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The City at World's End

Written by:
Edmond Hamilton
Narrated by:
Mark Nelson

Unabridged Audiobook

Ratings
Book
327
Narrator
131
Release Date
January 1, 2011
Duration
7 hours 8 minutes
Summary
A surprise nuclear war may cause the End of the World, but not the way anyone could have imagined. A classic science fiction tale from Galaxy Magazine.
Reviews

Very good book, excellent narrator. I’m actually very surprised no one has made this into a movie yet. This is exactly how an audiobook should be!

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Ken B.

love the narration. and yes this book should be made into a movie. I love how narrator brought the characters to life.

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Judith M.

I like the 1950’s vibe of this novel and how it creates dissonance when it throws the inhabitants of Middletown into the far future. The stereotyping of the sexes may grate on a nerve or two but it is a great insight into people’s mindset, xenophobia, and how change creates and separates the strong and the weak. It showed maculine weakness v. feminine strength also. I also really liked how it showed how quickly young people adapt.

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acacia colter

like this book I love how they think all women you will go into hysterics

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Sherry L.

I gave this book for stars as I enjoyed The story. It’s not one of those amazing books, but as it was a freebie book, using my VIP Credit, I felt it was well worse, it. It was a completely different spin on a sci-fi story, wish I found refreshing. The narrator was brilliant. I’m really brought the story alive.

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Anonymous

This is one of the most subtly sexist, chauvinistic books I have read. Women have ‘simple, frightened brains’ and are girls, and men go out and save the day. So sad and boring…Would be funny, never. Story line is basic. Writing is basic. Plot is predictable. 2/5.

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Anonymous

First of all, I’m planning on listening to more stories read by Mark Nelson the narrator. He is excellent! I’m glad you can click on his name to see what else he has done. That aside this was an enjoyable book in both dialogue and the plot. The writing style felt older, which I enjoy. No stereotypical tech was described to make it like any other modern sci-fi story. Instead you were left imagining how things worked, much like the protagonist. A very good listen!

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Carol B.

I really enjoyed this audio book. The story took me by surprise because of the events that unfolded. I want to listen to more from this author.

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James W.

Interesting concept, a well-told story, and the best Librivox narrator I've heard thus far.

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pjbfsc

Over all a enjoyable book, a few twists and turns

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Anonymous

I really enjoyed this book.

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Sharon W.

Great adventure and the writing was clever and creative.

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Steve H.

Great classic story!

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Joyce M.

Loved this made me believe I was there.

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Brian S.

excellent easy to follow

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Rachael L.

Interesting premise, but the extreme sexism finally got to me after two hours in.

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Anonymous

Wonderful story and the narrator was excellent

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Jamie S.

Exceptionally well narrated, I give this title three stars because it is competently written. I give it only three stars because the story is a misogynist's vision of utopia. The hero is the embodiment of 1950s male virtue, arrogant but insecure, long on platitudes about the rule of law but readily willing to use violence to accomplish his goals and accountable only to his own shifting conscience. The impotence of the galactic government is beyond comprehension, the victory of bravado complete. As science fiction, it sets aside science altogether, from dismissing the necessity of stars in setting habitable conditions to ignoring the self-defeating nature of a nuclear reaction based on iron (which produces less energy than it consumes) to the absurd notion that a planet deprived of heat for a million years -- yes, ONE MILLION years -- will nonetheless spontaneously sprout grass within a few weeks of renewed warmth. Lip service paid to popular self-determination is a weak cover here for a world in which the scientists do whatever they want, law and opinion be damned, and if a woman is in authority, well, the right and proper thing to do is apparently to grab her and shake until she is back in her proper place. There's an interesting premise here, but to read "City at World's End" is to observe the heroes making endless ridiculous choices that should doom everyone only to keep coming out ahead. When he changes his tune 180 degrees, as he does several times, reality itself reorients so that he just keeps winning. I guess that, for a man with technical training and self-assurance in the 1950s, that's how the world might have seemed. Reading it today, it's silly.

