Fans of the first two entries in the Themis Files trilogy will be happy that this ensemble production of the science-fiction adventure loses none of its charm in the final installment. After a decade on another planet, scientist Rose, linguist Vincent, and Vincent's daughter, Eva, return to find a planet Earth that is still reeling from the aftereffects of an alien robot attack that killed millions. The story of our heroes' attempt to negotiate intergalaxy and world peace is told through interviews, government transcriptions, and other media. The new casting for Puerto Rican Eva is distracting, and the action is delayed until the audiobook's final scene. Nonetheless, the spontaneous-sounding performances, full of personality and emotion, create the illusion of actual events taking place.
Pub Date: May 1, 2018
Duration: 8 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780525530879
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Multiple award winner Card is one of the greatest practitioners of science fiction; here he delivers a history fantasy of the Wabash Valley circa 1800, a world of hexes and folk magic. This is the first book about Alvin Maker, the seventh son of a seventh son, who has remarkable psychic powers. Card is a very good narrator, expressive and well paced. One can hear the excitement of an author as he brings his own well described characters to life. There is one momentary technical glitch, the only slip up in an exemplary presentation. Highly recommended for fiction collections everywhere.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 7 hrs
Publisher: The Literate Ear
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Asimov's sweeping tale of the disintegration and fall of the Galactic Empire has never been more relevant or poignant. In the third book of the original trilogy, Dan Lazar handles the material adequately. He uses his limited range of voices nicely, if sometimes amusingly--he sometimes sounds like a foreigner attempting to mimic American accents. Varying pitch and pacing make for a lively narration, and his reading of a precocious young woman, who is ultimately an important figure, is delightful. Technical and editorial problems plague the title. Hearing Lazar repeatedly mispronounce a word that the text itself explains how to pronounce is very frustrating. Intermittent fade-outs on one channel; inconsistencies when switching sides; and low, rumbling background noise mar the sound quality.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 8 hrs
Publisher: Books on Tape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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