EM Goodkind

Adventure, Science, Advocacy

Revisado: 09-08-19

There is a lot of excitement in the detail of early explorers who somehow transitioned over the past 125 years into meticulous scientists who for the most part retained a sense of adventure in a well drawn and exotic landscape that few people, certainly I, know little about. Weaved throughout is a portrait of climate change and how Greenland (and Antarctica) play a key role in our knowledge and potentially solutions. World forces, including the quest for minerals, game and nuclear safety, are shown as drivers of exploration. The first part of the book describing early exploration is the most adventurous, but by the second part we are ready to learn the rest of the story. This is a great book for people who live to learn adventure in a context that goes beyond the old saw, "we go because it's there." One quibble: as an audiobook, I would have really liked to have had a few PDFs showing the routes of explorers and the sites of settlements and stations.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 9 personas

Yes, this is a challenging read, but way worth it!

Revisado: 03-20-16

Yes, what many others have said is true. It does take some effort to keep the list of characters with similar names straight. But the characters are far less than the whole of this quirky, family saga, and I finished the book not even sure that it was necessary to identify names with characters in a literal sense. The author often writes in starkly realistic detail, which can wickedly deceive the reader into thinking that this is a starkly realistic novel at least externally. Just what is reality? I have a more flexible view after finishing this book. John Lee's narration is superb. I strongly recommend this book and suggest that the attached PDF is invaluable but not sufficient. As others have recommended, it is useful to grab some tools for this listen -- summaries such as Sparknotes, a printed copy of the book, Wikipedia references...

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Greater than the sum of its parts

Revisado: 02-28-16

I hesitated to take away a star from the story and performance because this novel is far greater than the sum of its parts. I really hope it gets wide readership. There are probably too many characters, often with similar voices, and a lot of military lore to keep straight. Sgt. Chambers comes off as a cliche -- until he no longer does. But Gallagher has helped me put into perspective the complex code of honor and the cross cultural conflicts from my own military past many years ago -- even though the Iraq war certainly produced a unique cocktail of circumstances that Gallagher nails.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 2 personas

Really gritty Western, mythic yet modern

Revisado: 02-11-16

While the story may have succumbed to the first novel author's tendency to overplot a bit, it was really easy to stick with Rodeo as he navigated his messy world, courageously but imperfectly. I'm hoping for another book in the series, or at least another McKenzie book that navigates the Southwest. This isn't your grandfather's Tony Hillerman, despite the eponymous prize the author won for this book. It was almost as if the author thought, "what would Tony Hillman do here," and then pushed the envelope further out. Mark Bramhall did a great job of creating a credible rendition of the distinctive accents of native Americans in rural Arizona, as well as the other diverse accents of the folks in the Southwestern melting pot. But despite anything I've said, this is a murder mystery well worth the time of any mystery fan who doesn't mind grit and violence (including to animals) pushed to the edge.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Great theme, too many characters

Revisado: 11-02-14

By the end of this book, I had a better understanding of the themes that shaped tech innovation -- collaboration, interest in humanities, importance of consumer need over technical skill. By the end of the book I think I came to understand why innovators such as Steve Jobs were so successful, and countless others fell by the wayside. The description of characters and their stories are often fascinating, but the sheer volume of characters became overwhelming for me to consistently keep straight. As others have said, there are better histories of the tech revolution, but few that show why some individuals were successful and other weren't. Dennis Boutsikaris' narration was terrific.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Tongue in cheek with a real life bite

Revisado: 11-02-13

This is an over-he-top spoof with tragic overtones, and Dion Graham's often tongue-in-cheek reading really shines. The action moves quickly and doesn't give you too much time to notice some lapses in logic and realism. But the underlying truths are spot on all the way to the reversal at the end.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 3 personas

Exciting story kept me going despite flaws

Revisado: 04-15-13

I had really mixed fillings. The action is really well written and kept me listening, but there were flaws that at best made me feel that this might have worked better as a comic book. It was hard to believe the young villain could be so functional yet pathologically detached, for one thing. Sure he was angry about the circumstances leading to his first murder, but would a young teen be able to hit the road running like that? Also the efforts at omniscient narration describing the detective's thoughts -- would a sex ad really remind him, a man with no stated art experience, of a pre-raphaelite painting?. The dialogue among the detectives was wooden as the author used that dialogue to provide background about plot pointsthe cops wouldn't have needed to talk about among themselves. Nevertheless, some elements were really creative. The "chick book" style intro was a great tease.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Worth the effort to learn so much

Revisado: 02-07-13

There is no way so many insights and so much knowledge could be gained so pleasurably, but there is no getting around that this very long book requires attention. For anyone who remembers Lincoln as a string of cliches from elementary and high school, this book is a revelation. Lincoln is still a hero, but he's personalized and flawed, grappling with political realities in a challenging time. I listened to this book prior to seeing the new movie, and I'm glad I did, because the two complemented each other nicely. LIncoln is human and the cliches are no longer cliches but intriguing lessons that aren't that different from the intrigues in the daily news today.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Narrator lends authenticity to this rogue cop stor

Revisado: 02-06-13

Despite some strong criticisms, I really like Michael McConnohie's narration. Harry Bosch sounds as if he's from LA, not some indefinable eastern city. Harry's kickbutt style is definitely back, and even his politically incorrect dealings with his daughter are a welcome return. People who enjoy the series will find some fresh stuff to enjoy here.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Kept thinking this was a young adult novel

Revisado: 01-27-13

I wish I had a bright high school kid teetering on the edge of a scientific career to give this book to. Dedication, courage and integrity from scientists, law enforcement and even quality journalism triumph over the evils forces of self-serving public relations, law enforcement and museum management. The book's introduction of forensic DNA was undoubtedly quite fresh at the time Relic was written, but now reads a bit like an historical novel. Still clever and interesting, but most of us have been there, read that. Yet, the doings in the catacombs of the museum, although reminiscent of the approximately contemporaneous Poseidon Adventure, are well paced. David Colacci's great reading, with just a touch of irony during the most melodramatic passages, makes this a fun, if not memorable, listen.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña