
Sunnyside
A Novel
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed

Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $19.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Rob Dircks
-
By:
-
Rob Dircks
About this listen
“GET OFF MY LAWN.”
They just stood there. In the dark. On his grass. Three punks. They were always there, roaming the streets, kicking over trash cans, spray painting the train underpass, throwing eggs on Halloween, a stain on his otherwise bucolic Ridgewood, New Jersey neighborhood. Once they left a bag of dog crap on his front porch and set it on fire. He almost stepped in it. But for some reason this new thing, the just standing there, pissed him off even more. Like they owned his lawn. Pot-smoking punks.
So begins the journey of Theo Hoover, disgruntled history repairman, who accidentally becomes Grand Oversee -- humanity's supreme leader -- managing the terraforming of Sunnyside, mankind's potential new home planet. But people are dying. And aliens are coming. And his brother is missing. And Kate Kingston of all people has been assigned his Chief of Staff. Oh, and that chaos is only the beginning, as the fate of Sunnyside – and humanity – comes to rest in Theo's shaky hands.
With Sunnyside, Rob Dircks (#1 Audible Bestselling author of You're Going to Mars! and Where the Hell is Tesla?) has crafted a science fiction story with a dry, constant thread of humor -- but also a brotherhood story, a friendship story, a love story, a story about loss and letting go, and a story about our absurdities and whether we can overcome them -- or if we even should. The Black List describes it as "a distant future filled with irony, madcap characters, spaceships, a few bureaucratic conspiracies and an utterly unique voice with a pace and energy that moves at warp-speed.”
And the story is timely: it explores a world where bureaucracy is so tangled it gives rats' nests a bad name, and corruption is rampant. BUT… it offers much needed hope (and a well-deserved escape) in our “interesting” times. Enjoy the book!
©2025 Rob Dircks (P)2025 Rob DircksListeners also enjoyed...
-
Dead Tired I
- By: RavensDagger
- Narrated by: Justin Thomas James, Dorrie Sacks, Tiana Camacho, and others
- Length: 9 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the distant past, a time of magic and swordplay, there lived Harold, the mightiest lich of all, a master of arcane sciences, and a challenger of gods. After reaching the pinnacle of his power and finding it surprisingly bland, Harold waged a cataclysmic war against the gods, aiming to shatter the very system that confined him.
-
-
could have been awesome...
- By Resowo on 01-17-24
By: RavensDagger
-
Listen to the Signal: Short Stories, Volume 1
- By: Rob Dircks
- Narrated by: Rob Dircks
- Length: 4 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Back when I started this project, I was thinking what the heck, writing a few short stories will keep me fresh, let me try things I might not try otherwise, act as a sketch book of my story ideas: the funny, the weird, the scary, the sappy, and sometimes all of that mashed up together.
-
-
Optimistic scifi - get yours here!
- By Julie W. Capell on 04-17-19
By: Rob Dircks
-
Backyard Starship: Origins 2
- By: J.N. Chaney, Terry Maggert
- Narrated by: Neill Thorne, John Pirhalla
- Length: 1 hr and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Get ready to experience two more origin stories in the Backyard Starship universe.
-
-
Character of main person is environment dependent.
- By George Riley on 12-28-24
By: J.N. Chaney, and others
-
Good Boys: The Lost Tribe
- Good Boys, Book 1
- By: Jeremy Robinson
- Narrated by: Tom Taylorson
- Length: 11 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the serene backdrop of New Hampshire's Franconia Notch, Micah Taylor, an ex-Army Ranger, finds solace with his loyal golden retriever, Grover. Their peaceful existence is suddenly shattered when a first date with his old friend, Jess Bender, takes an unexpected turn. Bright lights descend from the sky, leading them into the dark woods and a shocking discovery: the Kylonari, an advanced alien species with a special connection to Micah, here on a quest to find "The Lost Tribe"—a colony that vanished millennia ago.
-
-
What a Fun Ride!
