Doomsday Book

By: Connie Willis

Narrated by: Jenny Sterlin

Length: 26 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

One of the most respected and awarded of all contemporary science-fiction writers, Connie Willis repeatedly amazes her many admiring fans with her ability to create vivid characters in unusual situations. With Doomsday Book, she takes listeners on a thrilling trip through time to discover the things that make us most human.

For Oxford student Kivrin, traveling back to the 14th century is more than the culmination of her studies - it's the chance for a wonderful adventure. For Dunworthy, her mentor, it is cause for intense worry about the thousands of things that could go wrong. When an accident leaves Kivrin trapped in one of the deadliest eras in human history, the two find themselves in equally gripping - and oddly connected - struggles to survive.

Deftly juggling stories from the 14th and 21st centuries, Willis provides thrilling action - as well as an insightful examination of the things that connect human beings to each other.

©1992 Connie Willis (P)2000 Recorded Books

Critic reviews

• Hugo Award, Best Novel, 1993
• Nebula Award, Best Novel, 1992

"Ms. Willis displays impressive control of her material; virtually every detail introduced in the early chapters is made to pay off as the separate threads of the story are brought together." (The New York Times Book Review)
"A stunning novel that encompasses both suffering and hope....The best work yet from one of science fiction's best writers." (The Denver Post)

loved this book the 1st time and just as much 2nd

excellent book. I love medieval history this a grea4 fiction story about the time

Fun

Things that were glaringly obvious to me were painfully difficult for the characters to uncover. This made the book feel slow and drawn out.

With that said, I enjoyed the story and the characters.

If you like time travel books, give this one a try.

Another Connie Willis Favorite

Interesting story, likeable characters. I've listened to this book quite a few times. There are parts that are simply draw out for too long like Bahdree's illness and his not being able to spit out....what exactly IS wrong. However, still worth having in an audible library.

Disappointed

I finished this book because I paid for it. Almost all the characters were immature twits.

Very slow paced!

Other reviewers have touched on some of the many issues with this book. Some of my pet peeves with it have already been mentioned - excruciatingly slow paced, extremely annoying characters in the 2050's, hours of repetition and people chasing other people, unable to find them. It's too bad the author couldn't have envisioned some sort of personal communication device that each character carried, like our cell phones. It would have easily cut off about 3 hours of the book, waiting for phone calls, full phone lines so they couldn't get through, not knowing where people were - some they never did find!

My biggest issue happens at the outset. These people of 2050 had the ability to go back in time but they were totally irresponsible about it. They send a woman back to the middle ages (in the middle of winter and a mini ice age) and then EVERY SINGLE PERSON who knows how to get her back goes on Christmas vacation and is somewhere they can't be found or reached. Don't you think they would leave a tech or two at the college to handle emergencies and monitor the device that sent her back? Everybody just walked away and went on vacation?

Then there is the virus that Kivren gets the day she goes back. She is so near death she receives the last rights but then 3-4 days later she is fully recovered and acting as nursemaid to the 2 little girls. Her miraculous recovery took place despite having no access to anything remotely resembling modern medicine and living in a freezing cold manor. All the while in the present day, the only man apparently who can run the time travel equipment is near death from the same virus for weeks, despite modern day medicines and others are dropping like flies, dying of it. How did Kivren recover so quickly?

The reason I gave it even 3 stars was for the historical detail. The parts of the story in the past were better and When they finally got to the black death, it got interesting. The modern day parts were so irritating I skipped through some of it, which I rarely do. I did finish it, which I guess merits 3 stars. The performance was good anyway.

Just beware, this book may irritate the life out of you!

an excellent book

I really enjoyed this book. It is a retro sci-fi novel so you might get a little disoriented by things like the lack of cell phones in the 21st century, but that doesn't really do anything to ruin the story because it's far less about the technology in four more about the people. I really enjoy the way that it explores an epidemic in the 21st century versus the black plague in the Middle Ages. Perhaps a historian or epidemiologist will find faults with the details of this book, but those don't do anything to wreck the story either. It explores the commonalities and differences in hell science and religion and people's relationship with them exist in different times.

I was far more engrossed in this book than I though

I was far more engrossed in this book than I though possible. Well written well performed!

Scholarly time travel adventures

Connie Willis' Doomsday Book takes place in the mid 21st century when time travel is not only possible, but executed to fill in historical voids. A graduate student in Oxford is sent back to the early 14th century, but trouble develops when the 21st century experiences a pandemic influenza episode that interferes with monitoring the drop. Events slowly spin out of control in both centuries as each struggle to deal with infectious diseases until an apocalyptic boy and a necrotic man drop in to save the day.

The sci-fi elements focus mainly on time travel which is quite sophisticated. Time travel paradox is addressed by merely arguing the physics won't allow it to occur. The attention to parameter checks, unmanned drones, and backups is commendable. At the same time, the 21st century infectious disease armamentarium of antivirals along with T cell enhancement treatments as well as full genomic sequencing for viral isolates is nicely applied. The title is derived from the term used for an implanted recording device for the student to enter notes while remaining in character. Other notable aspects include the almost comedic academic infighting and medical rigidity as well as a comparison of social and religious mores of the 14th versus 21st centuries - not much different.

The narration is quite well done with a good range of voices of both genders as well as children. Pacing is a bit on the slow side.

What a Stunning Book

I would classify this book as medieval science fiction. Since I love both genres, perhaps I am biased. It is drama, tragedy, and even comedy, all rolled into one. I thought the story construction, counterpoint between 14th and 21st centuries, and reading quality were great. If I had to mention a problem, it would be the deliberately low audio in some places. Since I listen in the car, this tendency toward sudden pianissimo was difficult to navigate.

I recommend this book and will probably listen again even though I very rarely do that.

good but slow

it's slow, but good. lots of focus on pathogens and diseases, and less on plot.