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The Downloaded  By  cover art

The Downloaded

By: Robert J. Sawyer
Narrated by: Brendan Fraser, Luke Kirby, Vanessa Sears, Colm Feore, Andrew Phung, full cast
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Publisher's summary

In 2059, two vastly different groups of people portrayed by the compelling trio of Brendan Fraser (Academy Award winner), Luke Kirby (Emmy Award winner), and Vanessa Sears (Dora Award winner) undergo cryonic suspension. While their bodies are frozen, their minds, still active and awake, are uploaded into a massive quantum computer. The first group are all astronauts, about to leave Earth on a one-way interstellar colonization mission. The second group consists of convicted murderers and volunteers who elect to serve their sentences in a virtual-reality prison. But while both groups are suspended, a global cataclysm devastates most of the Earth, and their cryosleep is extended by more than 500 years.

Now available in Dolby Atmos on Audible.

©2023 Robert J. Sawyer (P)2023 Audible Originals, LLC.

A look behind the scenes.

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About the Creator

Robert J. Sawyer is considered one of Canada’s bestselling science-fiction authors. He has won multiple awards and is the only Canadian and one of eight novelists to win three of science fiction’s best novel awards of the year, including the Hugo, the Nebula, and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award. (He’s won the top science fiction awards in the United States, Canada, France, Japan [three times], Spain [three times}, and China). Mr. Sawyer’s published 24 novels and other work have been translated into 20 languages: Bulgarian, Chinese, Czech, Dutch, French, Galician, German, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Lithuanian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, and Turkish. Some of his notable works include the Audible Originals Hominids (Hugo Award Winner), The Terminal Experiment (Nebula Award Winner), Humans, the WWW trilogy, Hybrids, Calculating God, Starplex, Quantum Night, and many others. Some of his TV credits include Flashforward, the ABC series adapted from the novel of the same name, and Star Trek Continues. He is also known for his expertise in blending science and technology with philosophical and ethical questions, making his work very popular among readers who enjoy science fiction that explores the human condition. You can learn more about Robert J. Sawyer here.

About the performer

Brendan Fraser is a Canadian-American actor most recently known for winning the Academy Award for his role in The Whale. He’s also appeared in The Mummy trilogy, George of the Jungle, Encino Man, and School Ties. Brendan also appeared in critically acclaimed films such as Gods and Monsters and The Quiet American. His recent television credits include Doom Patrol (HBO Max), Professionals, and Trust (FX), to name a few. You can learn more about Brendan Fraser hereand here.
Next up for Brendan: Killers of the Flower Moon starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro and directed by Martin Scorsese.

About the performer

Luke Kirby is an Emmy-Award-winning theatre, film, and television actor who has performed on stages in Toronto and NYC over the years in productions of Troilus and Cressida, Jump/Cut, Defender of the Faith, Judgment Day, and more.
Luke starred opposite Michelle Williams in Sarah Polley’s film Take This Waltz and opposite Samuel L. Jackson in The Samaritan. More recently, Luke starred as Ted Bundy opposite Elijah Wood in No Man of God.
In television, one of Luke’s favourite roles was in the critically acclaimed miniseries Slings & Arrows opposite Rachel McAdams. He has also had regular roles on HBO’s Tell Me You Love Me, Sundance TV’s Rectify, and Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel in the role of Lenny Bruce.

About the performer

Raised in Deep River, Ontario, Vanessa Sears is a Dora Award, Toronto Theatre Critics, Broadway World, and Critic’s Pick Award-winning artist. She has starred on stages across Canada including the Stratford Festival, Shaw Festival, the historic Winter Garden Theatre, and many more. Vanessa has also appeared in numerous films and television programs, including Suits, CBC’s TallBoyz, Lifetime’s Too Close for Christmas, Sex/Life (Netflix), and more. You can also see Vanessa starring in 14 Love Letters as well as Royally Wrapped for Christmas.

What listeners say about The Downloaded

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Creative, Distopian, Yet somehow optimistic.

Rob Sawyer takes us on an adventure through virtual, physical, and psycho-social space in a story of survival and transformation as five groups of entities five centuries in the future decide their respectively destinies, on Earth, Mars, and the distant stars.

The voice acting is excellent and helps carry the tale effectively. Highly recommended.

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14 people found this helpful

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

Like listening to a table reading for a TV show

Had to try and give a listen for Brendan and really enjoyed the alternative style of layout in which the audiobook felt like a TV script. Enjoyed all the voice actors and the storyline! would listen to a sequel for sure!

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • PJ
  • 11-11-23

Got me present to what we all have in common

At first, I had to get through my usual internal brain chatter. I usually have to start the book over a few times so that I can get into the groove of it. Once I did, very satisfying. Answered some relevant questions, gave me a platform from which to look at certain questions. And all around satisfying Reid. Before the book ended, around 2/3 of the way, I started the book over again to make sure I got all the information needed for whatever ending was prepared. Very good.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A simple, elegant, and colorful title

Fantastic, i loved how simple it was. Sometimes I think we forget that a story can be simple and excellent. A very laid back listen that wasnt difficult to follow. This listen provided a very fresh breath of air from some of my heavier titles.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

I loved it

I enjoyed the story very much and the voice acting was great. I recommend this.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Outstanding!

Loved every second of this story. The performances really put you into the story. The sound effects just everything! The story was so well written! I would definitely listen again!

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing!

At first it took me a minute to get into this story, I am so glad that I gave it a chance. It ended well, and I wish I could have more!

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

stop manipulating your reader

I could not stand the way that this book constantly had people 400 years in our future. thinking back on how selfish it was for long dead citizens not to have respected governmental covid mandates in the 20th century.

Was this really part of the story?

Why must modern authors build in political preferences to their science fiction works? Could it be that they see themselves not as story tellers, not as literature writers, but as sheep dogs for our politically correct actions?

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A very human story amongst the ruins with so many life choices.

Great story to show off the ever human struggle of deciding what life they want to live, whether it be VR heaven, open sky living or starting over somewhere new!
A very enjoyable listen that kept me turning back on my player anytime I could!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

It was fine

I have to laugh at those of you who don’t believe this book is political, just about every utopian/ dis-topian novel is, honestly can’t think of one that’s not , I’ll throw in a whole lot of leeway your way and pretend social engineering , moralizing and lecture arent necessarily political, and suggest that if these leanings are your leanings you can’t see the politics of the thing , if that helps, but hey it’s politics all the same, and no you cannot pretend to know what mine are just because I can see this clearly.

Anyway, I’m not giving this creation three stars for any reasons other than as much as I love the narrators voices, it sounds like they are well trained actors at the first dress rehearsal. Good reading but reading all the same. Left me with a lukewarm response -odd- not acted, not read. Additionally it would have been a better read for me if there was more depth, I understand it’s basically a short story but simply would have appreciated a bit more substance- by substance I don’t mean vulgarity , I appreciated that there was very little titillation in this, that being included would have made it a cheap thrill not simply a weak one.
Lastly - yes I know it’s a fanciful fiction - it was logically and scientifically weak. Which makes jumping into the story with both feet pretty much impossible for me.
There are way worse things written and enormously weaker story lines. I wouldn’t say “don’t read it” but I on the other hand I don’t think you’ve missed much if you haven’t . A free book , that fills space;that you don’t have to think much about ; pay close attention to or learn anything from? This fits that.
There’s nothing earth shattering here.(pun intended-sorry couldn’t control myself)
I wonder if all of this authors work is similar, I’ll try one more before I give up.

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2 people found this helpful