New Reviews: Science Fiction

JD Jackson and Joy Sunday take turns narrating 18 short stories from the world of Wakanda, written by authors of the African diaspora. The stories cover a variety of characters from T'Challa to Shuri, and even Killmonger. Jackson and Sunday breathe life into the short but complex works brimming with cameos and unique perspectives on the Black Panther mythology. The stories are... Read More

Vivienne Leheny narrates this cheeky science fiction about a young electronics technician named Daisy. Sharing space on a damaged ship alongside unusually behaving AIs, she is soon consumed with unraveling their nefarious plot to destroy humanity. Leheny's performance is a great mix of calm professionalism, which fits Daisy's character when things get serious, and youthful... Read More

A trio of talented narrators perform a space opera in which humanity is enslaved across the stars by a vast alien empire. The rebellious Sienna crosses paths with an alien seeking to increase the value of humans through genetic manipulation. Eric Michael Summerer, Jay Snyder, and Reba Buhr take turns narrating the dense world-building. While the story is light on action, the... Read More

The fourth installment in the Wayfarers series brings listeners on a quiet space adventure. Narrator Rachel Dulude voices the mismatched entirely nonhuman crews of several spaceships who are stranded by a telecommunications accident on a remote planet. These widely varying species of sapients learn to relate to each other in bold new ways through their shared needs. Dulude... Read More

Morgan Hallett's confident narration keeps the action moving in this sci-fi debut, an inside look at an unparalleled pandemic and the biologist who may be Earth's last hope. Dr. Juliet Fulton is charged with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study the Mars Cube, an alien artifact discovered by Mars colony astronauts. When a deadly plague is accidentally unleashed from the... Read More

A man awakens in a vessel in the far reaches of space. He has no memory and few resources. What he does have is a talking shipboard computer and the complete works of a famed author from the past. Neil Gaiman narrates this sci-fi short story with themes of isolation, recuperation, and selfhood. Along with brisk pacing, lively music, and futuristic sound effects, the production... Read More

Through tone and pacing, narrator Ray Porter makes Andy Weir's fantastical space opera seem plausible. Porter captures the panic and semi-hysterical self-deprecation of an amnesiac who is the sole survivor on a spacecraft cruising through space. As the protagonist's memories return, Porter is called upon to deliver a United Nations of accents for characters ranging from Dutch... Read More

As both author and narrator, Mary Robinette Kowal once again immerses listeners in the alternate history of the Lady Astronaut series, this time focusing on original astronaut corps member Nicole Wargin. Several years after the catastrophic asteroid impact, growing social unrest manifests in a group working to undermine off-Earth relocation plans. Propulsive events compel... Read More

Amy Deuchler narrates a team's journey into Saturn's deadly atmosphere. Cassia Vici has already bypassed death once and has now set her sights on expanding humankind's exploration of the cosmos. Deuchler's pleasant voice outshines a rushed narrative that overlooks plot holes and highlights intriguing concepts. The short length of the story glosses over some of its issues, but... Read More

Narrator Nanette Savard and an ensemble of voice actors skillfully create a universe in which a queen flees from villains who fear she will try to reclaim her throne. Thanks to the wonderful narration, it's easy to get lost in the adventure. No-nonsense Queen Elida teams up with Isaac, a cocky rebel from the Han Solo School of Rogues, to steal a mind-control device from a bad... Read More

The future in this audiobook is a world gone mad in which people live vicariously, watching the actions of others. Reality can be manipulated, and fantasy rules. Narrator Wil Wheaton knows all about science fiction from his years as Wesley Crusher on "Star Trek: The Next Generation." Boyish sounding at 48, Wheaton brings a youthful point of view to this story about a reality... Read More