Showing results by narrator "Ciaran Saward" in All Categories

How did life begin? Why are we here? These are some of the most profound questions we can ask. For almost a century, a small band of eccentric scientists has struggled to answer these questions and explain one of the greatest mysteries of all: how and why life began on Earth. There are many different proposals and each idea has attracted passionate believers who promote it with an almost religious fervour, as well as detractors who reject it with equal passion. 

Meet the Tobin family. Joy, the complicated, troubled mother; Conor, the high-achieving eldest child; Frances, the 'perfect' middle child and youngest daughter, Sinead, the acclaimed writer. When Joy's children receive the news that she has only days to live, they rush to her side, bringing with them all of the dysfunction and hurt they have been carrying since their childhoods. Each is at a crossroads in their lives - but there's one more secret about their mother they need to learn. Will they finally be able to forgive their mother and, in doing so, face their futures together?

The Aviation Parade is coming to Forgetown this summer, and Harley has her sights set on creating a flying machine that will really stand out – a flying robot hippogriff! And if the creature impresses Cosmo's mum enough, surely Cosmo will be able to keep it as a pet? But Harley wants the flying machine to be a surprise for everyone. She soon finds that keeping secrets leads to tricky explanations and lots of trouble – especially when real hippogriffs arrive and cause chaos!

Science and laughs combine in this out-of-this-world adventure from best-selling author Christopher Edge. You might think that this story is going to be an intergalactic adventure filled with UFOs, black holes, killer robots and some very foul-smelling aliens. And you'd be right. But it's mostly about a boy called Jake, his embarrassing dad and the mind-boggling question...are we really alone in the universe?

This business novel is a story about Bob Bingham. He’s overwhelmed by running his small business. He works all hours – fixing production problems, designing special products, selling, keeping customers happy, and trying to manage his staff whom he considers mostly idiots. As his company has grown, the bottom line has stagnated. He’s under pressure from a once-patient investor who now wants returns. A big customer has stopped paying bills. Stock control is poor, causing last-minute buying at high prices. Bob’s marriage is at risk. He’s gaining weight because of a lack of exercise.

This term begins with a school trip to the coast, where Harley stumbles upon a mysterious fossil. Could it be that Harley has discovered an entirely new dinosaur species? Meanwhile, eager to best her class nemesis Fenelda in the contest for best invention, Harley dreams big with her attempt to invent a time travel machine. It doesn't seem to work, but soon strange happenings all over Inventia make her question whether the time travel machine might work after all! But what to do about the huge dinosaur that has been spotted in Forgetown?

Once there was a little white owl who lived by himself in the snow. He didn’t have a mummy. He didn’t have a daddy. He didn’t even have a name. But he didn’t really mind too much. It had always been like that. And his head was full of happy stories…Then one day, the little white owl sets off to explore the world, and he gets a very wonderful surprise …

Kieran Harrison's life is outwardly perfect. He's a young, hardworking CEO of a fast rising eco company. He has friends, money, and a life of opportunities. When Kieran meets the charismatic and beautiful Serena, he believes he has met his perfect mate. What he fails to notice is the narcissistic encounters that underpin their relationship. They bounce from one toxic encounter to another, escalating the terms at each turn, unconsciously bound by the sexual energy it creates.

A hedgehog and a tortoise are both looking for a hug. They ask all the other animals they come across but for some reason no one will hug them. Until a wise owl explains: Hedgehog is too spiky; Tortoise is too bony. And that's when they find each other!

Harley Hitch is back with another inventive adventure! When the circus comes to town, Harley's curiosity gets the better of her - and she accidentally breaks a cabinet that makes things magically disappear! Soon after, everyone realises that the Moon has gone missing. Time is speeding up, wildlife at night is getting disorientated by the darkness and there's no more tide. Is Harley to blame? Can she sort out the mess before it's too late?

It's Kip's second term at Quicksmiths College of Strange Energy, and he and the rest of Team Glowflyer seem to be no nearer to unlocking the secrets of The Ark of Ideas set by Renaissance genius Eartha Quicksmith. But when an accident separates the four friends, and plunges Kip and Timmi on a rollercoaster journey through time and space, they must defeat a dangerous enemy and unravel the mysteries of the Myriads if they are ever to get home again.

When the body of a young woman is found by the side of a quiet country road, police first suspect a hit and run. Then a darker side to the victim is uncovered–a dangerous addiction that led to her violent death. With little sympathy from a local population, Detective Mark Turpin faces a daunting task to track down her killer. When a second victim dies after a ferocious attack, Mark realises someone is determined to hide the truth. Both victims kept to the shadows of society–will their secrets die with them?

For boxer Declan King, his performance on the UK’s #1 reality show, Summer of Love, will be the hardest of his life. To win, he must convince five million viewers he’s looking for the right girl. In reality, Declan is rapidly falling for the wrong guy. Oliver Wright, a ballet dancer, needs to win the show and prize money to get his ex-girlfriend back. But when his and Declan’s on-screen bromance leads to an off-screen kiss, they can no longer deny their attraction to one another.

We are entering a new technological age in which artificial intelligence and immersive media will transform society at all levels. If managed well, this could unleash a new age of abundance. If managed poorly, this technological revolution could easily go astray, deeply compromising our privacy, autonomy, agency, and even our humanity. In Our Next Reality, two industry veterans provide a data-driven debate on whether the new world we're creating will be a technological utopia or an AI-powered dystopia and gives guidance on how to aim for the best future we can.

Mouse’s new house seems perfect, with just enough room for his things. But who’s that growling by the piano? And who’s that sliding down the banister? Uh-oh! There are some VERY BIG animals living in the house. What a squish-squash-squeeze!

Meet the Tobin family. Joy - the mother: Unconscious in a hospital bed, Joy's latest act has thrown the family into turmoil. Frances - the middle child: Seemingly perfect wife and mother, Frances is having inappropriate dreams about an ex, and might be about to derail her whole life. Conor - the protector: Successful and famous, high-flyer Conor is walking a fine line between self-promotion and self-detonation. Sinead - the baby of the family: Bohemian rebel, trying to write the story she needs to tell, but despising herself for failing to do it.

Kitty's excited to be going to the zoo. Her big sister Clara thinks it will be boring! But when they get there, there's so much going on! They get soaked by an elephant, see a funny monkey fill his cheeks with food and find out what bats use for a blanket. But whose pictures of the animals are best, Kitty's drawings or Clara's photos?

The cats and humans of Chronos College know that time travel is the best job in the world, and nothing bad can ever happen to them in the past except that one time they lost a traveler. And that other time they lost a cat.

Join adorable characters like Hedgehog, Tortoise, Tiger, Crocodile, Fox, Badger and Magpie as they embark on heart-warming adventures. From seeking hugs and finding love in unexpected places to cherishing the power of friendship and family bonds, these stories will captivate young listeners and teach valuable lessons along the way.

Since he crash-landed to earth in a rocket, Monkey has been causing absolute mayhem! Bunny and the gang have almost had enough. In this rollicking comic extravaganza, the pint-sized friends must tackle a helliphant, rocket-powered hot air balloons and the most mind-boggling creatures of all ... 'hew–mans' ...