Brian Pallino and Jennifer O'Donnell narrate a fantasy romance that features Pocket Monster-like characters, similar to those in anime. Leena is an exiled Charmer, and Noc is the assassin hired to kill her. Instead of following the script they have been given, Leena and Noc attempt to defy their fates. Through her portrayal, O'Donnell shows Leena's strength in having survived exile as well as her sadness and desire for human connection. Similarly, Noc must keep the rest of his assassin brotherhood at arm's length due to a curse. Pallino handily depicts the emotional distress that Noc suffers as he is continually forced to be cruel and distant to those he cares about. Secondary characters, distinctly voiced by both Pallino and O'Donnell, add appeal.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2019
Duration: 12 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781980039181
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
James Marsters' weary delivery perfectly captures Harry Dresden's fractured psyche as he navigates a year of mandatory mourning and political maneuvering in Chicago. Marsters doesn't just read; he inhabits Harry's exhaustion, using deliberate pacing and a somber tonal palette that underscores the protagonist's post-traumatic stress. Marsters' gift for distinct vocal characterizations remains sharp, effortlessly pivoting from the ethereal, detached elegance of the Sidhe to the grounded warmth of Harry's remaining allies. By leaning into the book's quieter, more introspective moments, Marsters elevates this urban fantasy's emotional stakes, transforming a year of Dresden's life into a poignant study of grief. It's an immersive performance that makes the wizard's vulnerability feel hauntingly real. Marsters' soulful performance makes this a compelling entry in the Harry Dresden series.
Pub Date: Jan. 20, 2026
Duration: 17 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798217176021
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Samuel Barnett delivers a fresh interpretation of the St. George and the Dragon legend. George, whom Barnett portrays in a snide, harried tone that makes him bitingly funny, becomes increasingly hysterical as his contemporary London life falls apart. After he inexplicably time travels to the medieval era, his neuroses are subsumed into the immediacy of survival and the sweetness of romance. But things change when he's saddled with a dangerous quest. Barnett's voice for George's first-person narration, while consistent, subtly transforms to reflect the character's growth. Well-rendered secondary characters range from a laddish 21st-century city worker to a spoiled medieval prince. Barnett expertly renders a story that is part sci-fi, part gay romance, and part historical fiction.
Pub Date: Jan. 20, 2026
Duration: 8 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063424715
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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