There is a good story line here, but it’s clearly written for the junior high school listener. The science in this scfi story is very basic, and often clearly wrong, but that didn’t bother me as much as the juvenile attitude of the astronauts. When astronauts in the book are snickering at the name of the planet Uranus, you get a clear sign of the intended age group of these books.
The books never stray far from the junior high romances and flirting and jealousies between the astronauts. They meet alien life for the first time, yet the biggest thing on their minds is who likes who, and “why didn’t I tell him I liked him when I had the chance”. And when they meet a new alien race, purportedly far more advanced than humans, this advanced alien race insists on a physical challenge – a foot race across the valley, in which the loser dies – because the alien has been offended by the human.
So, although there’s a good premise here – a good overall storyline – it’s clearly written for the 14-15 year old age level.
I also need to comment on the narrator. When he is speaking as a character, he’s very good. But when he is the third person narrator telling us what’s going on, he is very passive and boring. The descriptive word “soothing” comes to mind, but why would the narrator be using a “soothing” voice in a high action, tense situation? It just didn’t work.
Unless you’re a young teen, I’d stay away from this series. (I made it thru 10 hours of the 21 hour ‘Publisher’s Pack books 1-3″ and couldn’t go on.)