Jim N

Very entertaining!

Revisado: 05-04-24

A throughly enjoyable mash-up of Holmes, Watson and the Cthulhu Mythos. This was simply a fun listen and the narration by Dennis Kleinman was excellent. I look forward to book 2!

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

A Free-for-all!

Revisado: 10-16-20

Slugfest is an excellent, entertaining overview of the decades old rivalry between America's top two superhero comics publishers. There are funny anecdotes, dirty tricks, collegial moments and lots of great tidbits about artists and writers moving between the two companies. This book is fascinating, well-narrated and highly recommended!

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

A Disappointing Novel of Ideas

Revisado: 08-21-20

This is a novel of compelling ideas but aside from a few riveting scenes, it has all the storytelling thrills of a research paper or thought experiment. On it's own, it's not a particularly satisfying listen. Nothing is really resolved and unfortunately, I didn't find it interesting enough to encourage me to read the next book in the trilogy. There are moments of compelling characterization but every time I began to connect with a character, the story reverted to "big picture" explanations. Early drama and intriguing mysteries quickly gave way to tedious exposition, sapping the story of energy. Perhaps something was lost in translation but after all the hype and praise heaped upon this book, I was hoping for better.

Luke Daniels does a solid job narrating the material but unfortunately, I can't recommend this novel.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

A Unique Take

Revisado: 07-23-20

A well written, thought provoking and unsettling take on the vampire myth. It defies expectations and lingers in the memory. Dan John Miller does a good job with the narration.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

A Timely Novel

Revisado: 07-22-20

Survivor Song arrives in the middle of a pandemic and includes several parallels to the current moment in America. However, it's a focused story, zeroing in on a few harrowing hours in the lives of two characters. The book reads like a good B-movie: small cast, straightforward plot, rapid pace and a bit of a predictable ending. That's not a complaint. I really enjoy a good B-movie. The outcome is almost inevitable but it's true to both the story and the characters.

I don't think this is Tremblay's best book but it's a well-written, entertaining listen and the narration by Erin Bennett is very good.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

An Engaging Debut

Revisado: 07-17-20

Nine Shiny Objects is a mixed blessing of a novel. It's a well-written, impressive debut and Brian Castleberry has a genuine gift for bringing wildly different characters to life.

The novel begins with Oliver Danville's reaction to Kenneth Arnold's famous 1947 UFO sighting and proceeds through nine interconnected chapters, each spaced 5 years apart. Danville goes on to form a cult and each chapter deals with the fallout of that decision in one way or another. The cult is ultimately peripheral to the story, as are some recurring characters (like rock star Max Felt, who seems to become a sort of cult leader himself). The author uses it as a means to connect his characters as he portrays interesting slices of American life through the decades.

The novel is always engaging, sometimes even moving, but it's difficult to shake the feeling that what's happening "offstage" in the story only hinted at, is more interesting than what's happening "onstage". The novel never really resolves this tension so in the end, Nine Shiny Objects felt disjointed to me, a collection of interesting character studies that never quite came together. Nevertheless, it's a good read and Castleberry seems like an author to watch!

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 3 personas

Not Sager's Best

Revisado: 07-08-20

Home Before Dark is unsatisfying as a mystery and tepid as a haunted house story. Disappointing.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 6 personas

Excruciating

Revisado: 01-26-20

A painful listen, dull, clichéd and utterly devoid of the style and pacing that made Michael Crichton's novels (and The Andromeda Strain) so riveting.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 13 personas

This Western is a Hoot!

Revisado: 12-27-19

The Magic Wagon is funny, outlandish, mysterious, dramatic, surprising and even cinematic. It builds to a hell of a climax but trust me, you'll enjoy the ride too. If you've never read Mr. Lansdale's fiction, this novel isn't a bad place to start. It's short, colorful and wildly entertaining.

Chet Williamson's narration is perfect.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 2 personas

A Fascinating World

Revisado: 12-22-19

Downward to the Earth is a superb science fiction novel! For some reason, I hadn't read Silverberg before this year, despite decades of reading science fiction. I've recently begun to discover the joys of his work. He writes beautifully and this is a thoughtful book, full of symbolism, darkness, light and discovery. The world-building is excellent and Gunderson, the protagonist, is a well-developed, interesting (and introspective) character. This is the kind of book that made science fiction my favorite genre. What a joy to discover it!

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 5 personas