In this return to the world created in UNDER HEAVEN, romance, political intrigue, military conflict, and barbarians at the border are at work in twelfth-century China. Narrator Simon Vance weaves the story of a young man who becomes a strong military leader and a young woman who challenges the norms of society by being educated and self-assured. Vance's skill with long passages of description and explication is put to good use here. His tone is nostalgic and introspective as the characters spend much of their time musing about the empire portrayed in UNDER HEAVEN, as well as events 400 years earlier.
Pub Date: April 2, 2013
Duration: 21 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781101605943
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
There’s sweet magic in this comforting tale of a coffee shop run by insightful cats.
Susan Momoko Hingley’s gentle performance suits the themes of introspection and healing as three people confront change and seek their authentic selves. Satsuki, a young actress, almost lost her career after an affair with a married man. Her mother, Fujiko, has also lived outside societal norms as a single mother. Fujiko’s childhood friend and one-time romantic interest, Wataru, is grappling with his own struggles. Though the characters’ voices are not always distinct, Hingley brings sensitivity and emotion to her performance, including her portrayals of the quirky and endearing cats whose astrological interpretations guide the cafe’s customers toward greater self-understanding.
There’s sweet magic in this comforting tale of a coffee shop run by insightful cats.Pub Date: Aug. 25, 2026
Duration: 4 hrs, 34 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217404551
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Sept. 3, 2026
You’ll never think about fungus the same way again.
Andrew Fallaize’s committed performance makes this twisty, creepy fantasy-mystery hard to turn off. Imperial investigators Din and Ana have traveled to the agricultural center of the Khanum Empire to dig into a disturbing death. It lands them in the middle of a feud between two powerful families, and Fallaize puts listeners squarely in Din’s point of view as he uses his biological enhancements to perfectly commit every suspect and clue to memory while managing the eccentric Ana. Fallaize breaks out a wide variety of British accents to believably portray each character, and he expertly enhances every moment of suspense, danger, and horror in this satisfying third installment in the series.
You’ll never think about fungus the same way again.Pub Date: Aug. 4, 2026
Duration: 14 hrs, 7 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217279296
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Aug. 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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