Bill
- 15
- reviews
- 5
- helpful votes
- 16
- ratings
-
World War Z
- By: Max Brooks
- Narrated by: Christopher Ragland, Rupert Farley, Nigel Pilkington, and others
- Length: 13 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,776
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,583
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,582
The Zombie War came unthinkably close to eradicating humanity. Max Brooks, driven by the urgency of preserving the acid-etched firsthand experiences of the survivors from those apocalyptic years, traveled across the United States of America and throughout the world, from decimated cities that once teemed with upwards of thirty million souls to the most remote and inhospitable areas of the planet. He recorded the testimony of men, women, and sometimes children who came face-to-face with the living - or at least the undead - hell of that dreadful time.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
#NailedIt
- By Danno on 18-05-2015
- World War Z
- By: Max Brooks
- Narrated by: Christopher Ragland, Rupert Farley, Nigel Pilkington, Jennifer Woodward, David Thorpe, Adam Sims, Robert Slade
This is not the story of the movie,
Reviewed: 31-03-2020
A friend told me to read this. I didn't think it would be worth the effort. I was wrong! This is not the story of the movie. it is one hundred times more.
Trust me, you will love this book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Race of Aces
- WWII's Elite Airmen and the Epic Battle to Become the Master of the Sky
- By: John R. Bruning
- Narrated by: Brian Troxell
- Length: 16 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 34
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 29
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 29
In 1942, America's deadliest fighter pilot, or "ace of aces" - the legendary Eddie Rickenbacker - offered a bottle of bourbon to the first US fighter pilot to break his record of 26 enemy planes shot down. Seizing on the challenge to motivate his men, General George Kenney promoted what they would come to call the "race of aces" as a way of boosting the spirits of his war-weary command.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
outstanding story
- By Peter Tonkin on 13-08-2024
- Race of Aces
- WWII's Elite Airmen and the Epic Battle to Become the Master of the Sky
- By: John R. Bruning
- Narrated by: Brian Troxell
Warts and all air combat
Reviewed: 31-03-2020
I was a bit worried this would be a hero-fest, bragging about how great these pilots were, It turned out to being anything but. The pilots involved were covered in great detail, both strengths and flaws.
The air combat accounts, likewise, point out the pilots and aircraft best and worst attributes. While recognising the pilot scores, the book does point out the great difficulty in confirming kills, and that in fact on many occasions both sides claimed kills far higher than actually occurred on the day. It also displays the grief and horror of losing close friends, and the perils of leadership.
Well worth the read.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
A Little Hatred
- The First in the Epic Sunday Times Bestselling Series
- By: Joe Abercrombie
- Narrated by: Steven Pacey
- Length: 20 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 981
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 887
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 882
On the blood-soaked borders of Angland, Leo dan Brock struggles to win fame on the battlefield and defeat the marauding armies of Stour Nightfall. He hopes for help from the crown. But King Jezal's son, the feckless Prince Orso, is a man who specialises in disappointments. Savine dan Glokta - socialite, investor and daughter of the most feared man in the Union - plans to claw her way to the top of the slag-heap of society by any means necessary. But the slums boil over with a rage that all the money in the world cannot control.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Fantastic book. A must listen.
- By Michael Q on 20-09-2019
- A Little Hatred
- The First in the Epic Sunday Times Bestselling Series
- By: Joe Abercrombie
- Narrated by: Steven Pacey
As good as always.
Reviewed: 31-03-2020
I was a bit hesitant to start another Joe Abercrombie series. How could he maintain such a high standard?
Well, he has, Absolutely intriguing characters, humorous side lines, and fantastic fantasy!
Can't wait for the next book!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
The German Aces Speak
- World War II Through the Eyes of Four of the Luftwaffe's Most Important Commanders
- By: Anne-Marie Lewis, Jon Guttman, Brigadier General Robin Olds USAF - Ret., and others
- Narrated by: P.J. Ochlan
- Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 72
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 66
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 65
Few perspectives epitomize the sheer drama and sacrifice of combat more perfectly than those of the fighter pilots of World War II. As romanticized as any soldier in history, the World War II fighter pilot was viewed as larger than life: a dashing soul waging war amongst the clouds. In the 65-plus years since the Allied victory, stories of these pilots' heroics have never been in short supply. But what about their adversaries - the highly skilled German aviators who pushed the Allies to the very brink of defeat?
