Caleb

A decent first outing

Revisado: 08-09-22

There are obvious shortcomings, given the length and debut nature of 'Breach of Peace', mainly in world building, but I was honestly invested by the end, and wanted to know more. Hopefully as the series progresses (and Daniel grows as a writer) the shortcomings will fade away, and we'll get to know more about the world and it's people.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Good in places, thin in others, OK overall

Revisado: 07-14-19

The Mountain Man series is decent overall, but it suffers from a lot of repetition. Characters venture out, encounter the undead, hide until the zombies leave, venture out and repeat. There is certainly a lot of zombie killing, but it becomes so routine that it stops being interesting.

There are parts that a certainly more compelling, which saves the series from being a waste. Gus, Scott, and some of the other characters are actually quite interesting and likeable. I would have liked to see them grow more, and learn more about their backgrounds and experiences. Some bits of information do come out as the story progresses, but they are scattered through an unchanging, and ultimately boring slog of undead skull bashing. .

RC Bray's narration is excellent, and really works with the story.

In the end, it's not terrible, and in a lot of ways is quite good. I don't think a person will go wrong picking up the Mountain Man omnibus, and it's clear from the other reviews and recommendations that a lot of people love it. It just didn't work for me.

I would recommend picking up the free Mountain Man short story, The Hospital. I actually enjoyed it quite a bit, and it is a decent intro for Gus, the world, and RC Bray's narration.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Squandared Potential

Revisado: 06-12-19

I found 'Bird Box' to be an underwhelming story, which surprised me given the number of recommendations it gets. The non-linear narrative is well executed, and does a fine job of keeping the listener engaged, however, the story itself falls flat. Malerman's reliance on incomprehensible "things" that drive those who see them violently mad requires a use of atmosphere to properly convey mystery and terror (think Lovecraft's 'At The Mountains of Madness') that never really works. There's a difference between mysterious and the author just skimping on information, and I feel 'Bird Box' suffers from the latter. There are a lot of good concepts here, that ultimately fail to live up to their potential. The titular bird box is a good example: not only is it the title, it is set up as being crucial to the protagonist's survival, but after being introduced is reduced to a forgettable footnote that really has no bearing on anything.

Obviously, some people enjoy the book immensely, so your mileage may vary, but I wouldn't recommend it.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

When Scarecrows Attack!

Revisado: 12-13-18

This is the third and final installment of the Tatterdemon Trilogy, and the best of the three. It is also the longest by far. While the first two books established the characters and setting, Book 3 is the payoff, and I think that's why I enjoyed it more than the others. None of the characters are likeable in any way, and all the gore and shock material was a bit unpleasant. But while Book 3 still had those elements, its focus was on the scarecrow monsters finally tearing up the town. I enjoy a good, straightforward monster rampage much more than midget eating fat ladies, hoodoo rituals, and rapist mailmen.


Rick Gregory does a good job with the narration. I've listened to a number of works he's narrated and find him to be remarkably consistent.


I do think if you choose to listen to the Tatterdemon Trilogy, you should grab the omnibus. While there are three parts, they are really just one story, and it makes more sense to just grab the whole thing together.



I received a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Clint Eastwood meets Batman

Revisado: 12-13-18

This was an interesting set of stories from Dean F. Wilson. Set on the lawless frontier desert of a war torn land, the Coilhunter Chronicles blends the gadget-filled vigilantism of Batman with the Wild West, killer with a heart of Clint Eastwood in ‘The Outlaw Josey Wales’.

This Omnibus contains 'Coilhunter’, 'Rustkiller’, and ‘Dustrunner’. Each story is about 4-½ hours.

‘Coilhunter’ introduces the titular character and gives you his backstory. Of the three, I think this was my least favorite. The action scenes could be more than a little goofy at times, as well as feeling a bit think on detail, and the plot strayed into being a bit hamfisted at times. It was a bad story, just rough in places.

