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Book reviews: Audiobooks great for the road

Chris Erickson/For Steamboat Today

Summertime is the time for the family road trip, and what better way to see the country than from the back of a car with an audiobook playing inside.

“Norse Mythology,” by Neil Gaiman



Gaiman is a master storyteller of our times and has taken some of the most well known Norse stories and recreated them for us in his new collection “Norse Mythology.” He has done extensive research to stay as true as possible to these legendary stories, while bringing new life to them for current readers — or listeners, as the case may be.  Gaiman pays tribute to all the classic gods: Odin, Thor, Loki, Balder, Frigg and Freya, bringing them together with all the giants, dwarves and other deities of the nine worlds that make up “Norse Mythology.” The book is read by the author, and Gaiman has a voice that will transport you to that time and just make it seem so real and fun for the whole family.

“Land of Stories No. 6: Worlds Collide,” by Chris Colfer



My next choice is a new book by Chris Colfer, “Land of Stories No. 6: Worlds Collide.”  This is the conclusion to the Land of Stories series, and I have listened to all the books. My children love them, too. They are all read by the author, who does a wonderful job of bringing all the characters to life with all the different voices. Alex and Conner must finally face all the storybook villains that have been sneaking into the real world from the book world. Only they can find a way to bring back the wall separating two worlds. These books are action-filled, with wonderful dialog and description that really brings this whole series to life.

“Ready One Player,” by Ernest Cline

My last book is “Ready Player One,” by Ernest Cline. Read by Wil Wheaton, this is the story of the year 2044, when most people live in very crowded cities and spend most of their time in the OASIS, the virtual reality online world that has everything anyone can think up, from worlds beyond worlds to the ultimate video game.  Wade Watts is one of those people that only feels alive in the OASIS.  When the ultimate challenge arrives to find Holliday’s, the creator of the OASIS, Easter Egg, he jumps right in. You can tell the Cline is a true ’80s geek, with all the fabulous references he has in his story. I had quite the trip down memory lane with this book. I know that is dating myself, but it makes my kids laugh. This is geared for older children and their families.

Chris Erickson is manager of Off The Beaten Path. The books are available at Bud Werner Memorial Library and Off the Beaten Path.


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