This vast novel of Victorian adventure, which won the 2000 Whitbread Award, is told by a rotation of first-person voices. The main characters include a piratical captain smuggling stolen goods and other contraband from hither to yon, the English passengers he has been forced to take in order to finance his voyage, and various inhabitants of present-day Tasmania, both European and indigenous. The English passengers think they are going to find the historical Garden of Eden in Van Deiman's Land; they aren't. The seven readers, who include Simon Prebble, Jenny Sterlin, Patrick Tull, and Davina Porter, could not possibly be better, but spiraling from the voice of one dislikable, benighted or comic opera character to the next, with no connecting narrative tissue, makes the experience less than compelling.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2002
Duration: 20 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Recorded Books/ Clipper
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Escape on a thrilling adventure with Soneela Nankani and Andrew Eiden as they narrate this suspenseful romance. A year has passed since Simi Chopra, her assorted crew, and Jack Danger pulled off a lucrative diamond heist. Now, the Chicago Mafia boss is demanding that the jewels be returned, so Simi gets the team back together. Nankani delivers an expressive performance that emphasizes Simi's conflict between her passion for Jack and the mission. Her distinct character voices keep the listener fully immersed. Eiden's lively tone gives Jack a subtle flair and confidence that make him easy to forgive and to love.
Pub Date: Aug. 20, 2024
Duration: 11 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593907467
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This is not a story about guns, but about blue pearls. Gerald Browne takes us to the Pacific Ocean and the world of pearl divers and natural gems and mixes in mystery, intrigue and suspense. Barry Bostwick portrays the characters in one voice, varying his intonation slightly for the Asian personalities. His reading style is very smooth, evidence of preparation and interest in the story. 18mm Blues is abridged well, collecting the important elements of the story. Unobtrusive music indicates the end of each side. Disappear into the mystery of the Far East and one of its most beautiful commodities.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 1993
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: Audio Renaissance
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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