Rick

Ender's Game meets 1984!

Revisado: 06-03-15

If you could sum up Red Rising in three words, what would they be?

Fast paced, enthralling, thoughtful.

What did you like best about this story?

This book maybe started gently and then built slowly, and then - BAM! Action, excitement, drama, intrigue! The hero goes on a journey, and what a journey it is. Written in first person, which usually I'm not a fan of, but works really well for this story. The hero is good at what he does, but he's not omnipotent, and there are those better than him. But he has a secret.

What about Tim Gerard Reynolds’s performance did you like?

The narrator's performance was flawless, he had the right tempo for all the scenes, and his accents for the characters and castes was very good.

Any additional comments?

I bought this audio book when it was on special, not expecting very much but wanting to try something different. I'm very glad I did so, and although I'm getting the second book in the series, I'm disappointed to have to wait perhaps a year for the third (and final?) book. I usually know a book has gripped me if I think about it when I'm not listening to it. This one gripped me and left me wanting more.

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Grim

Revisado: 06-03-15

Would you consider the audio edition of The Road to be better than the print version?

The narrator is perfect for this book, he has the right tone and accent for the characters and for me he added more to the story than the book could have.

What did you like best about this story?

This is a grim story about grim characters in a grim world. There's not a lot happening, other than a father's love for his son in a bleak, grim world where you feel for the characters. And then action explodes, resolves, and the hard days come again. It seems like nothing ever good will happen to the father and son characters, there's no future, they just struggle to survive. And yet I kept listening, because it was so well written and so well narrated. And I wanted to know what happened, to accompany the characters on their journey to the end.

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Young Adult style steampunk

Revisado: 06-15-14

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Action aplenty in this story, in fact the protagonists jump from one action scene to another. If you like action with a steampunk flavor then this is the book for you. Maybe. It was written in a way as if contemporary morals were current in Victorian England, which of course they weren't. But if you like your female heroes sexy and pushy, strange steampunk technology, bucketloads of action, and dastardly one dimensional villains, you'll like this book.

Do you think Phoenix Rising needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

While I mostly enjoyed this book, I don't think I'm the target demographic the author was aimed for. I won't be buying any of the other books in this series. Probably not anyway.

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Steam takes a long time to raise!

Revisado: 06-15-14

Would you listen to Raising Steam again? Why?

The pace of this book was unusual, there were times where I wondered where it was going. However as the book progresses Mr Pratchett draws all the threads together and things begin to make sense. There's not a lot of action until closer to the end, and then there is action in spades.

What did you like best about this story?

I enjoyed the politics behind discworld, Vetinari, the dwarves, other factions as they struggle to deal with technological advancements. You need more knowledge of Discworld than this book gives you to appreciate this aspect of the story though. I would say definitely written for Discworld fans rather than someone new to Discworld.

Any additional comments?

Probably not Mr Pratchett's best book, but I'm glad I bought it and listened to it. If you're not a discworld fan, or know nothing of discworld, then this isn't the book for you.

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Near Future Who-Dun-it

Revisado: 06-15-14

Would you listen to A Quantum Murder again? Why?

While there were a few minor issues for me, overall I liked this book and I think anyone who enjoyed the first one will like this one, and may even enjoy the slower pace. I like sci-fi and I like who-dun-it stories, and this was a good meld of both genres. It's more of a classic detective story than the first book as well. The characters had individual quirks, were easily distinguished from each other, so no getting them mixed up. There were links back to the first book - although things are explained so you don't actually have to have read/listened to the first book. I was quite sorry when it was over and it was good enough for me to want to listen to the next book in the series.

What did you like best about this story?

The reader is brilliant, the characters are brought to life with his vocalisations.

Which scene was your favorite?

The story pace is slower than the first Greg Mandel book, but it suits the story. There are no wasted scenes (except the end - more on that below) and while some might figure out the villain ahead of time, I did not, which was great for me - I don't like working it out before the protagonist. There are a couple of actions scenes in the last half of the book, including a strange one at the end, which seemed to be thrown in to cater to a more action orientated audience. I didn't think it needed it to be honest, and there were at least two parts to it that made no sense to me and one of them had Greg acting unusually, acting against his nature and not in a good way. It seemed that while most of the book had a "British" detective style, the end scene was definitely "American" detective style (not intended as a slight, only as a style comparison).

