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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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Summary

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
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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)
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A classic of SF which I haven't read in years. Great to experience it again. The reviews mentioning the poor quality reading almost put me off buying this: I'm so glad they didn't put me off altogether. She's fine. Maybe not the most talented reader but I have had no issues at all and wouldn't hesitate to recommend this as an audiobook.

Sounds fine to me

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This is one of those books that until now was curiously and scandalously absent from the Audible library. It is a sci-fi/fantasy classic in every sense of the word and is highly recommended to everyone who likes either genre.
So why only four stars? The narrator is quite utterly the wrong one - very poor and it is only a sign of the story's strength that her errors and flat voice can be ignored.
She is unable to pronounce much of the French that Julian May uses and even many an English word like 'epoch' elludes her too. She fails miserably to inject personality or different 'voices' into any of the characters which I would expect a professional reader to do, and the whole delivery detracts from this excellent novel.
It would be great if the publishers would change the narrator NOW, before the next instalment of this story and then re-record this one. It would be a scandal to put people off this book because of the wrong narrator.

A must-hearclassic but the narrator.....

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Any additional comments?

This book is a good story, however, it requires the rest of the series to flesh out the characters and story lines.

when will we get the rest of the set.

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Like many others I read this book when I was still able to touch my toes without requiring hospital treatment afterwards - listening to to the audio book was a huge dip into my own personal Pliocene and I enjoyed every second of it, nostalgia abounds. Yes, the narrator could be be better but she's not as bad as all that and the story more than makes up for any shortfalls. My only complaint? - The other books in the series have not yet been published in audio form - cannot come soon enough as far as I am concerned. 5 stars, no question.

Youth re-lived

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OK I admit I had avoided this, knowing it was only Volume 1, but in the grips of Covid I gave in and have devoured it. The narrator grated a little at first, but I soon came to really like her, there are so many strong female characters in the series it kind of works. I SO want to dive straight into Volume II, but as this was released 13 years ago I'm guessing that's unlikely to happen? But, if anyone out there is listening, PLEASE release audio versions of the rest of the trilogy ( and the other Mileau series!).....we're waiting!

Thoroughly enjoyed!

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