THE SHACKLETON SIGNAL

Gary Tiedemann's crisp narration takes listeners to the lunar south pole in this science-fiction thriller. A mysterious signal from the Shackleton crater jump-starts a space race between the U.S. and China. Astronauts race to the moon, and intelligence personnel hunt for spies back on Earth. Author Joshua T. Calvert's pacing is strong as he cuts back and forth between the two subplots, and Tiedemann capitalizes on it, drawing listeners along. Pacing aside, Calvert's writing is marked by one-note characterizations; awkward exposition, particularly in dialogue; and cliches. But if the prose stumbles, Tiedemann's delivery glides over it. An accomplished narrator, Tiedemann elevates a pedestrian read into a decent listening experience. V.S. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2025]