Donovan P Malley

Steven Fry Is Inextricably Linked to THGttG

Revisado: 05-02-25

Douglas Adams is a genius whose series is destined to supplant Shakespeare as a definitive work of English literature. Universities must offer entire doctorate degrees analyzing it while ignoring his Dirk Gentry series entirely as a drunken dare. Meanwhile, once we upload Fry's brain into all the AI models, the world will finally know something almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

The real, academic, yet invitational message

Revisado: 03-15-25

This is the kind of book we urgently need today. It brings the reality of the moment together with the reality of response. Rather than either a rant or a fluffy New Age type distraction, Charleston grounds us in his presentation from his experience, knowledge, heritage, and historical context as a model for all people to unveil and confront what seems like the end of our world. Simple, practical and motivating.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Who Are You? Probably Ruby.

Revisado: 05-28-22

Dakota Ray Hebert makes Lisa Bird-Wilson's characters come to life so vibrantly, it feels like I knew her sometime in my own life. I was drawn by the description of the character, Ruby, as a Metis/Cree growing up adopted by a white woman ashamed of Ruby's ancestry. In so many ways, I can relate to that pressure to be or not to be whatever other people believe.
The stories are a tapestry of her tragic, messed up, wonderful, delightful life. My favorite is Rose so much to the point where I'm starting to irritate people by occasionally uttering "King of the Bingo". I hear each story and with painful recognition call out "no, no!" at the tragic decisions around identity, and "yes, yes!" to every bubbling laugh and defiant response that, yes, she is indeed Ruby. Probably.
As a tapestry, it weaves back and forth, not only on Ruby and her experience, but the oft invisible strands that touch her life and make/made her who she is. It doesn't seem like it has the answer in the end, except that it makes me want to circle back and listen again, now knowing what I know. Probably.
kinanaskomitin. Thank you for this book.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

But he was getting the hang of it!

Revisado: 06-02-20

The few issues I was starting to have at the end of the last book? Totally resolved. And it really made me like Montana even better (what I didn't think was possible). He really is a good guy. Not a cliche action movie Mary Sue, but a likable guy, still growing as a character. Eric Ugland has become my favorite fantasy writer now. And I was immensely pleased that Neil Hellegers was retained as the performer (and is hands down my favorite reader). Neil has the range to play a large, diverse cast which is neither distracting (to take you out of the suspension of belief) nor stereotypical in portrayal, a feat unparalleled. And the ending!!! I nearly burst... just when you thought everything was going to be okay....

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

It keeps getting better

Revisado: 12-15-19

A lot of litRPG books get a bit stale after a while once the whole "Hey, look! We're in a game." wears off. But I find that Ugland's series actually gets better with each book, and Hellegers' performance maintains its quality.

First, I found myself more impressed with Ugland's writing. He not only uses the fourth wall well, he also is pretty savvy with both the fantasy genre and the RPG tropes. With skill and finesse, he pokes fun at them in a manner that's not arrogant, but with a definite wink and a smile to his audience. I also really appreciate his use of real female characters who are strong, but not the faux-strong overly kick-ass type that amateurs often employ. His women feel more natural and real to read about.

Perhaps that's a good segue into Hellegers' performance as he is able to vocalize the female characters without sounding like a falscetto is all you need. Some actors break the suspension of disbelief, but Neil keeps it real. I like the implication that Montana is winking at his listeners, palpable in the narration. It draws me in, and I have laughed, gasped, and even found myself talking back to the Duke on many occasions. I initially feared Montana would become a Mary Sue, but despite his monster stats (duly noted by the characters in the story) he remains otherwise, in my opinion.

I've enjoyed this series so much, I'm burning through credits and coin for the next ones in the series, even though some are complaining that Audible is chopping them up and selling partial works as full ones. But, dang it, Montana, I have to see what trouble you're about to get into next.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 3 personas

A Delightful Reminder that RPGs Are Fun

Revisado: 11-13-19

Do you remember the fun and joy of the first paper and pencil you ever played, maybe as a teen? I found myself transported back to that first D&D a friend gave me, trying to figure out this wonderful new world opening before my eyes, following the first guided adventure and losing my sword to a dumb stupid rust monster. I, too, had made myself a cheesey name and dumped my stats into really dumb ways, but somehow made it work. Although I wasn't trying to get a second chance on life, I feel it was a way to deal with a life that our protagonist finds himself reminded of. Although not a deep book, I found it incredibly fun and relaxing. The narrator pulls off Montana's attitude with the perfect amount of swagger. Delightful.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Finally, Words

Revisado: 06-30-19

When Kimmerer spoke the words "This concludes Braiding Sweetgrass" I wept. It was like someone finally spoke in a language I could understand, spoken with such a gentle power, I could not help but smile. And sometimes seethe. And sometimes cry, whether the tears were from joy or sadness or frustration or maybe compositions of those and other things.

