Ronan Listening

Arrow through the Axes concludes the "Odyssey of a Slave" trilogy that began with the Red Maple–nominated Torn from Troy, retelling Homer's Odyssey. The slave Alexi, now free of his Greek captors, infiltrates the Greek strongholds of the Bronze Age in search of his sister. In so doing he participates in the stories of Orestes, son of Agamemnon, as he seeks revenge for his father's murder, and of Telemachus, son of Odysseus, who lands on Ithaca, the home island of Odysseus, just in time to witness the arrival of a mysterious stranger. As Alexi comes to understand the damage that the Trojan War has visited upon its victors, both he and the reader are forced to confront an unpleasant truth, while Alexi must decide where his allegiance really lies. Re-casting the Odyssey as a YA adventure, this trilogy brings ancient mythology to life in a way that traditional retellings cannot. We see what life would have been like for Bronze-Age warriors as Bowman interweaves adventure, ritual and historical detail into a realistic and compelling narrative. Readers who have experienced pop mythology, and now want to dive deeper, will find Arrow through the Axes especially satisfying, but all readers will enjoy this powerful excursion into the classic mythology that shaped western culture

Arrow Through the Axes

Arrow Through the Axes, by Patrick Bowman, read by Gerard Doyle

An extract from the unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of the The Lost Hero, book one in the Heroes of Olympus spin-off series from Percy Jackson creator, Rick Riordan. Read by the actor Joshua Swanson.

OLD ENEMIES AWAKEN AS CAMP HALF-BLOOD'S NEW ARRIVALS PREPARE FOR WAR 
When Jason, Piper and Leo crash land at Camp Half-Blood, they have no idea what to expect. Apparently this is the only safe place for children of the Greek Gods - despite the monsters roaming the woods and demigods practising archery with flaming arrows and explosives. But rumours of a terrible curse - and a missing hero - are flying around camp. It seems Jason, Piper and Leo are the chosen ones to embark on a terrifying new quest, which they must complete by the winter solstice. In just four days time. Can the trio succeed on this deadly mission - and what must they sacrifice in order to survive?

Rick Riordan: The Lost Hero - Heroes of Olympus (Audiobook extract) Read by Joshua Swanson

The unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code is the third book in the unbelievably brilliant Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer. Read by the actor Gerry O'Brien.

Artemis Fowl is attempting to go straight. But there's always time for one last job. 

Artemis Fowl has created the most powerful new supercomputer known to man - using stolen technology from an elite race of underground fairies. 

And when the computer falls into the hands of an IT billionaire with a shady past and an alleged mob connection, Artemis is in deep trouble. The consequences for humans and fairies alike are deadly. Only one person, well, fairy, can help him now.

If only Artemis Fowl wasn't the fairies' public enemy number one . . . 

'Grips like an electromagnet until the last word' - Independent
'Engagingly vivid, exciting and witty' - The Telegraph
'Fast, funny and very exciting' - Daily Mail 

***Artemis Fowl was winner of the WHSmith Children's Book of the Year Award and Children's Book of the Year at the Children's Book Awards. Shortlisted for the Whitbread Children's Book of the Year Award.***

****Enter Artemis's wicked world at www.artemisfowl.co.uk****

Eoin Colfer was born and raised in Wexford in the south-east of Ireland. He began writing plays at an early age and, as an adult, continued to write. ARTEMIS FOWL, his first book featuring the brilliant young anti-hero, was an immediate international bestseller and won several prestigious awards.

Eoin Colfer: Artemis Fowl and the Eternity code

The unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox, the sixth book in the criminally good Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer. Read by the actor Gerry O'Brien.

Artemis Fowl is no stranger to trouble. In fact he's a magnet for it.

Man-eating trolls, armed and dangerous (not to mention high-tech) fairies, flame-throwing goblins - he's seen the lot. He had decided to forego criminal activity of the more magical kind. However . . .

Now his mother is gravely ill. He must travel back through time to steal the cure from the clutches of the devious mastermind . . . Artemis Fowl.

That's right. With fairy ally Captain Holly Short by his side, Artemis is going back in time to do battle with his deadliest enemy yet.

