Voyagers III

Star Brothers

By: Ben Bova

Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki

Length: 11 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

Keith Stoner lay frozen in an alien spacecraft for 15 long years. During that time, he came to be something more than just an astronaut, or just a man. Stoner became partly alien himself, merged with an alien intelligence embodied in the nanotechnology that lived inside his body.

The alien whose tomb that spacecraft was brought humanity both a blessing and a deadly peril. The technology that lives in Stoner's bloodstream will change mankind forever. Powerful leaders, both corporate and political, become aware of Keith Stoner and the power he seems to control. They want that power for themselves and will do anything to gain it. Nothing Stoner can say or do will convince these ruthless men and women that the power they seek may destroy them utterly.

Hi-fi sci-fi: listen to the first book in this series, Voyagers, and the second book, Voyagers II: The Alien Within.

©1990 Ben Bova (P)2007 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic reviews

"Taut, thrilling...highly recommended." ( Booklist)
"Rip-roaring science fiction...tightly constructed and fast moving." ( Science Fiction Chronicle)
"Bova's conclusion to his Voyagers trilogy offers fast-paced action for fans of hard-core SF adventure." ( Library Journal)

Voyagers Series

If you're looking for a story of space, aliens, space travel, this is not your series. The review addresses Voyagers, Voyagers II, III, and The Return.

Plot. A spacecraft is approaching earth — no response to earth signals. A mission from earth determines that the craft is a sarcophagus - the sole passenger is a dead alien. A ship message tells us to study the alien and his ship and send him on his way to other worlds. A USA astronaut decides to stay on the alien ship, goes into stasis for 18 years, and returns to earth. He has changed - and so has the earth.

Liked: Stuck with it, well, because it IS a Bova series. Narration and production are fine. No sex, no objectionable language, clean reads.

Not so hot: This is NOT a typical SciFi, rather a platform for the author to voice concerns regarding world politics, religious zealots, climate change, nuclear war...the earth will perish if humans do not change. There have been other books and movies with the same basic theme - The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Man Who Fell to Earth, The Abyss, more. So, it's been done before - and better, IMO.

Disappointed.

exceptional excellence and interesting

I want more and more and more looking for book 4 now lol you will love love love it

Wonderful author

Ben Bova is wonderful and Stefan Rudnicki does an awesome Job. I’ve listened to several books in this series an always looking forward to the next one.

thought proving ideas

good read, not many slow parts. many insights to humanity and what makes us tick.

Good book but not really a Space opera

I found this series (Voyager) because I was reading the entire "The Grand Tour" series, and once I got to the Return book I felt like there were some things that didn't make sense and realized there was a back story to Stoner etc. so here I am, almost done with the Voyagers and on my way back to finish "The Return."

tldr; It's a good book. Like the two before it, it keeps you interested. Just do not get your hopes up and expect to be on an actual space Voyage as the titles might suggest. Hasn't really happened. Great narrator although the story does jump around from time to time and can be confusing if you're not paying attention.

I love Ben Bova, I'll say that first. I have enjoyed every book of his that I have read so far, and if you noticed, that's pretty much the entire Grand Tour series. I enjoyed this series, but it is not what I was expecting. Yes, there is an alien, but it's inside of a man, and there is no real "space opera" to this series. Not yet. Let's see what the rest of the next book has in store. I had hoped that by this book, I'd be off in space with Stoner on the ship etc etc. (trying not to give away too much for those who haven't already read or at least started Return). But we aren't in space. We are on the moon at some point, but still.

It does seem the story might have been read a little fast or something because one minute you're in the jungle with an ape and a lady. Next, you're at some compound being tortured. It jumped around sort of awkwardly. The timelines also seem way off. They discuss different hotels and places on the moon, but based on every other book in the Grand Tour series, it seems to not fit. Douglas Stavanger helped to create the city on the moon ywars ahead of now. when his father was up there, it was just a moonbase. The book is apparently taking place in the 1980s or 90s, but the independent moon settlements, etc. are all taking place somewhere in the years 2060 and on. If I had to guess, Doug likely set all of that up, maybe early 2000s, as he's about 60ish even though it doesn't show. So maybe it's just me confusing the timeline, but it definitely can throw you off.

Now that all aside, I love Stefan Rudniki as a narrator and I have enjoyed the series regardless of the fact that I am left disappointed by the fact that I have 40 mins left of the book and still no dice on being OUT in space. It does deal with politics, power hungry back stabbing evil assholes and a little love and peace within. Or the hope of peace within humanity. I'm glad to not have heard about the new mortality for a change, but based on the behavior of these evil, rich, and powerful ppl, I can see why it might have been formulated. It is sad and creepy to know that we are living in a world that Bova saw with clear eyes and even Scarier to see what it can become. We currently truly do have a select few of Billionaires in the US alone, not to mention around the world, and they have created a Monopoly where there shouldn't be one. Greedy selfish politicians have allowed it for their own personal gains and no longer truly serve their constituents because they're no longer held accountable. So when these rich and selfish assholes fund the very extinction of Humankind they all feel they'll be safe as a rainbow in there well protected bunkers or out in space on the moon base that is currently in the works for 2030-35 and the base on Mars which is not far behind. We are also WAY overpopulated now, just imagine in the next 20 + years from now. It would not come as a surprise if it really is true that certain viruses and birth defects were in fact man made and dumped into the Outrageously overly populated cities like some Like some extreme Nutty conspiracy theorists believe. But I digress.

Enjoyed listening!

I enjoyed listening to The Voyager's first 3 of series. Looking forward to listening to the Return.

This was ok

This dragged in some parts,
The narrator was good.
There were some good surprises I liked

Third book of a trilogy

The first "Voyagers". Started slowly, building a base for a story to become in.
A third into that first novel the concepts became fascinating. The action is good, but the ideas, are what grabbed me, what kept me listening through all three of the books are the novelty, Ben Bova's mind..
Every Sci Fi I read, or listen to opens up my mind to new possabilities, mostly novel ideas. Sci Fi showed me how to tell a story bigger than my own realities, my understanding that evolution is still changing who we are.
after physical evolution, Humanity evolved as cultures, and languages, and with language came religon, then science, and Concepts beyond our own reality-based thinking. The physical world was left behind once technology began to evolve how we managed our world. science fiction is a way of thinking, a way of seeing possible realities that are not immediately around us.

Wonderful

This was a wonderfully original storyline. I recommend this series. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

A most enjoyable listen

As is Voyager I & II, Voyagers III is a most enjoyable listen. The whole series flows together well and Ben Bova has left an opening for the next star journey. The story is riveting and kept me company whenever I shovelled snow, did some gardening or just chilled out in the Jacuzzi. I am looking forward to Voyagers IV, whenever it comes out. There is always more snow coming and gardening to do, and relaxing baths to take.