The Houses of the Curious
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Narrated by:
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Alexandra Hunter
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By:
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J.W. Bowie
About this listen
Gripping from the first page and the intensity never lets up. The intriguing world painted is imaginative and original." (Indies Today)
Finalist for the 2019 Book Excellence Awards Science Fiction Category.
Decades ago, a band of neurally augmented rebels, the Seventy-Seven, and their leader, Arthur Lannius, helped liberate a remote mountain town from the Perpetual Corporation in a great machine war. Eventually defeated, the Seventy-Seven scattered, and Lannius went into exile without a trace...except for a child.
When memories of a stranger burst into her mind, Aurora learns she is not an ordinary orphan of the war, but that she is augmented and that her past is more than it seems. In discovering her hidden augmentations, she accidentally awakens an old surveillance drone and reignites the dormant war.
Following the signal, Perpetual's mercenaries attack, forcing Aurora and her friends flee into the futuristic world beyond. There they discover a world where augmentations are the norm and imagination flows between people like magic. The future is full of wonder.
But, the safety of their world is short lived. Pursued by Perpetual for the memories that she holds, Aurora must choose a side in a secret war fought by machine armies and a pantheon of fantastic digital beings. Questioning both friend and foe, she wrestles with the memories buried in her mind as the key to a war fought across time.
From award-winning author John Bowie comes a new sci-fi adventure that will forever change the way you look at time and imagination. Book one in the Parallel series.
©2018 J.W. Bowie (P)2022 J.W. BowieListeners also enjoyed...
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2019 Finalist for Book Excellence Awards Science Fiction Category
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- By: Gregory Benford
- Narrated by: Maxwell Caulfield
- Length: 12 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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It is 2019. NASA astronaut Nigel Walmsley is sent on a mission to intercept a rogue asteroid on a collision course with Earth. Ordered to destroy it, he instead discovers that it is actually the shell of a derelict space probe - a wreck with just enough power to emit a single electronic signal….
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Like some Space with your Soaps?
- By Bradley on 05-15-12
By: Gregory Benford
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The Dragon's Egg
- Dragonfall, Book 1
- By: David A. Wells
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 11 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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Seventy-five years ago, the dragons fell from the sky. We thought they were just meteorites - six terrifying explosions rang the world like a bell. When the dust settled, we went on with our lives as though nothing had happened. More than a decade later, five of the eggs hatched. The dragons that emerged were small and weak. They kept to the shadows, working in secret to persuade people to do their bidding, offering magic as payment and reward. Years passed...and still we didn't notice the evil growing in our midst.
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Acting out of character
- By Skipper on 01-27-18
By: David A. Wells
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The Kingdom Keepers
- Disney after Dark
- By: Ridley Pearson
- Narrated by: Gary Littman
- Length: 6 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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Using a cutting-edge technology called DHI - which stands for both Disney Host Interactive and Daylight Hologram Imaging - Finn Whitman, an Orlando teen, and four other kids are transformed into hologram projections that guide guests through the park. The new technology turns out, however, to have unexpected effects that are both thrilling and scary. Soon Finn finds himself transported in his DHI form into the Magic Kingdom at night. Is it real? Is he dreaming? Finn’s confusion only increases when he encounters Wayne, an elderly Imagineer who tells him that the park is in grave danger.
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Awful narration
- By Kelsey on 06-14-17
By: Ridley Pearson
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Assassin's Blade
- The White Mage Saga, Book 0
- By: Ben Hale
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 1 hr and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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Renowned for his flawless kills, the Swordsman is one of the most lethal mages on Earth. His reputation for subtlety allows him to command a high price - despite his singular rule. He does not kill innocents. Recently, his employer has been a secretive group known as the Harbingers, whose latest target is not who he seems. Known only as Hawk, the man proves to be an elusive quarry.
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Short but sweet, recommend.
- By Bruce Derflinger on 03-22-21
By: Ben Hale
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Eon
- By: Greg Bear
- Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki
- Length: 17 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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Perhaps it wasn't from our time, perhaps it wasn't even from our universe, but the arrival of the 300-kilometer long stone was the answer to humanity's desperate plea to end the threat of nuclear war. Inside the deep recesses of the stone lies Thistledown: the remnants of a human society, versed in English, Russian and Chinese. The artifacts of this familiar people foretell a great Death caused by the ravages of war, but the government and scientists are unable to decide how to use this knowledge.
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Am Epic Original SciFi Read Worth Your Time...
- By Michael on 07-01-12
By: Greg Bear
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The Event
- By: Nathan Hystad
- Narrated by: Luke Daniels
- Length: 6 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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Cities all around the world reported strange alien vessels descending. Some saw them as the heralds of a new age; others fired everything they had at them. All were taken as the beams lashed down and drew them into the sky. Dean was left behind, seemingly the last man on Earth. A trail of clues left by his dead wife guides Dean on a perilous journey across America and beyond to learn the truth behind the mysterious ships and save humanity from its doom.
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Did not inspire me to get the next book.
- By MD on 12-13-18
By: Nathan Hystad
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The Keepers: The Box and the Dragonfly
- By: Ted Sanders
- Narrated by: Andrew Eiden
- Length: 13 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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From the moment Horace F. Andrews sees the sign from the bus - a sign with his own name on it - everything changes. The sighting leads him underground, to the House of Answers, a hidden warehouse full of mysterious objects. But there he finds only questions. What is this curious place? Who are the strange, secretive people who entrust him with a rare and immensely powerful gift? And what is he to do with it?
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Amazing story!
- By coldcereal on 04-25-18
By: Ted Sanders
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William Wilde and the Necrosed
- By: Davis Ashura
- Narrated by: Nick Podehl
- Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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On a cold winter's night, just shy of his 17th birthday, William Wilde became an orphan. It was a simple car accident that claimed the lives of his family. Eight months later, at the start of his senior year of high school, a beautiful, mysterious girl enters William's life. Captivating and confident, she holds secrets about William's heritage, secrets of which he himself is unaware: rare magic flows in William's veins.
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The magic of STRANGER THINGS and THE MAZE RUNNER
- By Audio Eficionado “I do at least 30 audiobooks a year” on 03-03-18
By: Davis Ashura
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Bright of the Sky
- The Entire and the Rose, Book 1
- By: Kay Kenyon
- Narrated by: Christian Rummel
- Length: 17 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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In a landlocked galaxy that tunnels through our own, the Entire is a bizarre and seductive mix of long-lied quasi-human and alien beings gathered under a sky of fire, called the "bright". A land of wonders, the Entire is sustained by monumental storm walls and an exotic, never-ending river. Over all, the elegant and cruel Tarig rule supreme. Into this rich milieu is thrust Titus Quinn, former star pilot.
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8 hours in, and going no further
- By A reader on 10-02-08
By: Kay Kenyon
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Worldship: Udo the Digger
- Worldship, Book 1
- By: Joshua Gayou
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 14 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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Udo's biggest problem isn't being a digger (that's low class), or staying drunk (that's damn expensive), or avoiding the Dwergaz (they're monsters), or even pissing off the supposed Gods. It's that his reality...well, it isn't what he thought. And now, he can't even afford to drink because his so-called friend Nicz is cutting into his business, digging up tin, iron, and copper. So Udo forms a new plan: clay. After all, clay jars are used to store everything: meat, herbs, and, his personal favorite, ale.
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I am confused.
- By Ahkia on 06-02-20
By: Joshua Gayou
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Code Breakers: Prequel
- By: Colin F. Barnes
- Narrated by: Marc Vietor
- Length: 2 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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Rogue hackers Petal and Gabriel are low on food and water. Their reputation precedes them and they are no longer able to hustle the crime community for supplies. With survival becoming harder, they’re left with no other choice but to accept a risky job from a dangerous individual. The two will have to negotiate with the Tinker - a woman whose reputation for psychotic behaviour is known across the nuclear-blasted Abandoned Lands; infiltrate a town overrun with killers; and recover a cache of exceptionally rare information.
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Good action and plot - terrible world building
- By J. S. Bowers on 12-08-18
By: Colin F. Barnes
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Time Salvager
- By: Wesley Chu
- Narrated by: Kevin T. Collins
- Length: 15 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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Convicted criminal James Griffin-Mars is no one's hero. In his time, Earth is a toxic, abandoned world, and humans have fled into the outer solar system to survive, eking out a fragile, doomed existence among the other planets and their moons. Those responsible for delaying humanity's demise believe time travel holds the key, and they have identified James, troubled though he is, as one of a select and expendable few ideally suited for the most dangerous job in history.
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Thrilling time-traveling adventure full of twists.
- By Daniel on 11-13-15
By: Wesley Chu
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A Thousand Words for Stranger
- Trade Pact Universe, Book 1
- By: Julie E. Czerneda
- Narrated by: Allyson Johnson
- Length: 13 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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This debut science fiction novel is the story of Sira--a woman on the run from the law, from her own people, and from an unknown figure determined to use her for his own ends. Her memory taken from her by a stasis block, she must stay free long enough to regain both her identity and the full use of her telepathic powers. The price of failure may not only be the loss of her own future, but that of her entire race.
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Another GREAT Czerneda book!
- By GraphicsChyk on 12-11-12
What listeners say about The Houses of the Curious
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Amazon Customer
- 06-14-22
Join the curious
This book is outstanding! The story is just what you want from a sci-fi adventure story with a bunch of twists and turns that leave you wanting more. The narrator is perfect! Emersive writing brought out perfectly by the narrator.
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- Michael K.
- 08-10-24
Thought-provoking AI-tale raises big questions
I found 'Houses of the Curious' to present an intriguing blend of science fiction elements, weaving together themes of artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and human consciousness. In my opinion, Bowie's world-building is rather well done, creating a future that feels both advanced and plausible.
The story follows Aurora and her companions on a journey that I found quite engaging. I thought the characters were well-developed, and I found their struggles with identity and purpose in a technologically advanced world relatable.
While the book covers familiar sci-fi territory, I felt it did so in a manner that is fresh and thoughtful. The exploration of AI, particularly the concept of 'Parallel,' was perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the novel for me. It raised some interesting questions about the nature of consciousness and what it means to be human.
After finishing the book, I found myself pondering whether I would consider getting a brain interface for myself, which I believe speaks to the thought-provoking nature of the narrative. Another big question: When will the next book come out?
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- L.A.
- 06-28-22
Couldn’t stop listening
The world and the characters hooked me from the first chapter. Found myself volunteering to go to the store and circling the block, the plot wouldn’t let me go. Mind-bending take on technology, AI, humanity, time…everything one could want from a good Sci Fi book! Like Ursula Le Guin meets Anne Leckie. Still can’t stop thinking about the Houses of the Curious. Narration is on point, and enhanced the story.
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- beth halldorson
- 05-03-23
Amazing world and concepts!
Loved this! Can’t wait for the rest of the series! Haven’t discovered a unique world like this in a long time.
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- MFHRaptor
- 06-26-24
Would make a great animated movie or series!
Verdant imagery and breathtaking descriptions permeate the telling of this thrilling adventure.
It doesn't take long for the action to get going as we follow along our 3 main young protagonists after they stumble upon a great discovery that sparks the adventure which would lead them to their destiny. Events start to quicken, engulfing our heroes and their loved one, as more and more characters get drawn into the ensuing chase.
Complex descriptions of the fictional science and machinations that govern the world require the listener to listen with focused attention in order to understand its nuances. As new characters keep getting added even at later chapters without much introduction, the plot might feel a bit overwhelming. The sci-fi key idea is truly unique, but I hoped the overall plot would be as inventive.
Here we are blessed by a wonderful narrator whose efforts are appreciated as she competently lays out the intricacies of the plot and gives distinct voices to each character. She makes this story an ease to listen.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 10-03-22
Exciting SciFi world building!
This audiobook has a lot to love. Exploring this world through the eyes of each character slowly reveals a world I'm eager to keep learning more about throughout the whole book. The plot is full of mystery and excitement and the ending pays off with a reveal I wasn't expecting, but I was not disappointed by.
The narration is exceptional! I was immediately drawn in by Alexandra Hunter's characterizations and she did a great job of differentiating the long list of unique characters we are introduced to throughout. Each POV established a different tone and perspective and the narration reflected it expertly. If you enjoy good world building that explores the human condition this one is absolutely worth a credit!
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- Dave Carrier
- 07-26-24
Great, imaginative concepts
I really liked the innovative ideas and the cool concepts that the story was built around.
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