The Sky People

The space race is on between the United States and the Eastern Bloc countries as they vie for control of the new frontier, Venus. Modern day explorers find themselves confronting dinosaurs, mammals, and a wide variety of tribespeople in a habitat that is strangely identical to Earth. Todd McLaren takes advantage of the opportunity to draw on his store of accents of various nationalities and regions. He sets a steady pace that keeps the plot moving. In this fantastical alternate universe, McLaren imparts a sense of adventure that does justice to the pulp fiction overtones of the book, creating the mood of the sci-fi books and movies of the '50s. J.E.M. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine

Starred review from September 18, 2006
For this rollicking first of an alternate history series, Stirling (Island in the Sea of Time
) uses the terrific premise that Mars and Venus are exactly as depicted in pulp-era SF, eerily Earth-like and populated by prehistoric people and creatures. When 1960s space probes find that Venus is habitable, the Americans and Russians scramble to set up colonies and get in good with the natives. In 1988, a Russian rocket crashes in the wilderness and can only be reached by an airship from the U.S. Commonwealth base of Jamestown, crewed by a classic love triangle: Ranger Lt. Marc Vitrac, Harlem-born geologist Cynthia Whitlock and ultra-British anthropologist Christopher Blair. Stirling doesn't stint on old-fashioned elements, most notably the gorgeous native princess with magical powers, but the multiculturalism sidesteps most stereotypes while retaining a broad-brush pulp sensibility; the science is refreshingly realistic; and everyone cusses (sometimes in awkward translation). Readers will eagerly anticipate a trip to Mars in the sequel, In the Halls of the Crimson Kings
.

April 30, 2007
Undeterred by modern science’s discoveries of the true nature of Venus and Mars, Stirling posits an alternate history/reality where the pulp-era visions of those two planets were actually correct. In this first volume of the series, the American and Soviet space programs send emissaries to the lush jungle planet of Venus—which they find is inhabited by dinosaurs and intelligent natives—to vie for control of the planet’s valuable resources. McLaren reads in a rich, resonant baritone and deftly handles dialogue, throwing a nice variety of accents into the mix—adding just enough to flavor the performance without overwhelming it. The pulpy nature of the narrative makes it well-suited to audio; it harks back to the days of the old radio dramas. McLaren conveys this essence while keeping his performance in line with modern narration standards. Stirling does a fine job updating and bringing some scientific rigor to the “planetary romance” genre pioneered by Edgar Rice Burroughs, and McLaren delivers an engaging performance that will leave listeners no choice but to stay tuned for Stirling’s next episode. Simultaneous release with the Tor hardcover (Reviews, Sept. 18).