Narrator Ben Onwukwe's satiny bass voice is perfect for this dense and erudite sci-fi thriller. In a near-future dystopia, the System watches and records every movement, thought, and memory of every citizen. This policing structure works perfectly until a mysterious artist suspected of a crime dies in custody. When the investigators delve into the woman's stored memories, they find a half-dozen personalities ranging from an elite Greek financier to an Ethiopian painter and a Carthaginian concubine. Relentless and mesmerizing, Onwukwe excels at giving voice to the many characters and especially shines at delivering the subtle humor, irony, and shifting moods that drive this novel to a mind-bending conclusion.
Pub Date: Dec. 4, 2018
Duration: 29 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781984833754
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This immersive audiobook exemplifies how a full cast can animate a work of fiction.
This speculative novel is exceptionally well performed. All the narrators capture the unique voices and distinct diction of these near-future souls. Kimberly Farr as Ari and James Aaron Oh as Sebastian are outstanding. The novel is set in the 2030s, just after the United States splinters into city-states and regional governments. The party at the center of the plot occurs in LA and presents many of the central characters—and their doppelgängers. Violence and fear hang over this dystopian world like a toxic mist. In the future, Paris consists of domes to separate the haves from the have-nots. Violent militias roam the U.S. People work for The Service, a secret police agency that watches all.
This immersive audiobook exemplifies how a full cast can animate a work of fiction.Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2026
Duration: 12 hrs, 29 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217406500
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Sept. 28, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2026
A haunting and heartwarming must-listen.
Nneka Okoye captivates in her performance of this gripping tale about Londoners in the midst of catastrophe. A mix of family drama, social commentary, and apocalyptic thriller, the story focuses on the Minton family, whose world literally blows apart on the day of a family wedding. Okoye’s inviting narrative voice welcomes listeners into the family, while her intense delivery heightens the pulse-pounding events surrounding the worldwide disaster. She personifies the diverse cast, changing her pitch, pace, and attitude to believably inhabit Black and white characters of different ages and social backgrounds—everyone from the four sisters, ages 7 to 22, and the Minton parents to panicked London residents.
A haunting and heartwarming must-listen.Pub Date: July 14, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 46 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668165317
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Sept. 8, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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