Idlewild

By: Nick Sagan

Narrated by: Clayton Barclay Jones

Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

He wakes alone, nameless, in a strangely bucolic day-after-tomorrow world. His amnesia is near-total; he cannot remember his name and doesn't recognize anything around him, but he knows with absolute certainty that someone has tried to kill him and will surely try again.

Not knowing who, if anyone, he can trust, he reacquaints himself with eight companions, all of whom are being trained (for what?) at an esoteric academy run by a cryptic superintendent named Maestro. As he tries to discover the identity of the person who wants him dead, he quickly begins to unravel a series of sinister truths, which make it clear that the ramifications of his search are far greater than he could ever have imagined. Much more than his own life is at stake.

Idlewild takes the best of its genre and transcends it, creating a story that will appeal to readers far beyond the traditional science fiction fan base.

©2003 Damned If I Don't Productions (P)2003 HighBridge Company

Critic reviews

"Sagan may have more imagination than he knows what to do with a wonderful thing in a new author." (Kirkus Reviews)

Too much YA fantasy, too little science

I'm proud of myself for not tossing this book within the first 30 pages, because until the story started to gel, it seemed all too much like one of Gaiman's nonsensical fantasies. (Clearly I'm not a fan.) I love scifi, but there is very little science and an awful lot of YA fantasy in here.

I stuck with it, and though I never found the scifi adventure I was hoping to uncover, it wasn't bad. It wasn't great either. It was a fairly drawn-out exploration of one young man's existential crisis, which was interesting but far from compelling.

Will I read the next in the series? Perhaps, but only if I trip over a copy in the library while looking for something, anything, to read.

Slow starter but a mindbuster. Dark. Dark. Dark.

If you could sum up Idlewild in three words, what would they be?

Dark, Apocalyptic, Shocking

Who was your favorite character and why?

Halloween. A protagonist like I've not seen.

Have you listened to any of Clayton Barclay Jones’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

First time. It was good.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Yes, but it gives away the story.

Any additional comments?

Read it. Read Edenborn. Despair. We need the third one.

best new science fiction

great story that plays with your brain like a cat with string,this one stays with you long after you've finished it....

Favorite

This is a very well-written and fantastic original take on such a story. The writing accomplishes a very intelligent and well-researched material without being suffocating. This is the story I wish I had written. Bravo.

Great story

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it. It was a realitively easy listen. I gave only 3 stars because the author did not make enough commitment to characters and details. I was not drawn into their world enough to feel a personal stake in the characters. Good twist to human behavior and instinctual self-preservation.

Idlewild

Excellent. A mental Challenge. Everytime you're sure you know where you are you're wrong... but right as well

A very intersting storie

Sagan first installment is well written and makes you with a want to know more.

Amazing

We need more from this author. Rich, textured plot, beautiful narration, interesting concepts, surprises, resolutions: just plain engaging and satisfying. The next book, Edenborn, is also great. Can't wait for another installment!

Excellent work by Carl Sagan's son

This is a happy confluence of superb narration and compelling writing. It is best to know as little about the plot as possible before begining, but this book can be thought of as a much darker Ender's Game. There are excellent characterizations of teenagers, a fast-moving (if initially confusing) plotline, and some intriguing twists. It is a dark book, however, with a not always likable narrator, so those who prefer light and breezy might be advised to move on. Otherwise, this is one of the best science fiction offerings on Audible.

Another winner from Highbridge

Highbridge consistently puts out terrific audiobooks and this sci-fi thriller/mystery is no exception.
In his debut, screenwriter turned novelist Sagan breaks all the rules and comes up with a plot that seems like it should be all over the map but instead comes together beautifully.
With a terrific performance, Clayton Barclay Jones does justice to the hero, Halloween, a young man lost in an existential nightmare, unable to tell what's real from what isn't. Clayton makes you feel for Halloween's plight, rooting for him to find his way through a mystery that's bigger than anything he's known and more sinister than he can imagine.
Typical high quality production values from Highbridge. Great actor. Wonderful book. What more could you want?