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Departure
- Narrated by: Nicola Barber, Scott Aiello
- Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins
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Publisher's summary
En route to London from New York, Flight 305 suddenly loses power and crash-lands in the English countryside, plunging a group of strangers into a mysterious adventure that will have repercussions for all of humankind.
Struggling to stay alive, the survivors soon realize that the world they've crashed in is very different from the one they left. But where are they? Why are they here? And how will they get back home?
Five passengers seem to hold clues about what's really going on: writer Harper Lane, venture capitalist Nick Stone, German genetic researcher Sabrina Schröder, computer scientist Yul Tan, and Grayson Shaw - the son of a billionaire philanthropist.
As more facts about the crash emerge, it becomes clear that some in this group know more than they're letting on - answers that will lead Harper and Nick to uncover a far-reaching conspiracy involving their own lives. As they begin to piece together the truth, they discover they have the power to change the future and the past - to save our world...or end it.
To read an epilogue to Departure and access other bonus material, go to agriddle.com/departure/extras
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- Jim "The Impatient"
- 02-06-17
TODAY'S DECISIONS ARE TOMRROWS REALITY
MINI-BOTTLE NAZI
The first couple of hours I was very intrigued. There is a plane crash and a rescue by the survivors. This part of the book is well written and I felt like I was there with them. I appreciated, Nick who took charge. One never knows what will happen in an emergency and it is nice to have someone calmly take charge.
NICK, THERE'S A PROBLEM
In the third hour there is a character named Bob, who I kinda liked and kinda didn't. I mention him cause he has one of those pet peeves I hate. He likes to announce problems. He likes to speak in acronyms or say things he knows no one else will understand and than have a pregnant pause, begging you to ask questions. I know a lot of people who do this, including my wife.
THAT SHIT MIGHT SELL T-SHIRTS, BUT DOESN'T HELP ME
I have never read a book that went down hill so fast. The whole book moves along in spurts and sputters. It starts with this group of characters who run away from futuristic people and hide in a farm building. The farm building is the only building for miles. They sleep there and gather supplies. You tell me, if you are looking for a group of people in a rural area and there is only one building around, wouldn't you check that building first? By now Nick is starting to get on my nerves. Nick is young and a self-made millionaire. He is handsome, in good shape, smart, says all the right things at the right time, people do as he says without question, the skinny good looking blonde has a crush on him, but deep down he feels unfulfilled. Excuse me, as I go throw up. It doesn't end there. The skinny good looking blonde, has trouble making decisions that might benefit herself, but does not hesitate, to make decisions that benefit others.
BLIMEY, DOUBLE AND TRIPLE BLIMEY
The story really goes astray from here. The last three hours, Riddle works on his romance skills and it just gets painful to listen to. This reads like a debut novel, pass on this. Narrator is good.
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- Natalie @ ABookLoversLife
- 04-01-15
Amazing!
Any additional comments?
This was nothing like I expected! To tell the truth, I didn't know what to expect when I started it but what I got was an amazing experience.
I'm not going to get into the plot in case I inadvertently spoil something so I'll just get right into what I thought.
Harper is such an amazing Heroine. I loved that she was a writer!! Flight 305 is her first time in first class, which is where she meets Nick. I loved her voice and her thoughts. Despite being terrified when the crash happens, she still does whats needed with no hesitation. I loved her strength and her inherent niceness.
Nick was so mysterious at the start. We didn't get a sense of what he did for a living and I thought he was maybe military. He was so strong, brave and dependable the whole way through the story. I really liked his character and was thrilled to see him show his feelings for Harper!
Plot wise I found it to be so captivating and intriguing. The plane crashes and no one comes to the passengers rescue, which is weird, add in a barren place with very little life, a rebuilt Stone Henge and a London that's abandoned and you have the makings of a phenomenal book, and it was! I started reading (well listening) and I couldn't stop. There is so many twists and turns that you will be turning the pages as fast as you can to see what happens.
Anyway, I absolutely loved everything about this book. Both the plot and the characters were well written and developed. From it's intrinsic and intriguing plot to it's wonderfully written story, Departure is a must read. If this book is any indication of his work, then I can not wait to read more by him. Amazing.
I listened to the audio and it was fantastic. Both narrators did a brilliant job with the story. They gave it their all and it showed. They drew me into the story and made me a part of it. As I was listening to it, it played out like a movie in my head and I loved it. Highly recommend.
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70 people found this helpful
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- Matthew
- 02-24-15
The start of a new series I suspect..
