Narrators Michael Crouch, Will Ropp, and Brian Nishii work together to bring this first volume in the Broken Trust series to life. The story follows two teenage brothers, Tagaret and Nekantor, who are the sons of the first family of Varin. This initial volume in the series involves a fierce competition for succession. The society's caste structure demands that narrators differentiate between the ruling class and their servants using accents and varied diction. The narrators also emphasize the story's diversity as they portray many types of characters, embracing a refreshing range of sexual preferences, health conditions, and physical appearances. The close attention to even the smallest details enhances the listening experience.
Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2020
Duration: 16 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781799751595
Publisher: Brilliance 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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