When Worlds Collide

By: Edwin Balmer, Philip Wylie

Narrated by: Peter Ganim

Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

A runaway planet hurtles toward Earth. As it draws near, massive tidal waves, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions wrack our planet, devastating continents, drowning cities, and wiping out millions. In central North America, a team of scientists race to build a spacecraft powerful enough to escape the doomed Earth. Their greatest threat, they soon discover, comes not from the skies but from other humans.

A crackling plot and sizzling, cataclysmic vision have made When Worlds Collide one of the most popular and influential end-of-the-world novels of all time.

©1932, 1933 Edwin Balmer & Philip Wylie (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Good Science for 1933

What made the experience of listening to When Worlds Collide the most enjoyable?

Reading about technology that had yet to be invented at the time of the novels publication.

What about Peter Ganim’s performance did you like?

Very good narrator.

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

New Planet Rising

Any additional comments?

The romance is so dated as to be almost comic. It was the story line and inventiveness that makes this novel and it's sequel interesting.

good but just a little too dated

I enjoy the opportunity to check out classics but in this case i'd say it's just a little too dated. the premise is interesting but there is a naiveté to the overall story line and style that doesn't work anymore. for a kid's early scifi reading it may be fine, aside from the mention of polygamous repopulation needed for the future of mankind, but the coincidences etc. of early lit are too much for me. the reader is fine and has done fine work elsewhere.

Earth facing destruction

When Worlds Collide is the product of the writing duo of Philip Wylie and Edwin Balmer. Written in 1933, it stands as a classic of early 20th century sci-fi. Astronomers identify two wandering planets on a collision course with Earth. Prior to impact, the celestial bodies wreak havoc with massive tides. The larger planet eventually impacts Earth, while the smaller body is more earth-like. What transpires is a Manhattan-style project to construct a spaceship to carry a small contingent of humanity to the earth-like world for colonization.

Wylie and Balmer crafted a thriller that is compelling and engaging. There’s a bit of romance along with a pseudo-love triangle. Of particular interest is the use of nuclear power for propulsion. There is a need for a special type of metal that can withstand high temperatures. At the same time, there are descriptions of what is happening in the rest of world that resonate with certain natural disasters occurring today.

The narration is well done with decent character distinction. Pacing is smooth and on the brisk side.

AN OLDIE BUT GOODIE

Thanks Audible for providing us with this book and its sequel. What most people don't realize is that this book was pubished in 1932 and its sequel, After Worlds Collide was published in 1933. They both have held up fairly well too. So feel free to spend your money, as these are books you'll enjoy. But just remember when they were written and adjust your thinking accordingly.

great early sci-fi book

Where does When Worlds Collide rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

unique based on its age

Any additional comments?

this book was written in the hey-day of sci-fi pulp with authors like ee doc smith.
so considering it age the science is dated, the dialog is dated but it was one of the first sci-fi books i read. so from that stand point this book is 10 stars.

Stunning to realize this was written in the 1930's

If you could sum up When Worlds Collide in three words, what would they be?

So, the problem is two fold: 1) that you continually want to call

A bit dated

The pervasive sexism and oblivious, thoughtless use of the word “Jap” is off putting.
IMHO

Kinda corny but keep in mind when it was written!

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

No. While the concept is classic, the story is very dated when compared to current technology. But again you must consider when it was written. Also, the authors fell short in their effort to express the relationship between Tony and Eve. Furthermore, their effort to create suspense seemed childish by today's standards. The bottom line is that there are better books out there.

Really Took Me By Surprise

What did you love best about When Worlds Collide?

I like stories which have a lot of 'what ifs' stories which make me wonder what would I do, how would I feel if that was happen

What did you like best about this story?

The ending is great and makes it difficult for me to decide to buy the follow up story. I don't want to ruin it for myself!

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

He certainly did a good job reading it, the style and the wording in the book must have made it difficult at times for him. Peter Ganim is not my favorite narrator but that does not mean he is terrible!

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

It certainly resparked my interest in the genre of the book again. But no emotional response to make me laugh out loud or cry.

Any additional comments?

It was interesting listening to a book written so many years ago in regards to space travel and commentary on future life and culture

A great story regardless of its time.

Not every good novel is been written in our lifetime, obviously. Here is one of the most enjoyable science fiction novels ever written, and it was written in the early 1930s! Other reviewers have mentioned that its science is bad and that it is a bit too "Buck Rogers" or "Flash Gordon." Regardless, allowing for when it was written, this wonderful book shines through with a remarkable, enduring story that is full of suspense and adventure. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, which also benefits from an excellent narration by Peter Ganim. The story is the thing - even in an age when readers and viewers demand cutting edge science and technology even from their fiction. This story, though dated, excels. It is, without a doubt, one of the best end-of-the-world novels ever written.