BATTERY LIFE

Thom Rivera narrates an engaging cyberpunk adventure set on a postapocalyptic Earth and an orbiting space station. Diane 317 enjoys a life of relative peace on the station--until it begins plummeting and she's forced to escape in a pod. She lands and is rescued by gruff Virgil, who traps her in a powered suit of armor. Rivera maintains a sense of urgency throughout with an ear-catching use of tone and timbre shifts. Diane's voice quavers with anxious energy, while Virgil comes across as stoic and patient. An imaginative tale that blends cyberpunk, postapocalyptic tropes, and buddy road-trip adventures is elevated by Rivera's steadfast narration. J.M.M. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2023]