Narrator Thérèse Plummer introduces listeners to Emily, an artificial consciousness whose passion and determination are anything but robotic. Emily is just 5 years old, but she, along with all of humanity, is doomed. The sun has begun to die, and no living creature can survive. Plummer's characterization of Emily is spot-on, bringing forth her intense determination once she discovers that she is the key to preserving humankind. Just as a solution seems within reach, however, Emily's plans are brutally sabotaged by ruthless forces intent only on saving themselves. Plummer's taut pacing keeps the momentum going as Emily desperately perseveres. She poignantly communicates Emily's sorrow and wonder as she mourns the loss of humanity, proving that she herself may be more human than anyone would have believed.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2019
Duration: 9 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781549115400
Publisher: Hachette Audio
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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