I have been using my library app a lot for audiobooks the past few months. I just borrowed (not all at once. I’m not a twit) the entire Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy radio shows, as part of my Douglas Adams rabbit-hole trip (which started when I listened to this book).

At the same time, I was listening to the early Cole and Hitch Westerns, from Robert B. Parker. You might have read about the great job Titus Welliver (Bosch) does reading those, here.

While using the library app more, I still have my Audible sub. And they do a BIG sale every year. Every title is on sale to some extent. Compared to last year, it seems like either the base prices were higher, or the percent reductions were less. However, I set my limit at $4 per title, and spent quite a few hours looking up authors and delving into subjects. I didn’t buy as many titles as I did last year. And I was hoping some things sitting in my Wish List since last year’s sale (like The Keep on the Borderlands) would be in my price range. Not even close. But I still picked up nearly two-dozen books – many for around $2.

CASTLE PERILOUS – John DeChancie

DeChancie wrote eight books in this series between 1988 and 1994. They aren’t quite as humorous as those classic-style paperback covers might lead you to believe:  like Craig Shaw Gardner’s stuff, or even Piers Anthony’s Xanth books. Maybe ‘fantastical’ is more appropriate. A little whimsical. 144,000 doors in the mysterious Castle lead to other worlds/aspects – one of which is Earth. It’s ruled by the sorcerer Incarnadine, and people who find their way to the Castle often become Guests, and stay. The series involves key characters in wild adventures – often with villains trying to take over the Castle.

I read the first three books way back in the day, and I picked up those original eight books for about $2 each during The Sale. There was a ninth book added to the saga in 2015. It’s available with virtual voice narration. I may or may not get that if I work through the original eight. I’m not a fan of virtual voice.

I like, but don’t love, this series. It’s interesting, but I find I’m not always listening with my full attention. It’s very ‘of its time’ fantasy, which isn’t a bad thing. But it’s not a niche I’m deeply into. I think book one is worth checking out. If you like it, I think the series will work for you. The narration is fine.

CAMBER OF CULDI – Katherine Kurtz

I often cite Katherine Kurtz’s Deryni books as the best medieval fantasy I’ve ever read. Considering that the Chronicles of the Deryni came out between 1970 and 1973, I that’s high praise. There was a prequel trilogy – The Legends of Camber of Culdi – followed from 1976 – 1981. There would be three more trilogies, a short story collection, and one stand-alone novel, into 2014.

This is high atop my list of ‘forgotten’ fantasy series’. There are several under-appreciated ones from the seventies and eighties. But Kurtz deserves to be among the upper echelon of fantasy authors. So, I was happy to see that the first two in the Camber trilogy finally came out in audiobook, in October. And they were part of the sale! I snagged them, keeping an eye on the third book, which will be released in January. Book two is Saint Camber, by the way.

I highly recommend reading the first two trilogies, at least. I’ve read a lot of Kurtz’ books, including some non-Deryni stuff. She was a really good writer, with deep roots in the Middle Ages. I’m pleased the Camber trilogy is out there in audio now.

THE CITY OF MARBLE AND BLOOD – Howard Andrew Jones

Next month marks one year since Howard left us way too soon. I had book one of his magnum opus sword and sorcery trilogy, and I added books two and three during The Sale.

If you know Black Gate, you know of Howard. The Dabir and Asim sword and sandals mystery fantasy stories remain my favorite of his. But his Hanuvar trilogy will likely be viewed as modern-era sword and sorcery classics.

I recommend reading/listening to all three. The third book is Shadow of the Smoking Mountain.

THE LOST GET-BACK BOOGIE – James Lee Burke

James Lee Burke is arguably the best hardboiled writer of the modern era. There are other legitimate candidates, such as Elmore Leonard, and James Crumley. I’m just gonna say I think that I’ve read a couple dozen books by Burke, and he’s absolutely one of my favorites. I wrote about Tommy Lee Jones’s movie for In the Electric Mist with the Confederate Dead, here.

The Lost Get Back Boogie was Burke’s novel before the first Dave Robicheuax book, The Neon Rain. There have been two dozen Robicheaux novels, and I’m a bit behind, having read the first seventeen. I read The Lost Get Back Boogie way back in the day, and it had a very Robicheaux vibe, but transplanted from Cajun country to the open West. Burke later wrote a Robicheaux-Clete Purcell story that reminded me of this one a lot. It’s a good stand-alone novel, read by Will Patton, one of my favorite narrators. Recommended for fans of Burke, or shows like Longmire or Joe Pickett.

THE NEON RAIN – James Lee Burke

I also snagged the first and third Robicheaux books on the sale. The first four books are fantastic modern hardboiled. Maybe even noir. Burke is simply a superb writer who confronts but never glorifies evil, in his works. They’re harsh, but I am spellbound when reading him. And again, Will Patton narrates. Hopefully I can get books two and four. BTW – book three is Black Cherry Blues.

