Audio Reviews: Week of 1/29/2007

Vance brings gusto to the audio edition of Willocks's swashbuckling tale of romance, adventure and religious conflict on the island of Malta during the 16th century. The novel ushers in an ambitious new historical fiction trilogy detailing the medieval exploits of Capt. Mattias Tannhauser, a soldier of fortune possessing carnal appetite and droll irreverence akin to such appealing bad-boy icons as James Bond or Capt. Jack Sparrow. The Religion centers on the warrior Tannhauser's unlikely journey to help French countess Carla La Penautier locate the illegitimate son from whom she was forcibly separated 12 years earlier. Mattias, Carla and their companions must also confront both the invading Ottoman Empire and a rogue Roman Inquisitor who happens to be the father of Carla's child. Willocks's evocative prose comes brimming to life with Vance's skillful delivery. Vance adds complexity and depth to Tannhauser, a hero whose devil-may-care persona masks the scars of his war-torn childhood. Vance's portrayals of Tannhauser's two love interests—the devout, well-bred Carla La Penautier and her earthy, mystical servant, Amparo—also provide a riveting aura of sexual tension. Simultaneous release with the FSG hardcover (Reviews, Jan. 8). (May)

Strong stays out of the way of Kehlmann's dry, sardonic humor, letting the words tell the jokes, rather than their teller. The German author's debut novel, an enormous success in Europe, turns the scientific exploits of the legendary scientists Alexander von Humboldt and Carl Friedrich Gauss into a rollicking buddy picture framed by racing scientific and political change. Strong avoids German accents or overly broad characterizations in favor of the author's Enlightenment-fueled spirit of intellectual absorption and intense dedication, and a more modern sense of subtle humorous intent. Strong's voice, so modern and American in its flat, frictionless flow, balances the competing elements of Kehlmann's novel, offering a reading at once humorous and measured, sweet and filling. Simultaneous release with the Pantheon hardcover (Reviews, Sept. 25). (Jan.)

Four years after its initial publication, Shteyngart's debut novel makes its first appearance in an audio version. Strong gamely does his best to capture the antic rhythms of Shteyngart's irrepressible comic novel, but his reading lacks fluency, failing to emulate the book's dry, sardonic wit. More so than most novels, Shteyngart's book depends on the sound of language—immigrants' careful tap dance around a language not entirely their own. While it would perhaps have been too simplistic to have a Russian-sounding voice read this novel, the gamble of having a voice so clearly not Russian results in a competent but unenlightening reading that undersells its source material. Strong sounds too wholesomely American and too white bread to be protagonist Vladimir Girshkin. The result is a reading that lacks a true connection to Shteyngart's work. (Reviews, Apr. 29, 2002) (Jan.)

Browne's sassy, funny, down-to-earth personality shines through in her narration of her first novel (following five bestselling nonfiction titles). Browne recounts the fictional adventures and loves of her counterpart and friends in a distinctive, lilting Southern accent that brims with fun, warmth and good humor. She superbly differentiates all the characters (the New York accent of a visiting drag queen posing as the girlfriend of Jill's gay friend Gerard is both spot-on and hilarious) and conveys all their personalities and emotions. Her friendly, intimate narration draws listeners in and makes this highly entertaining and engaging book even more appealing on audio. As an added bonus, the audio includes an interview with the author. Simultaneous release with the S&S hardcover. (Reviews, Oct. 2). (Jan.)

The Alibi Club is one of those Paris hot spots where Memphis Jones (a stand-in for Josephine Baker) holds sway and where both political and sexual connections are made. But on the eve of the 1939 German invasion of Paris, even the spectacular show world must pack and prepare to flee along with politicians and businessmen. Archer's challenge in performing this novel is to give voice to this polyglot community of French, American, British, German and Russian men and women. Mathew's novel is epic in scope but minor in terms of literary achievement. Archer individualizes the female characters well, aided by a good sense of accent and cadence; her men tend to sound rather alike. She also vacillates between French and English pronunciations of street names and other terms, often in the same sentence. Despite these flaws, Archer provides this thriller with enough momentum to keep the action churning along. Simultaneous release with the Bantam hardcover (Reviews, June 12). (Dec.)

Rarely has a character been so instantly embraced by readers as Koontz's unlikely hero, Odd Thomas, the wise and gentle fry cook, who just happens to see dead people. It is just as rare for a narrator to so perfectly capture the essence of a character that it is hard to imagine anyone else giving him voice, but such is the case with Baker. In this third adventure, Odd has left his hometown and taken up residence in a monastery high in the Sierras. Surrounded by loving but eccentric brothers and sisters, Odd hopes to rest and recover from the horrific events of the last two books. But after he discovers the body of one of the monastery brothers, Odd finds himself going up against a supernatural force that threatens the lives of everyone who lives within the monastery walls. Baker beautifully interprets the first-person narration. Like Odd himself, Baker's delivery is mellow and low key, perfectly fitting Odd's calm, self-possessed point of view. Suspenseful, funny and heartbreakingly sweet, this is a fine, enjoyable production. Simultaneous release with the Bantam hardcover (Reviews, Oct. 30). (Dec.)

Harris returns to fiction's most famous cannibal in this prequel about the origins of the dark yet endearing villain, Hannibal Lecter. Torn from his family and ancestral home in Lithuania during World War II, Lecter witnesses the violent death of his sister, Mischa, which becomes the catalyst for his future devious behavior. Through glimpses of Lecter's early life, listeners discover how Lecter came to be such a highly educated and cultured man as well as a cold-blooded killer. While a condensed version might have worked as backstory to a larger novel, when stretched to novel length, it feels coerced and lacking in comparison to Harris's previous novels. Unfortunately, Harris's reading of the novel further hurts the story. Every "Hannibal" comes out as "Annibal" and Harris's accents for his different characters feel trite. When characters lack accents, they all sound generic including Hannibal himself. Harris keeps a moderate rhythm and pace, but his voice doesn't capture the mood and tone that reverberates from a menacing person such as Lecter. Harris's demeanor is light and friendly where it should be dark and brooding. Simultaneous release with the Delacorte hardcover (reviewed online). (Dec.)

Fraser, who played Captain Hastings, the sidekick for arch Belgian detective Hercule Poirot in the PBS Mystery series, now performs the entire cast in Christie's 1955 mystery. Fraser's Poirot is derivative of the stellar performance of the series' star, David Suchet; nevertheless, Fraser gives Christie's work his own imprimatur. Poirot is absent much of the time in this tale of kleptomania, malice and murder set at a boarding house for students. Add to the mix a number of students from England, a temperamental Greek landlady and an Italian house staff, and one must conclude that Fraser is some sort of magician to keep all the players sorted out as they converge in the common room. Not to be missed among the clamoring voices is Christie's narrative, from which Fraser manages to wring every wry drop. The producers at the Mystery Masters division of the Audio Partners were smart to hire Fraser to record this classic, and listeners will find it a delightful romp that passes all too quickly. (Dec.)

Unlike its competitors, who are usually linked to major book publishers, Blackstone specializes in giving new audio life to classics—using prize-winning readers like Vance to bring new and exciting life to neglected works. This is Vance's 17th reading of one of O'Brian's superb seafaring novels about Jack Aubrey and Dr. Stephen Maturin, and it's the first time that anyone has made new versions since O'Brian's death in 2000. Vance (who also reads under the names Robert Whitfield and Richard Matthews) is absolutely perfect for O'Brian's sad and stirring tale about Post Captain Aubrey's unjust punishment: Aubrey has been stricken off the Admiralty's list, usually the end of a man's career. But Dr. Maturin uses his own money to buy Aubrey's old ship, HMS Surprise, and turn it into a privateer—a letter of marque. Vance catches the subtle differences between the land-owning Jack, his rough-tongued crew and the Spanish/Irish Maturin. O'Brian fans should relish this excellent audio outing as should anyone with a love of adventure, history, the sea and fine writing. (Reviews, July 6, 1990). (Dec.)

