The intrigue of the politics of Ancient Rome has provided listeners with a brilliant trilogy of Harris's historical fiction, which features the orator Cicero through the narrative of his scribe, Tiro. David Rintoul fits easily into the role of the observant Tiro as he notes the lineage and backstory for ongoing sparring among the powerbrokers of Rome. Listeners need to pay attention, as the snarl of allegiances can be hard to follow, but Rintoul keeps listeners engaged. Even the change of narrator from Simon Jones, who narrated the previous IMPERIUM and CONSPIRATA--which can sometimes disrupt a series--works out, although it seems to take Rintoul some time to be fully believable as Tiro. Perhaps it's just that a listener needs to cross the gulf of time--but soon realizes that politics don't really change much!
Pub Date: Jan. 12, 2016
Duration: 13 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780399567865
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Ayla, one of the "others," is adopted by a clan of Neanderthal cave people. She struggles to conform to their ways, but her advanced human traits overwhelm and threaten their primitive culture in this initial installment of an immensely popular series. Although the story might benefit from abridgment, Rowena Cooper easily carries out the formidable task of enlivening the mostly silent and stereotypical characters with consistent, diverse personalities and human dimension. Through skillful phrasing and inflection, she maintains the reader's interest and suspense, especially with Ayla and her plight, throughout this rambling and imaginative story.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 22 hrs
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Chivers
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This lyrical, sensual novel of woman's lot in Manchu, China, is as well researched as it is well written. Authentic in tone, it's nonetheless written for Westerners by a Western expert on China. Moreover, Susan Clark performs the demanding text superbly, with only occasional signs of fatigue. For the most part she not only sustains the quaint diction and Asian atmosphere, but also, creates whole worlds with her voice. She acts the book, rather than reads it, and, in so doing, turns a pretty trifle into a stupendous beauty.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 4 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Audio Literature
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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