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 show called "Ignis," which spies on the inhabitants of a satellite who believe they are the last survivors of Earth. Katherine McNamara performs opposite Wheaton as a headstrong girl who forces Wheaton to see the immorality of his world.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2021
Duration: 13 hrs
Publisher: Podium Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Emotion check: Long live Murderbot.
Kevin R. Free drops listeners into the middle of a rescue mission aboard an enormous space station. In a defining performance, Free masterfully conveys Murderbot’s sardonic running commentary, deadpan and endearingly world-weary. Murderbot has installed a mental health module since its last adventure, so there are frequent “emotion checks.” The mission, of course, runs into several complications, and Murderbot finds itself with a growing party of humans to keep safe. As the sometimes perilous, sometimes zany rescue operation progresses, Free employs subtle accents to distinguish the human characters; Nanna Naja especially is a hoot. But it’s his Murderbot, who has grown and changed over eight installments, that will have listeners rapt.
Emotion check: Long live Murderbot.Pub Date: May 5, 2026
Duration: 5 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781705041031
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: April 27, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2026
This thoughtful, satisfying performance delivers an engaging listen.
T. Ryder Smith’s interesting narration is true to the many emotional tensions in the newest SF adventure by Nebula Award-winning author Sui. A blend of mystery and philosophy with a touch of horror, the story takes us aboard an ancient spaceship in the company of researchers and Vessel Iris, a death monk with an AI implant. Although Iris’s foggy voice and neutral affect match the character, they grow monotonous over long stretches of listening. Nonetheless, it’s a considered choice, and other characters’ personalities—spiky, sincere, acidic—offer enough variation to keep one involved. When it comes, the terrifying action is rendered with gripping, staccato pacing. And the insidious tone that Smith gives the enemy sentience is truly shiver-inducing.
This thoughtful, satisfying performance delivers an engaging listen.Pub Date: Feb. 24, 2026
Duration: 12 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9798897560196
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: April 21, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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