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Narrated by:
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Kevin Free
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By:
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Salim Lemelle
About this listen
Refresh is an explosive, powerful short story about a near-future dystopia in which citizens can commodify every waking moment of their lives with computer-generated augmented reality. But this ubiquitous, game-changing technology can create dangerous consequences, especially for society’s most vulnerable people.
Welcome to Refresh: With nothing but a pair of computerized contact lenses, the app allows you to immortalize and share your experiences in virtual reality, and to step right into the life of anyone you’d like - for the right price. And in the near-distant future, there is no longer a question of who uses the app, only how: to record and share special occasions, like weddings and vacations? Or to push the envelope toward something more controversial, more shocking, more sinister?
This thought-provoking listen follows a young Black man who, in order to profit from his own marginalization and to make a larger statement, hatches a plan for a confrontation with a police officer that’s sure to capture the attention his profile desperately needs. But when the lines between performance and experience are blurred, is he prepared for the reality of what’s at stake?
Refresh is both a compelling futuristic tale and a gut-wrenching commentary on our world and the reality of being Black in America.
Please note: This audio contains strong language, distressing situations, and descriptions of violence that some listeners may find upsetting. Discretion is advised.
©2020 Salim Lemelle (P)2020 Audible Originals, LLC
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Story
Zachary Quinto - best known for his role as the Nimoy-approved Spock in the recent Star Trek reboot and the menacing, power-stealing serial killer, Sylar, in Heroes - brings his well-earned sci-fi credentials and simmering intensity to this audio-exclusive novella from master storyteller John Scalzi. One day, not long from now, it becomes almost impossible to murder anyone - 999 times out of a thousand, anyone who is intentionally killed comes back. How? We don't know.
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IT'S HARD TO GET MYSTICAL ABOUT YOUR JOB
- By Jim "The Impatient" on 10-05-16
By: John Scalzi
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Strange in Place
- Tales from the Homefront of the New Paranormal
- By: Jonathan Salem Baskin
- Narrated by: Kevin T. Collins, Ellen Archer, Neil Hellegers, and others
- Length: 4 hrs and 16 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
During the pandemic, our homes and apartments have transported us to new places, different experiences, and changed our understanding of ourselves and others. This collection of 12 tales explores those journeys through the lens of fantasy and science fiction, accentuating the strange and unexpected to reveal the relatable, human dimensions of our continuing migration from what’s normal to a new normal...or even paranormal.
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Covid 19 the it so horror
- By Andra on 05-21-21
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The Myth of the Self-Made Man
- By: Ruben Reyes
- Narrated by: Inés del Castillo, Eric Yves Garcia, Christian Barillas
- Length: 51 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
More than a hundred years into the future, as the US approaches its 400th anniversary, Tomas, a young graduate student, searches for the real identity of one of the cyborgs that maintained American homes. He has been haunted for years by an audio clip of a cyborg named Felipe and is intent on writing Felipe’s biography. In the clip, Felipe can only recite that he was made in America, but Tomas must find out: Where was the Self-made Man really from?
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Devastatingly Well Written! A MUST read!
- By Shannon on 04-16-21
By: Ruben Reyes
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The Door to Tamba
- A Short Story
- By: Ishmael Beah
- Narrated by: Maduka Steady
- Length: 51 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Award-winning author and human rights activist Ishmael Beah brings us The Door to Tamba, a powerful story centered on a mining village in West Africa where the destruction of earth and pollution of life impacts the mind, body, and soul of communities. Hindolo, a storyteller, returns to his hometown after 30 years and recalls the solitary and formidable old man who opened his home to him and introduced a world of literature and imagination, which for many years, was his only escape. Hindolo begins writing the stories down on paper stolen from a nearby mine to share with his classmates.
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Excellent
- By Tereza Jenkins on 02-04-24
By: Ishmael Beah
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A Dangerously High Threshold for Pain
- By: Imani Perry
- Narrated by: Imani Perry
- Length: 2 hrs and 18 mins
- Original Recording
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Story
Imani Perry’s Audible Original A Dangerously High Threshold for Pain tells the dramatic story of her ongoing struggle with lupus—an autoimmune disease that attacks multiple organ systems—and what we can all learn from those who are grappling with chronic illness. It’s a powerful and poetic story that evokes the works of Susan Sontag, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and Audre Lorde.
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Powerful
- By Melissa Medley on 03-11-23
By: Imani Perry
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The Armies of Those I Love
- By: Ken Liu
- Narrated by: Auliʻi Cravalho
- Length: 2 hrs and 11 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
For Franny, the end of everything is just the beginning of her adventure. The world as we know it is no more. Cities are mobile. Electricity is rare. Reading is a relic of the past. After an explosive encounter with a mysterious stranger, Franny, a 14-year-old orphan girl, embarks on an epic quest to find the mysterious pilots who steer the cities, hoping that if she finds them, she will get answers about her family's past - and the world's future.