THE BLESSING WAY – Tony Hillerman

If you read me here, you probably know I’m a HUGE fan of Tony Hillerman’s Navajo Tribal Police novels. And maybe that his stand alone, The Fly on the Wall, is in my Top Five novels list. I have all the Leaphorn and Chee books on DVD. But I’ve been supplementing that with the Audible versions for ease of listening. I hadn’t gotten around to the first book yet, so I snagged that one on The Sale.

Nero Wolfe, Sherlock Holmes, Leaphorn and Chee: They stand atop my Mystery Mountain of favorites. I preferred when Hillerman himself narrated his books, but George Guidall works. These Leaphorn and Chee books are the best police procedurals I’ve read. Including Ed McBain’s 87^th Precinct books.

GAME WIZARDS – Jon Peterson

Peterson has carved out a niche writing about RPGing. I haven’t read his best-known work, Playing at the World. But I saw this one – subtitled – The Epic Battle for Dungeons and Dragons – on sale and snagged it. I have read Witwer’s Empire of Imagination, and a few other things on the history of D&D. We’ll see how this one is.

HOLMES ON THE RANGE– Steve Hockensmith

If you’re reading this, you have to know I’m a huge fan of Steve’s Holmes on the Range series, having written extensively about it here. I pick up audiobooks here and there along the way, so I grabbed the first novel. And the second; On the Wrong Track.

Go read my overview of the series, which includes links to the only comprehensive chronology, and also a really neat Q&A with Steve. I listen to the short stories throughout the year, and I re-listened to several of the novels this past Fall. Great mystery Westerns.

 

It’s a Really Good Sale for Loading up on Faves

I think I spent about $45 for 19 books. Mostly books I’ve read/listened to before, and that I want to keep revisiting. That’s a deal. Last year I got about twice as many books. Like two of the D&D Greyhawk books, which were more expensive this time around.

If you sub to Audible, and you’re willing to spend some time looking up books and authors, you can definitely find some new and old books on The Sale. I enjoy this audio version of window shopping, so I put in the time. Big names like Terry Brooks, Clive Cussler, Raymond Feist, Michael Connelly, Rex Stout, etc, weren’t marked down nearly enough for me. But as you can see, I found quite a bit. David Eddings’ Belgariad, and Mallorean, series’, were in my price range, but I passed. I re-read The Belgariad a couple years ago. It holds up. Maybe next year.

Prior Audio Posts:
What I’ve Been Listening to: November 2025 II (Dictator, Don’t Panic, Mistletoe Murders, The Sword of Shannara)
What I’ve Been Listening To: November, 2025 (Conspirata, Stacy Keach, Gideon Lowry)
What I’ve Been Listening To: August, 2025 (Middlebridge Mysteries, Unlicensed, The Big Lie, 64th Man)
What I’ve Been Listening To: June, 2025 (Eve Ronin, Thieves World, SPQR, Egil & Nix, the annual sale)
What I’ve Been Listening To: February, 2025 (Isaac Steele, Sharpe & Walker, SPQR, Steven Saylor, The Trojan War)
What I’ve Been Listening To: November, 2024 (Mistletoe Murders, The Caine Mutiny, Mr. Rickey Calls a Meeting)
What I’ve Been Listening To: September, 2025 Desert of Souls)
What I’ve Been Listening To: August, 2024 (Part II) (Leaphorn and Chee, Tony Hillerman, Eve Ronin)
What I’ve Been Listening To: August, 2024 (Egil & Nix, Caleb York Westerns, Malazan)
What I’ve Been Listening To: July, 2024 (The Black Company, SPQR, Charles Willeford, Thieves World)
What I’ve Been Listening To: September 2022 (Robert R. McCammon, Ian C. Esslemont, Dirk Gently)
May I Read You This Book? – (My favorite audiobook narrators)

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Bob Byrne’s ‘A (Black) Gat in the Hand’ made its Black Gate debut in 2018 and has returned every summer since.

His ‘The Public Life of Sherlock Holmes’ column ran every Monday morning at Black Gate from March, 2014 through March, 2017. And he irregularly posts on Rex Stout’s gargantuan detective in ‘Nero Wolfe’s Brownstone.’ He is a member of the Praed Street Irregulars, and founded www.SolarPons.com (the only website dedicated to the ‘Sherlock Holmes of Praed Street’).

He organized Black Gate’s award-nominated ‘Discovering Robert E. Howard’ series, as well as the award-winning ‘Hither Came Conan’ series. Which is now part of THE Definitive guide to Conan. He also organized 2023’s ‘Talking Tolkien.’

He has contributed stories to The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories — Parts III, IV, V, VI, XXI, and XXXIII.

He has written introductions for Steeger Books, and appeared in several magazines, including Black Mask, Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine, The Strand Magazine, and Sherlock Magazine.

You can definitely ‘experience the Bobness’ at Jason Waltz’s ’24? in 42′ podcast.