Ammonite Audiobook By Nicola Griffith cover art

Ammonite

Preview

Try for $0.00
Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.

Ammonite

By: Nicola Griffith
Narrated by: Gabra Zackman
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $21.49

Buy for $21.49

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

Change or die: the only options available on the Durallium Company-owned planet GP.

The planet's deadly virus had killed most of the original colonists - and changed the rest irrevocably. Centuries after the colony had lost touch with the rest of humanity, the Company returned to exploit GP, and its forces found themselves fighting for their lives. Afraid of spreading the virus, the Company had left its remaining employees in place, afraid and isolated from the natives.

Then anthropologist Marghe Taishan arrived on GP, sent to test a new vaccine against the virus. As she risked death to uncover the natives' biological secret, she found that she, too, was changing, and realized that not only had she found a home on GP - she herself carried the seeds of its destruction...

©2002 Nicola Griffith (P)2020 Tantor
Adventure Epic Epic Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Science Fiction Thought-Provoking

What listeners say about Ammonite

Highly rated for:

Unique Storyline Compelling Characters Thought-provoking Themes Vivid World-building Philosophical Exploration
Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    90
  • 4 Stars
    30
  • 3 Stars
    14
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    2
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    85
  • 4 Stars
    18
  • 3 Stars
    10
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    76
  • 4 Stars
    20
  • 3 Stars
    14
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    3

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Better then I first thought!

This book was very interesting, it made you think about a lot regarding humans and what it is to be a woman & a different way of life. The author did a great job explaining all the different ideas and made you really see a clear picture of what they were going through. I really enjoyed this book! It was a great unexpected find!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Going native among feral Amazonians

Nicola Griffith's Ammonite is a tale of planetary colonization with a twist. The planet GP was originally colonized centuries in the past but lost contact with Earth. The story begins after its rediscovery by a 'sinister' company only to learn that an endemic viral disease kills 100% of men and 80% of women. More surprising is that female descendants still survive without any explanation. The survey group now consisting only of women has been quarantined. An anthropologist arrives to study the indigenous population as well as test a new vaccine for the disease. She travels about and eventually goes native with several harrowing experiences and finally learns the 'secret' of single sex species.

While there's much to recommend in the sci-fi elements, there are also glaring discrepancies. Given the assumed span of time (at least a century or two for the development of interstellar travel) and then what can only be assumed as at least 3 - 5 centuries of separation between the original colonization and the present day in the tale, it would seem that knowledge of immunology had also devolved over that time. Taking daily or even daily pills is not a vaccine, but rather a prophylaxis treatment. And while there is some mention of T cell epitopes, the idea of testing a vaccine with one individual is pretty ridiculous. As for the devolved humans, the variety of cultures from polytheistic to reasonable was a welcome occurrence. On the other hand, while English as a language survived, the written word was entirely lost without explanation. Finally, providing a viral etiology for mentally focused genetic engineering as well as faculties more akin to fantasy tales with liberal use of hallucinogens was a stretch. Lastly, the portrayal of the company as sinister and evil was without any background or context.

The narration was well done with good character distinction and pacing aligned with the plot.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

An Absolute Treasure

What a gorgeous book; earnest and meaningful, beautifully written and narrated. An absolute treasure of a read that will stay with me for a long while.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Echoes of Ursula K. Le Guin, Clarke, C.J. Cherryh

This was a thought-provoking, philosophical tale of courage and aching, bleak beauty. Marg is a compelling character, insightful and with a rock-hard dignity that drives this tale of a world both like and unlike Earth. Griffith delicately balances the anthropological observation with a deeply personal and harrowing tale of a woman in search of herself. At times I would have sworn I was listening to/reading some of the best work of Cherryh, Clarke, and Le Guin. Well deserving of all the accolades. The reading and voice acting of the audio version was superb and nuanced.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Soulful, stirring and deeply engaging

I don’t see this book featured on many “top sci fi” lists, but I truly feel it deserves a place.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent & Engaging

It’s clear that NG is very interested in deep world building, with characters that the reader experiences as whole people. Reading this book gave me such insight into her as a writer, but too, it stands alone as an entire creation into itself. Selfishly, I would love a sequel—but I am also left satisfied.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Stunningly refreshing

I had no expectations when I started this book, but it grabbed me and brought me on a unique, surprisingly comfortable journey. I w ok t spoil it, but I do recommend it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Exceptionally good!

Loved the theme, situations, diversity of characters, behaviors, and outcomes. So.well.done. Women in all variety of human behaviors - as in real life, as diverse as men.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Women Are People

I love this book and maybe the best part of all was the two minute epilogue by the author. Yes, "women are people". Uese contain everything that is in humanity, both good and bad. And on this planet women begin to become even more.
Reading this in the Time of Covid, it is also wonderful to imagine a virus that would be evolutionary and help us become more alive. I would love to see that beautiful planet, drink the tea, send message by birds, listen to the stories -- if I could survive the serious difficulties as did Marg, who discovered herself there.
The narration was great; it's narration like this that makes me really enjoy Audible books.
The story had several interwoven threads/perspectives but still was easy to follow in audible form. Highly recommended.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

great audiobook

really liked this book and I wish there was a sequel to listen to. highly recommend.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!