BREAKTHROUGH by Michael C. Grumley

Narrated by Megan Wolf

Guided Day-Dream

Michael Grumley delivers a modern example of classic extrapolative science fiction. He takes an idea and imagines the implications. There is something about this type of story that appeals to me, always has. It is like a guided day-dream. It hearkens back to my first discoveries in science fiction: that sense-of-wonder that the revelation of new ideas can produce in the child-like mind. Breakthrough takes a few ideas—like translating Dolphin language using computer processing power, or finding aliens living unobserved among us—and builds a fair amount of tension and interest in playing with those ideas to drive the plot. I found the characters to be adequate place-holders for the roles they play in advancing the story but never quite found my way to actually becoming friends with them.  You know, that feeling of a favorite character that you don’t much care what they are doing you just enjoy being with them doing it? But that is no hindrance here. For me the story is the thing and this is a swell story. The other books in the series may show other dimensions of Michael Grumley’s developing ability. Perhaps the characters will become people I will want to hang out with? The reviews seem to say as much.

Without giving too much away I can say that familiarity with the Intelligent Design works of Michael Denton, especially Nature’s Destiny and Evolution: Still a Theory in Crisis will be of great advantage to the listener. Denton’s books advocate the theory that the nature of matter itself is tailored to produce the very organisms we see on earth, including intelligent bipedal humanoids. The listener having these concepts under his belt will take Breakthrough more seriously. And, make no mistake, Breakthroughs is a book to be taken seriously.

Megan Wolf reads clearly and with excellent and precise diction–every word clearly enunciated. Her voice is pleasant and sonorous and blends into the background unobtrusively allowing the listener to simulate the book reading experience where all the inflection and emotion is supplied by the listener’s imagination. This may be damming with faint praise, but I do want to be kind here. Wolf’s approach is a popular one: delivering a straight read without introducing much emotion—leaving that to the listener’s imagination. Some prefer this over the more emotional and dramatic approach. I do not.

Classic Science Fiction stories featuring talking Dolphins

WORLD OF PTAVVS by Larry Niven

STARTIDE RISING by David Brin