Esther Wane portrays haughty Princess Gracia Patramata, an oracle, in sharp, snooty tones--as befits her highborn station. Gracia recounts her tale of conquest and then defeat by the commander of the interstellar Empire of Ceiao. The battle-hardened commander wrangles with fellow merchants and the now defeated Gracia, whose demeanor is softened when voiced by Tim Campbell. Wane and Campbell narrate alternating chapters filled with echoes of the Roman Empire and the contentious love affair of Antony and Cleopatra. Wane and Campbell unflaggingly tackle intergalactic politics and Latin terms interspersed with made-up words in this long, sometimes numbingly turgid, history of a centuries-old empire guided by an AI and Gracia's imperial dynasty.
Pub Date: Nov. 8, 2022
Duration: 16 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668611173
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Golden Voice Soneela Nankani delivers her usual superb narration. Five centuries after humans, with the assistance of aliens, left the overpopulated Earth, an oppressive empire rules on Newearth. Fen has just learned that her fathers have been killed in prison, so she sets out to do what they tried to: join the rebellion. She pairs up with Alekhai, the sovereign's younger brother, and together they lead the fight to restore democracy. Nankani deals with a wide cast of characters and is particularly proficient with males. There's plenty of action, which Nankani infuses with suspense and passion. Friendships and "found family" are at the core of the story, and Nankani captures the many different bonds that are forged.
Pub Date: Nov. 4, 2025
Duration: 16 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781668154366
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Two novellas deliver uneven performances. In RED STAR HUSTLE, Jennifer Pickens, portraying bounty hunter Imadi, is spellbinding. Her voice imparts the heft of every emotion involved with tracking Aran, a sex worker wanted for murder. Ali Andre Ali's performance as Aran binds listeners to the humanity in the audiobook through his deft portrayal of the mental dance of addiction. Kevin R. Free rounds out the production with gusto as the superhuman Resh. Listening to these three romp through the universe is delightful. However, the author of APPREHENSION, Mary Robinette Kowal, should have left the narration to seasoned professionals. Neither of the main characters--the kidnapped child nor his grandmother--sounds believable. Happily, the delightful performances in the first novella make up for the one in the second.
Pub Date: Oct. 21, 2025
Duration: 10 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668149652
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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