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There Was a Crooked Man, He Flipped a Crooked House
- De: David Erik Nelson
- Narrado por: David Sadzin
- Duración: 2 h y 39 m
- Versión completa
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General4.5 out of 5 stars 26
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Narración:5 out of 5 stars 24
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Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 24
"Downtrodden architect Glenn Washington and his none-too-bright sidekick Lennie help a crooked real estate baron flip houses in downtrodden Detroit. A house comes up that is too good to gut for parts. Too good to be true. Waaaay too good. Thing is, nothing leads where it should - go through the front door, step out the door on the back porch. Best library ever. And why are the cops nosing around? Non-Euclidian architectural petty-crime adventure, and all that implies." (Adrian Simmons, writing for Black Gate magazine)
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5 out of 5 stars
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A very fun listen. Well crafted short
- De Jason en 08-06-18
Great writing, great narration...definitely a win!
Revisado: 07-29-18
Writing a successful short story or novella can be a tall order. The author has to create characters and a plot that engages the reader, give sufficient description and explanation, and still keep the story focused and moving forward at an appropriate pace. Many stories don’t do enough, or go overboard, but Nelson does it right.
A haunted house story is a classic for a reason, and Nelson does great things with the premise. His characters are well-developed and engaging, the plot unfolds at a perfect rate, and information is revealed at just the right time and with the right amount of detail. I also loved the modern cultural touchstones, such as the world of flipping houses and the references to Wheaton’s law. It made the story feel unique, and added a fresh feeling to the concept. It also prompted me to look up several things that the characters mentioned, not because I needed to know more to enjoy the story, but because the great writing piqued my interest in the things they discussed. That definitely reflects a high level of engagement.
I absolutely loved David Sadzin’s narration. I love to read and definitely read more than I listen, so I’m really looking for a narrator to enhance the experience I could get from reading something on my own. Sadzin delivers a fantastic listening experience, and I’ll be looking for more from him.
I was given a free review copy of the audiobook, at my request, and am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions expressed are my own.
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Currency of Souls
- De: Kealan Patrick Burke
- Narrado por: Rich Miller
- Duración: 7 h y 30 m
- Versión completa
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General4 out of 5 stars 34
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Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 33
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Historia4 out of 5 stars 32
Welcome to Eddie's Tavern, the only functioning waterhole in a near-dead town. Among the people you'll meet tonight are: Tom, Milestone's haunted lawman, who walks in the shadow of death; Gracie, the barmaid, a wannabe actress, doomed to spend her hours tending bar in a purgatory of her father's making; Flo, the town seductress, who may or may not have murdered her husband; Cobb, a nudist awaiting an apology from the commune who cast him out.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Loses Steam
- De T en 08-20-18
- Currency of Souls
- De: Kealan Patrick Burke
- Narrado por: Rich Miller
Strange and engrossing, with great narration
Revisado: 07-18-18
Currency of Souls begins with a strong group of characters in a familiar setting, then gradually layers on mystery, tension, and strangeness. Burke really draws you in, making you invested in the characters and their situation, and eagerly awaiting answers and resolution. Things get stranger and stranger as the story progresses, but never leaves you feeling totally lost (although there were a few things I would have liked to know a little more about).
The first part of the book was originally published as part of a collection of stories, and it appears here in its original form, with the rest of the book continuing the plot and expanding the story. There are parts of the expansion that don’t work quite as well, partly because they are introduced late in the book and don’t feel as developed. There was, for me, a slight disconnect at a few points when something entirely new was introduced late in the game, particularly one plot element that ends up being a critical part of the resolution. However, on the whole the book works very well.
Rich Miller’s narration is spot on for the tone and feel of the book, and definitely adds to the experience.
I was given a free review copy of the audiobook, at my request, and am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions expressed are my own.
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A Temple of Forgotten Spirits: The Complete Adventures of Jack Hong
- De: William F. Wu
- Narrado por: Anthony Lee
- Duración: 7 h y 41 m
- Versión completa
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General3.5 out of 5 stars 27
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Narración:3.5 out of 5 stars 26
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Historia3.5 out of 5 stars 26
A young guy named Jack Hong hitchhikes throughout America following the keilin, a mystical unicorn out of Chinese mythology. The keilin leads him to 10 adventures with ghosts and other supernatural figures. These experiences reveal to him not only parts of American history he never knew but also his own identity and the role he will choose for his life.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Liked the idea....
