Listen free for 30 days
-
Relic
- Narrated by: Marc Thompson
- Length: 12 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Science Fiction
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Listen with a free trial
Buy Now for £25.69
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
The Man Who Used the Universe
- By: Alan Dean Foster
- Narrated by: Paul Ansdell
- Length: 10 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
No one knows the true motives of Kees vaan Loo-Macklin. He's a mastermind criminal who gave up his place at the head of the dark underworld to become a legitimate member of Evenwaith's cities. But soon he was reaching out to powerful enemies - the slimy aliens called the Nuel. Loo-Macklin negotiates an illusory peace agreement and gains precious alien secrets in the process. Is he after peace, power or pure evil? With enemy starships beginning to amass, we won't have to wait long to find out.
-
-
Really good book.. loved it.
- By Larry Reacher on 26-04-21
-
Shards of Earth
- The Final Architecture, Book 1
- By: Adrian Tchaikovsky
- Narrated by: Sophie Aldred
- Length: 18 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Idris has neither aged nor slept since they remade his mind in the war. And one of humanity’s heroes now scrapes by on a freelance salvage vessel, to avoid the attention of greater powers. Eighty years ago, Earth was destroyed by an alien enemy. Many escaped, but millions more died. So mankind created enhanced humans such as Idris - who could communicate mind-to-mind with our aggressors. Then these ‘Architects’ simply disappeared, and Idris and his kind became obsolete.
-
-
Excellent, original space opera
- By d on 31-05-21
-
Flinx Transcendent
- A Pip & Flinx Adventure
- By: Alan Dean Foster
- Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki, Alan Dean Foster
- Length: 15 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Flinx is the only one with even the tiniest chance of stopping the evil colossus barreling in to destroy the Humanx Commonwealth (and everything else in the Milky Way). With time running out, Flinx is a man in search of a solution and in search of himself. His efforts take him to the land of his mortal enemies, the bloodthirsty AAnn, where chances are excellent that Flinx's discovery - and summary execution - will eliminate all his demons and doubts in one masterstroke.
-
The Course of Empire
- By: Eric Flint, K. D. Wentworth
- Narrated by: Chris Patton
- Length: 18 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Conquered by the Jao twenty years ago, the Earth is shackled under alien tyranny - and threatened by the even more dangerous Ekhat, one of whose genocidal extermination fleets is coming to the solar system. The only chance for human survival is in the hands of an unusual pair of allies: a young Jao prince, newly arrived to Terra to assume his duties, and a young human woman brought up amongst the Jao occupiers. But, as their tentative alliance takes shape, they are under pressure from all sides.
-
-
Feels like a novel for young teens
- By hfffoman on 28-06-15
-
Midworld
- By: Alan Dean Foster
- Narrated by: Eric Martin
- Length: 8 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the rich imagination of science-fiction great Alan Dean Foster comes the story of Midworld, a Humanx Commonwealth planet that's equally fragile and hostile. Covered by a lush rainforest, Midworld is home to a primitive society that lives in harmony with the natural world. But the arrival of an exploitative human company, whose workers know nothing of Midworld's delicate ecosystem, sparks a conflict. Should Midworld's villagers aid the humans or stand against them?
-
-
A childhood classic
- By Bede on 17-07-20
-
Project Hail Mary
- By: Andy Weir
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 16 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission - and if he fails, humanity and the Earth itself will perish. Except that right now, he doesn't know that. He can't even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it. All he knows is that he's been asleep for a very, very long time. And he's just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.
-
-
A return to form
- By Amazon Customer on 06-05-21
-
The Man Who Used the Universe
- By: Alan Dean Foster
- Narrated by: Paul Ansdell
- Length: 10 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
No one knows the true motives of Kees vaan Loo-Macklin. He's a mastermind criminal who gave up his place at the head of the dark underworld to become a legitimate member of Evenwaith's cities. But soon he was reaching out to powerful enemies - the slimy aliens called the Nuel. Loo-Macklin negotiates an illusory peace agreement and gains precious alien secrets in the process. Is he after peace, power or pure evil? With enemy starships beginning to amass, we won't have to wait long to find out.
-
-
Really good book.. loved it.
