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Starswarm Audiobook
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(3.10) - 292 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Kip has a secret. A young boy who lives with his uncle at Starswarm Station research outpost on planet Paradise, he has heard a voice in his head for as long as he can remember. The voice guides him in all his decisions, helping him through situations with useful information and helpful insight.
One day, finally daring to ask the voice some tough questions, Kip discovers that his computer scientist parents implanted an artificial intelligence chip in his skull, which connects with a powerful mainframe computer via satellite. He also learns that his parents died under suspicious circumstances and that his very existence is a well-kept secret that will soon come to light, putting his own life and the whole of outpost Starswarm in grave danger.
Luckily, he has friends Marty and Lara to help. But are three kids enough to save an entire planet?
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"A fun read that doesn't talk down to its audience and manages to fluidly insert comments about science, politics and the environment while moving the plot along. I spotted the relevant plot twists a mile away, but someone who is ten years old probably won't. Recommended!"
— Waterfall (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Starswarm grabs hold of you and doesn’t let go…Jerry Pournelle is one of science fiction’s great storytellers.”
— Poul Anderson -
“In a rare solo writing effort, Pournelle has done an excellent job of following the Heinlein tradition.”
— Denver Post -
“This is one you won’t want to miss…[A] taut, credible, fast-paced adventure story.”
— Science Fiction Chronicle -
“Starswarm is a blast, and it has the same kind of heart and adventure that made Star Wars so appealing.”
— Flint Journal -
“SF veteran Pournelle demonstrates his gift for traditional SF adventures in this coming-of-age tales that combines fast-paced action with…an appealing protagonist.”
— Library Journal -
“An extremely strong story…plenty of suspenseful action in a well-realized setting.”
— Booklist
Starswarm Listener Reviews
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" Pretty interesting read, but the ending seemed forced. It was four stars until the last 20 pages. "
— Aaron, 12/21/2013 -
" Best on audio; great for the young. "
— Christopher, 12/15/2013 -
" a young boy, with an implant, who is the unknown heir of a huge interplanetary conglomerate, foils a plot to take over his adopted world and discovers native intelligence. This was EXTREMELY reminiscent of Heinlein's juvenile scifi. I enjoyed it but it lacked depth. It was good for what it was. "
— Derrick, 12/8/2013 -
" Starswarm is a thrilling book of adventure and a little mystery, that makes you never want to put it down. "
— Angel, 11/20/2013 -
" Liked it, a fun read. A book you can seat back with and enjoy the story. A good book for younger readers. "
— James, 10/2/2013 -
" A fantastically approachable sci-fi story. I didn't expect much from it, but I was taken aback by how well the ideas came across and how natural the process of discovery was. "
— Chris, 9/25/2013 -
" Listened to audiobook. Absolutely loved this book. I'm going to have my sons (8 & 10) read it as its totally appropriate IMHO, and a great deal of fun. I especially loved the detailed explanations of technology in the book. "
— Jeff, 1/16/2013 -
" Joy to read "
— Leslie, 12/15/2012 -
" Niet in mijn hall of fame, maar best een genietbaar sci-fi verhaal. "
— Edelhart, 11/8/2012 -
" It was okay, a somewhat failed attempt at mixing Fantasy with Sci-Fi "
— JacobT, 9/30/2012 -
" Excellent SF, couldn't put down; abrupt ending; YA friendly. "
— Michele, 7/19/2012 -
" I occasionally like to get my scifi on, and I discovered Jerry Pournelle only recently from his guest appearances on the podcast This Week in Tech with Leo Laporte. I loved this story and look forward to reading some more Pournelle. "
— cat, 7/5/2012 -
" Jerry's contribution to the Singularity "
— George, 12/30/2011 -
" OK, have to read it again to remember it. "
— Dusty, 12/5/2011 -
" Fun, light YA fiction. Good for a short escapist read for a trip or something. Starswarm is one I'll add to my kids' reading list about the same time they tackle A Wrinkle in Time. "
— Nate, 9/27/2011 -
" Great book, fucking terrible ending. "
— Ryan, 9/25/2011 -
" I heard Jerry Pournelle on TWiT last year, and bought his book for my 14 yr old son. He read it for school and did a book report on it. I picked it up and I love it, even though it's for 'adolescents'. I like the premise. "
— Vincent, 6/22/2011 -
" Been wanting to try a Jerry Pournelle book. He is on twit all the time. He used to be a science adviser to the President. Pretty good will read more. "
— Neil, 5/9/2011 -
" Fun, light YA fiction. Good for a short escapist read for a trip or something. Starswarm is one I'll add to my kids' reading list about the same time they tackle A Wrinkle in Time. "
— Nate, 5/2/2011 -
" Best on audio; great for the young. "
— Christopher, 12/2/2010 -
" Listened to audiobook. Absolutely loved this book. I'm going to have my sons (8 & 10) read it as its totally appropriate IMHO, and a great deal of fun. I especially loved the detailed explanations of technology in the book. "
— Jeff, 9/12/2010 -
" Excellent SF, couldn't put down; abrupt ending; YA friendly. "
— Michele, 2/17/2010 -
" OK, have to read it again to remember it. "
— Dusty, 7/19/2009 -
" Liked it, a fun read. A book you can seat back with and enjoy the story. A good book for younger readers. "
— James, 6/27/2009 -
" I heard Jerry Pournelle on TWiT last year, and bought his book for my 14 yr old son. He read it for school and did a book report on it. I picked it up and I love it, even though it's for 'adolescents'. I like the premise. "
— Vincent, 1/26/2009 -
" I occasionally like to get my scifi on, and I discovered Jerry Pournelle only recently from his guest appearances on the podcast This Week in Tech with Leo Laporte. I loved this story and look forward to reading some more Pournelle. "
— cat, 11/14/2008 -
" Jerry's contribution to the Singularity "
— George, 2/25/2008 -
" A fantastically approachable sci-fi story. I didn't expect much from it, but I was taken aback by how well the ideas came across and how natural the process of discovery was. "
— Chris, 1/12/2008 -
" It was okay, a somewhat failed attempt at mixing Fantasy with Sci-Fi "
— JacobT, 12/6/2007
About Jerry Pournelle
Jerry Pournelle (1933–2017) was an American science fiction writer, essayist, and journalist who contributed for many years to the computer magazine Byte. He wrote the popular Janissaries and CoDominium series and was the coauthor of several bestselling science fiction novels, including Lucifer’s Hammer, The Mote in God’s Eye, and the New York Times bestseller Footfall. He had advanced degrees in engineering, political science, statistics, and psychology and, in addition to his career as a fiction writer, had for many years written columns on both politics and technology.
About Lloyd James
Lloyd James (a.k.a. Sean Pratt) has been a working professional actor in theater, film, television, and voice-overs for more than thirty years. He has narrated over one thousand audiobooks and won numerous Earphones Awards and nominations for the Audie Award and the Voice Arts Award. He holds a BFA degree in acting from Santa Fe University, New Mexico.