Far from being an imitation New Age "feathers and buckskin" kind of book, Kimmerer brings the gifts of science and poetry, traditional story and new experiences braided in the motif of the books name, woven with such care and skill as to be all, sometimes simultaneously. Her themes of gratitude and gift, reciprocation and responsibility, also bring forth new insight, but stirs something ancient and right in the depths of my bones as if I new these teachings and stories before.

I am always grateful when an author reads their own book, but Kimmerer is a delight to listen to, not just because as the author, she puts the inflections and emphasis in the right places, but also because I can feel her smile when she talks of berries, or her sadness at the squish of salamanders or the humility of inundated waders.

When my aunt died of cancer, my last link to my own people was broken, distant cousins north and west of the Potawatomi and Ojibwe whose Algonquian-speaking ancestors also told about Muskrat and Turtle. My grandmother was one of the casualties of the wihtikow, assimilated such that the government decided she was no longer "Indian". I cannot call myself indigenous, nor do I feel I have the right to, regardless of DNA or blood quanta--the tools governments use to decide identities for you. But Kimmerer reminds me that I still have responsibilities. Her recounting of her own language renewed my interest in learning mine, because, after all, nēhiyawēwin means to be the people who speak the same language.

I wept when the book was finished, not sad because it was over. Unlike my aunt and grandmother, I am going to start from the beginning right after this review, in gratitude because it feels like, for the first time, Kimmerer brought together the right words at the right time to inspire more life-giving to come.

The world sorely needs books and worldviews and gifts like these. Thank you, Robin, for the courage and wisdom and joy and responsibility for the gift of your words, wisdom, work, and life.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 283 personas

Gray is more than okay

Revisado: 03-29-19

In a genre drowning in zombies and prepper fantasy wet dreams, Gray stands out. More than the color of the landscape, it is also the color of Coral's experience, morality, and soul in the days after The Event.

Gray avoids the cliches that abound in most post-apocalyptic lit. The protagonist is not a paragon, isn't ex-military, and struggles to survive as much by dumb luck as by her intellect. Yet, as smart as she is, Coral remains a believable and relatable character, making as many mistakes as she does successful and brave acts.

By no means a cozy catastrophe, you feel the bleakness of a world turned gray with Ash and snow. I kept hoping that she and her fellow survivor, Benjamin, would find something good and kind in the new world, but no such glimmer of hope survives in the new gray world. It could be bleak and depressing, but Lou Cadle doesn't paint a bitter blackness either. Whether two or twenty personalities, there is always something to keep us going.

Lauren Fortang does a good job of narration. She voices Coral and Benjamin each with inflection that is natural, yet distinct. Intonation carried the trudging through snow, and pitched with tension at the moments called for.

If you want truly believable and complex characters that are real, Gray is a great choice. If you are a conspiracy theorist prepper who longs for the SHTF day when you think you can rule the world and turn it into your paradise, better listen to this anyway and think about what a real world would look like if it all crumbled. Might learn something. Otherwise, you should steer clear and go back to your fairytale post-apocalyptic zombies.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 2 personas

I don't know why.

Revisado: 09-02-18

I liked the story, but I couldn't tell you why. I had been warned that this was an unconventional book, but there are a host who love Rothfuss. He seems to be able to tell stories masterfully. Once he gets into one, I find myself hanging on to it until the end.

But the main character of this book, once you finally figure out who that is, is a Mary Sue. At times, I found that annoying, but I kept listening anyway. It was like Rothfuss wrote his story from a tabletop RPG he was playing, submitted it, then added exposition to any plot holes or criticisms he got back from it. I don't know Rothfuss' background, but it seems he is well versed in literature--maybe an MFA because he alludes to "the proper way to tell a story" versus "his story", sometimes with great hilarity.

But despite this, I found his characters likable enough to enjoy the story, and even his stories within stories. I didn't have to think to hard to follow them, so it served as a good listen whilst multitasking.

Nick Podehl did a good job narrating, and I mostly enjoyed his portrayal of different characters by accent or inflection. But there were obvious retakes pasted in that we're a bit too jarring to overlook. Otherwise, he was an enjoyable actor.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Ready Player One

Revisado: 08-04-18

Will Wheaton was the perfect choice for this awesome geek-romp for Gen X nerds like me. I read the book once, and my wife played this on a vacation a few years ago before it became widely known. Listening again has been a lifesaving joy. Maybe next time I will pay more attention to its own Easter eggs.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña