I listened to the audio version of Nexus and let me tell you, it was 13 hours of nerdy fun brilliance!!!
It has an intricate plot, basically it is set I listened to the audio version of Nexus and let me tell you, it was 13 hours of nerdy fun brilliance!!!
It has an intricate plot, basically it is set in the not too distant future. Technology has surpassed what we would have ever expected. The new nano drug Nexus works by linking minds together, it is also extremely feared and illegal. Young budding scientist Cade is caught improving it, and is made to work for the government as a spy, to bring down others who would use and distribute this technology. But not is all what it seems. Are the government the good guys? How can linking human beings together be a bad thing?
What a ride! It was exciting, thrilling, action packed and so darn interesting! The technology in this book is WOW, however still not incredibly far fetched. There is so much action in this book! It doesn't really let up! The way that the characters all communicate in their heads and use their brains as an internet of sorts, allows the plot to develop in really unique ways. It was SO MUCH FUN!
The characters are all fantastically written! They have depth and all have other special qualities, whether it be physical upgrades, or if they have surpassed human intelligence all together. I thought Cade was a great character, however I felt he didn't have quite the depth as some of the other characters. Sam was my favourite character, and we find out a lot about her and where she came from, and why she is the way she is. I enjoyed the way the story was written, with extracts, interviews and articles in between chapters to set the scene of the technologically advanced world and the challenges that it has encountered.
I thought the audio version narrated by Luke Daniels was FANTASTIC!! I loved the way he portrayed all the characters and at times it really felt like I was watching an action movie in my head because of his talented and gripping narration. If you are looking for a good audio book I would highly recommend you try this one!
Would I recommend Nexus?
YES! If you like sci-fi I am almost certain that you will enjoy this book! Loads of fun and there are two more! YAY!
I was expecting to enjoy this one more than I did. I felt quite underwhelmed unfortunately. It had an extremely promising start but for some reason itI was expecting to enjoy this one more than I did. I felt quite underwhelmed unfortunately. It had an extremely promising start but for some reason it started to fall a bit flat for me. However, I still mostly enjoyed it, what nerd like me wouldn’t enjoy a story about super villans and super heroes?! Now I know a LOT of people adored this book, so please don’t hate me if you are one of them!
David was only 10 when the world changed. “Calamity” came, and the Epics arrived. Supervillians with terrible powers, all evil and murderous. Steelheart was the worst. He killed David’s father, and now David wants revenge. He has to somehow join the resistance known as the Reckoners to bring down the epics. And destroy Steelheart.
Points to the audio version narrator MacLeod Andrews. He was fantastic! I am glad I listened to the audio version for this one. I think he made it more enjoyable in my ears than I could have made it in my head!
This is the first Sanderson book that I have read and I didn’t realise that it was YA. Not that I would have had a problem with that, I love a good YA. However I think maybe I should have stuck with his more adult fantasy books.
I found the main character David to be exceedingly annoying. He was a pompous little upstart and I just couldn’t bring myself to like him. When he wasn’t doing stupid things, he was dreaming about a girl. Because that’s all YA characters can do you know… Its all superheroes and girls. The language that all the characters used was the most annoying part of the whole book for me. “Calamity” and “Sparks” are the new swear words, and they just made it sound so stupid. Whenever I would hear the narrator say “Calamity!” I would roll my eyes.
Sure, some of the epics were well plotted, however I was still a bit bored. There was just something missing for me. Perhaps it was the atmosphere. It didn’t feel like humanity were slaves to epics now and the whole world had changed. Maybe it needed more than the viewpoint from some annoying young character to give it a bit more depth for me. People died but the atmosphere didn’t really relay that. It felt like all the awful things that happened in the book were superficial. If that makes sense.
There were a few redeeming factors, besides the awesome narrator… It had a good twists at the end. I totally saw one of them coming but the other one blindsided me. Despite the “Calamity” and “Sparks”, it was fairly well written. It was easy to get into and had a great premise. The other characters were not quite as annoying as David, and I enjoyed the way the whole thing ended.
Would I recommend Steelheart?
Maybe… If you don’t mind the corny language and annoying main character you may enjoy it more than I.
I immediately purchased this audio book after I finished Zero World. I loved Zero World so much and wanted to read (or listen to) something else by JaI immediately purchased this audio book after I finished Zero World. I loved Zero World so much and wanted to read (or listen to) something else by Jason M. Hough straight away! I heard great things about this series and wanted to delve straight in. While I did not quite enjoy it as much as Zero World, it certainly did not disappoint!
Over 200 years from now, an alien plague has taken over the earth and it is in ruin. All except Darwin, Australia of all places. Darwin was saved because a few years before the plague hit, an alien space ship arrived and put an elevator up into space. On the ground it emits a "aura" keeping all who reside in this area free from the symptoms of the disease. While outside the aura, the disease leaves humans in an angry "kill everyone they come across" state. But the elevator has started malfunctioning. Its up to Skylar, the leader of a scavenger group who are all mysteriously immune to the alien disease, to save the remainder of humanity.
I just thought this was such an interesting and original concept. And set in Darwin! Awesome! I really enjoyed the setting and the atmosphere of humanity striving to survive. I loved the politics and power plays, and thought the elevator and the aliens were just awesome. I was hooked!
Thought the characters were all fantastic, I loved the bad guys in this! They were horrible, in a good way! Skylar and Tania were awesome and there were so many awesome secondary characters!
There were a few slow parts and a lot of detail at times, but overall I really enjoyed the writing. The narrator was great, and the audio version was fabulous. I did get a bit annoyed with the narrators attempt at Australian accents, however I was able to let this slide as I got used to it!