- By CarterFSU on 08-22-24
By: Jeremy Robinson
-
Peacemaker Wars
- Peacemaker Wars: A Backyard Starship Series
- By: J.N. Chaney, Terry Maggert
- Narrated by: Tom Taylorson
- Length: 14 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In a single act of courage, the young American grunt saves an interstellar soldier from certain death at the hands of a vicious killer. Afterward, she promises to show him the stars. Mark will begin his new life far away from Earth—a life not so different from that of a humble soldier. Out among the asteroids, he learns of swords and honor, starships and empires. He learns what it means to be a Peacemaker. Along the way, he's joined by Perry, his combat AI companion who helps Mark learn how to survive—and earn a living—among the stars.
-
-
Such an awesome start back at the beginning
- By Tom on 02-05-24
By: J.N. Chaney, and others
-
The President's Brain Is Missing
- A Tor.Com Original
- By: John Scalzi
- Narrated by: P. J. Ochlan
- Length: 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The question is, how can you tell the President's brain is missing? And are we sure we need it back?
-
-
Not my cup of tea (Kelly SAID)
- By Kelly A McDermott on 09-15-19
By: John Scalzi
-
Dead Tired I
- By: RavensDagger
- Narrated by: Justin Thomas James, Dorrie Sacks, Tiana Camacho, and others
- Length: 9 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the distant past, a time of magic and swordplay, there lived Harold, the mightiest lich of all, a master of arcane sciences, and a challenger of gods. After reaching the pinnacle of his power and finding it surprisingly bland, Harold waged a cataclysmic war against the gods, aiming to shatter the very system that confined him.
-
-
could have been awesome...
- By Resowo on 01-17-24
By: RavensDagger
-
Listen to the Signal: Short Stories, Volume 1
- By: Rob Dircks
- Narrated by: Rob Dircks
- Length: 4 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Back when I started this project, I was thinking what the heck, writing a few short stories will keep me fresh, let me try things I might not try otherwise, act as a sketch book of my story ideas: the funny, the weird, the scary, the sappy, and sometimes all of that mashed up together.
-
-
Optimistic scifi - get yours here!
- By Julie W. Capell on 04-17-19
By: Rob Dircks
-
Backyard Starship: Origins 2
- By: J.N. Chaney, Terry Maggert
- Narrated by: Neill Thorne, John Pirhalla
- Length: 1 hr and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Get ready to experience two more origin stories in the Backyard Starship universe.
-
-
Character of main person is environment dependent.
- By George Riley on 12-28-24
By: J.N. Chaney, and others
-
Good Boys: The Lost Tribe
- Good Boys, Book 1
- By: Jeremy Robinson
- Narrated by: Tom Taylorson
- Length: 11 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the serene backdrop of New Hampshire's Franconia Notch, Micah Taylor, an ex-Army Ranger, finds solace with his loyal golden retriever, Grover. Their peaceful existence is suddenly shattered when a first date with his old friend, Jess Bender, takes an unexpected turn. Bright lights descend from the sky, leading them into the dark woods and a shocking discovery: the Kylonari, an advanced alien species with a special connection to Micah, here on a quest to find "The Lost Tribe"—a colony that vanished millennia ago.
-
-
What a Fun Ride!
- By CarterFSU on 08-22-24
By: Jeremy Robinson
-
Peacemaker Wars
- Peacemaker Wars: A Backyard Starship Series
- By: J.N. Chaney, Terry Maggert
- Narrated by: Tom Taylorson
- Length: 14 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In a single act of courage, the young American grunt saves an interstellar soldier from certain death at the hands of a vicious killer. Afterward, she promises to show him the stars. Mark will begin his new life far away from Earth—a life not so different from that of a humble soldier. Out among the asteroids, he learns of swords and honor, starships and empires. He learns what it means to be a Peacemaker. Along the way, he's joined by Perry, his combat AI companion who helps Mark learn how to survive—and earn a living—among the stars.
-
-
Such an awesome start back at the beginning
- By Tom on 02-05-24
By: J.N. Chaney, and others
-
The President's Brain Is Missing
- A Tor.Com Original
- By: John Scalzi
- Narrated by: P. J. Ochlan
- Length: 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The question is, how can you tell the President's brain is missing? And are we sure we need it back?
