a keen eye for character, and a taste for mind-bending, philosophical, and scientific speculation in the tradition of Umberto Eco, Haruki Murakami, and Philip K. Dick. The result is brilliantly original fiction as profound as it is playful. In this groundbreaking novel, an influential favorite among a new generation of writers, Mitchell explores with daring artistry fundamental questions of reality and identity.

Cloud Atlas begins in 1850 with Adam Ewing, an American notary voyaging from the Chatham Isles to his home in California. Along the way, Ewing is befriended by a physician, Dr. Goose, who begins to treat him for a rare species of brain parasite.... Abruptly, the action jumps to Belgium in 1931, where Robert Frobisher, a disinherited bisexual composer, contrives his way into the household of an infirm maestro who has a beguiling wife and a nubile daughter.... From there we jump to the West Coast in the 1970s and a troubled reporter named Luisa Rey, who stumbles upon a web of corporate greed and murder that threatens to claim her life.... And onward, with dazzling virtuosity, to an inglorious present-day England; to a Korean superstate of the near future where neo-capitalism has run amok; and, finally, to a post-apocalyptic Iron Age Hawaii in the last days of history.

But the story doesn’t end even there. The narrative then boomerangs back through centuries and space, returning by the same route, in reverse, to its starting point. Along the way, Mitchell reveals how his disparate characters connect, how their fates intertwine, and how their souls drift across time like clouds across the sky.

As wild as a videogame, as mysterious as a Zen koan, Cloud Atlas is an unforgettable tour de force that, like its incomparable author, has transcended its cult-classic status to become a worldwide phenomenon.

List of readers:

• The Pacific Journal of Adam Ewing, read by Scott Brick
• Letters from Zedelghem, read by Richard Matthews
• Half-Lives: The First Luisa Rey Mystery, read by Cassandra Campbell
• The Ghastly Ordeal of Timothy Cavendish, read by John Lee
• An Orison of Sonmi-451, read by Kim Mai Guest
• Sloosha’s Crossin’ an’ Ev’rythin’ After, read by Kirby Heyborne

This audiobook is available exclusively as an audio download!

Note to customers: The complicated format of this novel makes it seem that the audio may be cutting off before the end of a story, accompanied by a change in narrator. However, this is the author's intention, so please continue to listen, and the stories will conclude themselves as intended.

©2004 David Mitchell (P)2004 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

• 2005 Audie Award Nominee, Literary Fiction

"[Mitchell's] exuberant, Nabokovian delight in word play; his provocative grapplings with the great unknowables; and most of all his masterful storytelling: all coalesce to make Cloud Atlas an exciting, almost overwhelming masterpiece." ( Washington Times)

"[ Cloud Atlas] glows with a fizzy, dizzy energy, pregnant with possibility and whispering in your ear: listen closely to a story, any story, and you'll hear another story inside it, eager to meet the world." ( The Village Voice)

"A remarkable book....It knits together science fiction, political thriller, and historical pastiche with musical virtuosity and linguistic exuberance: there won't be a bigger, bolder novel next year." ( The Guardian)

A Rich Read

The linked-story structure of the book made it very interesting. It's the type of book that would generate a rich discussion. I'm anxious to recommend it to friends so we can try to figure out connections - what's the meaning of the shared birthmark, how do the stories touch and influence each other, etc. The actors were absolutely splendid, embellishing and enriching the narrative. Truly professional. I found that I was anxious to find excuses to listen to the end of a section. Good read!!

Hard to get a handle on

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

No, not because this was that bad but there are many that are better.

What about the narrators’s performance did you like?

The narrators were very good, definitely a high point for me. Mitchell's use of language and how the narrators used them was impressive.

Could you see Cloud Atlas being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

I listened to this knowing the movie was coming out. Haven't seen the movie yet but I am curious to see how it is.

This was an incredible book!! And a great listen!

David Mitchell can seriously write. It's like 6 mini-novelas with the slightest undercurrent of a theme running through all of them. Each story is so unique from the others presented, and so well done, it's hard to imagine that they're all contained in one book. Other reviewers cautioned against trying to listen haphazardly to this one, I think that's sage advice. But I didn't find it difficult to follow as long as I paid attention. It's funny, poignant, serious and intense, all wrapped into one. This is one I will listen to again.