There were twists and turns, deceit and deception, and a touch of romance. Unfortunately just a touch mind you. I am super excited to read (or listen to, I haven't decided which yet) the next one! I really want to know what happens with the characters and those darn aliens!
Would I recommend The Darwin Elevator?
Yes for any sci-fi fan or any fan of dystopian/apocalyptic/futuristic books. Well worth the read!
WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW!!!! Oh what fun!!!!! This book is the reason I love Sci-Fi! I can't believe it is not more popular! It was AMAZEBALLS! I only founWOW WOW WOW WOW WOW!!!! Oh what fun!!!!! This book is the reason I love Sci-Fi! I can't believe it is not more popular! It was AMAZEBALLS! I only found out about Zero World through GoodReads Sci-Fi recommendations, and I am so glad I bought it! I listened to the audio version on Audible and it was FABULOUS! - One of the best I have ever listened to!
Peter Caswell is a secret agent. A super-spy! He is altered and advanced so that he can do a lot of cool stuff thanks to an implant in his brain. However this implant also activates after a set time, to wipe the memory of his mission. So when he is sent to find a scientist who escaped a space ship after killing the rest of the crew, he only has a short time before his brain is wiped and he forgets doing it. However the scientist seems to have disappeared through a wormhole near the sun, and once Caswell is on the other side, he soon learns that everything is not what it seems.
Oh man this book was an awesome ride!! Full of action, adventure and mystery! The audio version with Gideon Emery was FANTASTIC! I LOVED his voice and his portrayal of all the characters! They all had a different distinctive voice and man, I could listen to that voice all day long! I am going to find other audio books he has done!
The characters were FABULOUS! I loved Caswell and the premise of him not being able to remember his previous missions. And with a HUGE twist at the end I had NO IDEA was coming! Loved it! And Melnie, with her spiky hair and purple eyes!
I loved the twists and turns through the book, the thing I love about Sci-Fi is that it can be as unimaginable and unrealistic as the author wants because anything is possible! Without giving too much away, it was a great story, had loads of science elements and was SO IMAGINATIVE! Hough created an awesome universe and I really hope that he does more with the premise and this isn't just a one off! I WANT MORE!
My ONLY criticism is that there wasn't enough romance! There was SUCH opportunity for a bit more romance, and that would have made it even better for me, cause I love that crap!
Would I recommend Zero World?
ABSOLUTELY! For any Sci-Fi fan, or any Sci-Fi novice who wants a great place to start! Thoroughly enjoyed it! One of the best books I have read (or listened to) this year!
Well, this one is a MAJOR contender for my favourite book of the year! This book was right up my alley, I love nerdy science stuff, and the concept ofWell, this one is a MAJOR contender for my favourite book of the year! This book was right up my alley, I love nerdy science stuff, and the concept of this book really appealed to me. I was trying not to expect too much as it is very hyped. But in the end, I was totally swept away by this fabulous sci-fi adventure.
Think Schrodinger's cat as a novel if you can... Jason Dessen is a brilliant scientist, leading a very happy, yet average life as a science professor, wondering what would have happened if his life led him on a different path. He is abducted by a masked man at gunpoint, drugged, and awakens in a world that is not his own. His house isn't his own, his wife isn't married to him, and his son doesn't exist. What the hell is going on?
This is all the plot I am going to give you. It gets strange, then weird, then weirdER, then FREAKING CRAZY!
I listened to the audio version of dark matter and i LOVED IT! Jon Lindstrom was the absolute PERFECT narrator for this book, he made every minute of listening to it extremely enjoyable.
This book made me think, it made me laugh, it made me go "WHOA!!!!!". Absolutely bloody brilliant!
Its not often i'm finished talking about a book in only 200 words, but I'm done. I don't want to ruin anything else for you, read it or listen to it. ASAP! Its absolutely fantastic!
Would I recommend Dark Matter?
YES! Even my friends who HATE sci-fi absolutely LOVE this book, and that's saying something! Highly recommend the audio version, but I am sure it would be just as good with words!
I listened to Dark Matter through audible.com, at my own expense.
It must be hard for Joe Hill to follow in his fathers footsteps as an author. As the son of Stephen King it’s not really surprising that Joe Hill is wIt must be hard for Joe Hill to follow in his fathers footsteps as an author. As the son of Stephen King it’s not really surprising that Joe Hill is well known now for his horror writing, however he is an extremely talented author in his own right. I am sure he gets even more criticism than your usual author for having one of the most renowned writers of our time as his father. However I think he probably gets a lot MORE ATTENTION than your average writer probably would because of this fact. No doubt about it, The Fireman is a good book. But I did compare! As much as I told myself I wouldn’t! I couldn’t stop myself! The Fireman was almost a homage to The Stand. When at first I was slightly disappointed, I soon realised that this was obviously totally intentional. Character names and traits were similar or the same, parts of the story that I picked up were the same or mirrored, and probably a lot that I didn’t pick up (its been a very long time since I read The Stand!) And at the age I was, I am sure I didn’t appreciate The Stand as much as I probably would now. The Stand was a 3 star read for me at the time. Despite this, I have given The Fireman 4. So I obviously still enjoyed it, actually more than his fathers work.
