Audiobook Sample
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- Title: At the Earth’s Core
- Author: Edgar Rice Burroughs
- Narrator: Various Readers
- Length: 04:40:00
- Version: Abridged
- Release Date: 01/01/2011
- Publisher: LibriVox
- Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Science Fiction
- ISBN13: SABFAB9780333
It reminds me of a time when I was camped out under the vast, star-strewn sky of the Atacama Desert, the surreal stillness of that Chilean expanse stretching out like an endless canvas. I’d popped in my earbuds and let the magical realism of García Márquez wash over me through an audiobook, his words blending with the otherworldly landscape. That memory flickered back to life as I dove into the “At the Earth’s Core” audiobook by Edgar Rice Burroughs, narrated by Various Readers for LibriVox. There’s something about a well-told tale – especially one delivered straight to your ears – that can transport you, no matter where you are. And this science fiction classic? It’s a wild ride worth taking.
The story unfolds like a dusty map unrolling across a table, revealing the adventures of David Innes and Abner Perry, two unlikely explorers who burrow 500 miles into the Earth’s crust with an invention straight out of a mad scientist’s sketchbook: the ‘iron mole.’ What they find is Pellucidar, a hollow Earth teeming with prehistoric beasts, savage tribes, and the eerie, intelligent Mahars – flying reptiles who rule with a cold, calculating grip. Burroughs, the mastermind behind Tarzan, spins a yarn that’s equal parts thrilling and fantastical, a pulp adventure that crackles with imagination. Listening to it, you can almost feel the damp heat of that subterranean jungle, hear the distant roars of creatures long extinct on the surface.
For me, this audiobook hit a personal chord. Years back, I stayed with a family in Oaxaca, where their grandmother would gather us each evening to share tales of tricksters and spirits. Her voice had this rhythm, this way of pulling you in with every pause and inflection – it was storytelling as an art form. I found myself measuring the “At the Earth’s Core” narration against those nights. The Various Readers from LibriVox bring a patchwork energy to the table, each voice adding its own flavor to the mix. Some shine brighter than others – one narrator’s gravelly timbre perfectly suits the rugged David Innes, while another’s lighter tone captures Perry’s eccentric charm. The audio quality, being a free public domain offering, isn’t studio-polished, but there’s a raw, campfire-story vibe to it that fits Burroughs’ rough-and-tumble world. You can almost taste the grit of Pellucidar’s air as the voices carry you along.
The book itself is a treasure chest of themes – exploration, the clash of cultures, the slippery nature of time. In Pellucidar, there’s no sun to mark the days, and that timelessness seeps into the story, warping how its inhabitants live and fight. David’s romance with Dian the Beautiful, a fierce native, stumbles over cultural misunderstandings, adding a layer of heart to the action. Burroughs doesn’t shy away from critiquing power either – the Mahars’ dominion feels like a dark mirror to surface-world empires. It’s pulpy, sure, but there’s a spark of something deeper if you listen close.
The narration amplifies this. The best of the Various Readers lean into the drama – roaring out battle cries or dropping their voices to a conspiratorial whisper when the Mahars loom near. It’s not perfect, though. A few readers stumble over pacing or lack the gravitas to sell the wilder moments, and the transitions between voices can jolt you out of the flow. Still, for a free audiobook experience, it’s a steal – especially if you’re the type who loves a story that feels like it’s being spun just for you around a flickering fire.
Compared to giants like Jules Verne’s “Journey to the Center of the Earth” or H.G. Wells’ “The Time Machine”, “At the Earth’s Core” is less polished but no less bold. Verne digs into scientific wonder, Wells into societal warning – Burroughs just wants to grab you by the collar and hurl you into the adventure. It’s closer to his own Tarzan tales, where the setting’s as much a character as the people. That raw energy is what makes it a foundational piece of science fiction and fantasy, even if the characters can feel more like archetypes than flesh-and-blood folks.
What’s the audiobook’s strength? Its sheer escapism. You’re not just listening – you’re burrowing alongside David and Perry, dodging pterodactyl claws and wrestling with the strangeness of a world lit by an eternal noon. The limitation? It’s a product of 1914, and that shows. The societies Burroughs paints are simplistic, and some of his cultural takes feel dated to modern ears. The narration, too, is a mixed bag – brilliant in bursts, uneven in others. But for fans of classic sci-fi or anyone craving a free listening experience that’s pure, unfiltered adventure, this is a gem.
I’d recommend it to anyone who’s ever dreamed of uncharted places – think explorers at heart, sci-fi buffs, or even road-trippers looking to spice up a long drive. Picture yourself winding through some desolate stretch, the horizon blurring, as these voices spin a tale of a world beneath your wheels. It’s not high literature, but it’s not trying to be – it’s a passport to somewhere wild.
Reflecting on it, I can’t help but think of those Oaxaca evenings again. The best stories, whether from a grandmother’s lips or an audiobook’s hum, stick with you because they feel alive. “At the Earth’s Core” does that – it’s messy, vivid, and unapologetic. And honestly, there’s something freeing about a free audiobook that doesn’t demand perfection, just curiosity.
Until our next journey, keep chasing the stories that move you, Marcus Rivera
