The Two Doctors Review

A Powerful Personal Tale of the Presidency

Revisado: 12-22-20

While I may disagree with President Obama's response to many issues faced during his presidency, as well as his approach to criticizing many people further to the "left" of his politics, his writing in A Promised Land explores his experience of the presidency through a profoundly personal lens.

Every person should read this book to dive into the personal world of a U.S. President.

You can't help but hear his words--especially with President Obama narrating it himself--and believe he tried his best, even if he made mistakes.

And the long-form narrative, exploring his rise to the Presidency through his first few years (I'm awaiting that sequel for the second four years), gives a unique perspective on events that are slowly becoming "history."

While the narrative faltered at times, especially becoming fragmented once President Obama arrives in the White House, his writing is clear, crisp, and engaging. You will remember events from the past, and hear them through the eyes of someone who, more often than not, was in the driver's seat of an entire nation, making choices for us all.

Whether you agreed with those choices or not, hearing the personal account helps you understand why the choices were made.

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Solid start to superhero saga

Revisado: 11-23-20 El oyente recibió este título gratis

The beauty of literature: you can take any narrative—any genre—and reformulate it into a new story.

In Talented: A Dystopian Superhero Origin Story, SE MacCready lays the foundation for a world filled with superpowered heroes, villains, and everything in between.

It’s fundamentally character-driven, and the devastating moments of heart-wrenching brutality are where MacCready’s writing shines the most. Cameron Monroe, daughter of a brilliant entrepreneur, is thrown into a world she doesn’t fully understand with only part of her memories available to remind her of a lost past.

She thinks she knows what’s happening. But with every page and every shift in her strength and power, a new truth is revealed.

The first-person narrative of the tale is pivotal to the story’s voice and style, keeping us in Cameron’s head for the entire ride. In moments, though, it can be its downfall, especially when Cameron’s psyche and experience cause a scene’s illustration to devolve into confusion. Thankfully, those moments are few and far between.

I listened to the audiobook, and while the narrator is clear and concise, she was a little slow for my tastes, making the book feel a tad longer than I think it actually was. About halfway through, though, I upped the listening speed to 1.25x, and it sounded more crisp.

If you’re looking for a story clearly inspired by the modern era of superhero films, Talented is absolutely for you. It’s definitely a book, too, that both adults and kids would enjoy reading. Get it for yourself—or buy it for your superhero obsessed child!

On to the scores.

Writing: 7/10. SE MacCready’s use of the first-person voice was powerful and brilliant, though the book was a tad long and wordy at times when it felt like the pace should have been accelerated. It’s hard to tell, though, how much of that experience was colored by the slow pace of the narrator.

Characters: 9/10. This book features a massive cast of characters, and it was difficult to keep track of all the heroes, the characters that mattered stand out. Alongside Cameron, Will, Tawny, Chris, and Derek stand out as characters worth remembering.

Plot: 8/10. Though a little overly opaque and drawn out at times, the overarching themes and plot of Talented are compelling, driven primarily by the quick attachment to the characters driving the narrative. The third act, in particular, does a great job of tying together almost all of the book’s loose ends, with a satisfying conclusion for reading the book either as a stand-alone or as a Book 1 of the whole Legacy of Cameron Monroe series.

Setting: 7/10. The story primarily takes place in a giant corporate tower surrounded by a fictional city somewhere in the United States. The corporation owning the tower is explored in full, though the city and company’s place in relation to the outside world was never fully clear to me. That may be just a personal preference—and based on how the first book ends, I suspect the sequels may explore beyond the setting of book 1.

Overall: 7.75/10. A solid four stars! If you’re looking for a new kind of superhero epic, dive into the pages of Talented today.

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it's heart wrenching!

Revisado: 10-07-20 El oyente recibió este título gratis

I didn’t know what to expect when I started The Hands We’re Given, a cyberpunk novel by O. E. Tearmann.

The story was more intriguing and riveting than I could have imagined.

Tearmann explores a futuristic world set in the 22nd century, where corporations control everything. Our heroes attempt to survive on the outskirts of civilization as “Dusters,” rebels against the corporate overlords.

