Kim Mai Guest narrates a story about the aftermath of war. After a devastating decades-long conflict has finally ended, a soldier, a prince, a detective, and a thief from opposing sides must lay down their mutual animosities and work together to help usher in a new era of peace. The frequent point of view shifts, extremely complex plot, and variety of accents present in the story may appear daunting, but Guest is up to the challenge. Each of the four main characters is deeply psychologically damaged in some way, and all of them bury that trauma. Guest skillfully teases out the nuances of the characters' individual suffering in ways that are truly amazing.
Pub Date: Sept. 24, 2019
Duration: 23 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593148754
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This highly emotional audiobook won’t leave listeners dry-eyed.
Kirt Graves tenderly narrates this audiobook about the end of the world. Don and Rodney, married for the last 40 years, have one month left to live as a black hole approaches Earth. They hit the road on a desperate trip across the country to fulfill one last promise. Graves easily distinguishes a variety of characters as they grapple with their impending deaths. He shows remarkable emotional versatility in his depictions of hope, desperation, apathy, and acceptance. Graves gives Rodney a low, gruff, and tough voice, while sentimental Don sounds gentler. Graves’ performance is leisurely paced, letting listeners linger in the stories of the people Don and Rodney meet along their journey.
This highly emotional audiobook won’t leave listeners dry-eyed.Pub Date: April 28, 2026
Duration: 6 hrs, 25 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250435606
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: May 5, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2026
Smith’s absorbing performance makes each story unforgettable.
This thoughtfully curated collection of the author’s previously published work, smartly narrated by Rachel Elizabeth Smith, highlights the indelible power of language—written and spoken—to release, transform, heal, divide, and connect. Dream-crafters and dreamers, celestial acolytes, imprisoned beings, and the magically transformed are among those who inhabit these tales. A man’s transgressions are carved from his body in “John Hollowback and the Witch”; a woman marked for service to the sun follows a new path in “And Their Lips Rang with the Sun”; a wife is shaped into being against her will in “Florilegia; or, Some Lies About Flowers.” All provide wonderful examples of Smith’s deft pacing and quietly impactful characterizations. Between stories, Smith beautifully conveys poems in English and Arabic.
Smith’s absorbing performance makes each story unforgettable.Pub Date: March 24, 2026
Duration: 6 hrs, 58 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250436061
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: May 12, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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