The Alien Within by Ben Bova (Audiobook Review)

Audiobook Reviews from Audiobook-Heaven

Title: The Alien Within
Series: Voyagers, book 2
Author: Ben Bova
Narrator: Stefan Rudnicki
Copyright: 2007, Blackstone Audio
Duration: 13 hours, 9 minutes
Genres: science fiction
Filed in: Audiobook Reviews
Review copy provided by Blackstone Audio

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: When Keith Stoner awoke, he found himself in a world changed almost beyond recognition. Eighteen years before, Stoner had been the American member of a joint U.S.-Soviet mission to capture an alien ship. The Soviets had to pull out, but Stoner persisted, and while on the strange ship, he fell into suspended animation.
Jo Camerata, the ambitious young student who fell in love with Stoner, is now head of Vanguard Industries, which has recovered the alien ship. As a result, her company is now in control of its vast new technology and the fortune it reaps - and in control of Keith Stoner.
What Camerata doesn't know, however, is that someone else has been awake, someone who dwells within Stoner's mind. The alien presence that has kept Stoner alive all this time is now free and intends to explore our world, letting nothing stand in its way.
©1986 Ben Bova; (P)2006 Blackstone Audio Inc.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Science fiction authors frequently use their futuristic tales of advanced civilizations to point out the downfalls of our own unenlightened way of life. They commonly speak out about topics like the environment, greed, war, or other similar pitfalls. Ben Bova is no exception. In fact, almost every book he writes falls into this category.
In The Alien Within, book two in bova’s Voyagers series, Earth is visited by an alien from another world. Or rather, the consciousness of an alien which is now living inside a human body. Throughout the story, we get to view our own world through the alien’s unique perspective, and it is not a pretty sight.
The alien’s spacecraft, which was captured and brought into Earth orbit some twelve years prior to the beginning of The Alien Within, yielded up a treasure-trove of advanced technology. The wealthier nations of the world benefited greatly from this technology, but the poor nations continue to live in squalor. The alien, who does not understand the greedy nature of human beings, is puzzled by this and strives to learn more. In his quest for knowledge, the alien visits the war-torn heart of Africa.
I typically like to see a little more science in my science fiction, but I understand where Ben Bova is going with this, and I can appreciate that. Regardless of the subject matter, I always find myself enjoying Bova’s work. He always manages to create characters that are interesting and believable.
Stefan Rudnicki, who has narrated every Ben Bova audiobook I’ve listened to so far, did a good job as usual. I’ve probably mentioned this before, but Bova’s novels typically have characters from a lot of different nationalities, and Rudnicki handles the dialects well. There’s nothing really flashy about Rudnicki’s style, but he’s a pretty solid performer.
The Alien Within reminded me a little bit of Robert Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land: an alien on Earth trying to show humanity a better way of life. This is another good audiobook from Ben bova.

CHECK OUT THESE OTHER AUDIOBOOK REVIEWS:
Voyagers by Ben Bova (Audiobook Review)
Venus by Ben Bova (Audiobook Review)
Mars by Ben Bova (Audiobook Review)

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If you like this audiobook review, you can purchase the audiobook here:
Get “The Alien Within”, book 2 of Ben Bova’s Voyagers series (Unabridged Audiobook) from Blackstone Audio.

This audiobook review is based on the unabridged audiobook.
Audiobook review by Steven Brandt
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