2nd Gen

By: Andrea Vaughan, William Vaughan

Narrated by: Luke Daniels

Length: 9 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's Summary

Humanity's last hope...

With Earth rapidly becoming inhospitable to human life, GS Archean carries a one-way crew of courageous passengers to Uelara, an Earth-like planet in the Cieri star system. Uelara is ideal, except for one minor detail - its distance from Earth. Traveling at sub-light speed, the generation ship won’t reach Uelara within the original crew’s lifetime.

Thirty years into the journey, a new generation born on the Archean trains to fulfill the first generation’s mission. Eager to reach Uelara, the second-gen crew prepares, as planned, to assume their parents’ responsibilities - that is, until...someone goes missing and a devastating secret is discovered, putting the future of the human race in jeopardy. Will the crew rally and carry out the mission - or is humanity doomed?

It’s all up to the 2nd Gen.

"The ultimate test of man’s conscience may be his willingness to sacrifice something today for future generations whose words of thanks will not be heard." (Gaylord Nelson)

©2018 Andrea and William Vaughan (P)2019 Andrea and William Vaughan

A Sci-Fi Space Odyssey

2nd Gen's narrative throws the reader as many curve balls as the Archean's journey throws at its crew members. Cataloging the countless hardships of growing up on-board an interstellar space ship, the novel zeroes in on the individuals lives of its characters amidst the humanitarian crisis they must endure. Evoking classics like Lord of the Flies, the plot introduces thought-provoking concepts that would make readers question both humankind and our life on Earth alike. The narration/voice acting is engaging as Luke Daniels brings individuality to each character, especially with his more animated voices. Between the riveting and ever-twisting plot, relatable characters, and stellar voiceover, 2nd Gen is a must-listen!

14 people found this helpful

I got through it

Ummm. It was ... captivating? But simultaneously frustrating. I don’t think I have ever had such strong emotions towards characters in a book.

The story took a while to gain traction, but then things quickly happened. And the authors really like to play off cliff hangers, a lot!

Overall, it was an decent listen. I probably won’t get the second book (if there is one). The single book ended just fine.

10 people found this helpful

So Good!

This story is so in-depth, very compelling, and poignant for our current climate that I couldn't stop listening. I loved the character development and really felt for each of the distinct positions in dealing with unimaginable stress and heartache. Your emotions are tugged the entire length of the book in so many directions. I was emersed in their fight to save the human race. You even feel for the antagonists, how could anyone, especially young adults, deal with such heavy burdens. There is also an underlying tone of the importance of teamwork, doing the right thing, and female empowerment, which made me keep rooting for a good outcome. In the end, I was left wanting more and didn't want it to be over. Luke Daniels is AMAZING with his performance. I have listened to several of his narrations, and this by far is my favorite. He brings each character to life and gives them such strong and distinctive personalities. I hung on his every word because his interpretation of the traumatic events made it even more gutwrenching for me. There are several chapters that I re-listened to just because of his acting abilities. This is definitely something you want to add to your listening library.

9 people found this helpful

A great sci-fi drama that makes you think

Once you start this book you can't stop. The gut punches keep on coming and you get to know the characters on a deep level because of the life changing events that occur throughout the book. It pairs that well with some interesting sci-fi ideas and explores what it could be like to live your whole life on a ship in space. I put this book on my must read list!

9 people found this helpful

A Fun Story that leaves you wanting more!

2nd Gen is a fun little gem, which at first I did not know what to expect of. Without giving too much away, the story is about a group of people in their late teens - early twenties, who are the second generation of crew born onto a colony ship paving the way for later colony ships to humanities new home far away from the Earth. I found the majority of the characters engaging, and sympathetic, and often intentionally humorous, without being too silly, while at the same time painting a picture of a group of people who have spent their entire lives sharing spaces, and often knowing way too much about each other that one tends to do when one spends their time forced into the company of others. There is a sense of community amongst the characters that felt very real. While the story does not delve too deeply into how the science behind the technology is supposed to work, I did find the science convincing enough to be at least plausible, which is important for me, both as an avid Sci-Fi reader, but also as a fan of real Science in general. Where I had questions about the reasons why some of the technical descriptions about how the ship works by the end of the book I began to suspect that there could be future story elements that explains them in possible future novels. (I am leaving that somewhat vague on purpose because I do not want to spoil anything). Luke Daniels gives a solid performance, as he always does, nothing to complain about there. If I had any complaints it's that the book, while a respectable 9+ hours, ended too quickly. I still have questions I want answered! ;) So I hope there is additional books in the works, that flesh out and expand on the mysteries of this Universe.