Aiden and Kevin, our two unlikely friends.

I don’t want to spoil too much about this story (and so much is easily spoiled), but at its core, it’s a profoundly human tale, dealing with real issues and internal conflicts paralleling fights of the present.

People have identities and realities which other people despise and hate.

When hate directs itself at a person, it tears them apart on the inside. Their mind breaks.

And Tearmann explores the raw emotional reality of people experiencing bigotry, all while placing them in a devastated world seeking a way forward.

I must warn readers: the story does include a few chapters of graphic sexual content. I don’t seek out those types of stories when I read SciFi and Fantasy, but in the context of this narrative, the scenes make a lot of sense. I didn’t feel like they were included just for the sake of having sex in the narrative. They’re meaningful and portray a powerful relationship formed over many chapters.

Overall, if you’re looking for a story that will push your boundaries and make you think about people through new eyes, I highly recommend The Hands We’re Given.

4.5 stars (rounded up to 5).

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Our "heroes" are complicated.

Revisado: 09-13-20

Ron Chernow astounds readers with his ability to entertain while imparting copious amounts of information. His approach to Hamilton’s story is balanced; he discusses every nuanced take on the man’s life, from his days in the Caribbean to the duel with Aaron Burr.

What I appreciate most about Chernow’s historical analysis is his ability to name and critique the characters he is portraying. He applauds Hamilton where he deserves to be applauded, whether its his role as a founding member of the Manumission Society or his path from destitution to soldier to attorney to Treasury Secretary.

Yet Chernow also blasts Hamilton when he deserves it. The man was rash and arrogant. He placed his ambition above all else, and we cannot forget the way he treated his wife through the scandals of the 1790s. Chernow lays it all out there.

He also properly addresses the paradox of the early American Revolution by contrasting every player in the story with their paradoxical views regarding liberty. Certainly, Hamilton was better on the question of slavery than many of his counterparts, but like most, he lived in a paradoxical world where he did not take a strong stance toward liberation.

The real power of Chernow’s words, though, stem from his ability to perceptibly explore the ever-shifting conflicts and debates between Hamilton and his rivals, including Jefferson, Burr, Madison, and more. From the anonymous articles written in the paper to direct conflicts in the cabinet, readers see the true character of humans, not gods, ruling the early United States.

And that’s the reality of Chernow’s mammoth endeavor. He tears apart the myth that our “founding fathers” are perfect humans, identifying every moment they falter.

And they falter a lot.

Chernow’s biography of Hamilton cemented my belief that we cannot view the United States as a truly perfect union. It’s always been messy. We should embrace the conflict and protest and the idea of revolution, constantly seeking to make our world a better place. People like Hamilton tried their hardest to do good work, even as they suffered the defects of their times. We must learn from them and do better.

Five Stars.

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Washington's life was a paradox.

Revisado: 09-13-20

The biography of Washington presents a much more paradoxical narrative than its counterpart on Hamilton. George Washington was a man filled with contradictions. At the same time he internally espoused a need to liberate his slaves, he would never allow his slaves to go free. As a General, he inspired his soldiers, but was never much of a tactician.

And as a President, he craved a legacy while never publicly pushing for his own popularity.

Chernow expertly explores Washington’s tumultuous life, identifying all the moments where we see the real human underneath the historical facade. Washington was nowhere near perfect. He complained about finances to friends. He could never escape his need to own slaves. He was scared of political parties, but essentially became the leader of the Federalists by the end of his presidency.

If you’re looking for a balanced exploration of the man Washington, rather than the god, read Chernow’s biography. If we are to understand how we move forward as a human species, we must understand the inherent contradictions that exist within our histories. Washington was simultaneously an inspirational leader and a failure of the ideals of liberty toward slavery. He revolted against an imperial power while failing to stop American settlers from colonizing and murdering indigenous peoples.

Chernow properly explores every aspect of Washington’s life, and I couldn’t recommend the narrative enough.

Five Stars.

