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Embassytown
- Narrated by: Susan Duerden
- Length: 12 hrs and 23 mins
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Publisher's summary
China Miéville doesn’t follow trends, he sets them. Relentlessly pushing his own boundaries as a writer - and in the process expanding the boundaries of the entire field - with Embassytown, Miéville has crafted an extraordinary novel that is not only a moving personal drama but a gripping adventure of alien contact and war.
In the far future, humans have colonized a distant planet, home to the enigmatic Ariekei, sentient beings famed for a language unique in the universe, one that only a few altered human ambassadors can speak. Avice Benner Cho, a human colonist, has returned to Embassytown after years of deep-space adventure. She cannot speak the Ariekei tongue, but she is an indelible part of it, having long ago been made a figure of speech, a living simile in their language.
When distant political machinations deliver a new ambassador to Arieka, the fragile equilibrium between humans and aliens is violently upset. Catastrophe looms, and Avice is torn between competing loyalties - to a husband she no longer loves, to a system she no longer trusts, and to her place in a language she cannot speak yet speaks through her.
Critic reviews
“A breakneck tale of suspense...disturbing and beautiful by turns. I cannot emphasize enough how terrific this novel is. It's definitely one of the best books I've read in the past year, perfectly balanced between escapism and otherworldly philosophizing.” (io9)
“Embassytown is a fully achieved work of art…Works on every level, providing compulsive narrative, splendid intellectual rigour and risk, moral sophistication, fine verbal fireworks and sideshows, and even the old-fashioned satisfaction of watching a protagonist become more of a person than she gave promise of being.” (Ursula K. Le Guin)
“Brilliant storytelling... The result is a world masterfully wrecked and rebuilt.” (Publishers Weekly [starred review])
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- By: Robert A. Heinlein, Spider Robinson
- Narrated by: Spider Robinson
- Length: 11 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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At his death in 1988, Robert A. Heinlein left a legacy that almost single-handedly defined modern science fiction. But one of Heinlein's masterpieces was never finished. In 1955, he began work on Variable Star, a powerful and passionate tale of two young lovers driven apart by pride, power, and the vastness of interstellar time and space. Now, the Heinlein estate has authorized award-winning author Spider Robinson to expand his outline into a full-length novel. And the result is vintage Heinlein.
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Spider WHO
- By Randall on 04-25-09
By: Robert A. Heinlein, and others
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The City & The City
- By: China Mieville
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 10 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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When a murdered woman is found in the city of Beszel, somewhere at the edge of Europe, it looks to be a routine case for Inspector Tyador Borl ú of the Extreme Crime Squad. But as he investigates, the evidence points to conspiracies far stranger and more deadly than anything he could have imagined. Borl must travel from the decaying Beszel to the only metropolis on Earth as strange as his own.
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Reviews, Dishonesty and The Emperor's New Clothes
- By Robert on 01-27-13
By: China Mieville
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Eon
- By: Greg Bear
- Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki
- Length: 17 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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Perhaps it wasn't from our time, perhaps it wasn't even from our universe, but the arrival of the 300-kilometer long stone was the answer to humanity's desperate plea to end the threat of nuclear war. Inside the deep recesses of the stone lies Thistledown: the remnants of a human society, versed in English, Russian and Chinese. The artifacts of this familiar people foretell a great Death caused by the ravages of war, but the government and scientists are unable to decide how to use this knowledge.
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Am Epic Original SciFi Read Worth Your Time...
- By Michael on 07-01-12
By: Greg Bear
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The Just City
- Thessaly, Book 1
- By: Jo Walton
- Narrated by: Noah Michael Levine
- Length: 11 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Created as an experiment by the time-traveling goddess Pallas Athene, the Just City is a planned community populated by over 10,000 children and a few hundred adult teachers from all eras of history, along with some handy robots from the far human future - all set down together on a Mediterranean island in the distant past.
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Could Not Get Past Mispronunciations
- By Martha K. on 04-22-17
By: Jo Walton
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Distress
- By: Greg Egan
- Narrated by: Adam Epstein
- Length: 14 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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Investigative reporter Andrew Worth turns down a documentary on a mysterious new mental illness - "Distress," or acute clinical anxiety syndrome, for another assignment. He's on his way to the artificial island of Stateless, where the world's top physicists are gathering to decide on a new TOE, or Theory of Everything, to replace Einstein's outmoded legacy.
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A good book ruined by a poor (and strange) reading
- By David on 12-06-13
By: Greg Egan
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The LonTobyn Chronicle, Books 1-3
- By: David B. Coe
- Narrated by: Pete Cross
- Length: 64 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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This bundle includes Children of Amarid, The Outlanders, and Eagle-Sage.