'Rustkiller’ was my favorite of the three. You can definitely see how the plot, characters, and world building improved over 'Coilhunter’. The action was more polished, and the villains more compelling.

‘Dustrunner’ was in-between for me. While more developed than 'Coilhunter’, the story itself was less compelling than ‘Rustkiller’. Part of this I think stems from the nature of the story, with it's 'Fugitive'-esque “man racing to prove his innocence while struggling to stay one step ahead of the law” story.

Overall, aside from a few missteps here and there (especially early on), I enjoyed the Coilhunter Chronicles. While Nox (the Coilhunter) can be a little melodramaticly earnest at times, Wilson manages to keep him on track, and creates an interesting genre fusion, with compelling characters, a promising world, and non-stop action. R.C. Bray does a fantastic job narrating (as usual), and really helps bring the world to life, especially the grizzled Nox.

I look forward to seeing more of the Coilhunter in the future, especially if we get to learn more about the war to the South and the Iron Empire.


I received a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

My Favorite Steve Vernon Book (So Far)

Revisado: 11-01-18

I really enjoyed this set of sea related short stories. While the "Stories to SERIOUSLY Creep You Out" is a bit misleading, the stories were compelling and imaginative. While some are more horror oriented than others, all of the stories have an edge of darkness and tragedy to them. Compared to the other Steve Vernon works I've read, this one was very subdued and more thoughtful, which I found worked really well.

Stephen Richard Planalp does a fantastic job narrating and really helped bring the characters to life. The only issue I found was that the audio quality itself isn't very good, but aside from that the content and quality of narration are solid.

I received a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

More over the top than the first book

Revisado: 11-01-18

'Resurrection', Book 2 of Steve Vernon's Tatterdemon Trilogy picks up where Book 1 ended and proceeds to be even more shocking and over the top ever. Rick Gregory continues to deliver a solid performance, even though the dialogue is still lacking and the metaphors are as thick as flies on a zombie circus clown covered in cotton candy. If you enjoyed Book 1, then you'll enjoy the continuing story. I just don't recommend listening while you eat.

I received a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

A well narrated classic

Revisado: 11-01-18

Love it or hate it, but the Communist Manifesto is an influential work that continues to resonate in the modern world and should be read if for know other reason than to better understand the ideas and motives behind a socio-political movement that has played a huge role in shaping the 20th century. This edition is well produced, and Jakob Stone does a fine job narrating. He speaks clearly and pleasantly at an easy to follow pace. Audiobooks like this make college reading so much easier.


I received a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Grindhouse Horror

Revisado: 11-01-18

I'll start by saying this isn't my favorite Steve Vernon work (that would be 'Sea Tales'). It is very reminiscent of the old-school 70's exploitation horror films, full of over the top violence, gore, and other in your face gross out material. There is certainly some delightfully black humor to it all. Rick Gregory does a descent job narrating, although the dialogue portions were lacking. My only real complaint is the sheer number of metaphors people use over and over again. Once you notice it, it can be a little annoying. Aside from that, if you enjoy over the top horror that delights in the shocking, this is the book for you.

I received a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Old School Sword & Socery

Revisado: 10-27-18

I enjoyed listening to this audiobook, part one of a larger serialized story. It was very reminiscent of old school sword and sorcery stories (like Conan), which I liked. Some of the characters where a bit wooden and hard to connect with, but are fleshed out enough to still be interesting. Given that it harkens back to stories like Conan and Krull, expect some tropes and cliches. Obviously this is only a portion of a larger story, so there is a lot to be explained, but as a starting point it is solid.

Jason Sprenger has a good voice for this kind of story, and he does a good job narrating and giving most of the characters distinct voices. There is some music and sound effects that both add and detract from the story. At some points it works, but at others (such as a weird audio distortion during the first battle) are a bit off putting.

Overall a good start to an interesting story. Just be aware that it is only the first part of a larger story.

I received a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña