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THE PERIPHERAL

Listeners may find it difficult to delve into this audiobook due to the multiple narratives they're dropped into with little context. Narrator Lorelei King gives Flynne Fisher, a woman in a not-too-distant future, a businesslike tone befitting someone who provides security in a virtual world. Quick-jump to early 22nd-century London, and we have Wilf Netherton, an unctuous publicist whom King graces with a convincing refined British accent. Netherton's job revolves around his ex-girlfriend, Daedra West, a diva-turned-diplomat who sounds deliciously narcissistic as portrayed by King in a breathy voice and entitled tone. As the story progresses, however, King seems to lose her enthusiasm for the characters, slowing the momentum for the listener just as Gibson's erratic plot begins to coalesce.

Pub Date: Oct. 28, 2014

Duration: 14 hrs

DD ISBN: 9781101619872

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026

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    SEVENTH SON

    Multipleawardwinner 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 wellpaced. One can hear the excitement of an author as he brings his own welldescribed characters to life. There is one momentary technical glitch, the only slipup 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

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      SECOND FOUNDATION

      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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