Zodiac Station

By: Tom Harper

Narrated by: Piers Wehener

An extraordinary thriller set at the frozen edge of the world, perfect for fans of Kate Mosse, Michael Crichton and Dan Brown.

In the Arctic Ocean, the US Coast Guard icebreaker Terra Nova batters its way through the pack ice. There shouldn't be anyone near them for hundreds of miles. But then a lone skier, half-dead with cold, emerges out of the snow. His name is Tom Anderson, and he is the only survivor of a disaster at Zodiac Station, a scientific research base deep in the Arctic Circle. He tells an incredible story of scientists and spies, of lust and greed, of jealousy, mayhem and murder. But his tale simply doesn't add up. Whose blood is smeared across his clothes? Why is there a bullet hole through the jacket he's wearing, and why is that jacket labelled with someone else's name? It's clear that more was going on at Zodiac Station than Anderson is telling. And someone else may have survived the disaster, as well. someone who has killed before, and who is willing to kill again.

©2014 Tom Harper (P)2014 Hodder & Stoughton

surprised at how good this was

never heard of the author, so this was a crapshoot for me. I kept expecting it to be awful or at best mediocre. but it just kept getting better. what a happy surprise. and the narrator is first rate. if you're looking for an engaging sci-fi/mystery that won't insult your intelligence, try this one.

Finally, a listen that kept me listening....

Best listen of the summer! Excellent story, well written, and superb narration. Keeps you wondering until the very end. Well worth the credits.

Please Audible, find more of these gems.

Fire or Ice !?

What did you like best about this story?

I love the way the story was told by a number of characters from their journals & other paper works. It created mysteries within mysteries that kept my attention and interest all the way.

Which scene was your favorite?

The very end of Tom's journal; I won't say anything else here, or it will be a giveaway.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

the final chapters of the book as they unfolded, gave resolution to the to the previous chapters in a most unexpected way.

Any additional comments?

This book is not a simple thriller, where what you see is what you get. Rather it's quite the opposite.The writing of Tom Harper, was nicely achieved and gave gravity to an excellent performance by, Piers Wehener. I have not heard of this narrator before, but will be looking out for his other works. The story weaves this way and that, told from a number of viewpoints until you're at a loss as to who the protagonist might be. It kept my interest all the while with each character shedding some light on the situation and each other. However it's not until quite near the end until the whole story comes together in a most unexpected way that almost left me gasping. I liked the ending which left as many questions unanswered as those that had been answered. I recommend this book for those who enjoy a wonderful mystery suspense but where your ability to collate facts and your own mental creativity is not put on hold and becomes an intrinsic part of the denouement and final resolution - especially. Highly recommended\

Unexpectedly Good

This was a well written story. You had to pay attention, and the story is told from a number of viewpoints, so you need to concentrate as well. There were many unexpected twists in the plot. I found the characters believable.

Hand my jacket, will you please?

What made the experience of listening to Zodiac Station the most enjoyable?

The performance by Piers Wehener was truly a highlight, but the overall twists and turns in the story arc was compelling. I really didn't see how the story was to resolve until the very end.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Zodiac Station?

The conclusion has so many angles and asymetric ideas, it grabbed me.

What does Piers Wehener bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

His accents and emotions are very impression.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The internal dialogue by our hero is thoughtful and realistic.

Any additional comments?

I was moved by this book , which, for a protypical Arctic thriller, is unusual. Very impressive and well worth the credit.

Good plot, interestingly told

I enjoyed the story. It's got a very twisty plot with a bit of an homage to one of literature's greatest horror novels (I won't say which, because that will give away the story). The setting is well described, eerie and tension-filled. It's a tale narrated through a number of different character's POVs and documents, which makes the pacing slightly odd, but helps to keep you on the edge of your seat and guessing.

The one part of the story I thought was a big of a let-down was the rather superficial, convenient characterizations. There are some really intriguing characters in the story and I thought they could have been better fleshed out. I got the feeling they were left tenuous in order to allow the plot more flexibility. When I can see that in a story, it bothers me a little.

Nonetheless, as a thriller/murder mystery, it makes for good listening.

A Thriller with a totally unexpected outcome

What made the experience of listening to Zodiac Station the most enjoyable?

I could not guess the outcome and kept trying to figure out where it was going. Just when you think you have a handle on the story it twists another way. Lots of fun!

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Though there were a few segments that dragged a bit, it still kept me hooked trying to figure out what was coming next. I liked that the story was approached from different points of view, each one differing from the other.

Have you listened to any of Piers Wehener’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I haven't heard him before but I really liked his performance. He is excellent with different voices (male and female and different ethnic accents).

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

I'm not sure. There is so much to this story that it would be hard to put it in one tag line.

Any additional comments?

I really loved how the author created each occurrence from differing points of view and changed the whole story by how each person viewed the events from their individual perspective. I also learned a lot about how genetics sequencing works from his uniquely simplistic model of Lego blocks being put together. Great ending and totally unexpected.

Really good narration.

Any additional comments?

Was a good suspenseful story, told from all angles. Piers Weherner is an excellent narrator.

Winter Mystery/Drama

I finished the book.
Found it mostly interesting and enjoyed the setting.
Did not share Darwinist viewpoints or appreciate slams against traditional theism, but was able to overlook it.

In audio format the occasional non-linear interludes caused me to lose my place in the novel, but was otherwise and okay story.

obfuscatory

I enjoyed this book . . . in spots. The setting is interesting, the plot is interesting, the characters have a lot going on. The author, though, tells the story in a convoluted way that obscures many of the better qualities of the tale in favor of creating ambiguity and conflict . . . not conflict between characters so much as between versions of the truth. Much of this is realistic, created by the setting and the difficulty of communication, but much of it is a storyteller's conceit, creating confusion and delaying its resolution to pad the narrative and frustrate the reader, along the lines of a television series in its tenth year, when the writers have run out of ideas and the narrative turns mostly meta.

So it's a good book, but it requires some active listening to keep the plot lines disentangled, and walks the thin line of asking too many times if the effort is worth it.