by Alastair Reynolds ; Read by John Lee ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 22, 2009
HOUSE OF SUNS features a race of humans that have lived in space for millions of years. But now someone has murdered most of them, and the survivors must find those responsible if the race is to survive. Narrator John Lee generally gives a strong narration, except when he encounters a recurring structural problem in the book: The story features an omniscient narrator, but, from time to time, without warning, the narration is taken over by the main female character. At these points, Lee’s voice doesn’t change, making it difficult to follow the shift in point of view. However, when Lee performs the female character’s dialogue, his voice goes up an octave, making those moments easy to follow.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2009
Duration: 18 hrs
Publisher: Tantor Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
by Orson Scott Card ; Read by Orson Scott Card ‧ RELEASE DATE: N/A
Multipleawardwinner Card is one of the greatest practitioners of science fiction; here he delivers a history fantasy of the Wabash Valley circa 1800, a world of hexes and folk magic. This is the first book about Alvin Maker, the seventh son of a seventh son, who has remarkable psychic powers. Card is a very good narrator, expressive and wellpaced. One can hear the excitement of an author as he brings his own welldescribed characters to life. There is one momentary technical glitch, the only slipup in an exemplary presentation. Highly recommended for fiction collections everywhere.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 7 hrs
Publisher: The Literate Ear
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
by Isaac Asimov ; Read by Dan Lazar ‧ RELEASE DATE: N/A
Asimov's sweeping tale of the disintegration and fall of the Galactic Empire has never been more relevant or poignant. In the third book of the original trilogy, Dan Lazar handles the material adequately. He uses his limited range of voices nicely, if sometimes amusingly--he sometimes sounds like a foreigner attempting to mimic American accents. Varying pitch and pacing make for a lively narration, and his reading of a precocious young woman, who is ultimately an important figure, is delightful. Technical and editorial problems plague the title. Hearing Lazar repeatedly mispronounce a word that the text itself explains how to pronounce is very frustrating. Intermittent fade-outs on one channel; inconsistencies when switching sides; and low, rumbling background noise mar the sound quality.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 8 hrs
Publisher: Books on Tape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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