Nicholas Flamel, legendary alchemist of the Middle Ages, recently noted in THE DA VINCI CODE and HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE, plays a central role in this tale of myth and fantasy. Flamel enlists teenage twins Sophie and Josh to help him fight the evil Dr. John Dee, who not only kidnaps Nicholas's wife, but also steals an ancient Codex from a San Francisco bookshop. Narrator Denis O'Hare keeps his pace in sync with the fast-paced plot. He handles various accents with ease, giving character and personality to the story's mythological creatures. This title may prove to be especially popular as it is intended to be the first in a series and may be headed to the silver screen.
Ages 10+Pub Date: May 22, 2007
Duration: 10 hrs
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Listeners follow Merry, the longbow girl, one of the best archers in her town. When she finds a magical portal in the forest that takes her back to sixteenth-century Wales, she must use her skills to win an archery contest in order to help her ancestors keep their land. While narrator Emily Wilden brings protagonist Merry to life with a rich Welsh accent, her narration seems uneven at times. All the period characters have accents that reflect the setting of the story and transport listeners to Wales. Listeners who enjoy historical fiction and a bit of fantasy will be charmed by this tale of determination, hope, and family.
Young AdultPub Date: N/A
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781501916793
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
In 1832 thirteen-year-old Charlotte Doyle is sailing from Liverpool to Rhode Island to rejoin her family. Shocked to discover that the families who were to have been both guardians and companions will not accompany her, Charlotte embarks on a journey filled with terror and swashbuckling adventure. The first-person narrative makes this Newbery Honor book a wonderful choice for recording. O'Karma's reading, with its hint of cross-gender differentiation, allows the listener to feel as if Charlotte Doyle herself were relating the tale. This story should be particularly alluring to adolescent girls although the fast-paced action and the nautical setting will also appeal to male listeners. Ages 12-adult.
Ages 12+Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 6 hrs
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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