When, in 1862, war reaches southern Appalachia, Union sympathizer Keith Blalock is drafted into the Confederacy. His wife, Melinda, disguises herself as his brother and enlists to be near him. Simultaneously, in 2003, the reenactment of an especially violent battle raises the angry spirits of Confederate soldiers. Dick Hill and Susie Breck share the narration, giving honest treatment to real and fictional characters alike. They're most effective as Keith and Melinda; Zebulon Vance, who rises to the state legislature and Congress before becoming governor of North Carolina; and "seers" Nora Bonesteel and young Rattler, who try to placate the "ghost riders." Sharyn McCrumb's Civil War epic intercuts historical figures with present-day reenactors and harsh facts with magical realism, presenting a tale that both informs and entertains. S.J.H. 2004 Audie Award Winner (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2003
Duration: 11 hrs
Publisher: Brilliance 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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