The Circus of Adventure
by Enid Blyton (Macmillan, 1952)
audiobook read by Thomas Judd (Bolinda, 2021)
A return to form, albeit predictable in parading out simple, salt-of-the earth circus folk, foreign villains, disguised princes, daring stowings-away, secret passages, and baddies who couldn’t recognise made-up languages or a parrot in the dark to save their lives—all Blyton staples!
Lords and Ladies
by Terry Pratchett (Victor Gollancz, 1992)
audiobook read by Indira Varma (Penguin Audio, 2022)
Over-padded in places but otherwise a merry old romp. Pratchett draws readers in through Nanny Ogg and Granny Weatherwax before crafting a suitably dark take on (cruel, catlike) elves. Ridcully is given some depth. Magrat comes into her own—the book’s highpoint!
Le Charretier de la Providence
by Georges Simenon (1931)
trans. David Coward (as ‘The Carter of La Providence’)
audiobook read by Gareth Armstrong (Bolinda, 2015)
While Maigret’s second outing works as a period piece, affording a dismal though not unkind picture of those who navigated boats through the French canals and locks in the early 1930s, his brooding personality plays little role in shaping the (non-event) investigation.
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
dir. George Lucas (1999)
This has the makings of a good film. Neeson is excellent. Portman and McGregor bring class (even if underused). But Palpatine’s machinations contribute nothing immediate, Lucas draws a grating correlation between accent and intelligence, and Darth Maul dies an unforgivably insipid death.
Terminator 2: Judgement Day
dir. James Cameron (1991)
Terminator 2 ups the ante while staying true to the original film’s nightmare thriller vibe. The effects hold up, the humour works, Edward Furlong does pretty well. Linda Hamilton is peerless in reinventing Sarah Connor from 80s victim/survivor to iconic 90s badass.
Ender’s Game
by Orson Scott Card (Tor, 1985)
audiobook read by Stefan Rudnicki & Harlan Ellison (Macmillan Audio, 2004)
Card’s straightforward prose serves well in the military context, as does Rudnicki’s audiobook narration. The story zips along, revealing itself ultimately to have been as much a critique of humanity as of the total war mentality, ruthless training techniques and early-childhood indoctrination.
Enid Blyton’s Brer Rabbit Book
by Enid Blyton (Dean, 1963)
audiobook read by Alan Davies (ABC Audio, 2015) [as “The Brer Rabbit Book”]
![Book cover: “Enid Blyton’s Brer Rabbit Book” by Enid Blyton (Dean, 1963); audiobook read by Alan Davies (ABC Audio, 2015) [as “The Brer Rabbit Book”]](https://www.derelictspacesheep.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Blyton_Brer-Rabbit-Book.jpg)
Forty-three tales of anthropomorphised animal trickery, mostly perpetrated by the cunning Brer Rabbit upon his dim-witted neighbours (though he occasionally receives a much-needed comeuppance). Alan Davies’ audiobook reading embraces the source material, bolstering the characterisations and making the deceptions seem almost plausible.
Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery
by Deborah & James Howe (Atheneum Books, 1979)
audiobook read by Victor Garber (Listening Library, 2004) [as part of The Bunnicula Collection]
![Book cover: "The Bunnicula Collection" by Deborah & James Howe (Listening Library, 2004); audiobook read by Victor Garber; review of “Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery” [first published, Atheneum Books, 1979]](https://www.derelictspacesheep.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Howe_Bunnicula-Collection.jpg)
A gentle MG story in which a dog and cat’s peaceful existence as family pets is disrupted by the arrival of a supposed vampire bunny. The human and animal characters all evince distinct personalities (brought to the fore in Garber’s audiobook reading).
The Mystery of the Blue Train
by Agatha Christie (William Collins & Sons, 1928)
audiobook read by Hugh Fraser (Lamplight Audio, 2014)
The mystery mostly makes sense once solved, but Christie’s omniscient narrative and excessive sketching of character backstories prove a poor substitute for genuine intrigue. Poirot misleads by treating every development as vital and always acting as though on the verge of omniscience.
Death in Captivity
by Michael Gilbert (Hodder and Stoughton, 1952)
audiobook read by Garrard Green (Bolinda, 2015)
The mystery element sits largely in the background of this Second World War POW story—as would have been the reality! Gilbert himself was interned in northern Italy in just such a camp as depicted. The upshot is a thoroughly convincing narrative.