Moira Quirk is a virtuoso in narrating all manner of fantasies. Here she delights in turning to the dark side. When a lonely, bookish adolescent is offered a magical deal to hop from a cancer ward to the realms of her favorite fantasy novels, she jumps at the opportunity--with one caveat. She wants to be one of the villains. As this wonderfully campy send-up of bodice-ripping, backstabbing palace intrigue blasts along, Quirk has a fine time giving voice to a murderous lady-in-waiting, a moody knight, and a backstreet rogue, among others. But where Quirk is exceptional is in adding just the right tone of anger and wonder to the voice of a girl who is coming of age at the same time that she's facing death. Enchantingly light and dark.
Pub Date: Aug. 27, 2024
Duration: 17 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781668642276
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
James Marsters' weary delivery perfectly captures Harry Dresden's fractured psyche as he navigates a year of mandatory mourning and political maneuvering in Chicago. Marsters doesn't just read; he inhabits Harry's exhaustion, using deliberate pacing and a somber tonal palette that underscores the protagonist's post-traumatic stress. Marsters' gift for distinct vocal characterizations remains sharp, effortlessly pivoting from the ethereal, detached elegance of the Sidhe to the grounded warmth of Harry's remaining allies. By leaning into the book's quieter, more introspective moments, Marsters elevates this urban fantasy's emotional stakes, transforming a year of Dresden's life into a poignant study of grief. It's an immersive performance that makes the wizard's vulnerability feel hauntingly real. Marsters' soulful performance makes this a compelling entry in the Harry Dresden series.
Pub Date: Jan. 20, 2026
Duration: 17 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798217176021
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A dynamic ensemble of all-star narrators brings to life these stories assembled--and in one case, published--for the first time. Representing Sanderson's writing experimentation and growth over the course of 25 years, they feature worlds in which reality is unstable and characters move freely through simulations, universes, and bodies. The narrators are impressively well matched to their roles. They offer a thoughtfulness not always taken in story collection productions. Dion Graham is a standout in the high-tech murder mystery "Snapshot," while January LaVoy and Ray Porter depict opposite sides of a traumatic event in "Moment Zero." Michael Kramer brings both introspection and playful humor to Sanderson's postscripts for each story. All illustrations are accessibly described. Sanderson's stories and their narrators explore a universe of possibilities.
Pub Date: Dec. 9, 2025
Duration: 17 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250414847
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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