Michael

This is not the book you think it is!

Revisado: 11-02-21

This is a book about a self-center, immature man who thinks he takes responsibilities for his own actions, but never actually tries to change his behavior. I kept waiting for the SEAL, but all I got was the trainee who constantly sabotaged himself…then I gave up. Nothing to admire here, no personal growth, not worth your time if you are looking for military memoirs.

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Too YA for my taste, too mundane for SF.

Revisado: 08-23-19

The characters are all adults I’ve 30, but they are written like adolescents. World building is incomplete and a bit shallow. The story plods along, but never quite pulls me in...then ends abruptly with a lot of loose strings. Young teens might enjoy this more than adults would.

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Feels like bad fan fic. Skip it.

Revisado: 07-17-17

What disappointed you about Please Don't Tell My Parents I Blew Up the Moon?

It was repetitive in actions and unimaginative. The solution to most confrontations was to shrilly yell at the top of her lungs, "Stop! Don't shoot!" The antagonist/other protagonist was inconsistent and unlikable. Plot was poorly conceived and without direction.

What do you think your next listen will be?

The third book is supposed to be as good as the first, so I'll give it a try. People should skip this one.

Did Emily Woo Zeller do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

She did an adequate job. I think the writing actually hurt her performance. It was all hard to listen to.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

I don't think so. I don't think it added to the storyline of the characters in any important way. Waste of time.

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Decent mystery, realistic aviation.

Revisado: 03-18-17

Would you consider the audio edition of Flat Spin to be better than the print version?

I never read the print, but RAY PORTER! I've decided that if Ray reads a book about 8 year old girls written in the first person, I'll listen. He's THAT good!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Flat Spin?

Anytime they were in the plane. As a former professional pilot, the aviation sequences were almost perfect.

What does Ray Porter bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I've decided that if Ray read a book about 8 year old girls written in the first person, I'll listen. He's THAT good! I feel like Ray does his homework i.e. learns the vocabulary, understands when cadence and pace matter, has distinctive voices but doesn't go overboard with it.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No extreme reaction, except that #2 is read by someone else, so I'm not as eager to listen to it. Thankfully Ray does all the rest.

Any additional comments?

Good read, but not so complicated that you have to take notes. Worth the time.

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Decent mystery, realistic aviation.

Revisado: 03-18-17

Would you consider the audio edition of Flat Spin to be better than the print version?

I never read the print, but RAY PORTER! I've decided that if Ray reads a book about 8 year old girls written in the first person, I'll listen. He's THAT good!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Flat Spin?

Anytime they were in the plane. As a former professional pilot, the aviation sequences were almost perfect.

What does Ray Porter bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I've decided that if Ray read a book about 8 year old girls written in the first person, I'll listen. He's THAT good! I feel like Ray does his homework i.e. learns the vocabulary, understands when cadence and pace matter, has distinctive voices but doesn't go overboard with it.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No extreme reaction, except that #2 is read by someone else, so I'm not as eager to listen to it. Thankfully Ray does all the rest.

Any additional comments?

Good read, but not so complicated that you have to take notes. Worth the time.

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Very slow and tedious. Needs 35% edited out.

Revisado: 02-23-17

What did you like best about Dam Busters? What did you like least?

Too slow and narrator makes dry material even less interesting. Too much irrelevant personal information gets in the way of the story. For a book about planes and aviation, I think the author spent too much time telling me about details of personal lives that didn't endear the characters to me.

Has Dam Busters turned you off from other books in this genre?

No, I love historical fiction and aviation. This was just laborious to get through. I stuck with it only because I DO love the genre and subject matter so much.

What three words best describe John Lee’s performance?

Unemotional. Lackluster. British.

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

It already was a movie and documentary, I believe.

Any additional comments?

Should be abridged or edited down 30%-35%. The story bogs down and when the climax arrives, you don't care that much.

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Not his memoir, but The Great One telling stories.

Revisado: 10-29-16

What did you love best about 99: Stories of the Game?

This book felt very real. Not a tell-all, exposing dirty laundry but, instead, Wayne tells stories about the league that provide history, evolution, and context about the game. Most of the stories didn't even involve him directly, although he had a connection to many.

What was one of the most memorable moments of 99: Stories of the Game?

Most of the stories were very interesting for a fan of hockey, but I liked hearing about the Red Army team from the USSR. I was lucky enough to see many of the those top player play in the NHL years later.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I never really laughed or cried, although there were emotional moments. But there was heart in every story and I was certainly moved by many of them. There is no doubt that Wayne Gretzky felt strong emotional ties to these stories--even ones he wasn't the focus of.

Any additional comments?

Any fan of the game will enjoy this book. It held my interest and I couldn't believe how quickly it went by. I still want to hear Wayne's personal memoir, but he did an excellent job with this book, telling the stories about the game that he loved and thought were essential to what hockey is and was. Often I felt like I was sitting in room with all these historical hockey figures hearing Wayne and them talk about the key moments in their lives and careers.

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A cliche retelling of Jurassic Park.

Revisado: 08-21-16

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

If you haven't read or seen Jurassic Park, then this might seem new to you, but it's shallow, predictable and full of cliches. i.e. A little girl in peril, people in power underestimating their opponents in tn spite of evidence to the contrary, a mysterious stranger being more than they appear to be, the ordinary person being a surprising hero able to best everyone.

What do you think your next listen will be?

We Bought a Zoo

Which scene was your favorite?

The early introduction to the zoo's geography during the tour.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from The Great Zoo of China?

The first confrontation with the fire breathing reds killing the other fire breathers.

Any additional comments?

It's mildly entertaining and the author has decent storytelling skills. It's just not a new story and lacks maturity and sophistication. I couldn't suspend disbelief.

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Not quite space opera w/ a touch of science-magic.

Revisado: 01-16-16

What made the experience of listening to Starship’s Mage Omnibus the most enjoyable?

Strong characters living in a universe with a solid foundation. The premise is easily accepted and the story telling superb.

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

None that I'm aware of.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I definitely had a hard time putting this one down. The story starts at a reasonable pace, but then events unfold and the plot moves quickly to the end of the book. There are almost no pauses, but the pacing feels reasonable and not rushed.

Any additional comments?

I would characterize it as high science fiction (but not quite space opera) held together with a touch of science-magic. It appeals to readers of many unrelated genres, though, so don't judge a book by its cover or title (as I nearly did).

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Another good entry in the series.

Revisado: 01-29-15

Hated the voice used for the A.I.s. Why the narrator decided to make an advanced computer sound like the computer from the movie 'Wargames' I'll never understand. Hated that choice and it really ruined much of the narration for me. Otherwise, an entertaining story.

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esto le resultó útil a 2 personas