M.E. Brannan

Not forever, but it felt like it

Revisado: 09-16-23

This is a bit like Chuck having a go at A Clockwork Orange with either an outlandishly unreliable narrator or an outlandishly unreliable story and even more ultraviolence and sodomy.

I hate to spoil a story for the listener by revealing too much of the plot or details, so I’ll instead tell you how the story made me feel. I felt manipulated throughout. Like I wasn’t being told a story for any other reason than to churn my stomach, or get me to roll my eyes or to think of other, better books.

It needed editing. It’s a rich chocolate cake that was delicious at the first bite, but when you’re forced to eat it all, you just feel like vomiting half way through.

If you’ve ever seen the video for the Nine Inch Nails song, Slave Screams, imagine sitting through that for eight and a half hours. It’s like that. It would have made a good short story. Maybe a novella.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Excellent listen

Revisado: 04-26-19

It doesn’t get much better than listening to Wil Wheaton read a John Scalzi book. I sometimes think Scalzi writes hearing Wheaton’s voice as he types.

This book is funny and sad and, ultimately rewarding. Scalzi’s characters are real three-dimensional human beings with streaks of meanness, kindness, ruthlessness, and honor. Jack Holloway is one of the most likable antiheroes I’ve ever encountered. I highly recommend this listen.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Great story poorly narrated

Revisado: 05-29-18

I enjoyed this latest supernatural police procedural from Stephen King. The story was interesting and well-paced. It is essentially the story of a malleable bogie man who can take on the characteristics of anyone whose DNA it absorbs and who feeds off of terror and misery created through, generally, sexual sadism. There are some interesting references to Hispanic and Lusophone folklore. If you have read and enjoyed the Finders Keepers trilogy, Holly Gibney is back from those stories.

And therein lies the problem. I have listened to other Will Patton narratives and found them listenable if not especially compelling, but I read the Finders Keepers books so I did not know how he treats Holly as a character. His voicing of Holly is so off-putting as to be nearly unlistenable. I found his interpretation of the cadence and timbre of her voice to be grating. While the story is sound and in keeping with King's recent extension into procedural crime tinted with horror, I cannot recommend listening to this book. Pick up a copy and read it. I suspect that you will enjoy that more.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Couldn't make it half way through

Revisado: 05-04-13

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

The production and narration was grating to me. The primary narrator alone may have been listenable but the female narrator was so one note in her delivery that all the female characters came off as identical. While I occasionally find male narrators "female" voices off putting, the dual narration of this book was just too much. Add to this the copious use of sound effects and the production is just too cheesy for my taste.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

I couldn't really get into the story because I found the narration and sound effects too distracting. I will probably read the book because I like David Baldacci and the premise of the book was interesting. I just hope my brain doesn't hear the voices of the narrators.

How could the performance have been better?

A single narrative voice and no sound effects.

What character would you cut from The Hit?

I couldn't get into the book enough to evaluate the characters.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 15 personas

Not for Everyone

Revisado: 06-06-09

If you are easily offended by material which questions orthodoxy, stay away from this book, but if you are interested in alternative views of the Universe and the nature of gods and men in the Universe, this book may be for you. While the narration could have been better, it didn't undermine an interesting and thought-provoking story.

Another thing to consider is that this story ends very abruptly just about the time that it gets going strong. Considering that the sequel, The Widow's Son, has been out for awhile and has yet to make an appearance on Audible, don't expect to get closure any time soon.

I wish the rest of this series as well as the Schroedinger's Cat trilogy were currently available. Oh, well, a boy can dream.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 8 personas