Jacques Hollands

Great sequel

Revisado: 03-03-25

This was an even better read than Earthcore. As a sequel, Mount Fitz Roy builds on the first book in a way that feels natural and satisfying. It’s a bit disappointing that Sigler hasn’t written more in this series—I really don’t think the story has to end here.

The characters are memorable and, to some extent, relatable. Sigler does a great job of making them feel real, with enough depth to keep things interesting.

At nearly 30 hours, the audiobook is long, but the pacing was excellent. The story moves fast without going over the top with unrealistic action scenes, something too many authors lean into these days.

I also think this would make a great movie or even a TV series. The setting, tension, and action would translate well to the screen.

My only real gripe was the excessive blasphemy, which at times felt forced. It became a bit much and had me cringing a few times.

Overall, Mount Fitz Roy is a solid sequel that improves on Earthcore in almost every way. I just hope Sigler eventually adds more to this series because there’s still plenty of potential for more stories in this world.

The narration of Ray Porter was excellent... as always.

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Original and thoroughly enjoyable

Revisado: 02-07-25

I had been eyeing Scott Sigler's Earthcore for several years but never got around to it. Eventually, I decided to give it a shot, and I’m glad I did.

The writing style reminds me of Michael R. Cole, Jeremy Robinson, and some of Greig Beck’s earlier work. It’s fun, action-packed, and surprisingly well-grounded, with a strong and believable story. The plot had enough twists to keep me engaged, but never in a way that felt forced or made outcomes seem implausible.

The pacing was well-executed. It starts off slow, setting the scene effectively without dragging, before steadily building momentum. And when the story delivers, it delivers well. The outcome was original, and the ending left me wanting more.
The characters were all quite relatable, each with their own strengths and flaws. While there are a few clichés—such as the deadly female assassin—they didn’t take away from the overall experience.

At just over 20 hours, the audiobook is longer than the average book in this genre, but that’s one of its strengths. It has substance, offering enough background and depth to make the story feel richer—more like a fine dining experience than fast food. It probably deserves 4.5 stars, but since this was my first Scott Sigler book and I was thoroughly entertained, I had no hesitation in rounding my rating up.

I will definitely be reading more of Sigler’s work. Earthcore was an impressive introduction to his writing, and I’m looking forward to seeing what else he has to offer. And along with Sean Mangan, Ray Porter has to be one of the best narrators plying his trade.

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Another good instalment in the series, but...

Revisado: 11-28-24

I absolutely loved the first two books in this series. They were reminiscent of Tom Clancy’s best work—thrilling, intelligent, and packed with action. I rated both books five stars and wrote glowing reviews. However, Bogey Spades left me feeling frustrated and irritated.

Here’s why.

Firstly, the author turned Punky, who was once “Spunky Punky”, into one of the most unlikeable characters imaginable. She came across as intolerable, impatient, whining, and downright stupid. For someone who’s supposed to be a federal agent, her lack of situational awareness was astonishing. At one point, she had to be told why rushing headlong toward the Vice President’s position made her look like a threat. What happened to her rationality and composure? Instead, she stumbled from one disaster to another, acting impulsively and irrationally at every turn.

And what’s with the cars? Punky’s surveillance methods were laughable—her cars were about as subtle as a flashing neon sign. It was one disaster after another - how many cars will she destroy? It felt like she’d completely lost the edge that made her such an enjoyable character in earlier books.

Then there’s the author’s newfound obsession with repetitive dialogue. Characters repeatedly ask the same questions—“What’s going on?”—and are consistently ignored by others. I suppose it’s meant to create tension, but all it does is frustrate the reader. Tension should come naturally from the story itself, not from dragging things out unnecessarily.

To make matters worse, Punky’s communication skills were infuriating. Towards the closing chapters, instead of simply stating that the Vice President was in danger, she repeatedly tried to convince different people that she needed to speak to the Secret Service - once again situational awareness and understanding are non-existent. Had she just mentioned the VP was at risk, she might have been taken seriously. This kind of repetitive miscommunication happens throughout the book, and it’s maddening.

On a brighter note, I was initially disappointed that Colt didn’t fly the F-35, but the flight scenes in the A-29 more than made up for it. They were vivid, thrilling, and some of the best parts of the book.

