Dimension of Miracles

By: Robert Sheckley

Narrated by: John Hodgman

Length: 5 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

Audie Award Finalist, Solo Narration - Male, 2014

Award-winning author, narrator, and screenwriter Neil Gaiman personally selected this book, and, using the tools of the Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX), produced this work for his audiobook label, Neil Gaiman Presents.

A few words from Neil on Dimension of Miracles: "Dimension of Miracles is probably not [Sheckley's] most famous book…. but I think it's probably his best-loved book. It's about the joys and tribulations (mostly the tribulations) of winning the lottery—the galactic lottery—accidentally. And wrongly. Tom Carmody is awarded a remarkable prize, is taken half way across the universe to collect it, finds himself hopelessly lost, and needs to find his way home again to Earth…to this Earth, not an alternate, weirdo Earth. He's got to get back. And the price is high.

In its style of humor—and even in some of the jokes—Dimension of Miracles is very obviously a precursor of Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Douglas actually hadn't read Dimension of Miracles until very shortly after Hitchhiker came out, when people pointed him to it, and he told me that he found the experience almost shocking—it was like reading himself. He was a huge admirer of Bob Sheckley and a huge admirer of this book, and in later life, I had the privilege of introducing both of them.

Now the challenge for me with a book this funny, this strange, this perceptive was to try and find a narrator who was as iconic, somebody who could deliver the goods, somebody who could give you a book like this as it deserved to be given. And the first, and the last, and actually the only person to come to mind was John Hodgman. So I asked John, and he said yes! And he did it; he pulled it off. Listening to John—not just the suave, sensible, sane narrator of this book, but all the peculiar accents and incarnations that he is forced to adopt through here—he does it delightfully, he does it brilliantly, he's really, really funny. And so is this book. Enjoy your journey through a Dimension of Miracles."

Dimension of Miracles is a satirical science fiction novel first published by Dell in 1968. It's about Tom Carmody, a New Yorker who, thanks to a computer error, wins the main prize in the Intergalactic Sweepstakes. Tom claims his prize before the error is discovered and is allowed to keep it. However, since Tom is a human from Earth without galactic status and no space traveling experience, he has no homing instinct that can guide him back to Earth once his odyssey begins - and the galactic lottery organizers cannot transport him home. Meanwhile, his removal from Earth has caused a predatory entity to spring into existence - one that aims to destroy him. Carmody is on the run, and he ends up transporting from Earth to Earth - different phases and realities of the planet.

Learn more about Neil Gaiman Presents and Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX).

©1968 Robert Sheckley (P)2013 Robert Sheckley

Critic reviews

"Hodgman, probably best known to geeks for his appearances on The Daily Show and his role as the PC in those Apple commercials a few years back, has a dryly intelligent deadpan that wonderfully counterpoints the absurd adventures of Thomas Carmody, a mid 20th-century New York everyman who’s invited to a galactic center to collect a sweepstakes prize." ( Locus)

Master of fantastical voices

John Hodgman is an amazing narrator for this crazy story. He is the every man.

It didn't work for me

With such high ratings and the endorsement from Neil Gaiman, how could I pass this one up.

I am not sure why, but this book just didn’t work for me. It started out with many small technical problems with the audio, small chirps and crackling, that really distracted me. But even after those issues went away later in the book I still just couldn’t get into it.

The lead character, Tom Carmody, never appealed to me... The book just feels pretentious to me with all the armchair philosophy, puns, and forced wordplay. I can see how this book would be viewed as a precursor to Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker series, but Mr. Adams was able to do it without pretension, he did it in a way that made it feel natural in a way I do not feel like this book does.

John Hodgman does a good job narrating the book, but it is hard for me to judge as I never could get really involved with the storyline.

I really respect Neil Gaiman and Audible for making audiobooks like this one of stories and authors that many of us have never heard of and look forward to many more of them.

This was before Douglas Adams owned the genre

This was a surprise.

In his preface Neil tells us that Douglas Adams (Hitchhiker et al) only read Robert Sheckley after Guide to the Galaxy was published. They have very similar voices in regards to their ideas, playfulness, humour and sheer imagination. Very very similar. One suspect that Sheckley did not get the honour that is his due.

I wonderful romp with the sub-text not that sub and the humour bubbling continuously. Really enjoyable.

Ancestor or Hitchhikers Guide

The similarities to The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy are astounding but this has a definite 60s feel to it. John Hodgeman does a fantastic job reading it.

Almost perfect

The storytelling and narration is exceptional and well worth the credit. unfortunately, there are digital audio glitches in the recording which is the only thing preventing me from giving this a full five stars! if you like Robert Heinlein, Douglas Adams etc. you’ll enjoy this book!

Fantastic!

This story is hilarious and Hodgman is great. I really enjoyed it. Recommended of you enjoyed Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

A classic. Must read!

Would you listen to Dimension of Miracles again? Why?

I read this book in high school umpty three years ago. This reading is very well done and the book is a little left-leaning for my taste but smart and full of humor and action.

What other book might you compare Dimension of Miracles to and why?

The obvious comparison is with Hitchhikers guide to the universe. I liked Douglas Adams' work much better but this actually preceded it.So who's copying who??

Which scene was your favorite?

The first time he met is predator.

Unbelievable piece of history

A pre Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy book that's shares a lot of the ideas of the hitchhiker and definitely shares the spirit in an American way.
A favourite of Neil Gaiman.
A very good job of narrator.
Super imaginative.

Not Hitchhiker's Guide from a past era

I've rated all my many Audible books 4 or 5 so far. I couldn't get into this one. Although it's compare to Hitchhiker's Guide, it lacks the humor and timing of that classic. It's an interesting period piece, but a little too obviously drug- driven.

Laugh Out Loud Brilliance! Perfect Read!

This was the best book and audiobook I've listened to in a while, with an outstandingly perfect reading by John Hodgman. Truly great.