Relic

By: Alan Dean Foster

Narrated by: Marc Thompson

Length: 12 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

The last known human searches the galaxy for companionship in a brilliant standalone novel from the legendary author of the Pip & Flinx series.

"A provocative read." (The Washington Post)

Once Homo sapiens reigned supreme, spreading from star system to star system in an empire that encountered no alien life and thus knew no enemy.... save itself. As had happened many times before, the most primal human instincts rose up, only this time armed with the advanced scientific knowledge to create a genetically engineered smart virus that quickly wiped out humanity to the last man.

That man is Ruslan, the sole known surviving human being in the universe. Rescued from the charnel house of his home planet by the Myssari - an intelligent alien race - Ruslan spends his days as something of a cross between a research subject and a zoo attraction. Though the Myssari are determined to resurrect the human race, using Ruslan’s genetic material, all he wants for himself and his species is oblivion. But then the Myssari make Ruslan an extraordinary offer: In exchange for his cooperation, they will do everything in their considerable power to find the lost home world of his species - an all-but-mythical place called Earth - and, perhaps, another living human.

Thus begins an epic journey of adventure, danger, heartbreak, and hope, as Ruslan sets out in search of a place that may no longer exist - drawn by the slimmest yet most enduring hope.

Praise for Relic:

"Foster's high-concept novel is a gripping tale of serenity amid sorrow." (World Magazine)

©2018 Alan Dean Foster (P)2018 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Relic is a thrilling and thoughtful epic. With Alan Dean Foster’s trademark invention in both the psychology and physiology of his aliens, he also enriches the narrative with their complex cultures. The plot spans galaxies!” (Hugo and Nebula award-winning author Greg Bear)

“The stunning plot of Foster’s stand-alone novel will intrigue readers for not only the ‘last man in the universe’ trope but also the well-developed alien species. A true first contact novel on many different levels.” (Library Journal)

“Foster’s sympathetic novel successfully surveys human frailty, the tendency not to learn from history, and an enduring capacity for adaptation and emotional attachment.” (Publishers Weekly)

Captivating and original

I have read many of Foster's books over the years including his many movie tie ins. RELIC is something special! An absolutely captivating character driven story about survival and the power of the human spirit. A great listen.

Quite good

I enjoyed the story, sadly many elements were too predictable for my tastes. Still Foster is a master of the genre and I am happy to have read this book!

Brilliant. Simply brilliant.

The highly animated reader read a brilliant, heartfelt story that made me question, hate and love our collective humanity. Relic is hands down one of the greatest books I’ve ever discovered.

Excellent story with an even better narration.

This has to be one of my top 5 books. The story was well written, the writer would explain things and not over due it. I really enjoyed this book.

I liked it overall.

Maybe it's just the period during which I read this but I found this overly optimistic. The potential threat decided not to be awful either because the Galaxy is made up of veryAdvanced civilizations or selfishness has been eradicated. The uncivilized animal threat also removed itself by luck and happen stands.

Right now, I can use that level of unrealism. If you could too then this might be a great book for you.

Interesting Concept

I liked the story. I loved the concept and it felt realistic. I did not like the main character Ruslan (sp?). I kept trying to feel something fir him, but at every sentence he spoke found myself back at disliking his personality. At the end, I almost choked up and was happy for the character. I was overall pleased with the story's ending and not disappointed with the book. I would recommend.

Weak attempt at hard sci-fi

The story concept is interesting, but the science fiction is missing. And the main character is to often an idiot.

Great Read

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Lots of unexpected twists & turns. Good tempo throughout. Cool ending. I would definitely look for more by same author!

not his best work

I have enjoyed several ADF books over the years. He does a great job with aliens and other worlds. I was saddened that this story didn't live up to the standard of his previous work. I found the main character, Ruslan, to be fairly unlikable, and that tainted the story for me.
The narrator was also problematic because the variance in volume levels made it hard to pick a listening volume. I liked the accents used, but too often I missed words when they were pronounced quietly. Very hard to listen to in the car.

Narrator detracts slightly from otherwise great experience.

Mr Thompson has a tendency in this book to read everything with the same breathless wonder, whether he’s describing an entirely new planet, or a kitchen sink. If the narrator does not seem vested in the story, neither will the listener.