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Anonymous

Such an interesting and awesome concept. However, I found the people's reactions extremely illogical and unlikely to ever happen. When you're faced with zero survivable options except one, you don't choose to die and fight those trying to save you, you choose to live no matter how new or scary that might be. I also found the ending with his wife very disappointing. The people's reactions and the way the story ended completely ruined the book in my opinion. Don't waste your time.

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GilbertMouse

Interesting and strange storyline utilizing space/time continuum and nuclear weapons. The narrator, Mark Nelson, gives the story more heft and depth as he does in all that he narrates. Certainly worth a listen.

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Keith

Great story for a long drive, but loses its way a little in the last hour

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Steebruh

Any books like this ?

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Anonymous

Loved it! Like a classic science fiction movie!

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Eric C.

Excellent narrator! The story was short and sweet, and definitely intriguing! A pleasant read overall.

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Anonymous

love the old books

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Charlie J.

I Loved it!

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Lia M.

A really good book! I wished it was longer.

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Karolina M.

Amusing story, splendit narrator.

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Anonymous

Really good old SiFi, have to laugh at the references and tech of the time. Really enjoyed it

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Kim K.

Excellent story and narration. Really puts the times into perspective.

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Anonymous

Excellent book and great quality narration. Nailed the voices for each character

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Jacyn G.

Great Book, kept us interested. Narrator was great. Live Dystopian type books.

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Anonymous

I enjoyed both the story and the narrator

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DonL

I have always enjoyed Mark Nelson's work. He makes the reader feel like (he or she) is a larger part of the story. Please keep doing your thing sir

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Adrian P.

loved all of it

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Anonymous

Great book got lost in the book during reading

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Anonymous

Pretty sexist comments here and there. Besides that, it was alright.

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Anonymous

Enjoyable story.

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JACQUELINE Miller

Excellent book, great narrator

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R. Salvtore

Really enjoyed this selection. Would make a good movie.

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Anonymous

Excellent book and reader. Able to bring to life the story and draw you into a new world.

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Anonymous

Liked it very much. I kept thinking that they had been transported to a different planet, instead of a future time on earth

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Ray S.

good book. read this book many years ago. narrator voice was impressive.

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Anonymous

Enjoyable though dated story

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Amy H.

Although the narrator was superb and the story was interesting, the sexism and misogyny completely ruined it. I couldn't finish it.

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Anonymous

Excellent narration, I’ve downloaded some more books simply because Mark Nelson is the narrator.

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Anonymous

Fantastic narrator really brings the characters and story to life thoroughly enjoyed it the chapters just flew by

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Anonymous

Really enjoyable listening, great concept and good narration!!

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WR K.

LOVED IT! What a fantastic tale!

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Jade Grace W.

What a fantastic classic sci-fi. Loved it from start to finish and Nelson had a fantastic voice. Great!

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Luke S.

I loved this free listen! Through the narrator's voice and the author's carefully chosen words I felt the pain, fear, and eventual triumph of the people of Middletown.

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Daniel M.

Great story. Great narration. Wish it was longer.

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Kelly D.

Really enjoyed this book, slow to start and typically sexist for the era. Liked the narrator, perfect voice for the era. All in all a good book.

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Richard C.

Enjoyable as 1950’s sci-fi, holds up nicely today. When I hear words like vacuum tubes and relays, it really shows the time it was written in.

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Rod M.

This was so well done I had to double check the date it was written. It is amazing that an author could write something in the fifties that holds up so well today! If you like science fiction I would highly recommend this book. Gratefully to the reader was excellent!

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Lesa Ullig

Best book I've heard in a long while Its timeless. I couldn't stop listening. Mark is my favorite narrator too I listen to all books he reads!

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Andrew Susin

Surprisingly good fast paced story and excellent narration. Wasn't expecting to like it but did

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Dina Heard

Oh my god epic story of a Tyrannical Universal government combats small town USA. But what do you expect after a town is thrust 1,000,000 years in the future and they are the last of the primary human being archetype!

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