New Reviews: Science Fiction

Sunil Malhotra has his work cut out for him narrating this debut audiobook, which is a science-fiction story told through a comedic lens. A postnuclear world doesn't suggest comedy, but that is the case here, with a mad scientist simulating universes and playing God, an Indian detective and his bumbling assistant trying to sort things out, and a Danish policeman reaching... Read More

The stellar vocal talents of Eunice Wong, Rebecca Stern, Cary Hite, Liz Femi, and Zach Villa create an absorbing overall listening experience for this rich assortment of science-fiction and fantasy stories, curated by editors Okorafor and Adams. Notable performances abound in stories of creeping horror, fraught relationships, sentience, and moral quagmires. In "We Will Teach... Read More

Narrator Ashley Morton guides this tightly plotted, suspenseful tale as it unfolds on a remote human colony on Mars. Medical Officer Gold and fellow mission officers arrive on the planet's surface to find the newly constructed base partially destroyed. Conflicting, unsettling accounts about the mysterious "threat" emerge from their interviews with the two remaining construction... Read More

Pun Bandhu narrates most of this unique cyberpunk reimagining of "The Great Gatsby." The year is 2075, and Nick Carraway is an expert cyberspace diver. His new contract brings him to New York, where he meets up with his cousin, Daisy; her abrasive husband, Tom; and Daisy's friend, Jordan. Nick poses as Jay Gatsby's newest Gen Wealth employee so he can investigate the... Read More

With a hint of an old-time Western twang, narrator Stephanie Cannon easily coaxes the listener into this sweeping, multilayered yarn that unabashedly mixes the worlds of graphic novels, high fantasy, time travel, frontier history, and the author's own "Pandominion" multiverse into an entertaining space-opera stew. When a young schoolmistress sees her best friend murdered and... Read More

A dynamic ensemble of all-star narrators brings to life these stories assembled--and in one case, published--for the first time. Representing Sanderson's writing experimentation and growth over the course of 25 years, they feature worlds in which reality is unstable and characters move freely through simulations, universes, and bodies. The narrators are impressively well... Read More

Rebecca Calder's narration drives this surreal tale about "antimemes" that can attack memory and identity. With precision and controlled energy, Calder shapes an audio experience that highlights the text's clever constructions and unsettling logic. Calder's clear articulation and confident pacing make rapid conceptual shifts feel purposeful, helping listeners absorb the... Read More

The diverse narrations that make up this anthology are consistently captivating. This audiobook started as a social justice project, with authors invited to envision possible futures. The result is a fascinating collection of speculative pieces, each delivered with powerful performances. Some highlights: Je Nie Fleming captures the vulnerability of an athlete whose genetic... Read More