Bradley W.

95% fight scenes, no story

Revisado: 08-18-23

Nope. I listened to this first very short book that includes the second book in the series, but I had to stop before finishing the first bonus short story. I never made it to book two. There is no story here. It’s 95% fight scenes with characters that are kind of funny at times but otherwise one-dimensional. And really, they just fight. Nothing else. So if you like nearly non-stop monster combat that has no real purpose, this is for you. There were possibly a couple good ideas to borrow for a D&D game, like the shadow magic, for example. But otherwise no. The narrator was good and possibly the only reason I kept listening. He was a little slow though, so I had to listen on 1.25 speed.

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Fantastic

Revisado: 06-01-23

As others have said, I wish I had found this book a long time ago. Someone told me probably a decade or more ago that I was an HSP. I didn’t know what that was, but the name sounded right. Still, even then it didn’t sound like a good thing, thanks to a lifetime of cultural conditioning, and because that person never really explained it. So, I never looked into it until seeing this book pop up on Audible, I’m so glad I gave it a listen. It’s a huge eye-opener and the best, by far most relevant to me, “self-improvement” book I’ve ever read. I was constantly nodding and and saying, yep, that’s me. It’s such a revelation to finally see all these traits that have felt so negative and unwanted, so broken, like there was something wrong with me to finally be validated and turned right side up to be seen in a positive light. I will be listening again and buying the hard copy. Thank you, Elaine N. Aron!

Also, the audiobook is very well narrated by Barbara Caruso. It is heartfelt and passionate and feels like she is really talking to you.

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Inspiring in a completely unexpected way

Revisado: 05-17-20

In the description of this book on Audible, it claims to offer a way forward for those of us who feel stuck. It says it will show you “how to persevere in a world where chaos will always prevail.” In my search for books that could inspire me and keep me motivated, in spite of how hell-bent the world seems to be on keeping me in the status quo, this book appeared to promise what I needed.

I was essentially finished listening to it, when I believed it had not come through on that promise. It went to entirely different places that I had not even remotely anticipated. Even so, I really enjoyed the book. I loved that, in spite of what seemed to me (very much not a scientist) a ridiculous title, the author proved it true, which I found very enlightening. And then, in the epilogue, everything came together. The message of hope was there, loud and clear, the reasons to trudge on against seemingly insurmountable odds was revealed. A more astute reader may have picked up on it sooner, but for me it took Lulu Miller explaining it to me. And I’m glad she did.

Along with this message is an invitation to those who have closed their minds and stubbornly hold to false beliefs that either hurt them or hurt society. Open your mind and question everything. Because ultimately, it’s true, fish do not exist. Your confident beliefs are wrong. And that is actually freeing. Who’d have thought that not confidence, but doubt is the way forward?

On a side note, I do recommend the audiobook, if for nothing else but the added little bonus at the end for listeners only. It made me smile. Shish, indeed.

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esto le resultó útil a 36 personas

Excellently performed tales of a charmed life

Revisado: 03-12-17

What made the experience of listening to Life Without a Net the most enjoyable?

James Oliva's narration was top notch, and made what were somewhat vanilla, very PG stories more enjoyable. The added vocal production effects were a nice touch, not sound effects, but things like reverb when someone's on a microphone, or hearing every voice when multiple people are talking at once. At first, I wasn't sure I liked it, but found it added to the experience. James also did a great job of distinguishing the characters without making any of them sound cartoonish. And he performed the characters with accents very well.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

[SPOILER] I prefer stories in which I'm not certain of the outcome and the protagonist is more flawed. In these, we know that our handsome hero will always win the contest, always do the right thing, and save the day. I'm sure there are other people who prefer the safety of knowing there will be a happy ending. If you're one, this is for you.

Another thing that was only slightly confusing, was that some of the stories are in first person and some are in third person, but they all have the same protagonist. Sticking to one or the other would've served it better, I think. But it was a minor thing, and I adjusted with each new story.

Have you listened to any of James Oliva’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, this is my first time listening to James Oliva. I don't see any other titles on Audible by him, but I would be happy to listen to others if they exist.

Who was the most memorable character of Life Without a Net and why?

The hero, Aaron Pierce, is the lead character and the most memorable because he's the central figure.

Any additional comments?

This is a book where men are referred to as "fellows" and going for a drink means having a soda. It's perfectly fine writing, and it contains some adventure and some criminal goings-on, which keep it moving, as well as and some PG romance. All in all, it's a decent book, just not really my thing, and it's made better by the narration.

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Completely enthralling

Revisado: 06-05-16

What a wonderful book. Such an engaging, fantastical story of a remembered childhood. One of the best books I've read in a long time. Very short in comparison to most novels, but really a beautiful escape. If you were an imaginative child (and especially if you still are, no matter your age — after all, as the author says, there really are no adults), this book is for you.

Read expertly by the author. I normally don't think authors should read their own books because they often don't have the voice or verbal storytelling skills to go with their writing skills. Neil Gaiman has them in spades. He's a very engaging reader with a wonderful voice. He really draws you in.

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Fun stories, but few great performances

Revisado: 09-25-14

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I would hire Wil Wheaton to read all of the stories, or Dan Harmon. Wil read better than any of them and did the characters very well. Dan was also very good, and the story he read is probably my favorite. Sean Astin probably takes third place. Most of the rest were just okay. Their character voices were nothing special and their reads were passable. On the lower end, David Duchovny sounded half asleep and bored. Then there's Greg Grunberg who seemed to be trying way too hard. His read was over-the-top with annoying cartoonish voices. It may work for anime, but not for an audiobook. Plus, he gives a 14 year old boy the voice of a 60 year old. It's very strange. I was sure that was the hardest one to get through, until I got to Ice T. That was a truly painful listen. He was unbearably slow. I had to speed him up by 1.5x just to make it normal. And as others have mentioned, he pronounced the "w" in sword, and in his story, a sword is one of the main characters, so it is said a lot. It's difficult to get through.

If one talented reader couldn't be hired for the whole thing, I would have a more attentive producer to correct the mispronunciations and help with the pace/performance.

If you’ve listened to books by R. A. Salvatore before, how does this one compare?

I have not, but I am interested in hearing others if the reader is good.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

As mentioned above, a couple readers were very hard to listen to, so it was difficult to enjoy the story. The others were okay, but in general could have better performances all around. A couple readers mispronounced "mischievous." That type of thing always takes me out of the story. The other detractions I already mentioned.

Could you see Free: The Legend of Drizzt: The Collected Stories being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Sure, I would watch it. I'm not sure about actors. Drizzt would be hard to cast, I think.

Any additional comments?

Despite my criticisms, I did really enjoy this book overall. But I have a soft spot for fantasy and D&D related stories. The caliber of the writing is not in the realm of George R.R. Martin or other masters, but it's still a fun read. I also like how Salvatore tackles some greater socio-political issues in his stories without getting preachy. I am interested in reading/hearing more of Salvatore, as long as the reader is good.

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