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Pushing Ice Audiobook, by Alastair Reynolds Play Audiobook Sample

Pushing Ice Audiobook

Pushing Ice Audiobook, by Alastair Reynolds Play Audiobook Sample
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Read By: John Lee Publisher: Tantor Listen Time: at 1.0x Speed 13.00 hours at 1.5x Speed 9.75 hours at 2.0x Speed Release Date: November 2010 Format: Unabridged Audiobook ISBN: 9781400179602

Quick Stats About this Audiobook

Total Audiobook Chapters:

44

Longest Chapter Length:

50:58 minutes

Shortest Chapter Length:

10:41 minutes

Average Chapter Length:

26:38 minutes

Audiobooks by this Author:

28

Other Audiobooks Written by Alastair Reynolds: > View All...

Publisher Description

2057. Humanity has raised exploiting the solar system to an art form. Bella Lind and the crew of her nuclear-powered ship, the Rockhopper, push ice. They mine comets. And they're good at it.

The Rockhopper is nearing the end of its current mission cycle, and everyone is desperate for some much-needed R & R, when startling news arrives from Saturn: Janus, one of Saturn's ice moons, has inexplicably left its natural orbit and is now heading out of the solar system at high speed.

As layers of camouflage fall away, it becomes clear that Janus was never a moon in the first place. It's some kind of machine—and it is now headed toward a fuzzily glimpsed artifact 260 light-years away. The Rockhopper is the only ship anywhere near Janus, and Bella Lind is ordered to shadow it for the few vital days before it falls forever out of reach.

In accepting this mission, she sets her ship and her crew on a collision course with destiny—for Janus has more surprises in store, and not all of them are welcome.

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"Nice solid hard sci-fi with interesting character development. Some of the interpersonal stuff seems overly-contrived, but is easily read around. Medium paced as is pretty typical for Mr. Reynolds. He's left himself the possibility of sequels without the absolute necessity."

— David (4 out of 5 stars)

Quotes

  • [Reynolds is] a genius for big-concept SF and fans of Arthur C. Clarke's Rendezvous with Rama and Larry Niven's Ringworld will love this novel.

    — Publishers Weekly

Pushing Ice Listener Reviews

Overall Performance: 3.625 out of 53.625 out of 53.625 out of 53.625 out of 53.625 out of 5 (3.62)
5 Stars: 4
4 Stars: 11
3 Stars: 6
2 Stars: 2
1 Stars: 1
Narration: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 (4.00)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 1
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Story: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 (3.00)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 1
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Write a Review
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Story Rating: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    — Flo, 9/2/2022
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Gritty realistic-style near-future sf stretches out to become far-reaching high-concept space opera. I liked it. The core of the story is the back-and-forth friendship / competition between two women, but its set in a wonderfully detailed world that feels real. "

    — Dev, 2/16/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " When I read Pushing Ice I really liked it! It was a triumphant return to reading for me. I bought a copy on a whim and thought it was fine. I really liked the hard scifi nature of the whole thing and utterly bizarre aliens. In hindsight, maybe not the most entertaining read. Alastair Reynolds is a fine author, but my novice impression is that his pacing is off in the two books I've read (Century Rain and this one). They both spend the first 3/4 of the book meandering around the main point, then the last quarter feels almost rushed. For a hard scifi fan, unmissable, maybe. "

    — Inlinefourpower, 1/20/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Good book. Not what I expected. Some parts dragged.3.5 stars. "

    — Tom, 1/19/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Highly engaging, and science made sexy! I mean that in the most appropriate of ways - Reynolds takes real (and imagined) science and makes it integral to the story, as much a character as any of the people (or aliens). "

    — Tehani, 1/15/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Liked it. Hope he continues this storyline in future book... "

    — Sean, 1/14/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Satisfying sf "

    — Arleen, 12/18/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Liked this book a lot, really felt part of the story. "

    — Blake, 12/4/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " I think the last half or less of this story wasn't as interesting as the first part. "

    — Wonderbunny, 12/3/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " So many ideas in this one. Very ambitious. Because there are so many ideas, they don't all execute to full effect. "

    — nathaniel, 11/26/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " A super interesting book. I still don't know how the author came up with everything! The space time travel got tricky to comprehend at times. Really makes you wonder what is out there in the universe. "

    — Carrie, 11/6/2013
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " starts out and is very interesting but as book progresses, plot gets a bit strange and characters are not as well developed. End of book was a let down - seemed author wanted to wrap everything up nice and neat and it did not work for me "

    — Kathleen, 4/6/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Great roving epic of time and space - wish it continued as a series "

    — Ed, 2/26/2012
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Not too bad. Goes through lots of phases. Starts off as near space, just barely above modern tech space exploration. Then moves into colony building. Finally into contact with bizarre alien species and super-advanced tech. "

    — James, 2/1/2012
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " A good modern space opera. A little tedious at first -- quite talky, with crew relationships outweighing action or gadgetry -- but once the adventure got going, the large-scale, far-future story was interesting. "

    — Terence, 12/7/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " A bit slow going in the first and middle parts but at the end it turns out pretty cool. "

    — Gabriel, 8/3/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " I'd say 4.5 stars. In the reviews in the beginning of the book someone said that reading this was akin to sitting down to one of your favorite comfort foods. I feel like that is a perfect way to describe Reynolds' works. They're just plain fun to read. "

    — Tyler, 6/2/2011
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " great science fiction read with a number of surprises. "

    — Steffen, 5/21/2011
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Great start then...loses steam very quickly. <br/>No great shocking ending. Too bad. "

    — Steve, 5/12/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " I really liked this one. One of those big idea books which I tend to like. "

    — Smitty, 4/27/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " I liked his House of Suns a LOT more, and Revelation Space somewhat more, but this is undeniably interesting. "

    — Lora, 4/23/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Apparently, I still have a thing for &quot;humans discovering huge alien artifact&quot; kinds of hard sci-fi. "

    — Joe, 1/15/2011
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Fantastic hard sci-fi. Manages to be epic and intensely personal simultaneously. Lots of interesting but accessible ideas, not only relating to science but also the very nature of humanity. Loved the way the story was bookended. "

    — Allendachang, 12/25/2010
  • Overall Performance: 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Some interesting ideas, the writing was passable, but the characters were really annoying. "

    — Ohwellwhatthehell, 12/23/2010

About Alastair Reynolds

Alastair Reynolds is a bestselling author and has been awarded the British Science Fiction Award and the Locus Award, along with being shortlisted for the Hugo Award, the Arthur C. Clarke Award, the John W. Campbell Memorial Award, and the Theodore Sturgeon Award. He was born in Barry, South Wales, and studied at Newcastle and St. Andrew’s Universities to ultimately earn a PhD in astronomy. A former astrophysicist for the European Space Agency, he lives in the Netherlands, near Leiden.

About John Lee

John Lee is the winner of numerous Earphones Awards and the prestigious Audie Award for Best Narration. He has twice won acclaim as AudioFile’s Best Voice in Fiction & Classics. He also narrates video games, does voice-over work, and writes plays. He is an accomplished stage actor and has written and coproduced the feature films Breathing Hard and Forfeit. He played Alydon in the 1963–64 Doctor Who serial The Daleks.