Originally published in 1992, this sci-fi story explores a complex question: Should rights be afforded to evolving artificial intelligence, and how would those rights fit into the political structure of a world of inhabited planets? Narrator Pamela Lorence creates an atmosphere of both solidarity and competition among a crew that is hired to transport a wealthy corporate executive to rescue her brother. Lorence makes it clear that the executive is haughty and firmly established in the upper class, but the crew declines to be subservient. Lorence depicts Manfred, the AI that aids in flying the ship, in a neutral manner, keeping alive the question of whether he's sentient until the very end.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2018
Duration: 14 hrs
Publisher: Crossroad Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Multiple award winner Card is one of the greatest practitioners of science fiction; here he delivers a history fantasy of the Wabash Valley circa 1800, a world of hexes and folk magic. This is the first book about Alvin Maker, the seventh son of a seventh son, who has remarkable psychic powers. Card is a very good narrator, expressive and well paced. One can hear the excitement of an author as he brings his own well described characters to life. There is one momentary technical glitch, the only slip up in an exemplary presentation. Highly recommended for fiction collections everywhere.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 7 hrs
Publisher: The Literate Ear
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Asimov's sweeping tale of the disintegration and fall of the Galactic Empire has never been more relevant or poignant. In the third book of the original trilogy, Dan Lazar handles the material adequately. He uses his limited range of voices nicely, if sometimes amusingly--he sometimes sounds like a foreigner attempting to mimic American accents. Varying pitch and pacing make for a lively narration, and his reading of a precocious young woman, who is ultimately an important figure, is delightful. Technical and editorial problems plague the title. Hearing Lazar repeatedly mispronounce a word that the text itself explains how to pronounce is very frustrating. Intermittent fade-outs on one channel; inconsistencies when switching sides; and low, rumbling background noise mar the sound quality.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 8 hrs
Publisher: Books on Tape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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