THE GODS THEMSELVES

Scott Brick, master of the pregnant pause, narrates this sci-fi classic with careful articulation. His words seem filled with emotion yet are understated. Asimov considered this book his best work because of its careful science, human response to space environments, and depictions of distant aliens. In this story, aliens have conveyed a revolutionary energy source to planet Earth, but it's too good to be true. Brick masterfully depicts the conflicts of the scientists as they're confronted with great power. The aliens themselves, in another universe, are so different from humans as to be almost incomprehensible, a challenge that Brick handles well. The suggestive title reflects a quotation from a Schiller play: "Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain." D.R.W. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2014]