The City and the Stars cover art

The City and the Stars

Preview

£0.00 for first 30 days

Try for £0.00
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

The City and the Stars

By: Arthur C. Clarke
Narrated by: Mike Grady
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £14.99

Buy Now for £14.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.
Cancel

About this listen

Men had built cities before, but never such a city as Diaspar; for millennia its protective dome shut out the creeping decay and danger of the world outside. Once, it ruled the stars. But then, as legend had it, the Invaders came, driving humanity into this last refuge. It takes one man, a Unique, to smash the legend and discover the true nature of the Invaders.

©1956 Arthur C. Clarke (P)2013 W F Howes Ltd
Epic Epic Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Science Fiction Thought-Provoking City
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Listeners also enjoyed...

2001 cover art
The Martian Chronicles cover art
Dimension X cover art
The Mote in God's Eye cover art
Tales of Majipoor cover art
Hyperion cover art
Anathem cover art
Blade Runner cover art
Dune cover art
Rewinder cover art
Terminal World cover art
Pastwatch cover art
Great Utopian and Dystopian Works of Literature cover art
Legacy cover art
Wild Cards I cover art
HALO: The Fall of Reach cover art

What listeners say about The City and the Stars

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    400
  • 4 Stars
    241
  • 3 Stars
    109
  • 2 Stars
    26
  • 1 Stars
    7
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    423
  • 4 Stars
    201
  • 3 Stars
    64
  • 2 Stars
    9
  • 1 Stars
    6
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    354
  • 4 Stars
    203
  • 3 Stars
    105
  • 2 Stars
    28
  • 1 Stars
    12

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A book which gets better on every listen

for me it's about personal growth, Elon Musk, possiblity, courage and balance. Recommend for everyone

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Probably Clarke's best novel

I first read this 40 years ago. And again and again. Whilst it's probably 30 years since I last read it and the format is Audible the story and it's themes remain captivating and it has lost none of its appeal.

In my opinion a masterpiece.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A very good reading/listening

Really good book by Arthur C. Clarke.

This novel is based in the far far future of what is left of the human race. The story of Alvin and the complex patterns of the city is really well written and amazing. He along will change the fate of humankind

Really enjoyed it!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Old forgotten read revisited

Realised about 10 minutes in that this was a book I had read many, many years ago. Great to revisit it as had forgotten the storyline other than the basics. It's of its time but still an interesting listen.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

brilliant

brilliant. philosophical. hard to comprehend. do read. ttttttttttm rtrrþg hjiib hinged jhgf gi64r

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

fantastic

I loved it from start to finish. Great narration and a captivating story that was ahead of its time.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Enjoyable..........but!

If you could sum up The City and the Stars in three words, what would they be?

Imaginative, enjoyable escapism


What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

As the story is set way into the future anything is possible, and it's an entertaining tale. However, it lacks the slickness and humour of Arthur C. Clarke's short stories. This book seems to be aimed at a slightly younger reader/audience, but worth listening to.

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

Mike Grady is one of the best audiobook narrators going. He speaks in a measured voice, so no problem understanding every word and he has the marvellous gift of having a different voice for each character, so no confusion as to which person is speaking. If I'd been reading the book it would have had much less depth.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Not really, it's not that sort of book.

Any additional comments?

In spite of what I said earlier, it's easy to listen to, and nothing actually wrong with it, but just falls short of what I'd expect from Arthur C Clarke. But if you like science fiction this could be worth having in your library.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful

Chapter numbers not synchronised although this took nothing away from a brilliant story. Clarke is a genius.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

extraordinarily visionary

completely astounded by the breadth and depth of legendary author's breathtaking imagination. highly recommend book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Beautifully written

The story takes the reader on a journey and I think it very cleverly and thoughtfully written. You might enjoy the story because of its intrinsic detail and the lack of epic space wars. English language at its most beautiful. Did I say that already?

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!