When Jake and Father Callahan enter the restaurant on Lexington and 61st, they have no idea how fierce their battle will need to be. Their evil enemies are multitudinous, and their task seems close to impossible. Will they find their friends again? Will they ever return to Susannah? This reviewer won't tell you. Suffice it to say that the battles are many, the "yuck" factor in many of the scenes almost too great, and the ending, for Dark Tower's legions of fans, is satisfying and sad. This is, after all, the end. As he has done since taking the series over from Frank Muller, George Guidall reads with a kind of elegant gusto. His smooth style slightly tempers the shock of the bloodiest scenes, which is not necessarily a bad thing. And though Guidall doesn't attempt a host of voices, the central characters are distinct. The story, with its myriad twists and turns, is clear and dramatic.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2004
Duration: 29 hrs
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Listeners who long to disappear into a secret book world will enjoy the escape in this love letter to public libraries.
Narrator Saskia Maarleveld takes the listener on a wild journey of magical realism with a woman who escapes her depressing life by losing herself within her favorite books. For the downtrodden Alix Watson, the Boston Public Library is a refuge from her troubles—until the day she discovers a secret portal into the fantastical Astral Library. Maarleveld creates a sympathetic impression of Alix while capturing her increasing desperation in a fevered pitch. She vividly portrays the Astral Library’s librarian with grave, smokey indifference. Maarleveld also gives voice to various characters from different time periods and works, ranging from Jane Austen’s Regency England to Sherlock Holmes to The Great Gatsby with skill and humor.
Listeners who long to disappear into a secret book world will enjoy the escape in this love letter to public libraries.Pub Date: Feb. 17, 2026
Duration: 9 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063244825
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2026
A heartwarming listening experience touched by magic.
Genevieve Cocke narrates this fantasy audiobook set in 1920s Montreal. Agnes is desperate to find a new home for her cat shelter and herself after a magical duel in front of her building left only three walls standing. For this and other reasons, Agnes is not a fan of magic, but the only person willing to rent to her and her feline rescues is Havelock, a notorious magician. Cocke endows Havelock with a Quebecois accent, although most other characters have no identifiable accent. Agnes prepares a checklist for most everything, and Cocke makes her organized but not officious. Cocke instills personality in the many secondary characters, including the cats.
A heartwarming listening experience touched by magic.Pub Date: Feb. 17, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798217279272
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: March 2, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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