Saskia Maarleveld narrates this audiobook, which is part science fiction, part social commentary. Considered dangerous and inconvenient on their home planet, three giants--Alba, Stanley, and Drew--are forced into the largest room of a spaceship called AUDITION. If the three talk, the spaceship moves forward, but if they remain silent, they'll continue to grow and be crushed. Narrator Saskia Maarleveld's emotionally balanced performance captures the humor and heartbreak in this work as she gives voice to the three giants whose discussions range from imprisonment to ice cream. Maarleveld's strong character work ensures that listeners can understand the characters' dialogue even when they talk over one another.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2025
Duration: 5 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Audible, Inc.
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
Asimov's sweeping tale of the disintegration and fall of the Galactic Empire has never been more relevant or poignant. McKeever reads rapidly, but he also manages to identify individuals, if minimally, and the main characters are voiced consistently. His voice for the aging professor, in fact, is quite charming. Narrative passages are read competently with appropriate emotional expression. Technical and editorial problems plague the title. Intermittent fade-outs on one channel; inconsistencies when switching sides; and low, rumbling background noise mar the sound quality.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 13 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Books on Tape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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