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The Circuit cover art

The Circuit

By: Rhett C. Bruno
Narrated by: Jefferson Mays
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Summary

USA Today Best-seller Rhett C. Bruno's debut sci-fi series is a gritty, space-opera epic perfect for fans of The Expanse!

Earth is a dying planet. To survive, humanity founds the Circuit, a string of colonies across the solar system, dedicated to mining resources vital to preserving what remains of mankind. Here there are no heroes or villains, only those willing to do what's necessary to survive.

The New Earth Tribunal, a powerful religious faction, has risen to rule the Circuit. They believe a Spirit within the Earth will one day appear and welcome humanity back home. Following a string of seemingly random attacks, the Tribunal suspects its mortal enemy, the Ceresians, have again rallied to challenge their absolute rule. But a new, sinister threat has arisen - and it plans to bring down the Tribunal once and for all.

Join an unlikely band of would-be saviors - the Tribunal's best spy, a roguish Ceresian mercenary, a subservient android, and a disgraced general - as they are drawn into a conspiracy destined to change the Circuit forever.

"Bruno has crafted a complex, multi-dimensional story that combines the best of his genre with age-old truths - and quandaries - about humanity, politics, religion, family, and, yes, love." (Portland Book Review)

©2017 Diversion Books (P)2018 Podium Publishing

Critic reviews

"All the distinctive voices carry a complicated, ultimately very human, story to a powerful conclusion." (Audiofile Magazine)

What listeners say about The Circuit

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  • Overall
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    5 out of 5 stars

Intelligent Science-fiction

There’s intellectual thought behind this book is it All for the greater good for humanity to move forward ? To become the villain to force change ?

Good read and believable futuristic tale

And the narrator is brilliant one of the few American narrators I can listen to in science fiction

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5 people found this helpful

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Jefferson mays!

Mays was the selling point for this book. Never heard of the author but needed to fill the void left by the expanse. Mays is a great narrator and I hope he gets more releases on this genre soon!

Regarding the story being too long, noted in some reviews, just want to point out that this is a trilogy. Quite short in comparison to the expanse.

I enjoyed the story, so much that I’m writing the review before finishing the last book. There may have been a lack of depth and absence of scientific explanation, but the story, in my opinion, makes up for it.

A lot of plans within plans, taking lessons from other sci-fi writers. Not sure where it’s heading for the climax but I have some ideas and I just hope the author goes Down the path I want.

Give it a go, it’s not the expanse, but it’s not trying to be either.

On another note, I listen at 1.5/1.75 speed and Mays is still perfectly clear.

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4 people found this helpful

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This unit does not bleed.

Several centuries before, Earth had finally succumbed to mankind's abuse, killing millions and forcing survivors to find new homes in space, only made possible by the mined gravitum. The Circuit connected, protected and made travel possible between the numerous colonies. Many clans and factions had grown up but, after war, the Tribunes dominated with the religious beliefs about Earth itself and a far crude revival when the totally inhospitable homeworld would again be welcoming, green and filled with life, the atmosphere breathable, the ground not giving to ferocious upheavals. One man, Cassius Vale, had been instrumental in winning the war and had been rewarded by being made a Tribune, so becoming one of the four most powerful beings in the universe. However, the death of his only son so grieved him that he left his exhausted position and determined on a very different way forward. And he built a different son, ADAM.

Skillfully world building and breathing life into his characters, Rhett Bruno has written an enthralling story of the struggle to survive, political intrigue and double-cross, familial love and hate, friendship, courage, battles, murder, the threat of renewed war, new technologies and an android's coming of age. Narrator, Jefferson Mays, gives a pleasant, clear and well modulated reading, filled with understanding and giving differentiated voicings for all of the protagonists. His narration at first is in slow motion, which adds even greater strength to the action and emphasises the power of ADAM. However, this reader later increased the playback speed to 1.25, which in no way diminished the excellent performance.

The Circuit includes all three full length novels of the Circuit Trilogy - nearly thirty hours to explore the worlds, the people and their motivations as terror once again sweeps over the inhabitants inside the Circuit. Intriguing as well as exciting, and even better in audio, his book is not to be missed.

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4 people found this helpful

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shocking

Bought this as recommended for readers of the Expanse...the algorithm is clearly not working...what a load of generic, unimaginative twaddle. Audible doods....what are you playing at?! Hard science was clearly having the day off. Poor characterisation, terrible dialogue and story telling, and a lot of it did not make any sense with characters acting "out of character" withen the same paragraph they were "in" character....if that last sentence didnt make sense try listening to the first chapter....the great Sci-fi authors are rolling, while probably laughing, in their graves. Hard Science
? Hard avoid.

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2 people found this helpful

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  • 21-12-18

Exceptional

An utterly brilliant, well written, superbly executed adventure. I wasnt expecting much from an author Id never heard of - but now Rhett C.Bruno has another fan.

If you like Political, but action packed Sci-fi - listen/read/ingest this

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Writer probably has OCD!

This may have a plot but I think it is hidden behind the endless detail. World building requires some detail in order to paint a realistic picture. What I don't need is enough detail to paint a world. Combine this with what I choose to call effluent dialogue (like fluent, but shitty), and you have a tedious listen. The narrator was doing his best. I didn't get past the first few chapters.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent !

High Octane indeed!, Jefferson Mays delivers a great performance. Great characters and lots of interesting plots. highly enjoyable

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Space Fan-Tas-Tic

What a great book the circuit is full of an all to believable world with characters that appeal to the reader, or in this case the listener.
Who would think that a robot would be one you can feel for or that those who think there doing good can make us really think what would i do? and how I would feel. Rhett Bruno is starting to become a household k own popular sci fi author with good reason and this show cases why.
Although I think this worked better as a book rather than an audio almost 30hrs of a deep political epic is great and the skills of Jefforson Mays does great with his sonorous take on Cassius and Adam especially.
Some of the female characters i would of thought sounded different in my own head but he does a good job I think and i can see why he is so sought after.
For me the real skill is the political landscape and the insights into the characters that really grip you, something i think Rhett excels at.
For those new to his work then this is a great introduction to his work on audio and I'm sure will be the first of many as his name gathers followers and fans. Hopefully some of his other books follow suit as i think a lot of his work and characters need Audio and as an avid fan of good narration this is all good for us Audio fans.
This audio was requested and i have chosen to leave my thoughts on this.

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    3 out of 5 stars
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It's OK but corny. Linear science fiction

I bought this for two reasons. One - it was a recommendation "because you read The Expanse" and two- Jefferson Mays.

Straight off - this is nothing like The Expanse. Nothing. The story is linear. The "plot" is a tired TV series good vs bad. The characters are stereotyped, corny, and unbelievable. The relationships between the characters are adolescent and puerile.

Its descriptive narrative moves at a reasonable pace. It was good company for a few days on my walks but will easily be replaced and forgotten.

Again - if like me you're trying to fill the void left by The Expanse, this isn't it.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

My favourite narrator

Liked the story. Jefferson Mays is amazing as always. The editing wasn't the best though.

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