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Not For Me
- By Cindy S on 02-27-21
By: Ken Liu
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The Dispatcher
- By: John Scalzi
- Narrated by: Zachary Quinto
- Length: 2 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Zachary Quinto - best known for his role as the Nimoy-approved Spock in the recent Star Trek reboot and the menacing, power-stealing serial killer, Sylar, in Heroes - brings his well-earned sci-fi credentials and simmering intensity to this audio-exclusive novella from master storyteller John Scalzi. One day, not long from now, it becomes almost impossible to murder anyone - 999 times out of a thousand, anyone who is intentionally killed comes back. How? We don't know.
-
-
IT'S HARD TO GET MYSTICAL ABOUT YOUR JOB
- By Jim "The Impatient" on 10-05-16
By: John Scalzi
-
Strange in Place
- Tales from the Homefront of the New Paranormal
- By: Jonathan Salem Baskin
- Narrated by: Kevin T. Collins, Ellen Archer, Neil Hellegers, and others
- Length: 4 hrs and 16 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
During the pandemic, our homes and apartments have transported us to new places, different experiences, and changed our understanding of ourselves and others. This collection of 12 tales explores those journeys through the lens of fantasy and science fiction, accentuating the strange and unexpected to reveal the relatable, human dimensions of our continuing migration from what’s normal to a new normal...or even paranormal.
-
-
Covid 19 the it so horror
- By Andra on 05-21-21
-
The Myth of the Self-Made Man
- By: Ruben Reyes
- Narrated by: Inés del Castillo, Eric Yves Garcia, Christian Barillas
- Length: 51 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
More than a hundred years into the future, as the US approaches its 400th anniversary, Tomas, a young graduate student, searches for the real identity of one of the cyborgs that maintained American homes. He has been haunted for years by an audio clip of a cyborg named Felipe and is intent on writing Felipe’s biography. In the clip, Felipe can only recite that he was made in America, but Tomas must find out: Where was the Self-made Man really from?
-
-
Devastatingly Well Written! A MUST read!
- By Shannon on 04-16-21
By: Ruben Reyes
-
The Door to Tamba
- A Short Story
- By: Ishmael Beah
- Narrated by: Maduka Steady
- Length: 51 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Award-winning author and human rights activist Ishmael Beah brings us The Door to Tamba, a powerful story centered on a mining village in West Africa where the destruction of earth and pollution of life impacts the mind, body, and soul of communities. Hindolo, a storyteller, returns to his hometown after 30 years and recalls the solitary and formidable old man who opened his home to him and introduced a world of literature and imagination, which for many years, was his only escape. Hindolo begins writing the stories down on paper stolen from a nearby mine to share with his classmates.
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Excellent
- By Tereza Jenkins on 02-04-24
By: Ishmael Beah
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A Dangerously High Threshold for Pain
- By: Imani Perry
- Narrated by: Imani Perry
- Length: 2 hrs and 18 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Imani Perry’s Audible Original A Dangerously High Threshold for Pain tells the dramatic story of her ongoing struggle with lupus—an autoimmune disease that attacks multiple organ systems—and what we can all learn from those who are grappling with chronic illness. It’s a powerful and poetic story that evokes the works of Susan Sontag, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and Audre Lorde.
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Powerful
- By Melissa Medley on 03-11-23
By: Imani Perry
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Some People Have Real Problems
- By: Brit Bennett
- Narrated by: Tessa Thompson
- Length: 33 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
A darkly funny short story about one woman’s reflections on the routes she’s taken through life and the detours she’s made along the way. Doubts and guilt swirl through her mind as she rides the train to her fertility appointment. Each stop stirs up introspective thoughts on her marriage, the loss of her baby, and the lover who got away—contemplations that push her ever closer to wondering if she’s made the right decisions.
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Out of MY head for a bit!
- By Leslie on 02-15-23
By: Brit Bennett
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New Found Land: The Long Haul
- By: Austin Grossman, Neal Stephenson, Sean Stewart
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Evans, Elizabeth Jasicki, Graeme Malcolm, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 37 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Imagine two worlds at war. In one, citizens with jetpacks and ray guns have colonized Venus. In the other, magic reigns supreme, and history turns on swords and spells. Now imagine they have just discovered a third world. Our world. Our timeline of rideshare apps and strip malls is about to become the newest battlefield in the long war between science fiction and fantasy.
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You'll like this if you liked The Zeta Family.
- By Tory Thai on 06-12-21
By: Austin Grossman, and others
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Have at It, Sister
- By: Bill Griffeth
- Narrated by: Bill Griffeth, Ryan Kailbourne, Scott Aiello, and others
- Length: 7 hrs and 17 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Gloria Burtzlaff feared for her life one day back in April of 1991 when her abusive husband, Larry, drunk and violent, slapped her, hit her, and began pelting her with glasses. After he tried to drown her in a tub, she got the family shotgun and confronted him in his underwear. “Larry, I’m going to kill you,” she declared. Defense lawyers would later claim he lifted a glass as if to say, “Have at it, sister.” Have at It, Sister is a true-crime tale about Gloria, a South Dakota woman who shot her abusive husband and was put on trial in a precedent-setting case.
