"The Culture" is the largest collective group of intelligent beings in the universe, and Earth’s humans are merely one of its myriad members. The concept of a "post-scarcity" society, so remote as to seem truly alien, lends a real ethical weight to an otherwise straightforward space opera. It’s a testament to Peter Kenny's performance that all the increasingly bizarre names sound entirely normal. Also, he creates characterizations so distinctly that stretches in which no speaker is identified are easily understood. He really cuts loose in his portrayal of the cannibalistic Eater holy man, who speaks, it seems, through a dripping patina of mucous and sweat. Protagonist Bora Horza and antagonist Perosteck Balveda sound positively restrained in comparison, as does a foulmouthed mercenary who meets a sticky end.
Pub Date: May 3, 2011
Duration: 16 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781611138771
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Multiple award winner Card is one of the greatest practitioners of science fiction; here he delivers a history fantasy of the Wabash Valley circa 1800, a world of hexes and folk magic. This is the first book about Alvin Maker, the seventh son of a seventh son, who has remarkable psychic powers. Card is a very good narrator, expressive and well paced. One can hear the excitement of an author as he brings his own well described characters to life. There is one momentary technical glitch, the only slip up in an exemplary presentation. Highly recommended for fiction collections everywhere.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 7 hrs
Publisher: The Literate Ear
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Asimov's sweeping tale of the disintegration and fall of the Galactic Empire has never been more relevant or poignant. In the third book of the original trilogy, Dan Lazar handles the material adequately. He uses his limited range of voices nicely, if sometimes amusingly--he sometimes sounds like a foreigner attempting to mimic American accents. Varying pitch and pacing make for a lively narration, and his reading of a precocious young woman, who is ultimately an important figure, is delightful. Technical and editorial problems plague the title. Hearing Lazar repeatedly mispronounce a word that the text itself explains how to pronounce is very frustrating. Intermittent fade-outs on one channel; inconsistencies when switching sides; and low, rumbling background noise mar the sound quality.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 8 hrs
Publisher: Books on Tape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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