-
-
Not my cup of tea (Kelly SAID)
- By Kelly A McDermott on 09-15-19
By: John Scalzi
-
Slow Time Between the Stars
- The Far Reaches Collection
- By: John Scalzi
- Narrated by: Kay Eluvian
- Length: 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Equipped with the entirety of human knowledge, a sentient ship is launched on a last-ditch journey to find a new home for civilization. Trillions of miles. Tens of thousands of years. In the space between, the AI has plenty of time to think about life, the vastness of the universe, everything it was meant to do, and—with a perspective created but not limited by humans—what it should do.
-
-
Lovely story! Lovely performance
- By Lisa on 06-28-23
By: John Scalzi
-
Outland
- Quantum Earth, Book 1
- By: Dennis E. Taylor
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 10 hrs and 29 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When an experiment to study quantum uncertainty goes spectacularly wrong, physics student Bill Rustad and his friends find that they have accidentally created an inter-dimensional portal. They connect to Outland - an alternate Earth with identical geology, but where humans never evolved. The group races to establish control of the portal before the government, the military, or evildoers can take it away. Then everything changes when the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts in an explosion large enough to destroy civilization and kill half the planet.
-
-
I made myself finish. Glad I did.
- By RJPF on 05-26-19
By: Dennis E. Taylor
-
A Proposal to Die For
- By: Molly Harper
- Narrated by: Amanda Ronconi
- Length: 11 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jessamine Bricker loves a plan. Contingency plans and pros-and-cons lists are her love language, and because of that, her proposal planning business is thriving. But with rent costs rising at her office building, Jess jumps at the chance to plan a proposal between her snobby high school classmate, Diana, and her very wealthy boyfriend, Trenton Tillard…the Fourth.
-
-
Not Molly Harper's Best
- By Lee on 04-23-25
By: Molly Harper
-
Where the Hell Is Tesla?
- A Novel
- By: Rob Dircks
- Narrated by: Rob Dircks
- Length: 5 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
I found the journal at work. Well, I don't know if you'd call it work, but that's where I found it. It's the lost journal of Nikola Tesla, one of the greatest inventors and visionaries ever. Before he died in 1943, he kept a notebook filled with spectacular claims and outrageous plans.
-
-
Had A Blast Listening To This One!
- By Cheri on 08-11-16
By: Rob Dircks
-
Planetside
- By: Michael Mammay
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 8 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
War heroes aren't usually called out of semi-retirement and sent to the far reaches of the galaxy for a routine investigation. So when Colonel Carl Butler answers the call from an old and powerful friend, he knows it's something big - and he's not being told the whole story. A high councilor's son has gone MIA out of Cappa Base, the space station orbiting a battle-ravaged planet. The young lieutenant had been wounded and evacuated - but there's no record of him having ever arrived at hospital command.
-
-
Refreshing Sci-Fi
- By Chris Duemig on 08-01-18
By: Michael Mammay
-
The B-Team
- The Human Division, Episode 1
- By: John Scalzi
- Narrated by: William Dufris
- Length: 2 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Colonial Union Ambassador Ode Abumwe and her team are used to life on the lower end of the diplomatic ladder. But when a high-profile diplomat goes missing, Abumwe and her team are last minute replacements on a mission critical to the Colonial Union’s future. As the team works to pull off their task, CDF Lieutenant Harry Wilson discovers there’s more to the story of the missing diplomats than anyone expected... a secret that could spell war for humanity.
-
-
Obumwe said, Eagan said, Wilson said, Rickney said
- By A Fitts on 01-18-13
By: John Scalzi
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
The Incident
- By: Joshua T. Calvert
- Narrated by: Jamie Renell
- Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On the International Space Station, an unthinkable disaster occurs. Was it an accident? ESA astronaut Thomas Ehrmann and NASA astronaut Patricia Michaels escape in a Soyuz capsule. The Russian authorities in Kazakhstan have questions and want to know what happened to the third member of the crew, Oleg Rashkin. They both refuse to talk. What are they hiding? Amina Young is a psychologist with the ESA. In her mid-thirties, she specialized in and advanced the field of psychological analysis of astronauts. If anyone can get to the facts about the incidents that happened on the mission, it's her.
-
Where the Hell Is Tesla?
- A Novel
- By: Rob Dircks
- Narrated by: Rob Dircks
- Length: 5 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
I found the journal at work. Well, I don't know if you'd call it work, but that's where I found it. It's the lost journal of Nikola Tesla, one of the greatest inventors and visionaries ever. Before he died in 1943, he kept a notebook filled with spectacular claims and outrageous plans.
-
-
Had A Blast Listening To This One!
- By Cheri on 08-11-16
By: Rob Dircks
-
Blowups Happen
- By: Robert A. Heinlein
- Narrated by: Peter Coates
- Length: 1 hr and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Blowups Happen is a 1940 science fiction short story by American writer Robert A. Heinlein. It is one of two stories in which Heinlein, using only public knowledge of nuclear fission, anticipated the actual development of nuclear technology a few years later.
-
-
Knowledge of the author before Trinity
- By TVR on 05-05-25
-
Extinction: A Military Sci-Fi Thriller
- Extinction, Book 1
- By: Michael Simon
- Narrated by: Roger Wayne
- Length: 16 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
At long last, humanity has moved beyond Earth and begun seeding new worlds. Colonies extend across the solar system, from Luna to Mars to Saturn's satellite Titan. Even Jupiter's moon Europa has become home to a couple thousand brave souls willing to risk their lives adapting to its frozen and deadly landscape.
-
-
No thanks
- By Joseph on 05-06-25
By: Michael Simon
-
You're Going to Mars!
- By: Rob Dircks
- Narrated by: Khristine Hvam
- Length: 11 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Living and slaving in Fill City One, you get used to the smell. We call it the Everpresent Stink. But every once in a while, on a spring day with a breeze, it clears away enough to remind us that there is something more out there. Most Fillers' wildest dreams would be just to get past the walls and live in the mainland. But my dream? It’s a little bigger. I’m going to Mars.
-
-
Reviewers Choice Award, its that good
- By Midwestbonsai on 11-13-18
By: Rob Dircks
-
The Wrong Unit
- A Novel
- By: Rob Dircks
- Narrated by: Rob Dircks
- Length: 5 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
I don't know what the humans are so cranky about. Their enclosures are large, they ingest over 1,000 calories per day, and they're allowed to mate. Plus, they have me: an Autonomous Servile Unit, housed in a mobile/bipedal chassis. I do my job well: keep the humans healthy and happy.
-
-
Futuristic journey without a single misstep
- By Julie W. Capell on 10-03-16
By: Rob Dircks
-
The Incident
- By: Joshua T. Calvert
- Narrated by: Jamie Renell
- Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On the International Space Station, an unthinkable disaster occurs. Was it an accident? ESA astronaut Thomas Ehrmann and NASA astronaut Patricia Michaels escape in a Soyuz capsule. The Russian authorities in Kazakhstan have questions and want to know what happened to the third member of the crew, Oleg Rashkin. They both refuse to talk. What are they hiding? Amina Young is a psychologist with the ESA. In her mid-thirties, she specialized in and advanced the field of psychological analysis of astronauts. If anyone can get to the facts about the incidents that happened on the mission, it's her.
-
Where the Hell Is Tesla?
- A Novel
- By: Rob Dircks
- Narrated by: Rob Dircks
- Length: 5 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
I found the journal at work. Well, I don't know if you'd call it work, but that's where I found it. It's the lost journal of Nikola Tesla, one of the greatest inventors and visionaries ever. Before he died in 1943, he kept a notebook filled with spectacular claims and outrageous plans.
-
-
Had A Blast Listening To This One!
- By Cheri on 08-11-16
By: Rob Dircks
-
Blowups Happen
- By: Robert A. Heinlein
- Narrated by: Peter Coates
- Length: 1 hr and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Blowups Happen is a 1940 science fiction short story by American writer Robert A. Heinlein. It is one of two stories in which Heinlein, using only public knowledge of nuclear fission, anticipated the actual development of nuclear technology a few years later.
-
-
Knowledge of the author before Trinity
- By TVR on 05-05-25
-
Extinction: A Military Sci-Fi Thriller
- Extinction, Book 1
- By: Michael Simon
- Narrated by: Roger Wayne
- Length: 16 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
At long last, humanity has moved beyond Earth and begun seeding new worlds. Colonies extend across the solar system, from Luna to Mars to Saturn's satellite Titan. Even Jupiter's moon Europa has become home to a couple thousand brave souls willing to risk their lives adapting to its frozen and deadly landscape.
-
-
No thanks
- By Joseph on 05-06-25
By: Michael Simon
-
You're Going to Mars!
- By: Rob Dircks
- Narrated by: Khristine Hvam
- Length: 11 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Living and slaving in Fill City One, you get used to the smell. We call it the Everpresent Stink. But every once in a while, on a spring day with a breeze, it clears away enough to remind us that there is something more out there. Most Fillers' wildest dreams would be just to get past the walls and live in the mainland. But my dream? It’s a little bigger. I’m going to Mars.
-
-
Reviewers Choice Award, its that good
- By Midwestbonsai on 11-13-18
By: Rob Dircks
-
The Wrong Unit
- A Novel
- By: Rob Dircks
- Narrated by: Rob Dircks
- Length: 5 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
I don't know what the humans are so cranky about. Their enclosures are large, they ingest over 1,000 calories per day, and they're allowed to mate. Plus, they have me: an Autonomous Servile Unit, housed in a mobile/bipedal chassis. I do my job well: keep the humans healthy and happy.
-
-
Futuristic journey without a single misstep
- By Julie W. Capell on 10-03-16
By: Rob Dircks
-
The Meteor
- The Meteor, Book 1
- By: Joshua T. Calvert
- Narrated by: Josh Innerst
- Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Astronaut Lee Rifkin's life is about to change. NASA has done the math. The space object named Cassandra 22007 is not behaving as expected. He will lead a team on a cutting-edge ship to get a closer look. But another group wants to get there first. Who is this shadow organization that seems to be one step ahead of them? Agent Jenna Haynes works to put together the pieces that will pull the veil off those who seem to have known about Cassandra's arrival since long before NASA spotted it. What is their goal?
-
-
Couldn’t finish
- By Audrey G on 05-09-25
-
Love, Death + Robots: The Official Anthology: Volume One
- Love, Death and Robots
- By: Amanda J. Spedding - editor, Geoff Brown - editor, Tim Miller, and others
- Narrated by: full cast
- Length: 10 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The sixteen stories and two screenplays that make up Volume One of the Emmy® Award–winning Netflix Original series Love, Death & Robots.
-
-
Great collection but some were better than others
- By Will Meza on 04-29-25
By: Amanda J. Spedding - editor, and others
-
Android Wars
- By: J.N. Chaney, Jonathan P. Brazee, Thomas Webb
- Narrated by: Tyler Darby
- Length: 11 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After the majority of his body is destroyed during a high-risk operation, Aiden Thorn is subjected to an experimental, potentially lifesaving procedure… one he never tacitly agreed to undergo. With no choice but to see the unorthodox new process through, he accepts his fate and works to adapt to his new life. But when an intergalactic corporation steps in and essentially claims ownership of Aiden and everyone like him, he is forced to do the two things he does best… survive, and fight.
-
-
Poor primary character
- By HJ Hodge on 04-29-25
By: J.N. Chaney, and others
-
Borrowed Time
- By: John Nolte
- Narrated by: Jim Seybert
- Length: 13 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Joshua Mason has been alive for thousands of years. He doesn't know how or why it happened, only that he can die like any man, but will always return. When you live forever, everything you love will die, so he decided long ago to not become attached. That all changed when he met Doreen. With her, he found something more than the woman he loves, after thousands of years of wandering, he found his place in the world. Now she's dying of old age. Distraught, Joshua promises to look after Charlie, Doreen's grandson, who is thirty-six, but forever a child due to a terrible brain injury.
