Only Human

By: Sylvain Neuvel

Narrated by: William Hope, Charlie Anson, Laurence Bouvard, Adna Sablylich, full cast

Length: 8 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

Pacific Rim meets The Martian in the explosive follow-up to Sleeping Giants ("One of the most promising series kickoffs in recent memory" —NPR) and Waking Gods ("Pure, unadulterated literary escapism" —Kirkus Reviews).

Brilliant scientist Rose Franklin has devoted her adult life to solving the mystery she accidentally stumbled upon as a child: a huge metal hand buried beneath the ground outside Deadwood, South Dakota. The discovery set in motion a cataclysmic chain of events with geopolitical ramifications. Rose and the Earth Defense Corps raced to master the enigmatic technology, as giant robots suddenly descended on Earth’s most populous cities, killing one hundred million people in the process. Though Rose and her team were able to fend off the attack, their victory was short-lived. The mysterious invaders retreated, disappearing from the shattered planet...but they took the scientist and her crew with them.

Now, after nearly 10 years on another world, Rose returns to find a devastating new war - this time between humans. America and Russia are locked in combat, fighting to fill the power vacuum left behind after the invasion. Families are torn apart, friends become bitter enemies, and countries collapse in the wake of the battling superpowers. It appears the aliens left behind their titanic death machines so humankind will obliterate itself. Rose is determined to find a solution, whatever it takes. But will she become a pawn in a doomsday game no one can win?

Read by William Hope, Charlie Anson, Laurence Bouvard, Adna Sablylich, Laura Kirman, Aaron Vodovoz, Julie Rogers, Christopher Ragland, Patricia Rodrigues, Jennifer Woodward, Karina Fernandez, Eric Meyers, Madeleine Rose, Lance C. Fuller, and the author, Sylvain Neuvel.

"Packing a surprisingly powerful thematic punch, this novel is an addictive blend of science fiction, apocalyptic thriller, and chillingly timely cautionary tale. Two (giant, robotic) thumbs up!" (Kirkus Reviews)

"Boasting a winning combination of briskly paced action and futuristic dystopia tempered by cautious optimism, Only Human brings a fitting, satisfying end to the Themis Files series." (RT Book Reviews)

©2018 Sylvain Neuvel (P)2018 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"This action-packed tale with apocalyptic stakes is a fitting finale to this wonderfully cinematic series." (Publishers Weekly)

"Series fans will be eager for [Sylvian] Neuvel's ever-so-satisfying conclusion to his rip-roaring science-fiction adventure tale." (Booklist)

Eva’s narrators

THE NARRATORS FOR EVA DEPICT HER WITH A WHINY PURTO RICAN FEMALE CHILD VOICE. THEN 10 YEARS LATER AFTER LIVING ON ANEW PLANET. SHE HAS A BRONX ACCENT. IT WAS VERY DISTRACTING

What happened to Eva?

The voice actress who played Eva drove me up the wall. Whomever they used in the second book was great and I'm not sure why they replaced her. In this book, Eva has a heavy New York-type accent that grated like finger nails on a chalk board. I also found her relationship with her father tiring. Maybe she has a right to be angry with him but she just would not drop it!
The story sort of lagged by the end as well but I wanted to complete the series so I forced myself to listen.

Disappointing end to an overall great trilogy.

I love books full cast with out music!

I think it is a good finele but i think it could be give more!

Hate to see the end....

Only Human
By: Sylvain Neuvel
Narrated by: William Hope, Charlie Anson, Laurence Bouvard, Adna Sablylich, full cast
I have lived this whole series! The other books I have 5stars but this only four, it was wonderful but just lacked...something...I don't know what, but I enjoyed it! It was very deep and hit on social issues facing our country but on a different world. It addressed other issues on our world. Maybe that was it, I just wanted to escape! Lol! I like how things were resolved and I feel good about the end of the trilogy which I don't often feel after reading a series. I will miss the characters but can't wait to see what the author comes up with next!
The narration complemented the book perfectly...a FULL cast! How cool is that!

Weak but decent ending

The series was a downward slope. This was inevitable from the beginning since it started with a treasure hunt then an ensamble story and ended with an illogical conflict.

The problem with thw concept is that it first made the Ailiens out to be very advanced and intelligent but then the author humanised them to the point of Star Trek-esk so they felt petty and just like overly complicated humans.

That failed the series in the end so everything became somewhat cliché.

Still overall okay, only it gets less and less interesting the further you go. Also find the twist with the end very boring.

amazing ending to the trilogy, one poor narrator

this type of story isn't usually my type of book, but I've lived all 3 books & expect to revisit them a few times.
this installment wasn't as "action packed" and exciting as the previous two, but it was a good wrap up. the only issue I had was the narrator for Eva - her accent was a very poor choice. she is such an important character, is was difficult to over look her accent. but the writing held up.

Earth girls kick A$$ with giant robots!!!

Well balanced read. Just enough action, plot twists, political fantasy and character development to bring the series to a satisfying and topical conclusion. What the world need now is to grow up. love it!

Weaker than its predecessors and Marisa Tomei from My Cousin Vinny ruins this one

In terms is story and narration Book 1 was excellent. Book 2 was very good. This one was just good. You can’t kill off some of your most interesting characters and not replace them with equally interesting characters without losing a step. While solid, this book was less enjoyable than the first 2. With that as a starting point it’s then completely overwhelmed by Marisa Tomei’s character from my cousin vinny playing Eva. Awful, awful choice that grew to become “nails on a chalk board” unbearable after a while. Between that and the whole Yokits thing getting out of control this audio book is derailed by distracting elements that detract from the story.

Just not a very good finish

There were a multitude of strange choices made in this closing of The Themis Files storyline, without spoiling, the first and most noticeable is the major change in Eva's depiction, compared to the prior audiobook performance.
But from a storyline point of view Only Human is a pedantic chiding from author Sylvain Nuevel on a rather bleak summation of sentient life's tendency to regress to a point of monstrosity in lue of a focused common enemy. That humanity is a child that needs to have its toys taken away because it cannot play with them responsibly, for if left alone anything that thinks will eventually commit colonialist genocide.
It's a strange series of takes, the thematic pinball bounces all over the place and commits to nothing, ending on a note that is just grossly inappropriate in consideration of the entire story up till that point.

Great Story, Upset at voice actor change.

I get that not all the same voice actors can be used for all the books in a series, especially with a full cast of 10+ people. BUT... it really threw me when one of the characters had an entirely different accent than the previous book. She went from a Spanish speaking accent to a Brooklyn (?) accent. It was so abrupt that I almost stopped listening. I eventually got used to it, but it still bothered me the rest of the book.

That aside, I loved the series. I'm a big fan of the "interview" style story telling. I'm not much for long descriptions so this was perfect for me. Highly recommend. I'm not mad at the voice actor change.. just disappointed.