Despite my issues with this installment, I’ll absolutely continue reading the series. It remains a fantastic series overall, and not everyone will find Punky as irritating as I did. I’m also hoping to see more of Dave, Colt, and Cuddy in future books. Cuddy, in particular, reminds me of my own commanding officer during my flying days, and I find his character entirely relatable.

Lastly, Ray Porter’s narration was phenomenal. He is one of the best narrators out there, and his performance elevated the experience, even when the story fell short.

In conclusion, while Bogey Spades had an excellent premise and several redeeming qualities, the issues with Punky’s character and the repetitive dialogue detracted significantly from what could have been another five-star installment. Here’s hoping the next book in the series brings back the magic!

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Great idea, horrible execution

Revisado: 11-28-24

After reading the prequel, Rolling in the Deep, and giving it three stars, I hoped the full-length novel Into the Drowning Deep would offer more substance, especially since it clocked in at over 17 hours on Audible. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

The story was excruciating to listen to. While the plot holds so much promise, the execution was as bland as a slice of dry brown bread. The writing felt disjointed, jumping from one unmemorable scene to the next. I’m usually hesitant to criticize authors too harshly, knowing the effort they put into their work, but I have to admit: I feel cheated for spending my money on this audiobook. Out of the 40 books I’ve read so far this year, this was easily the worst.

My biggest issue is the false promise of a horror story. While the book is marketed as adult horror, the actual writing and themes seem to lean more toward young adult fiction. Yes, there are adult themes like LGBTQ representation, but the dialogue and prose often felt like they belonged in a romcom or drama rather than a tense, terrifying horror story. The book feels two-faced, and I’m not sure who the target audience is. Perhaps it’s aimed at female readers in their early 20s, but that’s just my subjective take.

At over 17 hours, the book is far too long for the story it tells. Even if it were condensed to three hours, it would still feel too drawn out, as nothing significant happens. I’m all for lengthy books in my favorite genre—who doesn’t love an extended story when it’s excellently told? But this was 16 hours of bland conversations and unnecessary backstories, followed by an ending that felt rushed and slapped together. The repetition of phrases was maddening.

The narration didn’t help either. The narrator had little inflection in her voice, and I found myself disengaged, missing chunks of the story because neither the content nor the delivery was compelling enough to hold my attention.

In conclusion, Into the Drowning Deep had an original premise but was executed poorly. The book was one loooong borefest that left me deeply disappointed. If you want edge of your seat, and a few scares, save your time and money for something else, like Katie Berry's Claw series.

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Great follow-up on Unknown Rider

Revisado: 11-06-24

Outlaw was a fun read and a solid follow-up to Unknown Rider. I especially enjoyed how Stewart went deep into the details of life on an aircraft carrier and the cockpit procedures—he really made it feel authentic.

The pacing was great, keeping things moving without getting too intense, which I appreciated. Colt and Punky were both standout characters, though I wouldn’t mind seeing Colt get a bit more of the spotlight next time.

The story had a good mix of realism and excitement—frighteningly realistic, actually, without going over the top. The ending, though, felt just a bit rushed. Right when the foreign agent was exposed, we suddenly jumped a month ahead. Plus, the open-ended wrap-up was clearly meant to set up the next book, but it wasn’t quite compelling enough for my taste. Normally, I’d rate it 4.5 stars because of that, but I enjoyed the book enough to round it up.

Overall, Outlaw delivers a great mix of detail, character, and action—a satisfying addition to the series! The narration by Ray Porter was brilliant, too.

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Nice different view on a sea monster

Revisado: 10-20-24

Kronos was definitely a fresh take on the monster genre. The creature was unique and entertaining, a nice change from the usual fare you get in these types of books.

The antagonist, Trevor Manfred, though? Not so much. Came across a bit like a cartoon villain, which took away from some of the tension.

Still, the ending was satisfying, and overall, it was an original and fun read. If you’re into monster stories with a twist, Kronos is worth your time.

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Excellent, but lacking just a little atmosphere

Revisado: 09-30-24

I simply love a good old monster story, and Rogue by Luke Phillips was surprisingly good and interesting. The narration was solid, and most of the main characters were memorable, making the story engaging from the start.

