This thoughtful, satisfying performance delivers an engaging listen.
T. Ryder Smith’s interesting narration is true to the many emotional tensions in the newest SF adventure by Nebula Award-winning author Sui. A blend of mystery and philosophy with a touch of horror, the story takes us aboard an ancient spaceship in the company of researchers and Vessel Iris, a death monk with an AI implant. Although Iris’s foggy voice and neutral affect match the character, they grow monotonous over long stretches of listening. Nonetheless, it’s a considered choice, and other characters’ personalities—spiky, sincere, acidic—offer enough variation to keep one involved. When it comes, the terrifying action is rendered with gripping, staccato pacing. And the insidious tone that Smith gives the enemy sentience is truly shiver-inducing.
This thoughtful, satisfying performance delivers an engaging listen.Pub Date: Feb. 24, 2026
Duration: 12 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9798897560196
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: April 21, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2026
Emotion check: Long live Murderbot.
Kevin R. Free drops listeners into the middle of a rescue mission aboard an enormous space station. In a defining performance, Free masterfully conveys Murderbot’s sardonic running commentary, deadpan and endearingly world-weary. Murderbot has installed a mental health module since its last adventure, so there are frequent “emotion checks.” The mission, of course, runs into several complications, and Murderbot finds itself with a growing party of humans to keep safe. As the sometimes perilous, sometimes zany rescue operation progresses, Free employs subtle accents to distinguish the human characters; Nanna Naja especially is a hoot. But it’s his Murderbot, who has grown and changed over eight installments, that will have listeners rapt.
Emotion check: Long live Murderbot.Pub Date: May 5, 2026
Duration: 5 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781705041031
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: April 27, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2026
Baker’s warm voice is an excellent companion to this SF mystery series.
Blair Baker returns to narrate the second novella in the Dorothy Gentleman series. Ship’s detective Dorothy is tasked with solving the mystery of a baby abandoned aboard the HMS Fairweather—an inconceivable presence on a ship where fertility has, supposedly, been suspended. Baker’s mature voice suits semiretired Dorothy, and her warm narration perfectly fits the cozy atmosphere, especially as Dorothy’s nephew, Ruthie, lovingly cares for the baby. Baker voices shipmind Ferry, the spaceship’s AI, with a tone of charming wonder that is sure to endear it to listeners as it tries to assist Dorothy in uncovering the baby’s parentage. But solving that piece of the mystery only leads to more questions.
Baker’s warm voice is an excellent companion to this SF mystery series.Pub Date: March 10, 2026
Duration: 3 hrs, 27 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250436047
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: April 21, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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