2312

By: Kim Stanley Robinson

Narrated by: Sarah Zimmerman

Length: 19 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

The year is 2312. Scientific and technological advances have opened gateways to an extraordinary future. Earth is no longer humanity's only home; new habitats have been created throughout the solar system on moons, planets, and in between. But in this year, 2312, a sequence of events will force humanity to confront its past, its present, and its future.

The first event takes place on Mercury, on the city of Terminator, itself a miracle of engineering on an unprecedented scale. It is an unexpected death, but one that might have been foreseen. For Swan Er Hong, it is an event that will change her life. Swan was once a woman who designed worlds. Now she will be led into a plot to destroy them.

©2012 Kim Stanley Robinson (P)2012 Hachette Audio

Science Fiction Concepts

Superb author. Excellent writing style. Story was all encompassing which at times caused me some confusion. As for the story I never really got it. As for the sci-fi content I was enthralled. Great book but will not read again.

A Modern Sci-Fi Masterpiece

I am in no way affiliated with the writer, publisher, ad agency or Audible.com. I am just an average Joe with a 15 year love affair of good audio books.
I downloaded 2312 on a whim because it happened to be highlighted on the front page of the site and I was in a hurry to get a new book for my commute home.
Robinson's depiction of this detailed, fictional world follows in the footsteps of the great science fiction authors such as Asimov and Clarke. The fabricated details of this future are not only technically feasible, but also rich in their creative overlay of the story. The emotional interaction of the characters is contemporary and easily draws in the reader.
The narrator's performance is pristine and almost feels like you are listening to a documentary about this nonexistent new universe.
I am so glad that I took a chance on this book. It has inspired me to cut a much wider swath in my book choices in the future. A+

audible book

struggled to finish . maybe because I needed my dictionary thru out. Not a book I could have read. glad I got the audible.

Invigorating book, average narration

Robinson's heady, intellectual, hard science fiction view of the future is captivating and thought provoking. The narration grew on me (the character's voices are subtle changes, but noticeable), but odd mispronunciations occur throughout--not often, but enough times to make one wonder. Regardless, an extremely enjoyable way to experience an excellent novel.

Great world building, anticlimactic plot

Very immersive, but the plot never quite comes to a head. You’re left a little less than satisfied

​What Sci Fi Should Be

​I was asking my friends on what I should be reading next because I haven't read science fiction in a long time despite how much I like this genre. They all recommended that I should try Kim Stanley Robinson, "2312". This is my first time at reading anything from this author and I am amaze on his writing. He build a vast new universe with so much details and new species that automatically catches your interest to go on at reading more.

Many authors tries to expand their worlds through multiple series, plots, subplots and so on. After a while, you tend to forget the main premise from the first book. With "2312", I'm glad that it's one note. It starts and finishes within one novel.

"2312" is what sci fi should be.

Wordy Book, good performance

This is a very wordy author who goes off on tangents that are barely relevant to the story. There are many interesting SCI-FI hooks - interesting weapon, nano-computing, cool space drives, and a fun vision of the future. But getting through all the rhetoric is very hard.

The audio book is well performed (I think the reader gets bored at times) and it can be mono-tomic at times. But overall a good performance.

Return of the master.

Any additional comments?

Thank you, Kim Stanley Robinson, for returning to the subject for which you have rightfully earned the crown – creating habitable worlds, and peopling them with wonderful characters and moving stories.

I wish there were a better word than terraforming. It's so artless when applied to what KSR's work. He lets us see and most importantly makes us FEEL what it would be like in a system of worlds made accessible by human creativity.

Fleshing out an already deep universe

This is a must read for Mars trilogy fans since it expands on deep human and post human subjects that were hinted at in the aforementioned work.

Robinson's Style: Hard Science plus Freaky Humans

Would you try another book from Kim Stanley Robinson and/or Sarah Zimmerman?

I enjoyed the Mars Trilogy, but nothing else KSR has written has measured up.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

The world building was fantastic (as always). The people are a little too "post-human" for me to care about them or their decisions.

Which character – as performed by Sarah Zimmerman – was your favorite?

Zimmerman's character distinctions are subtle, but still make it easily to determine who is speaking. Though Pauline's part is small, she had the most distinctive voice (and the only comic relief in the novel).

Was 2312 worth the listening time?

Probably not. I felt a lot of those moments where I was just powering through to finish.

Any additional comments?

Sarah Zimmerman deserves a lot of credit for reading the book. It is full of technical language, scientific jargon, spiritual woo-woo and imported words from foreign languages. She ably and confidently tackles it all, and does a very good job holding the listeners' hand through the more treacherous passages. Only because I speak French did some of those phrases fall a little flat to my ear. In particular, the word 'passe-partout' comes up repeatedly, and was mispronounced every time. In general, though, she does a fine job of what must be an audiobook performer's worst nightmare.