As well-tuned here as he was when he narrated Iles's last Deep South thriller, Turning Angel, Hill takes a smart half-step back from the novel's near-hyperbolic but effective mixture of suspense and spooky science. The plot begins at full gallop, with the smugness of self-satisfied Dr. Chris Shepard shattered by the news from frantic FBI agent Alexandra Morse that his wife has been talking to a divorce lawyer. Not just any lawyer, but one whose clients' spouses, like Morse's sister, die seemingly of natural causes. Über-villain and genius scientist Dr. Eldon Tarver justifies the novel's title by developing deadly and undetectable biological viruses and testing them on unwanted better halves. Iles's characters are almost over-the-top, but Hill captures their personalities without overdoing it. He holds to the pace Iles sets in slowly upping the suspense ante, but he does it in a manner more modulated than breathless, adding to the building tension. When Tarver injects Shepard with a quick-acting cancer virus, Hill renders the event in subdued tones. The effect is as startling as if an insect suddenly flew into your ear. Simultaneous release with the Scribner hardcover (Reviews, Nov. 20). (Dec.)

The beauty of Munro's writing is greatly enhanced by audio. Farr is a fine reader in every respect but one—her precise pronunciation of each syllable of every word is often distracting and impedes the flow of Munro's conversational prose, so integral a part of her literary achievement. Otherwise, Farr is an intelligent and expressive reader admirably able to handle a variety of characters and accents. Munro's characters and settings have always come out of her rural Canadian upbringing, but this time she fuses autobiography with fiction. The form arises from a conscious search for roots, for family history derived from journals, letters, town records, cemeteries, distant relatives and close neighbors in Scotland, Canada and the U.S. Each selected story is unabridged, and most of the exclusions are the more biographical ones, though the book is not so long that any needed to be cut. As always, Munro's remarkable insights and exquisite storyteller's voice come through, echoing our need to discover and connect to our own dead people, and therefore to life. Simultaneous release with the Knopf hardcover (Reviews, Sept. 25). (Dec.)

Crossley provides a smooth, professional reading of this heartfelt story of loss and discovery. Connolly's fairy tale for adults chronicles the adventures of David, a 12-year-old boy growing up in WWII England. Still mourning the loss of his mother to cancer, David is desperately trying to adjust to life with a new stepmother, a new half-brother and a father who, because of the war, is never around. But everything changes when David stumbles through a magical gateway and into a realm of familiar, yet decidedly different, representations of classic fairy tales. Searching for a way home, he is pursued by the Crooked Man, an evil troll who must strip David of his innocence in order to retain his power over the kingdom. David learns lessons of bravery, loyalty, acceptance, sacrifice and, finally, the power of love and family. Crossley's narration is articulate and measured, bringing a respectful dignity to the author's prose. He takes the same care with the book's multitude of characters, whether it is David, the Crooked Man or a hilariously funny band of anti-capitalist dwarfs. A lovely tale, skillfully told. Simultaneous release with the Atria hardcover (Reviews, Aug. 28). (Nov.)

Raudman delivers a bravura performance of Schreiber's excruciatingly suspenseful first novel. Set over the course of one horrific night, the book chronicles the trials of Susan Young, a wealthy divorcée, who receives a call from a mysterious stranger, informing her that he has abducted her one-year-old daughter and will kill her unless Susan does exactly what he wants. But this is far from a simple kidnapping; the detailed instructions given to Susan takes her deep into a horrific realm of murder, grave robbing, mutilated corpses and zombies, all controlled by the malevolent, uncompromising voice on the other end of Susan's cellphone. Raudman's smooth, intimate narration pulls the listener into this supernatural thriller with ease and consequently heightens the horrific incidents that pile onto Susan. The skillful narration is matched by individual character interpretation—each is given a distinctive voice and relayed with a natural, realistic delivery. This is most effective during the creepy cellphone conversations between Susan and her twisted tormentor. Not a story for the faint of heart. Simultaneous release with the Ballantine hardcover (Reviews, Aug. 14). (Nov.)

No matter how much critics and readers love him, Connelly's Harry Bosch is definitely a downer. To catch the spirit of the popular series without sending listeners leaping out of their windows requires an unusually talented reader, who can take the tiny shreds of light the author sprinkles very sparingly through his dark and bloody outings and turn them into veritable bonfires. Fortunately, Cariou is a veteran of four previous Bosch audios who knows his man down to his obsessive socks. Cariou can also do Connelly's normal, only semidepressed supporting characters with grace and depth: Harry's female partner, other cops with mixed motives, crooked lawyers, on-the-make politicians, even a convicted serial killer trying to escape the death penalty by reopening one of Bosch's old wounds. Cariou, of course, can't remove Harry's guilt or ease his obsessions: he's an actor, not a therapist. But his talent adds a Prozac-like sense of ease not to be taken lightly. Simultaneous release with the Little, Brown hardcover (Reviews, Sept. 4). (Nov.)

When the United States stands on the brink of civil war between "blue states" and "red states," Maj. Reuben Malek and Capt. Bartholomew Coleman use their special ops training to maintain the country's unity. With the president and vice president assassinated within minutes of each other, and New York City taken over, the two must figure out who has planned this and how to prevent the growing tension between left and right. Unfortunately, Card's conservative bias seeps into this tale with repeated jabs at "liberal media" and even a guest appearance by Bill O'Reilly helping out the good guys. These juvenile assaults distract from Card's keen storytelling skills. As a co-narrator, Card sticks mostly to the superfluous job of reading chapter introductions, saving his passion for his afterword, where he lambastes both the left and the right for their extreme and exclusionary acts. Rudnicki makes this audiobook worth attention. His deep sturdy voice provides the rich and engaging narrative that pulls in any listener. He reads the book smoothly, adding energy, characterization and authority to all aspects of the story. Without Rudnicki, this empire crumbles. Simultaneous release with the Tor hardcover (Reviews, Nov. 6). (Nov.)

With their wildly popular Left Behind thrillers, LaHaye and Jenkins took the Christian fiction genre to new heights of mainstream success, but also sparked renewed debate among evangelicals concerning End Times theology. Now, they reunite to undertake the Jesus Chronicles, a four-book series of historical novels profiling the lives of the Gospel writers: John, Mark, Matthew, and Luke. This first installment recounts the personal and spiritual journey of the only one of the original apostles who died from old age rather than martyrdom. Robinson Dean brings an appropriately deep and sober tone to his duties as narrator, especially in his portrayal of the elderly John's exhaustive efforts to leave a written record of both his first-person experiences and prophetic visions. The authors steep their storytelling in a conservative interpretation of scripture that may not appeal evenly across the broader spectrums of Christian theology, but they provide some engaging human drama. The audiobook also includes Dean's reading of the complete texts of all five New Testament books for which John is credited (John's Gospel, his three Epistles and Revelation). Simultaneous release with the Putnam hardcover. (Nov.)

Frank Bascombe, Ford's former fiction writer and sports journalist who we have seen age and change since Ford introduced him in 1986's The Sportswriter, must be one of the most difficult fictional characters to bring to audio life. His moods and mindsets shift like the shores of his native New Jersey, where at 55 he now sells real estate, and keeping them clear and credible requires a reader of subtle and impeccable judgment. Barrett, a veteran stage, film and television actor, has a voice that should make listeners think they're hearing Frank tell his own story. He catches every nuance from the odd to the tragic, making the breakup of two marriages, a life-threatening disease and the disappointment over a son's career choice as vital a part of Bascombe's story as his strange mental journeys, which are often triggered by headlines or TV news items. A sharp, revealing interview with author Ford is part of this very large, extremely important audio package. Simultaneous release with the Knopf hardcover (Reviews, Sept. 11). (Nov.)

Like the prolific animal and insect life of the Everglades, Hiaasen's latest contains a cacophony of voices that clash with one another yet come together in the end to form an unique world. Hiaasen's novels compare favorably to the films of Robert Altman, as the author uses an ensemble approach rather than relying on one story. Adams is enthusiastically up to Hiaasen's hijinks, finding the right note for every character. Particularly good is her rendition of 12-year-old Fry, who stretches his vowels for emphasis and makes every sentence sound like a possible question. Piejack, the local looney fishmonger, and Honey, a borderline personality unable to overlook any slight, are performed with twangy gusto. And then there are the Texans, Boyd and his reluctant girlfriend, Eugenie, who bring another set of accents into the mix. In a wonderful moment on the last disk, Adams hilariously reproduces the muffled sentences of a person who has had her jaws wired shut. Adams's brisk style is perfect for Hiaasen's witty romp through the Everglades. Simultaneous release with the Knopf hardcover (Reviews, Sept. 18). (Nov.)