By: David B. Coe
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Ghost of A Chance [Dramatized Adaptation]
- Ghost Finders, Book 1
- By: Simon R. Green
- Narrated by: full cast, Nanette Savard, Matthew Keenan, and others
- Length: 6 hrs and 14 mins
- Original Recording
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The Carnacki institute exists to do something about ghosts. Lay them to rest, send them packing, or kick their nasty ectoplasmic arses with extreme prejudice. The institute’s operatives are the best of the best. JC Chance: sharp, brave, charming, and almost unbearably arrogant; Melody Chambers: science geek, techno-wizard extraordinaire who keeps the antisupernatual equipment running smoothly; and Happy Jack Palmer: the telepath with the gloomy disposition, the last person anyone would want navigating through their head.
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good lord I love this.
- By Kuehnau on 01-05-24
By: Simon R. Green
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Fear the Sky
- The Fear Saga, Book 1
- By: Stephen Moss
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 20 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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From the Audie-nominated narrator of The Martian. In eleven years' time, a million members of an alien race will arrive at Earth. Years before they enter orbit, their approach will be announced by the flare of a thousand flames in the sky, their ships' huge engines burning hard to slow them from the vast speeds needed to cross interstellar space. These foreboding lights will shine in our night sky like new stars, getting ever brighter until they outshine even the sun, casting ominous shadows and banishing the night until they suddenly blink out.
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Audible Where Are The Rest?!
- By ByEqualMeasure - julie on 09-14-15
By: Stephen Moss
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Conquest
- The Chronicles of the Invaders: Book 1
- By: John Connolly, Jennifer Ridyard
- Narrated by: Nicola Barber
- Length: 14 hrs and 28 mins
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The Earth has been invaded by the Illyri, a beautiful, civilized, yet ruthless alien race. Humanity has been conquered, but still it fights the invaders. The Resistance grows stronger, for it is the young people of Earth who battle the Illyri.
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Spoiled Teenager or Sci-fi?
- By Bob H. on 04-24-16
By: John Connolly, and others
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Bright of the Sky
- The Entire and the Rose, Book 1
- By: Kay Kenyon
- Narrated by: Christian Rummel
- Length: 17 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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In a landlocked galaxy that tunnels through our own, the Entire is a bizarre and seductive mix of long-lied quasi-human and alien beings gathered under a sky of fire, called the "bright". A land of wonders, the Entire is sustained by monumental storm walls and an exotic, never-ending river. Over all, the elegant and cruel Tarig rule supreme. Into this rich milieu is thrust Titus Quinn, former star pilot.
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8 hours in, and going no further
- By A reader on 10-02-08
By: Kay Kenyon
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Great read for all ages
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What is Un Lun Dun? It is London through the looking glass, an urban Wonderland of strange delights where all the lost and broken things of London end up...and some of its lost and broken people, too. When 12-year-old Zanna and her friend Deeba find a secret entrance leading out of London and into this strange city, it seems that the ancient prophecy is coming true at last. But then things begin to go shockingly wrong.
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The 20th Century's New Weird History
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Too Like the Lightning (Part 2 of 2) (Dramatized Adaptation)
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The Faded Sun Trilogy
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always check with the author
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Among Others
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Startling, unusual, and yet irresistably readable, Among Others is at once the compelling story of a young woman struggling to escape a troubled childhood, a brilliant diary of first encounters with the great novels of modern fantasy and SF, and a spellbinding tale of escape from ancient enchantment.
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Subtle Character Piece
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Looking for Jake
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What William Gibson did for science fiction, China Miéville has done for fantasy, shattering old paradigms with fiercely imaginative works of startling, often shocking, intensity. Now from this brilliant writer comes a groundbreaking collection of stories, many of them previously unavailable in the United States, and including four never-before-published tales - one set in Miéville’s signature fantasy world of New Crobuzon.
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Graze Into It
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What listeners say about Embassytown
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Mom
- 02-28-16
captivating story,
the story is very captivating, and the presentation is excellent. worth listing in to in the car.
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- Nada Mazurek
- 04-14-21
Extremely inventive and original
Slow build up to an exciting conclusion. World and civilization building take a while to get established. However it is all worthwhile in the end.
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- Dan Vogel
- 03-22-17
Language isn't language
Would you consider the audio edition of Embassytown to be better than the print version?
I don't see how you could reproduce Language in a book.
What other book might you compare Embassytown to and why?
Dune
Which character – as performed by Susan Duerden – was your favorite?
The Heroine
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
Not really. I've become too jaded I think.
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- Evan Miles Erskine-Zilbert
- 04-15-24
a philosophy of language
a slow build up of seemingly innocuous character and background stories leads you to a blind cliffs edge where you fall for the exquisite trap of relevation.