5 people found this helpful

Dramatic reading made the book even better.

Having already enjoyed reading the book, I had no imagination for how an audiobook could be different, or even better. However, this dramatic reading was exciting, entertaining, and added such dimension to the characters. I loved it! I listened to it all in one sitting and was thoroughly enthralled. This clever story is so appealing, especially to adolescents and young adults. This coming of age story encompasses many of life’s most difficult experiences, including grief and loss, death, depression, and finding life purpose, self-efficacy, relationship building, teamwork, exploring the morals of right and wrong, accountability, and so much more. I would highly recommend this book in any format.

5 people found this helpful

2nd Gen : Space Opera At Its Finest

2nd Gen is a gripping title that crescendos in a fountain of what-ifs. Set aboard the Archean, an Earth-made ship bound for the distant planet of Uelara, the story builds a tremendous world of sorrow and hope. This Sci-Fi backdrop is merely the accent piece upon which this play of irony unfolds. The character development through triumph and tragedy is the true highlight of this tale. This book makes one question what they would do if put to the same trials as the people within. It is a great read, only enhanced by the thrilling performance of Luke Daniels. He brings life to each character, engrossing the listener in the mysteries of the Archean.

Two days later, and I am glad that I went on this journey with the Archean and its crew, and I look forward to the future adventures in the 2nd Gen saga.

4 people found this helpful

Better than expected :-)

While a little slow at the start, the story and characters grew on me to an enjoyable conclusion :-)

3 people found this helpful

An award winning piece of sci- fi brillance!

I could not stop listening. A suspenseful and fun thrill ride. Just plain awesome. This is the type of psychological sci-fi literature that makes movies.

3 people found this helpful

2nd Gen is First-Rate!

Rife with tension, intrigue, and pathos, 2nd Gen is an exhilarating tale of optimism that highlights the human spirit and the will to survive. Luke Daniels' performance is wildly entertaining. This is a must-hear story for anyone who loves a good space yarn!

3 people found this helpful

Ships don't close doors. People do.

Like the lovely cover, the novel, 2nd.Gen, is simple but engrossing. Although aimed at a young adult readership, this is a book to be enjoyed by all ages.
2nd Gen follows events occurring in the ship Arcean as it heads away from earth towards a new home for humanity, and is told from the point of view of the now adult children of the original intrepid explorers. Their parents will never live to see their prospective planet and it will be another thirty years before the 2nd generation themselves arrive at the destination. These young people have lived their entire lives in space, having been born aboard the Arcean, and have formed close family groups of both friendship and antagonism. This closeness will soon be put to the test.

Although slow aced, this story quickly captivates the reader and holds them close throughout. This is very able assisted by the excellent narration of Like Daniels who give a flawless performance, with great pacing, and all protagonists individually and appropriately voiced. A good melding of text and reader, the latter breathing even more life into the characters.

I was fortunate in being freely gifted with a complimentary copy of 2nd Gen, by the rights holder at my request. Thank you. The book was easy to read, intriguing and left me wanting more. Is this the beginning of a series? I have no idea, but certainly hope so. I definitely want to know more about the journey and crew of the Arcean. Recommended to all fans of the S.F. genre.

2nd Gen

This had a slow beginning but once a person goes missing things start to pick up and there are a few twists I did not see coming.
There were things that I found hard to believe, like the person who goes missing. Why did they do what they did? I found that part confusing especially after we get to know this person in the beginning. I thought it was a selfish act and this in my opinion was not something I expected from them. I know people act in different ways to certain situation and maybe if we didn't know them as much at the beginning I would not have thought about it but because we get to know them (that is why it is slow to begin with) it is hard for me to believe they would do such a thing.
Another character does something else which I did not find hard to believe because he was consistent from page one.
However, I did find it an interesting story and hope there is a book two.