What did you like best about Departure? What did you like least?
Creative and thought provoking was what I liked best, esp. given the way it started and then twisted at the conclusion. It started rather predictably, but certainly didn't end that way.
What I didn't enjoy? Sometimes abit disjointed in the continuity, and the editing wasn't ideal.
How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?
Candidly, not much. Riddle is a fine writer, and pulled this one off with style and grace.
Which character – as performed by Nicola Barber and Scott Aiello – was your favorite?
The female Swiss doctor was quite the piece of work.
Was Departure worth the listening time?
Definitely.
Any additional comments?
I certainly hope this is the beginning of a series ( it has the feel, and I think it is already actually). As previously noted, a fine performance of an original idea. Worth the time and the credit!
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- Max
- 04-23-15
Dumb and dumber
Terrible storyline with one dimensional over stereotyped characters. I thought I'd get eventually be drawn in but no such luck, just glad when it ended. Sound editing not well done. Male voice is booming while female is a barely audible whisper.
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- Jan
- 02-22-15
To Believe or Not To Believe, That's The Question
A.G. Riddle's new novel "Departure" is written in multiple genres, which isn't easy for any author to pull off sucessfully. The original storyline is the novel's strength, and the carrying out of that storlyline is it's weakness.
This futuristic sci-fi grabs the listener's attention right out of the gate with a plane crash. We are introduced to the surviving passengers, and are suddenly engulfed in a mystery, adventure, suspense, and a budding romance. Sci-fi via time travel is quickly added to the mix.
Many characters and events are introduced very early in the novel with limited detail, which resulted in a lack of character development and difficulties with suspension of belief. Usually, the inability to suspend belief in a sci-fi novel is like drawing the death card. I was able to get past this, but not without it effecting my overall opinion of the novel.
Most of the characters who are not essential to the story are weeded out by the ending of the first half of the novel. The second half, while less suspenseful, is well devoleoped... allowing the reader to focus on time travel within a post-apocolyptic world, and the mystery of how the world got that way.
Overall, "Departure' is written with an original storyline, and although not Riddle's best, it is still above average. Both narrators are very good and character consistant. It was a good listen, but I wouldn't be interested in experiencing it a second time.
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- A. Gordon
- 04-22-15
Couldn't stay with it
I have tried to listen to this several times, but just can't stay with the book. It's hard to follow. Scott, the male narrator does a good job in narration, but Nicola reads like she's whispering. I have to crank up the volume to make out what she's saying.
The situation at the beginning of the story was interesting, because it seemed like a good way to start a book, however I didn't find the rest of the story interesting enough to finish it.
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- Lia
- 08-18-18
Ridiculous, Boring and Flat
Nick Stone and Harper Lane have never met. He’s a successful venture capitalist. She’s a successful ghost writer. The one thing that they have in common is that they are on the same transatlantic flight, which crash-lands in a lake in a rural part of England. Some passengers die on impact. Some drown. Some survive only to grow old and succumb to old age within days. All of this tragedy happens via narrator monotone without any feeling or depth.
At first Riddle’s novel feels like a knock-off of the TV series, Lost, as Nick and Harper make their way through this alternate reality in which they find themselves. The reader’s experience mimics that of the protagonists, both finding that they are in a quandary, succinctly noted by Harper herself at one point: “Stand-alone novel? Sci-fi? Thriller? Time travel?” Eventually, the author pulls back enough of the curtain that we figure it out. (So do Nick and Harper.)
The story does have, in this reviewer’s opinion, a very distracting element in its telling. As the narratortakes in the adventure, he or she must do it simultaneously from two different points of view: Riddle has chosen to write this book in first-person-present tense – but from two different characters. In one chapter, we see part of the story directly through Harper’s eyes: “I can only sit, in a daze.” Yet in the next chapter, we see a different part of the story through Nick’s eyes: “They call it the Palm. I call it hell.” Unfortunately, Harper’s and Nick’s voices are nearly identical. If a reader opened a page at random, there would be no way of knowing who doing the “telling” at that moment.
It left me feeling like I have a crook in my neck from watching a tennis match at Wimbledon: back and forth and back and forth… A switch to an omniscient POV would have made the novel much more delightful.
One other weakness in the writing is the fact that there is an excessive amount of boring back story that is delivered to the narrator via monologue – vis-à-vis one character telling another either what is happening in that moment or what has happened in the past. Again, a different choice of POV could have made the reader’s experience more enjoyable.
For readers who don’t mind first-person-present POV, the author’s choice may not be a hindrance. His plot idea is inventive, and his characters are likeable. In the end, we are rooting for them. But it took so long to get to that point it ruined the whole book for me.
Nicola Barber voice was so soft I had to keep adjusting the volume, Scott Aiello voice was great and he should narrated the entire book.
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- Cheri
- 09-01-15
A Great Sci-Fi Story With Lots of Twists and Turns
Departure was a very intriguing story with a mysterious plot that had lots of twist and turns and had me on edge and guessing throughout the story. I was unable to stop listening to the story well into the wee hours of the night.
This story was also thought provoking on the chaos that would follow a plan crash if there was no leader or resources to depend on.
My credit was well spent on this story!
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49 people found this helpful
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- G. Horn
- 02-18-15
A different and new kind of story and enjoyed it.
it was very interesting to say the least, Dead on target for Riddle. The story covered all of the bases and is put together well but not necessarily in an original type of order with regards to a futuristic almost positive doomsday book. if that makes sense....haha read it....I have over 300 audible titles and this is worth reading.
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40 people found this helpful
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- Stephen
- 02-19-15
A satisfyingly woven story.
Any additional comments?
Telling the story from two alternating points of view worked well. Competent narration certainly added to the atmosphere of the story. The various "strands" of the story came together in an interesting way so that most of the questions raised in the story are answered in a satisfying manner. Thanks A.G. I enjoyed this a lot.
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33 people found this helpful
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- Krzysztof
- 02-20-15
Very good story!
Very good story it helps relax, keeps you focused on the story and set your mind just in the right mood. I've enjoyed this book but still I prefer 1 narrator rather than 2 - although it's justified in this case and I believe many people will like it . Characters are better than in the Atlantis trilogy but for me still a little bit "paper". Overall: Credit well spend :) And I'm looking forward for the next book by A. G. Riddle.
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14 people found this helpful
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- Kindle Customer
- 09-04-17
Starts Well, Ends Late
Departure has one of the best beginnings of any book I've ever listened to. The pacing it great, the mystery is intriguing and it's just generally engaging and interesting. Unfortunately that was it for me, once the questions started getting answered and the answers were underwhelming then the book lost a lot of it's luster.
The book slows down, becomes kind of muddled and then it ends. Except it doesn't end, for some strange reason the book continues on past what you'd imagine the natural ending to be and just lingers on a few chapters longer. It doesn't really add anything, you know how it's going to end, and it's just a case of waiting.
Ultimately the things the book teases are infinitely more interesting than what it delivers.
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13 people found this helpful
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- Paul
- 03-15-15
Not for adults
I am afraid I gave up half way through this. The most irritating thing was, I am afraid, the performances. I have just checked the review and it doesn't mention anything about it being for children, but the narration sounds as if it is aimed at 8-year-olds. Even my 11-year-old daughter listened to a bit and found it patronising.
The story starts quite well, but then it becomes increasingly fantastical. The descriptions are really not great and I didn't warm to any of the characters.
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- Sally R
- 02-28-15
engaging all the way
I really enjoyed this book, sci fi, a hint of a love story, im off to check out what else the author has on offer
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11 people found this helpful
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- Andy
- 04-21-15
Didn't Quite Deliver, prepared to listen again
What made the experience of listening to Departure the most enjoyable?
Excellent narration, brought depth to the characters
What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?
Everything up to the encounter with their virtual others. Got a bit silly then, particularly has the 'OK Coral' shoot out involved so few people
Which scene did you most enjoy?
The rescue mission on the aircraft, very dramatic.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
No
Any additional comments?
It might be your thing, sc-fi normally works for me, but I was a tad disappointed at the conclusion.
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8 people found this helpful
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- Mark
- 03-18-19
Very average story.
I found it really difficult to keep going with it up until about the last 2 hours or so. I'd find it difficult to recommend.
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- Nadia
- 06-25-15
Started well
Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?
This could have been such a good book and started so well. The first half of the book is exciting and engaging I couldn't wait for the story to unfold. Sadly the second half is very disappointing and so full of holes it just became annoying and irritating!
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4 people found this helpful
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- Sian
- 04-13-15
Needs something more
I love time travel novels and stories which make me think of new possibilities, this book provided both excellently. I just felt that the ending was a bit of an anti-climax, the story was compelling up until the main action sequence in the future. After this it tapered off and reached a slow predictable ending, shame but still entertaining.
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- Kolif
- 05-17-19
Sublimely subpar. So boring can't finish.
Everything about this book feels like regurgitated subpar content from more glorious and exciting stories. I am returning this one. Reason? Painful way to spend your time.
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- Dobrin Gueorguiev
- 04-26-17
Loved it.
Loved it. The narrators did a good job and the story is very engaging and entertaining.
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- Jas P
- 06-29-15
Brilliant Narration, Intriguing Story, Poor End
The premise for this book is sound, and started exceptionally well, with great writing, fantastic characters and an intriguing story that left you captivated.
Right until the end. The ending, (and it must be noted that this is only my opinion) let the book down. I am not going to discuss it, no Spoilers here.
Overall all, the story holds up very well. Riddle does a masterful job with his characters, his two main characters, Nick and Harper are superbly written and the Narration of these two characters in the Audiobook is one of the standouts overall.
Barber and Aiello do a masterful job with all the story telling and character portrayal, but for the two main characters, they go the extra mile, giving an extra depth to the story.
For me, I think that the Audiobook is probably better than the written version due to the Narrators brilliant telling of the story - if you are going to read this story, do yourself and a favour and go the Audiobook version instead.
Overall this story is worth the effort, the ending, although disappointing for me, does not take enough away to warrant not listening to the entire story.
As suggested in the synopsis, this is the story of Harper and Nick, how they survive a terrible plane crash, and the incredible story that unfolds as a result. They are not only in a different world, but there is a conspiracy surrounding them that has to be read/listened to, to be believed, and it is a really great story.
Again, the Narration is one of the true standouts for this Audiobook though.
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- Shakya
- 03-04-15
Interesting twist on a time travel story.
The characters were well developed and plenty of back story so you felt invested in there lives. Ended well. And that is important to me.
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- Wendy
- 07-02-17
Good storyline BUT
The actual writing is not good, needs a good editor . ( like other books by this author) but the overall storyline is VERY good
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- clare et.al
- 03-07-16
great ending
it starts strong. has a couple of stumbles but ends strongs and has great narration. all in all a great read
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- Cherie
- 05-09-15
Meddlesome!
Struggling to finish this one! Tends to become somewhat muddled and uninteresting towards the end.
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- Anonymous User
- 03-14-22
Go big or go home. I think I'll go home.
I struggled with this one, both writing and narration. There didn't seem to be a lot of suspense building around what was happening then suddenly there were lengthy expositions and back story. Save for a couple of humourous one liners, I wasn't particularly drawn to any of the main characters. Given the scale of what the plot ended up being, there was scope for it to be a much bigger story but it was kept unsatisfyingly limited by focusing primarily on two people. There was also a bit of cherry picking going on around what received explanation (a LOT of explanation) or was conveniently skipped over.
Narration was an issue too. Right from the opening scene I found the style of the male narrator very grating and overly dramatic, almost a caricature of the role he was playing. They did well with giving individuality to multiple characters, but overall I feel it missed the mark.
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- Varun
- 08-08-20
On the edge
The entire story made me sit on the edge, looking for more. It's definitely a good story for a movie I guess.
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- Magda 'chipmunk' L.
- 01-11-20
Not that great
Disappointing and boring.
Too much detail and useless information that you don’t need later. I had to skip some parts because they went on and on.
The two narrators tried but maybe this book wasn’t for them.
The male narrator is unnecessarily over dramatic and likes to raise his voice to create drama but it’s not needed and just annoys me, made me say out loud ‘oh my god you’re so annoyingly dramatic!’.
The female narrator has a lisp and the same intonation pattern throughout the whole book. Like a robot.
The story is small and and unrealistic in a sense that the characters don’t act like normal human beings. More like caricatures. Or stereotypes. And things they don’t want to explain they cover up with lame excuses by the characters. Like when they didn’t want to explain how they applied the antidote. THAT would actually be interesting To know.
I will be returning this book.
Ps. Everyone seems to accept the fact they are in the future really easily. If you suddenly showed up in the future you’d be shocked for days. It would freak you out. Everyone just shrugs it off like it happens everyday.
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- Tim Pate
- 10-23-19
Excellent, Excellent, Excellent
The story was going along nicely in the beginning and I was enjoying it. It then took a turn that I was totally not expecting. It had me engrossed right to the end. Great story. Don't miss out - get this.
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- Anonymous User
- 02-25-19
Fun ride!
Really enjoyed this story. A few typical action moments but it was still fun. Its refreshing sometimes to listen to a not so serious story.
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