Like Banks's other titles featuring the utopian society called the Culture, THE HYDROGEN SONATA is thematically complex. An entire sentient species chooses to "sublime," that is, to transcend to another plane of existence, and a musician makes a quest to perfect a sonata before the Sublimation Event. Longtime Culture narrator Peter Kenny applies various British accents to each species. The many outrageous names and inventive phrases allow easy differentiation of the characters. Kenny's accents suit the alien names and phrases, and even during extended conversation between various alien species, each speaker is easily identified. Kenny's assured, calm delivery accentuates the humor and pathos. Occasionally he dramatizes the dialogue, enhancing both the action and moments of pure horror.
Pub Date: Jan. 15, 2013
Duration: 17 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781619692558
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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