To Sleep in a Sea of Stars

By: Christopher Paolini

Narrated by: Jennifer Hale

Length: 32 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

"Narrator Jennifer Hale's outstanding performance brings this story of alien invasion to life.... Hale's range of differentiation is masterly as she animates all the quirky characters Kira meets. From the rough, snarky slang of ex-military woman to the half-mad musings of a human 'ship mind,' every unique voice enhances the listening experience." (AudioFile magazine, Earphones Award winner)

This program includes an afterword read by Christopher Paolini, as well as a bonus conversation between Christopher Paolini and Jennifer Hale.

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars is a brand new epic novel from New York Times best-selling author Christopher Paolini.

This program is read by Jennifer Hale, a Canadian American actress and singer who has appeared in hundreds of cartoon episodes and taken on roles in well over 185 video games, winning multiple awards. Her varied roles include Commander Shepard in Mass Effect, Rosalind Lutece in BioShock Infinite, Cinderella in both games and animation, Kronika in MK11, Naomi Hunter in the Metal Gear series, several roles in The Powerpuff Girls, Justice League, Avengers Assemble, the Emmy Award-winning Lost in Oz, Jean Grey/Phoenix in both games and animated series, and dozens more. This is her first audiobook.

Kira Navárez dreamed of life on new worlds.

Now she's awakened a nightmare.

During a routine survey mission on an uncolonized planet, Kira finds an alien relic. At first she's delighted, but elation turns to terror when the ancient dust around her begins to move.

As war erupts among the stars, Kira is launched into a galaxy-spanning odyssey of discovery and transformation. First contact isn't at all what she imagined, and events push her to the very limits of what it means to be human.

While Kira faces her own horrors, Earth and its colonies stand upon the brink of annihilation. Now, Kira might be humanity's greatest and final hope....

Barnes & Noble Best New Books of the Year - 2020
Goodreads Choice Awards - 2020
Amazon.com Best Books of the Year - 2020
NYPL Best Books of the Year - 2020

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2020 Christopher Paolini (P)2020 Macmillan Audio

Fantastic story and narration

I had no idea who Paolini or Jennifer Hale were until the very end of this book. Minor spoiler, there's some interviews at the end you totally should listen to after the book is done.

Imagine my surprise when it turns out the author of this book was the same guy who did Aragorn, the fantasy book famously written by a teenage author that has gathered acclaim around the world. And, I've never read Aragorn even though I've heard of the series for years.

Take a step further and it isn't until the author + narrator interview at the end of the novel that I find out the narrator has voiced some of the biggest characters in video games for the better part of 2 decades!

Can't recommend this new novel enough. As the author says, it took some convincing of his agent to write an adult novel rather than the YA (young adult) novels he's famous for, and he did it right. Given such a wide range of characters both alien and human, they're all very well written.

For one of the few times in years (in regards to other scifi stories), the aliens are interesting both as characters and they have a very plausible and realistic history of their own. The human characters are mature and make rational choices in the situations they're in. The main character is mostly aware of her own story and makes decisions based on that. Characters actually talk to each other and share information! Its like these are real people on a journey and not cheap cardboard cutouts being moved around a stage, as happens in so many other stories.

The narration is just top notch too. This is currently the *only* novel that Jennifer Hale has narrated. I mean, she does such an amazing job. Every single character has a unique voice that is consistent throughout the entire novel. Remember, this book is 30+ hours long. I really, REALLY want her to narrate some other novels. Going to be keeping my eye out.

Don't be turned off of this novel if you're a Paolini and fantasy fan and don't like that he's working in a different genre. Its really good and well worth your time.

Impressive worldbuilding, fabulous narration

Paolini has grown as an author and this is a great start to the Fractalverse series. Jennifer Hale’s narration is superb and allows the material to reach an even higher level. I want more Gregorovich!

Beautiful

I have been waiting YEARS for Paolini to create a new world. I was capture by the Inheritance Cycle and it continues to be my favorite fantasy series. I am not a huge fan of Syfi. They have mostly left me wanting. The ones I've read have leave the characters to fend for themselves while the science jargon takes president. This story is not that. If I could describe this book in one word it would be beautiful. That is funny to say since this book also contains elements of alien horror and starship battles but it really is beautiful. The story has a slower pace (but when it picks up boy does it pick up!) but I don't mind that because Paolini really gives us a sense of who the characters are and what they want. I'm able to connect with them and actually care what happens to them. The language that he uses really adds to the story and you can't help but connect with the characters. Paolini has grown leaps and bounds from his Inheritance Cycle days and honestly I'm so proud. His growth as a writer truly shines in this book. This may be a standalone book but by the ending you are sure this isn't the last story he has in this universe. Who knows where he will branch off to and I'm so excited to read more of it. Hale is one of the best narrators I've had the pleasure to listen to. She is even able to make machines and AI sound real. Her talent is incredible and I hope that she continues to narrate books. If this books ending were the end to a saga or years worth of book after book after book I would be disappointed, but it isn't. This book is the beginning to an expanded universe that Paolini has just begun to tell.

Firmly an adult novel

Writing and world building blows eragon out of the water. And the fact that it's not just scifi, but hard scifi suppriesed me, but it's really well done.

Another good one from Paolini

Having read the inheritance series, I knew I was going to try this book but I wasn't sure about it. It is not often that authors jump genres much less age demographics. But this book was very good. I kept thinking it was a good mix of the show firefly, with characters of venom and carnage from marvel comics, and aspects of the game warframe (all things I highly enjoy.) If you like those or have grown older with stories of Alagaesia still in your mind you'll enjoy this book. Thank you Christopher for creating the world and thank you Jennifer for giving it a voice and sound.

Amazing

I couldn't stop listening. One of the best readers I have listened to. I love the author. Looking forward to more books from him. So worth the wait. The characters and their development is just perfect. made me cry and smile many times while listening.

The New Definition of "Go Big or Go Home"

My review title is not a joke. This book took the whole concept and the very definition of "Go big or go home" to a whole new level as what starts as what seems to be another alien bonds with human story and balloons it to a level of war and change unlike few books I've read before. There are great sci-fi war books, then there are the ones that just stand out. Like Dune stand out. This is one of those books.

This is a hard to put down book written in third person but told entirely from the POV of ira, a xenobiologist finishing a contract survey job on a yet to be populated planet. On a routine job she stumbles across something ancient and alien and all hell breaks loose from that point on. I've read and watched some reviewers say this book had slow moments. Me and them have very different definitions of slow moments. And not a sub-plot or twist is wasted. It all builds to one hell of a finale and interesting ideas of what directions future installments of this "Fractalverse" storyline the author promises to come.

The ending makes you think "Where could it go from here?" even though it's pretty much spelled out by the plot. And because the main character and all her supporting cast are well rounded and interesting you know you want to know what direction the author plans to take us one. If I had any criticism I'd put is I didn't quite understand how the first part of the finale battle ended. I wasn't sure what happened before the main big bad was confronted. However that's a minor nit-pick. Do yourself a favor, take a walk in this world. Don't let the length of the book fool you, you won't notice it at all.

Paolini Has Outdone Himself

I have long been a fan of Paolini’s work. This story that he tells in To Sleep in a Sea of Stars is beyond words. His detail and imagination are seemingly endless and his masterful storytelling surpasses all expectations. To top it all off the narration by Jennifer Hale provides the cherry on top of the proverbial sundae. A truly breathtaking work of art.

Wow!

Listening to this book reminds me of when I was a young girl reading Dune nearly 50 years ago (although the story is vastly different). It is an epic tale of space adventure, danger, loss, and love. I really enjoyed the technological creations throughout the book. The characters became very dear to me.
Jennifer Hale’s performance is perfection.
I recommend this audible book to anyone who enjoys an engrossing technological space story with much humanity, even in the aliens.

Great Story

This book takes these amazing character through one of the most interesting stories I’ve listened to in a long time! The research, time, and effort put in to making the story sound real and very interesting is appreciated.