T. Nelson

What????

Revisado: 01-13-22

WOW! This is as bad as it gets. It's a shame, because as much as I really despise the prequel trilogy, Dooku was the ONE character that I was actually curious about. I don't understand the approval process for Canon books, but frankly, whoever approved this one should be fired. It's a shame. What a waste of one of the few strong characters from the pre-rebellion era. The early years of Dooku are little more than a super cheap Harry Potter ripoff. I have read a good amount of Star Wars books over the very many years since "Splinter of the Mind's Eye." Granted, some were pretty bad, but so many (now under the "Star Wars Legends" category) were simply exceptional. Take an author like Karen Traviss who successfully breathes life into cookie cutter clones, characters that were essentially invisible with zero backstory except being bred in tubes. It's unfortunate that those stories are not available in audio format. (But I am getting off the mark here). Dooku is a PRIMARY character in the overall scheme, and ultimately, unfortunately is now (in this reader/listener mind) little more than ridiculous.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

It's not "It"

Revisado: 04-28-21

Stephen King undoubtedly remains a strong and overall consistent author. A long time fan, I may sound biased, but I have never been disappointed with his mastery of characterization (always outstanding) and ability to maintain pacing. Sure, some novels are better than others, some are timeless, some forgettable. This one falls more right of center, a solid tale that I would recommend for most. There are a few areas that are cringe worthy, especially where the treatment of children is concerned. The overall idea of harnessing the power of telekinetic (Firestarter) and telepathic (The Dead Zone) may seem overplayed, but this book takes it to a completely different place that is so innovative and interesting. It left me questioning how bad the "bad people" actually were. I don't know how he does it, but he simply does it, and delivers it with such believability into the psyche of those we would consider monsters. Sure, they are horrific people that exploit children, but their beliefs, while questionable make them vulnerable. I Have read enough reviews that this book tries a bit to be "It," but beyond the similarity of a group of kids coming together to defeat something awful, it's not "it." If you are looking for something similar enough to resurrect that power of childhood friendship, you won't find it here. This tale represents an entirely different level of comradery. Personally, I find the comparisons between the two books nebulous at best. That said, this book stands on its own, and it stands well. MY BIGGEST COMPLAINT: KEEP YOUR POLITICS TO YOURSELF. I DON'T CARE WHO YOU VOTED FOR. FICTION REPRESENTS ESCAPISM, A CHANCE TO ESCAPE REALITY. Regarding narrator, Sebastian Fontana, in a couple of words, "simply fabulous." I will certainly pursue other titles that he has voiced.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Not Exactly A Gift

Revisado: 12-21-20

First off, I commend the author, Jerry Merritt, on the overall writing which is strong in craft. Whether or not you enjoy this tale, there is no arguing the man's talent as a writer. I really wanted to like this story so much better. Granted, it did undoubtedly have its strong moments and places where the plot simply streamed along and held my attention. Ultimately, it could have done without the deep mathematical, scientific equations involved in time travel. Too much of it really bogged the story down. Some highly improbable events and decisions made by a government agency investigation into possible UFO incursion and radiation in the first 1/4 of the story almost had me sending this one back. Instead, I persevered and was rewarded with some real feel good moments in the middle sections before coming to a pretty disappointing conclusion. Real sci-fi diehards may beg to differ where my feelings are concerned. The narration really saved this one for me. Christopher Lane was just fantastic in bringing the characters to life. He is exceptionally easy to listen to, and I would venture exploring further stories that he has narrated.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Surprisingly Enjoyable

Revisado: 08-18-20

I really, really enjoyed this book. This is one that had been on my radar (for lack of a better cliche') for a long while. I am a big fan of Laurence Shames, and a nominal fan of Tim Dorsey. I enjoy stories that take place in tropical isles of paradise. This one did not disappoint. I have to admit that it was indeed off to a rough start for me while I tried to connect just a little bit with Drunk. Early on, he is not the most likable character which marks the aforementioned rough start. The language (aka four-letter words) is very abrupt and very present. I am not a prude in that sense by any means - I just prefer not to read (hear) it so abundant in literature at any level. That said, you have been warned (as I was in reading enough reviews prior). By the time Drunk landed and became acquainted with his surroundings on Paradise Island, I was interested. The rest was easy. I won't detail the reasons for a three star review as I will not divulge spoilers. Suffice it to say, this is a fun tale with really outstanding narration by Christopher Boucher. Surprisingly enjoyable, I downloaded the next installment immediately upon finishing this one.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Not as Great as I had Remembered

Revisado: 07-23-20

Make no mistake, this is a top notch well written tale that really delves into the history of vampires and takes it to an all new, original place unexplored by other authors. This is a deep, rich story that crosses a number of genres from horror to espionage to coming of age. I read this originally in the mid to late 1990's and was completely entranced. In 2020, upon finishing this audio edition, I thought that it dragged considerably. Maybe it's possible that opinions differ with age, or maybe something was lost in the audio translation versus the written page. I have nothing but 5 star kudos for James Langton who voiced this one. He is absolutely a master narrator that moves this tale along to its exciting conclusion. Brian Lumley has forged the beginning of a series that is revered by so many. This remains a worthwhile read (listen), but in this more modern age of rapid action over characters, it takes a little patience. The reward at the end however is so worth the wait.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

You Can't Judge a Book by its Description

Revisado: 07-07-20

The positive stuff first. Gretchen Berg is a fine writer with a strong dedication to character development. and setting. I clearly felt each character as someone I knew as the events in this story unfolded. It's a cute tale; she has captured the feel of small town Ohio (small town anywhere for those of us from big cities) in the 1950's. I give the author four stars alone for setting and characterization. Sadly, I wanted more from the story. Based on the description, I had been expecting something more madcap and out of control hilarious. What I got in return was something whimsical enough to crack a smile here or there but not much more. Ultimately, the experience was something akin to seeing a movie trailer that reveals the most memorable moments, but leaves the remainder a little dry. Kudos to the folks who write the abbreviated book descriptions, however. The teasers are (were) enough for me to give this one a chance. The end result while less than I had envisioned was not a complete disappointment by any means. Unfortunately, I simply wanted more.,

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

I Gave it a Second Shot

Revisado: 06-08-19

There are very few Stephen King titles that I truly dislike. Unfortunately, this is one of them, I read this book originally in the year of its release. I remember being excited about it because I had thoroughly enjoyed The Tommyknockers, a book that I always thought of as King's first foray into quasi-sci-fi (with enough horror to keep it King). I was looking forward to Dreamcatcher with the hope that lightning might strike twice or at the very least that the book would succeed on the same level for me. It didn't. Years later, I am here on Audible rereading the synopsis and listening to the sample narration. Jeffrey DeMunn was great. The story however was not, and still does not hold up for me as much as I had wanted that to happen. What can I say? I rolled the dice and gave it a second shot, this time with maturity on my side and an unbiased open mind. It's just not a great story. I won;t go into the reasons why as this only my humble opinion as one person, one reader, one listener. I was as thoroughly (if not more so) disappointed this time around as I was on the first. King is a solid writer and forever my favorite. He has penned far better stories both before and after this one.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 2 personas

Not the Strongest Series Debut

Revisado: 12-04-18

Having read so many stellar reviews of this and other Longmire titles, I was excited to explore this author and the first outing into Walt Longmire of Absaroka County. I liked the idea of a sheriff and the Wyoming setting. Sadly, this tale just did not work for me. It just seemed to drag on for far too long. Too many times, I would review the time elapsed to see how much was left. Not a good sign. I did enjoy some of the characters and their interpersonal relationships. Craig Johnson definitely has a flair for the occasional use of comic relief, undoubtedly. George Guidall delivers a fine performance, though I did experience the occasional bout of confusion when he was voicing Vick vs. Ruby. I may consider giving this series another go sometime in the future as the writing is definitely solid. Overall, I just feel that this would have worked better as a short story rather than a full-fledged novel.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Mere Moments

Revisado: 12-09-17

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

A better story line that brought the reader so much closer to The Force Awakens. That said, I am a complete fan of the author's writing style. She gives life to characters known and new with enough finesse to make them believable and likable (even those the reader may choose not to like). Sadly, Disney seems to have such a choke hold on author's contributing to what is now considered "Canon" that good stories are hard to come by. We do enjoy a decent glimpse into the political climate of the pre Force Awakens Universe and the birth of the "Resistance." I won't issue any spoilers here, suffice it to say that the great "Reveal" where Leia is concerned is worth the read alone.

What was most disappointing about Claudia Gray’s story?

Simply, too much plodding political dialogue that muddies the waters and makes for a slow journey to the climax. The story was entertaining enough to stick with it, but filled with little more than mere moments of true excitement. Ultimately, it's better than anything the Aftermath trilogy had to offer.

What about January LaVoy’s performance did you like?

In my experience, I think it's easier for males to voice the female characters. It's tough listening to a woman try to voice Han Solo (or most male characters), but once you're into the tale, she succeeds just fine. I would certainly listen to another audiobook performed by her anytime.

Any additional comments?

While disappointed with this story overall, I am excited to check out "Lost Stars."

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña