People gradually turning into animals or trees as a fog violently attacks in 1899 London is scary stuff, but listeners are more likely to smile than cower. Hannibal Hills narrates with an entertaining exaggeration that emphasizes the humorous aspects of David Liss's novel. Hills lets listeners eavesdrop on the worlds of banking and the occult as he speaks with an insider tone leavened with mockery. Liss shows us both worlds and the surprising relationship between them through Thomas, whose father's will has forced him to become an entry-level banker. Thomas is also being steered toward marriage, which leads him to an investigation, with the help of his reluctant would-be bride. Hills's character voices may not seem realistic, but his gruff, debauched, or slimy tones are always distinct.
Pub Date: Sept. 7, 2021
Duration: 15 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781666157345
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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