- By Larry Reacher on 26-04-21
-
Shards of Earth
- The Final Architecture, Book 1
- By: Adrian Tchaikovsky
- Narrated by: Sophie Aldred
- Length: 18 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Idris has neither aged nor slept since they remade his mind in the war. And one of humanity’s heroes now scrapes by on a freelance salvage vessel, to avoid the attention of greater powers. Eighty years ago, Earth was destroyed by an alien enemy. Many escaped, but millions more died. So mankind created enhanced humans such as Idris - who could communicate mind-to-mind with our aggressors. Then these ‘Architects’ simply disappeared, and Idris and his kind became obsolete.
-
-
Excellent, original space opera
- By d on 31-05-21
-
Flinx Transcendent
- A Pip & Flinx Adventure
- By: Alan Dean Foster
- Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki, Alan Dean Foster
- Length: 15 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Flinx is the only one with even the tiniest chance of stopping the evil colossus barreling in to destroy the Humanx Commonwealth (and everything else in the Milky Way). With time running out, Flinx is a man in search of a solution and in search of himself. His efforts take him to the land of his mortal enemies, the bloodthirsty AAnn, where chances are excellent that Flinx's discovery - and summary execution - will eliminate all his demons and doubts in one masterstroke.
-
The Course of Empire
- By: Eric Flint, K. D. Wentworth
- Narrated by: Chris Patton
- Length: 18 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Conquered by the Jao twenty years ago, the Earth is shackled under alien tyranny - and threatened by the even more dangerous Ekhat, one of whose genocidal extermination fleets is coming to the solar system. The only chance for human survival is in the hands of an unusual pair of allies: a young Jao prince, newly arrived to Terra to assume his duties, and a young human woman brought up amongst the Jao occupiers. But, as their tentative alliance takes shape, they are under pressure from all sides.
-
-
Feels like a novel for young teens
- By hfffoman on 28-06-15
-
Midworld
- By: Alan Dean Foster
- Narrated by: Eric Martin
- Length: 8 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the rich imagination of science-fiction great Alan Dean Foster comes the story of Midworld, a Humanx Commonwealth planet that's equally fragile and hostile. Covered by a lush rainforest, Midworld is home to a primitive society that lives in harmony with the natural world. But the arrival of an exploitative human company, whose workers know nothing of Midworld's delicate ecosystem, sparks a conflict. Should Midworld's villagers aid the humans or stand against them?
-
-
A childhood classic
- By Bede on 17-07-20
-
Project Hail Mary
- By: Andy Weir
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 16 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission - and if he fails, humanity and the Earth itself will perish. Except that right now, he doesn't know that. He can't even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it. All he knows is that he's been asleep for a very, very long time. And he's just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.
-
-
A return to form
- By Amazon Customer on 06-05-21
-
Star Wars: The Approaching Storm
- By: Alan Dean Foster
- Narrated by: Alexander Adams
- Length: 6 hrs and 2 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On the strategic planet Ansion, a powerful faction is on the verge of joining the secessionist movement. At the Chancellor's request, the Jedi Council sends Jedi Knights Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luminara Unduli, along with their Padawans, Anakin Skywalker and Barriss Offee, to stabilize the planet's population. To succeed, the Jedi will have to fulfill near-impossible tasks, befriend wary strangers, and influence two great armies - stalked all the while by an enemy sworn to see the mission fail.
-
-
Another Brilliant Alan Dean Foster book
- By Phil on 08-12-21
-
Alien: Covenant
- A Novel
- By: Alan Dean Foster
- Narrated by: Tom Taylorson
- Length: 8 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ridley Scott returns to the universe he created with Alien: Covenant, a new chapter in his groundbreaking Alien adventure. The crew of the colony ship Covenant, bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, discovers what they think is an uncharted paradise. But it is actually a dark, dangerous world.
-
-
Great addition
- By Andy on 31-05-17
-
Mars Nation: The Complete Trilogy
- Mars Trilogy, Books 1-3
- By: Brandon Q. Morris
- Narrated by: Greg Tremblay
- Length: 25 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
NASA finally made it. The very first human has just set foot on the surface of our neighbor planet. This is the start of a long research expedition that sent four scientists into space. But the four astronauts of the NASA crew are not the only ones with this destination. The privately financed "Mars for Everyone" initiative has also targeted the Red Planet. Twenty men and women have been selected to live there and establish the first extraterrestrial settlement.
