SHROUD

Sophie Aldred's limpid English accent and crisp pacing entice listeners into award-winning Adrian Tchaikovsky's novel of first contact and interspecies misunderstanding. Set in inhospitable space, the survival thriller is also a stinging commentary on corporate exploitation. When Juna and Mai, members of a commercial mission, become trapped on a vaporous, poisonous star nicknamed Shroud, they race through danger toward a possible rescue site. But the Shroud's terrifying "weather" and "landscapes" are actually intelligent life-forms with their own plans. Aldred embodies the two distinct women--one spiky, one people pleasing--and delivers a haunting, moody voice for Shroud as it ponders the inexplicable and stupid alien invaders. Her tight rendition of the women's desperate trek amps up the tension, making this an addictive listen. A.C.S. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2025]