A Slow Start but got better - Worth a Listen

Where does The Silver Ships rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I rate this book at about the 70% level in my Sci-Fi Library books.

What other book might you compare The Silver Ships to, and why?

This book is simlar to Ryk Browns Frontiers Saga, finding another civilization that is more advanced than the main charactors home world.

Have you listened to any of Grover Gardner’s other performances? How does this one compare?

No not at the moment but I'm willing to give him a fair crack of the whip!!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, but I listen to my books on the way to work and when walking my Golden Labrador.

Any additional comments?

I look forward to listening to the next instalment of the storey.

4 people found this helpful

Engaging characters and a great story

This is not your typical space opera, with battles and fights at every turn. the establishing story takes its time to introduce the characters and you notice the personalities develop over time. Don't misunderstand me, it's not boring. you become engrossed in the universe and engaged in the people with even supporting characters feeling fully fleshed out.

2 people found this helpful

Ripping Yarns in deep space!

Would you listen to The Silver Ships again? Why?

I loved this book. The themes it follows are familiar, there is nothing significantly original in the story but it does take some of those themes to interesting tangents. I have read several other reviews and some do complain that there is a great deal of 'not much going on', lots of polite talking - plenty of 'melo' but not much drama? Actually, these sequences are as fascinating for me as the action sequences.

What did you like best about this story?

Much of the story is taken up with two diverse cultures of human (ex - Earth) Colonists, who have been separated from each other for 700 years and some 23 light years distance who accidentally meet for the first time. They have developed into two very different societies..

The parts of the book that are described by some as 'polite talking' are some of the most interesting for me. The two races (the Meridians and the New Terrans) are trying to find common ground and to adapt to each other's ways in order to work together against a common threat. The way that this part of the story is written made it an entertaining, amusing and engaging aside from the main theme, which is that the Meridiens are an attacked but pacifist race who turn for help to the New Terrtans who are more in line with 'ourselves' (?) and more powerful physically and aggressive when faced with the threat.

A second plotline I loved involved the character,Julian who is a SADE (Self Aware Digital Entity - essentially a programme) who runs the Meridien ship. Again, this is not an original idea but this time it is nuanced by the way that the AI (who is deemed to be 'alive' in Meridien culture) having only been exposed to their thoughts, beliefs and behaviours throughout his existence is suddenly exposed to interaction with the main New Terran character, Alex Racine. Julian's AI adapts as a result of these interactions, his personality changes and this Digital Entity, more than any other character becomes an amalgam of both cultures (one might say the best of both cultures)..

The main storyline is familiar - an unknown, implacable and destructive alien race attacks a peaceful utopian society (the Meridiens). The invading aliens have something of 'The Kraken Wakes' about them so also not entirely original but around this rather exciting space adventure is wrapped a fascinating story of two peoples having to cross a gaping cultural divide to succeed.

The story of the alien invasion is not resolved by the end of the book, which leaves us with more to come in future instalments. I can't wait!

What does Grover Gardner bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

I thought that Grover did a good job. His style is slightly robotic but given the storyline this actually felt the right style!

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I loved the humour in this book. The way the characters developed alongside each other made me care for them. Sure, 'the luckiest man alive' goes from awkward loner to beloved and brilliant leader too easily but it is fiction! It is a space opera and I unashamedly loved it enough not to care that our hero prevails in all circumstances with all virtues intact - and gets the girl - well, why not?

Any additional comments?

If you like a story that is dual paced with politics, relationships and emotional struggle set alongside your invasion space battles then you will love this book as much as I did. I gave it four stars rather than five simply because it is John Wayne in space not Tolstoy - but for what it wants to be - it succeeds for me. Bring on book two!!!

1 person found this helpful

A great beginning right here!

This built into a great story and by the end I was looking to get the second instalment (which I will). Great stuff, indeed well worth the investment.

1 person found this helpful

not too bad

What made the experience of listening to The Silver Ships the most enjoyable?

The charachers were quite likeable and fairly deep

Would you recommend The Silver Ships to your friends? Why or why not?

I would recommend this to anyone familiar with slightly older style sci-fi books like those of Andre Norton or similar.

1 person found this helpful

C j jdunne

Very enjoyable novel, well written and well read . I do hope that we will soon be able to listen to the next episode. I cannot wait. This is one of the best opening novels of I hope a long series to come. Well worth the money.

1 person found this helpful

Brilliant new space journey, epic

I loved it, this is one off 23 books in a series get it now, so enjoy it I have. Very refreshing, new approach to it, very well written and narrated, I read all the books, then I got an audable book, of this first novel, I will get all 24, from now on.

Didn't captivate me.

Listened to it while painting. Despite being short it was an ordeal to listen to. Nice enough characters and world building but ironically (with what was happening) in the story) it was boring. There was an initial promise of excitement was let down by hours of tedium where every situation being procedural or easily solved, there was little drama, no excitement or risk. There was a little intrigue at the end but too little too late. Great technical style but not used to it's full effect. The Narrator didn't give any of the small number of characters any qualities to define them, just toneless and dry. After listening to some of the Harry Turtledove books, this book was a major let down. Probably won't be getting the rest of the series.

Great book

Great book can't wait to listen to the next one great narration and story I highly recommend listening to this book

Good

Has a feel of the old style sci-fi, the better ones. It has the feel of an introduction to the real story; the action is only just starting sort of thing. Definitely worth the listen, and I'm going to start on the next in the series now.