Harper is working as a school nurse when Draco Incendia Trychophyton makes its way to her city. Soon the disease has taken over the whole world. Otherwise known as Dragonscale, this deadly spore covers the sufferer with black and gold markings as it enters the blood stream and overtakes the whole body and brain, before literally burning the victim from the inside out. Spontaneous combustion. Before they know it the world is in ruin and the healthy turn on the diseased to try to eradicate them. Harper and her husband Jakob decide that if they get infected that they would both end their own lives, together. However this all becomes complicated when Harper discovers she is pregnant, soon before discovering the marks all over her body.
I really did like this book. I listened to the audio version narrated by Kate Mulgrew. The first half of The Fireman especially was extremely riveting. I really enjoyed listening about the progress of the disease and the deterioration of the world. Being a nurse too I think I really enjoyed Harper’s character and resonated with her. Although I found her to be just TOO good, and it annoyed me at times. The Fireman himself was nothing like I expected him to be. I thought he would be a larger part of the book, having the title role, however the book was all about Harper.
The length of the book and the slow parts were what brought this book down for me. I found the narration to be excellent in general, however I am not sure if perhaps I would have enjoyed the book more listeneing to the characters in my head instead. I guess that’s the risk with all audio books that you listen to. Even the most wonderful of books can be brought down by a bad narrator, and a horrible book can be made magical by a good one. I didn’t like the way she portrayed The Fireman. This could have just been her feminine voice with the English accent.
Also the ending just didn’t do it for me. I was expecting it and felt a bit let down. I found a lot of the novel predictable. I was also surprised by the constant Merry Poppins references. I understand that he was aiming for that sort of vibe with Harper and that Merry Poppins was an influence for him. However it really started getting on my nerves.
The majority of the book however, was superb. I loved the chase with the exterminators, the camp, and the fact that the disease wasn’t exactly a disease as such, and gave the sufferers something very special… The fact that the world split into healthy versus diseased was depressing, but made every move they made even more dangerous and exciting. And you could imagine easily that humanity might actually do that if there was an event like that. All these excellent qualities of this book was still not quite enough to give it 5 stars for me, but its a strong 4!
Would I recommend The Fireman?
Yes, I think its worth a read even if this isn’t your usual genre. And if you enjoyed the stand you will appreciate (or maybe not) the references made throughout this book.
I only wish I had been able to have such an opportunity to learn from such an inspirational author from birth. Its no wonder he paid homage to him!
2.5 Stars Not one of his best I must admit. Overall it was an entertaining story but ultimately left me feeling more unsatisfied than satisfied.
John is2.5 Stars Not one of his best I must admit. Overall it was an entertaining story but ultimately left me feeling more unsatisfied than satisfied.
John is a homicide detective who lost his entire family to a serial killer when he was a teenager 20 years earlier. He killed Alton Turner Blackwood that night, but Blackwood is back. Using the bodies of less than wholesome people, he uses person after person until his ultimate goal can be completed... Revenge on John and his family. And to finish the killing spree that he started.
I enjoyed the start of the book and how Koontz gradually gave away piece by piece of information. It kept me enthralled through the first few chapters. In fact, the whole book was quite good up until the chapters from the children's point of view. I don't think I have ever heard such poor portrayal of children. All three of them were so completely unbelievable it pretty much turned me off the entire book. Then some more chapters with the adults point of view would make me forget that I wasn't enjoying it... And then the children would have a point of view again... And cue the eye rolling.
I did enjoy the diary of Blackwood. It was interesting hearing how he turned into such a monster. I just found it frustrating that every character either had some innate evil, or they were so inherently good. No character seemed to be in the middle.
It had some spooky moments, but overall it was more frustrating than frightening. And what is with all the big words that he uses!? I'm fairly sure he used his spell-check thesaurus quite a bit while writing this! And when the children started using those big words.. It was just too much for me.
I did enjoy it overall though. The storyline made up for the poorly portrayed characters, and I enjoyed the narrator of the audio version.
Would I recommend What the Night Knows?
Maybe. Die hard Koontz and horror fans would probably enjoy it. However I am sure there are better possession stories out there.
WOW!!! THIS is why I love reading! What an absolutely fantastic and powerful story. With one novel, Renshaw has surely joined an elite group of fantasWOW!!! THIS is why I love reading! What an absolutely fantastic and powerful story. With one novel, Renshaw has surely joined an elite group of fantasy authors, along side names such as Tolkin, Sanderson and Rothfuss. This book has been nominated and won numerous awards and I can certainly say beyond a doubt that I am not surprised. From the beginning of the book you could just tell there was something very special about it. And the audio version was superb! Absolutely 30 hours of my life that I would gladly give again for the pleasure of listening to this fabulous tale for a second time.
The story is a coming of age fantasy centring around the young Aedan. Aedan and his friends live in a small farming town when their lives are turned around when slave traders enter the town. What follows next ultimately leads Aedan to start training at an academy for mercenaries, with revenge on an entire nation in his sights.
Now, my description is obviously extremely short and vague. But don't let it fool you, this story is rich with character and adventure. It is witty and moving. I was floored by the writing of this somewhat unknown author and even more blown away by the amazing performance of the narrator Tim Gerard Reynolds.
Like most good long fantasy tales, there are periods that are slower than the rest of the book - Setting the scene with characterisations, more than adventure and action. However when you take into account the importance of developing the characters and relationships between them, these slower periods are essential to the development of the story and I imagine the series as a whole. They are barely memorable.
The characters were all wonderfully developed, and entertaining. There were people that you loved, and people that you loved to hate. Poor Aeden did have his fair share of bad blood when it came to other characters and at times I was so frustrated at the way people treated him. Yes, at times some things seem far fetched, Aeden seems to have too much luck, or not enough... Being at the right or wrong place at the right or wrong time. Overhearing conversations that ultimately helped his cause. But this didn't bother me at all. I still enjoyed every moment of this fantastic story.