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An intriguing adventure into the world of LitRPG

Revisado: 01-15-20 El oyente recibió este título gratis

Like many SciFi and Fantasy authors, I grew up playing RPG video games. Skyrim, Mass Effect, Boulders Gate, KOTOR, you name it, I’ve probably played it.

So when I heard about the growing LitRPG genre, I was intrigued! Stories set inside RPG-like worlds? Wow!

And thus, my first foray into the genre occurred with “Second Skin” by M Damon Baker.

M Damon Baker builds an intriguing premise. A man’s mind, trapped in a woman’s body, inside a supposedly virtual world. I don’t want to spoil the initial twist, but let’s say fairly early on, Baker throws in a fun hook which makes the story more than just a dude playing an RPG.

I can see the promise in the genre. The story. The creative ways “game mechanics” can interplay with narrative.

Unfortunately, I quickly learned the LitRPG genre is not for me.

That preference isn’t a knock on Baker’s writing; it’s superb. Second Skin’s audience simply doesn’t include me. I value the opportunity to listen to Second Skin on Audible, though, to learn whether I enjoy the LitRPG genre. As much as I love playing games, I don’t think I’m one to read them being played.

All that being said, I hundred percent think this book WILL hit home with other readers. It’s got the chops to hook people intrigued by the characters, setting, plot, and premise of LitRPG.

I won’t be doing a full score breakdown of Second Skin: Fractures. Instead, I’ll be giving it three stars. It wasn’t my cup of tea, but that speaks more about me than the book.

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Good story--will most likely continue on Kindle!

Revisado: 12-15-19 El oyente recibió este título gratis

I appreciated the down-to-earth story presented in Catalyst. The introductory story to Rachel Ford's Tribari Freedom Chronicles, listeners and readers are thrown into an alien world following one man as he simply wants to have a vacation. A protest quickly throws his life onto a different path, however.

I appreciated the subtle themes running throughout, all within the lens of a narrator with a particular worldview. The story does a great job of challenging the character's worldview, and through that window, critiquing a few narratives present in our own world. I always love an "anti-corporate greed" book!

However, I did not enjoy the narration of the audiobook. The narrator's pacing and annunciation were difficult to listen to, and she constantly ended sentences with an upbeat which was tiresome to continually hear. I'm not usually critical of narrators, but I feel strongly about this narrator in the sense that it made it hard to listen to this story. This 1hr 15min story intrigued me, and there's a chance I'll READ the rest of the series, but I won't be listening to it on Audible.

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A Mind-Numbingly Brilliant Thriller

Revisado: 12-14-19

Hopefully that review title intrigued you. Because we’re about to explore Bits & Pieces, a novel written by Dawn Hosmer.

I listened to it on audiobook (though I also own the paperback), and WOW. What a novel.

Let’s start with a clear CONTENT WARNING. Bits & Pieces contains incredibly graphic scenes of sexual violence. Read (or listen to) this novel at your own risk.

Bits & Pieces follows Tessa, a young woman with an extraordinary gift. This is one of those novels where reviews really shouldn’t give away specific details, because this book’s narrative relies on its twists and turns. But I’ll do my best. The story begins with Tessa’s ordinary life, complicated by her insane gift. She wants love and companionship, but her mind won’t let her experience those to their fullest extent.


And through Tessa’s gift, she’s thrown into a whirlwind of an adventure where she uncovers the truth about particular crimes throughout her community… but will it destroy her in the process?

Listening to Bits & Pieces on audiobook, I enjoyed the witty writing and focused first-person POV, all from Tessa’s perspective. However, the narrator’s pacing was inconsistent throughout (though one particular chapter stands out as significantly better than the rest). The narrator was good at giving Tessa personality, but sometimes she lacked in giving voice to other characters. And sometimes, words would cut in and out at different volumes.

The critiques of the narrator aside, Dawn Hosmer’s words draw you in through every chapter. Just enough suspense, just enough characterization, just enough style to keep the words moving at a pace deserving of the story.

If you’re looking for a psychological thriller exploring the human condition through a novel lens, Bits & Pieces is for you. I usually don’t like thrillers of this style, so the fact I enjoyed Bits & Pieces should say quite a bit about its gripping and compelling nature.

Writing: 9/10. Excellent voice and POV.

Characters: 8/10. Loved Tessa. Other characters were good, but they were overshadowed by Tessa.

Setting: 7/10. Typical small university town, nothing special. It worked well for the story.

Plot: 10/10. Every word mattered, every word drove the story, every character fit in perfectly.

Overall: 8.5/10. Round that up to 9 and we’ve got a clear 5 stars!

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Better than the original Thrawn Trilogy

Revisado: 11-25-19

The original “Thrawn” trilogy of the mid 1990s kickstarted the modern era of Star Wars literature. We’re now in the post-modern era, perhaps? TImothy Zahn, a prolific scifi writer, was given the opportunity to pen three novels occurring after Return of the Jedi. In doing so, he made potentially the most iconic off-screen character in the franchise: Grand Admiral Thrawn.

When Disney bought Star Wars, many readers became quite angry they’d never see Thrawn again.

Disney apparently heard that fear, and reintroduced Thrawn not only in novels, but their animated TV Series, Star Wars Rebels. And the novels they gave back to Zahn to write, giving him the opportunity to retell his most famous character’s story in the new continuity.

Thrawn: Treason is the culmination of a trilogy taking place between Revenge of the Sith and Rogue One, and it features Thrawn’s rise to power in the Imperial military complex. Thrawn’s enigma as a character stems from his origin: he’s a blue-skinned Chiss who convinces the Emperor himself that he is necessary to the Empire’s safety. While the Empire usually only has human officers, Thrawn becomes an exception—much to the chagrin of his human counterparts.

While in Star Wars Rebels, Thrawn is portrayed as a villain, in the novels, he’s the principle protagonist, with complicated motivations regarding his desire to protect his people—the Chiss—and be loyal to his new liege—the Emperor. And Thrawn: Treason caps off a brilliant trilogy with a narrative that leaves open plenty of strings for future stories (a new one is coming next year) while resolving pressing plotlines. The novel also nicely ties into Star Wars Rebels, a TV series I highly encourage Star Wars fans to watch. It’s much more significant than you might think.

What Timothy Zahn does so expertly is write a novel from the perspective of the Empire while making readers sympathetic to typically “evil” characters. In most Star Wars stories, we only see the motivations of the Imperials through the lens of the “good guys,” but novels like Thrawn: Treason complicate morality in incredibly fun ways.

Not to say Thrawn, as a character, is a good person. He’s not. But his arguments sway you to see how he thinks, and you root for him, even as he promotes a worldview fundamentally flawed in its treatment of people.

I give Thrawn: Treason five stars.

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Good Character-Driven Star Wars

Revisado: 11-25-19

Written by Alexander Freed, Alphabet Squadron is one of the few Star Wars novels to take place in the unknown narratives occurring after Return of the Jedi. Following a crew of rag-tag pilots, Alphabet Squadron will remind Star Wars fans of the old Rogue Squadron novels.

I enjoyed listening to this novel, though I do wonder if the stakes of the novel really worked. I suppose for someone who’s not read every Star Wars novel, this book will intrigue them—especially the characters. But this book takes place before the Battle of Jakku. It tells a story about pilots trying to bring down the remnants of the Empire after the death of the Emperor. But we heard that story in the Aftermath trilogy. No matter what, we know how the Empire falls, in the end, as our heroes in this novel fight against a particularly deadly squad of Imperials.

That being said, Freed brilliantly weaves together a multiplicity of character narratives, creating a family of pilots you want to win, even as they fight against one another. The climax of the novel includes an intense space battle which goes in a direction I don’t think many will expect—but it’s brilliant, and inputs a moral dilemma often lacking in the Star Wars universe.

If you’re looking for an action-packed space opera with characters you’ve never met before, but you want to love, Alphabet Squadron is the right book for you.

I give Alphabet Squadron four stars.

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