Richard North Patterson has concocted an entertaining political melodrama revolving around a newly elected president's struggle to get his nominee for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court approved by a recalcitrant Senate. The original novel is abridged effectively, with the motivations of the characters and their story arcs remaining surprisingly complete. Patricia Kalember delivers a dry, uninflected performance, using few accents and maintaining a steady pace throughout. Fortunately, vocal pyro-technics aren't needed here. The pervasive cynicism about the golden handcuffs of campaign money and Washington's unceasing, Machiavellian maneuvering propels the drama at breakneck speed.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2001
Duration: 5 hrs
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Part of the joy of Tom Clancy novels is one's belief that the stories could come true. His latest entry stretches that some as we find international terrorists building a nuclear bomb which is used to set Americans and Russians against one another. Jay Robertson reads with a newscaster's voice, crisp and clear with a light touch of drama. However, he does little to help listeners identify Clancy's huge cast of characters, and dialects seem difficult for him as he occasionally slips in and out of character. Nonetheless, patient listeners are rewarded as the plot unfolds. This will be a welcome addition to any library justifying the price of the multi-cassettte volumes.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 16 hrs
Publisher: Books on Tape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
John Sanford is back with another psychological thriller in his Prey series. Surgeon, psychopath and serial killer Bekker is on the loose again after the easiest jailbreak in recent memory. Ken Howard's reading moves along with all the brooding energy a reader could want from a suspense book. His narration is deep, clear and well-suited to the gravelly voices of retired detective Lucas Davenport and the other cops. While Howard manages good dialects and shifts in character, his female voices leave a lot to be desired. For the most part, the abridgment gleefully throws logic and characterization overboard in favor of thrills, but the basic flavor of many characters is still fairly well maintained.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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