Thirteen-year-old Ash isn't impressed with India. He'd rather return to London than finish out his summer visiting family. But when demons kill his aunt and uncle, Ash and his sister get pulled into a world of Indian myth. Narrator Bruce Mann deftly handles English and Indian accents as he portrays characters of various ages and classes, regardless of gender. He uses subtle changes in pitch and pacing to create characters that are audibly intriguing and clearly delineated. Overall, the timing and tone of his narration is well matched to the story. Mann takes both the epic and the ordinary in stride as Ash joins an ever reincarnating battle between the warriors and demons.
(Fantasy. 11-14)Pub Date: Feb. 26, 2013
Duration: 8 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780385363792
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A classic story of high adventure and conflict between good and evil placed in the mythical land of Prydain, The Book of Three is read grippingly and enchantingly by Chris King. Vocal switches are mostly smooth with a few minor pronunciation slips which are quickly corrected. King's voice is clear, easy to understand and memorable, giving the listener a sense of the characters as well as a pronunciation guide to those incredible Gaelic names Alexander uses. Both the characters and the story linger in the mind's eye because of the quality of narration. This is surely a reading that can be listened to again and again and will leave the listeners asking for the entire Prydain series on tape.
AGES 8+Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 5 hrs
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Posy Bates is back, this time with a dog left over from a pet show. Back also are baby Fred and her friend, Sam. But the star of the show is Posy herself, an energetic nine-year-old with a penchant for misadventure. Judy Bennett's rendering of each of the characters in this episodic family story is right on the mark. Her enunciation and impeccable timing clarify the idiomatic text so that its unusual words become another aspect of the book's pleasure. The irrepressible Posy is her greatest challenge, and Bennett gets high marks. She bubbles with enthusiasm, wails and squeals, and dies over and over again. "It's positively brilling!"
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 1 hr
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Chivers
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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