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The Lesson
- Narrated by: Janina Edwards, Ron Butler
- Length: 8 hrs and 37 mins
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The Lesson
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Summary
An alien ship rests over Water Island. For five years, the people of the US Virgin Islands have lived with the Ynaa, a race of super-advanced aliens on a research mission they will not fully disclose. They are benevolent in many ways but meet any act of aggression with disproportional wrath. This has led to a strained relationship between the Ynaa and the local Virgin Islanders, and a peace that cannot last.
A year after the death of a young boy at the hands of an Ynaa, three families find themselves at the center of the inevitable conflict, witness and victim to events that will touch everyone and teach a terrible lesson.
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Critic reviews
"In The Lesson Cadwell Turnbull, by setting his story in St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands, makes something completely new of the old theme of humans' first contact with superior aliens. Putting these 'colonizing aliens' in a place shaped by colonialism opens new perspectives on issues of race and culture and sex and exploitation. But the true wonder of this novel is its beautifully realized portrayal of Charlotte Amalie and its deeply human and complex characters, young and old, all of them transformed by the arrival of the ambiguously motivated Ynaa. It's a story of mystery, romance, tragedy, and redemption. Like Octavia Butler and Ursula K. Le Guin before him, Turnbull uses the tools of science fiction to illuminate the human heart. The Lesson stands at the beginning of what I expect to be a long and illustrious career." (John Kessel, Nebula Award-winning author of The Moon and the Other and Pride and Prometheus)
What listeners say about The Lesson
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- ziiigggg
- 03-11-20
a wonderful audio book, thank you
wow, wow, wow.
at last an audiobook that is worthy of the praise given to it.
for a credit you get great characters, genuine emotion without cod sentimentality, world class narration and best of all, a stunning truly original sci fi ish story and plot lines.
i enjoyed every moment and have no hesitation in recommending this audiobook to everyone.
a big thank you to everyone involved.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 23-05-22
Refreshing
Invasion tale with a difference. TV's 'Colony' in a less oppressive setting. Caribbean too!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Tracey Aitchison
- 06-12-21
Fresh take
this book immediately got me with its references to Firefly and battlestar Galactica and other classics. The thing that most appealed to me was the idea that maybe aliens wouldn't be good or bad, but just different, different set of morals, different set of rules. The Caribbean being an interesting setting, that just maybe aliens wouldn't want to exclusively visit the East Coast America.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Audiobooks Nest Reviews
- 12-12-22
Tender Portrait of a Community in Peril
🧡 The strength of this book is in its portrayal of humanity in the face of an alien threat. It paints an intricate picture of a tight community in the Virgin Islands living under an oppressive regime imposed by alien invaders. Every single character is beautifully crafted.
💚 The concept of the aliens only occupying one area gave this a realistic dimension and created parallels with very earthly points in history. Meanwhile the tension imposed by the constant subtle threat of violence was gripping.
💜 Where this falls down is in exposition and world building. The aliens’ purpose wasn’t explored enough. And it might just be me, but I didn’t entirely understand the latter half of the plot. It also ended quite abruptly. Having said all this, this was well worth the listen thanks to the characters, who have stayed with me.
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SOUNDBITE
🎧 An absolutely compelling performance by Janina Edwards and Ron Butler that really brought each and every character to life. The tone was understated, which made it both a chilled and, at times, chilling listen.
🎧 So exciting to see the high attention to detail that went into the audiobook elements, right down to the chapter listings.
I listened to this free Available on Audible Plus.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Gosia Furmanik
- 21-08-22
I think it was interesting
I liked the setting and the idea, but found it too slow- paced to be properly engaging.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Kevin
- 28-01-23
Started off well but got old fast
I'm not really sure when I lost interest as I was enjoying it at first but it got boring and then the story dragged its way to some sort of an ending.
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- more
- 05-03-22
shallow as you can get.
i mean wtf?
honestly what's the hype about?
it starts the way a tea ad should start and then, just gets closer and closer to the surface. nothing to feel pulled into the meanders of life as it is usually lived by us, human beings.
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