A crowd on a busy street at Edinburgh's famous Fringe Festival witness a brutal crime. Downes has the task of portraying half a dozen characters who become entangled in the complex aftermath of what looks at first like a straightforward assault. A master of dialect, Downes portrays several characters from different classes and locales in England and Scotland with apparent ease. He also takes on, with gusto, the voice of a mysterious Russian woman. Exceptionally well performed is the voice of Martin Canning, a successful crime writer whose sleuth is decidedly more masculine than his creator. Downes has a firm grip on the swings in Martin's personality: he is by turns frightened and apologetic, yet cunning and secretive. Best known for his role in the British television series Babylon 5, Downes uses Atkinson's novel to display his range. He is aided by the seamlessly abridged text of a delightful crime novel that refuses to let the characters be merely victims or victimizers. For audio enthusiasts, this is a "must hear." Simultaneous release with the Little, Brown hardcover (Reviews, July 17). (Nov.)

New York City police detective– turned–terrorist hunter John Corey and his FBI agent wife, Kate, head to the Adirondacks to investigate the murder of a fellow agent and, not coincidentally, to stop a right-wing madman from nuking two major American cities and starting World War III. In previous adventures, Corey has been a welcome reminder of the wise-cracking hard-boiled heroes of yore. Here he dances close enough to the edge of self-parody that a narrator unfamiliar with the earlier novels might have been tempted to employ the kind of insouciant smart-aleck approach that would have turned the character into a cartoon figure and flatlined the book's suspense. As Brick states in a 20-minute chat with the author, he's been a longtime DeMille fan and past narrator of two Corey adventures. Brick sees past the character's wisecracks, tempering his brags and brays with a humanizing hint of self-doubt, suggesting that purpose and simmering anger lurk beneath the glib nonsense. He's equally adept at catching the villain's upper class arrogance and Kate's controlled, no-nonsense approach to life. He can switch attitudes and voices in a split second. Brick turns the talky book into an entertaining and effective full-cast comedy-drama. Simultaneous release with the Warner hardcover (Reviews, Sept. 11) (Nov.)

Amazingly long, incredibly pricey, wildly experimental, often confusing but never boring, Murakami's most famous novel has been brought to audio life with extreme dedication: by Naxos, a company that regularly wins prizes, and by a reader with an uncommon combination of skills. Degas is already a Murakami veteran, having read the audio version of A Wild Sheep Chase (Naxos), and has worked on radio, stage and even cartoon voice (including Mr. Bean). He catches the constantly changing mental landscape of Murakami's fertile imagination—which moves from detective story to explicit sexual fantasy, heartbreaking Japanese WWII historical flashback, everyday details of married life (cooking, shopping and pet care) and even the occasional burst of satiric humor. Degas treats it all with the clarity and calmness of a very deep, very still pool. Certainly not for everyone's taste or budget, but anyone interested in this important author will find something to enlighten them. Available as a Vintage paperback (Reviews, Aug. 18. 1997). (Nov.)

Wills builds on the popularity of his bestseller What Jesus Meant in this audio version of his newest book. The apostle Paul's teachings have caused controversy almost from the minute he penned the letters to the first-century churches he helped found. His influence on church history and doctrine is incontrovertible, but his words have often provoked anger and dissension. Wills, who writes from the Catholic tradition, carefully reveals Paul's meaning by taking listeners back to the teaching of Jesus Christ to prove that Paul's words didn't contradict, but in fact explain and expound on Christ's. Wills's precise diction and preacherlike narration add to the listening experience. He sometimes moves too quickly between chapters and sections—listeners need a bit more time to adjust—and he occasionally reads quickly as well. But haste aside, listeners can't help appreciating Wills's voice, his scholarship and his conclusions. Simultaneous release with the Viking hardcover (Reviews, Sept. 11). (Dec.)

An engaging nonfiction "medical mystery" starts with the strange case of an Italian family whose members, upon reaching a certain age, succumb to a sort of sleeping disorder that causes not only insomnia but certain death. The cause of this disease is determined to be prions—infectious agents derived from proteins, not viruses—so Max explores other prion diseases, such as mad cow disease and kuru, and delves into the history of prion research as a way of unraveling the mysteries behind the disease that's been plaguing the titular family for generations. Gardner lets the material do most of the heavy lifting by narrating in a plain, unadorned style that keeps his own contributions to the narrative minimal, the auditory equivalent of transparent prose. The pacing and fascinating subject matter keep the listener fully engaged throughout, resulting in an audiobook that will certainly be no cure for insomnia. In fact, it might even warrant an advisory warning: side effects may include sleepless nights, caused by a strong desire to get to the next chapter. Simultaneous release with the Random House hardcover (Reviews, July 31). (Nov.)

