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World Running Down  By  cover art

World Running Down

By: Al Hess
Narrated by: Cooper North, Calvin Joyal
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Publisher's summary

A transgender salvager on the outskirts of a dystopian Utah gets the chance to earn the ultimate score and maybe even a dash of romance. But there's no such thing as a free lunch…

Valentine Weis is a salvager in the future wastelands of Utah. Wrestling with body dysphoria, he dreams of earning enough money to afford citizenship in Salt Lake City—a utopia where the testosterone and surgery he needs to transition are free, the food is plentiful, and folks are much less likely to be shot full of arrows by salt pirates. But earning that kind of money is a pipe dream until he meets the exceptionally handsome Osric.

Once a powerful AI in Salt Lake City, Osric has been forced into an android body against his will and sent into the wasteland to offer Valentine a job on behalf of his new employer—an escort service seeking to retrieve their stolen androids. The reward is a visa into the city and a chance at the life Valentine’s always dreamed of. But as they attempt to recover the “merchandise,” they encounter a problem: the android ladies are becoming self-aware and have no interest in returning to their old lives.

The prize is tempting, but carrying out the job would go against everything Valentine stands for and would threaten the fragile found family that’s kept him alive so far. He’ll need to decide whether to risk his own dream to give the AI a chance to live theirs.

©2023 Al Hess (P)2023 Podium Audio
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: LGBTQ+

Critic reviews

"Calvin Joyal and Cooper North give an emotional performance of this dystopian sci-fi audiobook.... Joyal and North's performance engrosses listeners with the story's high stakes." (AudioFile)

What listeners say about World Running Down

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Great story and narration

I really loved this book! It had a solid story with good characters and narration. I've been expanding my library for queer sci-fi/fantasy, and I'm glad I put this book in the queue. I had a good time getting to know the world, and I hope there is more to come.

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Fantastic

This was an amazing representation of transness and the subtle yet accurate representation of neurodivergence was heartwarming.

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it's okay but confusing

just not my type of story. I finished it but it was hard to keep interested. just not quite my type of story. I will stick with the Infinity series

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