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Seveneves

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Seveneves

By: Neal Stephenson
Narrated by: Peter Brooke
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About this listen

 The astounding new novel from the master of science fiction

President Barack Obama’s summer reading choice

What would happen if the world were ending?

When a catastrophic event renders the earth a ticking time bomb, it triggers a feverish race against the inevitable. An ambitious plan is devised to ensure the survival of humanity far beyond our atmosphere. But unforeseen dangers threaten the intrepid pioneers, until only a handful of survivors remain…

Five thousand years later, their progeny – seven distinct races now three billion strong – embark on yet another audacious journey into the unknown, to an alien world utterly transformed by cataclysm and time: Earth.

A writer of dazzling genius and imaginative vision, Neal Stephenson combines science, philosophy, technology, psychology, and literature in a magnificent work of speculative fiction that offers a portrait of a future that is at once extraordinary and eerily recognizable. He explores some of our biggest ideas and perplexing challenges in a breathtaking saga that is daring, engrossing, and altogether brilliant.

©2015 HarperCollins Publishers Limited (P)2015 Neal Stephenson Classics Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Political Post-Apocalyptic Science Fiction Women's Fiction Survival

Critic Reviews

"Genius." ( Time)
"He makes reading so much fun it feels like a deadly sin." ( The New York Times)
"Fast-forward free-style mall mythology for the 21st century." (William Gibson)
"[Stephenson is] the hacker Hemingway." ( Newsweek)
All stars
Most relevant
Neal Stephenson is a great story-teller and this is the only reason I stayed with this book to the end. This time his characters were drowning in excess technical and scientific detail. If I were reading this book it would be possible to scan and skip these lengthy and tedious passages, but this is difficult when listening. Secondly, I found the technology 5000 years in the future somewhat difficult to imagine from his explanations. I couldn't 'see' the shape and colour of the things without listening to the passages a few times. Overall, I think this one was a clunker and I'm hoping for him to regain his narrative strength.

A stretch too far?

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What a story. Totally believable and takes into account both the scientific and social ramifications of the unfolding story. Left me volunteering to strangle a few of the characters whilst driving along listening! Well characterised by the teller and I forgave the accents

Gripping and structured

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The book started off with such promise but unlike some other books I have read that include physics, mechanics and sciences etc the author struggles to create something that is cohesive. so for the first 20 hours you listen in hope of what could be and are disappointed. The last 11+, well I'm not sure it's like the author had an idea and got board very quickly and in the end didn't know what to do, so just ended it. The narrator was OK but didn't have the scope of some of the other narrators I have listened too, so that didn't exactly engage you either. I bought the book so listened to it all, but am left feeling very let down by the experience.

32 hours you will never get back

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I must admit it was a bit slow to start then , boom, it got going. Loved it.

Brilliant

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Bit long winded in places but so well written it doesn't matter. Really looking forward to the sequel

Epic sci-fi.

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firstly the big picture idea is excellent and I enjoyed the premise.
however
it is a very very technically described book from start to finish, this drags out some scenes you wish were fast paced and exciting.
I felt the second part was overly long and the third faltered to a end.
I enjoyed it but feel looking back it was a little dull and overly technically described.

wordy but likeable plot

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This book was recommended by a friend, and I really knew nothing of it going in.

Whilst it is a great book, and would make an excellent tv series, it’s often overly descriptive. At some points, it’s about orbital mechanics, at other points it’s about Delta-V’s and speed and later about geology, geography and overly precise descriptions of people.

If your in to fine details where the story moves along slowly, then this is a top read.

But if you want brisk sci-fi, this is not it.

An epic tale of humanity and the fight to survive

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This book covers a whole breadth of different themes while almost frustratingly limiting what ideas are explored. There were so many questions i had throughout or just wondering about other characters or groups with no answers.

While the second half takes a completely different direction from the first it is not unwelcome. If you want just a standard sci fi novel there's an endless number of "good" stories out there. I didn't agree with everything the author assumed or speculated of the future but the ideas were interesting and entertaining.

The narrator does a fantastic job, there is nothing negative to say of the production of the audiobook itself.

Epic story explores maybe too many themes

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great book full of some fantastic science. great book for anyone who loves world ending events and how we as humans react to them, and people who love science

awesome

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I loved this book although the ending was a bit sudden. When I realised why it was named Seveneves I was shocked!

Awesome story

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