MOIRA'S PEN The Queen's Thief, Book 7

Steve West narrates this collection of ephemera from the Queen's Thief series. Fans will encounter short stories (most reprints) featuring beloved characters, as well as brief essays on some of the books' archaeological inspirations, which can be seen in black-and-white photos in the accompanying enhancement, and occasional tidbits of script-style dialogue. The titular goddess's aphoristic commentary runs throughout. The print edition is an illustrated gift book; absent here are the typographical cues that distinguish the various elements. The pieces are of wildly varying length--the longest 38 1/2 minutes, the shortest mere seconds--and this combines with the lack of orienting visuals to leave listeners unmoored. West's delivery is accomplished but cannot overcome this offering's fragmented nature. Even for devotees, this is at best a silkily voiced hodgepodge. V.S. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2022]