Himself.

'Grips like an electromagnet until the last word' - Independent
'Engagingly vivid, exciting and witty' - The Telegraph
'Fast, funny and very exciting' - Daily Mail

***Artemis Fowl was winner of the WHSmith Children's Book of the Year Award and Children's Book of the Year at the Children's Book Awards. Shortlisted for the Whitbread Children's Book of the Year Award.***

****Enter Artemis's wicked world at www.artemisfowl.co.uk****

Eoin Colfer was born and raised in Wexford in the south-east of Ireland. He began writing plays at an early age and, as an adult, continued to write. ARTEMIS FOWL, his first book featuring the brilliant young anti-hero, was an immediate international bestseller and won several prestigious awards.

Eoin Colfer: Artemis Fowl And The  Time Paradox (Audiobook Extract) read by Gerry O'Brien

The unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of Artemis Fowl and the Atlantis Complex, the seventh awesome book in the bestselling Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer. Read by the actor Gerry O'Brien.

Will the real Artemis Fowl please stand up?

Criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl has summoned an elite group of high-tech fairies to Iceland. He wants to present his invention to save the world from global warming. But something terrible has happened to him.

Artemis Fowl has become nice.

The fairies diagnose Atlantis Complex (aka multiple-personality disorder) - dabbling in magic has damaged Artemis's mind. And now the subterranean city of Atlantis is under attack from vicious robots and nice Artemis is no use to anyone.

Can fairy ally Captain Holly Short get devious Artemis back before they strike?

'Hugely satisfying - not to be missed' - Irish Independent
'Engagingly vivid, exciting and witty' - The Telegraph
'Fast, funny and very exciting' - Daily Mail

***Artemis Fowl was winner of the WHSmith Children's Book of the Year Award and Children's Book of the Year at the Children's Book Awards. Shortlisted for the Whitbread Children's Book of the Year Award.***

****Enter Artemis's wicked world at www.artemisfowl.co.uk****

Eoin Colfer was born and raised in Wexford in the south-east of Ireland. He began writing plays at an early age and, as an adult, continued to write. ARTEMIS FOWL, his first book featuring the brilliant young anti-hero, was an immediate international bestseller and won several prestigious awards.

Eoin Colfer: Artemis Fowl and the Atlantis Complex

Peril On The Royal Train by Edward Marston

The Herd Boy by Niki Daly read aloud by Diane Wilson at the central library in Cape Town on Tuesday June 8th. 

The Herd Boy reading at the Central Library

An  extract from the audiobook edition of Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief. Read by the actor Jesse Bernstein.

About the book:
Look, I didn't want to be a half-blood. I never asked to be the son of a Greek God. I was just a normal kid, going to school, playing basketball, skateboarding. The usual. Until I accidentally vaporized my maths teacher. That's when things started really going wrong. Now I spend my time fighting with swords, battling monsters with my friends, and generally trying to stay alive. 

This is the one where Zeus, God of the Sky, thinks I've stolen his lightning bolt - and making Zeus angry is a very bad idea. 

Can Percy find the lightning bolt before a fully-fledged war of the Gods erupts?

This audiobook is available to buy from iTunes UK and Audible.co.uk

Rick Riordan: Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (Audiobook Extract) read by Jesse Bernstein

An extract from the downloadable audiobook edition of Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code, read by Adrian Dunbar.

Thirteen-year-old criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl has constructed a supercomputer from stolen fairy technology. In the wrong hands it could be fatal for humans and fairies alike. But no need to worry, Artemis has a brilliant plan. He's not going to use the computer; he's just going to show it to a ruthless American businessman with Mafia connections. His bodyguard, Butler, will be with him. What could possibly go wrong...?

Eoin Colfer: Artemis Fowl And The Eternity code (Audio Book Extract) read by Adrian Dunbar

An audio extract from downloadable audio book, Artemis Fowl and the Lost Colony  the stunning fifth audio adventure in Eoin Colfer's mega-selling Artemis Fowl series, read by the actor Adrian Dunbar.

