John Keating

Fascinating!

Revisado: 11-05-24

I found this piece on the architect of the Final Solution to be well-researched and informative. Learning about Himmler's formative years was highly enlightening and absolutely gives the reader the context in which a man like Himmler could develop the mentality that he did, despite coming from a comfortable middle-class background (albeit with influential connections). Longerich's dive into the workings and ideologies of the SS and Gestapo are *very* in-depth and a bit dull and complicated at times, but it also makes sense since Himmler was the leader of both infamous organizations. If you, dear reader, are reading this then you have doubtless seen previous reviews that were critical of the "psycho-babble." In this regard there are two things to point out: First, this is typical of Peter Longerich (having read his biography on Joseph Goebbels). Second, I would argue that a psychological perspective is actually very helpful when writing or reading a biography on individuals as infamous as Himmler.

Unfortunately, the narration is very flat and monotone, which made navigating the sections where Longerich dives into his thorough analysis of the Gestapo and SS very dull and difficult to get through.

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Solid and Engaging

Revisado: 08-16-22

While I already knew about the battles of the First and Second Persian Wars, along with most of the major figures in both, I found Tom Holland's work to be a fascinating and engaging refresher on these pivotal, historically significant, and ultimately world-changing wars. The initial focus on the rise of the Persians and how they viewed the Greeks and their wars against them to be the best part of the book. It definitely lends a new perspective in a story largely told from the Greek/"Western" perspective. Holland presents Persian Fire the way history should be presented: a riveting story of how the past shapes the course of human history, complete with an in-depth look into the major figures who participated in them, as well as the cultural norms and forces that shaped these figures.

However, there are some issues I have with this book. One is the presentation and interpretation of the Spartan constitution, as well as his reliance on some more questionable sources. Also, the focus on Spartan infanticide is a legitimate thing to do, however, instances of infanticide were more common than you would think, and it is debated as far as how heavily it wa practiced. Additionally, the whole "East vs. West" trope felt very out of place in a war that was fought long before our modern conceptions of those terms came to be. While there are some parallels between the events and circumstance of the 21st Century and Antiquity, it would be unwise to say that the Persian Wars are why the Middle East is the way it is today, or why there is such animosity toward "the East" from those who live in "the West." Such a worldview ignores the events that occurred in the two millennium timespan between the Persian Wars and the War on Terror, and would disregard the events of the 19th and 20th century, which I would argue have a much larger impact. Finally, the shift in focus from the Persians to the Greeks was also disappointing. Admittedly, you cannot talk about the Persian Wars without dedicating quite some time to the Greeks. Yet, it felt like the Persians were sacrificed for the sake of telling the story from the Greek perspective.

Overall, this was an excellent read, and I highly recommend it for those who are looking for more than a stereotypically dry, academic read on the Persian Wars.

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Not Bad, However...

Revisado: 08-16-22

The Good:

Having read/listened to the Gaunt's Ghosts series, I really enjoyed getting a book dedicated to their rivals, the Royal Volpone Bluebloods! The addition of the Mil-Serfs was a nice touch and fits with an Imperial Guard regiment that is literally made up of aristocrats. I found Darion to be one of my favorite characters, and I also appreciated how not all of the members of the Bluebloods were snobby, arrogant, hard-nosed aristocrats, especially when it came to Culkis, Aramus, and Regara. The battles that were fought in the second half of the book were compelling and actually had me rooting for the Bluebloods and I found myself caring for Aramus and Culkis. The way they handled Aramus' struggles as both an officer and a woman in the Imperial Guard to be well-handled and in some ways subtle. The scheming and plotting was also a nice touch toward the end. The reintroduction of certain elements of the Blood Pact was also satisfying. I definitely smiled at the mention of the Death Brigades and the Wirewolves.

The Bad:

The first half to two-thirds of the book were dull. The battles were almost mechanical and reminded me of Ben Counter's work (and I'm not that big a fan of Ben Counter's books). I am unsure if this is how Nick Kyme normally writes, since this was my first book of his. Furthermore, the sudden, rapid-fire introduction of so many characters at once made it difficult for me to keep track of everyone. I often stopped to listen to another book instead because of how bored I was getting with the characters and the battles. While I grew to like some of the characters I mentioned above, I found Regara and Culkis to be extremely dull for much of the book. I completely forgot about guys like Shiller and Hauptman for much of the book. Furthermore

The Meh:

The narration of the book was not the worst I've ever heard (either in Warhammer 40k or elsewhere), but it certainly didn't impress me. The slow, grim, almost guttural way in which it is read is definitely fitting for certain moments, and the snide, arrogant tone definitely fits for characters such as Shiller and the Commissar, but I found it to be a bit much for the rest of the book. The narrator certainly buries it, though, when doing Darion and somewhat for Aramus. The final battle was exciting but felt rushed, and the sudden scheming and plotting seemed almost random. On a personal level, I was kinda disappointed at how little they mentioned the times they appeared in the Gaunt's Ghosts series. Verghast is only mentioned once, none of the Volpone characters from the series were mentioned, and there was absolutely no mention of the Ghosts in the book. Granted, this is because the events of Verghast took place twenty years prior, people die in war, and it's ultimately a book about the Volpone, not the Tanith/Vervunhive/Belladon. Still, I would have appreciated a little nod or tribute to the Ghosts directly.

