The Science Fiction of Ray Bradbury (15+ Books)

The Monster Maker, Morgue Ship, the Irritated People, Pillar of Fire, Zero Hour, a Little Journey, Asleep in Armageddon and Others

By: Ray Bradbury

Narrated by: Peter Coates, Mark Bowen

This collection highlights the imaginative brilliance of Ray Bradbury, one of the most influential voices in science fiction. Spanning over 15 stories, the anthology offers a window into Bradbury's unique ability to blend futuristic ideas with profound human emotions. Featured stories like The Monster Maker, Morgue Ship, The Irritated People, Pillar of Fire, Zero Hour, A Little Journey, and Asleep in Armageddon showcase the author's wide-ranging themes, from space exploration and dystopian futures to the darker sides of human nature.

Each tale brims with Bradbury's signature poetic prose, exploring humanity's fears, dreams, and the unknowns of the universe. The collection's vivid illustrations bring these timeless stories to life, capturing the essence of Bradbury's haunting, yet often hopeful, vision of the future. Whether encountering sinister forces in outer space or reflecting on the fragility of life, this anthology serves as a testament to Bradbury's enduring legacy in speculative fiction.

Perfect for both seasoned fans and newcomers, this collection invites readers to explore the depths of Bradbury's imagination and the impact of his work on science fiction as a whole.

THE MONSTER MAKER

MORGUE SHIP

LAZARUS COME FORTH

DEFENSE MECH

ZERO HOUR

ROCKET SUMMER

JONAH OF THE JOVE-RUN

ASLEEP IN ARMAGEDDON

A LITTLE JOURNEY

THE CREATURES THAT TIME FORGOT

LORELEI OF THE RED MIST

THE IRRITATED PEOPLE

REFERENT

PILLAR OF FIRE

THE SQUARE PEGS

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Mark Bowen's Narration Single-Handedly Ruins This Bradbury Collection – An Absolute Travesty!

Ray Bradbury's science fiction stories are timeless masterpieces – poetic, haunting, and brilliantly imaginative. This collection of 15+ tales had so much potential, and the first narrator, Peter Coates, is nothing short of spectacular. His delivery is smooth, engaging, and perfectly captures Bradbury's lyrical prose, drawing you deep into the worlds of monsters, space voyages, and dystopian chills.
Then... disaster strikes. They switch to Mark Bowen for several stories, and it's like slamming into a brick wall of auditory agony. This guy adds this bizarre, unnecessary upward inflection at the end of nearly EVERY SINGLE SENTENCE, turning straightforward narration into a grating, question-like whine that makes your teeth clench and your blood boil. It's ridiculous – like he's perpetually unsure of what he's reading or trying to sound dramatically mysterious when it's completely uncalled for. Sentences that should flow naturally end on this teeth-cracking lilt that builds fury with every passing minute. He barely sounds like a human speaking; it's robotic, forced, and utterly destroys the immersion.
Who on earth approved this? Why was Mark Bowen allowed to finish narrating even one story, let alone multiple? The contrast with Peter Coates is infuriating – it's like going from a professional symphony to someone screeching on a broken kazoo. I had to skip entire sections just to preserve my sanity, which is a crime when you're dealing with Bradbury's genius.
If you're a die-hard Bradbury fan, read the stories in print instead. This audiobook is sabotaged by one terrible decision in casting. Audible, please consider re-recording Bowen's parts – until then, hard pass!

Horrible performance by Mark Bowen

I love Ray Bradbry stories, and these are good. But I gave up on this book about half way because of the awful performance by Mark Bowen. He narration is nails on a chalkboard to me. For some reason, I don't know if he thinks it's dramatic or "snooty", but he adds strange and awful inflections on some words and particularly on the ends of many sentences. For example, if a sentance is something like "He did it his way" He will pronounce "way" as wah-A-yah with the wierd add-on syllable at the end(with strtong emphasis on the last syllable). I don't know if he thinks it's dramatic, or some attempt at good diction or enunciating clearly, but it is so overdone and COMPLETELY ANNOYING to the point where I won't listen to it. I grit my teeth so hard I'm afraid I'm going to break them. He does this on any number of words and the ends of about half of the sentences he reads. The only thing that saves this book at all is he didn't perform all of the stories. He should not have been allowed to do any.

The second narrator ruined it

I really enjoyed this collection until Mark Bowen started narration. His awkward inflection at the end of sentences is distracting enough that I had to stop listening. Great stories though.

Great collection but narration ruins it.

Mark Bowen’s reading is beyond irritating! I had to stop listening! I love Bradbury but could not finish the book