Narrator Julia Whelan's skills as a narrator beautifully serve Jay's romantic and inspired riff on the fairy tale. She capably creates and maintains highly differentiated voices for half a dozen characters--two of whom have major narrative roles as well as dialogue between them. A princess named Isra is condemned by local politics to sacrifice her life for the perpetuation of her city's closed ecosystem. Gem, a desert-living mutant, becomes first her captive, then friend, then beloved. Eventually, the pair become the salvation of both their cultures. Between the author's imaginative blending of ideology and romance, and Whelan's evocation of true humanity in both Isra and Gem, this should reel in young idealists and cynics alike.
(Fantasy/science fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: 2015
Duration: 10 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN:
Publisher: Tantor Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Listeners follow Merry, the longbow girl, one of the best archers in her town. When she finds a magical portal in the forest that takes her back to sixteenth-century Wales, she must use her skills to win an archery contest in order to help her ancestors keep their land. While narrator Emily Wilden brings protagonist Merry to life with a rich Welsh accent, her narration seems uneven at times. All the period characters have accents that reflect the setting of the story and transport listeners to Wales. Listeners who enjoy historical fiction and a bit of fantasy will be charmed by this tale of determination, hope, and family.
Young AdultPub Date:
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781501916793
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Ell Potter narrates this YA novel, inspired by the legend of the Zikmund bell in Prague. The Strauss family has been tasked for generations with caring for their sentient city's bell towers in order to contain a great evil that lies sleeping within. When teenager Mina's bell rings 13 times on her patrol, it's up to her to prevent the ensuing destruction. Potter's sophisticated British accent gives a sense of importance to Mina and her legacy. However, more often than not, Potter's tone leans toward the melodramatic and woeful, sometimes even taking on a warble. This over-the-top delivery lends a sense of urgency to the narrative, and, while somewhat tiresome, matches the gothic fantasy atmosphere of the story.
(Fantasy. 13-17)Pub Date: 2025
Duration: 11 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250411891
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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