Seed

By: Michael Edelson

Narrated by: Rob Zaleski

Length: 9 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's Summary

Fifty people go to sleep in their own beds and wake up in a compound in the middle of the jungle. Men and women from all walks of life with only one thing in common - none of them know where they are or how they got there. Alex is a paratrooper. Yael is a mathematician. Max is a law professor. They can't leave - a lethal barrier surrounds the facility, but no one knows if it's there to keep them in, or to keep something out.

The compound is comfortable and provides for all of their needs. There's a warehouse with DNA coded locks. Only Barbara, the doctor, can open a fully stocked operating room, and only Alex can get into an arms room with enough weapons to outfit an infantry platoon. There is enough food and other supplies to last for decades, but nothing to tell them who did this to them or why.

For Alex, it's an intriguing mystery - anything is better than digging foxholes in the desert - but he and the others don't realize that time is running out. On the other side of the barrier lies a horror beyond imagination, and the barrier is about to come down.

©2015 Michael Edelson (P)2016 Michael Edelson

Seed is everythin Wayward pines should have been.

Where does Seed rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Seed so far is my most enjoyable experience with an audiobook I've ever had the pleasure of listening to. If only M. Night Shyamalan chose to produce Seed rather than Wayward pines this could easily be the best show on TV, or an more Epic full length. feature

Who was your favorite character and why?

Alex obviously , is the ego of the book, it's clear he the avatar Michael Edelson personally used when creating he envisioned his creation in his minds eye.

What does Rob Zaleski bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Although Rob's performance does lack excitement, his voice sounds exactly what I imagined Alex's voice to sound like when I first read Seed on paperback. I think it added a prefect touch and allowed me to be even more engrossed in Michaels Edleson's eerie world.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

listened to it in one go.

I was originally turned off by the intro and admittedly didn't give it the chance it deserved. I am not a fan of military esk stories (which is what the begining seemed) but gave it a shot once the audio book came out. It would seem that the story got better and better throughout and I marathon'd the entire book in one go. I am glad I gave it a second chance. I think Edelson's stories really shine in the audio book format. I am reminded of an Olde time-y radio program mixed with an action film.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Intriguing mystery adventure!

Would you consider the audio edition of Seed to be better than the print version?

Yes, but I prefer audiobooks to print books, *provided* that the narrator is good. This narrator is very good. Like most of them, he has a particular way of talking. The question is, can you get used to it. In Rob Zaleksi's case, the answer is yes! And very quickly.I've read the print version before, and Rob added a dimension to my experience, he brought the book to life. My only criticism is that he's not that great with accents. Some of the characters sound nasally and his British accents need a lot of work. Fortunately there is only one British character and she doesn't say much. Rob was perfect for voicing the book, in my opinion, because Alex is the only POV character and Rob sounds exactly as I pictured Alex when reading the print version.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Tom. I loved Alex, the protagonist, but when I was listening to the book (and also when reading), I *was* Alex, and saw things through his eyes, and Tom was the best. I love the concept of "ripping," I think the author invented the use of that word in that context and maybe the concept itself because I've never heard it anywhere and google couldn't turn anything up, though he clearly has some knowledge of hacking and the associated complications.

Which scene was your favorite?

I hesitate to admit this out of guilt, and it comes with minor spoilers, but it was when Alex went all terminator. I felt his rage, and I wanted that rage to be expressed with extreme violence, and Edelson didn't disappoint! Later on, when Alex shows mercy in a situation I might not have...well, I loved that part too. But I guess I'm not as nice a person as Alex, because I liked the violent scene more.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Sort of. I read the book in one sitting, stayed up all night and took the next day off to sleep. So there was no urgency to listen to the audiobook that way.

Any additional comments?

First, don't judge the book by chapter 1, which makes it sound like a military book...it's not. Chapter 1 just introduces the main character and sets some story point in motion...the rest of the book takes place in an entirely non-military setting.

Second this is a fantastic book. It starts off with compelling characters and a very mysterious setting that makes you need to know what the heck is going on. Usually with stories like this, you are disappointed by some cliche ending, but not here. Just when you think you know what's going on, BAM, you're wrong. This happens several times in the story. Be warned though, you're not going to want to stop listening once you start.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Action packed thriller that challenges one’s moral

Michael Edelson gives new meaning to “never put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” Alex, a soldier, goes to sleep and wakes the next morning to discover himself in a paradise of beaches and no missions. He, along with 49 others wake up stranded on an island with a life-threatening force field and individual assignments – a governor, a soldier, a cook, a doctor, a biochemist and more. Enough folks to start their own little world with little to go on. All their needs are met on the island, there is no reason to venture forth … is there?

Alex is not one to take things at face value so, with a few trusted and trained residents, he sets forth to discover what happened and how widespread it is … he should have stayed on the beach!

Michael Edelson captures the imagination of his listeners by presenting them with a doomsday event that reveals horrors and actions of those in power that will leave your head spinning. This is scarier than most books because it COULD happen; it MIGHT happen, and we as humans are doomed if it does.

Action packed thriller that challenges one’s morals and belief of right vs wrong. This book will make you think, then challenge your beliefs and make you think again. Conspiracy theorists will love it but if you enjoy adventure, action and the unknown … settle back and listen. This is an awesome book!

