This first installment of Thompson's science fiction Wormwood Trilogy, set in 2066, follows antihero Kaaro, a Nigerian "Sensitive" who is capable of extracting information from people's minds. Rosewater's mysterious dome draws West African residents who are seeking healing and suspicious officials demanding answers. Narrator Bayo Gbadamosi creates a distinct sense of place as he ably characterizes Nigerians with competing motivations. As the story alternates between past and present, Gbadamosi's tone builds connections between Kaaro's felonious youth and other parts of the story. Despite an interesting premise featuring an enigmatic extraterrestrial lifeform and surrounding government intrigue, this production lacks a compelling sense of urgency with respect to Kaaro's personal life and unfolding events. Disparate narrative threads sometimes get lost in the mix of other story elements.
Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2018
Duration: 13 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781549170904
Publisher: Hachette 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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