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Another Exciting Event Group Thriller

Revisado: 02-08-19

The Event Group is always an exciting read. Golemon is one of the best in the business. Action, intrigue, mystery, and adventure! Solid narration by Jeffrey Kafer! Recommended for action-adventure fans.

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An All-Time Favorite!

Revisado: 12-11-18

I grew up on children's mystery series: The Three Investigators, Nancy Drew, and The Hardy Boys to name a few, but The Happy Hollisters is my favorite! I've been re-reading them as they've been released in ebook, and love the memories the books bring back.

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An Engrossing Mystery

Revisado: 08-12-18

I picked up this book on a whim. It's not my usual fare, but I enjoy the occasional mystery novel, I like history, and I love British mystery shows like Foyle's War, Hinterland, and Broadchurch, so I thought I'd give it a go. I was not disappointed.

When two old school friends reunite in post-World War I England, their investigation into a young woman's disappearance leads to murder. Their search uncovers a variety of secrets, some dating back to the war years.

The pacing is slow and steady, but seemed about right for this type of story. The characters are interesting and the mystery intriguing with just enough twists and surprises to keep the pages turning. Like any good mystery, there were several times I was fairly certain I knew who the killer was (and I was wrong every time.) When I neared the end of the book, I was particularly proud of having figured out that one particular person was no good, but then it turned out that I'd only figured out a tiny fraction of the real story. The conclusion wrapped everything up in a satisfying way that didn't leave any loose threads.

I particularly enjoyed the dialogue. The characters' vocabularies, idioms, and manners of speaking were appropriate to the time, place, and their respective social classes. In one of my favorite lines, one of the characters bemoans her friend's cooking skills, thinking that, "What had been done to the sausage was a bigger shame than the fate of the pigs that had provided it." I could almost see the Dowager Countess from Downton Abbey making such an observation.

The narration by Barbara Rosenblat is solid and her performance added to my enjoyment of the story.

Murder in an English Village is an engrossing tale certain to please cozy mystery fans.

This is the first book in the Beryl and Edwina Mysteries series, with the second book, Murder Flies the Coop, coming out next month.

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Interesting Analysis of Adaptation and Branding

Revisado: 06-29-18

Screening Stephen King is an analysis of Stephen King's works with an eye toward how they have been adapted for the screen. As a fan of Stephen King and an author who is curious about how novels and short stories are adapted for other forms of media, when this book showed up on AudiobookBoom I decided to give it a shot.

The author's approach is academic in nature, and very analytical. I didn't care for the first two chapters. They read like a grad student's report, and there were moments I felt the author had broken out the thesaurus a few too many times. A couple chapters in, though, the writing smoothed out. I woudln't go so far as to call the style engaging, but it was accessible and didn't detract from my enjoyment of the subject matter. The narrator does a solid job with what he is given, but there is only so much life that can be breathed into a book written in this particular style.

The parts I found most interesting regarded the subject of branding. Whether or not to present a particular adaptation as horror or another genre. At what point did Stephen King himself become a "brand" and in which instances was a particular film promoted more as a Stephen King project and not promoted on the merits of the story?

This book isn't for everyone. Even a Stephen King enthusiast will need to have an interest in the business side of the industry to really enjoy the book. I think the ideal reader/listener is a Stephen King fan who is interested in screenwriting, the process of adapting longer works to the screen, and marketing.

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Like a Ballpark Hot Dog

Revisado: 04-01-18

This collection of amusing anecdotes is like a ballpark hot dog: an acquired taste, not a lot of substance to it and it's gone quickly, but a baseball fan will enjoy it while it lasts. I'm not sure it was worth a member credit, but if you're a baseball fanatic, you might want to check it out.

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A "By the Numbers" Yet Entertaining YA Novel

Revisado: 04-01-18

I finally got around to reading (listening to the audio book version of) Ready Player One. I wasn't expecting much, but wanted to see what all the hype was about. It turned out to be a fun read.

