Teenagers Lyra and Gemma give separate accounts of their dystopian world. Narrator Sarah Drew tells Lyra's story with a slightly breathy and uneven delivery. Her voice is packed with emotion that reflects the extreme stressors she faces while being imprisoned in the Haven Institute, a center for human cloning, and then escaping into a world unknown to her. At first, narrator Erin Spencer's steady voice for Gemma reflects her quiet life but then intensifies as she begins to question her world and her own connection to the Haven Institute. The chapters alternate Lyra's and Gemma's accounts, but listeners might skip chapters to follow one complete narrative. Either approach will deliver captivating fast-paced adventure.
. (Science fiction. 15 & up)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2016
Duration: 13 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780062570475
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A swashbuckling adventure with lots of heart.
Barnaby Edwards will have listeners hanging onto every word of this action-packed audiobook. This worthy sequel to Thunder City finds the crew of the Fire’s Astonishment helping the university city of Museion. Its inhabitants are willingly joining the city of London in order to preserve their knowledge and artifacts. But in order to do that, they’ll have to travel safely to the rendezvous point without being eaten by another traction city. With his panoply of accents, Edwards is just as skillful narrating close calls and violent skirmishes as he is with quieter moments between characters. Vespertine, the mechanical Revenant, and her relationships with Small Cat and Professor Stanislaus are particular standouts.
A swashbuckling adventure with lots of heart. (Science fiction. 12-16)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
Duration: 9 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798225035891
Publisher: Scholastic Audio
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
Gilli Messer narrates this YA thriller set in a dystopian future on Earth. Two hundred years after WWII, 18-year-olds around the world must report to government centers to have their past lives revealed. Sivon, who is unremarkable aside from her board-game skills, fears she'll be pronounced a bad soul. Instead, her unprecedented talent pushes her into the spotlight, and she finds herself wondering what secrets the leaders of the world have kept hidden for lifetimes. Messer's distinct character voices make it easy for listeners to distinguish dialogue from narration and women from men. She respectfully depicts a nonbinary character, as well. Overall, her sobs, excitement, anguish, and flirtatious inflections for the various characters add personality to the audiobook.
(Dystopian. 12-18)Pub Date: July 29, 2025
Duration: 15 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781668138243
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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