Ten millennia ago, the fairy people were defeated in a great battle with mankind, forcing them to move underground. Only the 8th family of fairies remained undefeated: the demons. But now one demon has discovered the secrets of the fairy world, and if humans get hold of this information, the fairies are in BIG trouble. Only one person can prevent this disaster - teenage criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl

'Wickedly brilliant'  Independent

Eoin Colfer: Artemis fowl and The Lost Colony (Audio Book Extract) read Adrian Dunbar

Aloysius “Spider” Webb fixes time machines for a living. He hates his job; he hates his life, and hates time travel even more. He simply wants to get on with his life. He’s a hard working Australian bloke — a good man in a bad situation who is willing to do almost anything to regain his self-respect and the affection of his nearly ex- wife, Molly; a mad sculptress on her way to international fame and fortune.

Paradox Resolution (sample) A Spider Webb Novel

Book by Patrick Bowman, narrated by Gerard Doyle.
Two-and-a half millennia after it was created, Homer's Odyssey remains one of humanity's most memorable adventure stories. In this re-creation of Homer's classic as a young adult novel, we see the aftermath of the Trojan War through the eyes of Alexi, a fifteen-year-old Trojan boy. Orphaned by the war and enslaved by Odysseus himself, Alexi has a very different view of the conquering heroes of legend. Despite a simmering anger towards his captors, Alexi gradually develops a grudging respect for them. As the Greeks fight off the angry Cicones, weather a storm that pushes them far beyond charted waters, and nearly succumb to the blandishments of the bewitching Lotus-eaters, he realizes that they are not the demons they were said to be, but people like himself.

AUDIOFILE REVIEW:
Some narrators have an intangible star quality. Their voices say, "Listen to me! I have a wonderful story to tell." Gerard Doyle is such a narrator. His facility for accents and characterizations and his ability to set time and place by just the slightest vocal nuance make it almost impossible not to listen to him. The morning after the Greek invasion of Troy via the Trojan horse, 15-year-old Alexi is enslaved by Odysseus and brought aboard his ship. With a slave's vision of the legendary heroes, Alexi tells of the ship's foundering, of coming ashore to the land of the Lotus-Eaters, and of meeting the monstrous Cyclops, who likes the taste of Greeks. A delightfully original introduction to Homer's ODYSSEY, read by a master craftsman. S.J.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2013] 

Torn From Troy, by Patrick Boman, read by Gerard Doyle

An extract from the unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl: The Artic Incident, read by the actor Gerry O'Brien.

Someone has been supplying Class A illegal human power sources to the goblins. Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit is sure that her arch-enemy, thirteen-year-old Artemis Fowl, is responsible. But is he? Artemis has his own problems to deal with: his father is being held to ransom and only a miracle will save him. Maybe this time a brilliant plan just won't be enough. Maybe this time Artemis needs help...

This audiobook will be available to download from iTunes UK and Audible.co.uk from 11th April.

Artemis Fowl and The Arctic Incident by Eoin Colfer: (Audiobook Extract) read by Gerry O'Brien

An extract from the unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception read by the actor Gerry O'Brien.

Evil pixie, Opal Koboi, is back and she's more dangerous than ever. This time she doesn't just want power over the fairy People - this time she wants the humans too. Captain Holly Short is the only fairy with a hope of stopping her, but as Holly knows, it takes one genius criminal mastermind to fight another. But the 14-year-old genius that Holly is thinking of doesn't even remember that fairies exist. How is she going to convince Artemis Fowl to help her stop Opal? Gold usually does the trick, and this time is should be no different. Or is Artemis changing?

This audiobook is available to download from eMusic.co.uk

Artemis Fowl and The Opal Deception by Eoin Colfer: (Audiobook Extract) read by Gerry O'Brien

The first in the series of the classic fantasy tales – The Chronicles of Narnia.

Written after The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe but designed by C.S.Lewis to be read first, this enchanting prequel – with its story of time travel, sorcery and magic rings – is essential reading for anyone who wants to learn the backstory to the biggest movie release of the year. Hurled back in time to the birth of a new world, two young friends get caught in the epic struggle between Aslan and his nemesis the White Witch.


