Historical Audiobooks | Science Fiction & Fantasy

"First published in 1925, The Trial tells the story of a man arrested for an unknown crime by a remote, inaccessible authority and his struggle for control over the increasing absurdity of his life. One of Franz Kafka's best-known works, The Trial has been variously interpreted as an examination of political power, a satirical depiction of bureaucracy, and a pessimistic religious parable. Left unfinished at the time of Kafka's 1924 death, The Trial is nevertheless a trenchant depiction of the seemingly incomprehensible nature of existence and a fascinating exploration of the universal issues of justice, power, freedom, and isolation."

Franz Kafka (Author), Todd McLaren (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Stress of Her Regard

"On the night before he is to be married, Michael Crawford joins his friends for an evening of drinking and revelry. In a fateful, inebriated moment, Crawford slips his fiancée's ring on the finger of a nearby statue. The following day, the statue is gone. When Crawford discovers his bride brutally murdered in their wedding bed, he is forced to flee not only to prove his innocence but to avoid the deadly embrace of a vampire who has claimed him as her true bridegroom. Joining forces with Byron, Keats, and Shelley in a desperate journey that crisscrosses Europe, Crawford desperately seeks his freedom from this vengeful lover who haunts his dreams and will not rest until she destroys all that he cherishes. Told in the guise of a secret history, this tale of passion and terror brilliantly evokes the nineteenth century. The chilling horror and adventure blend to create a riveting romantic fantasy."

Tim Powers (Author), Simon Vance (Narrator)

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Homeward Bound

"With his epic novels of alternate history, Harry Turtledove shares a stunning vision of what might have been—and what might still be—if one moment in history were changed. In the Worldwar and Colonization series, an ancient, highly advanced alien species found itself locked in a bitter struggle with a distant, rebellious planet: Earth. For those defending the Earth, this all-out war for survival supercharged human technology, made friends of foes, and turned allies into bitter enemies. For the aliens known as the Race, the conflict has yielded dire consequences. Mankind has developed nuclear technology years ahead of schedule, forcing the invaders to accept an uneasy truce with nations that possess the technology to defend themselves. But it is the Americans, with their primitive inventiveness, who discover a way to launch themselves through distant space—and reach the Race's home planet itself. Now—in the twenty-first century—a few daring men and women embark upon a journey no human has made before. Warriors, diplomats, traitors, and exiles—the humans who arrive in the place called Home find themselves genuine strangers on a strange world and at the center of a flash point with terrifying potential. For their arrival on the alien home world may drive the enemy to make the ultimate decision—to annihilate an entire planet, rather than allow the human contagion to spread. It may be that nothing can deter them from this course. With its extraordinary cast of characters—human, nonhuman, and some in between—Homeward Bound is a fascinating contemplation of cultures, armies, and individuals in collision. From the man whom USA Today has called 'the leading author of alternate history,' this is a novel of vision, adventure, and constant, astounding surprise."

Harry Turtledove (Author), Patrick Lawlor (Narrator)

Audiobook

Worldwar: Striking the Balance

"At the bloody height of World War II, the deadliest enemies in all of human history were forced to put aside their hatreds and unite against an even fiercer foe: a seemingly invincible power bent on world domination. With awesome technology, the aggressors swept across the planet, sowing destruction as Tokyo, Berlin, and Washington, D.C., were A-bombed into submission. Russia, Nazi Germany, Japan, and the United States were not easily cowed, however. With cunning and incredible daring, they pressed every advantage against the invaders' superior strength and, led by Stalin, began to detonate their own atom bombs in retaliation. City after city explodes in radioactive firestorms, and fears grow as the worldwide resources disappear; will there be any world left for the invaders to conquer or for the uneasy allies to defend? While Mao Tse-tung wages a desperate guerrilla war and Hitler drives his country toward self-destruction, U.S. forces frantically try to stop the enemy's push from coast to coast. Yet in this battle to stave off world domination, unless the once-great military powers take the risk of annihilating the human race, they'll risk losing the war. The fatal, final deadline arrives in Harry Turtledove's grand, smashing finale to the Worldwar series, as uneasy allies desperately seek a way out of a no-win, no-survival situation: a way to live free in a world that may soon be bombed into atomic oblivion."

