This prequel to the Dune novels of Frank Herbert, and other books in the Dune series, will mean different things to different people. For Dune fans, it will provide deep background on the relationships, alliances, and feuds that shape those novels. To those who have not previously delved into this world, it will be a science fiction book with conflict at the fore and a glimpse of a world in which “thinking machines” rule. Scott Brick’s narration is as fresh on the twentieth disc as it is on the first. His focus is unwavering, and his pace never falters as he maintains his enthusiasm for the story and its characters. Brick is adept at leading his listeners through long narrative passages. His sense of timing is helpful in drawing out humor, as well as suspense and intrigue, and is key in his development of vivid personalities.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2002
Duration: 27 hrs
Publisher: Books on Tape
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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