Hierax

About This Audiobook

Indi Smith is the last person you'd expect to be stranded near a collapsed wormhole—more comfortable with SQL queries than spacewalks—but that’s exactly where this sharp, introverted database programmer ends up in *Hierax*. Ruby Lionsdrake weaves a sci-fi romance that’s less about laser battles and more about emotional dislocation, identity, and the quiet courage it takes to admit you don’t want to be rescued—just seen. The worldbuilding is layered with bureaucratic galactic systems and malfunctioning tech that feels disturbingly familiar, grounding the story in a reality where even the universe seems to run on outdated code. This is sci-fi for people who think too much and love reluctantly. Vivienne Leheny’s narration gives Indi a tightly wound, wry voice that never oversells the vulnerability but lets it seep through in pauses and breaths. Her delivery mirrors the protagonist’s internal rhythm—measured, intelligent, just shy of emotional collapse. The audiobook’s strength lies in its intimacy; despite the vastness of space, this feels like a whispered confession in a dark room. Leheny handles technical jargon and emotional beats with equal precision, making the slow-burn romance with the enigmatic Hierax feel earned, not contrived. If you crave a speculative love story where connection defies distance—both physical and emotional—this one lingers like a half-remembered transmission from deep space.