The Currents of Space

Galactic Empire, Book 2

By: Isaac Asimov

Narrated by: Jon Lindstrom

Length: 8 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's Summary

The second book in the Galactic Empire series, the spectacular precursor to the classic Foundation series, by one of history's most influential writers of science fiction, Isaac Asimov.

Trantor had extended its rule over half the Galaxy, but the other half defied its authority, defending their corrupt fiefdoms with violence and repression. On the planet Florina, the natives labored as slaves for their arrogant masters on nearby Sark. But now both worlds were hurtling toward a cataclysmic doom, and only one man knew the truth - a slave unaware of the secret knowledge locked inside his own brain. 

Rik had once been a prominent scientist until a psychic probe erased all memories of his past. Now he was a humble laborer in the kyrt mills of Florina. Then the memories began to return, bringing with them the terrible truth about the future - a truth that his masters on Sark would kill to keep secret...even at the cost of their own survival.

©1952, 2010 Isaac Asimov (P)2020 Random House Audio

Vanilla Asimov Fare for Completionists Only

Jon Lindstrom’s great performance can’t save what feels like Asimov “dialing it in” with the Robots-era formulaic “whodunit”. Asimov presents a one-dimensional plot that is meandered along by one-dimensional characters, at the end of which is something completely obvious but that could not be guessed with the information given. I found myself listening to it just so it would be over. For Asimov completionists only.

Asimov's greatest novel

This is by far the best Galactic Empire novel and perhaps Asimov's greatest of all time. Please read/listen!

Space

I invite you all aboard the Asimov ship
we are late! we are late!
take you ticket and fly away, to the future I say.

Who needs TV when you have Asimov and a great narrator like Jon Lindstrom?

Asimov should be in the base knowledge of every human being. Because we human beings, our future, can only be stopped by ourselves, not being ready, being stubborn, not tending to space and glory.

"Come along Pond", you are not alone.

It took me a while to get through

No spoilers. Like with all of Azimovs books the ending saves the entire book. I'm glad I finished it.

Knocked it out of orbit!

I listened to the sample and thought I'd give Lindstrom a try but after Scott Bricks performance of the Foundation series I knew I was probably expecting too much! I actually started with "Pepples in the Sky" after the Foundation series and was very impressed and have to say I'm even more impressed with Jon's delivery in this book! Skipping like a borderline schizophrenic between characters with flawless precision I enjoyed every line! Tremendously talented in my humble opinion! I love Scott's interpretations and must say they are both mainly to credit for getting me through the works this easily. I've listened to some other performances and I find them hard to believe and to some extent very annoying even though I would have pushed through because of the greatness of Asimovs writing. I can see the scenes in my minds eye, playing out vividly due to the construct of each setting or scene. Never too much or too little of narrating and personal perspectives. Like waves crashing and merging flowing onwards. It is strange of me to say this but in the end I felt like the book was too short. It was exiting chasing the plot but in the end it struck me as falling into place a little too easy. Personally I like the outcome but still dare to say, it felt a little rushed. Just a feeling.
Despite that, these creative people are making me dream, vividly!! Thank you all!
It's a must listen if you ask me!

Not My Favorite from the Trilogy

Subscribing to follow the universe of Issac Asimov over what seems like endless tales of the future in which man has spread among the stars. The Currents of Space, The second book in the Galactic Empire series is ok. But it did take me a while to get into it. It trudged through the buildup of the story, in Asimov's way of altering our view of the universe as you read or listen through the chapters. By the second half, the view evolved into a story worth following: a world at risk of catastrophe, an interplanetary game of hiding and seek, and a spy thriller. I do not know if I would recommend you trudge through to get there, the picture is better painted by other takes and I hope Book three rescues the series from irrelevance.

Classic Sci-Fi from Asimov

Doesn't feel like "book 2" of this little series. It's just another story set in the same literary universe as the other books in the pre-Foundation series.

I liked this one a little more than the first, although I was a little saddened that it wasn't a straight continuation of the narrative set up in the first book about a hidden planet in the horsehead nebula.

I enjoyed the way he titled each chapter. Like other Asimov I've read, there's a hint of an accomplished writer putting a literary exercise in front of him as a means to format or structure the story in an entertaining way.

Like most golden age sci-fi, the characters are a little flat, the scope wide, the focus universal, and the victory is one for the whole human race.

It was good but not great. This wasn't the best book I've read from the "Big 3 Authors of the Golden Age of Sci-fi," but it wasn't the worst either. I've read every book that Arthur C Clarke ever wrote and I've loved it all. Now I'm working through everything that Asimov ever wrote. This book showed me that I will continue to enjoy his writing style even if I get a little bored in a chapter or 2.

Only direct critiscm of this book is that it did lag once or twice during a slower chapter. Lots of build up and mystery and not as much big payoff as it could have. In terms of tension nd release, it felt like Asimov was trying to build a ton of tension and a noir-like "who done it" mystery. I either felt like I wasn't as invested in the tension building as the author intended or I felt like the release of the tension before building new conflicts in the next chapter didn't always deliver. Storyline felt a little jerky in that way. Lots of running away and mystery and then a quick pause of "now what?"

4 out of 5. Not bad but not great. Read it if you like Asimov or if you're trying to read everything he ever wrote. Skip it if you're looking for harder science and more action.

a timeless tale

the narrator was excellent and the characters amd social issues are as pertinent in 2020