At first, this novel, which begins on a cross-country train ride from New York to California in 1945, feels as if it has too much back story to get out of the station. With war-torn Europe a recent memory, Kanon offers an account of two brothers, a possible murder, deception, betrayal, and espionage, all wrapped up in the bad old days of Hollywood. Narrator T. Ryder Smith does little to alleviate the sluggish start. At the outset, his cautious voice drapes a somber mood over the story. But as Kanon's deftly conceived puzzle pieces begin to fit together, the plot gathers momentum, and Smith's early choices make sense. Each of Smith's characters has a distinctive personality, and his narration conjures up a strong sense of place that reveals the darkness beneath the tinsel.
Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2009
Duration: 18 hrs, 15 mins
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
C.J. Box writes about life in wild Wyoming, short stories of people living a rugged life by choice or by circumstance. David Chandler narrates in a rough-edged whiskey voice that suggests summer heat, bitter winters, and windswept prairies, guiding the listener through 10 adventures of men like Fish and Game Officer Joe Pickett. Chandler brings the listener into this strange world where, more often than not, men have to create their own justice. His performance of the economical stories, some rarely seen, is perfect. The tale of the frozen body of a Native American basketball player turned speed freak, her arm reaching through the ice of a lake in a final jump shot, is one of the most fascinating in the collection.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 7 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781470392796
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Dirk Pitt, intrepid adventurer and master explorer, searches the Sahara for the deadly toxin that is killing marine life world wide. This audio, abridged by Harold Schmidt, lacks most of the adventure, as well as the humor, of Cussler's novels. Narrator Tom Wopat brings an unconventional vocal slant to the ever-cocky Pitt. Using lots of vocal characterization, Wopat brings across the smug brashness of Pitt and handles dialogue briskly. Enhanced by sound effects and small pieces of music, this is an interesting and perplexing mystery.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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