The Audiobook Shelf

Old Indian Legends
Zitkala-Sa, author
Katie Anvit Rich, narrator
Brilliance Audio
https://www.brilliancepublishing.com
9781799784982, $9.99, MP3-CD

https://www.amazon.com/Old-Indian-Legends-AmazonClassics-Zitk%C3%A1la-%C5%A= 0%C3%A1/dp/1662508484

Synopsis: "Old Indian Legends" is an exquisite collection of children's Nat= ive American folktales, in which author and storyteller Zitkala-Sa shares t=
he legends that were handed down to her through generations of Yankton stor= ytellers. These tales display the wide range of insights and observations t= hat accrue to such stories through repeated iteration, but they also benefi=
t from the sharp ear and finely tuned sensibility of Zitkala-Sa as a writer=
.. Her characters seem to speak to us - often crying out to us - in the same=
tones that Zitkala-Sa must once have heard. Whether or not readers have an=
y previous familiarity with the trickster Iktomi or the many animals who se=
ek to outwit him, Zitkala-Sa's work has the power to charm, enchant, and en= lighten.

Critique: This 'Amazon Classics Edition' edition from Brilliance Audio us i= mpressively 'brought to life' in a true theatre of the mind experience by K= atie Anvil Rich. Complete and unabridged, "Old Indian Legends" is especiall=
y recommended for personal, elementary school, middle school, and community=
library Native American Folklore/Mythology audio book collections. (1 Hour=
, 56 Minutes)

Editorial Note: Zitkala-Sa (February 22, 1876 - January 26, 1938) was a wri= ter, editor, translator, musician, educator, suffragist, and one of the mos=
t important American Indian activists of the twentieth century. Born Gertru=
de Simmons on the Yankton Sioux Reservation in South Dakota, she adopted th=
e name Zitkala-Sa (Lakota for Red Bird) in her early teens. Educated at Qua= ker schools, Zitkala-Sa strove to retain her cultural identity and to enlig= hten white English-speaking audiences about American Indian life. In additi=
on to writing numerous articles for the Atlantic Monthly and Harper's Month= ly, Zitkala-Sa published Old Indian Legends and American Indian Stories and=
wrote the libretto for The Sun Dance Opera, the first ever by an American = Indian. In 1926 she cofounded the National Council of American Indians, whi=
ch advocated for the civil rights that American Indians had long been denie=
d. Zitkala-Sa served as its president until her death. (https://en.wikipedi= a.org/wiki/Zitkala-Sa)

The Eyes Have It and Other Stories
Phillip K. Dick, author
J.S. Arquin, narrator
Brilliance Audio
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781799784920, $9.99, MP3-CD (7 Hours, 40 Minutes)

https://www.amazon.com/Eyes-Have-Other-Stories-AmazonClassics/dp/1799784924

Synopsis: First published in various science fiction magazines of the 1950s=
, these early short stories from the now legendary and award-winning noveli=
st Philip K. Dick showcase the budding author's uncanny ability to forge st= range new paths into alternate realities. Already in command of the themes = and techniques he would later employ in his novels, Dick here envisions ali=
en infiltrations, far-off worlds at war, nightmarish totalitarian societies=
, and uncanny depths lying just beneath seemingly commonplace realities. Fa= ntastical, sinister, paranoid, and darkly amusing, these are seminal works =
in Dick's justly celebrated career.

Critique: Brilliantly narrated by J. S. Arquin, this complete and unabridge=
d audio book edition of "The Eyes Have It and Other Stories" perfectly show= case examples of the late Philip K. Dick's genuine flair for originality an=
d will be of immense interest to a whole new generation of dedicated scienc=
e fiction fans. Simply stated, "The Eyes Have It and Other Stories" will pr= ove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal and comm= unity library Science Fiction & Fantasy audio book collections.

