The third installment of Kingfisher's Sworn Soldier series is once again masterfully performed by Avi Roque. When Alex receives an urgent telegram from their friend, Dr. James Denton, begging them to come to America immediately, they jump on a ship bound for Boston. Denton's missing cousin, Oscar, was last seen in a West Virginia mine that is rumored to be haunted. Roque adds tension to their voice as the search party, consisting of Alex, Angus, Ingold, and Denton, discusses the dangers of caving, including explosions and claustrophobia. As they proceed through the tunnels, strange, unnerving sounds and red lights of unknown origin let them know they're hot on Oscar's trail. Roque's tone suggests that true horror is about to be released.
Pub Date: Sept. 30, 2025
Duration: 6 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781250403254
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
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
Asimov's sweeping tale of the disintegration and fall of the Galactic Empire has never been more relevant or poignant. McKeever reads rapidly, but he also manages to identify individuals, if minimally, and the main characters are voiced consistently. His voice for the aging professor, in fact, is quite charming. Narrative passages are read competently with appropriate emotional expression. Technical and editorial problems plague the title. Intermittent fade-outs on one channel; inconsistencies when switching sides; and low, rumbling background noise mar the sound quality.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 13 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Books on Tape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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