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Inaccurate and laughable narrator
- By Geoff Alford on 30-01-2019
- The German Aces Speak
- World War II Through the Eyes of Four of the Luftwaffe's Most Important Commanders
- By: Anne-Marie Lewis, Jon Guttman, Brigadier General Robin Olds USAF - Ret., Oberleutnant Kurt Schulze, Colin D. Heaton
- Narrated by: P.J. Ochlan
The war through rose coloured glasses.
Reviewed: 31-03-2020
We are the misunderstood chivalrous knights of the air who did not know what the nasty Nazis were doing.
This book is just a load of lies. The talk about kills is ridiculous. The actions just do not add up. One says the only way to shoot down a IL-2 is from underneath, but then mentions numerous occasions when he shoots them down from above or behind.
All claim, with the benefit of hindsight, that they did not know what the leaders were doing in relation to the holocaust, but blame all of the faults of the war on those leaders, those leaders who showered them with promotions, medals, holidays and other rewards.
Not worth reading, a sad disappointment. If you want to read about air combat in WWII, go to The Race of Aces, by John R Burning. A warts and all account of the pilots and the fighting in the Pacific.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Dragon's Jaw
- An Epic Story of Courage and Tenacity in Vietnam
- By: Stephen Coonts, Barrett Tillman
- Narrated by: Dan Woren
- Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall2 out of 5 stars 2
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars 2
-
Story2 out of 5 stars 2
Every war has its "bridge" - Old North Bridge at Concord, Burnside's Bridge at Antietam, the railway bridge over Burma's River Kwai, the bridge over Germany's Rhine River at Remagen, and the bridges over Korea's Toko Ri. In Vietnam it was the bridge at Thanh Hoa, called Dragon's Jaw. For seven long years hundreds of young US airmen flew sortie after sortie against North Vietnam's formidable and strategically important bridge, dodging a heavy concentration of anti-aircraft fire and enemy MiG planes. Many American airmen were shot down, killed, or captured....
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Great - story but the political biases is of the authors showthrough
- By Amazon Customer on 07-08-2020
- Dragon's Jaw
- An Epic Story of Courage and Tenacity in Vietnam
- By: Stephen Coonts, Barrett Tillman
- Narrated by: Dan Woren
A good book flawed by bias
Reviewed: 16-08-2019
This book could be renamed "how much I hate Democrats" as it spends an awful lot of time bagging out LBJ and Robert McNamara. Now many can and do criticize the two, and for good reason, but Coonts and Tillman go way over the top, and are often inaccurate. Given the level of information demonstrated in Max Hastings book Vietnam, and in Mark Bowden’s book Hue 1968, there is no excuse for these inaccuracies.
The authors try and blame everything on LBJ and Mac, without any commentary on the US military overstating their efforts and claiming to be winning the war.
This is a real shame, because the descriptions of the air actions, tactics and combat are first rate.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
To the Limit
- An Air Cav Huey Pilot in Vietnam
- By: Tom A. Johnson
- Narrated by: David Drummond
- Length: 13 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 76
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 67
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 66
From June 1967 to June 1968, Tom Johnson accumulated an astonishing 1,600 flying hours piloting the UH-1 "Iroquois" - better known as the "Huey" - as part of the famous First Air Cavalry Division. His battalion was one of the most decorated units of the Vietnam War, and helped redefine modern warfare. Johnson's riveting memoir takes us into key battles and rescue missions, including those for Hue and Khe Sanh. In harrowing detail, he tells of being shot down in the battle of A Shau Valley, of surviving enemy attacks during the Tet Offensive, and of a death-defying nighttime river rescue.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
a good account, but difficult to listen to
- By Bill on 15-04-2019
- To the Limit
- An Air Cav Huey Pilot in Vietnam
- By: Tom A. Johnson
- Narrated by: David Drummond
a good account, but difficult to listen to
Reviewed: 15-04-2019
I got a good account of the battle, but it was just difficult to listen to, more likely because of the way it was written than the way it was narrated.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Legion versus Phalanx
- The Epic Struggle for Infantry Supremacy in the Ancient World
- By: Myke Cole
- Narrated by: Alexander Cendese
- Length: 8 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 17
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 12
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 12
From the time of Ancient Sumeria, the heavy infantry phalanx dominated the battlefield. Armed with spears or pikes, standing shoulder to shoulder with shields interlocking, the men of the phalanx presented an impenetrable wall of wood and metal to the enemy. Until, that is, the Roman legion emerged to challenge them as masters of infantry battle.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
good but not great
- By Michael on 26-11-2020
- Legion versus Phalanx
- The Epic Struggle for Infantry Supremacy in the Ancient World
- By: Myke Cole
- Narrated by: Alexander Cendese
Interesting, but a little to much conjecture
Reviewed: 15-04-2019
The author starts by saying he is not a dyed in the wool historian, and this is apparent. As will all ancient history, there is a lot of conjecture and guessing, but it appears that the guessing changed depending on who will be the victor.