Editorial Note #1: Philip Kindred Dick (December 16, 1928 - March 2, 1982) = was an American science fiction writer who sold his first story in 1951 -- = and thus began his long and prolific career. During his lifetime, Dick publ= ished more than 120 short stories and thirty-six novels, including such cel= ebrated works as The Man in the High Castle, Do Androids Dream of Electric = Sheep?, Ubik, The Minority Report, and A Scanner Darkly. He was the recipie=
nt of the Hugo Award and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award among other ho= nors, and was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame in 2005. (http= s://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_K._Dick)

Editorial Note: Author and voice over narrator A. S. Arquin has two informa= tive websites: https://www.booksweeps.com/discover/j-s-arquin/ and https://= www.arquinworlds.com

Thief
Owen Mullen, author
Andy Watkins, narrator
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781804154939, $88.95, MP3-CD

Synopsis: Charley Glass arrived in her family's lives like the hurricane sh= e'd escaped. But she hadn't run far enough: the ruthless Giordano family ar=
e on her tail and want two things - her life, and the return of the propert=
y she stole from them. No matter how many bodies stack up.

After years of longing, Charley finally has the family she's always wanted,=
but now she's going to have to tell them the real reason she came looking = them. There is only one way she's going to stay alive, and that is to emplo=
y the muscle of the notorious Glass Family.

The head of the family, Luke, has become embroiled in a dangerous political=
plot and isn't sure they're strong enough to take on one of New Orleans' b= iggest crime gangs. But he'd put his life on the line to protect the empire=
they've built -- even if they'll have to take on an enemy hurting enough t=
o cross an ocean for revenge.

Critique: A riveting suspense thriller of an action novel by Owen Mullen, t= his complete and unabridged audio book edition of "Thief" as narrated by th=
e vocal performance and talents of Andy Watkins creates a perfectly nuanced=
and fully engaging 'theatre of the mind' experience for the listener. Avai= lable in either a traditional audio CD or an MP3-CD format, "Thief" is a we= lcome and recommended addition to personal and community library Audio Book=
collections. (9 Hours, 20 Minutes).

Editorial Note #1: Owen Mullen (https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/owen-mull= en) is a McIlvanney Crime Book Of The Year long-listed novelist.

Editorial Note #2: Andy Watkins (https://www.mandy.com/uk/a/andy-watkins) h=
as set up a home studio space and gained valuable knowledge and experience =
in recording and editing. He landed his first voice artist job, an audioboo=
k, recording at a studio in Oxford, England. The role required 7 different = accents, including 4 he had to learn from scratch in just 3 weeks!

Theophrastus' Characters: An Ancient Take on Bad Behavior
James Romm, author
Billy Crudup, narrator
Pamela Mensch, translator
www.blackstoneaudio.com
9798212170420, $24.95, CD

https://www.amazon.com/Theophrastus-Characters-Ancient-Take-Behavior/dp/B0B= BSFVCTZ

Synopsis: When Aristotle wrote that that "comedy is about people worse than=
ourselves", he may have been recalling a hard-edged gem of a treatise writ= ten by his favorite student, Theophrastus.

This audio book edition of "Theophrastus' Characters: An Ancient Take on Ba=
d Behavior" is a joyous festival of fault-finding: a collection of thirty c= losely observed personality portraits, defining the full spectrum of human = flaws, failings, and follies. With piquant details of speech and behavior t= aken straight off the streets of ancient Athens, Theophrastus gives us sket= ches of the mean, vile, and annoying that are comically distorted yet vivid=
ly real.

Enlivened by Pamela Mensch's fresh translation (the first widely available = English version in over half a century, "Theophrastus' Characters" transpor=
ts the listener to a world populated by figures of flesh and blood, not bro= nze and marble. Lightly but helpfully annotated by classicist James Romm, t= hese thirty thumbnail portraits comprising "Theophrastus' Characters" are s= tartlingly recognizable twenty-three centuries later. The characters of The= ophrastus are archetypes of human nature that remain insightful, caustic, a=
nd relevant.