Would I recommend Dawn of Wonder?
If you are a fan of high fantasy, especially Patrick Rothfuss, I would highly recommend this novel. I actually enjoyed it more than The Name of the Wind. Do yourself a favour and check this book out. Especially the audio version! Fantastic!
Well, I haven't given a book such a low rating in a while... I am such a big fan of Nora Roberts! I don't know WHAT happened with this one!! Yet, I seWell, I haven't given a book such a low rating in a while... I am such a big fan of Nora Roberts! I don't know WHAT happened with this one!! Yet, I seem to be the minority as it gets shining reviews on GoodReads.
Naomi was only 12 years old when she saved a young woman from one of the most notorious serial killers the country has ever known. He was also her father. As an adult now, Naomi moves from place to place and hasn't been able to settle down because people find out her true identity - as the daughter of a monster. When she decides to buy a house in Sunrise Cove she finally thinks she has found a place to call home... But there is a new killer out there, and he has his sights set on Naomi.
Now, where to begin? It was off to a great start, Naomi as a young girl saving the woman and discovering that her father was a viscous serial killer. But when it skipped to her adult years it really dragged on for me. It was way too drawn out. I felt as though 70% of the book was discussing interior designing and colours of the house she was renovating and I actually began to dread when she walked into another shop to look at stuff to buy for the house.
The love interest was promising, until he started bossing her around, verbally abusing her and being a total a-hole to her at times because she needed to "get over it".
And the stupidity of the characters... "Oh there is a serial killer after my girlfriend? That's ok, I'll just go to work and leave her all alone..." or "Gee that guy over there looks suspicious, I've never seen him before... He matches the description of the serial killer who is out to get me, and he is staring straight at me... Oh wait its probably nothing, I'm overreacting" or "Its ok, you can leave me alone with a serial killer after me, I've locked these GLASS DOORS, nobody is getting in.." Sigh.
I think this book was a 3 star read for me up until the end with the dog in the hospital. I actually yelled "YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!" as I listened to that part and decided to deduct another star!
The audio version went ON AND ON AND ON AND ON AND ON. The narrators monotone voice didn't help. I didn't enjoy her portrayal of the other characters, especially the males, which sounded exactly like the females and exactly like each other.
The killer was EXTREMELY predictable. My number one pet peeve!
I'm sorry Ms Roberts for this terrible review! I truly am a big fan! Just not of this one.
This was yet another mammoth audio book. I’m not sure why I always choose the big ones to listen to… I guess I look at the book and not the 4.25 stars
This was yet another mammoth audio book. I’m not sure why I always choose the big ones to listen to… I guess I look at the book and not the 30+ hours its going to take to listen to it!
Jake Epping is an English teacher living out his life until one day his friend Al introduces him to a worm hole in time. Every time the wormhole is entered it takes the passenger back in time to 1958. Al was forced to come back before he was able to change the past, by preventing the Kennedy assassination. Now he want’s Jake to do it – To save thousands of lives that were lost in wars and past events by saving the president in 1963. However the past is the past for a reason. It resists change, as Jake soon discovers.
I really enjoyed this story. Stephen King is one of my favourite authors. Ever since I turned the pages of “Night Shift” all those years ago in my youth, and scared myself to death with “The boogeyman” I have loved everything he has written (even his crappier stuff) because it was him. 11.22.63 Is a fantastic story. Full of heart. And the audio version was just superb. Narrated by Craig Wasson, it is extremely entertaining. You can feel the tension in the exciting parts and Wasson does all the voices so well. Up the top of my list for best audio books!
I am not the biggest fan of historical fiction, not sure why. It just doesn’t appeal to me. And time travel novels can be so hit and miss. There are only a few that I have really enjoyed. But this story is so much more than a historical fiction time travel book. Its so much more than just the events associated with the assassination of the president (although obviously this is the central course of events of the story). It is a romance, an adventure, an action and just a plain old good yarn!
The characters are fabulous. I love the 50’s feel to the characters and places. King has put a LOT of research into this book and it shows. Jake is a great character. Even though some of the choices he made me scratched my head at times, I really liked him. Sadie was also a great character. But the star of the show was the obdurate past. It was a character in itself. Always trying to stop him, and “harmonising” in spooky ways. Gave me goosebumps in a few places (Jimla).
The main reason this story gets a 4.25 from me and not higher, is because a lot of the historical subject matter didn’t interest me that much and it dragged on at times, especially the parts where he was just observing Oswald. I don’t know much about American history so a lot of it went over my head. I just couldn’t give it a higher rating.
However 4.25 is still a great rating, I can’t say I will listen to it again any times soon, but It was an enjoyable ride.
I have seen this book around for years. When it initially came out i thought to myself "Yeah I'll have to read that soon". And then months passed. "YeI have seen this book around for years. When it initially came out i thought to myself "Yeah I'll have to read that soon". And then months passed. "Yeah, I still have to get to this one"... And then when I finally got around to reading it (or listening in this case), I realised it had been a whole 12 years since I told myself I should read it originally. All I can say is WHY THE HELL DID I WAIT SO LONG??!!
This is where I usually give a brief run down of the book, but I'm not going to for this one. I think it's much better if you go in blind. Lets just say, there is an intricate heist, plans to overthrow an evil and powerful Lord Ruler, a lot of action, a touch of romance and some magical powers, or should I say, scientific powers.