Fascinating read

A thoroughly enjoyable read for me, although I can certainly see that it wouldn't be for everyone. The fact that it spans six genres is, by itself, an aspect of the novel that probably makes it less accessible. And I'll admit that some story arcs were weaker than others. But there are so many outstanding moments as well, and each character has a distinct and memorable voice. The overarching story, in the end, is even greater than the sum of its parts.

As for the audiobook, I couldn't be happier. Performances range from good to outstanding; my favorite is Richard Matthews'.

A Multi-Genre Wonder

It's almost hard to review this as one book seeing as there are six very different stories in this novel. Of course, they are all woven together in the most expert way to develop a narrative that is compelling, unique, funny, touching, and thoughtful.

The Stories: Each of the six stories was fascinating in its own unique way. It was always interesting not just to see how each story would end up for the protagonist, but also how it would weave together with the other five. I rarely ever felt like the book was getting slow, and I was always waiting not-so-patiently to see what would come next. It's even hard to pick a favorite because at any given moment, the one I was listening to was my favorite.

The Narrators: Each brought such a unique spin to their narrative. I think having the separate narrators really added a lot to the book because it really did make it feel like six stories in one. Each narrator was great, and while some were a bit hard to understand at first (esp. Adam Ewing and Zachry), that was more a product of the novel itself than the narrators. And realistically, after a few minutes and finding the perfect listening speed, there were no issues.

Overall, and excellent book for fans of many genres. It is definitely not a book to passively listen to, though. It takes some focus and thoughtfulness to really get the most out of this book.

Engaging Characters and Compelling Storyline

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Definitely. I already have. These six vaguely-intertwining stories travel through time from a pre-"civilized" world to a world civilization has destroyed and then back again. What the protagonists have in common is that they are each breaking new ground - both on personal and societal levels. They are each using a "cloud atlas" to navigate their lives. I think. The readers were all great. The only downside of listening to the recording as opposed to reading the book, is that in the second half of the book, as the order reverses and characters are re-introduced, I couldn't flip back through the pages to review details I didn't remember. Highly recommended as a recording, but keep a paper or screen version nearby.

Fastastic writing, great narration

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

The moral of the story seems to be, "isn't it horrible how terrible people are to each other. It never changes, but maybe if we all could take a step back and really see the big picture we would get to together and build a better world."

Interesting premise, witty, evocative descriptions

The structure of this novel, six stories told by halves and linked to each other, is expertly carried out.

The first is a pacific travel journal set in the colonial Philippines which starts our journey of understanding what evils we as people perpetrate on each other. The second is a highly amusing account of a disinherited musician. The third is an excerpt from a disco-era murder/corporate espionage mystery. The fourth is an entertaining modern-time adventure of a man mistakenly committed to a nursing home. The fifth is set in a future of corporate hegemony and the questions raised by cloning. The sixth, which is the only story told in one complete piece, speaks of a far, far post-apocalyptic future which seems even more brutal than our warlike past.

The book ascends toward this story by halves and then descends, each occupant of the previous tale having viewed the first half of the story of the last and ending their story with the time and opportunity to finish viewing the rest of story that came before them. The themes of the book include slavery, racism, abuse, definitions of good and evil, timelessness, humanity, dignity, honor, and the connections between people. The characters are, for the most part, savvy and quick witted, inviting us to inhabit a strong narrative voice. I laughed out loud at the pithy dialog several times and was awed by masterful descriptions.

I highly recommend this book for the study of the craft of creative writing.

everything is connected

Fascinatingly interconnected at every turn in this story spanning time. This story holds powerful observations on morality and humanity hidden within its many story lines all of which are also intertwined each playing off the other in subtle yet noticeable ways. A great listen the narrators to a great job. This story will stay with you long after you've finished listening to it.

can't get enough david mitchell. superb narration.

Would you consider the audio edition of Cloud Atlas to be better than the print version?

I believe my enjoyment of the book was enhanced by the excellent narration.

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

accents, attitude, distinct character voices.