The first installment of The Sixth World series reveals a postapocalyptic world submerged by water, except for a few regions, including the Dinétah, Navajo territory. Narrator Tanis Parenteau captures the rhythms of Navajo speech as the author populates the landscape with keen characterizations of mythological beings, Law Dogs, Thirsty Boys, and other survivors. Monster-hunter Maggie Hoskie, who is imbued with the powers of her family clan, is a reluctant and complex heroine. Parenteau's voice is at turns steely and vulnerable as the solitary young woman seeks answers about strange new demons. Maggie soon partners with Kai Arviso, a charming and mysterious young healer. Their search for explanations leads them through a maze of deception, shaky alliances, and compromises. The tumultuous conclusion leaves listeners eager for more.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2018
Duration: 9 hrs
Publisher: Audible Inc./ Brilliance Audio
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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