First Contact

Eclipsed Evolution: Phase 1

De: Kim Harrison

Narrado por: Xe Sands

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

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.

Very inventive, hoping for a series

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

sound quality meh

The sound quality is terrible. Story and narrator outstanding. As usual Kim and Xe delivered.

Hard to listen to narration

Full disclosure, I'm not through the whole book yet, but I'm so aggravated by the narration I don't know if I'll finish it. The narrator's intense vocal fry for some characters and soft voice for others makes this very difficult to listen to in any but a quiet room. The soft speaking and vocal fry are both really, really distracting and ruining the story rather that buoying it. The change in volume from normal speaking voice to soft, quiet voice has me "rewinding" to re-listen occasionally.

I've read or listened to most of Kim Harrisons books. I'm a huge fan. So far, this story tracks with the quality of content she puts out.

Please get a new Narrator

This story so so exciting and I love this new series so much already but this reader is AWFUL. I am so sorry but this is a mistake that has to be fixed. why is every single character an ancient granny?? and the low humming and weird vocal fry on everyone makes it impossible to follow along. this narrator is going to tank the series. change to somebody, anybody else, please.

Good first story to a new series by a great author.

Some of the characters are stereotypical bad guys. Wondering if the the “good guys” are a little naive based on the first chapter, we will find out in the next book

story line was new.

at times the voice didn't seem to match the character or the dialog. still it was a good story.

original storyline

One of my favorite authors
original storyline
characters could be developed a little bit more and maybe some humor
but overall a great read

Very enjoyable story, excellent performance.

Enjoyable story and a great performance. If you’re looking for an enjoyable, short story look no further. First contact has great characters brought to life with an enjoyable performance by the narrator.

Great story poor performance

The narrator was a challenge to understand even at slower play back speeds. This was unfortunate because the story was interesting.