Stunningly Magnificent Performance/Production

Wow. This utterly magnificent Graphic Audio production clearly and vividly delivers Part 1 of two parts of C.J. Cherryh's masterpiece Downbelow Station.

By the way, they chose a good place for the break, minimizing the painful-cliffhanger effect. Also, I think bits were cut out but the whole story is essentially there. Instead of seeming abridged or distorted, they seem to be telling the whole story and telling it well. The events, settings, and technologies are clear and plausible, with all their interconnections. The many strong personalities, human and alien, are distinct, memorable, and believable, so we react to the characters as individuals, whether they're warmly engaging or coldly detestable.

The production's clarity lets Cherryh's brilliant writing shine through. It made me appreciate how meticulously crafted her universe is, and how deftly she weaves together world-building, character development, and plot advancement. Also, the way she shows us not just small individual details such as smells (okay, some of the smells are overwhelming so "small" is not an adequate word), but also enormous cumulative phenomena such as the emotional, social, and economic drain of an achingly-prolonged interstellar war.

Sorry if this review is a bit incoherent, but I started listening to Downbelow Station at midnight, having set the sleep timer so I could fall asleep to it. Ha! I listened to it all night, repeatedly extending the sleep timer, until it finished around 7:00 this morning. And it was worth it.

This is a wonderful production of a great book.

5 people found this helpful

Not great

I was excited about this production, but ultimately disappointed with the dramatization of Downbelow. As a big fan of the novel and original recording, I have to say this one feels abridged. Lacking the “he said/she said” words… it almost clips along too fast. There is not pause enough for me to feel the emotions that the characters must be feeling.

Also where is the prologue? The opening that sets the tone of the War and explains the Union/Company/Earth conflict? If I hadn’t read Downbelow before, I’d be completely lost.

The line delivery is stiff, like the voice actors are reading their lines cold and don’t quite understand the context of their own conversations. Especially Elene. Every line is read like a teenage brat… not a devastated young Merchanter. The Hisa sound silly, almost offensively silly…

The music is fine and the ambiance is cool. I like the crackle of the radios, coms, and breather masks. It’s just the voice acting that I couldn’t get through. Listened for 2 hours. Couldn’t take it anymore.

Love the book itself. Cherryh is one of the Greats. Love Brian Troxell’s recording of Downbelow Station. If you want an audio version that does this Hugo winner justice, I’d recommend passing this dramatization by and going with Troxell.