Look, a big 600 page or 28 hour audio book is a big investment in time. And there are SO MANY books out there to read. But when you find a gem in this genre, it is so worth it. I can't explain why I enjoy fantasy so much. Maybe its the fact that you literally leave this world and are plunged into a totally different universe, where science can be bent however the author sees fit. Maybe it has something to do with the depth, background and physical characteristics of the characters that can be created when you literally rewrite the laws of space and physics. I can't exactly put my finger on it. But I can see why the Mistborn series is a much beloved, extremely popular addition to the modern fantasy genre.
The writing is actually really simple and that is not a criticism. It has such a complex and rich story, but you don't have to think too hard, which is why I think this book in particular would be an amazing book to start off reading fantasy if you are a novice. He writes it with such ease. I found none of the fantasy BLAH that goes over my head in some fantasy novels, especially the older ones.
I guess when you have so many pages and hours to fill, you have an opportunity to build up some rich, diverse characters, and that is exactly what Sanderson has done here. There are some extremely lovable characters and some that you love to hate. The relationships between the characters were complex and thoroughly entertaining!
It has action and adventure, a lot of humour and so many twists and turns that I never saw coming! And I love a good heist in my fantasy books!
The audio version was AMAZING! The narrator Michael Kramer is absolutely amazing and I got into the story STRAIGHT AWAY! There was no getting used to the narrator, he just started of brilliantly and it continued for the whole story. Yes, it was a LONG audio book, but as I have said before in other reviews, fantasy is my favourite genre to listen to in audio format. It brings it to life and is so easy to listen to - Despite the length.
Would I recommend The Final Empire? If you are a newbie to fantasy, I would say this is a wonderful place to start. I wouldn't be surprised if it makes you want to explore the genre further. If you are already a fan like I am, you will hopefully appreciate the complex story and amazing world that Sanderson has created.
I purchased The Final Empire on audible.com at my own expense.
Well, it took me long enough to get there, but I have finally finished The Wise Man’s Fear! What an EPIC audio book! 43 HOURS long!
It is day two at thWell, it took me long enough to get there, but I have finally finished The Wise Man’s Fear! What an EPIC audio book! 43 HOURS long!
It is day two at the Waystone Inn, and Kvothe is telling Bast and Chronicler the second part of his tale. Back at the university, a young Kvothe is just beginning his adventures. He leaves the university in search of a patron, trains with the Amyr and learns their secrets, gets taken by Felourian to have her way with him, continues on his quest to avenge his parents, and starts to make a name for himself.
The world that he has created in this series is just enchanting. I love how the story is told. The first book for those who have not read it, begins with the innkeeper agreeing to have his life story documented by a scribe. However it will take three days to tell his tale. The first book is day one, the second book is day two and the third book will be day three (when it is released… 2017 apparently! WAHHHH). In between the story there are interludes back to the present day at the Inn, starting to get glimpses of what Kvothe is like now, how he has changed, and how he has stayed the same.
I have read reviews of The Wise Man’s Fear and many reviewers found it to be slower than The Name of the Wind. I disagree. I actually enjoyed it much more than the first one. Maybe it was because of the ease of getting back into it. The first one took me a good 2 hours to really start enjoying the story. However this one was right back into it straight away. Like an old friend. I also began to feel like the story really moved along. It seemed to take him forever to venture out from the university, so I was utterly excited when he did! I enjoyed that he went into the Fae. At the time I thought it was a little strange, however I think it really helped Kvothes character mature, and became pivotal to the story.
There is something magical about Rothfuss’s words. Something amazing about the way he tells this tale… It sucks me right in. And with Nick Podehl as narrator, yet again I was listening to this book at every opportunity, trying to absorb as much of the story as I could, as quickly as I could!
Kvothe is really developing through the novels. In the first book I found him to be quite annoying, the younger version anyway. Arrogant and at times painfully stupid, despite his intelligence. The Wise Man’s Fear had me starting to like him and see glimpses of what he will be like as he grows older. His character was much more tolerable. I enjoyed his countless adventures. All the characters are engrossing to read about, both the new and the old ones. I really enjoy the relationship he has started to develop between his friends, and his romantic conquests. However one character I never warmed to and found in this one I began to dislike more and more, was Denna… I don’t understand his attraction to her, or her role in the whole saga. She is absolutely annoying and I would almost cringe whenever there was a scene with her in it. However, I am interested to see what happens with them in the next one.
I am very sad that the next one isn’t out yet, but you cant rush a good thing!
Would I recommend The Wise Man’s Fear?
Absolutely! A wonderful book! Just read The Name of the Wind first or you will be hopelessly and utterly lost!
An American submarine with superior weapons technology was lost at sea years ago. Suddenly, its distress WOW! This was the best Alex Hunter novel yet!
An American submarine with superior weapons technology was lost at sea years ago. Suddenly, its distress call is discovered pulsing under the dark ice of the Antarctic. So it's back to where it all began, Alex must go down under the Antarctic and face the foe he was introduced to in the first novel, who is very much still alive. Also, he must beat the Chinese from getting to the submarine first, and prevent a devastating nuclear war. Meanwhile, Jack convinces Aimee to go back under the dark ice in order to help save her son from the looming nuclear disaster.
Well, I know its only February, but this is my pick of the year so far. I can't remember enjoying an action book as much as I enjoyed this one! Absolutely fantastic!
