The Original
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The Original
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Narrated by:
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Julia Whelan
About this listen
Hugo Award-winning authors Brandon Sanderson and Mary Robinette Kowal team up in this exclusive audio-first production of The Original, a sci-fi thriller set in a world where one woman fights to know her true identity and survive the forces that threaten her very existence.
In the near future, humans choose life - for a price. Injectable nanite technology is the lifeblood that flows through every individual wishing to experience the world through the lens of their own theme. While death from mortal wounds is still possible, life is made easier in a socially liberated society where automation and income equality allow passion pursuits to flourish over traditional work. Renewal stations are provided to every law-abiding citizen for weekly check-ins, which issue life-sustaining repairs in exchange for personal privacy. But what becomes of those who check out, of those who dare to resist immortality and risk being edited under the gaze of an identity-extracting government surveillance system?
When Holly Winseed wakes up in a hospital room, her memory compromised and a new identity imposed on her, a team of government agents wastes no time stating their objective. With intent to infiltrate and defeat the terrorist group ICON, the agents tell Holly that she is now a Provisional Replica and has one week to hunt down and kill her Original for the murder of her husband, Jonathan. If she succeeds, she’ll assume her Original’s place in society. If she fails, her life will end. Holly’s progress is monitored by an assigned contact that feeds her information as she confronts the blank, robotic world around her, discovering that others view life through the theme of their own choosing.
With her newly implanted combat and deduction skills, Holly fends off both attacks by terrorists and doubts about her own trustworthiness as clues lead her to her Original - and to the truth about Jonathan. In the end, one body remains and one walks away. Although questions persist, one thing is certain: Life will never be the same.
©2020 Dragonsteel Entertainment and Mary Robinette Kowal (P)2020 Mainframe, LLCWhat listeners say about The Original
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jo
- 23-11-2023
Killer story
Loved it, great pace, great story. Would recommend for anyone who likes to read or listen
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Diana S.
- 17-07-2024
Definitely gives government oversight a far more sinister view
Amazing, mind-bending writing from some amazing authors. This is a story that cannot possibly be perceived as just a story. It will definitely pull on one’s notion of ethics & where actions can be construed in more than one way. My brain will be parsing through all of the potential repercussions of not only the technology used, but the ethical implications it sprouts as well.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Tyler Jimmieson
- 26-09-2020
Cool story, but great production
if you're a Philip K Dick fan you'll find this story scratches the itch. There is considerably more action than PKD writes with but it has the same probing questions throughout, 'what is real? If something is a good enough forgery does it matter?'
And of course, you'll have to come up with the answers.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 23-02-2023
Good twist
We’ll put together it’s an interesting concept. I’d listen to it again or see it as a movie would be good
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jessie
- 14-03-2023
Didn't want it to end!
This was such an original idea that had me entranced from the beginning! I would love to hear more stories from this World. I'm a big Sanderson fan, but this is different from anything else he has written. Awesome story and awesome narration! just wish it was a longer story!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- C.A. Harland
- 28-07-2021
Fantastic
This brilliant story is reminiscent of 1984, where the government sees all, and reality is a matter of perspective.
The narrator does an amazing job, and the production quality is excellent. This is such an immersive audiobook, and just begging for a film deal.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Graeme Stanley
- 18-02-2024
great SciFi ideas, amazing world building!
Loved this! The subtle sound effects add to the great storytelling and narration. 5 stars!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- michael
- 12-04-2023
Very Enjoyable
Great writing and good production/narration. I enjoyed this view of a subtle dystopian future. And a great story of course!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jazzydoll
- 02-04-2024
Fast-paced, immersive short listen that carries you away!
I enjoyed the way that this story developed an alternative reality with seamless ease and without having to suspend too much disbelief. I really appreciate a well thought out world with characters one can relate to.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Billie
- 07-06-2023
Loved
Great storytelling. Very thought provoking and dystopian in a believable way. And I loved the way it was produced. The music/sound effects were constant but used in such a way that they enhanced the experience. It feels like a new way to experience audiobooks. I’m not sure why it feels so new but it really felt as though audio was the primary goal rather than an after thought.
In terms of storytelling it could have been a bit tighter, the second half got a bit muddled. But I was happy to ignore some rough pacing/plotting stuff when the experience was so compelling.
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