Critique: Impressively narrated by Billy Crudup and unreservedly recommende=
d for personal, professional, community, and academic library audio book co= llections, "Theophrastus' Characters: An Ancient Take on Bad Behavior" offe=
rs a true 'theatre of the mind' experience for the listener and will have a=
very special appeal to those with an interest in Classical Literature and = Literary Criticism/Theory. It should be noted that this Blackstone Audio ed= ition of "Theophrastus' Characters" includes a bonus PDF with illustrations=
by Andre Carrilho.

Exiles
Ashley & Leslie Saunders, authors
Aida Reluzco, narrator
Brilliance Audio
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781713659792, $14.99, MP3-CD

https://www.amazon.com/Exiles-Ashley-Saunders/dp/1713659794

Synopsis: It's been twelve years since the 2040 Quake rocked the Golden Sta= te, fracturing Los Angeles and the fortunes of millions. It's been six year=
s since tech billionaire Damon Yates founded his elite academy, giving Unfo= rtunates from the wrong side of his hyperloop tracks a new future at Quest = Campus, tucked away in the Santa Monica Mountains. But an endeavor that sou= ght to bridge a divide only tore eighteen-year-old twin sisters apart.

Jade is a street-savvy adrenaline seeker ruling the city's downtrodden east= side. Crys is an influential socialite ensconced in Yates's westside mansio=
n - every bit her adoptive father's daughter. After the mysterious murder o=
f one of the academy's brightest, Jade sets out with her factious band of e= xiles to prove there's something sinister going on behind the walls of Yate= s's exclusive empire. But to expose the earthshaking truth, Jade needs her = estranged sister back on her side.

There's a big problem, though: Crys is inexplicably terrified of her own tw= in's face.

Critique: With an impressive vocal performance by narrator Aida Reluzco, th=
is flawlessly produced complete and unabridged audio book edition of Ashley=
and Leslie Sauncers science fiction novel "Exiles", combines a a suspense = thriller of a mystery with an examination of class difference. This explosi=
ve coming-of-age adventure about living in (and doing anything to survive) =
in the technologically advanced metropolis of the unshakable City of Dreams=
is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to both personal an=
d community library Science Fiction & Fantasy audio book collections. (8 Ho= urs, 12 Minutes)

Editorial Note #1: Twin sisters Ashley Saunders and Leslie Saunders are the=
authors of The Rule of One, The Rule of Many, and The Rule of All in the d= ystopian series The Rule of One. The duo honed their love of storytelling i=
n film school at the University of Texas at Austin. After just under a deca=
de penning screenplays and directing commercials, the sisters deliberately = stumbled into the world of novel writing. They vow to never leave it. The s= isters can be found at www.thesaunderssisters.com.

Editorial Note #2: Aida Reluzco (https://www.aidareluzco.com) arrived on th=
e voice-over scene in 2018 as a multidisciplinary artist, bringing with her=
a background in the performing arts, classical art history, illustration, = literature, poetry, and spoken word.

The Hunted
Jeff Wheeler, author
Kate Rudd, narrator
Brilliance Audio
https://www.brilliancepublishing.com
9781713663485, $14.99, MP3-CD

https://www.amazon.com/Hunted-Dawning-Muirwood-2/dp/1713663481

Synopsis: Eilean is rising. A foundling raised in an abbey, she was entrust=
ed by its imprisoned druid, Mordaunt, with an ancient tome. Its magical wor=
ds can change the world. Eilean's first mission: translate it. Her second: = rescue a benevolent Aldermaston sentenced to death as a heretic by the High=
Seer. But wielding power, knowledge, and ambition has now made Eilean the = hunted.

In pursuit is Captain Hoel Evnissyen, an inquisitor in service to the High = Seer's demands. His objective is to track Eilean and steal Mordaunt's inval= uable work. But Hoel's quest soon yields a fascination with the woman he's = been ordered to pursue. When an invasion begins and the world erupts in cha= os, Eilean and Hoel find themselves bound by their mutual wills to survive = and, against all odds, realize they are not each other's enemy.

But now Eilean must decide who is friend and who is foe. Especially when th=
e powerful tome falls into the wrong hands. The closer Eilean and Hoel get,=
the nearer they are to realizing the part they must play in their kingdom'=
s destiny -- and its ties to Eilean's own mysterious past.

