Huynh provides nuance to this high-stakes story, driving home its narrator's need for love.
David Lee Huynh captivates listeners with his performance as the magical, no-nonsense Benjamin Toh. However, listeners would be remiss in mistaking this gruff manner for lack of feeling. When the list of magical problems at Ben's Singaporean government position grows, Huynh adds an agitated edge to his performance, revealing that Ben’s composed air might be nothing more than a facade. Huynh perfectly captures Ben's growing frustration with his life. Fantasy lovers will find themselves enthralled when Huynh hisses as an ancient snake god or chokes as a soul-gardener drowns.
Huynh provides nuance to this high-stakes story, driving home its narrator's need for love.Pub Date: Jan. 13, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668655320
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: March 17, 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
Asimov's sweeping tale of the disintegration and fall of the Galactic Empire has never been more relevant or poignant. McKeever reads rapidly, but he also manages to identify individuals, if minimally, and the main characters are voiced consistently. His voice for the aging professor, in fact, is quite charming. Narrative passages are read competently with appropriate emotional expression. Technical and editorial problems plague the title. Intermittent fade-outs on one channel; inconsistencies when switching sides; and low, rumbling background noise mar the sound quality.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 13 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Books on Tape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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