-
-
Great story, compelling characters
- By Amazon Customer on 10-23-23
By: John Nolte
-
Around the Camp-Fire
- By: Sir Charles G. D. Roberts
- Narrated by: David Wales
- Length: 8 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Action and adventure short stories of men and animals in the wild.
-
Trap Line
- A Short Story
- By: Timothy Zahn
- Narrated by: Greg D. Barnett
- Length: 1 hr and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
En route to far-off stars, Toby’s consciousness has a crucial mission: inhabit his clone long enough to repair a spaceship, then zip back to Earth. He’s done it a million times, more or less. OK, twelve times. It should only take a few hours. Until he wakes up in jail. And he’s not alone. His fellow prisoners: a cadre of alien soldiers. His prison: an ethereal boundary that will imprison their spirits until their bodies die. His jailers can’t even see him. But their pet cat (er, iguana cat?) can—and it’s got a serious case of the zoomies.
-
-
Entertaining
- By Vonda on 03-26-25
By: Timothy Zahn
-
The Third Rule of Time Travel
- By: Philip Fracassi
- Narrated by: Abigail Reno
- Length: 9 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Scientist Beth Darlow has discovered the unimaginable. She's built a machine that allows human consciousness to travel through time—to any point in the traveler's lifetime—and relive moments of their life. An impossible breakthrough, but it's not perfect: the traveler has no way to interact with the past. They can only observe. After Beth's husband, the co-creator of the machine, dies in a tragic car accident, Beth is left to raise daughter—and continue the work they started. Mired in grief and threatened by her CEO, Beth pushes herself to the limit to prove the value of her technology.
-
-
This guy is one of the best writers out there
- By Anonymous User on 03-18-25
By: Philip Fracassi
-
Semiosis
- A Novel
- By: Sue Burke
- Narrated by: Caitlin Davies, Daniel Thomas May
- Length: 14 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Only mutual communication can forge an alliance with the planet's sentient species and prove that mammals are more than tools. Forced to land on a planet they aren't prepared for, human colonists rely on their limited resources to survive. The planet provides a lush but inexplicable landscape—trees offer edible, addictive fruit one day and poison the next, while the ruins of an alien race are found entwined in the roots of a strange plant. Conflicts between generations arise as they struggle to understand one another and grapple with an unknowable alien intellect.
-
-
Weird. But good. But weird.
- By Lilyn G. on 03-20-18
By: Sue Burke
-
Ultra 85
- By: Logic
- Narrated by: Steve Blum, Logic
- Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the year 2115, when the Earth is no longer inhabitable, the remainder of humanity lives in Babel, a giant space station. Two pilots, Quentin and Kai, must find the planet Paradise, where only the most promising citizens are allowed to live. On their journey, Quentin and Kai encounter Quentin’s estranged father, who left Babel for Paradise when Quentin was a child, and they discover just how different Paradise is from what they imagined—and how they must change it for the better.
-
-
Steven Blum is the only reason to listen to this.
- By Vash Kimura on 01-08-25
By: Logic
-
The Humans
- A Novel
- By: Matt Haig
- Narrated by: Mark Meadows
- Length: 8 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The critically acclaimed author of The Radleys shares a clever, heartwarming, and darkly insightful novel about an alien who comes to Earth to save humans from themselves. When an extraterrestrial visitor arrives on Earth, his first impressions of the human species are less than positive. But as time goes on, he starts to realize there may be more to this weird species than he has been led to believe. Eventually, the narrator sees hope and redemption in the humans' imperfections and begins to question the very mission that brought him there.
-
-
Light Sci-Fi Fare--You'll Love It!
