This actor reads every German word as though it were written in American English, including the simple 'ja' (which means 'yes,' and is pronounced 'yah,' not 'jaw.') He does, however, pronounce 'Herr,' which in this case means 'lord,' close to correctly. I don't expect perfect pronunciation of foreign languages in audiobooks, but actors and directors in professional productions at least should find out how the consonants are pronounced.

Worse, he makes no effort to find out until the very last sections of the book, when he marginally, sporadically improves. Although the narrator actually is quite good on a general level, he has no concept whatever of how to pronounce German. If you speak even an elementary level of German, though, I suggest reading this in print instead of listening to this production. Although they're well done, they won't be to the taste of those looking for escapist fare. The intellectual discussions in the novel are extensive and dense, however. It has depth, intelligence, a nice measure of pathos, and is well researched. It's an intriguing idea: what would happen if scientifically advanced space aliens landed in a 14th century German village and encountered there a highly educated priest who tries to convert them to Christianity? How would the superstitious peasants respond? This really is an interesting story. Those who enjoy Umberto Eco's novels might like this combination of historical novel with science fiction.

Eifelheim by Michael Flynn