rhl60

Promising start...

Revisado: 03-21-24

Nicely fashioned plot, well narrated. Raymond keeps the story moving forward without gratuitous exposition. It is a good start for a new series. I found it better than work done by other, more established writers of this genre placed in Scotland.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

A bit plodding....

Revisado: 03-10-24

The first in a series is never the best metric for judging how the latter will unfold. I found Duncan McAdam's character almost too laconic. Angus King's heavy Scottish accent seemed to reinforce the plodding nature of the story. I stuck with it, and found the complexity of the ending mildly engaging. May give the series the benefit of the doubt, and take in a Book 2 when it comes out. Perhaps, with a return to his roots on the Isle of Skye, DI McAdam will mature into a more complex and compelling protagonist. In this book, he comes across as a rather withdrawn adolescent, albeit a determined detective. Character development is key to a good story. Absent such, the best of plots fail.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 4 personas

Decent plot, but...

Revisado: 02-06-24

......the dialogue a tad adolescent. Not particularly reflective of who the characters are supposed to be. Z. Webber good as a narrator; the female counterparts, less so. They tend to sound in their late teens. The best narrators can ably do both genders well. The voluntary exposition on motivation at the end, though a handy literary device, does not come across as particularly credible. This book is only tolerably diverting.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

A bit of a slog....

Revisado: 01-26-24

Desperate for a new Mick Herron title - this, after being engrossed by his Slough House series -I tried this one. I stuck with it only because of Herron's other works. The dialog seemed over-extended as was the internalized exposition. Such created a drag on the pace of the story. Ms. Franklin is competent as a narrator, but lacks Gerard Doyle's timing and versatility. Last, the protagonist, Sarah, came across as a little "whiffier" than intended. Her personality did not quite sync with the story line.

I found myself looking forward to the book's ending so I could move onto something else - never a good sign.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 8 personas

Dialogue as high art form....

Revisado: 10-16-23

.....As is Herron's use of simile and metaphor; his capacity for narrative, in general. This is my fifth listen in a row for this series. The premise is engaging - a clatch of "fallen" spooks sent to the woodshed under the supervision of an abusively brilliant supervisor. Each book offers an intriguing - even, ingenious - new plot. The well-crafted characters evolve each in his or her distinct way - for better and for worse. Their fates vary. Compelling new colleagues are introduced. They, too, are saddled with a unique back story, engendering one perceived misstep or another . The humor is dark, biting, and immensely entertaining.

I have just under four hundred audio books under my belt. I am delighted to have come upon the Mick Herron "Slough House"
series. It stands as one of the best. Herron is a very good writer....and even better in his dedication to this genre.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Good Concept....

Revisado: 08-02-23

....buttressed by good writing. I liked the notion of failed intel agents being shuffled off to a building unto themselves
with the hope they might be inclined to resign. Each has a record of declared incompetence for a diffuse array of
reasons. And all know why they are there. Their circumstances do not inspire any degree of comity.

This is my first Herron novel, and the level of intrigue is appealing. One must pay close attention to the narration,
as settings alternate without due warning. The author keeps the tension high with a cleverly constructed story
line.

I shall look forward to more character development as the series unfolds. The book was a pleasant surprise.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Good story, but....

Revisado: 07-04-23

.....It tends to drag a bit here and there with, perhaps, more exposition than necessary.....Very good narration and the author
has a credible grasp of the 1930's NYC timeframe in which events occur. Not one of my favorites, but I would not dissuade
readers from listening. Well-fashioned characters. Others may have more favorable opinions.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Poorly edited...

Revisado: 06-22-23

A tolerably good story introducing DCI Heather Filson. But Kirk's endless emoting as to his lead character's emotional state should have brought to bear the intervention of a sharp-eyed editor with an ear for tedium. Most readers of the genre have some notion of PTSD. The need for extensive exposition on the matter is not necessary. "Ace" the spectrum-disordered teenager is the more interesting character. Kirk could turn Heather and Ace into an intriguing pair of sleuths in the future if he tightens up his storytelling - this, with less verbiage devoted to Heather's affective state. Too often I encountered gratuitous description slowing the pace of the narrative. I found myself wanting to get to the resolution - the end of the book - as soon as possible.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Good addition to the genre....

Revisado: 05-22-23

...of shipwreck stories. Given the conditions, a remarkable testament to the capacity of humans to innovate, adapt, and ultimately prevail in the most dire of circumstances. Half the battle was overcoming the internal depredations attending hopelessness and despair. The physical demands were enormous in light of the weather and treacherous topography. Ms. Druett lays out a well-constructed tale of shipwreck and perseverance. The Aukland Islands were, no doubt, a final resting place to many who, during the Age of Sail, were never heard from again. An ideal setting for those who find beauty in bleakness.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Brutal, but.....

Revisado: 05-13-23

...a well-executed narrative, very capably read by John Keating. I almost returned it at the outset as too gratuitously violent. In sticking with it, there is to be found an edifying realism - dark, often sinister, and quite unforgiving. The characters are presented in compelling fashion, thus giving form and function to a rather haunting tale of survival.

Ian McGuire is a good writer. I shall look into his other books.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña