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  • The Cruel Stars: International Edition

  • By: John Birmingham
  • Narrated by: Morgan Hallett
  • Length: 13 hrs and 55 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (24 ratings)
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The Cruel Stars: International Edition

By: John Birmingham
Narrated by: Morgan Hallett
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Summary

With a ruthless sect of humanity intent on wiping out their species, five intrepid heroes must think like their enemies in this epic sci-fi adventure for fans of The Expanse and Battlestar Galactica.

The galaxy was once terrorized by the Sturm, a group of "species purists" intent on destroying any human with genetic or cybernetic enhancements. Fashioning themselves as the one true "Human Republic", the Sturm cut a bloody swath across the stars, killing billions before finally being defeated and driven into the far reaches of Dark Space. Centuries of peace bred complacency. Everyone believed the Sturm had died out in the Dark. They were wrong. The enemy has returned and, with a brutal and decisive attack, knocks out almost all of humanity's defenses. 

Now on the brink of annihilation, humankind's only hope is a few brave souls who survived the initial attack: Commander Lucinda Hardy, thrust into uncertain command of the Royal Armadalen Navy's only surviving warship. Booker3, a soldier of Earth, sentenced to die for treason, whose time on death row is cut short when the Sturm attack his prison compound. Princess Alessia, a young royal of the Montanblanc Corporation, forced to flee when her home planet is overrun and her entire family executed. Sephina L'trel, the leader of an outlaw band who must call on all of her criminal skills to resist the invasion. And, finally, Admiral Frazer McLennan, the infamous hero of the first war with the Sturm hundreds of years ago, who hopes to rout his old foes once and for all - or die trying. 

These five flawed, reluctant heroes must band together to prevail against a relentless enemy and near-impossible odds. For if they fail, the future itself is doomed.

©2019 John Birmingham (P)2020 Recorded Books, Inc.

What listeners say about The Cruel Stars: International Edition

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Nice listening and a good story

Nice listening and a good story with great characters to follow as the book progresses I enjoyed the story and the narrated characters

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Enjoyable

A pleasant surprise. Easy listening, well narrated and witty. My thanks to both the author and narrator for some entertaining hours.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent narrator

This is an enjoyable romp and I've come to think of Birmingham as a reliable writer.

But I really wanted to leave a review for the narrator.

I listen to a lot of books in the same genre and while people like Mark Boyett and RC Bray are excellent, eventually everything they do sounds the same. Worse there are a lot of others trying to emulate their successful style and eventually EVERYTHING else also sounds male, middle of the road, overly sincere and American.

So it's very refreshing to come across an excellent female narrator for a bit of variety.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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John Birmingham has done it again

Great characters and a story to go with it . And who can not love mclennan and his friend . Great read and as this is the second I have read of John's, I certainly will.be looking for more . This book has action , comedy and will least all your senses.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Not what I hoped it would be.

I got bored with it, over 2 hours into the story and it was only just starting to get going. The narrator was fine but it was very wordy.
Not going to bother with any of the authors other books.

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