Solitude

By: Dean M. Cole

Narrated by: R.C. Bray, Julia Whelan

Length: 8 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's Summary

Winner 2018 ABR Listeners Choice Award for best science-fiction audiobook!

A mysterious wave of light wipes humanity from the planet, leaving only one person in its wake. After months of desperate isolation, Earth’s last man discovers he’s not alone. The last woman is stranded alone aboard the International Space Station. If you like action-packed novels, you'll love the electrifying action in this apocalyptic thriller. 

Can humanity's last two unite? 

Separated by the gulf of space, the last man and woman of the human race struggle against astronomical odds to survive and unite. 

Army aviator Vaughn Singleton is a highly intelligent, lazy man. After a last-ditch effort to reignite his failing military career ends horribly, Vaughn becomes the only human left on Earth. 

Stranded alone on the International Space Station, Commander Angela Brown watches an odd wave of light sweep across the planet. Over the next weeks and then months, Angela struggles to contact someone on the surface as she fights to survive aboard a deteriorating space station. 

Then, from orbit above Central Europe, Angela glimpses the dark underpinnings of humanity's demise. It appears something went horribly wrong with a physics experiment at the supercollider in Geneva, Switzerland. As a theoretical physicist, Angela might be able to unravel and maybe even reverse the events that led to the apocalypse...if she could only get there. 

After months alone, Vaughn discovers there is another. Racing against time, he must cross a land ravaged by the consequences of humankind's sudden departure. 

Can Vaughn find a path to space and back? Can Angela - the only person with clues to the mystery behind humanity's disappearance - survive until he does? 

©2017 Dean M. Cole (P)2017 Dean M. Cole

What. A. Story.

I honestly didn't even see the comparison to The Martian and I Am Legend (I try to not read the synopsis of a book that I'm pretty sure I'm going to love) -- but that is a great combination of exactly what this story was.  I hate copying exactly what is written in the description on Amazon, but when it's right, it's right.

Dean M. Cole can write! Every time I thought "okay, this is it, he's got it!" or "she's got it!" he continued to throw everything at the two main characters.  It got to the point where I was pretty sure that both of them were going to give up numerous times.

A story about what could potentially be the last two people in the world and one of them is stuck on the International Space Station is already a story that I would read in a heartbeat.  Then you throw in that R.C. Bray and Julia Whelan are going to dual narrate it? Okay, now I'm salivating. Oh, and it's funny and heartbreaking at the same time like The Martian? Jesus, okay, I bought the book, let's go!

We're almost at the half-way point of the year and I believe that I may have found my audiobook of the year already.  Ironically it follows a similar type story as last years -- but this one has even fewer people in it.

There was a part of the book where I was a little worried around R.C. Bray narrating it -- not because of him or his narration at all (he's seriously one of the best in the world and is the sole reason you're reading this blog today).  It was because there was a character named Mark.  And I couldn't get "Whatney" out of my head every time he would say his name.  I was seriously concerned, but my concern didn't last as long as I'd expected.  There was even a line that made me pause the audiobook:  "...duck tape... Oh right, you're Mark Whatney and this is The Martian".

I honestly don't even have to go into Bray and Whelan's narration of this because it was spot on and perfect.  One of the best audiobooks I've ever listened to.  Definitely up there with The Martian as Bray's best performance.

Overall, Solitude is easily one of the best books I've read in 2017 and will be in my memory for years to come.  I will gladly be recommending this to all of my friends and family -- especially those who loved The Martian (or enjoyed I Am Legend).  Dean M. Cole has shot himself up to the top of my 'to-read' list and I will be eagerly awaiting the next book in this series.

I was given a free copy of this which has not affected my review at all.

If you enjoyed my review, please vote for it! If you'd like to see more like this you can check out BriansBookBlog DOT com.

36 of 39 people found this review helpful

What can 'Brown' do for you?! : - )

I wish this book was longer! The characters had some good banter, which is something I enjoy in a book. The story was interesting and different enough from some loosely similar books that it felt fresh enough.

