THE LAST DAYS OF THE DINOSAURS An Asteroid, Extinction, and the Beginning of Our World

Narrator Christina Delaine delivers Black's information-packed audiobook with good pacing, clarity and accuracy--though her tone is inconsistent in reflecting the author's. The story of the massive asteroid strike that is blamed for the sudden extinction of most dinosaurs is dramatic and complex. But Black's descriptions of the impact and its aftermath strain to be even more dramatic, and Delaine strains along with her, injecting tautness and a thrill into her voice. Furthermore, when Black relaxes the book's tone to that of simple narrative, Delaine keeps the edge in her voice. She doesn't build a comfortable rapport with the listener, and her performance eventually seems uncongenial and monotonous. Despite these excesses in text and performance, she does get across the audiobook's wealth of facts. W.M. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2022]