In a future world where society is in decline, people spend most of their time in the OASIS, a virtual reality world that offers endless entertainment and educational opportunities. There are strong elements of RPG and heavy doses of geek culture and 1980s nostalgia. Imagine Sheldon Cooper created a version of Caprica's "V-World" and you won't be far off the mark. The creator of the OASIS left a scavenger hunt embedded within his massive virtual universe. Upon his death, the first to complete the hunt will inherit massive wealth and gain control of the OASIS.

The book proceeds in typical YA fashion: underprivileged, outcast youth living in a dystopian future escapes into the OASIS. Eventually, with the help of a diverse cast of characters, he finds himself on the hunt for the prize, facing off against dangers within the OASIS and without, driven by the big, bad corporate entity that threatens to claim the virtual world and focus on maximizing revenue, thus squeezing out people like Wade (or Parcival, as he is known in the OASIS.) The plot plays out much like you would expect if you read a lot of YA literature in this subgenre.

The story is rife with nerd/geek and 1980s pop culture references: video games, board games, television, movies, music... I'm not much of a gamer, and there are many aspects of geek culture that don't interest me, but I still enjoyed the many references, and the allusions to things that aren't in my nerd wheelhouse didn't leave me feeling disconnected. In some sections, particularly in one early chapter, the story bogs down as Cline engages in some massive info-dumps. I can understand why some people gave up on the book at this stage (it's really that bad in a couple places) but I stuck with it and I'm glad I did.

The story poses a few questions that, as a former teacher, I think would have made for interesting classroom discussion:
-Are virtual-world (online) friendships less "real" because the people haven't met in real life, or are they more real because they are primarily "mental" connections, our judgment unclouded by things like race, sexual orientation, or physical appearance, which tend to color our judgment (no pun intended)?
-Do the negatives of a virtual world outweigh the positives?
-Will the continued development of technology, and our many options for entertainment distract us from caring for the real world or even engaging in it?

There's nothing deep or profound here, and some of the diverse aspects of certain characters are treated as afterthoughts. ("Oh, by the way, now that the story is almost over, I should let you know my actual gender, race, and sexual orientation, and then we'll pretty much forget I mentioned it.") Some critics have accused Cline of writing a wish-fulfillment story. Maybe that's true, but it's a criticism that could be leveled against many, many books. I've read plenty of other criticisms, which you can find via a simple web search if you're so inclined.

Overall, Ready Player One is a "by the numbers," yet entertaining novel. Wil Wheaton's narration of the audio book is solid. This was the first of his narrations I've listened to, and he's very good. I'll definitely give Cline's next book, Armada, a try.

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Okay

Revisado: 04-06-16

The story was OK. I expected more action but it was heavy on characters sitting and talking.I realize it was written more than 40 years ago in readers' tastes in the thriller genre have changed.still, it was interesting to try Crichton's early work.

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Good Story, Poor Production

Revisado: 03-07-15

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

I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys military sci-fi. It's a classic, though some might find it too slow-paced compared to some contemporary works.

How could the performance have been better?

The narrator is competent. Neither adds nor detracts from the story. Weakest point is the lack of variety in character voices.

Any additional comments?

The editing was sloppily done. All the corrections sound like they were recorded in a different space with different equipment, which means there are sentences throughout the book that sound muffled and a bit fuzzy compared to the rest of the book. It doesn't spoil the book, but it's distracting.

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Good Fun!

Revisado: 02-14-14

Would you consider the audio edition of The World Beneath to be better than the print version?

Yes, mostly because I'm a fan of audiobooks and of narrator Jeffrey Kafer.

What does Jeffrey Kafer bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I have no problem visualizing characters when I read, but I my imagination is weak in terms of voices. Kafer's narration adds a layer of realism.

Any additional comments?

I've read Cantrell's collaborative work with James Rollins, but this is the first of her solo efforts I've read. Interesting characters and setting. Overall, a good story.

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Wonderful!

Revisado: 02-14-14

Who was your favorite character and why?

Locke was my favorite character. I loved the occasional one-liners and sarcastic comments he injected into situations. Always natural, never forced.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, but it's a bit too long for that.

Any additional comments?

One of the best fantasy novels I've read in a long time!

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