I haven’t really reviewed audiobooks as audiobooks on the blog yet. Which is kind of funny, considering how much I listen to them.
Whether I’m knocking out chores around the house, running errands, literally running, or just unwinding at the end of the day, audiobooks and podcasts have become a massive part of my daily routine.
But reviewing an entire audio-first series, where the performance and production matter just as much as the text? Well, that feels like a whole different beast.
And, in all honesty, I’ve had mixed feelings about these kinds of productions in the past. Shows like Mars Patel or Finn Caspian, which were designed as episodic podcast productions, just hit different than a novel with added sound effects and music.
I guess I just like a book to be a book. I want to envelop myself in the words of the author — even if I’m using my ears instead of my eyes.
Which brings me to Dan Wells’ Zero Chronicles trilogy (Zero G, Dragon Planet, and Stargazer). An Audible original, it was designed for audio first… but my understanding is that it was also written as a novel.
Interesting.
Would a multi-installment audio production keep me hooked?
Well, it’s here, so I guess you know the answer. This series doesn’t just succeed, it’s a masterclass in audio storytelling, easily earning its place as this month’s KidLit Adults Will Actually Like selection.
But, as always:
Synopsis
The series follows Zero, a clever kid born on Earth who embarks on a massive, multi-generational colony ship bound for a new home world. As the trilogy unfolds across the audiobooks, the scope expands from mid-flight survival to exploring an uncharted, hostile alien world, complete with bizarre biomes, alien megafauna, and corporate conspiracies that threaten the entire colony’s future.
Why Adults Will Actually Like It
Novels Built For Audio. The dialogue-driven scenes, rhythmic pacing, immersive sound design, and full-cast ensemble make this feel like a blockbuster audio drama. However, they are very definitely novels rather than episodes of a show, with a structure and internality that befits this.
Kids’ Sci-Fi That Doesn’t Cheat. One of the absolute best parts of this series is how respectably it treats real science. Listening to the kids work through environmental and technological constraints using real scientific principles makes their clever workarounds endlessly satisfying.
A Story Powered by Problem-Solving. Zero is a kid who pays attention, understands how things work, and isn’t afraid to try and fail. Watching him use basic physics, engineering, and pure persistence to overcome massive obstacles makes him one of the most engaging middle-grade protagonists in recent memory.
Looking for a complete middle grade sci-fi audio series that combines excellent audio production, scientific problem solving, and kids you’ll root for across the galaxy? This series is well worth your time.
Buy The Zero Chronicles audiobooks here.
Have you listened to The Zero Chronicles? What was your favorite part of how the story / production was handled? Least favorite?