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)

My new favorite time travel story

Medieval history and infectious disease are two things that fascinate me. This book has them both! Plus interesting situations, well-developed characters, and some heartbreak. (I don't want to give any spoilers, but you already know that not everyone lived happily ever after during that time in history.)

It's a long book, but moved well for me. The scenes with Kivrin in the past were my favorite, of course, but all of the book was wonderful. Even the scenes back at the college involving the heirarchies and power struggles in academia were interesting to listen to!

The narrator's voice was lovely and clear, and her enunciation and pacing were just right. I look forward to checking out more of her work.

movie?

I've never read a book and more wanted it to be made into a movie!

Slow

Well written but the pace of the story is too slow. But without any doubt it's a classic worth of reading/listening.

Long, entertaining book

The reviews of this book show that people seem to love it or hate it, or have either feeling at different times in the book. I've never read abridged books, but this one could be a candidate. There is much repetition, to the point where several times I thought the recording had skipped back to something I'd already heard. But, the story is interesting and very well written. All the characters end up having a purpose, even those who you can't imagine why they are getting so much air time. I do wonder where Kivrin's parents were, though.

Beautiful book with perfect narration

This book is wonderful. The characters and story are great, and the author combines the subtle humor with the serious events expertly. The narration is spot-on. The voices are all perfectly done and add to the reader's connection to the characters. It's not supposed to be a fast-paced thriller, as the negative reviews seem to have mistakenly thought. It tells an amazing story at the appropriate pace for the story. Speeding it up to YA novel speed would have taken away from the book. It's an amazing novel; I highly recommend it.

The best find of the year!

How have I not read these yet? A book I hoped would last forever. Doesn't rely on hype, popular keywords, sex, or any other gimmick to keep your interest.

Great reader, great story

Would you listen to Doomsday Book again? Why?

I will definitely listen to Doomsday Book again. The reader was very good and I dove right in to the story as she led the way.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Doomsday Book?

Rosamunde and the apple... I can't say any more than that, or I'd give some of the story away.

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

She had a wonderful voice for all the different characters.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

The Dark Ages, Illuminated.

Any additional comments?

I would highly recommend this audiobook. The combination of terrific story and gifted reader is hard to beat. There are some scenes that seem a bit roundabout/repetitive, but this does not stop me from recommending it. It just makes you very, very anxious to find out what's going to happen next.

almost didn't finish it

Few books I've listened to were this much of a chore to get through. The first two thirds of this book should've been edited down to a couple of hours. I finished it at 2x speed to get through it.

Hard to explain, hard to forget

How does one categorize Doomsday Book? Well, it's sci-fi. Except it's historical fiction. Except it's tragedy. Except it's horror. Whatever it is, it's unforgettable. Willis crafts two addicting and believable worlds, in plague-ridden medieval Oxfordshire and the not-too-distant future of Oxford University. The medicine, science, society, and religion have all changed, but people stay the same: heroic, infuriating, courageous, frightened, faithful, selfish, loyal, petty, utterly human.

It's not an easy read, but it's one you won't regret. So, dear reader, take a deep breath, screw up your courage, be sure you've had your shots, and step through the net, back in time with Connie Willis's remarkable work.

For Fans of Timeline

For those who like Michael Cricton's Timeline, the story will be a surprisingly entertaining read. The parallel storylines - one set in the not so distant future, and one hundreds of years in the past - make for a good flow in the story.