If you are an action/adventure fan and have not read a Greig Beck novel yet, do yourself a massive favour and grab one! You will not be disappointed! In this one alone there was a giant monster, giant killer turtle, flesh eating worms, deadly humanoid creatures - that's just the start, and all with the backdrop of impending nuclear war. There is never a dull moment. It goes from action to action, but also has an intriguing and gripping back story and plot with Alex and his relationship with Aimee, and their son Joshua.
I absolutely love all the characters, the good and bad guys! I am quite attached to them all now, I worry that they are going to die, as Beck doesn't exactly hold back from killing off big characters! That's a really good thing though, you never know what's going to happen!
The audio version, yet again was performed by Sean Mangan. What a superb narrator he is for this kind of book! So entertaining!
I LOVE that Aimee is back! I was REALLY looking forward to their reunion, as its been looming for a two novels and a novella now! I was not disappointed! Although, I wish that she would have found out he was alive in another way, it was still ultimately extremely satisfying!
As always, the science and research that goes into the novel was fantastic! There is SO MUCH information not only in the book itself but at the very end with the scientific explanations and information. I'm not sure how he does it, but he manages to weave a whole lot of interesting scientific aspects into every one of his novels, and it is fantastic!
I absolutely cannot wait to see where Beck goes with this series! There is SO MUCH potential for more absolutely awesome stories in regards to Alex and Joshua as he grows up. I'm hoping there are going to be some father/son adventure novels and then perhaps change focus to Joshua for the next generation. That's just what I'm hoping for! Kinda like Dirk Pitt and Dirk Jr - Only even more exciting!! Can't wait to see where it goes!
Beck has become one of my all time favourite authors, one that I will read without hesitation and recommend unconditionally to anyone who loves a bit of adventure and horror (and blood and guts)!
Would I recommend Kraken Rising?
YES YES YES!!!! It is absolutely fantastic! I recommend the entire series, especially the audio books! So entertaining! They can all be read as stand alone novels, but if you want to experience the whole Arcadian experience and back story, Beneath the Dark Ice is the first one.
Big thanks to Greig Beck for a copy of this audio book in exchange for my honest review.
I must admit, the Alex Hunter series is fast becoming one of my favourite series of all time, absolutely my favourite adventure/action series. I love I must admit, the Alex Hunter series is fast becoming one of my favourite series of all time, absolutely my favourite adventure/action series. I love the characters, I love the story and I LOVE the narrator of the audio versions Sean Mangan! Even though it wasn’t my favourite of the series so far, I still enjoyed the action-packed Gorgon!
Alex Hunter is back… He has had enough of wandering the country, and contacts Jack, who convinces him to come back to work for the Hawc’s. Meanwhile over in Istanbul, a creature that was hidden in an ancient chamber has escaped and is turning thousands of people to stone. What is this creature? And how can the Hawc’s stop it before it reaches a NATO base?
Like any Alex Hunter book, it was filled with action from start to finish. Beck takes you on a wild ride with each novel and it doesn’t let up until the very last word. This was probably more action packed than the last few novels actually, and that’s saying something. However I felt it was all action and I missed Aimee, I missed Adira, and I missed a bit of the whole romantic/sexual attraction element from the previous novels. Although I love the twist in the story that we find out right at the beginning…
However, nobody can say that Gorgon wasn’t exciting! Action packed. I also LOVED the subtle teasing about where the story is going to go next…? Perhaps bringing Aimee and her family back into it in future novels. I know its not over!!!
I enjoyed that the Hawc’s were back together. I enjoy Sam and Casey’s adventures, and I love that Sam is up and running again!
I loved the audio version of Gorgon. As always, Mangan does a fantastic job narrating. Nobody else could portray Alex Hunter as well as he does. I have enjoyed listening to his narration of this whole series.
Would I recommend Gorgon?
Absolutely! Action, adventure, thrills, violence, mystery, blood, guts, gore, creatures, aliens… What more do you need in a book?
However, I absolutely advise you read the earlier books. Even though this one can be read as a stand alone, you will miss a lot of the story, characters and feel of the story without reading the previous ones.
Now we are getting somewhere... I loved the second instalment of the Innkeeper Chronicle series. Apparently this series ties in with a series that TheNow we are getting somewhere... I loved the second instalment of the Innkeeper Chronicle series. Apparently this series ties in with a series that The Andrews' wrote called "The Edge" where some of the characters who were children in that series are now adults. However, if you are like me and are a Ilona Andrews novice, never fear! You wont lose anything by not knowing the characters... Although it will be interesting to read the other series to understand their story better.
Dina is back in the second instalment of the Innkeeper Chronicles. Her inn is sitting there idle, her sorta boyfriend/love interest Sean Evans is nowhere to be found, and her life has been totally dull and uneventful. Until an arbitrator named George comes to visit. He wants her to host a peace summit in her Inn, between three races who are killing each other over one mineral rich planet. It could be the opportunity that she is looking for to up her inns standing, however she also knows its most likely going to end in disaster! And how the hell is she going to feed so many people, vampires and other strange creatures!??
YAY!!! NO LOVE TRIANGLE!!! Oh how I loved this book so much more because of the LACK OF A LOVE TRIANGLE! Sure, the vampire still has the hots for her, but Dina's heart belongs to a sexy alpha werewolf... However... WHERE THE HELL WAS THE WEREWOLF!! 2 minutes of the book had Sean in it! Seriously! So obviously the romance was almost NADA - Sorry folks!!
But what it lacked in romance it made up for with wit, action and mystery. Killer story! Literally! I loved this one! Loved the magic, loved the plot and loved the action! There was only one more tiny little thing that turned me off it and that was it was a little slow in places. Listening to it was actually a challenge because I would keep losing interest and literally have to rewind it 10 minutes or so to figure out what on earth was happening! Might stick with paper/kindle versions of the next one. Don't get me wrong the narration is excellent, but it didn't quite hold me all the time. But of course it did have parts where I refused to take the headphones out of my ear because it was so good... I think it needed more Sean!
I enjoy Dina's character, even though at times she can be a bit high and mighty for my liking. A bit too goody goody. But that's just her, and I still love her. I can't wait for more books to come out and I can't wait to get into finding out what happened to her parents.
Would I recommend it?
Yeah for sure! So much fun! Even though you don't need to have read the first one it would probably help you get a grasp of what's happening and to get to know the characters more. Especially Sean and Dina because they are only together for like a paragraph in this one... BOO! Way to make me want to read the third one Mr and Mrs Andrews!!
I love a good bandwagon. Nothing I love more than getting all swept up in the hype for a popular book, and get excited along with others about how fanI love a good bandwagon. Nothing I love more than getting all swept up in the hype for a popular book, and get excited along with others about how fantastic it is and how much better my life is because I read it! This is what was made pretty clear would happen when I read Red Rising - with its 4.26 average on goodreads which is AMAZING! But. Alas. I was not so swept up. Not quite so excited.
Without giving too much away, because the plot is such an important thing, and there are so many big twists and turns that I don't want to ruin for anyone... But the central character Darrow, is a 'Red'. Reds are pretty much the lowest of the low class, and the colours increase in class until we reach the 'golds' who are the top of the food chain. So Darrow and his wife are living a pretty miserable existence underneath in the mines of Mars. Darrow is a "helldiver" or miner of Helium 3 which is being collected so that one day Mars will be able to be terra-formed and people will be able to live on the surface. So we get to know a little bit about Darrow and his life and then some bad things happen and suddenly he is plummeted into a matrix-take-the-red-pill type of situation where he finds out the horrible truth of the actual real world. So eventually Darrow is taken in by a group who want to bring down the class system, so they make him a gold. Thus begins an epic hunger games type of situation, where 'gold' Darrow has to fight for his life in order to rise up the social system, to bring the whole thing crashing down.
I listened to the audio version by Tim Gerald Reynolds, which I thought would be weird considering I had just finished the fabulous Ryira Revelations trilogy also narrated by Reynolds. But he puts on a bit of an irish-like accent in this one which made his voice almost unrecognisable. So it was no problem. His singing was a bit of a problem though... I am sure it is more the song than the voice.
I would class it is a cross between the wool series, the hunger games and divergent series, with a bit of other dystopian YA books thrown in there too. Although I'm not sure why this is classed as YA. There is NOTHING YA about it.
So, its quite an intricate plot, and I went into it knowing absolutely NOTHING about the book, except for how great it is supposed to be. So was pretty surprised with the epic hunger games situation which I was not totally expecting. Its a enriched world that Mr Brown creates, and he does a good job about it. The whole book is well written, filled with extensive character development and vivid scenery. It has lots of blood and gore, action, betrayal, twists and turns, ups and downs. So why then? Why was I not so caught up in this one?
Without the haters getting all "BUT THIS IS MY FAVOURITE BOOK! F*** YOU MEL!", I would like to disclaim that this is just MY opinion. And we can't all like the same book! No hate mail please!
Darrow. I had major issues with Darrow. The first being, how on earth he could have been 16 years old. Just like one of my favourite fantasy novels Six of Crows, I had to willingly and purposely PRETEND that he was older so I could enjoy reading about him at all. I get that he kind of had to be that young in order for the story to progress, it just didn't work. I couldn't take it seriously, and it was an issue for me whenever I thought about it - so I pretended he was 25 year old Darrow, and even then it was a bit of a stretch, but it worked better for me.
The whinging. Yes, I get it. You're all angst-y. "I'm really a red, bloody damn it!". Yes. I get it. I don't want to hear about it anymore. OH MY GOD HERE HE GOES WHINGING AGAIN! I did listen to the audio version, so perhaps the narration didn't help with the angst situation, but BLOODY DAMN I was annoyed with him constantly whinging. I actually started listening to the second book too and it is STILL going on! I actually had to stop.
The women. Women in this book are pretty much objects that the male characters get to rape. The reds, rape. The gold's in the game, rape. Rape everywhere. Even though there were a couple of stronger female characters, they were still at risk of - yup you guessed it, rape. I found it really unnecessary and almost offensive. I understand that its a tough world that they live in, but enough with the raping and pillaging already! And if they weren't being raped, they were being spoken to or about like trash. It left a bad taste in my mouth.
I was somewhat conflicted. There were some things I really did enjoy about the book. I loved some parts even! Some of the twists were really clever, others were quite predictable. I really enjoyed how he wrote the novel and as you were reading (or listening to in my case), it was like you were listening to a book about war. I appreciated that. I really did. I just didn't enjoy the book as a whole as much as I was hoping to.
Anyway that's enough I think. I didn't find it a bad book. 3 is still a good rating. And perhaps I'm overly critical because I was expecting so much. I don't know. I am glad I read it. And I will eventually get to the second one after a bit of a break with books that aren't quite so full on for a while.
Would I recommend Red Rising?
I think its definitely one that you have to experience if you enjoy this kind of fantasy, survival, dystopian sci fi type thing. You might be just like the majority and think it is the best book ever!
