Charlie F

A Great Ride to a Mediocre Destination

Revisado: 08-26-19

First off, before I comment on the book itself, a huge standing ovation for R.C. Bray. Bray's performance is simply exceptional - he is, by far, the best narrator in the business, hands-down. The way he gives each character a discernible voice, complete with unique personalities that come through simply by his delivery, is amazing. As this series progressed, the cast of characters grew and grew (arguably too big)... and yet Bray somehow gave each of them their own life. I'd listen to RC Bray read the freaking phone book.

As for Commune: Book Four... most of the other reviews pretty much nail it. We spend 3 books, and nearly a hundred hours or narration, building up to the novel and it's conclusion... and it kind of just fizzles out. Given the massive buildup, the final confrontation between our heroes and Clay and his crew is rushed, confusing, and nearly nonsensical. And there were numerous storylines that I expected to eventually see resolved in some way (key among them, who the hell is Jake?) that were just left hanging.

Don't get me wrong... I still enjoyed the book - and have loved the series. In the end it came down to being more about the ride than the destination, so to speak. Because the destination was meh.

In reflecting on the series, kudos to Gayou for his writing overall, and notably, the excellent characterization. Sometimes it came at the expense of overly long diatribes or unnecessary sub-plots or scenes, but it certainly helped to build up the main batch of heroes and villains. Gibbs, in particular, is a fantastic character (in no small part due to Bray's performance) that I'd love to read/hear more of in a sequel/spin-off.

And speaking of Gibbs... between his vocabulary and that of Clay and a few of his men, I learned words, phrases, insults and platitudes that were artifacts of obscene genius. Gayou's gift for foul-mouthed prose is without rival, and I found myself laughing out loud multiple times during the book. This is not a complaint -far from it - the stuff that comes out of Gibbs and Clay isn't for the faint of heart, but it's funny as hell.

Net-net, this book was a letdown, but the series is a complete blast, the characters are well-developed and Gayou's writing is thoughtful and compelling. A journey worth the ride, even with the unsatisfying conclusion. I sincerely hope this isn't the last of the author's work in this "universe" - there are clearly more stories to tell with the Commune crew like Jake's origin, Gibbs' new journey, the fate of Otter and his army... or hell, just finding out whatever happened to O.B. (that deserting bastard!).

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Setting the stage for the finale...

Revisado: 07-25-19

After reading Book 1 of the Commune series, I was hooked. I've been power listening my way through the audiobook editions, and am having an absolute ball.

Everything's been building up to this. The author states at the outset of the book that Books 3 and 4 are really a single arc, but it was too big to tell in a single volume, so he split into two books. He also admits that THIS is the story he originally set out to tell, but realized he needed some time to build up the characters, circumstances, backstory, etc, and thus... Books 1 and 2 (to which I say, thank goodness!).

That said, I REALLY enjoyed this book, but it was arguably the weakest in the series. The first two books really built the foundation of the Commune. And clearly Book 4 is going to be the climax as the groups come head-to-head. This book is essentially a "bridge" leading up to the finale. An 'amuse bouche' before the whopping steak dinner I'm expecting to have next!

So while I love seeing our band of heroes growing (both literally and figuratively) as the story has progressed, in some ways I was bummed to have them share the "spotlight" with two new groups (no spoilers). While I get the need to grow these new characters, as well, I missed spending as much time with Gibbs and crew. That said, the two new groups do yield some very compelling, and almost equally entertaining, characters... so there's a balance to be had.

Speaking of which... Gayou keeps adding characters, in mass, to the story like logs to a fire. And yet audiobook narrator RC Bray doesn't even flinch at the daunting task of performing them. At first it's a bit hard to keep track of who's who as the cast grows, but Bray's characterization - in accent, tone, intonation, etc - is so exceptional that he brings each of the characters UNIQUELY to life. It's truly impressive. I've listened to more than a few Audible books over the last few years (thanks, Atlanta commute) and he is FAR AND AWAY the best audiobook narrator I've heard.

Fair warning... this book essentially has an Empire Strikes Back ending... you'll want to be sure you're teed up to jump straight into Book 4.

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Arguably the best book of the series

Revisado: 07-25-19

Probably the best book out of the 4 book series. Our band of characters has grown from Book 1, and thank God it has... because we meet Gibbs.

Easily one of the most creatively foul-mouthed, brilliantly hysterical characters I've ever encountered in any novel, he absolutely steals the show in this book (and honestly I wish the 3rd and 4th books had more of him)!

The menace picks up some in this book, too, as our heroes begin to truly establish and grow a community, getting used to one another, learning the challenges of rebuilding society, and facing the threat of other groups who might upend those plans.

