Exhalation
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
£0.99/mo for the first 3 months
Prime members: New to Audible? Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Exhalation
Buy Now for £11.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Ted Chiang
-
Edoardo Ballerini
-
Amy Landon
-
Dominic Hoffman
-
By:
-
Ted Chiang
About this listen
‘Ted Chiang is one of the most exciting writers in science fiction . . . These parables are filled with hope and humanism.’ – The Daily Telegraph
From the acclaimed author of Stories of Your Life and Others – the basis for the Academy Award-winning film Arrival – comes a groundbreaking second collection of short fiction.
'Will make you think, grapple with big questions, and feel more human. The best kind of science fiction' – Barack Obama
A portal through time forces a fabric-seller in ancient Baghdad to grapple with past errors and the temptation of second chances; an alien scientist makes a shocking discovery with ramifications not just for his own people, but for all of reality; a newfound ability to glimpse into alternate universes forces a radical re-examination of the concepts of choice and free will.
In Exhalation, Ted Chiang addresses the most fundamental of issues – What is the nature of the universe? What does it mean to be human? – alongside others that no one else has even imagined. And, each in its own way, the stories prove that complex and thoughtful science fiction can rise to new heights of beauty, meaning, and compassion.
‘Deeply beautiful stories' – The New York Times 'The 10 Best Books of the Year'
‘Chiang’s writing . . . inspires awe for the natural properties of the universe; it renders the fundamentals of science poignant and affecting.’ – Economist
‘A scintillating cavalcade of ideas’ – Financial Times, 'Books of the Year'
Listeners also enjoyed...
What listeners say about Exhalation
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Reviewer Tales
- 26-04-21
Absolutely fantastic
This was a really good! I'd had so many people recommend this book to me, and now I understand why.
Stories were very engaging. Themes were extremely clever. And the mechanism of using fiction as a way to explore the philosophical aspects of AI, parallel universes, pre-destination, etc. was flawless.
Highly recommended.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Dannehdanman
- 07-10-20
Fantastic stories
I really enjoyed this anthology. Amy Landon's reading was overly robotic for me however.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sara
- 24-11-23
The story
The voices are appealing, the story is well structured and flowing.
A good listening experience before going to sleep.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Juancornetto
- 24-01-24
Wonderfully thought provoking.
Exhalation really was a revelation. A set of short stories with the author's notes and inspiration for the story tagged on at the end.
From the first story I was gripped, the imagery and atmosphere emerged so quickly and vividly and the characters were so genuinely endearing (and repulsive when required) that you almost forgot these were short stories. Ted Chiang is a master craftsman.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance2 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 08-01-21
excellent stories, poor narration.
Stories were really outstanding, but they were partly spoiled by the narrator. Feels like a lot of wasted potential. Nevertheless, I don't regret the purchase.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- David Adams
- 29-01-21
speculative fiction~☆
an enjoyable production with a diverse range of voices and stories.
especially enjoyed the author's commentary at the end of each story.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- P Quirk
- 08-02-21
Mixed bag
This collection had some ideas, some better executed than others. On the one about the computer based characters I was bored long before the end. The “big brother” style of the narrators part was tiresome and the story dragged out too long.
The parrot story was great but left me questioning that if parrots were so smart couldn’t they have figured out a way to communicate?
The “filling lungs” story was interesting but had me saying “he’s described entropy” long before the end.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- A. C. McCrea
- 30-04-23
More science, philosophy and ethics than fiction
An excellent book for our time, as it dives into intelligent science fiction scenarios as starting points for much questioning and reflection. It is a treaty about society, relationships and choices.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- darren
- 10-08-19
good but slow
I do realise that Ted's stories can be slow over a novel, but I hoped these may have been less of a plod. several chapters were given to one arc about AI which seemed a real waste of potential, whereas others lost the plot as they meandered along.
this isn't punchy short sci-fi, but worth listening to if you're a fan
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Viktoria Spittler
- 31-01-23
Magical story telling and really cool sci-fi concepts
Loved the stories in this book, each had their own style and fantastically satisfying endings. I really appreciated the short authors note at the end of each chapter where Ted Chiang explains which scientific theory has layed the foundation for each story.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!