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CARL F. BRAGANZAJ, JR.

  • 23
  • reviews
  • 5
  • helpful votes
  • 51
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Book 1 & 2 - Good. Book 3 - 4mins in (nope)

Overall
2 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Story
2 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 12-11-24

Sorry... I can't do it. 4mins into #3 and Hanna/Quinn (sorry, I mean, "Dakota") is face-to-face w/Pike (sorry, I mean "Maddox") who just saved Eden from a fire, and now...??? I'm bored. Such a trite, silly, childish thing for you to have happen after #1 & #2 built up the hatred Hanna/Quinn (sorry... i mean, "Dakota") has for Pike (sorry... I mean, "Maddox") leading us to believe she'd drop/kill him where he stood if she ever laid eyes on him again, after enduring his physical TORTURING of her. Now he's part of their group and the story will get more and more silly from there. Sad turn of events. again, BORING.

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Elder technology???

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 01-18-24

Is the GPASS advanced human tech? Rindaloo tech? Dare i ask... Elder tech?

#16 and you've still got me hanging on your every word. The writing is, as we've all come to expectt, too good for a simple layman reviewer like me to put adequately into words that'd do it justice. Suffice it to say, you better be working on the next 3 installations. You took the story to a whole new level in the last paragraph.

Please... don't be THAT author that writes an amazing series, publishes & presents the first batch in the series on Audible, then sells their sole to some other publisher that won't make the last installments on Audible, where we all have come to know and live Joe, Sarg.Marg, Reed, Kinsta, the rotten kitties, General Scarandom, and if course, Skippy the Magnificent.

Sell out and don't make the next book(s) available thru Audible. See what happens. You won't lie it.

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Not my usual cuppa tea (but glad I stopped by)

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 09-09-23

As my review title would suggest, this genre isn't what I usually go for. Before this book, I honestly can not recall the last stand-alone book/novel/story I read. Most likely, it was an old Carl Sagan or Isaac Asimov book, which started me on my literary expedition to the far reaches of our universe.

I was hooked.

I was hooked, but I always found myself wanting more... wanting the story to have a 'Part 2', which led me to the multi-book 'series' sci-fi realm. MULTI BOOK SERIES is an absolute MUST HAVE for me these days.

That said, my 2 mainstay genres are:
1. Dystopian future, post apocalyptic, shtf'aftermath, survival of the fittest, prepper vs. everyone not in his/her/their circle... you get the idea
2. Deep future, science fiction on steroids, interstellar travel, intergalactic travel, sci-fi opera (I think that's what it's called)

But the absolutely MUST be multi book/multi installment for me to even CONSIDER spending my Audible time & money on.

I'm not sure why I chose to partake of this beautifully written work of art, but partake I did. And I'm THRILLED to death that I may have found a 3rd genre to get my blood pumping, my heart raving, my brain gears churning & grinding and when all of that comes together, puts a smile on my face.

This book did just that. Very well laid out. Real world technology and implications of time-travel reverently adhered to. No crazy 'made up' or invented paradoxical ways of side-stepping what we all know (or at least THINK we know) about time travel. You can not change the past. Period. There's no way around it. If you do... butterfly-affect. Change a single inconsequential thing in the past, when you arrive back in the present, it won't be the present you left.

THAT is the beauty of this work. Very clever writing, character development, representations of life & death and what each of those things ACTUALLY mean. I am floored by the genius of this idea. If I say more... spoiler alert, so I'll stop talking now.

All I will say is this... READ THIS FREAKING BOOK.

Anyone that's made it this far into my review, WILL read it. I'm sure of it. How do I know? Causality. Causality, and also by the simple fact that you & I are currently sitting scross from each other discussing our thoughts on it. Yes, you heard correctly. You and I are sharing our thoughts on this book AS I WRITE THIS (you're actually helping me write the review, so there's that as well).

Thanks for your help with the review, incidentally.

