Hembrough ratchets up the tension while leading listeners through this exploration of belief.
Oliver Hembrough voices an array of fascinating characters in this fantasy audiobook, the first in a planned trilogy. Sister Svangerd, a nun/assassin, and Brother Desiderius, an expert forger/atheist monk, are sent to the Ecumenical Council to assassinate a princess with troublesome views. What follows? The hunters become the hunted; the undead "walkers" formulate their own assassination plans; many deaths ensue. Hembrough’s performance is true to the characters he portrays, from steel-spined nuns and questioning clerics to rage-filled walkers; his narration is replete with dry humor, sarcasm, and a penchant for scoffs and growls in bringing these characters to life.
Hembrough ratchets up the tension while leading listeners through this exploration of belief.Pub Date: Jan. 27, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668642269
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: April 11, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2026
Come for the edge-of-your-seat fantasy adventure, stay for Griffiths’ enthralling performance.
Kit Griffiths is the perfect guide to lead listeners through the depths of the dark Fourspires Castle. When the latest thaumaturge is murdered, the leaders of the four magical spires—bone, blood, stone, and botany—must fight to the death to replace him. But those arcanists’ disciples have another plan: Find each spire’s relic, climb the notorious fifth spire, and stop the slaughter before it occurs. Griffiths stuns, offering a unique vocal twist for each of the four rivals: the reckless gusto of the bone witch, Taro; the brooding of the blood disciple, Elliot; the seething anger of the betrayed botanist, Nixie; and the tense silence of the cursed stone mage, Alix.
Come for the edge-of-your-seat fantasy adventure, stay for Griffiths’ enthralling performance. (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: March 10, 2026
Duration: 14 hrs, 40 mins
DD ISBN: 9781547618651
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: May 5, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2026
The Nordic cadence of Yndis’ narration enhances the charm of this fairytale.
Nina Yndis offers a tender but spirited narration of this retelling of the Snow Queen. Gerta is a sweet young girl who is best friends with Kay. When Kay is captured by the Snow Queen, Gerta sets out to save him. The journey isn’t easy, but Gerta perseveres. Yndis creates a cozy atmosphere as the story begins in a small village with Gerta living side by side with Kay and their respective grandmothers, who have been friends for their whole lives. Yndis maintains Gerta’s sweet nature as she faces magical challenges. There are lots of small animals along Gerta’s path, and Yndis gives them voices that ooze personality, especially the Raven.
The Nordic cadence of Yndis’ narration enhances the charm of this fairytale.Pub Date: March 3, 2026
Duration: 6 hrs, 51 mins
Publisher: Podium Audio
Review Posted Online: April 21, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
