The Disappeared Audiobook By Kristine Kathryn Rusch cover art

The Disappeared

A Retrieval Artist Novel

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The Disappeared

By: Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Narrated by: Jay Snyder
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Retrieval Artists help the lost find their way back home, whether they like it or not. Specialized private detectives, they investigate the most unusual crimes in the galaxy. But Miles Flint isn't a Retrieval Artist. He's just a cop, trying to do his job.

In a stolen space yacht, three people have been found eviscerated, the grisly signature of an alien vengeance killing. Moments later, the border patrol halts another ship launched out of the moon's orbit. Its passengers are two human children, kidnapped by the most ruthless aliens in the universe. Both ships are linked to a woman on the run: a Disappeared relocated to the inhospitable landscape of Mars. A reluctant outlaw with a bounty on her head and a detective on her case, she's about to teach all of them a lesson: it's dangerous to gamble with your life in a universe that rigs the game.

Listen to more in the Retrieval Artist series.©2002 White Mist Mountain, Inc. (P)2008 Audible, Inc. Fiction Hard Science Fiction Science Fiction Detective

Critic reviews

"A masterful writer is at work." (Orson Scott Card)
"Top 10 Greatest Science Fiction Detective Novels of all Time." (io9.com)
"If you love puzzle mysteries, crime novels, well-invented sci-fi worlds or stories about characters you can believe in and care about, you owe it to yourself to give Rusch's Retrieval Artist novels a try." (Orson Scott Card)
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This is a highly addictive series. Ms. Rauch builds an excellent world with an excellent cast. The future amenities are things I wish we had now as they are not only very clever but possible too. Complex, well narrated stories. I have a love/hate with this series as not only is it the Retrieval Artist series but goes on into the Anniversary Day Saga series. This is a lot of books and none are in my local lending library. Oh my groaning purse. You probably know but if not: you can get the kindle books for a lot of these for 5.99 with an add on audible for 1.99. You will have to have them all.

Be very careful when you start this series

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This story has a few surprises in it that you do not expect. A few twists and turns that keep you interested throughout. I like the way in which the story unfolds, slowly but, without boredom becoming an issue. So the plot is a good one, and it is well written without the plodding unimaginative prose that so often goes along with this genre. The narrator does a fine job with only one of the voices that does not quite fit the character in my humble opinion. That being said, the character only plays a minor part, so this isn’t a huge issue. Hence if you like this genre I would certainly recommend you buy this book.

A good story and well read

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I had for some reason, held off on listening to any of KK Rusch's books and feel like I've been holding out on myself. Well, no more, holding back!
This was a really interesting book. Rusch has really thought about this idea and developed it so that it sounds plausible. Sort of like witness protection with quite a twist. The alien cultures the she has created sound scary, but also plausible, and I wanted to know more about them. Why do they think the way they do, how did their sense of justice develop, what do their worlds look like, and how do they live? There are just glimpses of these races, a tantalizing taste that piques the curiosity.
Character development starts of strong and just builds as the story continues. You care about these people, you want them to succeed. Also, the issues that are the heart of the story are frightening and look to be unsolvable. There aren't any nicely packaged solutions that are applied here. Here are imperfect solutions, sort of like real life.
I also greatly enjoyed Jay Snyder's reading. He has a voice that is easy to listen to, and if you really must know, he sort of "disappears" into the reading. Its as if you aren't really aware that someone else is reading the story to you.
Excellent read, I am looking forward to my next KK Rusch book!

Caught and Retrieved

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Would you be willing to try another one of Jay Snyder’s performances?

Mr. Snyder has a smooth voice, in fact I found it way too smooth and dramatic for my taste. I was always conscious that someone was reading and couldn't lose myself in the story. I kept thinking about the over the top deep-voiced narrators of action-flic trailers that are now parodied for other commercials.

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

I was so happy to find a sci-fi series that I hadn't read yet and I am interested in the "world" that has been created by the author. I will listen to the next in the series and see if I can get over the narrator.

Good story but not thrilled with the narrator

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While it's not the best book I've ever read it's paced well, has enough character development and the plot is interesting enough to keep me listening. There a some pretty big holes in the premise the Disappeared is based on but if you can get over that you will be entertained. 3.7 stars would be a fair overall rating.

Entertaining

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