This Day All Gods Must Die: The Gap into Ruin

The Gap Cycle, Book 5

By: Stephen R. Donaldson

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 31 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's summary

Hailed as his greatest work ever, Stephen Donaldson's best-selling Gap series is rapidly attaining the status of a classic. Now, one of the most exhilarating space epics ever told comes to a shattering climax in a thrilling tale of high adventure, powerful emotion, and labryrinthine intrigue.

As the conflict between humankind and the Amnion aliens heads for crisis, Morn Hyland, cyborg Angus Thermopyle, and the survivors on board the crippled starship Trumpet must return from deep space to Earth. Only they can prevent the titanic struggle between UMCP director Warden Dios and Holt Fasner, the corrupt head of the UMC, from precipitating all-out war with the Amnion - and leaving humanity to pay a terrible price.

As Dios in Earth's orbit and Morn in deep space both make far-reaching decisions, the Amnion act with swift fury, and suddenly Earth stands threatened with fiery destruction.

©1996 Stephen R. Donaldson (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Donaldson is dark.

Would you listen to This Day All Gods Must Die: The Gap into Ruin again? Why?

Maybe I'd listen again, but I'd need a lot of time in between. I like Donaldson, but he's dark. The guy is twisted and sadistic. Even the Covenant series shows his propensity for exposing tortured minds to the extreme. This series is even darker and more masochistic. He really puts people through the most awful things (in stark detail).

Sometimes it's just hard to listen to all the ugliness. But I do. I somehow get through the darkness so I can eventually find the redemption at the end. You start caring about these characters. Even some of the nasty ones. Donaldson's really good at that, making you care.

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

Scott Brick's narration makes this whole series bearable.

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

Absolutely not - not only is it too long, but I need time outs to come up for air.

Awesome, Awesome, AWESOME!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This series was Donaldson's best work, even better than the Covenant series. 5 stars is not enough to rate this excellent story. I would highly recommend not only this book but the entire series. The book was so good that I did an all-nighter because I COULD NOT STOP LISTENING.

Have you listened to any of Scott Brick’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Scott Brick is one of the best narrators on this site. I could listen to him read the dictionary. His performance and reading style go hand in hand with Donaldson's work, especially this series.

Any additional comments?

I read this series years ago and I'd like to thank Audible for bringing it to audio and doing such a great job.

Exigencies and despair...

Those are two of Stephen R. Donaldson's favorite words and there is no shortage of either in this final entry of the Gap Cycle. The fifth book of the series is the largest of the bunch, and despite some of the typical un-needed bloat found in any Donaldson book, it builds up to a worthy conclusion. Holt Fasner has put the Earth itself in jeopardy with his attempt to unlock Amnion secrets that will allow him to live forever and Warden Dios turns out to be just as culpable for the extreme actions he takes in an attempt to stop him.  Both have abused their power in unforgivable ways and those who have been the recipients of that abuse, mainly Angus and Morn, finally arrive back at Earth just in time for a public reckoning.

For the entire series there has been a plethora of misery dumped upon the main characters due to the background struggle between Holt and Warden and yet those characters have found a way to remain more true to the human race than anyone else.  Every character is deeply flawed and each must do some soul searching as the story builds to a tense conclusion where the actions of each and every individual will have dire consequences for everyone else. The tense situation is created by the Amnion who take some extreme actions of their own in an attempt to prevent the human race from spreading the formula for the anti-mutagen drug that would render their main weapon useless. It is hard to provide too many details without spoiling what happens but suffice it to say that the various story threads all converge and the myriad of secrets finally come out into the open in a fitting conclusion to an epic space drama.

Despite the dark nature of the entire series I did find it engaging and I am impressed in the manner in which the original short novel grew into an epic story arc. Donaldson found unique and creative ways for people to abuse each other with technology and much like he did with The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant he puts the reader in the awkward position of having to root for deeply flawed and evil characters to be successful in the name of the greater good. I like when an author makes me think about my own morals and choices and Donaldson does that very well. Scott Brick delivers yet another solid performance and helps to make this series a good listen.

The Grand Finale!

But the title is actually "This Day All Gods Die"....the word "Must" isn't in it.

Excellent Space "DRAMA"

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

More drama that tech, but very well written. The series primarily focuses on the human condition and often leaves "juicy" tech ideas virtually ignored.

What other book might you compare This Day All Gods Must Die: The Gap into Ruin to and why?

Herbert's Dune: House series

Have you listened to any of Scott Brick’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Scott Brick is always excellent; but I would compare this to his reading of Hebert's Dune: House series.

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

I listened to the entire book over 2½ consecutive days.

Finish Strong, a masterpiece of dark scifi

Firstly, come on guys... this title... "This Day all Gods Die" how bad ass is that? You know you gotta buckle up and put on your adult diapers when you read that. Look by now, many of you will have read more than a few series, and you'll know that sometimes the final installment is not always the best book in the series. This is not the case here. This is the book you have been working toward. You put in the time and this book will pay out all your wants and desires. Except maybe a date with a curvaceous redhead, you'll still have to work for that one brother. Ok ok I'll get serious. This is the strongest book in the series and it will leave nothing hanging and not leave you wanting. You want dark grit? - here you go sir. You want epic heroics? - here's a double serving on the house my good man. You want an evil bastard or two to get their come-uppings? - Try aisle six madam we are fully stocked and open 24 hours a day. My point is that Donaldson does not say, "well my characters will take the high road", no they need to get shit done. Ole Scott Brick brings every gritry feeling to life with these characters, and I promise you it is a performance that rivals any crap they have in the theaters. YOU WILL LOVE AND HATE THE CHARACTERS OF THIS BOOK AND SERIES MORE THAN ANY OTHER YOU HAVE READ. I promise yall. Angus, love him or hate him, I won't judge you, will dole out what you need. Morn has been through the shit and back; we all want to see if she ever gets any kind of happy ending. Davies, will he ever get his head on straight? Man just read the book and find out. If you make it to the end this book you will forever make want more like it. Don't worry ole UD (me) know's what you need. To conclude this is the crown jewel of Dark scifi in an amazing dark scifi series. Worth the read, but hell if you made it this far you already know that.

Remember kids if it ain't a run on sentence it ain't worth writing. Watch out for gap sickness and keep on trucking in Dark scifi.

-UD

excellent book and performance

excellent story, great ending, excellent narrator. wish they made audible versions of the original Thomas Covenant books.

srd is the man

i read these as they were released and love them even more now. simply perfect.

My third time reading through the entire series – and still as great as the first time

I think overall this is an amazing series of books. Granted, some of the terminologies in approach to the technical aspects have not aged well, however, it does not diminish from the excellence of the story as a whole.

great series

long series, sometimes slow dialog, but has riveting action and awesome story to the end