The narration by both narrators was superb. The male voice, R.C. Bray, is the best and does science fiction especially well. The female voice, Julie Whelan, is also one of my favorites. They were a great team.

I am anxiously waiting the next installment in this series. ~JTC~

18 of 20 people found this review helpful

best I've read since The Martian

I'm a huge fan of sci-fi that isn't always about Aliens or at least takes a bit for them to show up. I loved the humanity of the characters. they had ups and downs and in betweens. the pacing of the story was wonderful and had me hugging my seat and breathing in relief at the proper moments. the way everything happened you almost hope that humanity isn't gone as there are no bodies to be seen. I can't wait to see where Dean m. Cole goes next with this story.

15 of 17 people found this review helpful

Compelling and intelligent science fiction

Intelligent, captivating storytelling with all developed characters. Recently tried listening to Eternal Frontier and nearly screamed with every tortured line of dialogue and each hyperbolic adjective. Solitude was economical and entertaining in its language. Eternal Frontier left me feeling dirty and Solitude made me clean again. WHEWWW!

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Great book and performance!

Great apocalyptic story! Very original idea! I loved it! Action packed right from the start. The last man alive on Earth has to find a way to reach the international space station to save Earth's last woman. Unfortunately Vaughn doesn't realize Commander Brown is in the ISS until 2 months after the rest of humanity has vanished. Each of them on the verge of losing hope and their sanity.

I was almost disappointed toward the end. I'm wondering the whole time about what happened to all the people and animals. I thought this would go unanswered. It did, but the issue was addressed and I guess the answers are in book 2 when Vaughn and Angela head to CERN, where it all started, to get some answers.

Great performance by R. C. Bray and Julia Whelan. Bray is one of my favorite narrators. Whelan is new to me, but I definitely enjoyed her performance! Looking forward to book 2!

10 of 12 people found this review helpful

Solitude

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

I use the audio versions because of vision issues. I do love the feel of a book in my hand, but with the right reader stories really come to life. With this book I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Solitude?

"What the hell is in your hair?"

What does R.C. Bray and Julia Whelan bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

They give a voice and personality to characters that I may not have thought of.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Will to survive tested daily!

10 of 12 people found this review helpful

just buy the book...

Don't bother reading the cover flap just give Amazon and Audible your money. you must buy both.
Dean Cole has woven a story with emotion anguish, love, laughter, and suspense. R.C. Bray and Julia Whelan brings this story to life like no others. They just owned this story.
I haven't been this emotionally involved in a story since Andy Weirs" The Martian" or Ryk Browns "Frontiers Saga"

Oh and Dean... write faster dammit, write faster.

10 of 12 people found this review helpful

Well done

I thought that this story was going to be something very different... and I'm pleased to have been proven correct.

You made this story frighteningly believable... and R.C. And Julia rocked it (as usual).

Looking forward to Switzerland.

10 of 12 people found this review helpful

Fantastic story!

The marketing for the book said it was a mix of I Am Legend, The Martian, and Gravity and I worried it was being a bit overhyped. But it wasn't! I thoroughly enjoyed it. Can't wait for the sequel to be released!

6 of 7 people found this review helpful

Cole has quite the imagination

I had the pleasure of reviewing Dean Cole’s Duology of Sector 64. This made me extra super excited to have the chance to listen to Cole’s newest, Solitude. I have seen ads running in different places that calls this a cross between The Martian and I Am Legend. I know, right?! This got my interest doubly piqued. But, I don’t think I would have compared this to I Am Legend. Because, well, there were no zombie vampire-like creatures.

Let me say this, Cole has quite the imagination! Basically, there are two separate stories going on untile they merge closer to the end. There is a mission on the space station when the apocalypse happens. Most of the crew was killed, one was spared or more like stranded. On Earth, two guys are in a zero-G room when it happened. They were spared because they were not technically on the planet. With a nice surprise that I didn’t see coming at the end. Very curious as to where Cole is going to take this story. Ok I have said enough here.

