Voyagers [Audio CD]

Ben Bova (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 15, 2006

Stoner knew. The fiery object hurtling toward the Earth was an alien spacecraft. But the world might never know. He was trapped in an iron cordon of secrecy, for the discovery had shattered the world power balance, setting off a brutal struggle for supremacy that raged from the sacred halls of the Vatican to the corridors of the Kremlin and the Pentagon. The forces of fear and treachery would use any weapon at their command, from mind war to sabotage, to keep the world in darkness.

Aided by a brilliant Soviet linguist and a lovely young student, Stoner planned a desperate mission, a wild, heart-stopping gamble to preserve the legacy of the star voyager for all mankind.

Editorial Reviews

From AudioFile

What would happen if the Earth were to have contact with an alien spacecraft? This first novel in the Voyagers trilogy, written in 1981, explores that question. Ex-astronaut Keith Stoner is compelled to join the joint U.S.-Soviet mission to intercept the spacecraft and to be part of this history-making encounter. Stefan Rudnicki's mastery of accents is showcased in this production. His characterization is vivid, and the interaction between the characters is intense and fast paced. He draws out the undercurrent of Cold War tension between the Soviets and the Americans, which contrasts with the trust and collegiality that Claussen with interjections of press clips and some dialogue. J.E.M. 2007 Audies Award Finalist © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Blackstone Audio Inc.; Unabridged edition (June 15, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786167424
• ISBN-13: 978-0786167425
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 6.7 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,960,510 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Slightly Amusing, June 1, 2007

By 

B. Parker (Houston, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Voyagers (Audio CD)

The story revolves around a first contact premise. Published in the glory days of SETI, the book describes social, political, and religious reactions to the presence of an alien spacecraft in our solar system. Detected by ex NASA astronaut and radio astronomer, Keith Stoner, near Jupiter, the alien heads for Earth. Failing to make radio contact, our leading man convinces the US and Soviet governments to send a manned expedition to rendezvous with the spacecraft. Some slightly entertaining action and plot twists. However, the story suffers from unlikable, cliché characters.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Ok bet there is better, March 29, 2008

By 

S. Fitzpatrick "Read books :)" (Detroit, Michigan) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Voyagers (Audio CD)

I found this book entertaining but some of the flaws were inescapable. I read and enjoy a wide range of science fiction and fantasy and my favorite stories are the ones that are plausible not only just in science but in the character roles, behavior, and how they support the story. Here is a list of things I found distracting in the book:

1.) Story is set during cold war era which made the book feel like an outdated copy of the movie 2010.

2.) Let's face it there are no supermodel look-a-like women in the world of science as much as hollywood and authors like this would lead you to believe.

3.) If there were they would not throw themselves with reckless abandon at washed up college professors.

4.) The sex in the story was neither arousing nor did it add anything to the plot

5.) Stoner (the main character) gets away with unbelievable acts of disobedience and stubbornness against government organizations in this book to the point where he would either be mopping floors or a stain on the wall in real life. In real life he would not be as critical to the mission as the author makes all the characters treat him.

6.) The author paints an environment where the whole world has a ridiculous fascination and infatuation with stoner's every thought and move. Its as if the goal of the whole book is for the whole world to feel sorry for, empathize with , and be ashamed they do not think like the main character.

On top of these flaws the book is not terribly well written or easy to listen to but I enjoyed the story for its individual approach to a first contact situation handled during a cold war climate.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars dated, November 4, 2007

By 

clifford "akitonmyers" (Portland, OR, United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Voyagers (Audio CD)

Its amazing how 25 years can take some books and turn them from what might have been an interesting premise and exploration into an awkward tedious read. Bova in my mind has never been a great writer. I enjoy reading his stories because of his very unique takes. However when you combine Bova's dense handling of language with the plot stretched out across a world view that has long since faded, this gets in the way of everything else.

Here, in Voyagers, we are presented with a world that is without the technology we have today. Computers, wireless phones, fundamentalism, and the end of the cold war have all yet to pass. The characters exist in a world that is difficult to relate to. The story also drags on and on. This is at its heart a fairly simple tale about a group of idealists who want to save this spaceship heading towards our planet and the obstacles that are placed in their paths.

Id skip this book. Its slow and frustrating to read.