Mitchell Ryan

Shocking & Exceptional

Revisado: 03-09-20

The "terror" at the G-20 Conference in San Francisco is very real. A North Korean General plans to destroy the annual conference in order to bring out economic chaos in the West. His weapons are five women who have been smuggled into the United States as part of some sex-trafficking operation. The Stakes are high, and with a strike by the San Francisco police taking place, Kate Dawson has to handle things pretty much on her own. But if you are a fan of the Kate Dawson thrillers like me then you know already that this is how Kate likes to operate: ON HER OWN. The plot of this novel is very real, seemingly stripped from the New York Times, and naturally it is very real for Kate. I won't say much more because the book is a real treat from beginning to end. Suffice it to say, I really enjoyed the story, and compare it favorably with the other audio books of its kind. Beware of the shocking beginning. Enjoy!

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Top Quality SF

Revisado: 02-19-20 El oyente recibió este título gratis

The audio version of Visions in Light and Shadow was a Christmas gift. I had read John Flynn's short stories in their original form in science fiction magazines I collected back in the 1980s and 1990s. The stories were released in a limited edition that I never had the chance to purchase in 2001, but it's great to see that Amazon.com and Audible have both launched new versions one in print and one in audio version for a whole new generation of science fiction fans to discover. Every story is Top Notch. But I'll recommend "A Gift of Verse" and "Who Gods Destroy" as my two favorites. Back in 2002 or perhaps it was 2003, Flynn's "A Gift of Verse" was nominated for a Hugo award for the Best Short Story of the year. Well deserved because this was truly the Best Short Story that year. Through machinations behind the scenes, the nomination was rescinded. Apparently, it had been nominated in the wrong year as it had been published a year earlier, or at least that's what they said. "A Gift of Verse," especially with the outstanding narrative voice of Geoffrey Boyes, is simply the Best Short Story in Science Fiction from any year! The story talks about how the mob manipulates public opinion to the point that a man who is a poet is put to death for simply writing excellent poetry. I suspect the mob wanted to silence Flynn's outstanding work, and stripped him of the Hugo nomination in order to silence him. Well, the joke is on the mob because here we are, 17 years later, and Flynn's great short story is reaching another generation. The mob will never win! Similarly, "Whom Gods Destroy" is about a robot so in love with humanity's art and literature that it is willing to fight a different mob to preserve our heritage for those unborn generations. Again, excellence always wins out. Read and celebrate these two great stories, as well as the rest of the collection here in audio book form. You'll never find a braver writer or better work!

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Much-Anticipated New Mystery Thriller!

Revisado: 12-25-19

In this much-anticipated new mystery thriller from John Flynn, Kate Dawson is back on the San Francisco Police Department investigating a murder. This time, the victim is a FOX news reporter, and her body was found strangled to death in the rear lavatory of Air Force One. The murder triggers a series of highly suspense-filled events as the homicide detective finds herself at odds with the Secret Service who want to dismiss the death as self-inflicted, but even a rookie can see the evidence points to the First Man. But then, as the evidence of a much larger crime begins to mount up, Dawson finds herself on the run from a KGB operative who may have been hired by the First Family to silence her. Secret microfilm and a seventy-year-old cold case removes all doubt Kate is dealing with a conspiracy at the highest levels of government. This great new thriller from the master of mystery-thrillers features a fast-paced plot, plenty of action and suspense, and a story that seems to be ripped from the headlines of the New York Times. Kate Dawson is a welcome addition to action heroes like Jason Bourne and Jack Ryan, and her ensemble cast of miscreants and malcontents who work for the SFPD provide first-rate characters to back her up. This is the fourth Kate Dawson thriller that I have listened to, and I love this one. Each story seems to get better and better. I am even very impressed with the narrative abilities of Kevin Chambers who brings each of the characters to life with his impressive work here. This audio book deserves to be on everyone's Christmas list this year! Thanks, Santa, for putting this one under my tree.

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esto le resultó útil a 6 personas

Exceptional Writing & Character-Building!

Revisado: 11-19-19 El oyente recibió este título gratis

Architects of Armageddon is an exciting and well-written end-of-the-world thriller. A group of fanatics who are part of a religious cult, known as the End Times Ministry, are plotting to destroy San Francisco and most of the West Coast with a nuke they've planted in the San Andreas fault, and blame the act on a Muslim terrorist cell. Their goal is to fan the flames of Armageddon in order to trigger a global third world war. The only person standing in their way is Kate Dawson, broken and suffering from PTSD from her ordeal at the hands of a serial killer. Flynn's story, which is exceptionally well-plotted with plenty of twists and turns, may well be his heroine's most personal tale as well. She was battered and abused by the "angel of death" serial killer in the previous novel; she dreads falling asleep at night as her dreams turn into nightmares worthy of Dante's Inferno and all of Stephen King's horror tales. During the day, she struggles with a hangover and criticism from her fellow detectives - and her boss - who all see her as unfit for duty. If that wasn't enough, she is forced by Internal Affairs to talk things out with the departmental shrink. Like a car running on empty, she tries very hard to do her job, which includes solving a deadly murder-suicide in which a woman has killed all of her children. As the bodies begin to mount up, she has no other choice than to sober up and solve the crime. Of course, matters are made worse by her attraction to one of the men who may behind the plot to destroy the world. Flynn's characterization of Kate Dawson is first rate; as a very capable writer, he adds nuance and sympathy to this female homicide detective who falls short and is, at time, outmatched by the "architects" who have planned world destruction. She has to call every last ounce of courage to survive the impending holocaust. Exceptional writing and character-building. Author John Flynn has written other Kate Dawson thrillers, but again, I believe this is the most personal one in the series.

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Excellent Hard SF! Great Philosophical Discussion!

Revisado: 10-14-19

The Jovian Dilemma is a first-contact story about humanity’s initial interactions with an alien species that lives in the gaseous depths of the planet Jupiter. The Jovians do not look or act like humans; they do not build structures, write great books or chronicle their histories, fight wars, or even share a familiar culture. They are not unlike the great whales or dolphins of earth’s oceans, and that gives rise to many questions and speculations in the book about their sentience as beings. What does it mean to be “sentient”? Are children born with Downs Syndrome somehow less “sentient” than those who earn Ph.D.s from the great universities? What about our dogs and other pets? Don’t they seem to function like they are tuned into our intellectual and emotional needs? People on either extreme of the argument will likely miss the point of the book: Do we as humans have the right to destroy the natural environment of the Jovians in order to mine precious resources that are needed on earth and throughout its colonies on Mars and in the solar system? That is the fundamental dilemma in the story. Environmental activists who are concerned with the current crisis of climate change on earth will see their concerns raised in the hard sf imagination of the author who, like Clarke or Baxter, views speculative fiction as the perfect medium in which to express our concerns about today’s problems. I enjoyed every minute of the audio book.

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esto le resultó útil a 4 personas

Entertaining! Enjoyable! Exciting!

Revisado: 09-14-19

As an audio book, Intimate Bondage was entertaining, enjoyable and exciting. I was entertained by the twists and turns of the plot. I found the diverse group of characters enjoyable, especially Kate Dawson's broken police detective and how she turned the crisis of a serial killer to her advantage in solving the killer's larger plans. I was riveted by the exciting race against time in the last few moments of the book...You know that, if Kate can't stop the serial killer, more people are going to die, and it comes down to a showdown between the two of them. A car chase, and Kate's car is at the impound lot. How exciting and fresh. I would highly recommend this book to whoever enjoys well-plotted murder mysteries.

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Wonderful Book! Will Listen Again!

Revisado: 08-15-19 El oyente recibió este título gratis

I have just finished listening to a wonderful book! I liked it so much I plan to recommend to my book club. I'll be honest and say that most mystery novels are predictable. This one was not. From what starts out with such a brilliant hook - the deaths of 24 passengers aboard a subway car - I had no idea where the story was going to next. Rather than second-guess the author, I just let the narrative take me away on a confounding and extraordinary journey into the heart of darkness. First, Chinatown. Then, a race course. Next, a subterranean lair worthy of a James Bond adventure. Everything made sense upon reflection, and I was very happy to keep guessing with each new twist. Good writing, great characters, suspense-filled action. Can't wait to read this one again with my book club.

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esto le resultó útil a 3 personas