Natasha Wiley lives in America-Five, a high-tech underground utopian settlement in which hunger and money don't exist, everyone has a job, and all basic needs are met. The residents of America-Five wear "biosuits," and babies are gestated in "incuvats"; committing murder outside the community is euphemistically known as "sweeping" the tribes. Emily Zeller delivers the combination of love, science, and philosophy in this debut novel with empathy and compassion. She uses pacing and volume to distinguish the many unique characters involved in Natasha's life as she's forced to make a choice that may put the people she loves in grave danger. Listeners of all ages will be engrossed by the stylish narration as well as the futuristic drama and surprise ending.
Pub Date: March 25, 2013
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781452682259
Publisher: Tantor Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Multiple award winner 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 well paced. One can hear the excitement of an author as he brings his own well described characters to life. There is one momentary technical glitch, the only slip up 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
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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