- By Kathy in CA on 06-29-18
By: Matt Haig
-
Slow Time Between the Stars
- The Far Reaches Collection
- By: John Scalzi
- Narrated by: Kay Eluvian
- Length: 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Equipped with the entirety of human knowledge, a sentient ship is launched on a last-ditch journey to find a new home for civilization. Trillions of miles. Tens of thousands of years. In the space between, the AI has plenty of time to think about life, the vastness of the universe, everything it was meant to do, and—with a perspective created but not limited by humans—what it should do.
-
-
Lovely story! Lovely performance
- By Lisa on 06-28-23
By: John Scalzi
-
When the Moon Hits Your Eye
- By: John Scalzi
- Narrated by: Wil Wheaton
- Length: 10 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For some it’s an opportunity. For others it’s a moment to question their faith: In God, in science, in everything. Still others try to keep the world running in the face of absurdity and uncertainty. And then there are the billions looking to the sky and wondering how a thing that was always just there is now... something absolutely impossible.
-
-
Buyer's Remorse
- By Amy on 03-31-25
By: John Scalzi
What listeners say about Sunnyside
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kris
- 04-24-25
Really good book Rob Dircks
Rob Dircks you are by far my favorite author and narrator. Your books are consistently funny and heartwarming with the best characters. I’m always looking forward to your next release.
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
-
Performance
-
Story
- StandUpNY
- 04-13-25
Rob Dircks does it again - loved it
If you're read Rob Dircks before, prepare for another installment of hilarious belly laughs mixed with heartstring-tugging moments, with real characters that you love navigating a crazy set of circumstances. Bravo, Rob.
If you haven't read Rob Dircks before, you're in for a treat. You love sci-fi, right? But most sci-fi leaves you feeling neutral, perhaps mildly fascinated. Dircks is not satisfied with that - you will laugh out loud, I guarantee. And then you will literally tear up, i swear! Dircks' ability to pull you into the middle of his thoughtful-but-madcap adventures is magic. Rare.
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
-
Performance
-
Story
- Neil H
- 04-15-25
New Rob Dircks book? Say no more - take my credit!
I saw this Saturday and didn't even bother reading the description or listening to the preview - I hit the by button. I downloaded Listen to the Signal as individuals and as the collection on Audible. I've been a fan since The Wrong Unit was released, and whenever I see that Rob has a new audiobook I buy it without a second thought. Still, I'll try to be objective.
Like most of Rob's stuff this is a story about the people. I'm used to his unique sense of humor but was still caught unprepared and laughed out loud quite a few times. OK, enough gushing.
Objectively speaking the story flowed really well. No drawn-out character introductions or backstory. The tech isn't over-explained or handwaved away either. There's just enough of each to move the story, which a bit of a reluctant-hero, coming-of-age, boy-meets-girl, alien-first-contact, good-vs-evil, intermittant-swashbuckling sort of story. And dead-cat jokes.
I genuinely hope that there are sequels, or at least more stories in this universe. I'd like to hear how the aliens get along at their next stop and find out what their names will be then.
Oh, and Urban Curmudgeon really needs to be made into a real game.
The only thing that could have improved this is a puff screen for Rob's mic. That's it.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amanda W.
- 05-06-25
Brilliant— One of Rob Dircks’ BEST!
This is truly a book for the times. Theo’s mix of apathy, optimism, and trepidation over the future of humanity is something a lot of us can relate to right now.
The story is fast-paced and well thought out! It’s hilarious and heartwarming— with a few emotional gut punches that come out of literally nowhere. That’s what I love most about Rob Dircks’ writing— he’ll make you laugh one moment and bawl your eyes out the next. His characters are always relatable (and charmingly bizarre!)
It’s like a mix of You’re Going to Mars and the presidential storyline in Don’t Touch the Blue Stuff. I listened to it in one sitting, and enjoyed every single second of it!
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
-
Performance
-
Story
- magnus
- 05-01-25
This is feelgood and I love it!
It's funny, well written and satisfies my sci-fi need for commenting on social and political issues in the real world
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
-
Performance
-
Story
- DJ
- 04-12-25
Worth the wait!
