Dark Eden

A Novel

By: Chris Beckett

Narrated by: Matthew Frow, Jayne Entwistle, Ione Butler, Robert Hook, Heather Wilds, Nicholas Guy Smith, Hannah Curtis, Bruce Mann

Length: 15 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

On the alien, sunless planet they call Eden, the 532 members of the Family shelter beneath the light and warmth of the Forest's lantern trees. Beyond the Forest lie the mountains of the Snowy Dark and a cold so bitter and a night so profound that no man has ever crossed it.

The Oldest among the Family recount legends of a world where light came from the sky, where men and women made boats that could cross the stars. These ships brought us here, the Oldest say - and the Family must only wait for the travelers to return.

But young John Redlantern will break the laws of Eden, shatter the Family and change history. He will abandon the old ways, venture into the Dark…and discover the truth about their world.

Already remarkably acclaimed in the UK, Dark Eden is science fiction as literature; part parable, part powerful coming-of-age story, set in a truly original alien world of dark, sinister beauty--rendered in prose that is at once strikingly simple and stunningly inventive.

Reader List:

"John Redlantern" Read by Matthew Frow

"Tina Spiketree" Read by Jayne Entwistle

"Sue Redlantern" Read by Lone Butler

"Gerry Redlantern" Read by Robert Hook

"Gela Brooklyn" Read by Heather Wilds

"Mitch London" Read by Nicholas Guy Smith

"Carolyn Brooklyn" Read by Hannah Curtis

"Jeff Redlantern" Read by Bruce Mann

©2012 Chris Beckett (P)2014 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

• Winner of the 2013 Arthur C Clarke Award for the Best Science Fiction Novel of the Year

"A linguistic and imaginative tour de force." (The Guardian [UK])

"Captivating and haunting…human plight and alien planet are both superbly evoked." (Daily Mail [UK])

"Captivating and haunting…human plight and alien planet are both superbly evoked." (Daily Mail [UK])

In a dark world, the man with light is king

An adventure about a new world getting old and old ideas getting upgrades. The forest world of the story is claustrophobic and dark, and there is no day star. Dark too are the minds of many of the characters, marooned in a fertile, if gloomy place. Acceptance of new ideas goes slowly, and then suddenly their world grows geometrically. Quite a trip!

Good! good!

Where does Dark Eden rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I enjoyed Dark Eden although I didn't actually love the story or become so immersed and involved that I lost myself in the narrative. None of the characters allowed me to fully emphasize with them. None of the characters had much of an emotional arc nor grew with the story. However, Dark Eden reminded far more of a fairy tale than an actual character study or science fiction trope and It works on that level, as a fairy tale. The language and its presentation in the audiobook also emphasized this the stories quality as a fairy tale.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Dark Eden?

I had a difficult time getting involved with the narrative, although it was well written and very creative. It wasn't until John destroyed the circle of stones and then later when they journied across 'snowy dark' that I became involved in the circumstances.

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

I have not heard any of these narrators to my knowledge, but the presentation of the audiobook was fantastic and did much to keeping me interested.

Still thinking about this book months later

What made the experience of listening to Dark Eden the most enjoyable?

The performances of this book were top notch. Each of the voices and accents were distinctive and added to the story and the experience.

What did you like best about this story?

This story is so inventive. It is speculative fiction at its best. We live in a world with billions of people and a multitude of religions, tribes, classes and attitudes. But, science tells us that all of us humans emerged from a single female in Africa. How did the diversity develop? How does one people become many? This book explores these questions with a subtlety and insightfulness that is entirely plausible and very enjoyable. One pair of humans (Angela and Tommy) find themselves stranded on an alien world with no sun to give light, but only weak lights from the bio-luminesence of all living things. We join their "family" of several hundred people a few decades later. This little society is facing food shortages and must confront the tension of the urgency to change versus the security of the past. The environment of Dark Eden and the history of the original founders' story provides some drama, but the real story emerges from the characters, how they talk, and how they interact with each other.

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

I would have listened to all of it at one time if I could. As it is, this book still lingers in my memory long after I've finished it.

Any additional comments?

One of the best audio books I've every listened to.

Inbred hillbilly’s on a different planet

I really tried with this book, but the people are dumb (likely due to all 500+ descending from the same two people) and the story is painfully slow. Also the repetitive words (dark dark, cold cold, smart smart) too late to get my credit back but I’m just gonna delete it. I don’t want it in my library

Hope to see a sequel soon

John Redlantern is done with simply waiting. He is one of more than 500 people stuck in a cycle that was intended to be temporary. They are all waiting for rescue, because their parents and grandparents have passed down a plan which was constructed by their ancestors, more than 100 years ago.

Generations ago, 5 earthlings crashed on a strange planet with no sun. Three left, they were to come back with help from earth; Tommy and Angela stayed behind, waiting for their rescue. They become the original parents to a colony of their descendants.

Years of inbreeding, combined with limited knowledge, have addled most of their minds and bodies, but not everyone. John and his friends are forward thinkers. This story is about those who dared to ask what if we are stuck here? Shouldn't we start to live as if we will never be rescued?

Written from several points of view, the story seamlessly allows the reader to understand where the characters stand, and how they developed into their current ways of thinking.

The ending could be final, but it gives hope for sequels!

Thought it would end differently

Where does Dark Eden rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

After reading the summary.....I place a story in my mind and I kept waiting for it. I was pleasantly surprised that the story was completely different then I expected. I loved how the author developed the language and I found it really humorous at times. At first I found their repeating emotional words annoying but it became very endearing as the story developed. I will look forward to the next book.

Who was your favorite character and why?

John was my favorite character because of his restless curiosity. While he may seem arrogant to some readers I found him to be as interesting as watching an independent cat. Never sure if his next interest will cause chaos or we'll deserved excitement.

Which scene was your favorite?

My favorite scene is when Jeff is trying to train his first horse and he falls asleep cuddling with it.

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

It was too long for one sitting but I hated to leave it for the next day.

Brilliant!

Would you consider the audio edition of Dark Eden to be better than the print version?

Absolutely, though I've never read the print version.

What did you like best about this story?

This is not just you regular old sci-fi book. It is a piece of literature, expertly written, and well narrated.

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

Most definitely the diversity of the characters, having multiple narrators helps to differentiate the characters so we can better relate to each one individually.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

One of the reasons this story is so great is that it runs you through the whole gambit of emotions, you laugh, your sad, happy, mad, proud, worried, excited and a whole host of others!

Any additional comments?

Cant Wait for the sequel, its to be released in print in England soon in 2014, lets hope audible gets it right away!

Interesting take on shipwreck theme

Good story, very good voice acting.

++ A couple of unexpected twists along the way.

++++ Great locale; well thought out and unique to my experience.

++.liked the focus on family, and the ramifications of dwindling resources to society.

It was good

I'd say that I enjoyed the story. The voice acting was appropriate for the setting. The choice of language for the characters is something I had a hard time getting over though.

Fantastic.

What an amazing story. This is a story about just how human we really all are.