A storm at sea, smugglers, murder, mystery and intrigue--this adventure story has it all. Teenaged John Spencer is enjoying his first voyage aboard one of his father's merchant ships when they're tricked into wrecking the ship along the wild coast of Cornwall during a brutal storm. This was no accident, and John must learn the truth about this strange community in order to save his father's life. Ron Keith navigates this terrain of cruelty and despair with subtle nuance, bringing the various characters to life with his careful rendering of their accents, genders and ages. In the end, John discovers that there is little that is only right or only wrong, and Keith conveys this message with his voice as well as with Lawrence's words. An exciting, powerful story is narrated with great skill and assurance.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2000
Duration: 6 hrs
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Listeners follow Merry, the longbow girl, one of the best archers in her town. When she finds a magical portal in the forest that takes her back to sixteenth-century Wales, she must use her skills to win an archery contest in order to help her ancestors keep their land. While narrator Emily Wilden brings protagonist Merry to life with a rich Welsh accent, her narration seems uneven at times. All the period characters have accents that reflect the setting of the story and transport listeners to Wales. Listeners who enjoy historical fiction and a bit of fantasy will be charmed by this tale of determination, hope, and family.
Young AdultPub Date: N/A
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781501916793
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
In 1832 thirteen-year-old Charlotte Doyle is sailing from Liverpool to Rhode Island to rejoin her family. Shocked to discover that the families who were to have been both guardians and companions will not accompany her, Charlotte embarks on a journey filled with terror and swashbuckling adventure. The first-person narrative makes this Newbery Honor book a wonderful choice for recording. O'Karma's reading, with its hint of cross-gender differentiation, allows the listener to feel as if Charlotte Doyle herself were relating the tale. This story should be particularly alluring to adolescent girls although the fast-paced action and the nautical setting will also appeal to male listeners. Ages 12-adult.
Ages 12+Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 6 hrs
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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