Nova

By: Samuel R. Delany

Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki

Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

Given that the suns of Draco stretch almost 16 light-years from end to end, it stands to reason that the cost of transportation is the most important factor driving the 32nd century. And since Illyrion is the element most needed for space travel, Lorq von Ray is plenty willing to fly through the core of a recently imploded sun in order to obtain seven tons of it. The potential for profit is so great that Lorq has little difficulty cobbling together an alluring crew, including a gypsy musician and a moon-obsessed scholar interested in the ancient art of writing a novel. What the crew doesn't know is that Lorq's quest is actually fueled by a private revenge so consuming that he'll stop at nothing to achieve it.

In the grandest manner of speculative fiction, Nova is a wise and witty classic that casts a fascinating new light on some of humanity's oldest truths and enduring myths.

©2002 Samuel R. Delany (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc. and Skyboat Media, Inc.

I have loved this story for so long!

The reading is well done.
I have probably bought 10 paper copies of Nova over the years...strange and wonderful to hear it.

Classic

Nova is a classic for a reason. It’s inventive, creative, filled with fascinating characters. Recommended. It can also be a bit melodramatic - an element which is only heightened by the narration. It’s not bad narration, per se, but more like something my crazy uncle would provide, having convinced himself it’s something he’d be a natural at. He’s not. But still. It didn’t turn me off from listening. You might want to sample it first, though, just in case.

Delany is tops

This is one of his best SF novels, which means it is one of the best SF novels. It won plenty of awards when it was published, and deservedly so. Clever plot twists, silver tongued writing, and a believable story make this a great introduction to an important writer.

Just as fresh as my first reading 4+ decades ago

I bought this novel by Sam Delany in the summer between high school and my first year in collage. I read it whenever I could. Lunch breaks, smoke breaks (though I didn't smoke) and even skipping TV shows to get to back to this book. It was finished in less than a week and I was hungry for more. Delany had woven a galaxy filled with places and characters that exploded with uniqueness and mystery. It ranted with adventure and revenge and it pulled itself together by way of the impossible. It had its quirky madmen, scholarly good guys, off the road vagabonds and beautiful mysterious ladies who could predict your future or call back your past. This novel was written before Star Wars was even conceived yet it had plug in technology, as seen in Matrix and Space travel as vast and exploratory as Dune. And because Delany had obviously done his science homework he took the time to fill in the blanks on how a thousand years of our future history produced the marvels spoken of in here. I've so admired this work that I've always kept a copy in my library. So, when I saw it in audible form I grab it without a second thought. What a treasure. And now my compliments to the narrator, Stefan Rudnicki, who gave every character their whole, unique and distinct personalities while living thru their experiences with familiarity and fervor. Bravo! - I've read a lot of Sci-Fi in the last 50 plus years and this one still stands out as one of the true BEST. Please, if you're a real sci-fi fan don't pass this one up. After all don't you wanna know how to dive into the heart of a star and come out alive? Ha!

lovely

Really good voices! And the book was as gorgeous and highly coloured as I remembered.

Probably need to read as well as listen

I got lost a LOT through this book. The narration is great but I think there’s a lot of subtleties and literary aspects I blew past because it was audio. The book is good. Narration is great. Just pay attention haha

One of the greats

Moly dick in miniature with a sun for a whale and a spaceship for the pequod and the author in every character.

Classic space opera but a bit simple

All the elements are here—but it felt so shallow. Like a short story that could launch a spectacular epic, but weak by itself.

how did this sneak past me for all these years

Wonderful and entertaining. Still holds up as great sci-fi. Intriguing characters. Satisfying ending. I'll be reading more Delaney books.

A lot of words that don’t say much.

I feel for the person who recorded this as the Characters do not have much depth to work with. Making it hard to really make this book interesting. I am giving him 4 stars for the hard try.

As for the story there are lots of rambling words which has absolutely noting to do with the story, characters, or any of the plot lines.

The story starts in the present time then jumps back in time with no warning. It does this several times until the past finally catches up with the present. The book just kind of ends like there to be more books to come. Which there are none.

This book could have been written with half of the words used. It would have been better off for it.

This book is hard to listen to.