Simply Put:

If you're looking for a Gaunt's Ghost book, you will be disappointed. If you're looking for a book going just a little bit deeper into the Volpone regiments, this is your book, though I cannot promise it will be your favorite book.

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Cannot Recommend This Enough!

Revisado: 10-01-19

Despite my knowledge of the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution, I had to admit that I did not have a good view of these horrific events or of the Laogai (Chinese gulags). I picked this audiobook up because I wanted to learn more about these topics from someone who experienced this firsthand. I was FAR from disappointed.

David Shih's narration was stellar and gives an excellent voice to the words of the author, Xu Hongci. The tone with which he speaks conveys perfectly Hongci's reactions of perplexity and disbelief as he was slammed with one absurd charge after another during his self-criticisms and struggle sessions.

As for the story itself: it is nothing short of a story of survival and struggle. Based on my knowledge of the communes and collectives, I went into this knowing that the experience must have been terrible. I came out of this feeling that "terrible" is woefully inadequate, and a more fitting description would be something along the lines of "profoundly nightmarish." This man was stripped of almost everything and everyone he held near and dear to him, and the constant humiliations, degradation, and outright betrayals would be more than enough to shatter most men and women in his situation. This is a story about survival, yes, but also of perseverance as he managed to stay true to himself and his beliefs.

For those who might be interested in the historical aspect of this book, each part has a preface that informs the reader about what was going on throughout China at large. For example, during the years of the Great Leap Forward, the author takes a step back and reviews what it was, how long it went on for, and how it impacted China. Hongci's experience, as jaw-dropping as it is, serves as a microcosm to what others experienced under Mao's tyranny.

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The Resilience of China

Revisado: 05-30-19

This book was well-researched and dedicated a great deal of focus toward three major players in China's involvement in WWII: Chiang Kai-Shek the Nationalist leader of of the KMT, Mao Tse-Tung of the Communist Party, and Wang Jingwei the collaborator. The book provided a great deal of detail regarding the battles China fought, its role in tying down at least a million Japanese troops on the mainland, and the struggles faced by Chiang Kai-Shek and Mao Tse-Tung. More interestingly, the story focused heavily on the intrigue and betrayals faced and committed by all three figures, as well as the involvement of the United States in setting the stage for a postwar China.

However, I have two major complaints. The first is that it focuses way too heavily on Chiang Kai-Shek, Mao Tse-Tung, and Wang Jingwei, and not enough on the commanders, soldiers, or people who had bear the brunt of the fighting and occupation. Even then, more focus is given to Chiang and Mao. My second complaint is that it did not really focus much attention on another collaborator: Puyi, who was made a puppet-emperor of the puppet state of Manchukuo. While I am aware that Rana Mitter has a separate book on Manchuria during WWII/the Second Sino-Japanese War, it is not available on Audible yet.

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Highly Recommend!

Revisado: 05-23-19

Being a lover of history, I already knew quite a bit about Nazi Germany, its hateful ideology, and the circumstances surrounding its rise to power. Furthermore, I already knew that Richard J. Evans is a prominent authority on modern German history. That being said, when I finally got around to listening to this, I was unprepared for the depth and scope of this amazing tome. Richard J. Evans goes even further back than simply the end of World War I, or even the beginning of it for that matter. It goes all the way back to at least Otto von Bismarck and the Second Reich, and takes the reader/listener on a thoroughly-researched journey through the origins of Nazism and the Third Reich. Heck, Hitler doesn't appear until roughly halfway through the book, and I was genuinely pleased because Nazism and the ideas behind it are much MUCH older that Hitler.

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Amazing!

Revisado: 05-23-19

This was a fun and informative listen! I thoroughly enjoyed its combination of primary and secondary sources. The diverse cast of narrators, voice-actors and use of sound effects made it feel more like a documentary than an audiobook.

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Where to Begin...

Revisado: 05-13-19

While the first book in this series was enough to keep me interested for a bit, this book was enough to persuade me not to get the next one. Let me start with the positives (without spoilers):

The actions scenes were well-written and had me in suspense, especially toward the end in the final few chapters, and the pacing was pretty good. Additionally, Mark Boyett does a magnificent job bringing the characters to life with his superb narration.

Why I won't continue the series (no spoilers): There was little-to-no character development. The character's personalities are largely the same and don't go beyond what was already established in the first book. I say "largely" because their flaws are amplified to the point where I wanted to smack McGill and a few other characters for their actions and the words that come out of their mouths. The commanding officers' personalities (save for Centurion Graves) can be summed up in one unflattering adjective. Furthermore, McGill continues to overcome challenges handily because he is the main character. While the ending is interesting, it wasn't enough to carry me over to Book Three.

Simply put: If you liked Book One, you'll like this.

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It's Okay...

Revisado: 05-10-19

The action sequences were pretty good, and the narrator does an amazing job of giving life to the characters. The story does a good job of disillusioning the characters to the concept of "war with a small chance of a permanent death." However, the character seems to handle challenges a little too easily and some of the commanding officers seem to be a bit too irrational to be believable.

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