Interesting Story

This audio has a very interesting storyline. However, sometimes I felt that it wasn’t believable. I think a different narrator would have made for a better audio.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Gemini

Any additional comments?

The discovery of a new planet or life isn't always worth taking a chance to make contact. This was an awesome listen. A very entertaining scfi audiobook.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

May your soul always bear jargon.

Ray Jay Perreault is a classic style writer of science fiction, his work building on character and ideas, challenging thought. This seemingly simple story is, in fact, a challenging tale of change, coexistence and love for others. In order to establish the original way of life on Varo, a planet seemingly circling a sun alone in the distant galaxy, considerable time is spent word holding, establishing the society and politics, agriculture and daily life. The inhabitants are a peaceful people, living in harmony with each other and their sacred soil, to which they will one day return, and which provides everything they need for life. Without personal ambition to rule over others, leaders emerge naturally chosen as needed, but, although respected, they are not higher in the social system, there is no divide between rich and poor and all are fed and housed and comfortable. Life is good.
Then into this world comes a different, invading culture, threatening everything held dear. To survive they must face this new intrusion. To survive, they have to change. After the book's leisurely beginning, the pace increases as the people try to save their place on the planet.that has been their home and comfort back into the depths of time.

Ed Waldorf's narration, whilst being steady and clearly given, is not inspirational, being rather unemotional and far too slow. Increasing the speed helps a little but, combined with some repetition in the text in early stages of the book, his performance could deter some listeners from going beyond this stage into the more action filled sections which follow. Which would be a great pity. This is a book well worth reading.
My thanks to the author for freely gifting me a complementary copy of Gemini. I have read and enjoyed many of his earlier works, such as SIMPOC, and the other associated Virus stories. This one is different but still explores the nature of humanity - even amongst aliens.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Overall Solid Sci-Fi Book

As other reviewers have stated, the book does start off a little slow and the narrator takes some getting used to. However, at some point, I actually enjoyed listening to his reading. The story is actually very riveting and I felt drawn into the battles and story. This is one of those stories that one must really be patient with as the plot and narration do get better and better. Honestly, this is a pretty good book if you have the patience and it is reasonably priced.

I was given a free review copy in exchange for a review, but I hope my true thoughts come out in this review. It's not perfect but it is pretty good.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

May your soil always bear Jabon

This book has an interesting premise and reminded me of some of the early 1950's sci-fi books/movies. However, this interesting idea seemed to have gotten bogged down in a lot of minutiae.

The Raog are a peaceful species and become curious about a possible twin planet. When they send up a satellite to find out if the planet exists, all of that changes.

If I had been reading a physical book instead of listening to it on Audible, I would probably have skipped a lot of it. The first part was rather boring and read more like a technical paper on how to grow the Raog's one crop, Jabon. Also, it was hard to follow the story at times because of the foreign names and the author's style of jumping from place to place a lot without any explanation.

The writing style was also more like a technical paper, without any flow or attempt to draw the reader into the story. And, why oh why, did Mr. Perreault feel that each and every time that a character left, they had to say, "May your soil always bear Jabon"!!!

The narration was OK, but very uninspiring. I don't know if this is due to the style of writing or not. Mr. Waldorph was basically just reading the book aloud without any emotion attached at all.

If you are a diehard sci-fi fan, especially of old style sci-fi, give this a try. I think that the whole story could have been a great novella, but seemed a little long in this format.

I was gifted a copy of this Audible book by the author and chose to review it.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Sci-Fi with Depth and Emotion

Ray Jay Perreault has crafted an exceptional tale that blends philosophy, sociology, and thrilling storytelling. The aliens in Gemini are more than just another species—they are complex, emotional, and relatable. Their evolution through conflict is gripping and makes you ponder deep ethical questions. Ed Waldorph’s narration is excellent, enhancing the emotional depth of the characters. A must-listen for fans of intelligent science fiction!

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

I Tried!

I did try to give Ray Jay Perreault,s book Gemini the benefit of the doubt. It seemed to have all the goods, Sci Fi, Aliens and a compelling story but I kept getting lost in the details and I was not helped by Ed Waldorph's narration. I will try for more of Ray's stories but for me this one was a miss. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

We are not alone

I received a free code for this book.
Enjoyed the story of a culture's first contact with another species with a very different view on life. In places it was rather long winded, but still enjoyable.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Two interesting alien societies in conflict

In a solar system with twin planets orbiting in the same orbit on opposite sides of the star, we meet two alien species, the Raog and the Ora.

The Raog are peaceful, cooperative, with a society that shares out jobs and roles based on ability, not gender or other divisions of society, with the goal being families that grow and thrive. Individual or family wealth isn't a thing they work for. The focus is growing their food crop, jabon. Beyond raising jabon, there are Raog who ask questions about the world and the space beyond it. The main function of their space program is maintaining weather satellites to help in the cultivation of jabon, but Dr. Wong, his son Ornage, and others are asking questions about the wider universe. Dr. Wong thinks he's discovered another planet, on the other side of their sun, and wants to send an uncrewed ship to investigate.

The Raog don't look like humans, but they're bipedal and apparently mammalian.

The Ora are insects.

They have a far more structured, disciplined society than the Ora, and a world that's less bountiful for their needs. They too have figured out that there's another planet, in the same orbit, on the other side of their sun, and they're not engaging in intellectual inquiry. The Ora want to know if the other planet might offer the resources they lack. Their expedition is already set to launch when the Raog satellite shows up. And they're not interested in sharing, or trade.

The Raog are in for some major challenges, that will change their worldview, force them to invent "defensive tools" and fight, and expand their understanding of the universe. Starting with, of course, the fact that they are not alone.

I like the Raog. They're interesting characters, more complex than a brief overview would suggest. They start out naive, but they don't stay that way. At the same time, while their beliefs need to change, they don't let go of their values. The Ora, also, are not just bloodthirsty villains. Some of them, certainly, are not good guys. Yet there are others, all through their society, who aren't happy with the current leaders, and weren't even before the invasion of the Raog's planet, Varo. They want change, and change may be possible for their society.

I listened to the audiobook, and I'm sorry to say that Ed Waldorph is not a terrible narrator, but not a particularly good one, either. It's sometimes difficult to be sure who is intended to be speaking, and there are some Raog words that even by the end I wasn't sure what the intended pronunciation was. I've heard Perreault narrate his own books, and I really would have preferred that he do this one, but obviously that may not have been convenient for him.

Overall, though, Perreault's books are interesting and fun, with the clean, sharp storytelling of the Golden Age of science fiction, without the unfortunate social attitudes of the Golden Age. Strongly recommended.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from the author, and am reviewing it voluntarily.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Real Aliens with Real Struggles

This book is a refreshing break from the usual sci-fi tropes. Instead of the typical super-powered heroes, it focuses on a truly alien species and their realistic journey of growth. Their evolution from innocence to survival is a thought-provoking experience. If you're looking for something unique in sci-fi, give this a read.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!