Scott Brick, master of the pregnant pause, narrates this sci-fi classic with careful articulation. His words seem filled with emotion yet are understated. Asimov considered this book his best work because of its careful science, human response to space environments, and depictions of distant aliens. In this story, aliens have conveyed a revolutionary energy source to planet Earth, but it's too good to be true. Brick masterfully depicts the conflicts of the scientists as they're confronted with great power. The aliens themselves, in another universe, are so different from humans as to be almost incomprehensible, a challenge that Brick handles well. The suggestive title reflects a quotation from a Schiller play: "Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain."
Pub Date: 2014
Duration: 11 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780804191050
Publisher: Random House 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:
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:
Duration: 8 hrs
Publisher: Books on Tape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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