Lou

A must listen for Elton fans

Revisado: 10-02-24

This was a pleasant listen thanks to Richard Armitage's captivating voice, and if you're a fan of Elton John you'll love the BTS insights into his career. But I found the way the book is written -- weaving back and forth between the early days and the farewell tour -- a bit difficult to follow. I most appreciated the glimpses into Elton's personal life -- his relationship with his husband and desire to be a father -- and wish there had been more of that.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 5 personas

Cliffhanger of all cliffhangers!

Revisado: 09-29-24

Now it makes sense. Why Panic and Amnesia are being released 1 month apart. Amnesia is actually Panic part 2. At least that's how I felt when I reached the end of Panic and sat there, mouth agape, wondering how I didn't see it coming. 😳 Damn you, LJ Ross! You've done it again. Led me right up to the edge and then withhold the resolution. When will I ever learn?!

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Understanding the man behind the legend

Revisado: 03-31-24

I was not a Bond fan when I started this listen, but realize now that this book is absolutely required reading/listening for any would-be fan of the franchise. Though the ending was a bit predicable, it did leave me with a satisfied a-ha moment of "so that's why the character is the way he is." The story lays a solid foundation for the Bond fans have come to know and love. Through the events of Casino Royale, I feel I understand his motivations.

It's quite an easy listen, owing I'm sure to Richard Armitage's nearly flawless performance. He didn't have to work too hard here; his French accents have continued to improve since the Agatha Christie audiobooks. One "fly in the ointment" though was the brief appearance of CIA operative and Bond's nascent friend, Felix Leiter, who's described as a Texan, yet Armitage employs the same generic accent he has in other audiobooks, a rather nasal, seemingly forced one that grates on my ears. Holding out hope he soon finds a more pleasing tone to use with his American characters.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

No better example of outstanding voice acting

Revisado: 09-26-23

I recently received the Mount Everest badge from Audible for completing a marathon listen of 30 hrs or more -- 36.5 precisely -- for the Charles Dickens' classic David Copperfield. Now, I'm not a great fan of the book, but as performed by the brilliant actor and narrator Richard Armitage, this was a sublime listening experience. Nearly 75 distinct voices -- from the elderly asthmatic Mr Omer to David's eccentric and gruff great-aunt Betsey Trotwood -- are served up by Armitage with such ease that one might think he suffers from dissociative identity disorder (DID). Indeed, the multiple personalities that come to life through him left me so utterly dumbfounded that at times I lost track of the story. A veritable tour de force in audiobook narration!

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Warning: Don't listen to this while driving

Revisado: 09-26-23

I do most of my audiobook listening on the move -- running errands, on road trips and vacations -- and until The Christmas Hirelings I never felt the need to avoid any genre of book or emotions said audio performances elicited. That is, until this uniquely touching novel that in the last 30 minutes had me bawling like a baby and quickly wiping tears so I could see the road ahead. What an uplifting tale that, though written in and about the 19th C, is replete with universal truths and enough holiday cheer to melt even a grinch's hardened heart.
Armitage, as always, brings every character to life in a most unique way, especially 4-year-old Moppet. I challenge anyone not to fall in love with her and this audiobook, which is going straight into my account's "purchased" column.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Excellent intro to Arnold Clover

Revisado: 03-19-23

This story not only serves as a travelogue to Venice and a history lesson (some fact, some imagined by the author), but a fine introduction to a new narrator, Arnold Clover. The murder mystery at the heart of the tale is intriguing; its final twist left me at first aghast and then weepy. Richard Armitage's performance of the Italian-heavy text is exemplary. Here's hoping he continues to bring Clover to life in future adventures of the reluctant detective.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 2 personas

Would have enjoyed a full hour w/Armitage & Walker

Revisado: 02-16-23

Can't fault Graham Norton for trying to squeeze as much as possible into every episode of this podcast, but less than 10 mins wasn't nearly enough time with Richard Armitage and Nicola Walker, two-thirds of the narration team for Mr A's debut novel, Geneva. While the dynamic duo did share some amusing tidbits about prepping to voice audiobooks, the best part was the laughter and genuine affection these two performers obviously share. Here's hoping they have an opportunity to work together again soon.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Not your typical C J Tudor thriller

Revisado: 02-13-23

This is no ordinary post-apocalyptic tale of survival. It is a mirror into which our current society is reflected. Mutating virus. Ineffective vaccines. Dwindling supplies. Life and death decisions. In case you miss parallels to the recent pandemic, Tudor drives the point home with themes of haves v. have nots, the breakdown of society and blurring lines between good and evil.
Into this environment the author drops three seemingly unrelated individuals -- performed with varying degrees of believability by Richard Armitage, Nathalie Buscombe and Rachel Handshaw -- whose POV we rely on to understand the plot. But not everything (or everyone) is what it seems, and therein lies the mystery. I had an inkling something was amiss about two-thirds of the way in, but trust me, when the final secret is revealed, it'll make your head spin.
Tudor's use of humor, especially Carter's wry and cynical commentary (at which Armitage excels), is highly effective in defusing tension (and possibly lulling the reader into a false sense of normalcy). Although Hannah is painted as a more likable character from the outset, Meg is voiced in a harsher tone, which diminished my sympathy for her until near the end, when she delivers what appears to be the moral of the entire story.
The Drift is by far Tudor's most audacious novel to date and the one against which all her others (fairly or unfairly) will be judged.

10 Hours and 50 Minutes

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Romance novel as travelogue

Revisado: 01-21-23

If a witty and wonderfully sensual romance novel can help promote travel to foreign lands, then Wanderlust is that story. Sure, at its heart is the love affair between an American and a Brit, but Paris is the other partner in this cleverly constructed menage-a-trois. Richard Armitage is in rare form, sexy as all get out as Griffin, but I found Grace Grant rather lacking as Joy, her voice mundane and less sophisticated than one would expect of her character.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

A most unexpected denouement!

Revisado: 01-16-23

Imagine you follow a murder mystery and fancy yourself an assistant helping a world renowned detective solve the crime. In this story (the third in Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot series), that role has passed from Poirot's friend Arthur Hastings to Dr. James Sheppard, who, like his predecessor, reports on the events as they unfold. As the the quirky Poirot eliminates suspects, you are drawn into the tale Sheppard weaves. You may believe you have narrowed the field to a few, but hold up! The biggest revelation comes in the final chapter. And it is a surprise I guarantee you will NOT see coming!

After listening to Richard Armitage voice three other Christie titles, I confess an inability to write an unbiased review of his performance. So expertly does he craft each personality -- not only through accents, but subtle differences in tone and pitch -- that he ceases to be narrator, instead simply becoming a vehicle by which these dozen or so distinct individuals are brought to life. About halfway through this book I realized I no longer was hearing him, but only the characters. The ultimate accolade for a narrator.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña