Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Grass  By  cover art

Grass

By: Sheri S. Tepper
Narrated by: Dina Pearlman
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $29.95

Buy for $29.95

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

What could be more commonplace than grass or a world covered over all its surface with a wind-whipped ocean of grass? But the planet Grass conceals horrifying secrets within its endless pastures. And as an incurable plague attacks all inhabited planets but this one, the prairie-like Grass begins to reveal these secrets - and nothing will ever be the same again.

©1989 Sheri S. Tepper. (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about Grass

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    214
  • 4 Stars
    89
  • 3 Stars
    49
  • 2 Stars
    20
  • 1 Stars
    15
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    207
  • 4 Stars
    91
  • 3 Stars
    36
  • 2 Stars
    10
  • 1 Stars
    5
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    186
  • 4 Stars
    86
  • 3 Stars
    43
  • 2 Stars
    19
  • 1 Stars
    14

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

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

Speculative & Creative, Yet well Paced and Unique

The novel Grass by Sherri S. Tepper is incredibly interesting as it explores a diverse future where the human race has colonized other worlds. The titular planet of Grass is the centerpiece of the story, on which strange ritualistic hunts, similar to British fox hunts, are held using monstrous horse and hound like aliens.

Grass, as a novel and a planet, is full of secrets. These secrets compel the reader through the events of the plot with a fervent curiosity. The brilliant characterization and insight, especially of the primary protagonist Marjorie, keeps the narration and events of the story fresh and interesting, while the unfolding scope of the narrative ups the stakes of each conflict as the story progresses.

The only notable criticism I have concerns the presentation of the ending. Much of the last quarter of the book attempts to tackle complex philosophical and political concepts. While most of the discussion is interesting, I found it to be too didactic at times.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

19 people found this helpful

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

good, but a little disappointed

Grass is one, like Shardik, that I have always looked forward to, but I have to say I'm a little disappointed. It is often mentioned in conjunction with Dune and I can see why on the one hand as it involves a world and its ecology/environment. On the other hand, I don't think it is as successful at it as Dune was, nor did I find it as well written. The creatures are the central aspect around which the world revolves, and for me they were the most interesting element, but there were also troublesome issues concerning them. I would much rather have had their aspects delved into even more and re-thought a bit. They lacked something essential. I think where things really started to go wrong for me, was when the intelligence of the creatures was dealt with, but more so when I felt things devolved into a Hollywood style monster attack and shoot 'em up. I love the way the novel started, and many aspects within it, and I see the author had higher intentions, but I pick up quickly on what I consider bad writing habits and there seemed to me to be increasingly more as I went along. Just not for me I guess. Also let down when at end I felt cheated, and have since discovered it is part 1 of a trilogy-- a trilogy that I don't feel compelled to follow. Makes me want to revisit Dune for the 4th time.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

19 people found this helpful

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

Superb

The story is dramatic and literary, thrilling and unique. The narrator, Dina Pearlman, added volumes of emotional meaning to Sheri S. Tepper's words.

This book is science fiction at its best - full of ideas, adventure and speculative entertainment. It was difficult to stop listening when I needed to quit. I definitely will read more by this author.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

15 people found this helpful

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

Long-awaited audio version of a true masterpiece

For years I’ve wished Tepper’s books were available on audio. Now, some time after her death, it appears that Audible Studios is starting to produce some, for which I am grateful. I snatched this one up as soon as I realized it was there for the snatching (yes, it took me a long time to get around to writing this review), and I must admit that I have mixed feelings. It seems Tepper’s writing style, often whimsical and allegorical and quite lovely to read, may not be all that well suited to being read aloud. Like the Foxen, those masters of psychic camouflage, her action scenes and many others are often blurred, viewed through unusual lenses, requiring the reader to fill in some blanks, use some imagination, do some actual work. In audio format, this comes across as perhaps a bit choppy, or even unfinished. Hmmm… not sure I’m getting this across, but anyway – still a great, great book by a vast talent who is sadly no longer with us. Aside from the audio aspects, there's a lot to be said about this novel, so I'll try to be brief. For anyone who hasn't read Tepper, the thing you need to know is there has never been a stronger voice in SF/Fantasy for feminism, social/religious commentary, or male-female relationships. If you dig that idea, I would further state that few writers have ever been more successful at blurring the lines between fantasy and hard SF, and almost none have ever written better female leads. If you are STILL with me... you MUST download or read "The Gate to Women's Country" (available from Audible TOMORROW as I write this) and "Beauty" (which I can only hope Audible has on their production list). Both of these are brilliant and heartbreaking. Most of Tepper's books are excellent, although now and then she wandered into the weeds a bit, but the two above plus "Grass" and its two sequels are truly wonderful stuff. Enjoy!

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

14 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Finally!

Grass, Raising the Stones, and Sideshow comprise the Arbai trilogy. Grass is an excellent example of Ms. Tepper's incredible ability to create worlds and "take you away." Can't wait for The Companions, Family Tree, The Margarets, and so many more! She is one of my absolute favorite authors.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

14 people found this helpful

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

I couldn't get into it.

This book has great reviews so I'm kind of surprised I wasn't able to get into it. The writing style just made it hard to follow. Like another reviewer said, maybe this better read than listened to. I only made it two hours in before I had to call it quits. I just didn't understand what was going on, who was who, and what the characters were referring to with their strange terminology for things. The author just throws you into a weird world without attempting to explain anything. I'm giving it three stars because I believe this would be a good read rather than listen.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

12 people found this helpful

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

Wait for it

I almost quit on this book because it had so many characters to track and I couldn’t find any characters to like and the beginning didn’t seem to be much about the planet but its aristocracy. Well it all ties together eventually but the beginning is why I gave it a 4 instead of a 5 rating.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

11 people found this helpful

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

Great Story Lost in Translation.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

NO - it's a wonderful story but the reader is a terrible choice.

What did you like best about this story?

There are layers of themes, masterfully interwoven by the author.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

The narration was totally flat.

Any additional comments?

I have been waiting years for one of Sheri Tepper's books to be on audio. So sad this was the first attempt, but hope for better going forward. All of the author's works are challenging, thought provoking and inspirational - very much worthy of better than this performance.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

8 people found this helpful

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

Excellent listen

I enjoyed the story and the narration immensely. The plot was unique and different. The story was well developed with interesting characters, action and descriptions of places and situations. The ending was satisfying. The narrator was a great fit for the story and characters. I have been listening to audible books for years now and this narrator is in the top group of ones I have enjoyed the most.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

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

Awful Experience

Tried several times to get into this book. Made 14 hours into the 18 hours, but I’m giving up. I just don’t care. Too many characters. Too many alien names. Can’t keep the alien creatures straight. I barely have any idea what’s happening. Fourteen hours and so far all I have is that a couple went to a planet to secretly investigate a plague. Some weird happenings are being uncovered. Some kind of emergency is going on. And I think I’m supposed to see the wife in the couple as a heroine. I’m guessing there will be some big revelation toward the end, but it will be lost on me because I have no clue who anyone is, and I don’t care. I like the narration, though.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful