Paul Cook

A Good Story Marred by an Irritating Character

Revisado: 08-18-19

I have been a long-time reader of Susanna Kearsley's work and so I chose this book expecting more of her usual magic. I wasn't disappointed. The story was quite engaging, and its Welsh setting added to the sense of mystery and exoticism. The narrative at times wandered between factual British history and Arthurian legend, which I found a bit uneven, seeing as how the two elements had no connection. The main character's grief and sense of loss over her stillborn son was heartrendingly poignant, and the continuing sense of mystery around the 'dragon' was satisfying.
My one quibble was the character of Bridget, who got on my nerves from the beginning to the very end. She just wasn't realistic - we were constantly told how beautiful she was, how talented a writer she was, how successful she was, how she captivated every man within a hundred-mile radius, how she could eat enormous amounts of food, never exercise, and still boasted a perfect figure. That she was also self-centred, spoilt, and selfish didn't endear her to me and I felt the book would have been better off if she'd been a bit less perfect - in other words, more like a real person instead of a seductive paragon of career success with a love life to rival Marilyn Monroe. I think successful women's fiction requires female characters with whom readers can identify, and Bridget didn't fulfill this role for me. In fact, I found she distracted my attention from the story, which was a shame. Also, the narration made Bridget sound like the Coronation Street character Claudia Colby!

A good story and a decent listen which would have been better if Bridget hadn't made it to the final edit.

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K.C. Kelly Cured My Writer's Block!

Revisado: 04-11-17

What made the experience of listening to The Winter Dark the most enjoyable?

K.C. Kelly's narration - it literally dissolved a terrible case of writer's block I'd been fighting for the past year or more. (I'm the author of this title, by the way.) Something about hearing Mr. Kelly's incredible talent voicing my characters sparked my creativity - a part of me I'd assumed was gone for good. I'm writing, and I'm excited about it - no, *possessed* by it is probably more accurate. The kind of excitement that feels like you're carrying a hollow glass ball around inside your chest...the kind of excitement that can't *wait* to get back to the page.... Something about hearing Mr. Kelly's voice really inspired me to think about these characters again. As soon as I did, this new story began unrolling inside my head, almost like a movie. I find I'm racing to try to keep up with it, to get everything down and not miss anything. I had been so burned out for so long, I thought I'd never write again. I'm glad I was wrong.

K.C. Kelly, thank you a thousand times over for your brilliant narration of my book. You've inspired this author to write again.

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Dark Shadows with a different name

Revisado: 04-14-12

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This is one of THE best books I have ever read. Apparently it was intended as Dark Shadows fiction, and believe me, even with different names, it is. If you love Willie Loomis as much as I do, READ THIS BOOK. If you love his seafaring companion Jason McGuire, READ THIS BOOK. A wonderfully-told, beautifully performed story that stands alone but, when considered as part of the Dark Shadows canon, fills in some gaps in what is an astonishing life. This book resonated with me for months after I finished it - so much so that I had to read it again.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Hawkes Harbor?

Without spoiling it for others, the scene on the road after Christmas tore my heart out.

What about Dick Hill’s performance did you like?

He is so able to convey emotion with his voice and can 'read' different parts in character. Beautifully done.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I sobbed my heart out at the end - for Grenville (Barnabas) and for Jamie (Willie.)

Any additional comments?

I wish there were more books like this - perhaps Hinton could be persuaded to write another, from a different character's point of view?

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Dreadful - Don't Waste Your Money or Your Time

Revisado: 01-09-12

Would you try another book from Steven Gurgevich and/or Steven Gurgevich?

No.

What could Steven Gurgevich have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Focused more on teaching self-hynosis techniques and/or helping the listener to induce a hypnotic trance.

What didn’t you like about Steven Gurgevich’s performance?

The book, which I had hoped would guide me into self-hypnosis, was merely a long-winded lecture on psychological concepts I already knew.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

His coverage of psychological topics would work well as an online class or podcast.

Any additional comments?

Don't waste your money or a credit.

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