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The Children of Men

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The Children of Men

By: P. D. James
Narrated by: Daniel Weyman
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£5.99/mo after 3 months. Offer ends on 5 July 2026 at 11:59 BST. Cancel monthly.

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The year is 2021. No child has been born for twenty-five years. The human race faces extinction.

Under the despotic rule of Xan Lyppiat, the Warden of England, the old are despairing and the young cruel. Theo Faren, a cousin of the Warden, lives a solitary life in this ominous atmosphere. That is, until a chance encounter with a young woman leads him into contact with a group of dissenters. Suddenly his life is changed irrevocably as he faces agonising choices which could affect the future of mankind.

©2015 Faber & Faber (P)2015 Faber & Faber Crime Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Mystery Police Procedural Science Fiction Traditional Detectives Detective Scary Murder
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Critic reviews

"Extraordinary.... P. D. James stretches her considerable talents in this daring novel." ( New York Times)
"Spare and disturbing...more moving than any of her more famous crime novels." ( Independent)
"As taut, terrifying and ultimately convincing as anything in the dystopian genre. It is at once a piercing satire on our cosseted, faithless and trivially self-indulgent society and a most tender love story." ( Daily Mail)
"The central images haunt the mind terrifyingly.... It has extraordinary power and visionary passion." ( Observer)
"She writes like and angel. Every character is closely drawn. Her atmosphere is unerringly, chillingly convincing. And she manages all this without for a moment slowing down the drive and tension of an exciting mystery." ( The Times)
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A piece of classic literature with a fascinating premise and a thought out exploration of what society would be like if that were to happen. It was a great performance by the reader. However, the story did drag in sections and had a somewhat underwhelming ending that didn't really fit with the main character.

A classic, worth listening to but not Amazing

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I would not listen to this book again not my cup of tea but ok as a 1 off.

weird book

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Having not seen the film I thought I would listen to the Audiobook first then watch the film version afterwards. For a very long time I've felt that the original book is far superior to the film adaptation. But in this case the Film version was far superior and more realistic to the book. Obviously the book sets the story of Mankind's inability to produce children, the Omegas, how Britain has become a police state....but the Film takes this and makes the world how it will most likely become (unfortunately) whilst I felt the book was naive and written behind rose tinted glasse, the film was rightly adapted to show a Britain of destruction, decay, war and massive in flux of refugees fleeing war torn and destroyed Europe. I'm sorry to say if you've already seen the film and are hoping the book will be more in-depth you will be disappointed.

Sad to say this "I thought the film was much better".

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The narrator was brilliant. A perfect low key voice very civilised and classy in this distopian novel.

The story was excellent - very gripping

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I really got immersed in this book fantastic narration and incredible storyline. Absolutely brilliant!

Different to others by PD James

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