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Doomsday Book cover art

Doomsday Book

By: Connie Willis
Narrated by: Jenny Sterlin
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Publisher's Summary

One of the most respected and awarded of all contemporary science-fiction writers, Connie Willis repeatedly amazes her many admiring fans with her ability to create vivid characters in unusual situations. With Doomsday Book, she takes listeners on a thrilling trip through time to discover the things that make us most human.

For Oxford student Kivrin, traveling back to the 14th century is more than the culmination of her studies - it's the chance for a wonderful adventure. For Dunworthy, her mentor, it is cause for intense worry about the thousands of things that could go wrong. When an accident leaves Kivrin trapped in one of the deadliest eras in human history, the two find themselves in equally gripping - and oddly connected - struggles to survive.

Deftly juggling stories from the 14th and 21st centuries, Willis provides thrilling action - as well as an insightful examination of the things that connect human beings to each other.

©1992 Connie Willis (P)2000 Recorded Books

Critic Reviews

  • Hugo Award, Best Novel, 1993
  • Nebula Award, Best Novel, 1992

"Ms. Willis displays impressive control of her material; virtually every detail introduced in the early chapters is made to pay off as the separate threads of the story are brought together." (The New York Times Book Review)
"A stunning novel that encompasses both suffering and hope....The best work yet from one of science fiction's best writers." (The Denver Post)

What listeners say about Doomsday Book

Average Customer Ratings
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  • Overall
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history made real

connie willis does a great job of immersing the reader in a historic era and making the characters real.
The only complaint is that it was too slow moving and drawn out.

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4 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Some parts were painful but it was ok overall

It was quite obvious what is going to happen in several of the scenarioes/setups in this book. most normal people (or competent characters) would make the mental leap required to solve these problems immediately. It was painful to listen to the otherwise well drawn characters, as they beat around the seemingly endless supply of bushes before getting to the point. The technology in this book was ill concieved, they can invent a time machine but are still using switchboards and have no mobile phones or internet. Having said all of that, the overall, the concept was fresh, and aside from the above, well executed. The narration was well done and appropriate for the book.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent!

The story was excellent and narration brought it all to life wonderfully... I look to the next book

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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A book for someone with more patience than me..

Very, very slow. Look like it could have been an amazing book, but she needs some editing. I gave up after 3 hours of listening and almost nothing had happened. The same characters harp on the same lines time and time agin. It's really very annoying.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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Would have been great when published

Overall enjoyed the concept and the story but unfortunately most of the barriers the characters faced in the modern plot were all dependent on landline communication in 2054. Didn’t ruin the story but was slightly frustrating and immersion breaking.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Torturous

Would not recommend this title. The writing is painfully slow, repetitive and humourless. Narration was ok.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Too many plot holes

I read this book because I am a Pratchett fan and was told this was similar. Apart from the University, it isn’t. There is none of TP’s cleverness, humour, or comment on real life.
There are so many plot holes I gave up noting them- I realise fantasy fiction needs some suspension of disbelief, but things still need to ring true, and I found myself thinking, well that’s dumb, way too often. It was also irritating that the author repeatedly used obvious tools to carry the story along (characters unable to finish a sentence for example), and was altogether repetitive- how many times did the fact that the plague missed some villages need saying?!
It’s a shame because I like the idea, but the execution was gauche and dragged out.
The narrator was ok, but had an annoying intonation and little difference in character voices. She also mispronounced syncope every time.
Altogether a disappointing listen, I’m glad it was free.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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A dark tale of the human spirit blazing against the darkness.

Incredible. Gut wrenching, roller-coaster through, death disease and what makes life worth living. Adventure, survival and everything in between. Amazing 👏

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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I can see why it’s famous

Narrator has too many pauses and too slow- had to speed her up.
Story a bit pedestrian at first but soon was binging on it.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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sweet, sad and superb

A pleasant though at times somber book full of love & fear and our mastery of & mercy to sickness. It was eerie reading about a modern pandemic in this old books future, fascinating and beautiful.

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