THE RUIN OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE

Two features make this audiobook challenging. First, the author jumps around so much in time that one's head spins, especially if one has little knowledge of the intricate Roman Empire. The other difficulty involves the absence of maps in audio. O'Donnell's history includes abundant geography—most of it about places antiquated beyond recognition—and the production suffers without the 20 maps and illustrations included in the print edition. Mel Foster's narration can seem as tiresome as the unadorned information he imparts. The space he places between words, just a millisecond too long, and his tonal monotony amplify the tedium of hearing seemingly endless names, dates, and facts. Other than reading it, Foster does nothing extra to sweeten a tough topic. J.A.H. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2008]