Gabra Zackman's steady and grounded narration lays the foundation for the storytelling of Sutty, an earthling who is observing the people of Aka. With parallels to the invasion of Tibet by China, the novel chronicles the domination of Aka by technology that strictly monitors the people and state theism, whose goal is to stamp out the indigenous culture, which is steeped in naturalism and meditation and transmitted through storytelling. In her quest for understanding, Sutty joins a pilgrimage of the people into the mountains. Zackman instills Sutty with a strong but quiet thirst for knowledge and understanding. She presents Sutty as both a disinterested observer and an empathetic member of a community striving to save its culture.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2013
Duration: 7 hrs
Publisher: Audible Inc./ Brilliance 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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