Cole wastes very little time for anything to happen. We are introduced to the characters and them BOOM! The apocalypse happens. And we are left with the two protagonists dealing with the fallout. Emotionally, mentally and physically.

Cole was able to make the events of his apocalypse so vivid, so intriguing, with multi-faceted characters and circumstances. I devoured this audiobook so fast, I almost listened to it again, just because I didn’t want it to end. I will be first in line for the rest of this series.

What can I really say about RC Bray and Julia Whelan that you do not already know? Both are at the top of their game. The chapters and sections were read alternately. I found that Whelan’s portions were noticeably louder than Bray’s, the first switch made me jump out of my skin. That’s the only negative. Cole was smart and/or lucky to get two of the best voices in the business for this project. I really hope that they both stay on board for the rest of the series.

Audiobook was provided for review by the author.

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

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22 of 28 people found this review helpful

Going to be left hanging.

An awesome book narrated by the very best.
Shame Audible haven't made it clear this is book 1 of a series that's yet to be completed. It'll be a long wait to conclude this gripping story.

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

looking forward to the next in the series .

loved it . quality book very well read . felt like I was the characters involved . great stuff

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Great story interested to listen to next book

Both readers were great and I liked the dialogue switching between the two although I thought they might talk together rather then mimicking each others voices. looking forward to the next book.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Don't Leave Solitude Alone!

In Solitude Dean Cole delivers a fast-paced episode of apocalyptic fiction. Two characters left completely alone and isolated must cross the planet and even space itself to save each other. It's a genuine roller-coaster ride and the action just keeps coming as our rather accident-prone pair crash and bump their way across the planet and the space near it. At times I wasn't sure I'd give odds on either of them managing to navigate their way across an empty room while at others they achieved amazing things. Although at times there is plenty of scientific and technical detail in here expect your credulity to get a severe workout as things progress. There are definitely parallels with books like The Martian but I doubt anyone will want to make a case for this being built on solid scientific ground. The author does however do very well in terms of explaining why these two, and only these two survive.

The narration, well RC Bray is of course a maestro and gives his usual masterful performance. Here though he shares the stage with Julia Whelan. It works brilliantly at first emphasising the separation between the characters and their very different situations. Maybe it's less effective later on but not wanting to do spoilers I won't say why. I'll settle for saying that both narrators do fine jobs with their parts.

Although the book does complete the advertised part of the story there is clearly more to come and you won't get all the answers you might want about why things happened. There are lots of thrills and spills though and the tension continues right up until the ending which sets up the next book's opening intrigue.

12 of 16 people found this review helpful

Repetitive and thoroughly predictable

After the first few chapters you realise just what a crock of shite this book is... Get in a plane.. It crashes, get in a car, guess what is crashes, get in a space plane.... You've got it, it crashes..! This is total drivel devoid of all worth. How they got RC Bray to narrate is beyond me and why he'd want to be associated with this train wreck of a project is even more perplexing.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

good listen

good story, look forward to the next installment.
RC Bray is great ad always though the girls voice is a little tiresome after a while. should have given it all to Bray.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Top notch

what a great story. Can't wait for book 2 . I hope I don't have long to wait.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Gripping

A real page turner. Want to know more.. Can't wait to see the movie! Next book please

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

Frustratingly formulaic...

An intriguing idea of a plot spoiled by an amateurish approach. Somebody must once have told the author that drama is the winning formula for holding audience attention. And boy did he play that card. Any and every opportunity to create a dramatic moment is stuffed into this tale - no matter how unbelievable or superfluous to the plot. The result is a slow moving story written, it seems, with the aim of dragging things out for that sequel after money-making sequel. The only saving grace is the great narration, particularly R C Bray. Overall - this is one to miss.

3 of 5 people found this review helpful

fantastic book!

I've listened to this book many times. Every time I read it it just gets better and better.