Ruins of Earth - Audio Book Review

Audio Book Review

Rating: 4.0

Ruins of the Earth

Ruins of the Earth, Book 1

By Christopher Hopper, J. N. Chaney

Narrated by R.C. Bray

Series: Ruins of the Earth

Release date: 30-03-21

Language: English

Format: Unabridged Audiobook

Length: 15 hrs and 59 mins

Audio Sample - Listen Now

Audio Book Review Technical Scores

What?	Details	Score	My thoughts
Vocal Quality & Tone	• Clarity and pleasantness • Consistent tone throughout • Voice suits genre/characters	5	A fierce machine gun military voice, that shoots out the narrative with the power and speed of incoming drones
Characterisation & Performance	• Distinct voices • Genuine emotion • Avoids exaggeration or stereotype	4	Genuine emotion is hard to find between the bullets, but this is Band of Brothers set in space, and it's very compelling.
Pacing, Rhythm & Flow	• Natural pacing • Smooth phrasing • Effective pauses	4	Brillant, fierce storytelling of an amzing military adventure. Can be exhausting.
Technical Production Quality	• Clean audio • Stable volume • Professional editing	5	Excellent
Engagement & Listener Experience	• Holds attention • Enhances story • Re-listen appeal	4	This holds you and shakes you, dragging you into the adventure and keeping you there. Not a bedtime story.

Audio Book Review

R.C. Bray returns once again with a vocal performance that feels less like narration and more like being strafed by a low-flying gunship. His voice in Ruins of the Earth is a fierce, machine-gun military growl, firing off the prose with the speed and precision of incoming drones. It’s aggressive, relentless, and absolutely perfect for a story built on frozen tombs, extraterrestrial threats, and a Brooklyn-born Marine Raider who has no patience left for anything that doesn’t explode. Bray’s clarity and consistency are top-tier as always, and his tone suits the genre so well you’d think he was born reading tactical briefings instead of children’s books.

Characterisation is equally sharp, even if “genuine emotion” has to fight for survival between the bullets. Yet what Bray captures is the emotional reality of a soldier’s world: camaraderie, resolve, gallows humour, and the grim determination of men who know that the universe is indifferent and the enemy is fast. It’s Band of Brothers in space, and Bray leans into that vibe with commitment. The pacing is brilliant and fierce—so relentless, in fact, that listeners may find themselves needing a breather between chapters. This isn’t gentle storytelling; it’s a combat drop.

Technically, the production is flawless, and the engagement level is pure adrenaline. This audiobook doesn’t just hold your attention—it grabs you by the vest straps, shakes you, and drags you along through Antarctic wastelands, collapsing cities, and interdimensional chaos. It’s enthralling, exhausting, and absolutely not a bedtime story. By the end, you’re not just listening to Wic Finnegan fight Earth’s ultimate threat—you’re checking your own six. Audio Book Review Nov 2025