Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Chabon delves into a mysterious world of barbarians, city-states, and crafty travelers in the oddly named GENTLEMEN OF THE ROAD. The book owes much to Robert E. Howard's CONAN. Andre Braugher, star of the tele?vision show "Homicide," reads the exposition-heavy book set a thousand years ago in the Khazar kingdom near the Black Sea. His delivery is straightforward but does not exploit the actor's range of talent. His performance might have been more engaging if the book had more dialogue. As it stands, the work drags in places. A rapier-wielding Jewish doctor and horse thief and his companion, a surly African ax-wielder, become involved in restoring an heir to a kingdom. Chabon is featured in a bonus afterword in the set.
Pub Date: Oct. 30, 2007
Duration: 4 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780739357903
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Ayla, one of the "others," is adopted by a clan of Neanderthal cave people. She struggles to conform to their ways, but her advanced human traits overwhelm and threaten their primitive culture in this initial installment of an immensely popular series. Although the story might benefit from abridgment, Rowena Cooper easily carries out the formidable task of enlivening the mostly silent and stereotypical characters with consistent, diverse personalities and human dimension. Through skillful phrasing and inflection, she maintains the reader's interest and suspense, especially with Ayla and her plight, throughout this rambling and imaginative story.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 22 hrs
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Chivers
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This lyrical, sensual novel of woman's lot in Manchu, China, is as well researched as it is well written. Authentic in tone, it's nonetheless written for Westerners by a Western expert on China. Moreover, Susan Clark performs the demanding text superbly, with only occasional signs of fatigue. For the most part she not only sustains the quaint diction and Asian atmosphere, but also, creates whole worlds with her voice. She acts the book, rather than reads it, and, in so doing, turns a pretty trifle into a stupendous beauty.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 4 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Audio Literature
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
