Earthsearch

The Complete Radio Series I and II (Dramatized)

By: James Follett

Narrated by: full cast

Length: 9 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

The acclaimed BBC Radio 4 space drama arrives in its entirety for the very first time, with a bonus introduction by creator and writer James Follett. The starship Challenger has been on a 115-year-long mission, exploring other galaxies for suitable Earth-like planets to colonise. The present crew of four were born on the ship and have never left it. But when the Challenger attempts to return to the crew's home planet, it discovers that the Earth has vanished!

When they were first broadcast on radio, Earthsearch and Earthsearch II generated a flood of fan letters to Radio Times. Now at last their superb sound is available, digitally remastered for the first time. Also included is an introduction from James Follett, first broadcast as part of BBC7's "Men, Martians, and Machines".

©2004 BBC Audiobooks Ltd. (P)2004 BBC Audiobooks Ltd.

Blast from the 80s that stands the test of time

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

I remember this story well from my childhood, it had a feel to it that was both mythical and science fiction at the same time.

On a generation starship on a deep space mission, four young adults have been raised and moulded by the sinister onboard computers who have moulded themselves as "guardian angels". The crew return home to Earth to find a mystery ... where has it gone?

Returning to this classic, I was prepared to find it quiet tame and quaint, but it's one of those rare beasts, a story which has stood the test of time well.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I always remember finding Angel 1 and Angel 2 quite unnerving. There have been evil computers before, but they usually operate in secret. Having two such computers scheming together was very different, and really helped frame the story well.

My favourite download of the Year

Thoroughly enjoyable.

More of the same please Audible.

Good sci fi

I found this a very good and holding storey, kept you wanting more, I would go for a drive or sit in the car just to listen to the next episode.
I think it would make to good movie, with the right director.

Excellent

I found this while looking for a book by Ken Follet and I am happy I did. The serial was excellent. Don't miss it.

I loved it!!!

Once I got used to the somewhat silly sound effects I really got into the story and couldn't stop listening. I finished in about 1 day.

Excellent Radio Play

Listening to one good reader is nice, Multiple professional actors reading the script is sheer joy! Much fuss has been made of "loud sound effects". Set your device's equalizer to reduce the treble (thus preserving the normal voice tones) which mainly come, at the last few seconds of each episode, thus can't possibly ruin such a long well produced series. The stories are very fast paced. (explained by the author in the forward as the director's need for 'pace') A very concise summary prior to the next chapter helps if too much time has passed for you between episodes. Part 2 has a bit comedic relief - (a tad of an over used gag.) The major plots are based on several classic science fiction themes. Each episode ends with a cliffhanger or dramatic plot revelation. Also the plot has many great twists and turns. Happily you won't have to wait a week, as original B.B.C. listeners did, for each new episode. I enjoyed it SO much (such a fun, easy to follow and fast paced plot) to listen twice. A great story that I had no trouble following. (Note: I save my 5th star for Shakespeare quality stories.) This story is ingenious, thrilling, well written with a very compelling overarching plot. That should be enough if you enjoy any good writing. The backdrop may be space, computers, and technology, but like any good writing the story itself is based on the human nature of its characters - even the android (human tissue containing to help them think) type computers.

You can't bring too much critical thinking to this

I really like science fiction - and post-HHGTTG radio play science fiction - so I'm used to suspending my disbelief. But there were a couple of things about Earthsearch that test even the most hardcore sci-fi fans.

The whole premise of keeping the 4 main characters 'sexually immature' - which was central to the plot - was TOTALLY undermined by the fact that they have 'adult' voices. If these 'kids' were supposed to have avoided puberty, how come their voices sound like they're 20-something? Particularly the men: if they hadn't gone through puberty, wouldn't they still sound like boys, rather than men? And are we really supposed to believe they've never (a) seen photos of naked people and (b) seen photos of APPLES?

The production issues that other reviewers complained about didn't really bother me - except for the high-pitched squeaks between episodes - and overall it was a good story, but you've kind of got to commit to not being irritated by some of the more clunky plot devices in order to enjoy it.

great story

I really enjoyed listening to this series. Being a long haul truck driver, this was just the right length of time to start and comletely listen to in a 10 hour time frame.
the whole story kept me on edge the whole time.

Fantastic Narration

I stayed awake until 4 AM, I couldn't put this down. Narration was fantastic. I love how each episode ends with as a cliff hanger. All around, well worth the credits.

Good SciFi story telling

Very entertaining SciFi with an imaginative story line. The acting and sound effects were first rate. The pace of the story kept moving right along so it was never boring. This is my first work to read by Follett, I will search for more.