Cold People

An unknown power has issued humankind a command: They have 30 days to get to Antarctica if they want to survive extinction. Smith’s (“Child 44” trilogy) latest follows a colony of survivors in Antarctica at multiple points in time and watches them adapt to their frigid new home. The collective goal of humanity is not only to survive but to evolve and thrive; to this end, they search for food and shelter while genetically adapting DNA to create modified humans. Only time will tell if their mission was a success. Smith’s postapocalyptic story, quickly turning into science-fiction with a twist, is a captivating and thought-provoking listen. Narrator Rebecca Lowman brings a note of grim resolve to the story, although she allows moments of hope to peek through, even when things get rough for the survivors. Lowman’s storytelling prowess will keep listeners invested from the first paragraph, engrossed in humankind’s attempts to survive in this hostile environment.