This allegorical novel gives Nicole Lewis the opportunity to shine in her portrayal of Nalini, a sociologist who finds herself transported to New Roanoke, a community living in a terrarium on one of Jupiter's moons. There, she decides to forgo writing the academic treatise she had planned and instead produce a pop science manifesto. When the officers on a newly arriving ship announce the possibility of rescuing those on New Roanoke, they are surprisingly resistant--and so is the entity that watches over them. Lewis's warm voice and dexterity with accents allow her to make the politicians and members of the community at all levels realistic and unique, whether they're determined to maintain the status quo or wanting to escape it. Listeners will be caught up in this mesmerizing story.
Pub Date: June 28, 2022
Duration: 8 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593416266
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Fans will welcome Free’s performance of this brief addition to the Murderbot universe.
Maintaining the same sardonic tone that works so well for the Murderbot Diaries audiobooks, Kevin R. Free narrates this story that, for once, isn’t told from Murderbot’s perspective. The crew of Perihelion, an intelligent research transport ship, is preparing for a mission aboard a space station. Peri sounds delightfully snotty in its interactions with Iris and the rest of the crew. The ship is implementing new strategies to keep its crew safe, and it’s being cagey about what inspired them—but we slowly realize that it’s because of Peri’s experience with a certain rogue SecUnit in a previous installment of the series. Sound effects, including beeping computers and whooshing air, add to the SF atmosphere.
Fans will welcome Free’s performance of this brief addition to the Murderbot universe.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2026
Duration: 53 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250489241
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Sept. 22, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2026
A captivating, if skin-crawling, performance.
Kimberly Woods narrates an unsettling cosmic horror adventure. Sisilla is a young girl enhanced with implants travelling aboard a living ship. Her mission is to discover why a planet besieged by an implacable plague suddenly cuts off contact after a cure is found. Woods imbues 9-year-old Sisilla with youthful vitality. Her soft cadence clashes wonderfully with the vivid, disturbing body horror and violence. Woods keeps the story engaging even as it veers in unpredictable ways, and the horror aspects feel not only believable but vibrant. At times the narrative touches on surprising and uncomfortable social commentary, which Woods handles with gentleness.
A captivating, if skin-crawling, performance.Pub Date: June 23, 2026
Duration: 17 hrs, 12 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668121191
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Sept. 8, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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