Harry Turtledove (Author), Todd McLaren (Narrator)

Audiobook

A Kingdom Besieged

"Discover the fate of the original black Magician, Pug, and his motley crew of agents who safeguard the world of Trigia, as prophecy becomes truth in the first book of the last ever Midkemian trilogy. THE KINGDOM BESIEGED The Darkness is coming… The Kingdom is plagued by rumour and instability. Kingdom spies in Kesh have been disappearing – either murdered, or turned to the enemy side. Information has become scant and unreliable; but one thing appears clear. Dark forces are on the move… Since Pug and the Conclave of Shadows enforced peace after the last Keshian invasion, the Empire has offered no threat. But now factions are rising and Jim Dasher reports mobilizations of large forces in the Keshian Confederacy. As the men of the West answer the King's call to muster, Martin conDoin – left as caretaker of Crydee Keep – will suddenly be confronted with the vanguard of an invading army. He reminds himself that he is a year older than his legendary ancestor, Prince Arutha, was when he stood firm against the Tsurani invasion, but Arutha had an army to command, and Martin is left with old men and young boys. Massive events are about to unfold, events which threaten the future of all human life in Midkemia…"

Raymond E. Feist (Author), Peter Joyce (Narrator)

Audiobook

Wolf’s Cross

"S. A. Swann continues to reinvent the werewolf myth in this fantastic novel set in the medieval world of the celebrated Wolfbreed. Like its predecessor, Wolf's Cross is unafraid to cross boundaries and break taboos to tell an unforgettable story of romance and adventure that will forever change how you think about werewolves. Maria lives a simple life in a small Polish village, working for the lord of the nearby fortress. Motherless since birth, she has been raised by her father and stepmother. Around her neck she wears-as she has always worn-a silver crucifix, to protect her from the devil. Or so her father tells her.But when a contingent of badly mauled Teutonic Knights, including a handsome and gravely wounded young man named Josef, ask for succor at the fortress, Maria's quiet and comfortable world shatters. For the knights are Wolfjägers, an order dedicated to the extermination of werewolves, and Maria, unknowingly, is one of the creatures they hunt. Only the crucifix about her neck prevents her body from changing into a lethal killing machine.When Maria meets Darien, a wolfbreed bent on exacting a terrible revenge on humans, she will learn the truth about herself, and find her loyalties-and her heart-torn in two."

S. A. Swann (Author), Grover Gardner (Narrator)

Audiobook

Atlantis and Other Places: Stories of Alternate History

"A famous naturalist seeks a near-extinct species of bird found only on the rarest of lands in "Audubon in Atlantis." A young American on a European holiday finds himself storming an enchanted German castle in "The Catcher in the Rhine." The philosopher Sokrates plays a key role in the Athenian victory over the Spartans in "The Daimon." Centaurs take a sea voyage aboard "The Horse of Bronze" to a land where they encounter a strange and frightening tribe of creatures known as man. London's most famous detective, Athelstan Helms, and his assistant, Dr. James Walton, are in Atlantis investigating a series of murders in "The Scarlet Band." Atlantis and Other Places includes these and seven more amazing stories of ancient eras, historical figures, mysterious events, and out-of-this-world adventure from the incomparable Harry Turtledove. Track List for Atlantis and Other Places: Disc 1 "Audubon in Atlantis"—Track 1 Disc 3 "Bedfellows"—Track 1 "News from the Front"—Track 5 Disc 4 "The Catcher in the Rhine"—Track 4 "The Daimon"—Track 18 Disc 6 "Farmers' Law"—Track 22 Disc 7 "Occupation Duty"—Track 10 "The Horse of Bronze"—Track 22 Disc 9 "The Genetics Lecture"—Track 20 "Someone Is Stealing the Great Throne Rooms of the Galaxy"—Track 22 Disc 10 "Uncle Alf"—Track 5 Disc 11 "The Scarlet Band"—Track 1"

Harry Turtledove (Author), Todd McLaren (Narrator)

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Worldwar: Upsetting the Balance

"Communist China, Japan, Nazi Germany, the United States: they began World War II as mortal enemies. But suddenly their only hope for survival—never mind victory—was to unite to stop a mighty foe: one whose frightening technology appeared invincible. Far worse beings than the Nazis were loose. From Warsaw to Moscow to China's enemy-occupied Forbidden City, the nations of the world had been forced into an uneasy alliance since humanity began its struggle against overwhelming odds. In Britain and Germany, where the banshee wail of hostile jets screamed across the land, caches of once-forbidden weapons were unearthed, and unthinkable tactics were employed against the enemy. Brilliantly innovative military strategists confronted challenges unprecedented in the history of warfare. Even as lack of fuel forced people back to horse and carriage, physicists worked feverishly to create the first atomic bombs—with horrifying results. City after city joined the radioactive pyre as the planet erupted in fiery ruins. Yet the crisis continued—on land, sea, and in the air—as humanity writhed in global combat. The tactics of daredevil guerrillas everywhere became increasingly ingenious against a superior foe whose desperate retaliation would grow ever more fearsome. No one had ever put the United States, or the world, in such deadly danger. But if the carnage and annihilation ever stopped, would there be any pieces to pick up?"

Harry Turtledove (Author), Todd McLaren (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Violins Played Before Junstan

"Celwyn has avoided caring about anyone for hundreds of years, but he's about to learn the advantage, and cost, of true friendship. While on a mission to avenge the death of his lover, the immortal peyote-eating magician Celwyn is hired to deliver an automat, Professor Kang, to a priest. But Celwyn quickly learns that everything he's been told is a lie. Now his ship, the Zelda, is stuck in a horrific storm and Celwyn knows he must reconsider his allegiance if he is to steer his vessel in the right direction and continue his quest. Choosing a new ally, the pair journey west, hunting for revenge. To deflect the attention of the city’s police, they allow an American heiress to join their party as she escapes matrimony in search of adventure. When the trio encounters an intelligent but superstitious widower––their misfit group is complete. Through battles against malevolent forces and dangerous rescues, the companions start to feel like family to Celwyn, but he has lost someone he loves before and is in no hurry to watch it happen again."

Lou Kemp (Author), Ken Allen (Narrator)

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The Many-Colored Land: Volume 1 of the Saga of Pliocene Exile

"This is a spellbinding tale woven of equal parts epic and myth-with a liberal dash of hard science fiction. When a one-way time tunnel to Earth's distant past, specifically six million BC, was discovered by folks on the Galactic Milieu, every misfit for light-years around hurried to pass through it. Each sought his own brand of happiness. But none could have guessed what awaited them. Not even in a million years. In the early twenty-second century, many humans are being born with psychic powers and are linked in a single galactic mind. Those without these psychic powers-the misfits, undesirables, criminals, and radicals-have a choice: mental reprogramming or exile. Exile, voluntary or otherwise, takes them back six million years, to a time between the extinction of dinosaurs and the rise of Homo sapiens, and to a time of exotic surprises and unknown dangers."

Julian May (Author), Bernadette Dunne (Narrator)

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Colonization: Aftershocks

"Set in the same universe as the Worldwar series, the Colonization series brings us to Earth in the 1960s, where four superpowers rule: the United States, Russia, Nazi Germany, and the aliens of the Race. The arrival of the aliens shot Earth technology forward at a dizzying rate—the world of 1960 includes routine space shuttle traffic, computers on every desk, and other high-tech advancements. Aftershocks reveals that it was the United States that launched the nuclear offensive against the aliens, and when the aliens learn the truth, Indianapolis disappears in nuclear fire. In alien-held China, a full-fledged rebellion is launched, and in Poland, a nuclear bomb goes missing—held by Jewish forces who seek to use it against the Nazis. The nations of Earth begin to realize that their only hope in holding back the aliens will be to work together. Because separately, they may face extinction."

Harry Turtledove (Author), Patrick Lawlor (Narrator)

Audiobook

Worldwar: Tilting the Balance

"No one could stop them—not Stalin, not Togo, not Churchill, not Roosevelt... The invaders had cut the United States virtually in half at the Mississippi, vaporized Washington, D.C., devastated much of Europe, and held large parts of the Soviet Union under their thumb. But humanity would not give up so easily. The new world allies were ruthless at finding their foe's weaknesses and exploiting them. Whether delivering supplies in tiny biplanes to partisans across the vast steppes of Russia, working furiously to understand the enemy's captured radar in England, or battling house to house on the streets of Chicago, humankind would never give up. Yet no one could say when the hellish inferno of death would stop being a war of conquest and turn into a war of survival—the very survival of the planet..."

Harry Turtledove (Author), Todd McLaren (Narrator)

Audiobook

Historical Audiobooks in Science Fiction & Fantasy