Post by: Helena Trooperman
Dated: 5th August 2025

Isbn: 978-1-989398-99-9
Title: The Download
Author: 🇨🇦 Robert J. Sawyer
Narrated by: Brendon Fraser (Academy Award Winner), 
             Luke Kirby (Emmy Award Winner) & Vanessa Sears (Dora Award Winner)
Duration: 5hrs 39min

 

***** A fabulous story idea that delivered.

Even though it’s set five hundred years in the future the two groups of cryo-sleepers seems something we are likely to develop. What a great thought experiment. I’m not usually a post-apocalyptic reader, but this, I really enjoyed. Sawyer is one of my favourite reads for near-future, so I took the risk. If you enjoy unique storytelling this story is for you.

Two Blurbs

Wake up to a new reality

In 2059 two very different groups have their minds uploaded into a quantum computer in Waterloo, Ontario.

One group consists of astronauts preparing for Earth’s first interstellar voyage. The other? Convicted murderers, serving their sentences in a virtual-reality prison.

But when disaster strikes, the astronauts and the prisoners must download back into physical reality and find a way to work together to save Earth from destruction.

Audiobook Blurb

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.

Book Review Time

Chilling! By 2059 could we have developed cryo-sleep? Possibly. I mean that’s the most logical way to send people travelling between planets. I’m not so sure about the AI supercomputer hosting their uploaded brain without the AI adding all kinds of weird personal histories though. None-the-less, an ingenious thought experiment and who knows, maybe.

Now imagine waking from that sleep.

Astronauts on a mission to create a first settlement in deep space find five hundred years have past and they didn’t even get to go! This alone is mighty powerful. The hunt for the ‘why’ this has happened begins. The download doesn’t go so well for some either. The cryo-bay medical suite is fully automated, so there’s no one to give them answers to their growing list of questions.

The solution to lifer-overcrowding.

The second group of cryo-sleepers the astronauts are thrilled to find out about are criminals. They’ve been serving their sentence whilst asleep. Imagine how they’re going to feel when they discover they’ve served many lifetime sentences.

The two groups think completely differently. There’s minimal food. No answers. Little co-operation and the story kicks into overdrive to establish the answers they need. Most of all they want to go outside. Go home. That’s when they discover… things are a lot trickier than they thought. Is it even safe to go outside?

This is one heck of a story. I’d recommend this to anyone that likes a hope filled ending and enjoys high class sci-fi.

I strongly recommend checking out 🇨🇦 Robert J. Sawyer’s Website:  https://www.sfwriter.com/

Buy:  Rakuten Kobo   Amazon paperback    Amazon Kindle

Audiobook Performance

The performance is 5 hours 39 minutes. A compelling cast of voices – wow! The movie in your mind begins as soon as you hear Brendan Fraser’s voice. His performance stands out a mile. It’s incredibly easy to listen to and the story is all the more enjoyable. *****Outstanding 

<Audiobook LINK>

Until next time, keep calm and read on.

NEXT MONTH… Ben’s Pick (RHS) Get ready for something a bit more fantastical that’s on a planet far, far, away, where everything about the world is different including the magic.

Here are other books BY 🇨🇦 Robert J. Sawyer, I’ve reviewed

1. WWW: Wake
2. WWW: Watch
3. WWW: Wonder – oops coming soon.