In an alternate nineteenth century, zombies, airships, earth-quaking machines, and frontier-style life are the norm in the Pacific Northwest. Young Zeke Wilkes is determined to clear his sullied family name by venturing into the deadly, walled-off city of Seattle. His mother, Briar, is determined to go after her boy and save him from himself. Kate Reading narrates from Briar’s point of view and Wil Wheaton, from Zeke’s. Reading’s narration is very mannered, her enunciation precise and clipped as she deftly portrays how tightly Briar holds onto her emotions. Wheaton gives a fun, energetic performance. He nails teenage Zeke’s enthusiasm, brio, and false courage. Wheaton growls, whispers, and spits out the dialogue of the villains and offers a gentle, sympathetic portrait of Briar.
Pub Date: Feb. 16, 2010
Duration: 13 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781427210845
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
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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