- De James en 07-24-18
A Compelling Spiritual and Personal Journey
Revisado: 07-11-18
A Temple of Forgotten Spirits was originally published as a series of short stories between 1985 and 1993, but was always envisioned as a novel. This collection includes the entire story of Jack Hong, an aimless Chinese-American with little connection to his cultural heritage. In the first story, he has an encounter with a ghost (immediately establishing the supernatural thread throughout the stories) and then sees the keilin, a Chinese unicorn. According to legend, the keilin only appears at significant moments, so of course Jack is intrigued. He decides to follow the keilin, and in each subsequent story it leads him across the country to a supernatural encounter, a task to accomplish, and a greater understanding of Chinese-American history and/or his own identity.
Each of the stories could be read independently, but this is definitely a case where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Some stories are stronger than others, but there weren’t any I disliked, and I really enjoyed Jack’s character development during his quest-a quest which, intriguingly, feels both distinctly American and essentially Chinese.
I also really enjoyed the author’s notes, which appeared at the beginning of the book, after each story, and at the end. They increased my understanding of each story, and prompted me to research some of the historical events that inspired Jack’s experiences.
Anthony Lee gives a solid, straightforward reading of the stories. However, I would have preferred a stronger interpretation of the material, with a little more focus on tone, inflection, and narrator’s tools. The performance was perfectly fine, but I think there was room to do more with this book.
On the whole, I am very glad that I had the chance to experience this title, and I will be returning to these stories in the future.
I was given a free review copy of the audiobook, at my request, and am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions expressed are my own.
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Heft
- De: Liz Moore
- Narrado por: Kirby Heyborne, Keith Szarabajka
- Duración: 11 h y 44 m
- Versión completa
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General4 out of 5 stars 4,962
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Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 4,535
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Historia4 out of 5 stars 4,535
Forrmer academic Arthur Opp weighs 550 pounds and hasn’t left his rambling Brooklyn home in a decade. Twenty miles away in Yonkers, seventeen-year-old Kel Keller navigates life as the poor kid in a rich school and pins his hopes on what seems like a promising baseball career - if he can untangle himself from his family drama.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Intriguing--Captivating--Altering
- De Mel en 04-19-12
- Heft
- De: Liz Moore
- Narrado por: Kirby Heyborne, Keith Szarabajka
Interesting story with great narration, but...
Revisado: 07-10-18
The good: The characters are well developed and very interesting, and the writing is thoughtful and evocative. I was especially drawn into Arthur's story, and Keith Szarabajka's narration is incredible-he IS Arthur in tone, inflection, and attitude. While I didn't find Kel quite as compelling as Arthur, I was still interested in his story line, and Kirby Heyborne (one of my personal favorite narrators) also provides a spot-on performance. I really enjoy novels that examine the intersections of characters' lives, and the connections between Arthur, Kel, and Charlene create a real depth to the two narratives.
The caution: There are a lot of different opinions about how much resolution a novel should have. Personally, I don't mind some things being left open (art imitates life, after all), I was disappointed in the book's conclusion. Much of the latter part of the novel seemed to be building to a specific event (sorry for the vagueness, but I hate spoilers) that doesn't actually happen in the book. I personally was disappointed and felt that the novel needed to give us a little more.
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The Bone Farm
- A Jane Hawk Case File
- De: Dean Koontz
- Narrado por: Elisabeth Rodgers, James Anderson Foster
- Duración: 2 h y 1 m
- Versión completa
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General4 out of 5 stars 13,981
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Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 12,504
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Historia4 out of 5 stars 12,480
An audio original novella featuring bestselling author Dean Koontz’s compelling new heroine, Jane Hawk. From the case files of the former FBI agent before she became the nation’s most wanted fugitive - The Bone Farm details a desperate man-hunt for a serial killer before he murders again.
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5 out of 5 stars
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First Timer
- De Anonymous User en 05-06-18
- The Bone Farm
- A Jane Hawk Case File
- De: Dean Koontz
- Narrado por: Elisabeth Rodgers, James Anderson Foster
Not bad, but not great
Revisado: 04-26-18
If you're a fan of the series, be forewarned: most of this story isn't really about Jane. It primarily focuses on the the killer. That storyline is adequate, but still lacks some depth and development. Towards the end of the story, there's a lot of sudden insight into the character that feels rushed and a little forced. The narration is all right, but at times is awkwardly paced and some of the character voices are grating. I don't regret listening to the story, but didn't find it particularly memorable and doubt I'll listen to it again.
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esto le resultó útil a 3 personas