skinmaan

Excellent continuation

Revisado: 12-28-20

Book 1 of this series is the only 5-star rating I have ever given. While book 2 wasn't quite as awe-inspiring to me as book 1 I would still highly recommend this title - it is an excellent continuation of a very good series. The overall plot flowed very well out of book 1 and continued to build on the unique and enjoyable mythos Maxey has crafted. While you start to see the overall story-arc take focus the book still manages to tell a complete tale from beginning to end. The book did drag a little in the middle (hence the rating step-down) but I was still wanting to know more about this world and these characters.

Jake Urry continues to do a solid job with the narration. My favorite thing about his narration is his ability to present characters in a unique way even better than what I would hear in my head if I was just reading the book. This time it was the golem's voice that stood out as the highlight for me. I wish I got a little more emotional resonance, particularly for a fist person narrative, but I still enjoyed his reading.

Two books in and I still want more. I'm looking forward to the next edition to see where this goes. If you enjoy wildly imaginative fantasy with powerful characters and even more powerful foes this title (and this series) is well worth your time.

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Pulls no punches

Revisado: 12-28-20

I've read a few depictions of the Civil War in the Chattanooga area (both non-fiction and fiction; fun fact: Harry Turtledove's "Sentry Peak" is a retelling in a fantasy setting). I enjoyed this book better than some of the others I'd read as it doesn't pull any punches on either side. There is plenty of criticism to be made and the author isn't afraid to point that out. The book does focus more on the personalities, decisions, and tactics of the various battles. It talks a little about the political climate and ordinary citizens of the time but discussions of those takes a real back seat to the generals.

As the book places so much emphasis on the generals and the details of the battles the audiobook version would have really benefited from a PDF attachment like many other non-fiction titles. Some of the battles would have been easier to follow with a few maps, and photos of the various commanders would have made it easier to keep who's who in mind.

The narration for the title was adequate for a non-fiction book, but as has been pointed out there were some mispronunciations that were a little annoying at times.

If you enjoy military or Civil War history and want a good overview of this battlefront this is a good title read. I would definitely consider another title by this author.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

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The flip-side of the Round Table

Revisado: 06-01-20 El oyente recibió este título gratis

So, if you turn a round table upside-down how different does it look? If I mean literally then not so much, but what if you turn the Arthurian legend on its head? Now things look a little different! (BTW there is no actual round table here, at least not in book 1; just thought I should mention that.)

I loved the way the story played out, incorporating a little piece of the legend here and there until you have a full picture. World-building, even in one that is familiar, is important in fantasy. The story itself is short but well-told. There is a beginning, middle, and end to this tale but obviously leaves much more for the next book. (I absolutely hate it when you have to read 10 books to get a full story - each story should stand on its own while building toward more.)

While I was unfamiliar with the narrator I would highly recommend him. All of the characters stood out with their own voice and the action was stand-out (for a first-person book adding the emotion to the moment as it occurs is a must). As for the "other" action, the scenes were not too explicit, though they did feel a bit forced at times, though the reason for being present definitely fit the character of Mordie.

Overall this is a good first offering. The story is a basic revenge plot but the world-building, story setup, and twist on a traditional myth leaves you wanting more when you are finished. I look forward to seeing what is to come.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

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Start of something epic

Revisado: 04-13-20 El oyente recibió este título gratis

So why just the start of something epic? Setting aside the fact that this is Book 1, 11 hours is a little short for this to be an epic Fantasy. Oh, the elements are here - unique magic system, a new wizard coming into his powers, allies, old mentors, and powerful enemies. The storytelling is good (not excellent - as some point out there are some plot holes but still a good first attempt). The narration is excellent in delivery, though at some times inconsistent.

Overall a good first effort. It's not a epic yet, but it's working it's way there. Consider giving this a try if you have a credit to spare.

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Torn

Revisado: 04-13-20

I have to admit I'm a little torn by this audiobook. I'll start by saying I enjoyed it - good premise, excellent characters, proficient (at times excellent) narration, and a setting I just loved (I'm a fan of old Hot Springs). I guess the thing that leaves me torn about this one is expectations. I absolutely loved the first novel in the series ("Blood Ties" - check it out) and I was looking forward to more in the series. This novel checked in at almost half the length of the first, and I admit it felt a little rushed. I think there was enough material here for a third story, and I kinda feel like the ending was tied up a little too quickly. While I liked the book I think that my expectations were a little too high and I was disappointed that things wrapped up so abruptly.

If you're looking for a good small town Southern mystery with a healthy dose of family and some romance you will absolutely enjoy the series, particularly the first novel. Just don't set (what may have been) unreasonable expectations and you'll get a lot of enjoyment out of them.

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Re-telling the story from the beginning

Revisado: 12-30-19 El oyente recibió este título gratis

To begin with, let's get some things on the table. First, I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. Second, this isn't my first exposure to our Nameless protagonist. D.P. Prior did something I've never seen before: he wrote a highly popular series of books, then said "Good, but I can do even better." He listened to his fans, kept what worked, cleaned up what didn't work, and made an excellent series even better.

This time he starts at the beginning with what was originally a prequal. He does a good job of laying out what I think a lot of authors miss about their characters now days: a flawed hero who will have to strive, grow, and overcome himself (or, at least, his failures) to become a legendary hero. If the hero were already perfect, there isn't much story to tell. The story does have a lot to set up so the action is a little light at first but it does pick up by the end (and I know there is even better to come).

Mike Carnes' narration is good; an improvement over the previous narrator. (To be honest I liked the previous narrator but even I will admit he was an acquired taste.) Each character has a distinct voice and the narration flows well.

In my opinion the Nameless Dwarf is one of the best characters to come out of the self-publishing era. In this edition the author has taken something good and made it better. I look forward to seeing how later editions evolve.

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The Puns!

Revisado: 10-24-19

The puns. The puns! Oh, my God, THE PUNS! I have to say, when I read Book 1 of this series I did not give the author nearly the credit he deserves for his ability to inject humor into these books. (Seriously, "Shane?" I laughed so hard I nearly drove off the road.) This series goes way beyond what could be compared to a decent computer game play. This is a serious all-night, bring on the Jolt Cola, no holds barred gaming session in your college dorm room. I bet the author was an old-school AD&D player (if you know the difference between D&D and AD&D then you know I'm talking old school).

I have to say, the book's humor is a bit of a double-edged sword. Don't get me wrong, I LOVED it. The problem is that the book does not play at being part Fantasy world, part game. This means when the puns include modern-day references, you want to stand up sometimes and say "dude, stay in character!" It didn't detract from my enjoyment but I can see how it could take the reader out of the story if it is deployed too often.

It's a good story. It's a good narrator. The setting is excellent. The puns are out of this world! (Seriously, they came straight out of THIS world.) Check out book 1 and then do not pass "Go," do not collect $200, proceed directly to book 2 and enjoy.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

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LitRPG emenents without actual gameplay

Revisado: 09-28-19 El oyente recibió este título gratis

I see a lot of reviewers for this book calling it a LitRPG book, but I beg to differ. A traditional LitRPG book (if there can be such a thing for such a new genre) has both "real" world and in-game portions. What the author does here, and I think this is a real strength and the most original part of the book, is to incorporate gaming elements into the actual world. You get stats and character advancement actually built into how this world functions. Very clever.

Oh, yeah, there's a decent story here, too. As I mentioned, it isn't a typical gaming book but gaming elements are definitely at play. In addition to the character-building the story also has something of a "Civilization" or "Sims" feel to it along with the old "Master of Magic" game as Arden works to build not only his team but his city as well. While there is enough world-building for you to understand how things work it is woven seamlessly into the narrative so as to not distract for the actual storytelling.

Inventive world-building. Decent characters. Action (of different kinds) balanced with good storytelling. Gaming elements that don't bog down the tale. Excellent narration. What more could you ask for? It's a good short read that will hold you attention so check it out.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

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Superhero action

Revisado: 09-28-19

As a long-time fan of comic books, it's nice seeing superhero-themed storytelling begin to branch out into other media like books and movies. Comics are great but each storytelling media has its own strengths to emphasize. With books it is the ability to let the readers' imagination paint a picture for them based on the words on the page, something I think audiobooks do even better than regular books.

"Fiasco Heights" leaves the reader with a lot a pictures to paint, because the action is pretty constant. I won't say non-stop, because this book does have two gears: all-out action and dead-stop fill-in-the-blanks exposition. This is (I believe) Zack Archer's earliest publication so he does fall into the trap of letting the action lapse when the world-building and character-delving begins. (Hey, it's not easy; that's why HBO's "Game of Thrones" invented "sexposition.") Such a world so wildly different from our own takes some explaining and the action kinda comes to a stop at times to make room for that explaining. the book give kind of a "X-Men" vibe: lots of people are born with powers, but the "heroes" are treated more like "villains" because they are going against the people in charge.

As usual Chris Graves does a great job of ramping up the excitement and putting emotion into his characters and generating the right amount of tension. I never have to worry whether I'll get a good performance whenever I see his name in the credits.

I was really glad the author decided to put books ! and 2 into a single release; the cliffhanger ending to part 1 would have really left me annoyed. Together, though, I get a full story and a good reading experience. Zack Archer still has room to grow but overall the story, the world-building, and the performance make recommending the books easy. If you're looking for a good light read this book will scratch that itch rather well.

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Upping the stakes

Revisado: 06-23-19 El oyente recibió este título gratis

I must say that I continue to enjoy the adventures of Ty and his team. Things are getting bigger: everyone's abilities, the stakes, the number of superpowered baddies, and Ty's team! Both the writing and narration continue to improve as we move into issue three of our comic book series. I still find it hard to believe we have gone through 20+ hours of audiobook and less than a week has passed. Ty continues doing things that may annoy some (tactical errors and gawking at his lady friends, in particular) but I do see the character growth starting to happen. The flaws in the series continue to diminish as the writer (and characters) grow. The plot, too, has become more complex and less "by-the-numbers."

Do you like old-school comic books? Do you enjoy a little naughty fun along the way? If so this series continues to improve and is well worth your time. This story definitely leaves some open plot points that I eagerly await seeing develop.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

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