Dimension of Miracles

By: Robert Sheckley

Narrated by: John Hodgman

Audie Award Finalist, Solo Narration - Male, 2014

Award-winning author, narrator, and screenwriter Neil Gaiman personally selected this book, and, using the tools of the Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX), produced this work for his audiobook label, Neil Gaiman Presents.

A few words from Neil on Dimension of Miracles: "Dimension of Miracles is probably not [Sheckley's] most famous book…. but I think it's probably his best-loved book. It's about the joys and tribulations (mostly the tribulations) of winning the lottery—the galactic lottery—accidentally. And wrongly. Tom Carmody is awarded a remarkable prize, is taken half way across the universe to collect it, finds himself hopelessly lost, and needs to find his way home again to Earth…to this Earth, not an alternate, weirdo Earth. He's got to get back. And the price is high.

In its style of humor—and even in some of the jokes—Dimension of Miracles is very obviously a precursor of Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Douglas actually hadn't read Dimension of Miracles until very shortly after Hitchhiker came out, when people pointed him to it, and he told me that he found the experience almost shocking—it was like reading himself. He was a huge admirer of Bob Sheckley and a huge admirer of this book, and in later life, I had the privilege of introducing both of them.

Now the challenge for me with a book this funny, this strange, this perceptive was to try and find a narrator who was as iconic, somebody who could deliver the goods, somebody who could give you a book like this as it deserved to be given. And the first, and the last, and actually the only person to come to mind was John Hodgman. So I asked John, and he said yes! And he did it; he pulled it off. Listening to John—not just the suave, sensible, sane narrator of this book, but all the peculiar accents and incarnations that he is forced to adopt through here—he does it delightfully, he does it brilliantly, he's really, really funny. And so is this book. Enjoy your journey through a Dimension of Miracles."

Dimension of Miracles is a satirical science fiction novel first published by Dell in 1968. It's about Tom Carmody, a New Yorker who, thanks to a computer error, wins the main prize in the Intergalactic Sweepstakes. Tom claims his prize before the error is discovered and is allowed to keep it. However, since Tom is a human from Earth without galactic status and no space traveling experience, he has no homing instinct that can guide him back to Earth once his odyssey begins - and the galactic lottery organizers cannot transport him home. Meanwhile, his removal from Earth has caused a predatory entity to spring into existence - one that aims to destroy him. Carmody is on the run, and he ends up transporting from Earth to Earth - different phases and realities of the planet.

Learn more about Neil Gaiman Presents and Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX).

©1968 Robert Sheckley (P)2013 Robert Sheckley

Critic reviews

"Hodgman, probably best known to geeks for his appearances on The Daily Show and his role as the PC in those Apple commercials a few years back, has a dryly intelligent deadpan that wonderfully counterpoints the absurd adventures of Thomas Carmody, a mid 20th-century New York everyman who’s invited to a galactic center to collect a sweepstakes prize." ( Locus)

Need more Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? This.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This book made me laugh uncontrolably while among strangers in a crowded room. That means it's good.

What did you like best about this story?

While it was written many years ago, it's still very well suited to the modern reader. It is funny and pretends to take itself too seriously while doing totally the opposite. The main character is actually quite likable, unlike Arthur Dent, whose suffering you actually enjoy.

What does John Hodgman bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Hodgeman knows humor. Something in the way he combines serious and flippant nails it.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I laughed out loud several times, causing people to stare. I'm normally pretty reserved.

Open up your imagination!

What i liked about Dimension Of Miracles was the great sense of humor the author used to break the ice! He was very creative when it came to how he expressed the feelings & actions of the characters. The author helps you put yourself in Carmody's shoes by showing the severity in how winning prizes and competing has become something that we work towards. Overall the book was very open-minded and even though the book is fiction, it has similarities to some real life situations.

Thank you Neil Gaiman

Would you consider the audio edition of Dimension of Miracles to be better than the print version?

As with many others who came across this book thanks to the NGP label, I am now happily exposed to an author I had not previously known. This is an absurdist SF adventure of the best sort: smart, funny and just as timely now as it was when written.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Absolutely.

Interesting, clever, but not a classic

This felt like a less-funny, more American Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. It was very interesting at times, very dated at times, and not quite funny enough most of the time.

Hodgman was well-paired as a narrator, and he did as much with it as he could.

Gets better as it goes

At first, I was a bit unsure as I was not used to this quirky style, and found it a bit slow to develop. However, as it went on, the pace picked up and I liked it more and more. I was sad when it was over! This was a great balance of lighthearted fun and humor, with great satire and sci-fi elements. The narration was also just as quirky and dynamic as the story.

A Supremely Witty and Fascinating Narrative

What did you love best about Dimension of Miracles?

Well, here's the thing. This book is brilliant, but John Hodgman's reading makes it far "brillianter!" Hodgman is a genius.

What other book might you compare Dimension of Miracles to and why?

The obvious comparison is The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. When you hear this book you will be shocked to discover that a) it came FIRST, and b) it was written by an American. I would say the primary difference is that Dimension has more substance, but less plot. I don't think it could have been sustained in the same way that HHGTTG was.

Which scene was your favorite?

I loved the dialogues with Melichrone and Maudsley. Sheckley managed to lampoon religion and science and make devotees of either/both chuckle rather than be offended.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The final passage in the book is really rather spectacular. It's a quiet ending, and a significant one. It leaves lots unanswered and yet answers everything it needs to.

Any additional comments?

So, so many clever and entertaining and, yes, thoughtful passages. I loved it. And John Hodgman really did an amazing reading of it. I will never be able to ready any bit of this work again without hearing his voice.

Beyond Brilliant!

I love an intelligent book -- but when it's very clever as well, I'm all in! The whole of this book, extremely well read by Hodgman by the way, is a marvelous metaphor for how we view the universe, earth, religion, ourselves...well, you just have to listen. This is one of the very few books I'll listen to again and again; there's just so much rich content. Sheckley is truly a genius.

Excellent find!

As a Douglas Addams fan and sci-fi enthusiasts, I loved this old book. It's quite forward thinking even if it was written in the 60s!

Be Careful About Aliens with Prizes

What made the experience of listening to Dimension of Miracles the most enjoyable?

It was fun to try to figure out where he would end up next and wondering what different places would be.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I liked the prize the best because of the variations and dialogue it provided.

What does John Hodgman bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I think the same as most books that are read out loud. I could spend my time enjoying the book instead of wondering about pronunciations.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Congratulations, you won a prize...

A great absurdist classic, read by the amazing former literary professional

This book is a classic. If you love SciFi in the likes of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, you'll love this. The great John Hodgman also narrates much better than you would expect for a living PC, his panoply of voices giving each character a distinct personality, also read at a pleasing cadence. 5/5 stars in my book!