While Don Harvey’s father was born on earth and his mother was a citizen of Venus, Don himself was born in transit between the two planets. The 17-year-old sometimes wonders where he truly belongs. When colonial revolution breaks out across the solar system, the oppressive and bloated Interplanetary Federation is suddenly very interested in Don’s allegiance. Bruce Coville and his Full Cast Audio crew do a great job matching the youthful dialogue and optimism of this 1951 Heinlein classic with fine character voices, music, and vocal effects. Many of Robert Heinlein’s early works were called “juveniles” because it was assumed that science fiction was strictly for kids. However, there’s nothing immature about Heinlein’s amazingly prophetic discussions of space travel, bioengineering, intellectual freedom, and his own rugged brand of patriotism. A classic in every way.
Ages 10+Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2012
Duration: 7 hrs
Publisher: Full Cast 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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