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The Many-Colored Land

Volume 1 of the Saga of Pliocene Exile

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The Many-Colored Land

By: Julian May
Narrated by: Bernadette Dunne
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About this listen

This is a spellbinding tale woven of equal parts epic and myth - with a liberal dash of hard science fiction.

When a one-way time tunnel to Earth’s distant past, specifically six million B.C., was discovered by folks on the Galactic Milieu, every misfit for light-years around hurried to pass through it. Each sought his own brand of happiness. But none could have guessed what awaited them. Not even in a million years.

In the early 22nd century, many humans are being born with psychic powers and are linked in a single galactic mind. Those without these psychic powers - the misfits, undesirables, criminals, and radicals - have a choice: mental reprogramming or exile. Exile, voluntary or otherwise, takes them back six million years, to a time between the extinction of dinosaurs and the rise of Homo sapiens, and to a time of exotic surprises and unknown dangers.

Julian May lives in Washington state and has been writing science fiction and fantasy for more than 30 years.

©1981 Julian May (P)2010 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Fantasy Fiction Science Fiction Psychic Outcast

Critic reviews

“ The Many-Colored Land…takes readers on an amazing journey from the distant future to the distant past, using unexpected routes all along the way…A tremendously original premise; fast-paced storytelling that defies predictability; and a sympathetic and well-rendered cast of characters.” (SFReviews.net)
“The Many-Colored Land is the first volume of one of the most impressive science fiction series I have read.” (Reviewers-choice.com)
All stars
Most relevant
As a huge fan of Julian May and in particular her Saga of the Pliocene Exile series of books, I have been searching in vain for the books in audiobook format for a long time and so was delighted when I saw that this criminal omission had finally been addressed. Now that the first book in the series, The Many-Colored Land, has been published, I hope it will not be too long before the rest are made available.

As you would expect, the audiobook itself follows the book to the letter and I felt that same familiar thrill of being transported back in time to the Pliocene era, with all its many wonders, that I felt upon first reading the book back in the 1980s.

The only thing that lets the book down, hence only 4 stars, is the narrator who, for me, fails to bring the characters to life. In particular, it is often hard to tell which character is speaking as the narrator's voice sounds very similar for each one, which is a huge shame as all of the characters in the book are expertly depicted by Julian May in such depth that you can feel yourself becoming drawn into their world.

In addition, I am no language expert, but the narrator's pronunciation of some of the French words is poor and in general her reading of the book is just a bit flat and fails to capture the magic and wonderment of life in the Pliocene Epoch that Julian May is trying to portray. This Science Fantasy classic deserves better!

I hope these shortcomings will be addressed if and when the remaining books are published in audiobook format - surely very soon... please!

Long overdue, but could be better...

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What did you like most about The Many-Colored Land?

Good story and kept up a good pace to listen to. Just the type of SF I like.

What about Bernadette Dunne’s performance did you like?

Good characterisation and easy to listen to.

Any additional comments?

WHERE are the next two volumes?

Many colored land

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you have a series this good and you produce the first episode only ? when are the rest going to come on line ,oratory was good need the same for the rest come on

unsatisfactory

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Great book, and a decent performance. It must have been hard to work out how to capture the telepathy parts and for the most part it's very successful.

This is the first of what is ultimately an 8 book series, the scope of which is truly epic.

I'd very much like to hear the rest!

A decent job of one of my favourite books.

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Great performance of a sci fi masterpiece, I returned to it recently after 30 years. I wish the rest had audiobook versions.

a delight

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