Michael Edelson does an excellent job of capturing his audience and squeezing every emotion known to humankind. Rob Zaleski, the narrator, became the book and characters. His delivery and talent were phenomenal. I thought Zaleski performed expertly and would love to hear other performances by him.

If you love action, stories that make you think, and emotional roller coasters – this is the book!

There were no issues with the production or quality of this audiobook.

Audiobook was provided for review by the author.

Please find this complete review and many others at my review blog.

[If this review helped, please press YES. Thanks!]

4 of 6 people found this review helpful

Great potential!

The premise was excellent! Maybe a bit of a steal from SK’s “Under The Dome” and even a few other books I’ve read but I’m ok with that. There was enough difference to make it perfectly fine even though there was a lot of similarities. The problem was, #1 the narrator ruined it for me! Sounded like a young, juvenile kid just reading through the story. #2 the writing was pretty juvenile in itself so it kinda matched the narration. But a good narrator could have made the difference I think.
I would hate to discourage the author because there was good potential but the characters and the storyline need to be fleshed out much better. Overall I would say it’s more like a YA novel at best and the only thing that kept me reading was that I did want to find out what had caused the entire... situation that they found themselves in. And if it hadn’t of been for the interesting premise I would have stopped listening just a few very short minutes after starting due to the poor narration. Some of these authors really need to understand that a narrator can make or break their book sometimes.

Original concept

This story has all the makings of a great suspense novel. There's the hero, of course, who you just know will save the day, right? Or does he? I guess that would depend on what you consider saving the day. Then there's the macho guy you would expect who needs to be knocked down to size, the love interest to whom the hero must prove himself, the bad guys who think they're doing the right thing, and the good guys for whom you want to cheer. And as in any post-apocalyptic story, there is the sadomasochist who leads by torture and instills fear in all the rest of the people who are in shock by their confinement in unknown territory. Pay close attention in the opening scene because it will tie into the story near the end. I went back and listened to chapter one again. **Thank you, Michael for the free review copy. As always, I look forward to your novels.

wow

Yeah I had to type it in manually but I made it to 15 words

Good work

Very enjoyable. I presented a surprisingly clear view of the psychological and moral struggles of a military man. None of the violence came without some cost.

Worked late so I could make it to chapter end...

Would you listen to Seed again? Why?

Yes, though it'll be a while. Simply because I don't enjoy experiencing books again for at least a few years. I'll definitely be coming back at some point though.

What other book might you compare Seed to and why?

Seed is out of my normal genre, so I'm not sure I can think of any direct comparisons. It has Clancy's use of proper military jargon (but more concise and contextual). It has a bit of dystopian futurism. A hint of zombie apocalypse.

Which character – as performed by Rob Zaleski – was your favorite?

Alex didn't click with me as 'generic military everyman'. I understood the decisions he made through most of the book, but he had just enough brashness and hotheaded tendencies to jar me out of that standard cliche. I appreciated that.Tom actually turned into my favorite of the book, showing how incredibly useful a jack of all trades can be in a world that doesn't require absolute specialists to complete a task.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

My reaction would be more of...awe. Disappointment in us as a species. I'll not delve further into the ending, but it really had me thinking on the incredible things we can accomplish during a life or death situation. And how poor oversight and simple bad luck can ruin anything even the best laid plans.

Any additional comments?

The narrator was pretty solid throughout. Women aren't his strong suit, but there was nothing cringeworthy (and I've heard plenty of bad jobs). My only complaint with the story itself would be the main relationship. Rather than emotional and gripping, it came across as a bit forced in. Just a bit of boom, boom, committed for life relationship.

Interesting Concept, Strong Themes

Full disclosure: I received a free copy to review the audiobook.

With that out of the way, I'd like to focus my review on three points: the overall story, the concept/themes, and my experience as a listener.

Story:
The story focuses on an US Army soldier, Alex, who wakes up in an island resort after an extremely tragic event befalls the Earth. He quickly discovers that he has been labelled as the security officer for the colony. Alex then tries to figure out what has happened with the rest of the world, in turn dealing with a governor-turned-despot and love.

While it keeps at a steady pace, there were times I thought the story would go in a certain direction, but the author deftly twisted the route through another way. This was enjoyable, and made it easier for me to keep listening.

Concept and Themes:
The themes that consistently stood out to me was corporate greed and human failure. On a grand scale, it seemed like human failure was the cause of Alex's situations and challenges. Beyond that, it made for some okay foils to oppose Alex as he moved forward with the life he now has. There are other themes involved, such as the human response to killing, genetically modified organisms, and so on, but they didn't have as much of an impact.

As for the concept of the colonies, I really thought it started out as a big giant Fallout/Vaul-Tec ripoff. Gradually, however, the author was able to distinguish his colonies as a different concept. I really enjoyed how the colonies were, with more advanced technology (but not futuristic) against a backdrop of collapsed human society.

Listener Experience:
I have never listened to a fiction audiobook. So it took me a little getting used to the narrator doing all the voices. Once I got past that, the narrator (and story) kept me engaged enough to want to keep listening. I was able to listen in while working, driving, running, and keep up with the story. I normally tune out talking after a certain point, but I kept with this until I was done.

Overall, I'd give this a 3.5/5 stars, but I'm limited to a whole number on a five-point scale. It was an enjoyable read, kept me engaged, and wasn't something I would normally consume. I still enjoyed it, and has made me interested in 'The Talhoffer Society', though I might go with a regular book for that one.