quite an enjoyable read in any case.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Hitler's Soldiers
- The German Army in the Third Reich
- By: Ben H. Shepherd
- Narrated by: Michael Page
- Length: 26 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 8
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 8
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 8
For decades after 1945, it was generally believed that the German army, professional and morally decent, had largely stood apart from the SS, Gestapo, and other corps of the Nazi machine. Ben Shepherd draws on a wealth of primary sources and recent scholarship to convey a much darker, more complex picture. For the first time, the German army is examined throughout the Second World War, across all combat theaters and occupied regions, and from multiple perspectives: its battle performance, social composition, relationship with the Nazi state, and involvement in war crimes and occupation.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Not what it said it would be
- By Bill on 20-02-2019
- Hitler's Soldiers
- The German Army in the Third Reich
- By: Ben H. Shepherd
- Narrated by: Michael Page
Not what it said it would be
Reviewed: 20-02-2019
The title is misleading. This is not a book about the German Army, it is a story of how the German government treated the people of the countries they occupied during the war. Sure, the army played a big role in this (probably bigger than is usually thought), and it does include information about how the army transformed under Hitler's lead, but it is definitely not the story of the German army in the Third Reich.
Additionally, the writing style is dull and difficult. How many times do you need to the the term "moreover"? Far to may times in this book.
One of the reason I purchased this book is because I like Michael Page as a narrator, but even his skills could not make this anything but a chore to listen to.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
The Boys of '67
- Charlie Company's War in Vietnam
- By: Andrew Wiest
- Narrated by: William Hughes
- Length: 15 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 29
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 27
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 26
When the 160 men of Charlie Company were drafted by the US Army in May 1966, they were part of the wave of conscription that would swell the American military to eighty thousand combat troops in Vietnam by the height of the war in 1968. In the spring of 1966 the war was still popular, and the draftees of Charlie Company saw their service as a rite of passage. But by December 1967, when the company returned home, only thirty men were not casualties.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A moving account of the Vietnam War
- By Bill on 05-09-2018
- The Boys of '67
- Charlie Company's War in Vietnam
- By: Andrew Wiest
- Narrated by: William Hughes
A moving account of the Vietnam War
Reviewed: 05-09-2018
Listening to this book almost made me feel a party to the experiences of the young men who served with Charlie Company in 1967. The author goes into great detail to tell the individual stories of the members of the Company, before, during and after their service in Vietnam.
Some may find this a bit tedious; I did not. Listening to their hopes and dreams, their fears, their loss, and finally their inability to accept their lot after the war, made me feel their frustration and despair.
As good a Vietnam War books as I have ever read or listened to.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Red Country
- By: Joe Abercrombie
- Narrated by: Steven Pacey
- Length: 19 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 788
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 714
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 713
Shy South comes home to her farm to find a blackened shell; her brother and sister have been stolen and she's going to have to return to her bad old ways if she's ever going to see them again. She sets off in grim pursuit with only her cowardly old step-father Lamb for company. But it turns out he's hiding a bloody past of his own. None bloodier.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Western didn’t quite work
- By Anonymous User on 26-12-2020
- Red Country
- By: Joe Abercrombie
- Narrated by: Steven Pacey
great end to the series
Reviewed: 29-06-2018
Another read book by Joe. Introduces new characters, but drags back into the story old characters that enhance the tale. Even kills off one or two long standing characters by the end of the book. If you have read the other two is the series, you need to complete it by getting getting this one. if you haven't read the other two in the series, go and get them!.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!