Richard Armitage brings the Great Plains of England in 2500 BCE vividly to life. His deft use of tone, pacing, and nuance differentiates the large cast of characters. The kindness and intelligence of Seft, a miner, sharply contrast with the brutishness of his father and brothers. Troon has an autocratic tone that reflects his ironfisted rule of the farmers and his scheming to expand power at the expense of the herdsmen and woodlanders. As Joia finds her place in the community of priestesses, her meek voice grows in confidence and authority, encouraging peaceful cooperation to unite these disparate tribes in building the impossible: Stonehenge, the prehistoric monument that has intrigued people for millennia.
Pub Date: Sept. 23, 2025
Duration: 19 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668648568
Publisher: Hachette Audio
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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