Off Armageddon Reef

Safehold Series, Book 1

By: David Weber

Narrated by: Oliver Wyman

Length: 29 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

Humanity pushed its way to the stars—and encountered the Gbaba, a ruthless alien race that nearly wiped us out. Earth and her colonies are now smoldering ruins, and the few survivors have fled to distant, Earth-like Safehold, to try to rebuild. But the Gbaba can detect the emissions of an industrial civilization, so the human rulers of Safehold have taken extraordinary measures: with mind control and hidden high technology, they've built a religion in which every Safeholdian believes, a religion designed to keep Safehold society medieval forever.

800 years pass. In a hidden chamber on Safehold, an android from the far human past awakens. This android, Merlin, emerges into Safeholdian society to begin the process of provoking technological progress, which the Church of God Awaiting has worked for centuries to prevent. To conceal his formidable powers he finds a base of operations in Charis, a mid-sized kingdom with a talent for naval warfare, where he plans to make the acquaintance of King Haarahld and Crown Prince Cayleb, and maybe, just maybe, kick off a new era of invention. Which is bound to draw the attention of the Church…and, inevitably, lead to war.

It's going to be a long, long process. And David Weber's Off Armageddon Reef is going to be the can't-miss Sci-Fi epic of the decade.

Listen to more in the Safehold series.

©2007 David Weber (P)2006 Audio Renaissance, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishers LLC

Critic reviews

“Wyman rises nicely to the near Herculean challenge of performing this 30-hour epic. His clear, expressive reading never falters while he skillfully navigates his way through a labyrinth of plot twists and multiple characters. Whether describing high-tech space battles or the covert activities of courtiers and spies, Wyman brings Weber's intricate world of Safehold to life.” —Publishers Weekly

Not for me.

Would you listen to Off Armageddon Reef again? Why?

No. To much space and navel battle. I can go for a good battle. I just shorten them up or space them apart more.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Nimue of course. Main android/humanish guy. If David would have drove for a more character driving book vs a space/naval battle book I think this book would have been epic. His character development is great, there was just not enough of it.

Which scene was your favorite?

I dont remember the navel battles were so long I forgot.

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

not really.

Any additional comments?

If you like ships go for it. space and navel.

Good Yarn

Good yarn - A mixture of Buck Rogers and Horatio Hornblower. Just don't think about the plausibility and enjoy the action.

How does David Weber do it!!!

David Weber is THE master of character development, detail research, and story line. AND I would listen to anything read by Oliver Wyman. They both only do quality work!

Please redo the Audi for series

I really like this narrator, but any narrator would be great through the whole series. Please redo it at some point with a single narrator.

I came for the Gbaba, I stayed for the story

I loved the premise of an unstoppable alien force and a last ditch effort to save Humanity, but that's not this book. Had I known ahead of time, I may not have listened, but now I'm glad I did. it's well worth the listen

Slow and Wordy

Story is not bad, but maybe ½ could have been deleted. Don't yet know if I'll move on to book two....maybe read some reviews 1st.

Ok

While I am drawn in by the insightful descriptions of the military technology and its ramifications, I am equally put off by the near complete lack of personalities. Almost everyone is completely rational in every circumstance, and they all reason in the same way, even expressing themselves idenrically. The only thing lending diversity to the fast is the excellent narrator.

Oliver Wyman, Nuff said

great series just need to stop switching narrators and for the LOVE OF GOD at-least stop getting worse ones.

Not so much

I've enjoyed many of Mr. Weber's books over the years..... this one not so much. I'm hesitant to spend any more $ on the other books in the series since it seems so predictable.

While the premise of the series is interesting there are just too many convenient situations. And Merlin's ability to swoop in and gain influence with all he comes in contact with is too easy.

I'll pass on the rest.

I finally know what a Schooner is.

I love stories about people from advance societies, whom have lived with access to high technology all their lives, are thrust into simpler, archaic times.