After The Fall is a Sci Fi standalone with a lot of strong world building and beloved characters. It is the perfect listen for a longer road trip with the kids- it is not YA, but is family friendly with little to no violence or adult content. The protagonist, John, is a human “employee” i.e. “pet” of Martok the gray. This takes place on earth many years from now, after an alien invasion that domesticated humans. There are feral humans that operate like wolves in a pack, and a government that has propaganda causing John to feel as though Martok is his friend. It is a unique theme about the ruling class and the working class, or about slavery and the way that history has been altered to make modern people think that slavery was something it was not.
Martok is optimistic to the point of nearly being delusional, and while he considers John to be his friend, he has offered John as bond on a loan for new land he wants to turn into a luxury resort for wealthier grays.
I was really impressed with the performance of John Pirhalla. His performance of Martok was absolutely perfect and captured the spirit of this lovable fool. His performance of John and Six were also excellent, I found it to be incredibly engaging and melodious. The story works really well on audio and is a lighthearted yet still deep Science Fiction story that will stay with me for some time.
Thanks to Macmillan audio for the ALC. Book to be published February 24, 2026.
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