Not for me.

I’ve given this three stars, only because I know the author probably put a lot of time and effort into it and everyone has different tastes. I see so many reviews of this that are showing five stars and people saying how great it was. But for me personally it was a drag. I think it’s just because it’s a heist story, it just felt really predictable. Other people might enjoy it. I know some people like heist stories I’m just not one of those. I might try something else by this author, but it won’t be a book in this series

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Got me hooked to follow the series

This is a great book, the story is quite unusual and told with style and pacing that it had me wanting to listen to just one more chapter from start to finish. 10/10 would highly recommend you try it for yourself.

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Great story. from the beginning to the end.

The science behind it felt very real.
I could really imagine the world and characters with great detail.

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Brilliant and unexpected

An incredible book, very well narrated. Up there with some of the best Sci-Fi, not sure how I’d never come across it before.

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Home is where the mind is.

Simply stunning.
That's it, really. Not sure quite what else to say.
Well, all right then:

This is the story of a galactic sized con, perpetrated by a team of idiosyncratic experts brought together by the master conman, Belasarius, himself an homo quantus. It is set some time in the far future when 'humans have done a terrible job of their own evolution', creating new sub species including the Puppets, a race originally created to be happy slaves so given the total belief in the divinity of their masters - now these are one truly creepy crowd. The other main players are also imaginatively blessed with exceptional abilities and all are brought to life as living beings with Derek Kunsken's masterful writing.

This is a thriller with benefits. A lot of hard science, much of which, I confess, went over my head despite the fascinating explanations which slotted effortlessly into the storyline without distracting from the main event. But this didn't matter, just added to the awe and magic of the construct. The characterisation and world building were excellent and conversations and interactions felt real. Also the concepts of what it is to be human, of religion and life itself. All this, and the heist to surpass all others.

To cope with it all, the narration had to be something special, too, and it is. At first, I was a little unsure about the timbre of T.Ryder Smith's voice, but I need not have worried. He morphed into so many very distinctively different characters it was hard to believe he was just one person and the text was read impecably, with clarity, intonation and just a touch of emotion. An excellent performance of an outrageously good story. This is one of the very few books which I know I will listen to again in the future as well as pestering other people to read it.
Really, it was a truly great read.
Go on, get it . You know you want to read it, too!

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3 people found this helpful

Some voices incomprehensible

I listened to the first two chapters five times before I could understand what one character was saying. This was the result of the narrator attempting to emphasise a female French accent and creating an indecipherable muttering. It was almost comical ehaw-ehaw stereotype.

The story was fine, as far as I can tell but whenever the preposterously accented French lady spoke I could not understand a word.

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Quantum Magic

Thoroughly intriguing sci fi, the narrative was perfect woderful varieyy of accents, a sequel is needed

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Incredible feat of imagination

This is serious science fiction. The concepts and world building are as good as any I’ve read. Brilliant.

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Subtle layers of brilliance

On the surface this is the story of an elaborate intergalactic heist/con.
Below the surface this is a book about how we find or invent meaning in a chaotic world. It is about how that meaning can be used against us by others and by ourselves. It is a commentary on social ecology and psychology. Sci-fi is used brilliantly to explore philosophy, theology and scientific thinking.

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Superb

Great stuff. Fresh and different. Great story and great narration. I didn't understand most of the quantum physics stuff but I don't think I really needed to. The narrator got the heart racing with his urgency and pace during the exciting bits. Loved it.

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1 person found this helpful