Buy this audiobook

The Magician's Nephew: The Chronicles of Narnia (1) by C. S. Lewis, read by Kenneth Branagh

“It’s a magic wardrobe. There’s a wood inside it, and it’s snowing! Come and see,” begged Lucy.

Lucy has stumbled upon a marvellous land of fauns and centaurs, nymphs and talking animals. But soon she discovers that it is ruled by the cruel White Witch, and can only be freed by Aslan, the great Lion, and four children…

This is the second adventure in the exciting Chronicles of Narnia.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe: Chronicles of Narnia (2) by C. S. Lewis, read by Michael York

Desperate to escape a harsh and narrow regime, two runaways unwittingly flee headlong into the centre of a terrible battle. This first sequel to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe includes all the hallmarks of its famous predecessor, though this time the fate of Narnia is wound up in the lives of its own children – and a talking horse!


The Horse and His Boy: The Chronicles of Narnia (3) by C. S. Lewis, read by Alex Jennings

The fourth in the series of the classic fantasy tales – The Chronicles of Narnia. A complete and unabridged edition of this enduringly popular children’s books.

“Look sharp!” shouted Edmund. “All catch hands and keep together. This is magic – I can tell by the feeling. Quick!”

Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy are sitting on a station platform when they sense the magic beginning again. Suddenly they are pulled back to the land of Narnia.

Evil King Miraz and his army can only mean trouble for Narnia, and Prince Caspian, his nephew and the rightful heir to the throne, fears for his safety and the future of his country. He blows the Great Horn in desperation, summoning Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy to help with his difficult task – that of saving Narnia before its freedom is lost forever.

Prince Caspian: The Chronicles of Narnia (4) by C. S. Lewis, read by Lynn Redgrave

The fifth in the series of the classic fantasy tales – The Chronicles of Narnia. A complete and unabridged edition of this enduringly popular Children’s book.

“Stop it!” cried Eustace. “It’s some silly trick you are playing! Ow!” A great cold salt splash had broken right out of the frame and they were breathless from the smack of it, as well as being wet through.

Lucy and Edmund, stuck with their awful cousin Eustace, suddenly find themselves in a picture of a sailing ship – the Dawn Treader – and realise they have been drawn back into the land of Narnia. They are reunited with old friends, the young King Caspian and Reepicheep the mouse on a voyage of discovery to the End of the World…


The Voyage of the Dawn Treader: The Chronicles of Narnia (5) by C. S. Lewis, read by Derek Jacobi

The second volume in the "Odyssey of a Slave" trilogy continues the retelling of Homer's epic, The Odyssey. Alexi, a young Trojan boy captured by Odysseus after the fall of Troy, is forced to accompany the hated Greeks on their sea journey home to Ithaca. Cursed by the Sea God retells many of The Odyssey's most iconic adventures, including the encounter with the keeper of the winds, the descent into Hades, the fateful visit to the cannibal Laestrygonians, encounters with Circe the sorceress and the songs of the Sirens, as well as the deadly passage between the monster Scylla and the whirlpool Charybdis. Having earned the respect of his captors, Alexi loses it all though mischance and is given away to the most brutal soldier on the ship. It will take all of Alexi's skill and determination just to stay alive. The first volume in the trilogy, Torn from Troy, was nominated for the 2012 OLA Red Maple Award and given an Earphone Award from Audiofile Magazine. Here's their review of "Cursed by the Sea God":

The listener knows immediately that Lopex (Odysseus) is in charge of the ship PELAGIOS and its crew. His innate ability to lead reverberates from the booming voice of narrator Gerard Doyle as he commands the men of Ithaca on their journey home. The story is told from the perspective of a captured Trojan boy, Alexi, whose healing abilities make him a valuable slave. Danger and wonder await the crew as they encounter powerful characters, such as the lisping King Aeolus, who casually commands the winds, and sweetly enticing-sounding Circe, who can lull even the strongest of men into a false sense of security. The disdainful tone of the ship's second-in-command, Yuri, is unmistakable as he mercilessly taunts Alexi. This second in Bowman's mythological series will entrance both boys and girls. M.F.T. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2013]

Ronan Listening

Stacie Wiesenbaugh