New Reviews: Fantasy

Narrator Khristine Hvam infuses this epic fantasy with passionate ambition, reflecting the drive fueling each main character. The Kingdom of Quandis, once ruled by four powerful magicians, now exists in an uneasy peace between their royal descendants and the downtrodden Bajuman caste. Hvam ratchets up the tension as Princess Phedra schemes her way into becoming queen and then... Read More

This first novel in a new series called The Founders Trilogy is infused with magic of the kind that suggests that nothing is exactly as it seems. Tara Sands has the unusual treat of narrating a story with a thief and a sentient key as two of its main characters. Sancia, the thief, has a talent for fitting into tight places and, more importantly, for escape from tight places.... Read More

A mythical romp begins with many of the traditional archetypes and elements one might expect from a fairy tale or classic epic. But this journey quickly fractures in delightfully unusual ways, leading listeners to many unexpected and intriguing conclusions. Luke Daniels must juggle multiple balls as he narrates this work: a large cast of vastly different creatures engaging in... Read More

In the thrilling conclusion to the Kate Daniels series, narrator Renee Raudman returns to send Kate off with a bang--or an Armageddon. Kate knows that the relative peace--18 months of it--following the birth of her child was too good to last. Now entire communities around Atlanta are being wiped out, and when an ancient terror takes credit, promising to lay waste to the world... Read More

Alyssa Bresnahan narrates a complex steampunk-tinged fantasy. The city of Corma is hosting the Decadal Conference, which several inhabitants try to take advantage of to improve their lives. While the plot is byzantine and occasionally outright confusing, Bresnahan forges a path through the chaos with her straightforward narration, creating a reliable foundation. Each of the... Read More

Narrator Katharine McEwan will leave listeners loath to finish this audiobook, and her fully faceted performance lingers even after it has ended. Every year Gilene burns as a sacrifice to the empire so that the other women in her village don't have to. But when she's spirited away by the famous gladiator Azarion so that he can claim his birthright, everything she knows about... Read More

Narrator Kimberly Alexis injects the right amount of sarcasm into Hamilton's Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series. She projects humor and drama as she portrays Detective Blake, a polyamorous, hardworking U.S. marshal. In this installment, Blake is trying to solve the mystery of disappearing women while on her vacation with her lovers. Alexis's tone is the driving energy. Her... Read More

Narrator Mirron Willis's eager tone and lyrical baritone capture a landscape ruled by vices and virtues, where secrets and magic transform the lives of a set of twins. Auben and Kasim have a deep bond but are near opposites--one is rife with vices and struggling with demonic possession; the other is a model of virtue and a promising young pupil. The imaginative world building,... Read More

JY Yang's immersive fantasy novellas span twins Akeha and Mokoya's lifetimes as they confront government machinations in this all-in-one audio production. Sold as infants by their imperious mother, The Protector, they emerge with diverging roles and gender identities, which are enhanced by narrator Nancy Wu's keen characterizations. Wu charges the siblings' personal journeys... Read More

Narrator Saskia Maarleveld's warm tones invite listeners to dive back into a magical world in which vampires, witches, and daemons live among humans. Set after the All Souls Trilogy, this audiobook explores the meaning of becoming a vampire, and a family. The tale rotates through three storylines: Phoebe's vampiric transformation, witch Diana and vampire Matthew's struggle with... Read More

The first installment of The Sixth World series reveals a postapocalyptic world submerged by water, except for a few regions, including the Dinétah, Navajo territory. Narrator Tanis Parenteau captures the rhythms of Navajo speech as the author populates the landscape with keen characterizations of mythological beings, Law Dogs, Thirsty Boys, and other survivors. Monster-hunter... Read More

Andrew Fallaize's confident narration takes listeners into uncharted territory. His tenor voice draws us into an imagined world called Palestina, a Jewish nation located in East Africa. Listeners are grounded in the story through his steady performance, which describes what life is like in this alternate reality where Judean is the language and a wall is being built against... Read More

Abandoned by their father who has joined the Gold Rush, Gentry and her siblings, Rooster and Pearl, fend for themselves in rural Utah. Narrator Piper Goodeve anchors her self-reliant, pragmatic heroine with resolute tones and provides attuned portrayals of settlers, Native Americans, and other characters. Winn, a young man with mysterious abilities, appears after a series of... Read More

The first in a spin-off of Neill's bestselling Chicagoland Vampires series, narrated by Suzanne Elise Freeman, has vampire Elisa returning home from Paris. Much has changed in the four years since she left Chicago--including her feelings toward her childhood nemesis, shape-shifter Connor Keene. Freeman gives unique voices to the eclectic cast of characters, highlighting their... Read More

Samuel Roukin narrates a charming fantasy that also features intrigue and a hint of romance. Miles Singer works at Beauregard Veterans' Hospital as a doctor, but his true identity is altogether different. Roukin creates an entirely sympathetic portrait of Miles: He is overworked, underappreciated, and desperately afraid of his true nature being found out, but the most important... Read More