This delightful outer-space Western, about a family of pioneers on the Jovian moon Ganymede, may have lost something in the half-century since its first publication, riddled as it is with juvenile 1950s slang and dialogue straight out of "Ozzie and Harriet" or "Spin and Marty." But Scott Brick doesn't let the archaic style get in the way of performing the teen adventure for what it is: an entertaining and sometimes educating yarn. Teenager Bill Lerner and his family have emigrated from an overpopulated Earth to one of the moons of Jupiter to homestead a plot of terra formed land. In the process, he uses his talents and ethics as an Eagle Scout (the book was originally serialized in BOYS' LIFE magazine in 1950) to work hard, make friends, and transcend the difficulties of surviving a strange world.
Young AdultPub Date: Jan. 22, 2002
Duration: 7 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Books on Tape
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
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