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Very good and will leave you wanting more, BUT...

Overall
2 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
2 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 05-26-23

(it pains me to leave a 2-star rating for a book & series that captivated me from the 3rd paragraph of book-1 to present)

Into the Calm and all previous installments are masterfully written and more han masterfully read/narrated/performed. All bases are covered as far as continuity is concerned, and overall, this installment leaves me wanting for more and more and more.

"BOOK-7, HERE I COME!!!"

That's what I'd like to be saying. All things considered, I know that book-7 (Into the Breach) would be just amazing as all the earlier series installments (ie: book-1 to book-6) and am confident in saying that without having read it.

BUT...

That's why it saddens me to leave this series and call it COMPLETE, even before buying & reading book-7. Why should I burn a credit to read book-7, when book-8 & book-9 aren't available on Audible? Whoever made that genius decision (ie: putting 8 & 9 on another platform that more than likely enticed the publisher away from Audible by dangling a carrot/ 'bag of money' in front of their faces, which the greedy publisher gleefully accepted without a second thought to their Audible base/reader/customer).

Shame on you, publishing company.
Shame on you, James Rosone.

I've no doubt the author was consulted regarding this decision. In doing so, you've lost a reader. I looked you up, James, and put EVERY SINGLE BOOK you've ever written (that's available on Audible anyway) in my wishlist. I was going to "invest" my time, effort & money in all your available titles. I'll not be doing so. Even if you, at some later date, allow them on Audible ("them", as in book-8 & book'9), I will not be amongst your readers.

There are many others who feel the way I do. I'm a member of an online community that shares thoughts, theories, and discussions in all things sci-fi/future-history, etc. We suggest books and series to each other. In that small community (we're only 150K readers/contributors in total), a pole recently taken had 75% of us jumping OFF the James Rosone train. Some completed to book-7 (ie: the last Audible available installment), and others have done what I have (ie: stopping at book-6, not wanting to waste any more resources on you nor anything you may write in the future).

You sold out to greed, and you've lost a small number of readers, but maybe this will be a lesson to other authors contemplating the same thing. "Bait & Switch" is the colloquialism that best fits this travesty. You should ALL be ashamed of yourselves... sellouts all. We're all so very disappointed in you & yours, you sell out(s).

Good luck.

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Excellent... book-2 here I come!!!

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 01-17-23

Hooked me INSIDE my 3-chapter, "keep going" or "not for me" window. The gung-ho, uber patriotic, ultra idealist protagonist character is well written. From his 'never say die' attitude, to his 'for the good of all man'kind' (Ruksin'kind as well) is just cheesy enough, but not TOO cheesy as to render the character impotent. Very much looking forward to the next... here I come book-2, ready or not.

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Trust the Awesome

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 12-30-22

Truly awesome. Very good series. It's left me speechless and rather upset that there's no more.

Craig... Robert... MASTERFUL. Both the writing AND the actor that brought it to life.

Not sure what else to say other than THANK YOU. Both of you.

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infinite...?

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 11-23-22

Infinite CLIFF-HANGEF, more like. Wow. Off to procure & download #2.

Bray... masterful as usual (you should do OURTAKES at the end of every book you present.

A+

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NEXT INSTALLMENT PLEASE!

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 11-18-22

book-4: 'fear the deep field'
email me & we can walk thru 4, 5 & 6 audible... please share my addy to the author. im not a writer btw.
email me!

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the challenge of ending a book-series...

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 10-14-22

not the easiest thing in the world, ending a multi-book series, especially so, since Boyette so thoroughly develops his characters that you feel like you know each of them intimately.

great series. mediocre ending (its suite clear theres no follow-up, book-5, to come).

I'd recommend.

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awesome, as usual

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 07-26-22

I'm loving the bloopers at the end. the book is amazing, but the bloopers... dude. I spit milk outta my nose as I was listening. and I wasn't even drinking milk at the time!

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