So, why only 4 stars? The book had excellent pacing for the most part, but around the 60-80% mark, there is a lull where things seem to drag on with not much happening. It took some of the momentum away from an otherwise well-paced adventure.

Considering the setting, I also felt that the story could have been a bit more atmospheric. There were moments where fog and the forest closing in on the characters were mentioned, but I would have loved to feel more chills during these scenes. For instance, I’ll never forget how The Void by Greig Beck made me feel like I was right there with the characters in the fog, fighting for survival. Rogue had potential for that kind of immersive tension but didn’t quite deliver.

This was my first book by Luke Phillips, and he’s clearly an accomplished author. I’m excited to dive into more of his stories and see what else he has in store! The narration by Talon David was top-notch too.

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Weak story for an Alex Hunter book

Revisado: 07-15-24

I generally enjoy the Alex Hunter series, but The Silurian Bridge did not grab me as much as the previous installments. I was surprised to see that my rating was so much lower than the average on Goodreads.

Sam Reid's side-story was incredibly weak. It felt too far-fetched, and his character was given very little time in the story. I missed Sam's presence throughout the book, which detracted from the overall experience.

Splitting the story into three separate threads with Sam, Franks, and the Arcadian each having their own experiences was a let-down. It did not contribute to the overall satisfaction of the story and made it feel disjointed.

The book felt like it was aiming to be a Hollywood blockbuster, sacrificing a good storyline for bigger monsters and explosions. Perhaps it was too similar to Beck's Centre of the Earth or Mysterious Island series, but it did not feel like an Alex Hunter book. It was the same background with different characters.

Without giving away spoilers, the most interesting part was the twist at the end involving Colonel Hammerson. That twist added an element of surprise to the plot.

On the positive side, I enjoyed that Alex Hunter has become more edgy. I like that he acted decisively and without remorse when dealing with opponents that crossed his path.

If this had been my first Alex Hunter book, I probably would have given it four stars. However, it was too dissimilar to the other books in the series, and I feel cheated out of an Alex Hunter adventure that is atmospheric, magical, and somewhat creepy.

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Just a little flat

Revisado: 06-28-24

Unbelievably, I've given a Chris Carter book only 3 stars. The main reason is how irritating the protagonist, Robert Hunter, has become at times.

I first noticed this in his previous book, Genesis, where his constant toying with his superior officer and partner became intolerable. If he is as intelligent as we're led to believe, why do others have to ask him 3, 4, or 5 times to be forthright? I don't understand why authors sometimes make their protagonists such unsavory characters.

Carlos's character, on the other hand, makes up for it. He seems like the kind of guy I'd like to share a beer with—Robert, not so much.

The story itself was good but not as clever as Genesis or others. It felt a bit thin, with pacing that was a bit slow. The sequence of events towards the end, where the outcome is known before it actually describes what led up to it, was not compelling.

If you haven't read Chris Carter before, you might think this is a great book. He is a good writer. However, Carter is a victim of his own success, and I was a little disappointed that the story didn't build up to a great conclusion. It just didn't meet my lofty expectations from such a great author.

In conclusion, the writing is great, but the storyline didn't do the subject matter justice compared to his previous books. 3-3.5 stars.

The narrator, Thomas Judd, is fantastic and makes up for some of the disappointing points raised above. Along with Sean Mangan and Ray Porter, he must rate among my favorite narrators.

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Solid story

Revisado: 05-15-24

Douglas Preston's Extinction is a must-read for fans of Preston and Child. Anyone familiar with their work will not be disappointed. However, it still seems that these authors deliver their best stories when collaborating.

The storytelling in Extinction is as compelling as ever, featuring a few memorable characters. Sheriff Colcord stood out to me, and if this book is ever made into a movie, Sam Elliott would be perfect for the role. The story is well-paced, with a good balance of narrative, action, and suspense. Preston keeps you engaged from start to finish. The ending hints at the possibility of a sequel, which is exciting for those who enjoy this book.

The performance of the narrator, David Aaron Baker, was solid throughout and contributed nicely to the story.

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