T. Meadows

Putting words to decades of emotion and struggle

Revisado: 06-13-22

It seems that I wasn’t alone in my attempt to find meaning and balance between the faith with which I was raised and what I have come to think of as ‘American Christianity.’ Dr. Brooke’s book so marvelously gave roots to that struggle and helped me search for the answers within myself. I’m not all the way there, by any means, but I am grateful to see so many of those feelings I’ve grappled with for decades finding purchase within the words of someone else.

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As a fan of the source material, I was truly blown away

Revisado: 08-25-20

When I was a kid, my family would listen to old radio dramas on public radio on the ride home from church. We lived 45 minutes from there and we could listen one or two complete stories on the way. I'd then run upstairs and finish out the broadcast after arriving at the house.

That may seem strange for the kids these days, or even those as ancient as myself, when I can't think of the last time I listened to the radio itself.

There's been an interesting trend amongst audio entertainment that I've followed with great interest over the last decade. More and more books are being done with "full cast recordings," while others are adapted into audio dramas. Some have been done beautifully, like Dune and American Gods, while others have been...less effective.

The Sandman, Neil Gaiman's Hugo Award winning graphic novel series, has been adapted into a an audio drama with astounding success. I am truly flabbergasted at the quality put into this. It evokes the joy and exhilaration I experienced as a kid listening to the radio with such glee. Further, it is an incredibly faithful adaptation. Up to and including Gaiman, himself, as the narrator throughout the what amounts to the first three trades.

The cast is incredible and I cannot even imagine the budget this kind of production must have cost. While it was presumably less than what it would have cost to do the ill-fated television series fwith Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the titular role, they haven't scrimped on the audio design and cast. James McAvoy does a marvelous job as Morpheus here, with Kat Dennings putting in a delightful performance as his older sister, Death. The cast list goes on and on and I have enjoyed everyone, including a laudable outing of Michael Sheen as Lucifer.

I could go on and on about how incredible a job they have done with this, but I have to get back to listening to it again...

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A different perspective from the movie

Revisado: 03-25-13

Would you try another book from Matthew Quick and/or Ray Porter?

I would indeed. I would like very much to see if Matthew Quick's writing style was intentionally simplistic, to show Pat's relatively basic concepts in his journal; or if he just has a more basic vernacular. I sense the former, but it would be nice to see that in action.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Tiffany. He willingness to confront Pat with the truth of his situation, despite the surrounding desire to protect him from himself. Call it brave or seeking of self-destruction, it is magnificent to see her character throughout.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

It did indeed.

Do you think The Silver Linings Playbook needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

As much as I would love to continue the journey with Pat and Tiffany, I think that this story holds its own as a singular entry. It is a complete story and is tied up as nicely as a story of happy endings amidst harsh realities needs to be without veering into something hokey.

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The "avalanche" barely pulled it out.

Revisado: 03-25-13

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Of the novels that I've read/listened to by Sanderson, I would recommend any of the others before this one. The characters remain mostly one-sided until the Sanderson Avalanche towards the end of the book. The concept of breaths is an intriguing one, but the characters really are awful almost the entire time. I kept with it just to see how it would resolve itself, and most of the parts lined up fine but it was a pretty grueling task to get to the end.

Has Warbreaker turned you off from other books in this genre?

Nah. I've read a lot of terrible fantasy over the years.

How could the performance have been better?

If the narrator hadn't played almost every bit of dialogue as if it were supposed to be a joke. It felt like he was wanted to pause to not interrupt our hilarious laughter that just never came. He also seemed obsessed with making one of the main characters sound like Keanu Reeves... it was was almost unbearable.

Could you see Warbreaker being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

I truly hope not. There are many many many books of higher quality that should be made before this thing gets a chance to get made.

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