Odyssey

Academy series

By: Jack McDevitt

Narrated by: Khristine Hvam, Jack McDevitt

Length: 14 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's Summary

To boost waning interest in interstellar travel, a mission is sent into deep space to learn the truth about "moonriders," the strange lights supposedly being seen in nearby systems. But Academy pilot Valentina Kouros and the team of the starship Salvator will soon discover that their odyssey is no mere public-relations ploy, for the moonriders are not a harmless phenomenon. They are very, very dangerous-in a way that no one could possibly have imagined.

BONUS AUDIO: Includes an exclusive introduction written and read by author Jack McDevitt

©2007 Jack McDevitt (P)2009 Audible, Inc.

Could have been so much better.

This book reminded me of trying to start my lawnmower in the spring. It would putter and almost start but never quite got there. This book was the same thing. This story could have been so much better if they had cut out the filler and focused more on the aliens. Save your credit. I love this authors other books but this one falls flat on its face.

Needs an editor

This book was full of unprofessional errors. Boring, unimaginative, rambling plot, uninteresting characters, subplots that randomly went nowhere, astronauts who repeatedly demonstrated that they had no understanding of basic science, pointless conflicts, unimaginative and repetitive character descriptions, unnecessary dialogue…ugh, what a slog. It sounded like it was written by a 16-year-old boy with no friends. Crap like this getting published is why nobody takes science fiction seriously.

Really Slow Start

I generally like Jack McDevitt's books, but this one spent a great deal of time on politics, especially at the beginning. I'm used to more scifi in science fiction books. The second half of the book was much better. It was more like his other books.

The narrator was very good.

Mostly Filler

A great deal of filler material mostly dealing with politics and public relations, rather than anything involving space. The actual mission doesn't take place until 5 hours into the story in chapter 18. Anything relevant prior to chapter 18 could have been put in a single chapter. I ordinarily love McDevitt's work, but his last few books have been lacking.

A Good Book

I found this book to be quite easy to listen too and although it isn't overly clear as to what the story is truely about i found it to be engaging and enjoyable. The characters were easy to identify with and I feel the author had a good idea of how people would truely react in the given situations. I'm not 100% sure about the narrator, thats not to say she was bad, it's just it was a tad difficult to accept the male characters from her. Still, all in all I would say this was a worthwhile listen and I would heartedly recommend it.

Ok, but too long.

The first half of the book was long-winded, with not a lot happening. When the story finally got going, I had trouble being absorbed by it. Overall, a weak offering, but it did have some redeeming features towards the end.

Annoying chapter headings

What would have made Odyssey better?

Loose the chapter headings

Would you ever listen to anything by Jack McDevitt again?

no

Would you listen to another book narrated by Jack McDevitt and Khristine Hvam ?

Bought this for Ms Hvam who has a pleasant reading style. However book had annoying foible.

You didn’t love this book--but did it have any redeeming qualities?

It sent me to sleep.