Mark J Mickey

So much better than I was expecting!

Revisado: 03-04-25

So, I'm not entirely sure just what I was expecting from such a book. I guess I was thinking that, with a title such as Super Volcanoes, I was expecting a lot of talk about the few volcanoes identified, at current time, as super volcanoes. What I wasn't expecting was a story-line that would lead the reader throughout the annals of time from before the earth was formed to the current time when we have become aware of extraterrestrial super volcanoes, documented by some of mankind's most advanced scientific technology. The narrator, having either a NZ or Australian accent (please forgive me for not being able to distinguish the difference) was pleasant to listen to and very engaging due to his enthusiasm of the subject matter. He leads the reader on a dramatic journey through some of the most impressive volcanic eruptions in history. He recounts what some of the witnesses of these events must have been thinking and experiencing at the time. The author is so very good at telling these tales. It is an opportunity for the reader to learn much more than he/she ever expected while, at the same time, being entertained along the way. All in all, an excellent read that I am so glad to have selected.

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Weird, Unsettling, Excellent!

Revisado: 03-04-25

Well, I'm not sure what I expected from this book, but it was definitely NOT what I got! It's such a blend of weird settings and characters. Just when I thought I was beginning to understand what was happening, another complication was thrown into the mix. This kept the reader in a constant state of uncertainty, which I really enjoy in a good story. From the setting, I believe it was mostly set in Munich, Germany and other surrounding parts of that country, (yet I believe almost all of the narrators had British accents), to the psychological twists of many of the characters, to the tension between the protagonist (a woman detective) and everyone who she dealt with throughout the book, it was, at times frustrating and at other times fascinating, but at all times entertaining and intriguing. I chose this book from my library because it was a rather short read and I felt that was what I could handle at the time, but it was really a great choice. It has a bit of a slow start - may the first 15 minutes, but push on and I don't think you'll be disappointed. I particularly enjoyed the devious plot twists and the last 25 or 30 minutes was spectacular. Also, the introduction of cutting edge audio technology left me questioning if I can ever be sure who I am really speaking with when I receive a phone call.

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Great narration. So-so story.

Revisado: 03-04-25

First, the narration of this book is really excellent. There are many parts to be played in this story and the few narrators handled all of the characters in a believable and convincing way. They kept the story moving. I don't want to bash the story. It's actually a very good concept. But it drags a lot. Maybe I should have chosen the abridged version of this one. I might have been able to give it five stars. But, as it is, I just can't do that. I know that it is a difficult tale which blurs the lines between right and wrong, crime and punishment, justice and injustice. And the story-line is a good one to address these issues. It just left me feeling only partially resolved at the end of the reading. This was my first Jodi Picoult book. I'll have to give her another try. Overall, I don't think the listener will be disappointed, but I also don't think it will make too many favorites lists either.

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A true classic for readers who don't read classics

Revisado: 01-30-25

This book grabbed my attention from the first page and never let go! But, all the while I was listening, I kept feeling as though I was listening to the story of an old friend. Suddenly, about 2/3 of the way through, it came to me. And it was as though a light bulb went on. The story is a modern day tale of poverty, addiction, romance, love, crime, and punishment. The very first thing that had me scratching my head was the title of the book. Demon Copperhead! What a strange title. But then, the first person story teller explained his moniker in the very first chapter, so I never made the connection. But then, throughout the story, there were names that sounded familiar, yet not quite right. And the initial friendships that were made during the foster years... Demon was not befriended immediately, but soon formed a strong bond with an older, very favored foster son who he looked up to for so long before he was finally able to see the fatal flaw in his character, but not before the damage was done. Even the character names paralleled those of the original classic. As I said, it suddenly struck me that Barbara Kingsolver was the author of a modern re-write of the Charles Dickens classic, David Copperfield! Once I made the connection, I read some of the other reviews and found that there were others who also saw these parallels, but I didn't see it written up in the publisher's notes on the book. And the author's development of modern-day characters that so closely paralleled those in the original Dickens tale was masterful. You know, when you read about the problems of people in an age gone by, we tend to think that we are beyond all that in our day and age. But Kingsolver interposed our very real modern day problems of abject poverty, the opioid epidemic, our broken foster care system, and so many other social and economic maladies to show how some things never change when we look under the hood. All in all, it was an incredible tale whether set in 19th century England or 20th century Appalachia. Don't let this one pass you by! Oh, and the narrator? Absolutely perfect!

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Excellent performance of an Excellent collection!

Revisado: 08-04-24

L. Frank Baum was a true master of story telling and these tales are just so good that they capture the imaginations of children and adults alike. My real praise goes to Charles Hubbell however. His reading of these stories is remarkable. There are literally countless characters making appearances throughout these tales, yet he manages a different voice for each and every one of them, never forgetting which (witch???) character he is portraying at any particular point in time. He never ceased to amaze me. My compliments Mr. Hubbell!

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Maybe another new favorite author

Revisado: 06-17-24

This is my first listen to a book by this author, Michael C. Grumley. I must say, I really enjoyed the story line. I found it to be very entertaining, if a bit predictable. I will admit, the truth behind what the underwater anomaly turned out to be was not what I expected. I am now reading the sequel to this book, called "Leap", and so far, it seems to be just as entertaining. The reason I chose these books, besides the fact that the story lines sounded interesting, was the fact that Scott Brick was the narrator. I am a huge fan of books by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child and most of their books were either narrated by Rene Auberjonois or Scott Brick and I have enjoyed almost all of them. I would certainly recommend this book by Michael C. Grumley.

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Best Ray Bradbury book I've ever listened to!

Revisado: 06-06-24

This was, without a doubt, the best Ray Bradbury book I've ever listened to! This should be made into a new annual movie to be played every single Halloween, just like The Christmas Story and The Wizard of Oz. And I never knew that Ray Bradbury was such a poet at heart! Much of this book is written in absolute poetry, while much of it is written in prose. It's spooky enough to really appeal to those who enjoy such stories as Nightmare Before Christmas. It also reminded me a little of It, by Stephen King. Last thing I will say is that the narrator was really exceptional. There is just nothing not to like about this one.

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esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Giving glory to hackers who destroyed many lives

Revisado: 05-23-24

Although I did find the original write-up intriguing (I had never heard the news of it when it was happening), the more I listened, the more certain I was that this book was just giving glory to self-hating hackers that destroyed so many peoples' lives. I am someone who believes that sometimes, an extra-marital one-night-stand or even an affair can be a much needed pressure release valve for a couple going through a rough patch. And, if you are afraid of whether or not you might find your spouse's name on the list, don't look! Because you probably will. If you feel that you have to look, you already know that there's a possibility of finding it. If there's no trouble in the garden of eden, then there's no reason to doubt. If you have enough reason to doubt, then you should not get upset if you find your spouse's name on the list, but instead, you should be working on whatever it is that gives you reason to question in the first place.

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Victor or Victim? Factors comparing countries

Revisado: 05-23-24

At first I wasn't sure if this book would provide any real insight, since the author, in the prologue, explains that his selection of the countries that he compares in his analysis are selected mainly because he was personally familiar with each of these countries. But I must confess, the countries he chose for analysis did seem to be ideally suited for such a comparison. In the end, I did have to revise my original misgivings and recognize that his choices were valid and his comparisons were insightful. All in all, a good listen and very educational.

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Another tell-all about mind control research

Revisado: 05-23-24

I have, by now, read many of these books about the many experiments in mind control by many different nations of the world. This is not much different from the many others I have listened to, but it does answer the question of where the name "The Manchurian Candidate" came from. Far less dramatic than the movie starring Meryl Streep and Denzel Washington, but actually far more frightening, since this book is the facts behind the fiction. Give it a listen. I don't think you'll be disappointed. I know that I wasn't!

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