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Review of “Fractal Noise” by Christopher Paolini

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Title: Fractal Noise
Author: Christopher Paolini
Narrator: Jennifer Hale
Genre: Science Fiction
Length: 9 hours 57 minutes
Published: 2023, Tor
My Grade: 4 out of 5

GOODREADS’ DESCRIPTION

July 25th, 2234: The crew of the Adamura discovers the Anomaly.On the seemingly uninhabited planet Talos VII:a circular pit, 50 kilometers wide.
Its curve not of nature, but design.
Now, a small team must land and journey on foot across the surface to learn who built the hole and why.
But they all carry the burdens of lives carved out on disparate colonies in the cruel cold of space.
For some the mission is the dream of the lifetime, for others a risk not worth taking, and for one it is a desperate attempt to find meaning in an uncaring universe.
Each step they take toward the mysterious abyss is more punishing than the last.
And the ghosts of their past follow.

 

MY REVIEW

This is a prequel to To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, only in the sense that it takes place in the same universe (literally) 23 years earlier. There are no connections with the much longer book that was released three years ago, except the mention of the discovery of the “Anomaly” which this book cover the events of. Although, since this one is much shorter, there are less descriptions of the science-fiction things than the other one. So I might suggest reading that one just to understand a bit better. Not that it is complicated, and there is a dictionary at the end.

Fractal Noise feels very similar to To Sleep story-wise since it is about first contact but two different kinds. They find something out of the ordinary, discuss whether or not they should explore, decide to explore and then things happen. When the book was finished and I sat down and reflected on what I had just listened to, I realized that this 10 hour long book consisted of one event, more or less. It is impressive that Paolini (and Jennifer Hale) manages to captivate the reader (listener) so they kind of forget that it revolves around just one event.

And on that note: Jennifer Hale as a narrator is incredible! I’ve only listened to Paolini’s works narrated by her, but she is something else. Maybe she is the one making me love these two books?

There is much dialogue in this book, it’s strong, it’s believable, and it is what makes this story feel alive. The characters are real. There are deep conversations about religion and general views on life and it feels like you’re a part of their exploration.

I can’t say what this book would have been like if I read it, but listening to it was amazing. I wouldn’t put it right at the top amongst my very favorites, but a strong 4 for sure.

Review of “To Sleep in a Sea of Stars” by Christopher Paolini

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Title: To Sleep in a Sea of Stars
Author: Christopher Paolini
Narrator: Jennifer Hale
Genre: Science Fiction
Length: 32 hours 28 minutes
Published: 2020, Tor
My Grade: 4 out of 5

GOODREADS’ DESCRIPTION

Kira Navárez dreamed of life on new worlds. Now she’s awakened a nightmare. During a routine survey mission on an uncolonized planet, Kira finds an alien relic. At first she’s delighted, but elation turns to terror when the ancient dust around her begins to move.

As war erupts among the stars, Kira is launched into a galaxy-spanning odyssey of discovery and transformation. First contact isn’t at all what she imagined, and events push her to the very limits of what it means to be human.

While Kira faces her own horrors, Earth and its colonies stand upon the brink of annihilation. Now, Kira might be humanity’s greatest and final hope…

 

MY REVIEW

I’m really glad I listened to this book rather than worked my muscles out while holding this brick of a book for countless of hours. I’m not sure how I would have perceived the story, had Jennifer Hale not narrated it. She was brilliant with her many different voices for all the characters. They really came alive.

But of course, she’s not the only one who needs to get credit for this incredible story. I have to admit that I haven’t read too many science fiction books yet, but this one felt original. And it felt legit. Paolini’s take on futuristic science felt realistic, he addressed the question of speeds faster than light and how that didn’t mean you could travel in time. Like with any magic system, he put the limitations on science and did it really well. I really enjoyed that nothing seemed exaggerated. It just was.

The book contained so many characters and they were all interesting and contributed to the story. I felt sympathy for all of them because they all felt real. They had their backstories and stayed true to their goals.

Even if Jennifer Hale was a very good narrator, I sometimes had difficulties following. But I think that has more to do with the fact that I’m not very used to listening to fiction. Last summer, when I started listening to books, I only listened to facts, mostly science but some economic and psychology books. I hope I get used to it soon. I really enjoy listening to someone tell me the story. Also, I just got a bike and can’t really read a physical book while riding, haha!

It was a long book, and maybe it could have been a bit shorter, but I can’t really say which scenes felt unnecessary. But my overall impression was good. And listening to Paolini himself read the after words, I could really feel his relief after the struggles that were this novel. It was inspiring. I wouldn’t put it among my favorites, but it was definitely a four out of five.