Audio

By Staff -- Library Journal, 5/1/2007

Fiction

Engineer Scout Ritland has just finished a major project on mythical Parrish Island, somewhere in the tropics. At a party celebrating the end of the job, he spots a beautiful woman from across the room and is immediately enthralled. When Scout follows her outside, hoping to break his long fast from the ladies, he is shot in the leg and kidnapped by Chantal duPont, the object of his desire. Chantal lives in a village that is separated from the rest of the island by a chasm spanned only by a suspension bridge. She and her father have been so impressed with Scout's engineering skills that they are sure he can build them a bridge so their people can join the rest of the island population. Scout is understandably outraged by the entire plan and threatens to leave as soon as he can walk. To prove to Scout that he can't get away, Chantal has her men burn down the bridge. While earlier Brown romances demonstrate her improvement in plot and characterization over the years, this title is the weakest one yet. The characters are almost caricatures, while the story requires a great deal of suspension of disbelief. Bernadette Dunne does an excellent job with a difficult piece of work; her Chantal has a slight French accent, while Scout sounds manly and angry most of the time. An optional purchase.—Nancy Reed, Immanuel Baptist Church Lib., Paducah, KY

Some listeners may be alienated at the beginning of this sf novel when Shori Matthews, a genetically altered vampire, appears to be only 11 years old yet enters into a sexual relationship with a young man named Wright. Later we learn that because the Ina, a millennia-old vampire race, appear to age so slowly, Shori is really 53. The product of genetic alteration using human DNA, Shori can withstand some sunlight because of her black skin. She needs blood from a human (her symbiont) to survive, but she imparts health and longevity in return. Other Ina hunt Shori out of fear of her strength and heritage. Set in a remote area north of Seattle, this enticingly revealed Nebula Award winner is well narrated by Tracey Leigh and is highly recommended for audio collections where sf is popular.—Sandy Glover, Camas P.L., WA

The latest in the extremely popular Stephanie Plum mystery series is once again narrated by the very talented Lorelei King. In this installment, the not terribly competent bounty hunter tries to bring in some small-time criminals to lower the number of outstanding cases. As usual, Stephanie has a retinue of enthusiastic albeit ineffective helpers: her gun-crazy Grandma Mazur, ex-prostitute Lula, and on-again/off-again boyfriend Joe Morelli. The main focus of this mystery is the disappearance of her sometime lover Ranger's daughter. Certain he didn't kidnap the girl, Stephanie tries to help solve the crime. King voices Stephanie's Jersey accent and ditzy confusion perfectly. She sounds appropriately nutty as Grandma and outrageously raunchy as Lula. Joe sounds sexy and reliable. The only character King is less successful with is Ranger. However, this is a minor quibble in another wonderful Evanovich audio production. Fans will be especially pleased by an added feature—an interview with the author. Recommended for all collections.—B. Allison Gray, John Jermain Memorial Lib., Sag Harbor, NY

This third book in Griffin's "Presidential Agent" series (after By Order of the President and The Hostage) is as equally impressive as its predecessors. In the wake of a promotion to U.S. army lieutenant colonel and a presidential finding that makes series hero Charlie Castillo the new chief of the Office of Organizational Analysis, this book picks up where Hostage left off. Jetting among Washington, DC, Europe, Argentina, and Uruguay, our regular cast of characters, along with some interesting additions, are hot on the trail of the murderers of diplomats and missing millions that are connected to a UN/Iraqi oil-for-food scandal. This story mixes mystery, adventure, and a good deal about the internal workings (and politics) of the army and the U.S. intelligence community. Dick Hill provides a wonderfully rich reading of a complex subject. Highly recommended.—Scott R. DiMarco, Mansfield Univ. of Pennsylvania

Hecht sets and maintains a slow pace in his third Cree Black novel (after Land of Echoes), much to the story's detriment. Dusting off the literary chestnut of using flashbacks to tell a tale from two perspectives (present day/distant past), Hecht illuminates the tale of an eerily wolfman-like skeleton entombed after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. When an old family friend and cop (Bert "the machete" Marchetti) calls Cree for aid on a case, she brings her open-mindedness, Ph.D. in parapsychology, and sensibility as a researcher to the task. In the process, Cree stumbles upon the diary of Lydia Schweitzer, a Victorian-era tender heart. Lydia's up-close-and-personal episodes with the wolfman humanize the considerable forensic anthropology aspects of the book. Driving the action is damaged tough-guy Bert and his deadly feud with a creepy, scarred radiologist. Consider Nevada Barr's aptly titled Flashback for an effective example of flashback as literacy device. Read by Anna Fields, Bones is a marginal purchase; recommended only for libraries where the two prior titles did well.—Douglas C. Lord, Connecticut State Lib., Hartford

Seize the Night is the story of Christopher Snow, who suffers from the genetic condition XP (xeroderma pigmentosum), which makes him a night owl, fatally vulnerable to strong light. He and his band of likable and quirky friends (including a highly intelligent dog—a Koontz trademark) investigate sinister events in their hometown of Moonlight Bay, CA. The group is convinced that the kidnapping of several of the town's children is related to the disastrous genetic experiments that drove the plot of the first Christopher Snow novel, Fear Nothing. The unfolding events also reveal large-scale time-travel experimentation and the machinations of a serial killer. True to form, what may sound wildly implausible is easily pulled by Koontz into a cohesive and engaging story. Character actor Keith Szarabajka returns with another great narrative performance. Although fans of Koontz won't want to miss the Christopher Snow novels, the author's more recent offerings may be in greater demand. Still, this is recommended.—Kristen L. Smith, Loras Coll. Lib., Dubuque, IA

McDermott uses a series of evolving character sketches and key historical vignettes to form a verbal scrapbook of a middle-class family's lives. John and Mary Keane and their four children reflect the changing times and social mores from within St. Gabriel's parish on Long Island, NY, before and after the Vietnam War. The author creates a realistic family dynamic in often highly descriptive and lyrical prose spun in flashbacks and jumps forward rather than via a purely chronological narrative. Although the narrative is well read and paced by reader Martha Plimpton, the early parts of the novel are not as strong as the later years, though the story deepens as the family takes shape. Recommended.—Joyce Kessel, Villa Maria Coll., Buffalo, NY

Fans of Pronzini's "Nameless Detective" novels know that they start out slow but end in one heck of a nail-biter. Hardcase follows the familiar pattern, beginning almost as a slapstick, with "Nameless" marrying his longtime girlfriend, Kerry, and resisting purchasing a computer. Things turn dark, however, when a client who was adopted as a child asks him to locate her birth parents. What he uncovers is a terrible secret that threatens the lives of everyone around him, including his new bride. Reader John Michalski is irritating at first, delivering every line with a gravitas that detracts from the flow and giving characters, especially the women, voices that verge on the bizarre. Eventually, you'll settle into his style and find yourself carried along to the violent and explosive climax. Purchasing Pronzini books is a no-brainer for most libraries; despite being ten years old, this particular title holds up well and delivers a well-written mystery. Recommended for medium-sized and large public libraries.—Joseph L. Carlson, Allan Hancock Coll., Lompoc, CA

Willig supplies the third of her series on spies in 1803, when France was considering invading England. This entry features Letty Alsworthy, who tries to stop her sister from eloping with Geoffrey Pinchingdale-Snipe but ends up being carried off and married to him instead. Not knowing that Geoffrey is part of the League of the Purple Gentian, Letty follows her husband to Ireland, where he and the Pink Carnation are working to stop a group of Irish rebels, supported by the French, from starting another rebellion. Letty is drawn into their plans, and in the process she and her reluctant bridegroom begin to fall in love. The secondary story is of Eloise Kelly, who is doing research on the Pink Carnation and the Black Tulip for her dissertation while also hoping that Colin Selwick will respond to her amorous advances. Though the Eloise sections can drag, the story of Letty and Geoffrey is a lot of fun and has a number of unexpected twists and turns. The characters are well written, and listeners will stay glued till the bitter end. Kate Reading does her usual great job. For libraries where the previous two books have been popular.—Danna Bell-Russel, Library of Congress

