Johnny Rey Diaz navigates these short stories with touching empathy. He performs the lived experiences of Salvadorans and the larger Latin American diaspora in ways both fascinating and challenging. Reyes, Jr's, storytelling starts conventionally but soon evolves into darker themes that capture the impact of late capitalism, which is characterized, in part, by the drive to replace migrant labor with automation. His genres expand into science fiction, alternative timelines, and even a "choose-your-own-adventure" approach to an alternative historical account of Salvadoran life. In one moving passage, a son attempts to reanimate his deceased father; in another, a beloved mother turns into a literal puppet. Throughout, Diaz masterfully conveys the nonlinear approaches. His voice is deeply affecting.
Pub Date: Aug. 6, 2024
Duration: 6 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780063336285
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
With this diverse group of narrators, each story is powerfully performed with emotional intelligence and perfect pacing.
Ten narrators powerfully capture the jarring and thoughtful experiences contained in the crime stories in this Swedish collection. From a police officer who quickly learns his bias can be deadly to a young woman seeking revenge on a wealthy fellow student to a mother who soon commits the very crime her son has been accused of, each story grabs hold of the listener and leaves them questioning what it means to break the law, even with the best of intentions. Each narrator takes on a separate story, and their individual performances skillfully match the emotional power and complicated examination of human nature these pieces provide.
With this diverse group of narrators, each story is powerfully performed with emotional intelligence and perfect pacing.Pub Date: May 30, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798228701991
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Review Posted Online: June 2, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2026
Compelling performances guide listeners through this collection.
The narrators of this dazzling collection present an auditory buffet in easy-to-digest portions. This annual anthology of emerging writers brings together the winners of the Writers & Illustrators of the Future contest. With the talents of nine narrators, listeners will hear a variety of voices delivering these SF and fantasy short stories. Kirby Heyborne presents a purring dragon in “Dragon Visits.” Janina Edwards brings an assortment of accents to “Thickly.” Susan Hanfield performs with an exhausted rasp in “Canary.” And Jim Meskimen utters the cries of a caveman in “Form 14B, Application for Certification of Consciousness Transfer (Post-Mortem).”
Compelling performances guide listeners through this collection.Pub Date: April 28, 2026
Duration: 18 hrs, 7 mins
DD ISBN: 9781619869028
Publisher: Galaxy Press
Review Posted Online: today
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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