I’ve been waiting for a new Rob Dircks book for way too long… but this story was totally worth the wait. It has everything I've come to expect from a dircks story - humor (wry, subtle, over the top, even slapstick), and lots of heart, and a great main character in Theo. He’s the classic zero to hero, taking on the challenge of leading humanity with the stumbling earnestness i have come to expect from the author. And the side characters - especially Shaggy - are priceless. The narration of them all was spot on too, and the combination of everything, story, heart, narration was extremely satisfying. Five stars all the way!
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
-
Performance
-
Story
- Paul G
- 04-13-25
Hilarious and Totally Original
This book was so much fun. Aliens, terraforming, and a regular dude who somehow ends up in charge of everything at the worst possible time. It's weird and wacky and just a great ride all the way through. The writing is sharp, the world is nuts, and I laughed more then I expected. Definitely unlike anything I've read in a while.
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
-
Performance
-
Story
- AudioBookReviewer
- 04-15-25
Humor, Action, Irony - Has it all!
Theo Hoover never wanted power—he was perfectly content just fixing history. But when fate (and a bureaucratic mishap) names him Supreme Leader, he’s suddenly responsible for everything: the crumbling colony on Sunnyside, establishing a new home planet for humanity, a failing government, the looming arrival of aliens, deadly conspiracies, and a missing brother. As the absurdity spirals out of control, Hoover must survive a universe where nothing makes sense—and he’s the one expected to fix it.
The author, Rob Dircks has a knack for uncovering humor, irony, love, loss, and connection in even the most unexpected situations, making his stories both entertaining and a true escape from reality. His character and world-building are thoughtful, well-paced, and refreshingly original. The opening character—an old man facing off against destructive Halloween punks—is instantly vivid, relatable, and laugh-out-loud funny. Dircks’ dialogue doesn’t just move the plot forward; it deepens the story and brings his characters to life with charm and nuance.
The narrator brings this entertaining story to life, enhancing each character, scene, and twist as it unfolds. His voice adds clarity, depth, and a strong sense of connection to both the characters and the storyline. It's a well-delivered performance that elevates the storytelling throughout.
This story is a delightful escape—like a breath of fresh air wrapped in laughter—giving listeners a much-needed break to relax, recharge, and just enjoy the ride!
There were no issues with the quality or production of this audiobook.
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
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jon
- 04-21-25
The best book about Photosynthetic Cats, EVER!!
Rob Dircks is back! There are many LOL moments in this zany space adventure. Great characters and fast moving story make this a great listen. If you've read or listened his other works, you know the drill. Buckle up for a fun and funky ride!!
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
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jane
- 05-07-25
Another fun romp from Rob Dircks!
4.5 stars rounded up!
Eight hundred years in the future, what's left of humanity is stranded on star orbiters waiting for the planet "Sunnyside" to be terraformed. Theo is a grouchy History Repair Technician who's pretty sure he knows all the answers to everything that's wrong with life on the star orbiters, and he has no qualms writing endless proposals (aka complaint letters) to the Star Orbiter Council.
When things go shockingly wrong at a special council meeting, Theo suddenly finds himself in the hot seat and has the chance to see if his proposals could actually work. As expected in a story from Dircks, hijinks ensue, and Theo goes from trying to fix minor irritations to trying to save all of humanity.
What I love most about Dircks's stories is that beyond the silly is always some real emotion there, without ever being too sappy. I really enjoyed listening to Sunnyside; it had the right balance of silly and heart. Dircks is also an amazing narrator! I always find it easy to tell characters apart and none of them ever sound ridiculous or annoying. He's got a very soothing voice, so even the most chaotic scenes aren't too over-the-top the way some narrators can get.
My only minor quibble with Sunnyside is that it was too short! The story itself is complete and a great listen, but I loved the world and wanted to spend more time there. I definitely would not have minded if it had been fleshed out with more backstory and "side quests".
If you like the silly stuff from Scott Meyer or John Scalzi, you should definitely give Rob Dircks a listen!
Thanks so much to author Rob Dircks for providing me with a review copy of this audiobook!
P.S. You guys are following this author, right? He regularly shares lots of fun stuff on his blog -- don't miss out ;)
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!