The Kite Rider (audio book)

McCaughrean, Geraldine. The Kite Rider.
Full Cast Audio, 2004, 6 cds, $45.00, 978-1-933322-15-5.
This story of thirteenth-century China is engaging, suspenseful, well-done historical fiction with excellent characterizations and a well-paced plot. The tale of adventure and betrayal and the lengths to which a boy will go to save his family draws the listener into the story immediately. This Full Cast Audio version does an excellent job of translating the written book into the spoken word. The characters are well voiced and convincing and the original music adds much to the story. It is an enthralling rendition of a wonderful book.
Twelve-year-old Haoyou watches in horror as his father is chosen to be the wind tester for his ship and then dies strapped to a bamboo hold cover. The ship's first mate Di Chou wants to marry Haoyou's mother and does everything to get her including murdering her husband. Haoyou must prevent her awful fate. When he begins to build kites to provide for his family, Di Chou then burns his house down. Haoyou is forced to fly as a kite rider himself to ensure that Di Chou is removed from their town. The owner of a visiting circus sees him and offers him a chance to save his family from poverty by flying high to earn money, fame, and freedom. They will travel throughout the country and perform for the great Kublai Khan.
This story of thirteenth-century China is engaging, suspenseful, well-done historical fiction with excellent characterizations and a well-paced plot. The tale of adventure and betrayal and the lengths to which a boy will go to save his family draws the listener into the story immediately. Haoyou will grow from a frightened boy to the Khan's eye in the sky. When he finally returns to Dagu to protect his family from the reappearance of Di Chou, he is much changed and willing to risk all.

This Full Cast Audio version does an excellent job of translating the written book into the spoken word. The characters are well voiced and convincing and the original music adds much to the story. It is an enthralling rendition of a wonderful book. This is a must purchase for any middle school library that contains audio books. SO

Street Magic: a must purchase for fantasy readers

Pierce, Tamora. Street Magic (unabridged audiobook).
Full Cast Audio, 2006. 8 CDs $39.00 978-1-933322-48-3
Fantasy

In the second book in the Circle Opens series, the four young mages have been sent out into the world to discover how to better develop their particular magics. Briar Moss, now an accredited plant mage, is in the faraway city of Chammur with his mentor Rosethorn. They are working with the local farmers to overcome a serious drought when Briar becomes aware that a young girl is able to work magic with stones. Briar is forced by mage law to mentor Evvy without a stone mage willing to train her. Complications arise when Briar notices that one of the local gangs, controlled by the evil Lady Zenadia, has become interested in Evvy and her magic as well. Briar must now cope with both Evvy's training and her protection from the warring gangs. The plot is rich and interesting, the locations are beautifully rendered, and the characters are very three-dimensional.
This full-cast audio version offers a sprightly spoken and exciting adventure. There are both fantasy, and suspenseful action in a well-paced plot and with engaging characters. The story is told through the intertwined voices of the main characters, alternating between them with the characters articulated in a very convincing manner. The story is rich and interesting; the locations are beautifully rendered. The author and the cast have mixed adventure, political intrigues, and a magical background into this very well-done rendition.
This is a must purchase for any library who numbers fantasy readers among its users. They will be waiting impatiently for a next audio book. SO

Airborn: an edge of the chair audiobook

Oppel, Kenneth. Airborn (unabridged)(audiobook)
Full Cast Audio, 2006. 10 CDs $45.00 978-1-933322-54-4
Fantasy

Matt, a young cabin boy aboard an airship, and Kate, a wealthy young girl traveling with her chaperone, team up to search for the existence of mysterious winged creatures reportedly living hundreds of feet above the Earth's surface.
There’s only one word to describe this Full Cast Audio’s version of Kenneth Oppel’s Airborn and that word is: outstanding. Oppel, of course, has written a fantasy that dares the reader to put the book down, but translating an author’s words to an audio book doesn’t guarantee the same reader involvement. In this case, Full Cast Audio has cast the perfect voices for the various characters in the story. A total of 32 different voices bring the story of Matt Cruse and Kate de Vries to life, and the pirates themselves are Jack Sparrow worthy. The beauty of the airship Aurora, the otherworldliness of the cloudcats and the danger posed by pirates come alive and envelop the listener. The cast doesn’t just read the story; the cast becomes the characters. Readers who say they don’t like fantasy, or science fiction will change their minds after listening to this presentation. Even if the print version is on the shelf, adding the audio version is highly recommended. RZ