Complex, immersive science fiction needs narrators who can keep the stories clear for listeners. Here, Charles Carroll's level tone and steady, thoughtful pacing will definitely help listeners stay on top of the book's events and characters. "The Change" has come over the world, killing everyone over the age of 14. Those who are left are captured by alien overlords for deadly war games. A few young people have escaped, and fight back guerrilla style, led by an artificial intelligence known as Shade. Though Carroll's calm voice can hinder the urgency of the plot, he excels at portraying the subtle differences between the four young main characters and at enlivening the "archive" sections of the text: He actually makes listening to several pages of lists enjoyable!
Young AdultPub Date: March 12, 2013
Duration: 9 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781620643808
Publisher: AudioGo
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Myths come to life through Bahni Turpin and Robin Miles's stellar narration of this young adult fantasy. Marisol and her mother left their home in the Caribbean to live in Brooklyn. Marisol hopes to leave their island traditions and her family's magic behind. Genevieve grew up listening to her white father's mythical stories from her unknown mother's homeland. When the teens' lives collide, both discover secrets that change their views of their worlds. It's no surprise that both Turpin and Miles are Golden Voice narrators. Their skills bring Genevieve's and Marisol's stories to life as they capture the teens' personalities. Miles exquisitely delivers Marisol's Caribbean accent, while Turpin channels Genevieve's frustrations with her family and her own health. Simply magical.
(Verse fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 11, 2025
Duration: 6 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063395589
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This dark science-fiction story about three teens who participate in a doomed space mission is commendably narrated by Casey Holloway. Varied accents for the three teens—who are from France, Japan, and Norway—and strong pacing showcase Holloway’s talent as a narrator. As panic sets in among the astronauts and the teens find their adult companions to be unreliable, Holloway easily delivers the rising tension, and her quiet intensity draws listeners toward the story’s chilling conclusion. Harstad’s story will leave listeners contemplating the fate of humanity in the vast reaches of space.
(Science fiction. 12 & up)Pub Date: April 17, 2012
Duration: 9 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781611134094
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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