The Sunrise Lands

A Novel of the Change

By: S. M. Stirling

Narrated by: Todd McLaren

Length: 18 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

A generation has passed since the Change that rendered technology inoperable around the world, and western Oregon has finally achieved a degree of peace. But a new threat has risen in Paradise Valley, Wyoming. A man known as the Prophet presides over the Church Universal and Triumphant, teaching his followers to continue God's work by destroying the remnants of technological civilization they encounter - and those who dare to use them.

Rudi Mackenzie, son and heir of the mystic Juniper, must journey with seven friends across a continent in chaos to the Sunrise Lands to solve the riddle of what destroyed a civilization. And as the friends journey farther into the interior, enemies may be within their own band as well as outside it.

©2007 S. M. Stirling (P)2008 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Thought-provoking and engaging." ( Publishers Weekly)

Well done

Well done! Great story! Best narrator ever! Read this book! Spell binding, page turning novel!

The first book of the second trillogy...

...is as good as the first three books. This is one of my favorite genres, post-apocalyptic survival and S. M. Stirling does it very well. After reading the other reviews I can see some of the detractor's points but this is, after all, science fiction/fantasy. It is neither history nor prognostication. The likable characters are very likable and the despicable characters are easy to despise. The premise of sudden isolation and the identification by the surviving members of a group with a strong leader is easy to swallow and makes for a fascinating variety among the different "civilizations". I think Todd McLaren does a fine job differentiating characters with accent and voicing, he doesn't do young girls very well but what would you expect from someone with a fine Bass voice like that. The only criticism and warning to listeners is the book jumps around in both time and space and it's not always clear when it happens. Listen closely or you'll find yourself rewinding to figure out how you got from Dun Juniper to "east of the Cascades" in one breath. A great series and a great read.

Too long

I love a good book and can enjoy lengthy novels, but I became bored with the drawn out descriptions of the types of plants in the woods, the carvings inside a hall, or the clothing available. I understand the need to describe the setting, but this was overdone at times. I didn't get to the end to make a full review. Perhaps I will try the print edition and see if I enjoy that better. I can then skip the passages that halt the progression of the story. The narration was good. The writer is gifted, don't get me wrong. It is my personal preference for action that encourages this review. You decide for yourself.

Holy repeated mispronounsuations

Good story and he is a okay reader.
The repeated mispronounsuations almost had me wishing for a quick finish.

Great book and series.

Love it and the series. Well written with amazing character development. I have read a Lot by S.M. Stirling Due to this one book.

Good story but a little less cutters please.

Narrator was very good. But I don't like the I SEE YOU part of this story.

Miss Pronunciations EVERyWHERE

Narrator issue:

I can't tell you how annoying it is being from Oregon and hearing everything mispronounced. The WORSE part is that in the first trilogy books the Narrator pronounced them correctly and now pronounces word previously correct incorrectly. How does that happen? Not to mention other words being mispronounced like ration which the narrator pronounces as Ray-shun or levies which the narrator pronounces as lee-veez.

Story:

The story I find is engaging and wants to make me keep listening but the narrator issue dampens that significantly.
frankly get a hardcopy like I plan too and enjoy the story far more. I will likely try the next audiobook but will return it if the narration doesn't improve significantly

Bumpy Read-applies to all books in this series

I read the series from the beginning and looked forward to listening to it very much as I drive 2500 miles a month. Todd McLaren, the reader, does a very good job with voices, accents and tone but has an infuriating habit of mispronouncing simple words - i.e., when someone bares their teeth, he reads it as "barred". There are way too many of those to list. If you're accustomed to hearing what you've read, be prepared for a bumpy read - it's jarring when it happens. Probably the most egregious mispronunciation is when someone of Celtic origin says "Shite", he pronounces it "She-ite" - like the Muslim sect. Sets my teeth on edge and I lose the thread of the story because it's so distracting.

missing chapters

I love all Books. this one is missing chapters to it. alot
please fix it

some mispronounced words but great

McLaren does amazingly well with voices and accents. still says "barred" for "bared" and I think "shete" should be pronounced "shet-y" rather than "sheet".