Star Trek: Into Darkness

By: Alan Dean Foster

Narrated by: Alice Eve

Length: 8 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

The official movie tie-in novelization of the highly anticipated sequel to 2009's blockbuster feature film Star Trek!

Pioneering director J. J. Abrams has delivered an explosive action thriller that takes Star Trek into darkness.

When the crew of the Enterprise is called back home, they find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization has detonated the fleet and everything it stands for, leaving our world in a state of crisis.

With a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one-man weapon of mass destruction.

As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew.

Star Trek Into Darkness stars Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, John Cho, Bruce Greenwood, Simon Pegg, Anton Yelchin, Benedict Cumberbatch, Alice Eve, and Peter Weller, and arrives on May 17, 2013.

©2013 CBS Studios, Inc.; Paramount Pictures Corporation. STAR TREK and all related marks and logos are trademarks of CBS Studios, Inc. (P)2013 Simon & Schuster, Inc.

A fun listen!

Would you listen to Star Trek: Into Darkness again? Why?

I really enjoyed this book. It is well written. It gives a little more depth to a few of the things that the movie sped through. Alice Eve did a great job with the voices and accents. Every one was very distinctive and easily recognizable. In addition, she gave a lot of vibrancy to her performance. It is a fun listen. I would recommend it.

Great Book, Wrong Narrator.

First let me say that I have nothing against Ms. Eve. She is obviously a talented actress and is a good narrator, but just not for this book. I will admit that I really enjoyed Mr Quinto's reading of the previous Star Trek book , so perhaps I am a bit biased. The story is action packed, and unfortunately her version, her way of reading was distracting.

Having said that, let me say this, the story is good. I enjoyed the way the writer was able to fill in the holes in the movie, explaining or better phrased, fleshing out scenes that seemed to be missing something on screen. The descriptions were concise and vivid and I enjoyed listening to it very much. I will definitely recommend it to my friends.

Terrible narration

This was so disappointing. I’m sorry but Alice Eve was not the person to read this book. She makes every voice sound the same and puts almost no inflection in any of the dialogue. It’s a real shame cause the writing’g good.

Great story, Great Narrator !!

I think this narrator is great to listen to and I would like to hear more.

Horrid narration by a good actress

Would you try another book from Alan Dean Foster and/or Alice Eve?

From Alan Foster yes, from Alice Eve no

Who was your favorite character and why?

Narration ruined the book for me. Alice just can not pull of a good mix of white American men.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Alice Eve?

Zachary Quinto

Any additional comments?

Why they cast a British women to read a book with mostly male charectors with non-English accents I have no idea.

The story fits to the movie well but the narrator clearly had no clue

The narrator must have not done much in the way prep for the performance. She did not seem to understand or have the ability to mimic how Chris Pine said lines in the movie. A great narrator will be able to evoke an image of the character in your mind. She had moments that she did but more when you really had to pay attention.

Reviews were right re narrator...

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

A different narrator.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

I'm pretty easy going regarding narrators. I've listened to many books that received poor narrator reviews and thought they were fine once I got use to their style. This book was different. Alice Eve was so bad, it detracted from the story the entire book. Why they selected a female narrator for almost entire male character cast, I have no clue. Beyond that, her accent got in the way; transitions were mostly non-existent; and accents were inconsistent, and often spilled into the next character speaking. I almost returned the book, but being a die-hard Trekkie I stuck it out.

Any additional comments?

The book follows the movie almost exactly. It's been my experience that often a novelization will add depth, information and/or scenes not in the movie. This was not the case. I felt like I was just listening to the script being read. I enjoyed the movie, but the book, not so much.

loved the story- hated the narration

I really wanted this book. I loved the movie and couldn't wait to get the audiobook. But although I have tried multiple times, I can't listen to it for more than a couple minutes before I give up in frustration. I can hardly understand the narrator in the first place and her voice will vary so much in tone and accent that I am constantly turning the volume up then turning it back down. It's virtually unintelligible. I would rather have Alexa read the book on Kindle! Why in the world did they not get Benedict Cumberpatch to read it??!!

Really? A female narrator for alpha males?

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Any other narrator.

What did you like best about this story?

Alan Dean Foster's writing is spot on

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Imagine Hermione Granger reading Star Trek. That's what this was. And all the male characters sounded like pissy teenage girls.

Any additional comments?

I had to stop listening when the character of Admiral Marcus entered the story. I just couldn't take the characterization that sounded like a fat politician that just underwent a sex change. Had to stop listening. First time I've ever done that. I have NO DOUBT the actress (Alice Eve) that did the narration is talented. She sounds wonderful. Just NOT as a narrator for Star Trek. Seriously an AWFUL choice.

Disappointing All Around

Being an avid original Star Trek lover for over 54 years; I’m highly sensitive to the correct
re-enactment of the original Enterprise Crew’s characters and characteristics. The major discrepancy and what kept pulling me out of the disjointed story-line was the depiction of Captain Kirk’s character in each situation. Following his unbelievable change in character, speech, reactionary scenes and interactions with “beloved” crew members, was Lieutenant Uhura. Her character was written so out of character as to be unprofessional and subordinate in her station.

The story-line itself was disjointed, did not flow nor did it reflect the team-work and camaraderie of the crew. Yes, they had a few rough spots but the scenes as written here, would have had all of them thrown out of Star Fleet.

Unfortunately, the narrators voice and attempted mimicry of Kirk in particular, was like the proverbial saying “like fingernails scraping down a chalkboard.” I had to stop and start the story over eight times to get through it.

This is the first poor review I’ve ever given here on audible. If you listen to it and love it, please do post about it here!