Micromegas

I approached *Micromegas* expecting another dry 18th-century morality tale, but what I got was a laugh-out-loud, surprisingly modern satire that feels ripped from today’s headlines—just with more telescopes and less Twitter. Prentice Onayemi’s narration is the standout here; he never overplays the humor, but his delivery of Voltaire’s deadpan one-liners lands like a gut punch. His Saturnian protagonist sounds like a bemused college professor who’s just realized humanity’s biggest problems are self-inflicted, while the Sirian companion offers snarky asides that feel like they were written yesterday. The pacing is brisk, almost relentless, which works perfectly for a story this short and sharp—but I did wish the final philosophical debates had a bit more breathing room to marinate. My only real critique is that the production could’ve benefited from a touch more ambient atmosphere (a few distant howls of alien laughter, perhaps?) to further immerse the listener in the absurdity. That said, the performance alone makes this a must-listen for fans of wit that stings. If you’ve ever rolled your eyes at humanity’s grand delusions, this alien’s-eye view of Earth will have you nodding in dark amusement—and maybe reconsidering your own philosophies.