In Robert J. Sawyer's novel Rollback, aliens send us a message - but what does it mean?
Posted on September 09 at 08:00 AM
In 2009, scientist Sarah Halifax decoded the first-ever radio message received from aliens. Now, almost four decades later, a second message has come. But at 87, Sarah may not have enough strength left to read it, let alone respond.
In Rollback, award-winning science fiction author Robert J. Sawyer explores the moral complexities of communicating with aliens and of extending human life. The story is told from the point of view of Sarah's husband, Don Halifax. He is beginning life anew in the body of a 25 year old, while his wife is staring death in the face and desperately trying to decipher a message from outer space in the time she has left.
This Between the Covers podcast of the book is read by Alessandro Juliani, fresh from the set of Battlestar Galactica.
Episode one: A second radio transmission comes from Sigma Draconis and Sarah, who decoded the first one more than 40 years ago, is now 87.
Episode two: The encoding of the alien transmission is unlike the first one, and no one has a clue how to decipher it.
Episode three: Billionaire Cody McGavin offers Sarah and Don a radical solution.
Episode four: If Sarah and Don can be rejuvenated, Sarah will be able to maintain a dialogue with Sigma Draconis.
Episode five: Sarah and Don undergo the rejuvenation, or "rollback."
Each episode of Between the Covers is between 15 and 17 minutes. If you missed previous podcasts you can download them at the Between the Covers podcasts. If you’re interested in readings of other Canadian books, check out the Hear A Reading page on the Between the Covers site.
It’s the end of the line for Guy Vanderhaeghe’s The Last Crossing
Posted on September 02 at 08:00 AM
We’ve reached the final episodes of Guy Vanderhaeghe’s frontier tale The Last Crossing (McClelland & Stewart). At this point in the story, Charles is still in the British territories that will one day become the Canadian prairie provinces.
His elder brother Addington has died fighting a grizzly bear and Charles has fallen in love with a young widow, Lucy Stoveall. He still hasn’t found his missing twin, Simon, but there is one final clue.
Episode 19: Charles and Simon are reunited with startling results.
Episode 20: Charles finally discovers what Custis Straw has been trying to tell him.
Each episode of Between the Covers is between 15 and 17 minutes. If you missed previous podcasts you can download them at the Between the Covers podcasts. If you’re interested in readings of other Canadian books, check out the Hear A Reading page on the Between the Covers site.
Family, betrayal, glory, and madness —The Last Crossing has it all
Posted on August 27 at 08:00 AM
Guy Vanderhaeghe’s novel The Last Crossing (McClelland &Stewart) is full of eccentric characters. It’s set in the late 19th century in what will eventually become the Canadian West.
After months of searching for his missing twin, Charles Gaunt is almost at the end of his rope. His older brother Addington is behaving even more outrageously than usual, adopting a great hunter act that hides a vicious streak Charles does his best to avoid. Most of the other members of the search party are sure Simon is dead and Charles’s only comfort is Lucy Stoveall.
Episode 16: Charles and Lucy try to go to a ball at Fort Edmonton.
Episode 17: Addington Gaunt meets his grizzly bear.
Episode 18: Charles meets someone who knows what happened to Simon.
Each episode of Between the Covers is between 15 and 17 minutes. If you missed previous podcasts you can download them at the Between the Covers podcasts. If you’re interested in readings of other Canadian books, check out the Hear A Reading page on the Between the Covers site.
The fate of the search party hangs in the balance in this instalment of The Last Crossing
Posted on August 19 at 08:00 AM
Guy Vanderhaeghe’s The Last Crossing (McClelland & Stewart) takes us into the wilds of the Canadian West as an odd assortment of characters link up to find a missing Englishman.
At this point in the story the search party has endured many hardships. Charles is at his wit’s end trying to keep people from each other’s throats so they can help him find his brother. Custis fears that Lucy Stoveall’s quest for vengeance might drive her to madness and Addington Gaunt is not quite ready to reveal his own agenda.
Episode 13: The search party comes across a clue to Simon’s whereabouts.
Episode 14: Lucy catches up to the Kelsos.
Episode 15: The expedition splits in two.
Each episode of Between the Covers is between 15 and 17 minutes. If you missed previous podcasts you can download them at the Between the Covers podcasts. If you’re interested in readings of other Canadian books, check out the Hear A Reading page on the Between the Covers site.
Rough terrain challenges the rescue party in Guy Vanderhaeghe’s The Last Crossing
Posted on August 12 at 08:00 AM
Set in late 19th-century America, The Last Crossing (McClelland and Stewart) follows a mismatched band of travellers from the United States into the British Territories.
Charles and Addington Gaunt have been sent from England to find their brother, Simon. Lucy Stoveall joins the group on a private mission of revenge while Aloysius Dooley is chasing after his friend Custis Straw.
At this point in the story Custis catches up to the search party but falls afoul of the erratic Addington Gaunt.
Episode 10: Custis and Dooley join the search party.
Episode 11: The sandhills stir up fresh ghosts for the search party.
Episode 12: Charles fears he is responsible for pushing Simon into missionary life.
Each episode of Between the Covers is between 15 and 17 minutes. If you missed previous podcasts you can download them at the Between the Covers podcasts. If you’re interested in readings of other Canadian books, check out the Hear A Reading page on the Between the Covers site.
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