Critique: The second volume in author Jeff Wheeler's 'The Dawning of Muriwo= od' fantasy series, this superbly produced audio book edition of "The Hunte=
d" is deftly narrated in an impressive vocal performance by Kate Rudd. A tr=
ue 'theatre of the mind' experience for the listener, "The Hunted" is a 'mu= st' for all dedicated action/adventure fantasy fans and this complete and u= nabridged MP3-C audio book edition from Brilliance Audio is unreservedly re= commended for personal and community library audio book collections. (9 Hou= rs, 2 Minutes).

Editorial Note #1: Never one to be short on ideas, Jeff Wheeler (www.jeff-w= heeler.com) further perfected his craft through storytelling during games o=
f Dungeons and Dragons during high school. Inventing stories to bring these=
games alive, Jeff would engross his friends and family members as they pla= yed the fantasy game. Now he writes compelling fantasy novels.

Editorial Note #2: Kate Rudd (https://www.kateruddreads.com) is the winner =
of the 2013 Audie and Odyssey Awards for her narration of John Green's The = Fault in Our Stars, has been performing audiobooks for nearly a decade. A t=
en time Audiofile Magazine Earphones Award recipient, Kate's performances h= ave garnered inclusion in Audiofile's Best Audiobooks of the Year 2012/2017= /2018 and Best Voices of the Year 2012. She has narrated more than 450 titl=
es across a variety of genres.

They Come at Knight
Yasmin Angoe, author
Tamika Katon-Donegal, narrator
Brilliance Audio
https://www.brilliancepublishing.com
9781713651956, $24.99, MP3-CD

https://www.amazon.com/They-Come-Knight-Nena/dp/1713651955

Synopsis: For elite assassin Nena Knight, eliminating dangerous players on = the world stage is part of the job. The Tribe, a powerful business syndicat=
e in Africa, ensures that she has those opportunities. But for Nena, the Tr= ibe is more than just her employer; it's an organization that supports the = African people -- until it turns on itself.

As Nena embarks on a new mission, a violent siege by a paramilitary group t= hrows the Tribe into chaos, and mysterious acts of violence plague the Trib= e's territories. As the attacks escalate, Nena suspects a different kind of=
enemy at play: someone on the inside, determined to undermine the Tribe's = leaders.

As this new threat closes in on her own family, Nena enlists a team to root=
out the danger. But as she gets closer to the truth, she will have to risk=
everything to protect the future she holds dear -- even if it means facing=
off with an enemy she never expected.

Critique: Action-adventure at its very best, author Yasmin Angoe's "They Co=
me At Knight" is now available as a complete and unabridged audio book that=
is magnificently narrated by the vocal performance of Tamika Katon-Donegal=
.. A flawless performance from start to finish, this audio book edition from=
Brilliance Audio will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to person=
al and community library audio book collections.

Editorial Note #1: Yasmin Angoe is the author of the critically acclaimed H=
er Name Is Knight, first book in the Nena Knight trilogy. She is a first-ge= neration Ghanaian American and the recipient of the 2020 Eleanor Taylor Bla=
nd Award for Emerging Writers of Color. Her Name Is Knight came in #1 on mu= ltiple Amazon Bestseller charts and is an Editor's Pick for Best Mystery, T= hriller, & Suspense.

Editorial Note #2: Tamika KatonDonegal is best known for her roles in Veron= ica Mars (2004) Rocketboy (2006), and Agent Carter (2015). A talented voice=
over narrator she has a website page at https://www.goodreads.com/author/s= how/21310256.Tamika_Katon_Donegal

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promo= ting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no fund=
s from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to post any of these=
reviews on thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups, listserves, inte= rnet discussion groups, organizational newsletters, or to interested indivi= duals. Please give the Midwest Book Review a credit line when doing so.

The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines "Califo= rnia Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwat= ch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available=
for free on the Midwest Book Review website at www (dot) midwestbookreview=
(dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugal= muse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publish= er, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number=
, and list price).

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

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