This frightening audiobook sequel, capably voiced by narrator Julia Whelan, proves that you can kill neither the Andromeda Strain nor the creative genius of the late Michael Crichton. Fifty years after the original, this new techno-thriller, cowritten by Daniel H. Wilson (ROBOPOCALYPSE), brings back a whole new, diverse cast of characters to exterminate that pesky extraterrestrial bug, which again raises its rapidly multiplying head. The versatile Whelan is just the narrator to animate these characters. She inhabits the largely male cast as skillfully as she does the handful of female characters. She also adds spark to the dry reports and recordings that make up a good chunk of the audiobook. In sum, she turns this pulse-pounding adventure into a must-listen.
Pub Date: Nov. 12, 2019
Duration: 10 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780062473301
Publisher: Harper 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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