You might call FINN a prequel to Twain’s classic. In an entertaining and beautifully crafted novel, Clinch imagines what might have happened to Huck’s amoral and violent father before and after Huck escapes his clutches. Told in the present tense, it’s a treasure trove of opportunity for the right reader, and Ed Sala is that. His speech seems that of a middle-aged mid-nineteenth-century American. He modulates his voice for Huck (was he mulatto?); for Finn’s black mistress, Mary; for Finn’s self-righteous and bigoted father, who is a judge; and for Finn’s drinking buddies. Best of all, Sala reads at a pace that lets listeners appreciate the fine descriptions of the Mississippi setting. In an informative author interview, Clinch says he was working toward something that could be read aloud. He succeeded.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2007
Duration: 11 hrs, 15 mins
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Ayla, one of the "others," is adopted by a clan of Neanderthal cave people. She struggles to conform to their ways, but her advanced human traits overwhelm and threaten their primitive culture in this initial installment of an immensely popular series. Although the story might benefit from abridgment, Rowena Cooper easily carries out the formidable task of enlivening the mostly silent and stereotypical characters with consistent, diverse personalities and human dimension. Through skillful phrasing and inflection, she maintains the reader's interest and suspense, especially with Ayla and her plight, throughout this rambling and imaginative story.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 22 hrs
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Chivers
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This lyrical, sensual novel of woman's lot in Manchu, China, is as well researched as it is well written. Authentic in tone, it's nonetheless written for Westerners by a Western expert on China. Moreover, Susan Clark performs the demanding text superbly, with only occasional signs of fatigue. For the most part she not only sustains the quaint diction and Asian atmosphere, but also, creates whole worlds with her voice. She acts the book, rather than reads it, and, in so doing, turns a pretty trifle into a stupendous beauty.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 4 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Audio Literature
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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