Any additional comments?

The editing isn't great. There are pauses where there shouldn't be, so where you think there is going to be a scene change or new chapter turns out to be a continuation of the last scene, and at about the 1:16 mark in the second segment the reader asks incredulously what a "mains" (or "manes"?) is which obviously should have been edited out.

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The Book of Amazing Similies and Metaphors

Revisado: 07-18-13

Where does The Name of the Wind rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is one of the better books I've listened to, I found myself smiling and at least once feeling sad for the hero.

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

This is the first time I've listened to the reader, he does an amazing job and really adds to the quality of the experience.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

The Chronicles of a Future Killer

Any additional comments?

If you want to collect some impressive and vivid similes (and a few metaphors) this is the book to listen to. The author comes up with bucket loads in every paragraph.The story itself reminds me in some ways of Ender's Game or Trader Tales - an extraordinarily talented youngster trying to make his way in the world. In this book he doesn't have it all his own way, and in fact you cringe a few times because you know despite his talent he is still an impulsive young adolescent who will get himself into trouble - and adventure!

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Best of the Seven Kingdoms Trilogy

Revisado: 06-12-13

What did you love best about Bitterblue?

The plot

Any additional comments?

This is easily my favourite of the trilogy. The first was action and a love story, the second was a love story with a bit of action, but this - this is adventure, intrigue, mystery, a love story (lets face it, it wouldn't be Kristen Cashore without a love story), and includes the most realistic response by fictional characters to trauma that I have read. It also has the longest denouement of any book I've ever read, with the story going on long after the climax. Overall the voice acting of the reader was terrific also, adding greatly to the experience. If you liked either of the first two books, you'll love this one.

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Super heroes in a fantasy setting

Revisado: 05-24-13

What made the experience of listening to Graceling the most enjoyable?

The reader has a voice that is easy to listen to, and I wouldnt be surprised if she is a voice actor, her characters are that good.

What did you like best about this story?

Unusual premise - what would a fantasy world with super heroes look like? A bit like X-men in Lord of the Rings perhaps. You never fear for the protagonist in an out and out fight, she's unbeatable. But she is vulnerable in other ways, and her super power - her grace - is not as straight forward as you might think.

While primarily a fantasy story, there is a romantic story in here, as well as a story of a woman who grows in the telling.

Any additional comments?

I found myself listening to the story in bed at night, not just in my car like I usually do with other audio books. Thats usually the sign of a book I'm really enjoying.

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Not as good as the first

Revisado: 05-24-13

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Set in a different location but same world as Graceling, there is only one character familiar to readers of the first book. The story has a broad romantic streak through it - if you enjoyed the relationship of the protagonists in Graceling you'll enjoy more of the same in Fire. It is still a fantasy novel though, and fantasy themes are fundamental to the story.

Would you recommend Fire to your friends? Why or why not?

Only if they liked Graceling, I didnt find the story as enjoyable as Graceling.

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

Smooth voice, good pacing, good voice characterisations

Any additional comments?

This is a different story to Graceling, so fans of that book may be disappointed. Or like me, it may just grow on you if you give it a go.

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Good characters, poor reveal

Revisado: 05-04-13

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

yes, if he or she were a fan of fantasy

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

I hate it when you know the plot twists before the protagonist. I was just thinking he must be an idiot if he can't see it.

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

Distinct, appropriate voices.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No

Any additional comments?

I cared about the character, but I was annoyed his development was slow in parts, and that he always reacted emotionally. Considering what he'd been through you'd think he would have got a handle on his emotions and never seemed to develop. He was also thick, you can see plot twists coming a mile away, but the hero never seems to which had me yelling at my car stereo "you idiot!" more than once. But I did like the characters, I liked the overall story and I liked the world building.

I think if this book had been written today it would be returned to the author for a rewrite. For example detailed supporting characters that you never see again. But in spite of all its flaws, I'm glad I listened to it and there was more to enjoy than to dislike.

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