-
-
Starts well…
- By Oliver Foggin on 17-05-22
-
The Expert System's Champion
- Expert System’s Brother Series, Book 2
- By: Adrian Tchaikovsky
- Narrated by: Shaun Grindell
- Length: 4 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It's been 10 years since Handry was wrenched away from his family and friends, forced to wander a world he no longer understood. But with the help of the Ancients, he has cobbled together a life, of sorts, for himself and his fellow outcasts. Wandering from village to village, welcoming the folk that the townships abandon, fighting the monsters the villagers cannot - or dare not - his ever-growing band of misfits has become the stuff of legend, a story told by parents to keep unruly children in line.
-
-
Another great story, ruined by the performance
- By S. L. on 07-06-22
-
Machine
- A White Space Novel
- By: Elizabeth Bear
- Narrated by: Adjoa Andoh
- Length: 16 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Meet Doctor Jens. The first part of her job involves jumping out of perfectly good spaceships. The second part requires developing emergency treatments for sick aliens of species she's never seen before. She loves it. But her latest emergency is also proving a mystery: two ships, one ancient and one new, locked in a dangerous embrace, a mysterious crew suffering from an even more mysterious ailment, a shipmind trapped in an inadequate body, much of her memory pared away, a murderous virus from out of time.
-
-
Brilliant
- By C and/or A on 14-03-22
-
A History of What Comes Next
- By: Sylvain Neuvel
- Narrated by: Jilly Bond, Imogen Wilde, Laila Pyne, and others
- Length: 9 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mia is not sure what she is, but she isn't human. Smarter, stronger than her peers, all she knows are the rules: there can never be three for too long; always run, never fight. When she finds herself in Germany 1945, she must turn the Nazis' most trusted scientist with an offer: abandon the crumbling Nazi party, escape Germany with your life, come to work for the Americans building rockets. But someone is watching her work. An enemy who's smarter, stronger, and decidedly not human....
-
-
Brief but good
- By Chris Jenkins on 04-07-21
-
Walking to Aldebaran
- By: Adrian Tchaikovsky
- Narrated by: Adrian Tchaikovsky
- Length: 3 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
My name is Gary Rendell. I'm an astronaut. When they asked me as a kid what I wanted to be when I grew up, I said, "astronaut, please!" I dreamed astronaut, I worked astronaut, I studied astronaut. I got lucky; when a probe exploring the Oort Cloud found a strange alien rock and an international team of scientists was put together to go and look at it, I made the draw. I got even luckier. When disaster hit and our team was split up, scattered through the endless cold tunnels, I somehow survived. Now I'm lost, and alone, and scared, and there's something horrible in here. Lucky me.
-
-
I bought this because of a 1 star review
- By S.C. on 25-10-19
-
The Legacy of Heorot
- By: Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle, Steven Barnes
- Narrated by: Tom Weiner
- Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Best-selling science fiction superstars Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle combine their talents with those of Steven Barnes in an extraordinary adventure of humankind’s first outpost in the farthest reaches of space. Light years from Earth, colonists land on a planet they name Avalon. It seems like a paradise - until native creatures savagely attack. It will take every bit of intelligence, courage, and military-style discipline to survive.
-
-
Very good.
- By Just on 23-03-14
-
The Gods of Sagittarius
- By: Eric Flint, Mike Resnick
- Narrated by: Jef Holbrook
- Length: 10 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Russ Tabor is one of the top security specialists in the galaxy. Much against his will, he finds himself assigned to provide protection for Rupert Medawar Narayan Shenoy - "Lord Shenoy", as he likes to style himself - who is probably the human race's most brilliant savant. Shenoy has become convinced that the race of ancient aliens known as the Old Ones possessed powers unknown to any modern intelligent species.
-
Barsk: The Elephants' Graveyard
- By: Lawrence M. Schoen
- Narrated by: J. G. Hertzler
- Length: 12 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In a distant future, no remnants of human beings remain, but their successors thrive throughout the galaxy. These are the offspring of humanity's genius-animals uplifted into walking, talking, sentient beings. The Fant are one such species: anthropomorphic elephants ostracized by other races and long ago exiled to the rainy ghetto world of Barsk. There, they develop medicines upon which all species now depend.
-
-
WHAT A STORY
- By Michael Mabon on 06-09-20
-
Star Wars: Darth Plagueis
- By: James Luceno
- Narrated by: Daniel Davis
- Length: 14 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Darth Plagueis: one of the most brilliant Sith Lords who ever lived. Possessing power is all he desires. Losing it is the only thing he fears. As an apprentice, he embraces the ruthless ways of the Sith. Darth Sidious: Plagueis’s chosen apprentice. Under the guidance of his Master, he secretly studies the ways of the Sith, while publicly rising to power in the galactic government, first as Senator, then as Chancellor, and eventually as Emperor. as Chancellor, and eventually as Emperor.
-
-
One of the best!
- By James on 26-03-19
-
Gil's World
- Wanderers, Book 1
- By: James Murdo
- Narrated by: Rhett Samuel Price
- Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Three hundred million years ago, the galactic community was taken by surprise. A catastrophic war with a hostile entity threatened to destroy all life until the fight was postponed by a calamitous event known as the Great Conflation. With the majority of pre-Conflation empires in ruins and the Ascended Biologicals wiped out, the hastily formed Wanderer Enclave tasked its fleet with unearthing answers and continuing the fight. One lone ship has found something: an innocuous world it had marked for routine decontamination that may hold vital answers.
-
-
PERPLEXING
- By DENNIS on 25-02-20
Summary
The last known human searches the galaxy for companionship in a brilliant standalone novel from the legendary author of the Pip & Flinx series.
"A provocative read." (The Washington Post)
Once Homo sapiens reigned supreme, spreading from star system to star system in an empire that encountered no alien life and thus knew no enemy.... save itself. As had happened many times before, the most primal human instincts rose up, only this time armed with the advanced scientific knowledge to create a genetically engineered smart virus that quickly wiped out humanity to the last man.
That man is Ruslan, the sole known surviving human being in the universe. Rescued from the charnel house of his home planet by the Myssari - an intelligent alien race - Ruslan spends his days as something of a cross between a research subject and a zoo attraction. Though the Myssari are determined to resurrect the human race, using Ruslan’s genetic material, all he wants for himself and his species is oblivion. But then the Myssari make Ruslan an extraordinary offer: In exchange for his cooperation, they will do everything in their considerable power to find the lost home world of his species - an all-but-mythical place called Earth - and, perhaps, another living human.
Thus begins an epic journey of adventure, danger, heartbreak, and hope, as Ruslan sets out in search of a place that may no longer exist - drawn by the slimmest yet most enduring hope.
Praise for Relic:
"Foster's high-concept novel is a gripping tale of serenity amid sorrow." (World Magazine)
Critic reviews
“Relic is a thrilling and thoughtful epic. With Alan Dean Foster’s trademark invention in both the psychology and physiology of his aliens, he also enriches the narrative with their complex cultures. The plot spans galaxies!” (Hugo and Nebula award-winning author Greg Bear)
“The stunning plot of Foster’s stand-alone novel will intrigue readers for not only the ‘last man in the universe’ trope but also the well-developed alien species. A true first contact novel on many different levels.” (Library Journal)
“Foster’s sympathetic novel successfully surveys human frailty, the tendency not to learn from history, and an enduring capacity for adaptation and emotional attachment.” (Publishers Weekly)
More from the same
What listeners say about Relic
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Charles
- 06-02-19
Garbage
Tedious and stupid. Waste of time. There must be a billion other titles that are more worthwhile.
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Mick
- 07-05-20
Slow to start
The book was slow to start, and I didn't initially like the narration, but as the story progressed the story gripped me and the narration added to the atmosphere.
Overall an enjoyable story with a very good ending.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Call me Bob
- 11-10-19
It's OK but nothing too spectacular
Interesting idea but did not get me that hooked. Good for in-between books when you do boot know what to get next
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Sharon Barron
- 29-06-19
A excellent story of humanity's near extinction
This is SO good. Ruslan (sp) is the last surviving human on a colony planet afflicted by a plague. He is found wandering in the ruins of his civilisation by tri-pedal aliens, who take him in and look after him. It transpires, not only was his colony affected, but so too were all human inhabited worlds, including the fabled home world of humanity: Earth.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- DENNIS
- 22-04-19
VERY GOOD UNUSUAL IDEA
STARTS A BIT SLOWLY BUT WELL WORTH THE EFFORT GOOD BELIEVABLE CHARACTERS EVEN THE ALIENS.LOTS OF TWISTS AND TURNS ALONG THE WAY STORY BUILDS TO A COMPELLING CONCLUSION.GREAT NARRATION.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Craig
- 04-04-19
Good story. Different. The end of the human race?
Slow to start....but a good story. Quick finish but easy to follow so a good book for a holiday.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- APLang
- 16-08-18
Really fun story!
I was nervous purchasing this book as it had no reviews at the time. The summary sounded intriguing enough and I knew if it ended up being too cheesy or poorly written, I could just return it. I was not disappointed! In fact, I was pleasantly surprised! The story was fun! I appreciate that it's not the same regurgitated sci fi that so many other titles fall into. It has lots of fun concepts to think about. It was well written and produced. I'm not sure if this is going to turn into a series but I would be very interested in future books if it is!
20 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- bryan
- 16-10-18
The best performance
The narrator does a fantastic job voicing the very different and very distinct charters of this book. Truly wonderful.
11 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Amber Hawman
- 29-08-18
Captivating and original
I have read many of Foster's books over the years including his many movie tie ins. RELIC is something special! An absolutely captivating character driven story about survival and the power of the human spirit. A great listen.
8 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Kayla
- 30-09-19
Character driven
Felt like Simak's Way Station for comparison. Centered around one lonely character and his relationship with alien species.
There wasn't a lot of conflict and what there was felt artificial. Still giving it 5 stars because the world building made up for it.
Satisfying ending. In fact, this is my favorite read this year.
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Julie
- 26-01-19
Ok book, could have been better
I wish the book instilled more wonder and more excitement. I think the middle third of the book could have just not happened. The aliens seemed far too human and not that interesting. Aliens politely arguing didn't make for a great read. I didn't really feel attached to any of the characters and the characters weren't well developed. I enjoyed the last hour or so the best, although it could have been so much more.
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- McCrackin
- 17-12-18
Meh
REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS
The book got really prosy and boring towards the end.
I could never really tell whether or not Cheerpa (sp? Audiobook) was a psycho or just a little kooky. Her response to killing Poxun (sp?)—though not the actual killing—gave me the creeps, and I found it difficult to like her character after that. They didn’t really do much to develop her character or show how she changed instead of telling. You know, because the book was really prosy.
There were some jarring contradictions that took me out of the story, like the Myssarians either being physically incapable of blinking or else blinking. Or like Cheerpa being all flippant and not caring much about her dozens of vat-grown children, and then suddenly going all maternal and this being a big warm fuzzy for Ruslan (for some stupid reason), only for her to drop it without question when the final act/journey of the book presents itself. Basically, characters were shallow and inconsistent. Their motivations didn’t make sense. The kids they had didn’t even make sense or matter to the story. There weren’t characters and served no purpose as a plot device...at least not one they couldn’t have been served better through other means. They just became a thing that had to be mentioned a lot but didn’t actually mean much.
The book itself was pretty bleak and joyless.
The narrator was a little over-dramatic, and had a tendency to make female characters sound whiny and obnoxious. I also found the epiglottal stops in the Myssarian dialog really irritating and distracting.
9 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Daniel
- 26-04-19
Great performance. Great story. ADF does it again
Sometimes I wonder if Alan Dean Foster just writes tales from the future or alternate dimensions. This was a beautifully crafted tale, and it was told by a great narrator. Excellent alien voices! Seriously.
While I wish more was explored with the other alien races, that's not what this story was about. From beginning to end, I couldn't wait to listen to each chapter's conclusion. Well worth the credit.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- M B.
- 06-12-18
Slow and boring
After the Pip and Flinx series I expected much more than Foster delivered. Had to force myself to finish this tiring story with little interest. Perhaps Foster is becoming a “relic”.
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Happyjack1812
- 14-07-19
loved it!!
this was one of the best books I've listened to for quite a while! I would wholeheartedly recommend it, I love howthe alien culture strives to find out about human culture. It makes you think of who we are today and what it really means to be human.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- David Rogers
- 04-01-19
Quite good
I enjoyed the story, sadly many elements were too predictable for my tastes. Still Foster is a master of the genre and I am happy to have read this book!
1 person found this helpful