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- Tom
- 05-04-13
A bit of "work" but worth it...great narration too
I like this kind of sci-fi: re-write the rules and setting for what is possible, yet keep us "mere humans" engaged with the parallels to our own reality (politics, community, transcending barriers, etc.). This audible book was "work" for me...a few times I thought about canceling the book and taking a credit, but there was an underlying draw to the subject matter ("language") that permeated my waking hours and I'd check in for "just a bit more" and it would lead me further down the rabbit hole. You have to pay attention! I've heard China Mieville's books could be challenging, and now I know what that means. Near the beginning of the book, I actually downloaded a sample of the Kindle book and read it the old(new) fashioned way which rekindled (yup, pun) my interest in the audible book. Something about reading it slowed down my intake of info and I enjoyed lingering on the images and style of the writer. My son told me about it and I first suggested he read it, not listen...but the narrator is so darn good (I'm now a fan). I persevered and felt very much rewarded for my "efforts". Had to go back several times if, I were listening while driving, or other hands-busy-mind-free task, I didn't pay enough attention to the story. I loved the concept and the audible reward when "language" was referred to with dual sounds--first time I heard it, it game me mental goosebumps. Grand scope of a book that covers a basic problem: communication between sentient beings. Will rest my brain and perhaps check out some of China's other books.
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11 people found this helpful
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- Darwin8u
- 03-31-19
Lucifer falling/streaking across the immer.
Wow. I finish this and I get images of Derrida writing New Weird. I feel like a postModern Genesis has been shot, screaming into space. Lucifer falling/streaking across the immer. While not a perfect novel, Miéville is scratching out fantastic literature out of whole cloth. He is taking BIG risks. He is asking BIG questions about religion, politics, language, death, life. I think he has written some genius novels and yet I don't think he is close to draining the deep wells of his imagination.
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10 people found this helpful
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- Bala
- 02-06-12
I really wanted to like this, but alas.
I have listened to The City and the City and The Kraken and have got used to John Lee. That said, given the fantastic reviews for Susan Duerden, I really wanted to give her a chance. I could not get used to her monotonous, deadpan narration. I could barely distinguish between narration and dialogue for the most part. The double voice was really interesting, but beyond that, not so much. I don't think John Lee would have been the right narrator for this story, but I did not like Susan much. So much so, I moved to the print book to finish it. I couldn't bear the thought of having to slog through 8 more hours of this monotonous rendition to get to the end of the story.
The story was a bit dark for me. The other Mievilles I've read have seemed almost farcical, this one just seemed to get dark. I was reminded of The Mote in God's Eye in the second half of the book. I did not enjoy this as much as the others I've read. The premise of the story was interesting, I unfortunately guessed what was to come before the reveal so it was a bit spoiled for me. In the end - a lot happened in a very short period. All in all, meh!
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2 people found this helpful
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- maier
- 09-07-11
a serious work of art
Some need to have everything explained to them with alot of action and movement. This book is like stepping into a real, working culture. It doesnt explain itself, doesnt define its idiomatic expressions or its history to the visitor like a museam exhibit, It just IS and you are left to figure it out. It is like dropping yourself into a foreign country and getting to know it without an interpreter. I loved it.
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Overall
- DazzaMoo
- 07-16-11
Excellent, but deceptively slow to start!
As you would expect from the China Mieville book, there are some unique and original concepts being presented here alongside the life story of Avice Benner Cho who has a profound and compelling arc. It's excellently narrated by Susan Duerden.
You'll be forgiven for thinking it has a slow start - I only realised about halfway through that Mieville had been subtly exposing me to all the information I'd need later in the book. He's an expert at presenting the reader with the complex concepts surrounding his storytelling without you even realising it. You just find yourself swept along with the story.
This one won't be for everyone - it's much heavier going than something like Kraken - but is well worth it. This is fine example of hard science fiction!
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Overall
- William
- 06-19-11
Imaginative
My wife always asks me what I'm reading (listening) and I'm usually not at a loss to tell her what a book is about. This has been the case with all of Mr. Mieville's books so far, and the more so with Embassytown. One good thing about his work is that he doesn't spend any time with set-up. He doesn't go out of his way to explain things... you have to get it from context as the book moves along. Embassytown was rough going at first, but well worth the effort to keep at it.
Having said that, Mieville is one of the most imaginative authors I've read. His command of English is remarkable and he spins a great yarn. This author has a big vocabulary and he's sent me to the dictionary more than once. One small negative: He beats the heck out of the word "palimpsest" in "Perdido Street Station".... but palimpsest is a good word and Mieville uses it very well, every time.
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