james d. thomas

Masterful Novel; Masterful Performance

Revisado: 04-30-18

What made the experience of listening to Black Swan Green the most enjoyable?

Exceptionally believable reading of a modern classic novel. One of those times when everything works perfectly: the book itself and the narration. Rereading the book now is indelibly intertwined with Heyborne's narrative.

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Almost As Good....

Revisado: 06-16-14

...as "Fool" and "Sacre Bleu." Christopher Moore has (finally) found his ideal narrator in Euan Morton. The novel itself is a sort-of followup to "Fool" and features the same narrator, this time playing with Othello, the Merchant and Marco Polo. As usual with Moore, this is a wild ride through history (and Shakespeare) and very, very funny, although a bit too much plot sometimes overwhelms the characters. Morton's reading, however, takes full advantage of the material: witty, vulgar, farcical. I have read the book once and listened to the audio twice; Morton is brilliant. I only wish Morton had read earlier Moore novels, but hope their audio partnership continues.

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Best of the Year

Revisado: 10-28-13

(At least so far). The book itself is epic, haunting and beautiful, filled with fascinating characters. The audio narration is surprisingly good considering the range of dialects, accents and ethnicities portrayed. Happily the narrator never loses focus from the suspenseful, convoluted and complex plot. I have read the novel twice now, and the audio is a worthy addition. Fast, fresh and funny. A memorable wallow in the "old west" of New Zealand.

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Surprisingly suspenseful!

Revisado: 11-30-12

A genuinely beautiful novel, reasonably well-read. The familiarity of the story never diminishes the suspense; the writing is evocative of time and place. Characters are well-developed and believable throughout. The performance by Frazer Douglas is always more than acceptable, but never quite memorable. As others have pointed out--both in reviews of the book and the audio--the last paragraph is unfortunate and diminishes the effectiveness of the narrative. Overall however an excellent audiobook and highly recommended.

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Excellent Series Addition

Revisado: 10-29-12

The Thursday Next series continues, as mind-boggling, entertaining and thought-provoking as always. Emily Gray's reading again makes the most outlandish situations seems perfectly reasonable. The humor is both timely and timeless. I loved reading the book and love the audio edition too; I have already listened to it a second time. As usual with Fforde's fiction the prose is so full of jokes, puns and references that it is almost impossible to catch everything the first time, especially when the reader/listener gets caught up in the plot. Essential for fans of the series.

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Euan Morton Rocks!

Revisado: 05-31-12

What did you love best about Sacre Bleu?

I almost didn't buy this: the sample somehow sounded odd, with Euan Morton's Scottish background not working with the material. After listening to his reading of "Fool" a couple of times, I decided to give it a try. It is wonderful! After a couple of minutes, the performance seems perfectly natural; characterizations are spot-on and the "music" in the prose is enhanced with Morton's exceptional reading. Book itself is not-quite-but-close to Moore's best but the overall impact of the audio is even greater than the book itself.

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As Good As It Gets

Revisado: 05-31-12

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

The novel itself is excellent--fresh, funny, clever. And the reading brings out every bit of humor, character and historic life. I suspect that if Shakespeare were alive today it would be both pleased and impressed: "King Lear" never had it so good. Euan Morton makes a perfect narrator, taking full advantage of his theater, musical comedy and singing background. I have already listened to it three times and look forward to the next.

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Excellent Addition to the Weaver series

Revisado: 03-16-12

What other book might you compare An American Spy to and why?

This is the third in the series and picks up right after

What about David Pittu’s performance did you like?

Mr. Pittu's accents are subtle enough to never get in the way of comprehension but still provide a good feel for the nationality of the characters. He never misses the humor or irony inherent in the text.

Any additional comments?

All three Weaver novels are timely, suspenseful and witty. They are not necessarily an

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Brilliant novel well-served by the audio

Revisado: 12-26-11

What other book might you compare The Leopard to and why?

Like the best historic novels (

Any additional comments?

If you have read the book or have seen the classic film adaptation, this is an excellent evocation of the material. If you are not familiar with it, however, I am not sure this is the best place to begin.

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Brilliant Reading of a Classic Novel

Revisado: 08-26-11

Originally published in the US as "Anna's Book" this Ruth Rendell novel provides an exceptional portrait of three generations of woman in London from 1905 until the mid-sixties. Deservedly a modern classic, the reading perfectly matches and enhances the text. Ms Walter subtly differentiates each of the three women and finds every moment of humor, frustration and suspense as the diaries are used to solve a sixty year old mystery. Leisurely paced this is a novel more about character than event and an extraordinary listening experience.

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