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Beyond the Gap: A Novel of the Opening of the World Audiobook
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(3.00) - 180 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Count Hamnet Thyssen is a minor noble of the drowsy old Raumsdalian Empire. Its capital city, Nidaros, began as a mammoth hunters' camp at the edge of the great Glacier. But that was centuries ago, and as everyone knows, it's the nature of the great Glacier to withdraw a few feet every year. Now Nidaros is an old and many-spired city; and though they still feel the breath of the great Glacier in every winter's winds, the ice cap itself has retreated beyond the horizon.
Trasamund, a clan chief of the mammoth-herding Bizogots, the next tribe north, has come to town with strange news. A narrow gap has opened in what they'd always thought was an endless and impregnable wall of ice. The great Glacier does not go on forever—and on its other side are new lands, new animals, and possibly new people.
Ancient legend says that on the other side is the Golden Shrine, put there by the gods to guard the people of their world. Now, perhaps, the road to the legendary Golden Shrine is open. Who could resist the urge to go see?
For Count Hamnet and his several companions, the glacier has always been the boundary of the world. Now they'll be traveling beyond it into a world that's bigger than anyone knew. Adventures will surely be had...
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"Start of a good series. Turtledove turns his alternate history expertise to the Bronze Age. The basic man takes a journey story, the conflict drives the characters and pushes the action along. It's a believable world with believable characters. We'll see how the rest of the series turns out. "
— Annie (4 out of 5 stars)
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“Harry Turtledove is probably the best practitioner of the classic alternate-history story since L. Sprague de Camp.”
— Locus -
“A vivid setting and strong characterization bode well for future installments.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“Beginning a new alternate history series with this tale of two eras on the brink of catastrophic change, Turtledove brings an era to life.”
— Library Journal
Beyond the Gap Listener Reviews
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" I'm not terribly impressed with this book so far. It's too shallow or maybe it's just the reader of the audio book.... "
— Lori, 11/28/2013 -
" Like I'm reading a sixth grader. "
— Chris, 10/11/2013 -
" This book's language reads like a middle grade YA fantasy but, the substance is more like a romance novel written by a male...a little too shallow for women to really enjoy. Not adult enough for an adult romance novel or even an adult fantasy but, too much sex for a middle grade YA fantasy. "
— Lilly-Anne, 6/5/2013 -
" Too much sex, not enough plot. Remarkably anti-climatic. But not a horrible way to spend the commute. "
— David, 2/16/2013 -
" Pretty good standard fantasy story from Mr. Turtledove. The setting was a little different from the normal swords-and-sorcery, but otherwise it was fairly typical 'fellowship goes on an adventure' fare. The story does not come to any sort of conclusion...continued in the next book. "
— Scott, 1/3/2013 -
" another enjoyable read. There is a sequel - which is why the book ends a little abruptly. "
— Michael, 12/29/2012 -
" Excellent, alternative pre-history. Great blend of storytelling and the building of an ice-age world the same as ours, but different. More coming in this series. "
— Craig, 11/15/2012 -
" A random choice that was surprisingly engrossing. Sometimes, you've just gotta read a bronze age alternate history, I guess. I am rather fond of mammoths... "
— Robin, 9/22/2012 -
" First book I've read by Turtledove and I must say I enjoyed it. Will look for other books by him to read. Been a while since I read this but I do remember being pleased with it. "
— Tia, 8/29/2011 -
" Start of a good series. Turtledove turns his alternate history expertise to the Bronze Age. The basic man takes a journey story, the conflict drives the characters and pushes the action along. It's a believable world with believable characters. We'll see how the rest of the series turns out. "
— Annie, 8/22/2011 -
" Pretty good yarn about a world in the early middle ages, warriors, ice, snow, glaciers, and women. "
— David, 5/5/2011 -
" An adventure story to titillate fanboys and young men of all ages - as long as they are under 15. "
— doug, 12/20/2010 -
" An adventure story to titillate fanboys and young men of all ages - as long as they are under 15. "
— doug, 11/17/2010 -
" First book I've read by Turtledove and I must say I enjoyed it. Will look for other books by him to read. Been a while since I read this but I do remember being pleased with it. "
— Tia, 8/3/2009 -
" another enjoyable read. There is a sequel - which is why the book ends a little abruptly. "
— Michael, 1/11/2009 -
" Pretty good standard fantasy story from Mr. Turtledove. The setting was a little different from the normal swords-and-sorcery, but otherwise it was fairly typical 'fellowship goes on an adventure' fare. The story does not come to any sort of conclusion...continued in the next book. "
— Scott, 12/6/2008 -
" This is alternative history, it’s kind of the ice age meets the Iron Age. I loved it. It’s the first in the series and I’m looking forward to the rest. Highly recommended. "
— Cornelia, 10/21/2008 -
" I'm not terribly impressed with this book so far. It's too shallow or maybe it's just the reader of the audio book.... "
— Lori, 5/21/2008 -
" Excellent, alternative pre-history. Great blend of storytelling and the building of an ice-age world the same as ours, but different. More coming in this series. "
— Craig, 5/28/2007
About Harry Turtledove
Harry Turtledove, known as the “Master of Alternative History,” is the Hugo and Nebula Award–winning author of a number of bestselling series and standalone novels. He received his PhD from UCLA in Byzantine history and worked as a technical writer for the Los Angeles County Office of Education before becoming a full-time fiction writer. He also served as the treasurer of the Science Fiction Writers of America. He has written a number of successful series, including the Crosstime Traffic series, the Darkness series, and the Worldwar I Colonization series, among others. His standalone works include Ruled Brittania, Every Inch a King, Conan of Venarium, Household Gods, and Justinian.
About William Dufris
William Dufris attended the University of Southern Maine in Portland-Gorham before pursuing a career in voice work in London and then the United States. He has won more than twenty AudioFile Earphones Awards, was voted one of the Best Voices at the End of the Century by AudioFile magazine, and won the prestigious Audie Award in 2012 for best nonfiction narration. He lives with his family in Maine.