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Thrill Switch Audiolibro Por Tim Hawken arte de portada

Superbly written cyberpunk thriller

Total
5 out of 5 stars
Ejecución
5 out of 5 stars
Historia
5 out of 5 stars

Revisado: 05-01-24

Thrill Switch is a gripping page-turner that kicks off with a brutal murder and rarely slows down. It also comes with a lengthy list of content warnings, but if blood and viscera doesn’t faze you, you’ll love this fast-paced cyberpunk thriller.

Detective Ada Byron’s first murder shakes her world to the core. The victim’s demise mirrors the way her father was killed seven years earlier. Hardly possible- the notorious virtual world serial killer, Jazlin Switch, is behind bars with no computer access.

The investigation forces Ada and her partner to consult Jazlin and to navigate the treacherous waters of future Las Vegas politics. Casualties pile up as the conflict between anarcho-libertarians and power-hungry politics escalates.

I prioritise character development over world-building, and I’m rarely impressed by the latter. Not a case here. Hawken captured a nuanced socio-political landscape of a world in which virtual serves as an escape from the harsh realities of overpopulation and limited career opportunities. The virtual reality allows people to experience full freedom without facing consequences for their actions. The thing is, the line between complete freedom and anarchy is thin and easily crossed. Also, when you get killed or raped in a digital world, it doesn’t happen to your physical body, but your mind experiences it fully. This raises the question: what defines “reality” in such circumstances?

The accessible writing and short chapters filled with action and tension make this book gripping. I found myself wanting to know what happens next. Before I realized it, the story concluded (loved the ending), leaving me craving more.

The characterization impressed me. Ada is one heck of a protagonist. Smart, determined, and with a troubled past, just as I like it. She starts off as an eager newbie detective, but the events force her to grow fast and use all of her skills to survive and solve the case.

And while I liked Ada, it’s Jazlin who steals the spotlight whenever she appears. The comparison to Silence of the Lambs holds true, particularly regarding Jazlin’s character.

Thrill Switch is a superbly written cyberpunk thriller that pulls no punches. It’s brutal, so be sure you’re in the right frame of mind. But if you’re game, buckle up and enjoy the thrill.

Audiobook narration: Molly Secours has done a stellar job here. I loved her narration.

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Brilliant

Total
5 out of 5 stars
Ejecución
5 out of 5 stars
Historia
5 out of 5 stars

Revisado: 04-27-24


It's my favorite book of 2024 so far! Bennett knows how to blend multiple genres while maintaining stakes high, characters compelling, and the world intriguing. In "The Tainted Cup," he incorporates elements of fantasy, murder mystery, and coming-of-age, all seasoned with some body horror (trees erupting from bodies), and I loved every second of it.

Dinios Kol lands a job as the new assistant to Ana Dolabra, an eccentric and brilliant investigator who solves cases blindfolded and from the confines of her home. Their first case together is complex, involving members of the wealthy Haza clan, empire politics, and a potential contagion. Trees tearing apart human bodies are an interesting take on weird ecology :)

Kol is augmented to remember things photographically, while Dolabra is a riot: sassy, eccentric, and with a fierce temper. I thoroughly enjoyed their dynamic as a detective duo. There's more to their skills than I've mentioned, but why spoil the joy of discovery? I’m not doing this to anyone.
I loved the book and hope it sells well enough to compel the publisher to shower Bennett with gold to keep the series going!

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Solid

Total
3 out of 5 stars
Ejecución
5 out of 5 stars
Historia
3 out of 5 stars

Revisado: 04-27-24

trengths:

- Good opening
- interesting premise (climbers trapped in a remote area, getting stuck in a loop of sorts)
- concise writing style
- strong moments of horror (including body-horror)

Things that didn't work for me:

- characters: on the flatter side, unlikable (except for the dog)
- uneven pacing
- the resolution; I understand why some will love it, but it felt slightly too gory. I guess I prefer my horror subtler :)

In all, a solid horror read inspired by the Dyatlow Pass mystery.

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A solid story

Total
4 out of 5 stars
Ejecución
4 out of 5 stars
Historia
3 out of 5 stars

Revisado: 04-27-24

Hilarious, manic, and terrifying. In short, Tchaikovsky is in his element. Gary Rendell and his crew were sent to check an ancient and alien artifact. The crew was split, Gary managed to survive, but for how long?

If you enjoy first-person narration spiced with some madness, you’ll love this one.

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Great

Total
4 out of 5 stars
Ejecución
5 out of 5 stars
Historia
4 out of 5 stars

Revisado: 04-27-24

I liked this Southern noir story. It may lack three-dimensional characters (other than Titus, our protagonist), but the pacing and twists kept me engaged throughout. Anyway, fans of darker stories and all things gritty, should check this one out.

Audiobook narration: excellent.

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Brilliant

Total
5 out of 5 stars
Ejecución
5 out of 5 stars
Historia
5 out of 5 stars

Revisado: 04-27-24

The Prestige is full of twists and surprises. The story opens with Andrew Westley, manoeuvred into meeting a young woman who claims to have watched him die at her father’s hand when they were children. Say what? Anyway, the two dive into their respective families’ history and delve deeper into the written records of their ancestors, Alfred Borden and Rupert Angier.

The records reveal two stage magicians engaged in obsessive rivalry started in 1878 when Borden tried to expose Angier as a fraud during a seance. Angier’s pregnant wife got hurt in the process and lost their baby. Things got out of control for the two. Things got crazy when each of them perfected an inexplicable feat of “bilocation” - the ability to appear in two places at the same time. The inability to comprehend how the other achieves the ‘prestige’—the moment the trick happens- fuels their mutual obsession.

Their relentless pursuit of greatness has disastrous consequences, and Priest takes his time to build the suspense. I loved watching their obsession with outdoing each other spiral out of control, and the story’s unique structure allows readers to experience certain events twice.

How?

Most of the story is told through journal entries of two prestidigitators engaged in a bitter and deadly feud. The novel works almost as an act of illusion - it tells the truth (or, rather, a version of the truth) while simultaneously misdirecting readers :)

Now, I’ve seen The Prestige adaptation and loved it. I wasn’t sure if the novel could still surprise me. The outline of the two versions is similar, but the book has better characterization and sheds more light on Augier’s point of view. It also adds a present-day struggle of Borden and Augier’s descendants. Andrew, for example, feels he has a twin brother, but his birth certificate contradicts it. Is he wrong?

Anyway, if you’ve seen the movie first, you’ll know most big twists. Will it decrease your enjoyment? I can’t promise anything, but it didn’t spoil the fun for me.

Some readers might say The Prestige is a slow burn, and they wouldn’t be entirely wrong. But trust me, every moment of buildup is worth it for the payoff you get in the end. Priest takes his time setting the stage, slowly ratcheting up the tension until it reaches a brilliant climax.

The characterization is simply extraordinary. The strength of the voice is unforgettable.

“The Prestige” is excellent. It tells an unputdownable story of obsession, deception, and blurred boundaries between reality and illusion.

Audiobook narration: Simon Vance has done a stellar job here. If you’re into audiobooks, I highly recommend this version of the story.

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Excellent sequel

Total
5 out of 5 stars
Ejecución
5 out of 5 stars
Historia
5 out of 5 stars

Revisado: 04-27-24

Mark Lawrence is an excellent, quotable writer. In The Book That Broke The World he ups the stakes and delivers a fast-paced and surprising sequel. The story shifts between four POV characters (including two new) and different points in time.

It’s also darker than the first book in the series, shockingly so in places. Livira and Malar aren’t happy with their new circumstances. Rather unpleasant insectoids and a mechanical monster try to kill Evar and his siblings. New POV characters can’t can't complain about boredom either.

In short, it’s well-written, engaging, and wildly imaginative.

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Pretty good

Total
3 out of 5 stars
Ejecución
5 out of 5 stars
Historia
3 out of 5 stars

Revisado: 06-17-23

I’m not sure how to rate it. For all its addictive action and cool ideas, The Last Sword Maker has some faults.

It is a well-researched page-turner with non-stop action. Fans of techno-trillers will appreciate how it combines science, espionage, personal drama, and global politics. It truly has it all. Furthermore, it’s genuinely immersive - I simply had to know what happens next.

So, why the rating? First, like many action-driven page-turners, it may not withstand brutal scrutiny, as some plot points feel far-fetched, to say the least. Moreover, the book portrays a very black-and-white world, depicting the USA as inherently good and China as unequivocally bad. I identify with progressive Western values, but I also appreciate complex narratives and oversimplifications like the ones present in this book don’t thrill me.

It changes nothing. I’ll read the sequel shortly.

Narration: the audiobook version is excellent.

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Great ideas but lacks emotional core

Total
4 out of 5 stars
Ejecución
4 out of 5 stars
Historia
4 out of 5 stars

Revisado: 05-07-23

I totally get why people love it and give it 5*, really. It has amazing ideas and themes. But to me, it felt more like a set-up for sequels (that as far as reviews claim are excellent). I had a good time with it BUT I wasn't really emotionally engaged. I've finished it more out of intellectual curiosity than anything else.

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Pretty good

Total
3 out of 5 stars
Ejecución
5 out of 5 stars
Historia
3 out of 5 stars

Revisado: 05-07-23

“The Bone White” is a slow-burn horror set in a small city with dark secrets. It takes its time to get where it’s going and doesn’t really have a solid impact. That said, the narrator of the audiobook is doing an excellent job at creating the suspense and building the bone-chilling atmosphere. So… I didn’t exactly dislike it, but I’m not impressed, either.

Is it worth your time? That depends. If you’re looking for a slow-burn horror with good character work and an eerie, remote setting, try it.

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