The Veiled Web
- Author Catherine Asaro
- Narrator Caroline Shaffer
- Publisher Blackstone Publishing
- Publish Date 1 March 2013
- Run Time 12 hours and 34 minutes
- Format Audio
- Genre Science fiction, Thriller / suspense fiction.
Click to open directly in the xigxag app.
Flexible Pricing & Rewards For Listening
At xigxag, the more you read, the less you pay* on select audiobook and x-book® titles, as in the table below. Pricing updates automatically in the app and resets one year after your first purchase. And you can always find a selection of brilliant titles available for only €4.95.
*Only the full price titles you buy count toward your personal pricing tier. Full price titles don’t include Listen for Less or other books bought with a voucher or discount code.
Titles Purchased
- 1-5
- 6-10
- 11-15
- 16-20
- Over 20
Price p/Title
- €9.95
- €8.95
- €7.95
- €6.95
- €5.95
Listen to a sample
What to expect
Ballerina Lucia del Mar has two great passions: dance, which consumes most of her waking hours, and the Internet, which brings the outside world into her tightly regimented life. These two passions collide when a White House performance and reception leads to an encounter with handsome Moroccan businessman Rashid al-Jazari, creator of a brilliant technology that has set the Internet rumor mill ablaze.
A second, seemingly chance meeting with Rashid plunges Lucia into a deadly world of desire and intrigue, for although his work has implications she cannot foresee, there are those who do understand and would turn its great power to their own destructive purposes. As Lucia is drawn deeper and deeper into Rashid's life and work, cut off from the outside world, she finds herself becoming more attracted to him. But is her seclusion within Rashid's well-guarded Moroccan home intended to ensure her safety—or her silence? And is it already too late to stop the terrible consequences his new technology could unleash?
Critics Review
“Known for her brilliance at combining science, adventure, and riveting characterization, Catherine Asaro breaks new territory with a compelling story set in the world we know, at the dangerous intersection of cutting-edge technology and the age-old conflict of culture and the human heart. A romance of ideas as well as the story of a man and a woman attempting to build a bridge between two very different societies, The Veiled Web is a thought-provoking and entertaining tale.”
“The book’s strengths…are the sensuous and respectful evocation of Islamic culture and the creation of Zaki, the artificial intelligence who comes to life as the tale’s most quirky and moving character.”
“At once thoughtful and imaginative, The Veiled Web is a…layering of East and West, of religion and technology, movement and introspection—and of love and its loss—all woven into an intriguing tapestry that shows one turning point in the eternal battle for the souls of men. If one knows quite what a soul is!”
“Combines romance, suspense, and cutting-edge computer technology in a Moroccan setting…Asaro considers what makes humans human and the similarities between art and science, balancing ethical and religious beliefs with scientific discoveries that open new possibilities. If you’re intrigued by artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, and VR, you’ll enjoy this one.”
“A terrific novel, ripping a path from today’s headlines to tomorrow’s realities—a page-turning thriller tempered by romance and ethical concerns, with characters (even some nonhuman ones) you’ll care deeply about.”
“Asaro discards TV clichés and Time magazine stereotypes to search for the real Arab culture. She chooses her milieu well: the Arabs are a passionate people, and this is a passionate book, crackling with tension between modernity and tradition, art and science, male and female, idealism and cynicism. The attraction and repulsion between her American heroine and Arab hero presage a collision of cultures that will increasingly come to dominate tomorrow’s social landscape.”
More from the same
About xigxag
Experience the best audiobooks with xigxag, an innovative and user-friendly audiobook platform designed for seamless discovery, purchase, and enjoyment of your favorite titles. Our flexible pricing model offers bestselling audiobooks for less, providing affordable prices and the best audiobook deals without requiring a subscription. Perfect for gifting, xigxag also features convenient audiobook gift cards and in-app audiobook gifting options.
Beyond the listening experience, xigxag stands as an exciting alternative to big tech, embodying a strong commitment to sustainability and ethical practices. As the only B Corp certified UK audiobook service, we ensure a guilt-free listening experience from a leader in audiobook innovation.
Effortlessly search audiobooks, access honest audiobook reviews that evaluate both the content and narration, and easily discover hidden gems. Whether you prefer to download or stream top audiobook titles, xigxag provides the best possible listening experience anytime, anywhere, on the UK’s best independent audiobook app. Discover the future of audiobooks today.