• First Contact

  • Eclipsed Evolution: Phase 1
  • By: Kim Harrison
  • Narrated by: Xe Sands
  • Length: 5 hrs and 27 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (136 ratings)

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First Contact  By  cover art

First Contact

By: Kim Harrison
Narrated by: Xe Sands
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Publisher's summary

In the wake of the solar eclipse, a portal between our world and a paranormal realm opens—and a scientist’s life will never be the same, in this thrilling serialized adventure from the New York Times bestselling author of The Hollows.

Dr. Renee Caisson knows there are worse things than an attractive man in uniform drafting her into a secret government project—especially when Major Jackson makes it clear that he isn’t bothered by her questionable past. But when her labs come back with decidedly odd results, the Major is forced to come clean over who the government is actually studying. Renee is shocked to learn her subjects are demonic-looking beings who call themselves “Neighbors”—refugees from a dying world, who arrived during the nation-wide solar eclipse.

The Neighbors’ technology is unlike anything Renee’s ever encountered. At first, she dismisses an injury that inexplicably heals as “just one of those things”. And surely August, the most gregarious Neighbor, begins to speak English overnight because of the team linguist’s skills?

Not until August begins evolving in real time to withstand Earth’s brighter, dryer atmosphere does she admit that the Neighbors’ “tech” feels less like science and more like magic—the same magic that brought them here in the first place, and the same they’re trying to rekindle with a mysterious labyrinth in order to return home and save their world.

At least, that’s what August claims they came for…

©2024 Kim Harrison (P)2024 Penguin Audio

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What listeners say about First Contact

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great new story!

Narrator was a miss for me. She whisper talks and I had to have my volume up ridiculously high in order to understand what was being said most of the time. On top of that, most the characters sounded like they were 80 years old, I'm sure partly due to the whisper talking. Sometimes it got to the point of distracting enough that it took me out of the story. That said, I enjoyed this new concept from KH, it was interesting and I was hooked so it got frustrating when the narration took me out of the story. I'm looking forward to more from this series, though I may get the books if the audiobook is read by the same narrator.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Very inventive, hoping for a series

love the characters & can't wait for the next installment. I really hope this becomes a series.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

I loved this.

so great. best new story I've listened to in a while! can't wait for the next one. Kim Harrison is the best.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Addicting?

This is the first installment of the serial story and definitely worth listening to. I was initially a sceptic of what seemed to be a common first contact plot however the characters drew me in quickly. This concept is going to cost me some money. Can't wait for Part 2.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Loved it

I hope that this is the start of a great new series. Initially I read some reviews that really didn’t like it, I guess if you’re not a science geek, it may not be yourcup of tea but for me personally, it was fantastic, it’s a mix of Alien , science, and the introduction of where all of our fairy tales came from.
I can’t wait for the next book!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

great first contact story

Characters, plot, setting are all very interesting and engaging. Unfortunately, the audio quality isn't great, sometimes it was hard to understand or hear what was being said.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

great, involving story

only thing I wish was different, was the clarity and volume of the recording. it was fabulous, and a totaled of seat fresh air.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

addictive listen

I didn't know what to expect when I started to listening to this story. I am addicted to her Hallows series but this is nothing like that.

That being said. Oh. My. Word. I didn't expect this but I am addicted to it. The twists, the turns, the shocking moments. The cliffhanger is a doozy. Thankfully I don't have to wait long for the next installments.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

The unclear narration early on is part of the story!

Pretty good story!

Minor spoiler, If you listen to the sample or the first hour of the story, you can’t help but notice the narration is difficult to understand. Trust me, that is intentional, and you’ll get later. Keep listening. You will “learn” to understand her more clearly.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

More! More!

Great story, I agree it felt really short so I’m so glad to know part 2 is coming soon! I ❤️ everything Kim Harrison does. I’m so used to Marguerite Gavin’s voice acting perfection, but Xe does a great job with the characters of this new world. I am ravenous for the next part!

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