Ephron's eclectic essays about life as an older woman certainly provide humor and insight into the lives of sexagenarians who have spent most of their lives as city girls. She both mocks and embraces the lifestyle she has maintained over the past decades. Whether she is waxing poetic about the rituals of everyday life, her love-hate relationship with purses, her affinity for celebrity chefs or her obsession over her apartment, Ephron delivers this audiobook in the spirited tone of one who is at peace with the life she has lived. Her gentle comedic delivery of punch lines will evoke smiles in listeners. While her sincerity at times clashes with her sarcasm, causing the listener to pause and determine what she meant, she still produces moments where her positive energy summons up a picture of her smiling as she reads into the microphone. Ephron's writing style lends weight to these brief trysts into the personal and worldly, strange and mundane aspects of her life. But mostly, her voice evokes the image of a serene and wise woman providing her insights. Simultaneous release with the Knopf hardcover (Reviews, June 6). (Nov.)

Grisham's first work of nonfiction focuses on the tragedy of Ron Williamson, a baseball hero from a small town in Oklahoma who winds up a dissolute, mentally unstable Major League washout railroaded onto death row for a hometown rape and murder he did not commit. Judging by this author-approved abridgment, Grisham has chosen to present Williamson's painful story (and that of his equally innocent "co-conspirator," Dennis Fritz) as straightforward journalism, eschewing the more familiar "nonfiction novel" approach with its reconstructed dialogues and other adjustments for dramatic purpose. This has resulted in a book that, while it includes such intriguing elements as murder, rape, detection and judicial injustice, consists primarily of objective reportage, albeit shaded by the now-proven fact of Williamson's innocence. The absence of dialogue or character point of view could make for a rather bland audio. Boutsikaris avoids that by reverting to what might be called old-fashioned round-the-campfire storytelling, treating the lengthy exposition to vocal interpretations, subtle and substantial. He narrates the events leading up to the 1982 rape and murder of a young cocktail waitress with a mixture of suspicion and curiosity, moving on to astonishment at the prosecution's use of deceit and false testimony to convict Williamson and Fritz and, eventually, elation at the exoneration of the two innocent men. Throughout, he maintains an appealing conversational tone, an effect made all the more remarkable by the book's nearly total absence of conversation. Simultaneous release with the Doubleday hardcover. (Nov.)

Cahill nimbly presents the highlights—and lowlights—of Europe during the Middle Ages in this well-executed romp through history. A skilled narrator of his own work, Cahill brings enthusiasm and passion to the story (especially when describing the peccadilloes of Eleanor of Aquitaine and the steamy affair of Abelard and Héloïse). He is particularly impassioned, even shrill, when comparing the folly of the avaricious Second Crusade with what he sees as the disastrous contemporary war in Iraq, asserting that both wars were invented by leaders with little understanding and even less wisdom. Cahill also emerges as a credible singer, producing competent and tuneful a cappella renditions of the hymns of both Hildegard of Bingen and Thomas Aquinas. The abridgment is seamless in the first few chapters, but then a bit more pronounced as the book draws to a close; the chapter on Giotto feels rushed. Aside from a few awkward mispronunciations, this audio book will delight listeners interested in the great stories of medieval times. Simultaneous release with the Nan Talese hardcover (Reviews, Aug. 28). (Nov.)

The intentionally disjointed structure of this audiobook—Poundstone presenting biographies of seven historical figures, including Joan of Arc, Helen Keller and Abraham Lincoln, with each fact launching her into a tangent about her own life—works particularly well on audio. Poundstone sounds like she's chatting naturally and keeps remembering other things she wants to say. She's frank, funny and immensely likable. Her autobiographical stories are often harrowing: she was convicted of driving while intoxicated with her three adopted children in the car, and lost custody of them for a year. Her pain at the memory is obvious, but she leavens the subject matter with plenty of black humor and irony: noting that she was court-ordered on television to attend Alcoholics Anonymous, she comments, "That pretty much blows the hell out of the second A." There are many quotable one-liners, amid Poundstone's self-deprecating humor. By turns funny and poignant, this is a book that shines on audio. Simultaneous release with the Harmony hardcover (Reviews, Aug. 17). (Nov.)