Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

Age Level: Children
Format: Unabridged Book on CD

Reader: Jim Dale

 

 

Let me begin my review by saying that I am an avid listener to audio books.  I unfortunately don’t get a lot of time to read novels, so when I am driving in my car I listen to novels.  In a year, I will listen to 30 or 40 audio books.  

 

However, no listening experience of any novel compares to the reading of Jim Dale of the Harry Potter series.  It has been a complete delight to listen to these novels over the years as read by this very talented and gifted performer.

 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows completes this series and the reading by Jim Dale is again extraordinary.  He has created a new voice for each and every character in the story.  An immense achievement in reading, considering the hundreds of voices he has had to work with over the past years.

 

How do you review the story?  It is as gripping as any other of the books.  Revelations come fast and furious, especially on the later CD’s when the battle which we have been waiting for finally appears to be forthcoming.  It is the type of story which makes you drive one more time around the block because you don’t want to turn the car off yet.

 

This is the most adult of the books in the series.  Harry has some moments of childish indecision, but for the most part he is coming into his adult hood and his experiences are processed as an adult.  Jim Dale reads his character with all the confusion and angst of  the late teenage years  but with an understanding of his characters.  

 

The series is a true masterpiece of the audio book genre.  If you have not experienced an audio book before, this series is the perfect introduction.  If you have read the books, the audio books give you a whole new perception of the story.  Can you tell I like them?

 

Reviewed by Rob Lesher

The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon

Age Level: Adult
Format: Unabridged book on CD
Reader: Davina Porter

In this fifth installment to the Outlander series, twentieth-century born Claire Randall happily lives in 1771 America with her husband, eighteenth-century Scottish born James Fraser. However, living in the remote part of the colony of North Carolina cannot prevent the world's problems from entering their lives. Tensions in America are growing by the day, with colonists upset over the British government's rule. Claire's knowledge of the upcoming American Revolution warns James of what is to come, leaving no doubt that an unsettling future lays ahead for them and their friends. With a cast of memorable characters and a story line rich in descriptive detail, Davina Porter's reading transforms Gabaldon's novel into a deeply moving and pleasurable experience.

It is hard to classify Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series into one reading genre: some may call it science fiction or fantasy, since it does involve time travel, while others call it romance, since there are many romantic elements in the novel. I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys reading historical fiction with occasional romantic intrigue interlaced in the story line. Readers (or listeners) will at first notice the length of the novels in the Outlander series: they are huge! If you like getting through a story in a couple hundred pages, this is not the series for you! The Fiery Cross, in book on CD format, is 47 discs long. In book format, it is over 1400 pages long.

I really love Gabaldon's attention to detail: while some readers may find painstakingly descriptive paragraphs about a particular dress or an herbal plant discouraging and unnecessary for the story, I found them to be quite enjoyable. And Porter's reading of the story - to put it simply, it is terrific! Each character has his or her own distinct voice, making the story flow smoothly. Porter has to be one of the best readers for audiobooks. She has the perfect voice for it! Readers will find that Porter also reads the other books in the Outlander series. Though the books do not necessarily have to be read or listened to in order, I found it very beneficial to start with the first, aptly titled Outlander. This way, readers can start from the beginning of this tale and find out how Claire was transported back to the eighteenth-century and learn about all of the events leading up to The Fiery Cross.

Be prepared to get sucked into a wonderful epic story!

Reviewed by Jessica