The Audiobook edition of this novel would be nothing if not for the TRULY exceptional narration of RC Bray, who somehow manages to give a unique voice and personality to each of the (growing) cast members in this story, and who's delivery of some of Gibb's saltiest and funniest lines is absolutely perfect.

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Really solid 1st book in an outstanding series

Revisado: 07-25-19

A compelling, character-driven post-apocalypse tale. No zombies or other supernatural mumbo-jumbo, this is human's trying to get by after the fall of society.

The character's are well-developed and likable, and the narrative keeps you guessing.

Worth noting that the narration by RC Bray in the Audiobook edition is truly outstanding.

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Fun story, compelling characters, odd writing.

Revisado: 11-07-18

So... this is by no means a good book. But it is fun and had some interesting characters. The general plotline is your standard post-apocalyptic zombie fare, and the characters are largely stereotypes. Several of the supporting characters are total cliches (like the drunken Ukranian freighter captain or the drug-addict neighbor) and a number of the action sequences are eye-rollingly silly. But somehow it worked, for the most part.

My biggest complaint would be that often the writing - or more likely the translation - was just... awkward (I can't think of a better way to put it)... almost juvenile. There were phrases that were oddly structured, or used bizarre phraseology, or were just plain weird (how do you look at someone ironically?), or repetitive. The writer/translator's breathless descriptions of the 'horrible,' 'scene from hell,' mutants/monsters/creatures over and over again was tiring, and if he came across one more scene that was 'like something out of Dante's Inferno,' I was going to stop reading this book and go read that instead.

But again, somehow I was entertained. Despite the odd writing. Despite the defying-common-sense actions of the protagonist. Despite the repeated histrionics (how many times can the characters be driven to crying/sobbing/vomiting/catatonia in a single story?). Despite 1/2 of the book being centered around retrieving a mysterious briefcase - the contents of which we never learn(who does that?!!!!). Despite the 30-something lead character's cringy descriptions of a 17-year-old girl's 'voluptuous body.

So yeah... despite all that, I was entertained, and am curious to know the fate of the cast and crew of The Beginning of the End, so I'll undoubtedly tee up the sequel next.

Nick Podehl's narration is solid. He's at his best channeling some of the Eastern European characters to the point of them being borderline comical (in a fun way). At times his performance got a bit too breathless and hyper, but it seemed to fit the writing/translation, and what ultimately became the main character's personality in my head.

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All about the journey and not the destination

Revisado: 10-25-18

This book is all about the journey, and not the destination.

It's far from a great book. It's a sprawling post-apocalyptic tale... but sprawling in more of a meandering, rambling kind of way. It's cast of characters is large from the beginning and hard to keep track of... an entire family of Dixons, all with generic first names, made it a challenge to keep tabs on who was who and who'd done what. There are a few exceptions where there's somewhat decent character development (Antonio, Greg and Rebecca come to mind) but largely the cast of folks are who they are, and good luck keeping tabs on them (not that it matters in a meaningful way).

The two biggest flaws are, first, that it's utterly devoid of conflict. For a 700+ page tale of the post-apocalypse, our happy band of travelers fail to meet with any significant life challenges (beyond the cold), people challenges, or survival challenges. Quite the contrary... the last 20 some-odd people on the Eastern seaboard just happen to include a doctor, a veterinarian, a pilot, an engine mechanic, and a supergenius child prodigy! What luck, if you're rebuilding society! There's food galore in the immediate term, livestock, homes free of rotting corpses, vehicles and fuel, and even a Boeing 777 juiced up and ready to go!

The second biggest flaw is that, considering how little actually happens, it expounds endlessly on what does. The author never misses an opportunity to describe in a chapter what could be covered in a paragraph. If someone's fishing... you'll learn about every hook that's baited, every bob of the line, every fish scaled. If kids are playing a game in the background while adults discuss survival strategies... you'll take a timeout from hearing the survival conversation to get details on every roll of the dice in the Monopoly match. If a meal is prepared, you'll watch as the dough is prepared, the meat is cooked and the bread is sliced and spread with rosemary-thyme mayonnaise. It's sort of like if you chose to watch the 24/7 feed of TV's "Big Brother" instead of the hour-long weekly recap of the stuff that actually mattered.

That said... I actually enjoyed this book. Sure, nothing happened, but I enjoyed the journey. Sure, there was no conflict, but the few characters that I did end up caring about - I really wanted to see how it'd play out for them. And sure, it was predictable, but I wanted to see how The Tribe "got there." And lastly, I felt like the survivalist aspects of the story rang true. It got me thinking... I'm as far from a prepper as you can imagine, but I found myself googling to learn more about solar generators, and shower kits, and home power cells, and thinking about what I'd do if Armageddon ever went down. There are certainly worse things you can accuse of a novel of than it provoked your imagination and got your thinking.

TLDR: I don't know that I would recommend this book for its variety of flaws, but I certainly didn't regret the nearly 23 hours I spent listening to it during my daily commute. And I honestly wouldn't mind a sequel from Manuel - I'd love to know how things turned out for the happy Last Tribe in their final home.

WRT the Audible edition of this book, I would give huge props to narrator Scott Brick. As I've noted, this book has a plethora of characters, many of them hard to discern from one another. Brick's narration was excellent, making the story compelling, but even more so, his characterization was outstanding... he gave many of the characters discrete accents or tones, so you could tell them apart, and to imbue them with some personality that may not have been on the page.

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OUTSTANDING book on all counts

Revisado: 09-24-18

I absolutely LOVED this book. Everything about it was simply outstanding. The story was riveting, and fast-moving, and at times both heart-pounding and heart-breaking. The characters were wonderfully crafted, engaging and intriguing... even the "bad guys" in the tale were so well written and every bit as compelling as the protagonist(s).

McCammon's prose and historical detail painted an evocative portrait of the South during the depression, and the dialogue and characterization helped perfectly pull you into the sights and sounds of the era. The book naturally (and unflinchingly) deals with so many challenges of this period - the stunning poverty and the financial divide between haves and have-nots, the overt racism of the age, the moral ambiguity that accompanies a nation in seeming decline...

Taking several twists and turns along the way, I was left guessing until the very end. And loved the epilogue, which wrapped up any and all loose ends with a bow. Truly one of the best books I've listened to in a long while.

WRT narration, at first, I was a bit put off by the staccato style of Vietor's reading. But once I got into the historical setting, the tone and beats of his reading struck me as sounding much like that of radio or news programs from that era... which made it TOTALLY work. I don't know if this is how he always sounds, or if he adjusted his style to align to the setting of this novel, but it absolutely worked. His vocalization of some of the characters (particularly female characters who all sounded like 90 year old women regardless of age) could use a *little* tweaking, but overall... I felt he did an excellent job.

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Satisfying Conclusion to "After The End"

Revisado: 09-10-18

The abrupt ending to the first book in this series, "After the End," left me highly aggravated... but also desperate to take on "Until The Beginning," to find out what'd happen.

This is a largely enjoyable and entertaining continuation (and I assume conclusion) of Juneau and Miles' adventure. It delivers lots of action, a little too much Gaia hokum, a little too much teen romance/angst, and a lot of fun. There are bad guys galore, and epic battles, and a few surprises as we learn the mystery behind Juneau's tribe, Wit's betrayal, Amrit's origin and purpose, etc.

Narration by Rankin and Hamilton, who did the first book, remains solid and enjoyable.

In short, an entertaining and satisfying, if somewhat "light," read. It wouldn't break my heart for Plum to do a 3rd book in the series, so we learn where Juneau, her friends, and Clan all end up...

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Fun Read, but beware the ending

Revisado: 08-27-18

This is a fun, YA take on the post-apocalypse that explores new, though familiar, territory.

The main characters (Juneau and Miles) are interesting enough, and character development of them is decent. Though there are supporting characters, they are largely described from the voices of our protagonists, so the development of supporting cast is largely nil.

Juneau's journey/quest and her acquaintance and growth with Miles are compelling, and despite the book being a bit cheesy at times, I was intrigued to see where it was all going, and resolution of the numerous secrets woven through the story.

Which is where this book, by itself, falls apart. This book does not finish. It does not end. IT. JUST. STOPS. It's pointless to read this book unless you intend to buy and read it's companion, which I'm now compelled to do.

Thus my review. The narration and characterization by Emily Rankin and Graham Hamilton are solid (with him being the better of the two, though she's still quite good). The writing by Amy Plum is decent. But this book, judged on its own merit, it is utterly incomplete.

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Great book - exceptional narration

Revisado: 07-06-18

One of King's better outings in recent years. This book shifted gears several times, catching me off-guard, just when I thought I knew what was going on. That's a good thing - I love to be surprised by a story!

Honestly, to say TOO much more could bring spoilers, given the twists and turns the book takes a couple of times.

Great characterization, compelling story, and a satisfying conclusion. Have to note that Will Patton's narration was absolutely outstanding. The best Narrator of any audible book I've listened to, thus far. He gave each character their own voice and tone and unique characteristics, really bringing the story to life. It's the hallmark of a great actor that he can bring so much life to characters with his voice alone!

P.S. May be worth noting, without spoilers, that some might consider this a companion to the Mr. Mercedes series...

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