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The Ophiuchi Hotline

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The Ophiuchi Hotline

By: John Varley
Narrated by: Gabra Zackman
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About this listen

 The invaders came in 2050...they did not kill anyone outright. They said they came on behalf of the intelligent species of Earth - dolphins and whales. The invaders quietly destroyed every evidence of technology, then peacefully departed, leaving behind plowed ground and sprouting seeds. In the next two years, 10 billion humans starved to death.

The remnants of humanity that survived relocated to the moon and other planets. But they are not alone in their struggle - someone or something, somewhere deep in space, is sending them advanced scientific data via the Ophiuchi Hotline. And by the 25th century, the technological gifts from the hotline - especially its biological and medical solutions - have created a world unlike any ever known or imagined.

©1977 John Varley (P)2008 Audible, Inc. Science Fiction

Critic reviews

"Varley's tight, clean writing, full of wit and good humor, evokes despair, joy, anger, and delight. His Luna is packed with wild inventions, intriguing characters, and stunning scenery." (Publishers Weekly)
"It is fast and complex, and it glitters most impressively." (Science Fiction: The 100 Best Novels)
"This is a novel rich in societies, settings, and technological wizardry. It's a tough-minded, yet a playful book." (Ian Watson)
All stars
Most relevant
It's a bit of a cliché when dealing with Sci-fi to say it was ahead of it's time, but this truly was. Dealing with the implications of multi-personalities and re-birthing of clones it deals with the subject in a very inventive and adventurous way. This subject has been dealt with since this by the likes of Peter F Hamilton in his Pandora's Star but not in this much detail or with such aplomb.

I have a bit of a soft spot for 70's sci-fi, it's a little bit weird, a little bit hippy-ish in places and this book is very much of that genre. A good adventure with a good, strong thought provoking theme and well worth a listen.

Ahead of it's time.

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