Kiss of the Highlander by Karen Marie Moning, narrated by Phil Gigante
Historical Fantasy Audio Book released 20 Jan 08 by Brilliance Audio
This is the fourth audio book release in KMM’s Highlanders series and centers on Drustan MacKelter and Gwen Cassidy. Containing both paranormal and fantasy (fae) elements, “Kiss” is set, through time travel, in historic and modern day Scotland. This is a stand alone story, so it is not necessary to be familiar with the previous books in the series to enjoy this one, but, trust me, you’re going to want them all!
If you are a fan of KMM’s Fever series, listen for Fever clues throughout the Highlander books. “Kiss” is the second book with a direct link to the later series (The Hallows appear in book 3, The Highlander’s Touch), and the first of the MacKelter books (at least one, probably two, Mackelters show up in Bloodfever). It’s fascinating to revisit all the Highlander fae lore that eventually comes together to spawn the complex Fever books.
Now, setting all that aside, the most compelling reason (besides my all-time favorite Nathan Kamp cover pic) to buy this (and all the rest of the series) in audio format is what narrator Phil Gigante does for your ears– and other body parts that are directly or indirectly attached to them. I’m not ashamed to admit that listening to Gigante’s Scottish brogue has become an addiction and an obsession for me.
Listen to a summary of the book followed by a sample of Gigante’s narration here. And oh, what a shiver-worthy sample it is!
Click here to sample the rest of the Highlander series audio books.
Book 5, The Dark Highlander, will be released in March 2008, followed by book 6, The Immortal Highlander, in May 2008.
Go. Buy. Or borrow from your library. Audio books don’t get any better than these!
I listened to the ecxerpt and I’m still waiting to hear the Scottish brogue! I didn’t hear any, just an American man reading a few “doona”s.
He has a nice reading voice though and I have to admit I do like the books! Far enough away from the Scottish experience and history to be enjoyed as pure fantasy. Lovely snuggly winter read!
excerpt, even
Memo to Lynne Connolly:
re: Phil Gigante’s Scottish brogue
While it’s entirely possible that Phil has given me so many eargasms lately that I am now
fantasizinghearing what is not there, could it be possible that you were expecting something closer to authentic 16th century Scottish speech? Cause, dude, seriously, we wouldn’t be able to understand a word of it.And, yep, yep, you are right– this isn’t a historical dissertation. This is pure sweep-me-away romantic fantasy! So c’mon, relax your historical accuracy, Lynne. Climb into a nice hot tub, light a few candles, and let this audio book take you away!
Oh yes, certainly hot tub and all.
It’s only when an author claims historical accuracy and then does something horrible that proves she hasn’t done her research that I tend to get irritated.
The Highlander series is great, and she has never pretended, to my knowledge, any resemblance to the real life in the Highlands in the 16th century, so all bets are off. A highly enjoyable, not to say luscious series and one I can enjoy without guilt!
But the narrator, when he was doing Drustan, just didn’t sound Scottish to me. Any kind of Scot, from Glasgow to Skye and back. I just didn’t recognise it as Scottish, that’s all. He deepened his voice, sounded deliciously sexy, but – not Scottish.