THE LATTER DAYS AT COLDITZ by Paul Reid

Narrated by Terrence Hardiman

Die Gedanken Sind Frei

In this follow-up book to THE COLDITZ STORY Paul Reid goes beyond his personal involvement and relates many of the other fascinating escape attempts that took place in Colditz castle as WWII played out. This book is every bit as interesting and exciting as the first one.

Of great interest to me is the detailed account of the formidable project of constructing a glider as an escape vehicle in a prison especially chosen to discourage escape. I am a fan of the old made for 1971 TV movie “The Escape of the Birdmen” starring Doug MacClure (Alternate titles: “Colditz: Escape of the Birdmen,” “The Birdmen,” and “Operation Braindrain – Codename Chessboard.”) That movie is set in Colditz and seems a lot like Hogan’s Heroes or Stalag 17. But even though the story is told in an engaging light-hearted fashion the true spirit is that they can imprison your body but they can’t hold your mind captive. Well this book is much the same as that movie in that is is an inspiring fun account of the effort men will put out to get free.

Terrence Hardiman is a fine narrator, handling multiple character voices in expert fashion. 

THE COLDITZ STORY by Paul Reid

Narrated by Tim Woodward

Stalag 17 Has Nothing on Colditz

If you like stories about the indomitable spirit of man then this should be required listening. Here Reid tells us his personal stories of escape from the Germans from two different prisons. And along the way he relates the many, many, other escape attempts being conducted in Colditz castle. You will be amazed at the ingenuity of the prisoners in their efforts to undermine the vigilance of the German captors. This is a great adventure and one told with the practiced skill of one who knows how to tell a story.

Don’t miss the sequel: THE LATTER DAYS OF COLDITZ by Paul Reid

Tim Woodward does accents—British, Dutch, Polish, French and especially German—perfectly. He is so entertaining that I will be seeking out more of his work. When he is speaking German so fluent is he that he sounds like a native German speaker. It is a real joy to listen to such a masterful performance.

THE GRIPPING HAND by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle

Narrated by L.J. Ganser

Sure I’m Paranoid, But Am I Paranoid Enough?

This has long been my favorite Niven and Pournelle novel. It launches so seamlessly from the first book that surely the story must have been in the minds of N&P all along. This is where the story of the Moties truly begins. Their predicament is explored fully and the solution seems at once surprising and inevitable.

.Again L.J. Ganser does fine work in telling the story. To my ear he does an especially fine job at portraying the female voices. 

THE MOTE IN GOD’S EYE by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle

Narrated by L.J. Ganser

Every Problem Has a Solution. That’s Crazy Eddie

An amazing collaboration. This is a great introduction into the puzzle-solving mind of Larry Niven and the military brain of Jerry Pournelle.

Larry Niven likes to play with ideas. This book has enough mind-expanding concepts to rank as one of the great hard science fiction novels. He first builds a hypothetical situation, with certain rules and constraints, then lets the story  unfold.

L.J. Ganser is very good depicting the various accents. I especially enjoyed the Scottish characters. 

ENDER’S GAME by Orson Scott Card

Narrated by Stefan Rudnicki (Main text), Gabrielle de Cuit (Valentine)

Well Staged Production of a Favorite

This novel should be familiar to any well read Science Fiction fan. If you have not read it, skip the movie and listen to this wonderful production. Sure, many of its themes are tried and true but executed here most excellent fashion. Here we have a coming of age story that has become so iconic that it almost becomes the final word on such stories; setting a very high standard for all others that dare to follow. There is a reason why this book has been a perennial bestseller for three decades—it is simply grand.

Stefan Rudnicki delivers a fine performance with a wide range of character voices. He adds a nice layer of drama to this already fine book. He has proved himself worthy. 

THE VIRAL STORM by Nathan Wolfe

Narrated by Robertson Dean

Global Viral Forecasting

Will mankind succumb to the ever increasing onrush of deadly pathogens? Not if Nathan Wolfe can help it. He has been busy behind the scenes actively delivering preemptive strikes against the microbes that regularly surface and begin to ravage the population. In this fascinating glimpse into the world of the viral experts Wolfe teaches us not only about the serious dangers of the diseases that threaten to break out into global pandemics, but also that there is hope of detecting them early and halting them before they show up on the evening news. Along the way he teaches us about the inner workings of viral variability and even helps dispel a few urban legends concerning HIV and Ebola. I recommend this book for those who enjoy learning about the way the world works.

Robertson Dean has a wonderful sonorous voice that lends a calming effect when Wolfe is explaining of the mortality rate of Cholera or the Hanta virus.