Whether it's President Clinton's inauguration or Oprah's birthday, you can count on Angelou to pen a poem in commemoration that is perfectly balanced between appreciation and struggle. There are also the lesser occasions—a bar mitzvah tribute to her nephew, memorials to friends or family (including one of her strongest poems, on her lifelong difficulties with her mother). While she's written much else (most significantly the widely translated novel I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings), these politically motivated poems, rooted in African American feminism, have become her trademark. While one applauds the sentiments and background here, the fact remains that these works are more polemic than lyric. And, if looked at closely, all the clichés stand out. Then, too, there is her reading style. Angelou was hailed 20 years ago as an extremely strong reader, but compared with recent poets who have gained strength from poetry slams and a more oral tradition of writing, her rendering seems almost placid. All said, this would be the perfect audio to give the activists in your life, but it's not recommended for lovers of poetry. Still, considering Angelou's popularity, libraries might want to purchase more than one copy.—Rochelle Ratner, formerly with Soho Weekly News, New York

Practically and powerfully, Day offers insights into how to use crisis as an agent for positive growth. In order to navigate one's life successfully, one must accept life-altering circumstances. Therefore, even if the change is "good" (starting a new relationship, finding a new job, recovering from illness), part of one's old life will need to be discarded and, therefore, mourned. At the same time, the loss of part of one's familiar past is necessary in order to make room for the new phase. When the crisis is precipitated by an unexpected or uninvited circumstance, people resist the change. Often, they can't focus on the event as an opportunity. By clinging to a past, they shut out the opportunities that new situations offer. Day presents numerous techniques and tools to help one move from a stuck and resistant place; she encourages listeners to use these techniques as well as the assistance of professionals and of supportive friends and family. She particularly focuses on methods that allow the listener's intuition to guide the process. A popular title for those who seek to develop positive tools for living; highly recommended for public libraries and self-help collections.—Kathleen A. Sullivan, Phoenix P.L.

A couple of years ago, at the age of 64, Englishman Enfield made his third trip to Ireland. The previous trips, made long ago, were not fondly remembered. This time, he chose to go by bicycle around the perimeter of Ireland. He had a much better experience with lodging in charming bed-and-breakfasts and eating in country inns and city pubs. The people he met were, on the whole, welcoming and pleasant. The author narrates his own story, which adds a nice intimacy. It would have been helpful to have a map so the listener could see Enfield's itinerary and some biographical information to put the story in context. An undemanding, optional purchase for public library collections.—Nann Blaine Hilyard, Zion-Benton P.L., IL

This first-class look at the early evolution of the U.S. Constitution's Bill of Rights has several things going for it: it's superbly written, elaborates on personalities and physical ambiance as well as ideas, and features one of the most skilled narrators in the audiobook business, Richard Poe. The reading could have been as dry as dust, but Poe's intonation and timbre sound similar to that of Ronald Reagan, rightly called "the Great Communicator." Madison—a shy and sickly Virginia politician—was young when the Constitution emerged from convention and circulated among the states, igniting a vast firestorm of opinion, controversy, and abuse. Journalist Labunski details the evolution of Madison's thinking, which was at least as practical (to save the Constitution) as idealistic. A strong focus of the narrative is the confrontation in Virginia between the articulate and fiery orator of the day, the arch anti-Federalist Patrick Henry, and Madison and his cohorts, George Washington among them. This is a fascinating, lucid account of a fundamental political struggle that helped form the early Republic; highly recommended for academic and public library collections.—Don Wismer, Cary Memorial Lib., Wayne, ME

Levine (Cut to the Chase), CEO of Stuart Levine & Associates, continues his mission to help leaders become more successful. He proposes that they practice the constants of business success through his six fundamental principles: adding value to your organization, communicating with customers, delivering results, acting with integrity, investing in relationships, and gaining perspective. Targeted at people at all levels in any organization, the sage advice directly relates the philosophical concepts to how to behave toward, respond to, and motivate others. Built around such obvious expectations as getting the job done right, Levine's principles are founded on his learning from people who always do the most important things first, know how their company stands out from the pack, and work with a sense of urgency. This program is nicely organized into succinct three-minute tracks that prevent listeners from nodding off. Audie Award finalist Alan Sklar's rich, clear narration further stabilizes this material, which will serve as a solid introduction to leadership for any business student, as well as provide value as a useful reminder for seasoned executives. Recommended for university libraries supporting a business curriculum and for public libraries.—Dale Farris, Groves, TX