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Thank you
- By Shelly W. on 09-02-22
By: Bill Griffeth
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Intelligent Design
- An Audible Original Drama
- By: David Spicer
- Narrated by: Kingsley Ben-Adir, Edward Bluemel, Erin Doherty
- Length: 3 hrs and 53 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Story
At a shadowy company (Karoli Robotics Corporation) owned by a Sillicon Valley billionaire, a scientist named Jim creates an AI that can fool the Turing test at the same time as his colleague, Daniel, successfully synthesizes DNA in a test tube. Daniel's attempts to reanimate dead chimps using his discovery have been unsuccessful, but when his friend Laura Bocelli is killed by being trapped inside a lab freezer, Daniel is presented with the perfect specimen. However, Laura is irreparably brain dead.
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Can't recommend
- By pondo on 01-25-20
By: David Spicer
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The Narrator
- By: K. L. Slater
- Narrated by: Clare Corbett, Kristin Atherton
- Length: 8 hrs and 5 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
When the call came it seemed like the answer to my prayers. My career as a voice actor had been over for months and me and my little girl Scarlet were living back at my mum’s place. I felt like a failure professionally—and with Scarlet having problems at school, as a parent as well. So, when I was asked to narrate a new book by disappeared novelist Philippa Roberts I jumped at the chance, even if it meant leaving Scarlet with my ex, Hugo, for a few weeks. Hugo, with his perfect new home and his perfect new girlfriend Saskia. But this isn’t a dream come true. It’s a nightmare.
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Love but it's a production issue!
- By Mary on 09-02-22
By: K. L. Slater
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Stranded
- By: Chris Bruno, David Howard Lee, Shukri R. Abdi
- Narrated by: Taraji P. Henson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Blake Griffin, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 7 mins
- Original Recording
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Separated by 10 years, 3,000 miles, and the unrelenting stresses of adulthood, best friends Janet and Serena plan a 40th birthday girls’ trip to reconnect. But after a massive crash, they’re the only survivors to wash ashore on an uncharted Caribbean Island. Armed with only the clothes on their backs and zero survival skills, they fight to overcome hunger, thirst, deadly wildlife—and most terrifyingly—decades of accrued resentment. Can they find their way home, or will they kill each other first?
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Get ready to Laugh
- By Lasheree McFarlane on 11-08-24
By: Chris Bruno, and others
What listeners say about Refresh
Highly rated for:
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Moose S
- 01-10-21
Brilliant story!
I can’t wait for your next story Salim! I did not see that ending coming
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6 people found this helpful
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- Lola
- 03-09-21
So Incredibly Innovative
Such a creative idea. I’m really shaken by the storyline and the narration. Just overall great.
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1 person found this helpful
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- OwlLover
- 02-08-21
Could be a series
It's a short story that could easily be a full sci-fi novel or tv series. It presents a believable future and raises questions about the utility and abuse of technology and the ways we respond to injustice and need.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 02-17-21
Great premise, well realized with a believable end
An interersting extrapolation of trends in social media with a very beliveable if ironic resolution.
Well narrated.
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- Ken Lang
- 02-22-22
A Very Thoughtful and Enjoyable Listen
First off, the narrator was wonderful. Very easy and enjoyable to listen to. This story was surprisingly thought-provoking, engaging, and well done. It packs a lot into a short piece of fiction and it will leave you thinking about the truth of it for days. Highly recommend.
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- Amazon Customer
- 01-17-21
Not "could have" been...it WAS good
I am so confused about what a prior reviewer complaining of foul language was spouting off about. I didn't encounter anything at all like that in this story which was both captivating and jarring at the same time. Loved it, glad I listened.
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8 people found this helpful
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- Jason D.R.
- 01-24-21
Quick, engaging, poignant
Captures your attention immediately. Wonderful commentary on current societal issues regarding technology, privacy and more.
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- Cindy Rizzuto
- 03-05-21
Really enjoyed this
I was only able to give this short story a single star in all categories but I would have gone with 5 stars. It was a good story. It could be taken even further, expanding on at least 5 subjects: technology/ai, police brutality, black lives matter, lgbtq+, relationships between the elderly and their children in the "new age", how people make money in the "new age". It was fascinating!
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- Mistina
- 10-28-22
I don’t know…
It was good. But pretty depressing. Maybe because the future presented here seems so possible.
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- jennifer
- 11-09-23
Interesting storyline
This is a very interesting storyline. This could definitely be turned into a series, book or movie, I would love more.
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