Infinite Horizons: The Complete Series

About This Audiobook

*Infinite Horizons* isn’t your typical starry-eyed space opera—it’s a scrappy, character-driven slog through the cosmos where ambition clashes with harsh reality. J.D. Sullivan drops us into the life of Dillon Mackey, a disillusioned law student turned reluctant starship apprentice, whose journey is less about heroic destiny and more about surviving the messy, morally gray grind of interstellar politics. The series stands out for its unflinching focus on the *work* of spacefaring: the tedious repairs, the bureaucratic hurdles, and the way power dynamics warp even the most idealistic dreams. Sherisza Rousilarru, Dillon’s enigmatic mentor, steals every scene she’s in—not as a sage guide, but as a brilliant, ruthless operator whose loyalty is always in question.

Ryan Kennard Burke’s narration is a masterclass in understated tension. His Dillon isn’t a swaggering hero but a young man perpetually out of his depth, voice cracking with frustration or exhaustion. Burke’s pacing mirrors the story’s rhythm: deliberate during technical deep dives (expect a lot of engineering jargon, delivered with just enough clarity to avoid confusion), then sharp and urgent during the series’ sporadic but brutal action sequences. The production leans into a raw, almost documentary-like feel—no overdone sound effects, just the weight of silence between dialogue, letting the story’s isolation seep in."

"review": "I’ll be honest: *Infinite Horizons* won’t satisfy listeners craving nonstop laser battles or grand, galaxy-spanning myths. What it *does* offer is something rarer—a sci-fi series that feels *lived-in*, where the stakes aren’t about saving the universe but about not getting crushed by it. Dillon Mackey is a protagonist who’s easy to root for precisely because he’s so *ordinary*: his victories are small, his setbacks are frequent, and his growth comes from stubbornness as much as skill. The military sci-fi elements are here, but they’re grounded in logistics—supply chains, fuel shortages, the cold math of who gets left behind—rather than glorified combat. Sherisza’s morally ambiguous mentorship is the series’ secret weapon; their dynamic crackles with unease, and Burke’s narration sells every unspoken threat in her silky, measured tones.

That said, the series isn’t without flaws. The middle act of Book 2 drags under the weight of its own technical detail—Sullivan’s love for engineering realism occasionally tips into indulgence, and Burke’s delivery, while impressive, can’t always mask the exposition dumps. The 25-hour runtime also demands patience; this is a slow burn where payoffs are earned, not handed out. And while the ending lands with emotional punch, some plot threads (particularly a subplot about corporate espionage) fizzle out rather than explode. Still, for listeners who crave sci-fi with teeth—where the stars aren’t just a backdrop but a hostile, indifferent force—this is a hidden gem. Just don’t expect it to hold your hand."

"tags": [
"gritty military sci-fi with underdog protagonists