Technical problems with this recording - skips...

This recording has technical issues with it that I noticed after awhile. The recording skips at several instances, for example go to Chapter 11 and at 4:22 the recording skips some of the story. I have verified that it is indeed skipping by looking at the ebook on Google:


Hopefully this will be fixed and re-digitized soon.

218 people found this helpful

Great book, significant differences from the movie

Any additional comments?

My favorite book, written by one of my favorite people (Carl Sagan).

I am writing this review to mainly focus on the major differences between the movie and the book.The book follows the same basic plot as the movie, but with a few exceptions (SPOILER ALERT):

- Ellie's mother is not dead, as in the movie. While Ellie's father passes away, her mother is around throughout her childhood and her adult life.

- Ellie and her stepfather (also not present in the movie) have a strained and reoccurring relationship throughout the book.

- Ellie's childhood, teenage years, and early graduate and internship years are described in a more detail.

- The President of USA has a more prominent, reoccurring role, and is female.

- Ellie has many romantic relationships (i.e., sexual relationships with a lab assistant early in her career, and then with Kent the Russian Scientist later in her career; and sexual tension with Drummond and then to an even greater degree with Vagay), albeit not with Palmer Joss who is the one individual she does have a romantic relationship with in the movie.

- Three machines, not two, are constructed (i.e., in the USA, Japan, and Russia). This was interesting because by the time the story concludes only two machines have been used (or should I say, one has been destroyed and one has been used and possibly is not able to be used again), with the machine in Russia still unused.

- Ellie is not the only individual who makes the trips; several delegates make the trip with her and have their own unique experiences.

- The conversation Ellie has with the alien is much, much more detailed and extensive, and for me was a real highlight of the story.

- Following her voyage in the machine, Ellie learns something interesting about the number for "pi" (i.e., 3.14...) that provides an interesting twist at the conclusion of the story.

In summary, excellent book, and not only because of the writing but due to the narrator's great performance as well. Lefkow did an outstanding job as a true Voice Actor. Most of the supporting characters are male and the narrator (female) did a superb job rising to the challenge of voice acting each male character without sounding odd or goofy.

110 people found this helpful

Great Story with a Few Glitches

I loved the glimpse into how scientific discovery unfolds and the fantasy. Plus, it's really well read. There are a couple glitches though where it jumps ahead randomly. Didn't seem to miss anything major, yet damaged the flow.

101 people found this helpful

Great book but narrator needs bigger vocabulary

This is a great book, and, for the most part, the narrator is great. Then she will mipronounce a word like "consortium" or "impious" or "metallurgy," and it's completely jarring.

64 people found this helpful

So many choices

As good as the movie was, this book is orders of magnitude better. I had struggled with whether to choose the abridged, with Ms. Foster, or the unabridged. I am glad I chose the unabridged. As fan of science, I enjoyed hearing Dr. Sagan’s perspective on science and religion and I suspect those passages were what got chopped in the abridged. Those plus there were times when the plot wandered about. So if you’d rather focus on the main plot line, the abridged might be a better choice.
Laurel Lefkow’s narration was excellent. Only one of the accents annoyed me, the New York street accent. But honestly, that’s not her fault – she was true to the description of the accent given in the book.
Whichever version you chose, you will not be unhappy. It’s a great audiobook, well worth the listen.

57 people found this helpful

Skipped a little?

Excellent reader. It took a few chapters for her to grow on me, and then I looked forward to hearing her interpretation.

In a couple places, the story skipped - I had to pull up my physical copy to fill in the blanks. Maybe a download malfunction on my phone?

As always, a timeless story, always relevant, always beautiful.

44 people found this helpful

Good But There Were Errors

Bought the book too. While listening to this unabridged edition I found an occasional paragraph or two was skipped. Satisfying overall though.

29 people found this helpful

Wonderful Reading

I note that some reviewers did not like the narrator, (for a lack of accents?) Astonishing. This was perfectly read. A gentle caress to the ear. Letting the story do the work, beautiful timbre, and every word delivered with clarity. A masterful definition of the art of narration. Laurel Lefkow, thank you, wonderful work.

The novel, well, it does wander a bit. It addresses questions of science, some of the theories of which were at the point of writing, the shores of the unknown. Putting those questions of existence up against love and faith, an interesting and confusing basket.

I really liked it, but I admit, 60% of that was because of the beauty of Lefkow's voice. She could read the telephone directory for me.




brendan

25 people found this helpful

And that's the way it was

I do believe that if contact was made through radio transmissions, that it would go similar to part one of this book.

Part one gave you some of the awe and wonder of space and how hard scientist work to make discoveries. You can see in the first part of this book where Robert J. Sawyer got some of his ideas for WWW. Wake.

Chapter 10 started part 2. Chapter 10 is a long debate between an agnostic and a bible thumping preacher. I have read some non-fiction books from Sagan and he has mentioned his religious beliefs and his politics. In a non-fiction book I am okay with that, but in a fiction work I believe it is too self serving. Who wouldn't like to have a debate where you dream up the arguments of your opponents? Nor do I have a problem with Sagan being an Agnostic. Arthur C. Clarke is one of my favorite authors and he was an Atheist. Like most books of this time and authors from the Age of Aquarius, there is much talk about Vietnam and Racism.

Part 3 starts with chapter 19. Five chosen people are sent to visit the aliens. Sagan borrows a little from Raymond F. Jones and This Island Earth for this part. The aliens in Jones' book are a lot more interesting. I found Sagan's aliens to be a little anti-climatic. I also could not believe how bitchy the five chosen got on the trip.

I would give part one, four starts, Part two, three stars and Part three, four stars. As a whole three stars.

21 people found this helpful

Get it

Would you consider the audio edition of Contact to be better than the print version?

I have not read the print version, but the audio version is well read. I very much enjoyed listening to this narrator.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Contact?

Hard to decide; I really like most everything about the story. If I had to say, and to avoid spoilers, I'd say when she was looking up to the sky. You'll know what you get to the part.

Have you listened to any of Laurel Lefkow’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not, but was considering doing so. However, currently, I don't have any interest in her ither reads.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I would've if I could've. Was done in 3.

Any additional comments?

Awesome story. Awesomely written. Awesome narration.

18 people found this helpful