Just Passing Through

I Hope This Isn't the End

Revisado: 08-06-18

I'll start off by saying that, if you haven't read any of the previous books in the two Torin Kerr series, this probably isn't the best place to start. While I sincerely hope this isn't the end of the story for Torin and Co., this book certainly wraps up a lot of threads, many of them long-running.

If you're already a fan of Torin from the Confederation/Valor and Peacekeeper series, you probably won't be disappointed in this outing. I did find the pacing to be a bit uneven, tho, especially in the first part when there were so many storylines and diversions in an attempt to fit everything into the final book in this arc. Some things were given more focus than needed and others cut too short, IMO. And, although several old foes have been dealt with (at least for now) in this arc, there are now new rifts within the Confederation itself to confront. Granted, not everything has to have a tidy conclusion, but I'm really hoping that Huff hasn't completely closed the door on possible future Torin/Confederation stories.

I read the book before listening to the audio, and have to say that I enjoyed the audio version a bit more. Marguerite Gavin always does a great job, but really shines with these books and never hits a wrong note.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Good Book, Excellent Narration

Revisado: 08-03-16

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely. I can't think of a Josh Lanyon book that I haven't liked, and this one is no exception. The narration is just icing on the cake.

What other book might you compare Somebody Killed His Editor to and why?

The Adrien English series is probably Josh Lanyon's most famous and this book/series shares a lot of similarities--m/m romance, mystery, literary main character, alpha love interest with law enforcement connections, etc.--but I think this series has a light-hearted humor to contrast with the darker mystery elements that the Adrien English series didn't.

What does Kevin R. Free bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I was very impressed with Free's narration. I enjoyed the print book, but Free brought Kit Holmes to life even more fully than the written words did for me. To be honest, Kit's in a very bad place emotionally during the course of the book. His partner left him for his PA and his writing career is in ruins. Perhaps understandably, he is more than a tad self-absorbed, self-pitying, and whiny. But Free presented the inner workings of Kit's head with a light touch, and made him more sympathetic and relatable than I did on my own. Free also did such a great job with the humorous parts--particularly those relating to Kit's books--that I really did almost laugh aloud. I've already listened to book 2, and can't wait to start book 3. . . and, hopefully, there will be many more to come.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I don't think there was a single moment, but I found the instances where it became evident that the strong J.X. Moriarity was actually very vulnerable where Kit Holmes was involved to be very touching.

Any additional comments?

Fans of Josh Lanyon, mysteries, and/or m/m romance won't be disappointed in this book!

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Love the Book, the Audio Not So Much

Revisado: 08-03-16

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

No. I liked the book very much, but the audiobook was a chore for me. I'm glad I didn't give up on the series, tho, because the subsequent books narrated by MacLeod Andrews are a real treat.

What did you like best about this story?

The main character, Cal Leandros, is convinced that he's an unlovable monster, but I loved him nevertheless. What's more, other characters in the story love him, too, no matter how hard he tries to push them away and keep his distance.

How could the performance have been better?

Sorry, but Patrick Lawlor was simply the wrong choice of narrator for this book. He's not a bad narrator by any means, and I'd certainly listen to other works by him, but he is totally wrong for Cal, who is a snarky, emo, bad-tempered, foul-mouthed kid/teen in this book. Mr. Lawlor sounds much older, and his dramatic emphasis is too overdone for the jaded Cal.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Nope. And I think that I'd have DNF'd the audiobook if I hadn't already read the book (several times) first.

Any additional comments?

This is one of my favorite Urban Fantasy series. To date, I've read/listened to all 10 books and am keeping my fingers crossed for book 11 to be released.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Simply Wonderful

Revisado: 07-29-16

What did you love best about His Majesty's Dragon?

Well, certainly if you like alternative histories you want the history part to be factual enough to be believable before it veers off into the fiction part. As far as that goes, Novik did a superlative job.

But, for me, His Majesty's Dragon boils down to the relationship between Lawrence and Temeraire. It's a joy to watch the changes in the ever-so-proper Lawrence brought on by the youthfully exuberant (and innocent) Temeraire.

Who was your favorite character and why?

No question, it's Temeraire. And Vance does such an amazing job of giving voice to him from the time he's fresh out of the shell through the equivalent of his childhood/adolescence that you could almost, maybe imagine that dragons are real.

What does Simon Vance bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I actually bought this book in paper when it was first released and tried several times to get into with no success. Everything about the book should have been catnip to me, but it just didn't work for some reason. Then, last year, I decided to give the audiobook a shot and yowza! Simon Vance totally brought it to life for me. He did a great job with the various characters (the women were a bit of a stretch, but no more than expected) and accents, but he really shone with the two main characters. He presented Lawrence as the quintessential British naval officer with his crisp tones, and gave a remarkably nuanced performance as Temeraire. I loved how he imbued so much meaning to Temeraire's "oh's" with just the slightest difference in inflection. (I confess that I've adopted some of those "oh's" for my own use. Haha.)

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

The Napoleonic Wars. . . with Dragons!

Any additional comments?

A few thoughts about the series: After listening to this book, I immediately glommed the rest of the audiobooks in the series. I had a tense wait until the final book was released a few weeks ago but was very satisfied when I finally finished it. I know that some readers/listeners found the quality of the books in the series to be uneven, to the point where some of them bailed. While I would definitely rate some of the books much higher than others, I can't say that I was disappointed in any of them and I think that may be due, in part, to Simon Vance's mesmerizing narration. I was so sad when I reached the end of the last book, heard "Audible hopes you enjoyed this book," and had to say goodbye to Temeraire . . . but I can't wait to start it all over again with this book someday soon.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña