Narrator Finty Williams wisely sidesteps the sensationalistic tone that would be easy to bring to this novel about an intelligent, young Hungry (zombie) named Melanie in postapocalyptic England. Williams's performance stresses the 10-year-old's coming-of-age story as the way she looks at herself morphs from an intelligent book-loving student to a monster who could destroy the people she loves. Avoiding vocal stereotypes, Williams makes it clear that Melanie is a child, full of wonder and curiosity. When the narrative switches to an adult point of view, Williams injects her performance with toughness, cynicism, or optimism, depending on the character. This zombie story is about self-discovery and finding humanity in unexpected places. And Williams's performance is pitch-perfect.
Pub Date: 2014
Duration: 13 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781478953593
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
It takes just the right narrator to weave a story of the world ending. Eunice Wong proves up to the task in this fascinating audiobook. In Nayler's gripping cybernetic thriller, governments across Europe start to crumble when their AI leaders begin to fail. Wong skillfully brings to life a handful of characters who get caught up in the turmoil of a deteriorating Europe. She radiates the characters' confusion as they struggle to reunite with their loved ones against a dangerous backdrop. Wong also animates the vile human political powers who are in large part responsible for this chaos. This production is timely, with technology propping up authoritarian governments. That relevance seeps through, thanks to Wong's versatile performance.
Pub Date: 2025
Duration: 9 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781250385994
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Narrators David Rintoul and Rachel Bavidge perform with distinct British styles as this speculative novel jumps around in time. Rintoul portrays Tom, who lives in the 22nd century, when the diminished world has experienced climate catastrophes and been ravaged by AI-controlled wars. Rintoul's professorial tone and diction strongly suggest an indoor life of the mind. Bavidge captures Vivien's 21st-century conflicts, sensuality, and intellect. She's the wife of famous poet Francis Blundy, whose lost work, "A Corona for Vivien," provides the subplot of Tom's search for it a century later. This novel's power arises from a scene in which a 2014 performance of "A Corona for Vivien" sets the stage for the future hunt for it. This audiobook lingers.
Pub Date: 2025
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798895948194
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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