The Many-Colored Land cover art

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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About this listen

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)
All stars
Most relevant  

If you could sum up The Many-Colored Land in three words, what would they be?

A great read

Who was your favorite character and why?

Lots of good characters

What does Bernadette Dunne bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

I enjoyed most of her characterisations

Any additional comments?

I just really wish they'd do the rest of the series, this is just the intro.
Please Please Please can the rest of this series be done as Audiobooks too.
I promise I'll buy them as soon as they are available.

Great story, good reading

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I have loved this book when I first read it on release. Listening to it again it has lost none of its magic for me. True escapism, well written, artful and beautifully detailed. The only thing that Audible release misses is the release of the rest of the series.

Beautiful

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Narration was excellent, actually nice to have the female characters voiced properly, not monty pythion fashion, really don't like that this is the only book in the series that is audio, come on Amazon do the rest!

Read it as a youngster, 40years later top story

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What did you like most about The Many-Colored Land?

Good story and kept up a good pace to listen to. Just the type of SF I like.

What about Bernadette Dunne’s performance did you like?

Good characterisation and easy to listen to.

Any additional comments?

WHERE are the next two volumes?

Many colored land

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This series of books was written back in the early 80's so there are parts that seem a little dated but the story far makes up for them.
At the beginning I was not sure about the narrator but the more I listened the more I think that she was perfect for the job. The story is a mix of Si Fi & fantasy with a good assortment of characters.

The story is engrossing & pulls you along after the first part of character building.

The only down side appears to be that only the first book of four has been made so I a hoping that they make the rest I I want to find out what happens next!

Even better than I remembered

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Well read and a great story. However, where are the other books in the series?

Where are the other books?

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Brilliant storyline unfortunately the next three books in the saga are not available in audio format!!!

Fantastic

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I just don’t understand why you don’t have the next 6 which tell the whole splendid tale to its fantastic culminating climax!!

Great epic story begins!

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If you could sum up The Many-Colored Land in three words, what would they be?

complex, clever, human

Who was your favorite character and why?

Aiken Drum because he's clever, resourceful, dangerous and self-centred but underneath that he's actually a good friend to the people he cares about.

What about Bernadette Dunne’s performance did you like?

She gave a good reading with decent speed, clarity, inflection etc though one or two words and names were pronounced wrongly.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It's too long a book to listen to in one sitting

Any additional comments?

Several reviews have criticised the narrator's pronunciation of certain words and names and while there were a couple of words spoken wrongly it really didn't impact on my enjoyment of the story at all. Unfortunately the other books in the series aren't available.

Glad I Bought it!

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I read this series over 25 years ago, when I was 15 or 16. It has been one of my favourite series of books since then and I've recommended it to many friends, who've enjoyed it as well. It was one of the first books I searched for when I first joined Audible, so it was lovely to see it listed recently.
Don't be put off by some of the more negative reviews, everyone is entitled to their opinions and I respect them, but I found no problem with the narrator and her characterisation. In fact, whenever I start listening to a new audiobook, I always find a switch in narrator quite a jarring experience, no matter what their quality - especially if I've just finished enjoying a good listen.
This book is well read and entertaining and I'm looking forward to listening to the next three in the series when they're released. The story gets more exciting as you move into the next two books (it is a four book series)so I think if you like this one, you'll certainly want the next ones.

The Many Coloured Land

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