Narrator Tim Gerard Reynolds's portrayal of a virtual slave trapped in the life-sucking mines of Mars is top-notch. The story could have been as easily set in a feudal European camp as on the distant red planet. The rugged dignity of the hero, Darrow, who escapes and challenges the universe's ruling class, is almost Shakespearean. His righteous hatred is visceral. Reynolds portrays him like a brawling Irishman who realizes he’ll never defeat his masters until he becomes one of them. As Darrow changes mentally and physically, Reynolds's portrayal slowly changes as well. In addition, his depiction of the ruling class as golden-skinned perfect people rings true, as does their disdain for the lowly Reds who live short lives mining for the precious metals that sustain their totalitarian society.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2014
Duration: 16 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781464042164
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
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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