I purchased Red Rising at my own expense on audible.com...more
3.5 Stars Clean Sweep is the first in the new Innkeeper chronicles series by Ilona Andrews. Ilona Andrews is quite a popular urban fantasy author (or a3.5 Stars Clean Sweep is the first in the new Innkeeper chronicles series by Ilona Andrews. Ilona Andrews is quite a popular urban fantasy author (or author's technically as its a husband and wife team). This is the first book of theirs that I have read, and I admit I enjoyed it. Perhaps not as much as others seem to have enjoyed it though.
Dina runs a bed and breakfast in a small town in Texas. However beneath the surface, this Inn is not your normal place to stay. Dina is an Innkeeper in a magical bed and breakfast and caters to paranormal alien creatures. Soon she finds herself harbouring a killer, a werewolf, an injured vampire and a little beast. And there are a bunch of nasty creatures coming after her.
This was an extremely fun adventure. Honestly I would have rated it higher, if it were not for one pet peeve. A kinda love triangle... I HATE LOVE TRIANGLES! Everything for this book was going SO WELL! She and Sean were having a really fun romantically tense, fun filled adventure going on, and then the stupid vampires had to show up. And that's where it went downhill for me. Not that there is REALLY any contest between the creepy vampire and the spunky werewolf.
Don't get me wrong, it was still lots of fun. I loved the magical world, it was complex for such a short book and I loved the layers of storyline. It just began to feel a little too much like Anita Blake or Sookie Stackhouse in the last third. Like its been done SO many times before.
Having said that though, it was only the first book... Setting up the scene. And I have read some rave reviews about the second book, which I will put on my to read list! I am interested to know what happens.
The audio version was great! I really enjoyed the narrator and her southern drawl!
Clean Sweep - Would I recommend it?
Yes it was a lot of fun, with or without the love triangle....more
Honor’s Knight is the sequel to the fabulous Fortune’s Pawn, which was one of the best books I have read this year. Unfortunately, like many sequels, Honor’s Knight is the sequel to the fabulous Fortune’s Pawn, which was one of the best books I have read this year. Unfortunately, like many sequels, it didn’t quite match its predecessor in terms of awesomeness.
Devi is back in Honor’s Knight. She has no memories of most of the events that occurred in the previous novel. She is still on the Glorious Fool, and for some reason whenever she looks at the horrible cook, she feels repulsed and physical nauseated. Yet when she is not looking at his face, she is oddly at peace with him. Will she be able to get her memories back in time to save the universe?
I was disappointed with the balance of action/romance/violence/mystery that this book had compared to the first one. And I got a bit annoyed with her constant thought ramblings… “I don’t like Rupert, I like Rupert, I HATE Rupert, I LOVE Rupert”. There was way too much thought dialogue about trivial things too. And the romance? Lame in comparison to the first one, I was waiting for something to happen. Although I did enjoy the fight scene! And that’s all I’m going to spoil about that particular scene! Lots of fun!
Honor’s Knight still possessed some excellent qualities. The violence and action was awesome. The action never stopped. Her suit was as cool as ever, and I enjoyed the addition of some new characters that were not in the first book. Also as far as storyline goes, it really did expand and answer some questions that were lingering at the completion of the first one.
The audio book was awesome like the first with the same narrator. I have looked to see if the third one is on audiobook. Unfortunately it doesn’t seem to be, so I am going to have to read the third version with my eyes. This is disappointing because Emily Durante and I are in a narrator/listener groove now that I will miss. So that’s a real bummer.
However, looking forward to reading the last instalment because I want to know what happens.
Would I recommend it?
Yes, ONLY if you have read the first one. It wouldn’t go well as a stand alone. There is SO MUCH backstory you need!
Welcome to Temptation was SO MUCH FUN! Romance is one of my guilty pleasures to read... Predominantly a thriller fan at heart, I still admittedly LOVEWelcome to Temptation was SO MUCH FUN! Romance is one of my guilty pleasures to read... Predominantly a thriller fan at heart, I still admittedly LOVE a good romance novel. This one was just great! Totally over the top and corny, but such good escapism! Sophie and her sister Amy travel to the small town of Temptation to film a movie for a hollywood star Clea, who grew up there. On the way they crash into another car, and that is the beginning of their troubles. There is way too much to go into in detail, but Sophie soon starts falling for the town mayor Phin, her sister starts falling for the town cop, her delinquient brother shows up, Cleo's ex husband shows up causing trouble, someone shows up dead, Sophie inadvertently ends up making a porn film, and on top of all that, someone is trying to kill her!
I'm surprised I enjoyed this so much. I have read only one other book by Crusie, Bet Me, and I must have been one of the only people on the planet who read that and was less than impressed! But I liked the premise of this one, and it shows up on peoples favourite romance lists all around the world so it was about time I read it.
I couldn't source a copy (reasonably priced that is) so ended up opting to use up a credit on audible. Glad I did, the audio version was great! At first I didn't like AAsne Vigesaa's seemingly monotone voice, however I'm not sure if it was her voice or my annoyance that shifted, but soon I was absolutely hooked! I loved her rendition of all the characters, especially Clea!
I think it is the quirkiness that got me in this book. All of these over the top, out of control situations had me laughing out loud! I just loved the witty dialogue between the characters. I loved Sophie, and the tension between her and Phin. I also enjoyed reading about the town. Temptation felt like a character of its own with all its fun residents and events. Don't think I would have wanted to live there though.
I do have criticisms, it was a little long, and I had a bit of a problem with the male lead Phin and his attitude, but I was easily able to just forget about the things that were annoying me, and just enjoy the fun!
Would I recommend it?
Yes for the ADULT romance fans! This book ain't for the youngins!! Quite a few steamy scenes!
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