Without any need for sound effects or other audio enhancements, William Dufris’s narration of this Civil War novel skillfully re-creates the era. He adeptly renders both Northern and Southern accents. With only the inflections of his voice, Dufris makes real the cacophony of battle, the sounds of a slave auction, and the refined tones of a Southern drawing room. Historic figures like Judah Benjamin are authentically, if unsympathetically, presented. Author Dara Horn artfully depicts the milieu—the story takes place mostly in New Orleans and Richmond, Virginia—and mayhem of war-torn America. Espionage, murder, even marriage under false pretenses highlight this fast-paced audiobook.
Pub Date: April 1, 2009
Duration: 15 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Tantor Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Ayla, one of the "others," is adopted by a clan of Neanderthal cave people. She struggles to conform to their ways, but her advanced human traits overwhelm and threaten their primitive culture in this initial installment of an immensely popular series. Although the story might benefit from abridgment, Rowena Cooper easily carries out the formidable task of enlivening the mostly silent and stereotypical characters with consistent, diverse personalities and human dimension. Through skillful phrasing and inflection, she maintains the reader's interest and suspense, especially with Ayla and her plight, throughout this rambling and imaginative story.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 22 hrs
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Chivers
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This lyrical, sensual novel of woman's lot in Manchu, China, is as well researched as it is well written. Authentic in tone, it's nonetheless written for Westerners by a Western expert on China. Moreover, Susan Clark performs the demanding text superbly, with only occasional signs of fatigue. For the most part she not only sustains the quaint diction and Asian atmosphere, but also, creates whole worlds with her voice. She acts the book, rather than reads it, and, in so doing, turns a pretty trifle into a stupendous beauty.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 4 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Audio Literature
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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