Audiobook: Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch
A Rapid Review
Publisher: Penguin Random House | February 2018
Format: Audio Download | 13½ hours | Rating: 5 stars
Audio Listening Level: Intermediate – Difficult
Inception meets True Detective in this science-fiction thriller of spellbinding tension and staggering scope. The Gone World follows a special agent into a savage murder case with grave implications for the fate of mankind.
What’s it about . . .
It’s 1997 and NCIS Agent Shannon Moss is assigned to a case involving the murder of a Navy SEAL’s family. Shannon is part of a secret group that works outside of conventional law enforcement to investigate crimes by using time-travel into the future. But time travel is tricky – upon your return, the future you visited is only a possibility and blinks out of existence upon your departure. And if someone from the future is taken back to their past, well, that can cause a lot of new problems.
During their travels, investigators have also learned about The Terminus, an event that may cause the end of the world. Things become even more complicated as we discover that there are others traveling to the future for their own purposes. It isn’t until the end when all the pieces come together that we understand what is happening.
What did I think . . .
This is a dark, complex science fiction thriller that I enjoyed immensely. Not only because it combines two of my favorite genres, but because it was so well-written and plotted, especially the time travel concept. It did get a little complicated at times, and I sometimes felt like I needed a spreadsheet to keep things straight, but I don’t mind a mind-bending plot in good speculative fiction.
This book is not going to work for everyone, but it will be sure to please fans of the genre and those that don’t mind going a little outside of their comfort zones.
Audio production . . .
The book was narrated by Brittany Pressley and her performance was superb. Her vocals were very expressive and she effortlessly changed tone, inflection, and accents for the many different characters. I could easily believe I was listening to multiple narrators.
While the audio performance was excellent, I would recommend it only for experienced listeners. With a complex plot, jumps in time and place, and more than a few characters, it required a high degree of concentration.
Audio Sample . . .
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Source: Review copy provided by the publisher.
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Under My Apple Tree 
If I read this one, I’d probably do better with it in print. Complex plots can be difficult on audio for me.
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Not one I’d pick up but I’m glad it was a 5 star book for you. Love when that happens.
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I’m glad you loved listening to this one, Leslie!
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