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  • New Earth

  • The Grand Tour, Book 18
  • By: Ben Bova
  • Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki
  • Length: 9 hrs and 52 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (264 ratings)

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New Earth

By: Ben Bova
Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki
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Summary

We’ve found another Earthlike planet, but what secrets doe sit hold?

The entire world is thrilled by the discovery of a new, Earthlike planet. Advance imaging shows that the planet has oceans of water and a breathable, oxygen-rich atmosphere. Eager to learn more, an exploration team is soon dispatched to explore the planet, now nicknamed New Earth.

All the explorers understand that they are essentially on a one-way mission. The trip takes eighty years each way, so even if they are able to get back to Earth, nearly two hundred years will have elapsed. They will have aged only a dozen years thanks to cryonic suspension, but their friends and family will be gone, and the very society they once knew will have changed beyond recognition. The explorers are going into exile, and they know it. They are on this mission not because they were the best available but because they were expendable.

Upon landing, the team discovers something unexpected: New Earth is inhabited by a small group of intelligent creatures who look very much like human beings. Who are these people? Are they native to this world or invaders from elsewhere? While they may seem inordinately friendly to the human explorers, what are their real motivations? What do they want?

Moreover, the scientists begin to realize that this planet cannot possibly be natural. They face a startling and nearly unthinkable question: Could New Earth be an artifact?

©2013 Ben Bova (P)2013 Blackstone Audio
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What listeners say about New Earth

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Great Sci Fi

New to Audible, this was one of my first books. It’s a great story, with strong characters, easy to listen to, and the story continues in Death Wave. I am now a Ben Bova fan and listening to more of his books, which there are plenty of.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

enjoyable sci fi story

I really enjoyed the premises of the story, I will definitely read/listen to more books from the same author.
The Irish character is a bit laughable, no Irish speaks like that, that's a bit of a ridiculous cliche.

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

A very satifying Sci-Fi story and reading

A wonderfully read and suspenseful story, which never ebbs. One you will re-read time and again.

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5 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Great book

loved it , great narrator too, shame it finished, hooked straight away and couldn't wait for next chapter.

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

Another great story by Ben Bova

A slightly different story this tine. Encountering alien life, but is it really alien?.Great story from the beginning to the end.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Mildly Entertaining

This is a decent enough production with some interesting ideas. It never really grabbed me but as others have also mentioned I found it hard to empathise with the characters and I did find the pace fairly slow. It is well narrated and certainly wasn't a waste of money but it won't go down as one of my favourites.

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6 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Good story but unbelievable characters

An interesting story but with characters that seem more like undisciplined teens than a space ship crew. One or two characters are so out of place you wonder why other characters aren’t asking - why is this guy here..?”

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Good series

I really enjoyed this series so far, and I’m looking forward to hearing the next one

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

without trust and the ability to change

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the way people could re-act to an unprecedented situation where trust in key, fear is a hindrance and only the correct can save us all.
oooooow!

What did you like best about this story?

The best thing about this story is looking into peoples pasts and the thought processes which shape the things they say and do. Plus how a situation can make you act irrationally and with fear

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2 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Wishy washy

I listened to the end just to see if there was a point to this but remained disappointed. The plot had promise but the story failed to bring this to any interesting conclusions. I found it underwhelming and predictable in places with a cringy ending. The narrator has a good voice though.

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