Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.
Ultima  By  cover art

Ultima

By: Stephen Baxter
Narrated by: Kyle McCarley
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $21.92

Buy for $21.92

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

On the planet of Per Ardua, alien artifacts were discovered - hatches that allowed humans to step across light-years of space as if they were stepping into another room. But this newfound freedom has consequences. As humanity discovers the real nature of the universe, a terrifying truth comes to light: We all have countless pasts converging in this present - and our future is terrifyingly finite. There are minds in the universe that are billions of years old, and now we are vulnerable to their plans for us. It's time to fight back and take control.

©2014 Stephen Baxter (P)2015 Tantor

What listeners say about Ultima

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    149
  • 4 Stars
    122
  • 3 Stars
    51
  • 2 Stars
    15
  • 1 Stars
    8
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    199
  • 4 Stars
    93
  • 3 Stars
    25
  • 2 Stars
    5
  • 1 Stars
    2
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    134
  • 4 Stars
    100
  • 3 Stars
    54
  • 2 Stars
    26
  • 1 Stars
    9

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Book 2 delivers the goods.

Uri Eden, the main protagonist from Book 1, has just barely made it through the hatch with Steph Kalinsky and the Col-U. As their brains wrap around the idea that in this version the Roman Empire didn't fall and became space faring, Uri begins to succumb to what he calls Freezer Burn. Apparently when you've been subjected to Cryo sleep for a large portion of your life cancers run amok when you are thawed.
Back in the Sol system Penny Kalinski, Lex Macgregor, and Beth Eden Jones Narrowly escape distaster in a Hulk-kernel ship test platform as the Chinese Hedgemony crash a bundle of kernel ships moving at near relativistic speed into Mercury. The result propels them to the Roman-Bricante-Sheen Universe without the use of a hatch. One other person is with them...Earthshine. One of the three deep core artificial intelligences. He has an agenda.
There is yet two more Universes visited in this book but I will leave those for you to discover. The story is gripping and in this form excellently told through the vocal ranges of the narrator. It did not disappoint and I'm giving it four out of five entertainment points.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

End of the world

Not sure killing off all the main characters in order to conclude the story was an original concept.
The universe ending at a natural wall or boundary is the basis for this story, this is not supported by physics published in the 21st century, therefore it delves into fantasy.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Interesting... not as good as the first book

Even though it is about ancient Romans and Incas, the general concept goes beyond the absurdity of them being in space. In the end, although the are some loose ends, the author brings it all together.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Medicine for depression

Pointless killing of the main personages makes me want to unread this book. Like go back in time and miss it in the library.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great and powerful story

Baxter does ideas better by far to anyone. Great story taking that I mostly enjoy

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Not for those with short attention spans

The whole book is one very long introduction with minimal character development. Overall plot is thought provoking if boiled down to its core elements.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Lots of very interesting theories.

Overall, it was entertaining enough for me listen to both books in the series. I would say it was a very ambitious undertaking by the author. Maybe a little to ambitious? I would have given it a better review if not for the storyline being very difficult to follow at times.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Expansive and thought provoking

An expansive and thought provoking trip through time and space where even the Multiverse has an end.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Good, Epic Story

Good epic story. Narrator is good but gets a little repetitive in his tone at some points.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great two book series.

Terrific. Epic adventure with big ideas and interesting carecters. The type of story that got me hooked on science fiction in the first place.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!