Laura

Fantastic Series

Revisado: 11-16-24

This series is a fabulous addition to the micro genre of technologically advanced person (or persons) literally or figuratively traveling back in time, trying to find their place in the “past” and help their adopted community accelerate progress in myriad areas including statesmanship, technology. The author creates interesting, substantive characters with meaningful interpersonal relationships, engaging plot lines, exciting action, with lots of interesting thought experiments upon which a reader can bring their knowledge of history, sociology, science, military strategy and tactics… to bear. As in any series, some books are more enjoyable than others, but I’m a big fan of the series. I’ve enjoyed it tremendously and look forward to Volume II of this series. For fans of Olan Thorensen’s Destiny’s Crucible series, this series is a winner.

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Fantastic Series

Revisado: 11-16-24

This series is a fabulous addition to the micro genre of technologically advanced person (or persons) literally or figuratively traveling back in time, trying to find their place in the “past” and help their adopted community accelerate progress in myriad areas including statesmanship, technology. The author creates interesting, substantive characters with meaningful interpersonal relationships, engaging plot lines, exciting action, with lots of interesting thought experiments upon which a reader can bring their knowledge of history, sociology, science, military strategy and tactics… to bear. As in any series, some books are more enjoyable than others, but I’m a big fan of the series. I’ve enjoyed it tremendously and look forward to Volume II of this series. For fans of Olan Thorensen’s Destiny’s Crucible series, this series is a winner.

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1st book by Thorensen I don’t plan to read again

Revisado: 07-05-24

Not enough of a story to be engaging. Had a very hard time paying attention through most of the book. Too many characters introduced that don’t resurface, and not enough characters with enough substance to “know” or be interested in them. Perhaps my expectations were too high given the author. Thorensen is a truly great author. All his other books have substantive characters you want to follow, and storytelling that can weave technology, politics, relationships, military strategy… into a compelling narrative that keeps your rapt attention from beginning to end. If you haven’t listened to Harbinger or Destiny’s Crucible, you’re missing out!

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Perhaps the best in the series so far

Revisado: 06-25-24

This series falls in a “micro genre” sweet spot for me, with some combination of hard science fiction, pseudo time travel, military strategy, action, interesting characters and a compelling plot. Unfortunately good entries in this micro genre are few. The Destiny’s Crucible series is by far the best I’ve found in this micro genre, but this Imperium series leads the rest of the pack. I really enjoy the details of figuring out how to create new technology and then introducing it and this series does a compelling job of it. Some readers find this tedious, but I’m a big fan. The military strategy and battles are well done and engaging. Crucially, the characters are interesting, and I’m eager to see what happens next. After the third book in this series I debated whether I wanted to continue, but I’m glad I did. I think this book might be the best in the series so far and I’m disappointed to have to wait for the next audiobook to be released.

The narrator is excellent. I am in awe of the number of unique character voices he creates, the consistency of each, and the depth added by his skillful narration. When there are more than a handful of characters, it’s unusual to be able to identify which character is speaking just from the narrator’s voice, but I was able to determine the speaker fairly consistently. Thank you Kevin Kemp! Very impressive!

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Engaging, enlightening, and characters with depth

Revisado: 05-11-24

This story kept me interested, entertained, and the resolution of the mystery caught me entirely by surprise. Along the way I learned something about being a stringer journalist and more about Hasidic culture. The main characters were well drawn, substantive individuals in whose outcomes I was invested. I found this quite impressive for a debut novel and well worth my time and an Audible credit. If the book description blurb peaked your interest, I encourage you to give it a listen.

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Light and entertaining

Revisado: 05-01-24

This is a fun book, as long as you don’t have unrealistic expectations going in. I enjoyed The Martian and Hail Mary tremendously, but this is dramatically lighter in both science, scope, and intensity. I found the protagonist, Jas, an irreverent twenty something finding her path in life, credible and likable, and was quite entertained by this story.

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Action lacking credibility

Revisado: 04-17-24

As usual, Baldacci delivers an action packed story, but the machinations of this storyline were rather absurdly convoluted and seriously lacking in credibility. I like Robie and Reel, and have enjoyed earlier entries in this series. This genre almost always strains credibility to some degree. Protagonists must have incredible skills and considerable luck to repeatedly triumph in apparently impossible situations, and a little suspension of disbelief is all part of the exciting ride. The plans, process and personalities behind the “bad guys” seemed illogical and absurd. There’s plenty of plot twists to keep you guessing but the ultimate explanation was ridiculous and disappointing.

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Not up to Mitch Rapp standard

Revisado: 08-07-18

Mitch Rapp is such a great series, perhaps the best of the genre, and I was thrilled to see that Kyle Mills was able to carry on Vince Flynn’s amazing character and produce new stories that were true to Mitch Rapp and maintained the excellent standard of research, credibility and plot that Flynn set. Unfortunately this effort by Mills failed on multiple fronts. I hope the next one will live up to Flynn’s legacy.

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Creative twist on espionage thriller; wrong narrator

Revisado: 05-11-18

Pushing Brilliance is a unique entry into this genre. Lots less gun play and superhuman fighting, and a lot more cerebral chess moves and critical thinking in a creative and engaging storyline. Tim Tigner did his homework and the protagonist’s abilities, although unusual, seem credible. The story is entertaining and thought provoking, though not the adrenaline ride that many espionage thrillers are. Tigner has created an interesting character that should provide significant possibilities for engaging future tales. Repeatedly Achilles provides information to Katya, his “partner” in this adventure, and the author narrates Achilles waiting for Katya to reason her way to whatever conclusion Achilles has already reached. The process is described multiple times, which was both tiresome and condescending to Katya, and the description of this process in the narrator’s voice was particularly irksome. In general I am not a big fan of Dick Hill’s narration, but at least it seems to fit a character like Jack Reacher better; older, saltier, a bit more grizzled. Achilles is a 30 year old Olympian and ex-CIA guy, and Katya is a similar age Russian woman with a PhD in math. Achilles’s and Katya’s tale told in Hill’s voice is not a good fit, and makes the story much less enjoyable. Furthermore, Hill’s version of a Russian accent is inaccurate and distracting. Given that perhaps half the dialogue is done in a “Russian” accent, the narration was a big detractor. I plan to listen to another of Tigner’s books, but I hope a more appropriate narrator is chosen. I don’t tend to be put off easily by narrators other reviewers find objectionable, but in this case, I found the narration grating, and it significantly diminished my enjoyment of the novel and my ability to evaluate the text.

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Ben Coes is going way downhill

Revisado: 04-11-18

Power Down, the first Dewey Andreas book, was amazing. I thought Ben Coes had the potential to be on par with Vince Flynn. I have listened to each Andreas book in sequence, and the caliber has ebbed and flowed, periodically straining logic and credulity, but this book was a real disappointment. Dewey seems to be getting younger, literally. I think Coes created a cash cow in this character and is defying time itself continuing to milk it. Him being simultaneously consumed with guilt when people he loves die because of him, yet continually open to new relationships, isn’t consistent. As if Dewey’s death-defying feats that also flout the laws of physics aren’t enough to frustrate the listener, Coes isn’t even getting facts correct. Coes hasn’t done his homework about basic US law, and has the president and a multitude of agency leaders blatantly violating constitutional law, apparently unwittingly. Even the fact pattern can change within a few paragraphs, having a character intubated one minute then put on an oxygen mask the next... It begs the question whether an editor even read the whole book. Ben Coes is capable of writing great espionage thrillers, but this isn’t one.

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esto le resultó útil a 2 personas