I've never read or listened to anything by Hill before. Like his dad, he created a very imaginative world. The characters were pretty good & had quiteI've never read or listened to anything by Hill before. Like his dad, he created a very imaginative world. The characters were pretty good & had quite a twisty situation to deal with. The acting for the audio production, voices, sound effects, & sound levels were all great. IOW, it had a lot going for it.
Unfortunately, it went on too long. I was really hoping for the end by the beginning of part 5. There wasn't a lot of obvious padding, but most situations could & should have been resolved a lot more efficiently. I just got tired of the roller coaster.
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I've never read or listened to anything by Hill before. Like his dad, he created a very imaginative world. The characters were pretty good & had quite a twisty situation to deal with. The acting for the audio production, voices, sound effects, & sound levels were all great. IOW, it had a lot going for it.
Unfortunately, it went on too long. I was really hoping for the end by the beginning of part 5. There wasn't a lot of obvious padding, but most situations could & should have been resolved a lot more efficiently. I just got tired of the roller coaster....more
I liked this better than the last team up, but it wasn't as good as most of his earlier ones. He's gone a little too Hollywood for me. At least the plI liked this better than the last team up, but it wasn't as good as most of his earlier ones. He's gone a little too Hollywood for me. At least the plot didn't have the huge plot holes of the last. Lettie makes an annoying cameo appearance which didn't help. Good narrator....more
Another disappointment. There's a new narrator who does an excellent job & an interesting plot, but it's just ridiculous. Lettie, the youngest & leastAnother disappointment. There's a new narrator who does an excellent job & an interesting plot, but it's just ridiculous. Lettie, the youngest & least experienced agent is given control of an operation & far more experienced agents in a ridiculous series of gun fights & detective work that would make even a Hollywood thriller writer groan.
Sandford has had a great run. Over 30 novels in a series that regularly got 3 & 4 stars from me, but he's apparently run the series out & hasn't quit while ahead. That's a shame. I see he has another book in the Prey series out with another planned after that. I'm not sure if I'll bother to read them....more
I haven't posted any books read this year, but I've been rereading the entire Prey & Virgil Flowers series in chronologicaI was terribly disappointed.
I haven't posted any books read this year, but I've been rereading the entire Prey & Virgil Flowers series in chronological order. I was excited to find this & almost jumped on it immediately, but waited until I'd caught up; the better to savor it.
It follows the typical formula, included many great recurring characters, & it was narrated by Richard Ferrone - all great. The action & all were top notch with touches of dry humor sprinkled in. Excellent! Should have been another 3 or 4 star read! BUT... The plot had some huge holes that were like a case of poison ivy. (I'll put them under a spoiler tag below.) A lot of people can ignore them judging by the high star reviews. I don't know how. They were an immediate false note & just got worse throughout the book which ultimately left me feeling really let down since it's the twisty plot that makes each book unique & allowed me to enjoy almost 3 dozen in a row. When the plot makes no sense, it just falls apart.
(view spoiler)[These people were so methodical about everything & yet no one addressed the financial disparity between Joa (sp?) & the 5. They're billionaires & she's flat broke. Apparently she set all this up from the goodness of her heart. I can't believe it.
Everyone of them has made plans to bug out in case they get caught except her. Our noses are rubbed in this every time one of them gives her cash from their bug-out kit. She set up a false identity, moved out of her house, & yet made no provisions for running. I can't believe it.
She then drives around the country to collect cash from each. Why?!!! Bit Coin is an anonymous, electronic payment & they're giving a Bit Coin per hit away, but none is paid to her. She has to collect cash? I can't believe it. It bugged me more each time she was in danger or the hardships of her trek were described. I could deal with the first cash payment, but once she had that, she should have been in hiding collecting the rest electronically. (hide spoiler)]
Sandford delivered his typical, good story with the heart ripped out of it. I'm very disappointed. ...more
A fun shoot'em-up-bang-bang. That's the label my family gives to mindless action flicks & this book read like one. It will make a great movie & they sA fun shoot'em-up-bang-bang. That's the label my family gives to mindless action flicks & this book read like one. It will make a great movie & they shouldn't change it much. That doesn't mean I didn't like it. I did. The author avoided jumping the shark & kept it logical. He pushed the edge while retaining good writing & consistent logic. The characters were well done without a lot of gray or angsty questions. Everything was pretty straight forward, a nice change of pace.
The narrator was good & the plot made sense for the most part. I don't think I'll ever read this again, though. It was fun once & I'll look for another by the author.
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A fun shoot'em-up-bang-bang. That's the label my family gives to mindless action flicks & this book read like one. It will make a great movie & they shouldn't change it much. That doesn't mean I didn't like it. I did. The author avoided jumping the shark & kept it logical. He pushed the edge while retaining good writing & consistent logic. The characters were well done without a lot of gray or angsty questions. Everything was pretty straight forward, a nice change of pace.
The narrator was good & the plot made sense for the most part. I don't think I'll ever read this again, though. It was fun once & I'll look for another by the author....more
Another fun entry in the series, but pretty much the same. Fun, a cozy mystery well narrated by Grover Gardner. The book is very self-contained, so giAnother fun entry in the series, but pretty much the same. Fun, a cozy mystery well narrated by Grover Gardner. The book is very self-contained, so give it a shot if you want something that has no other redeeming qualities than being an enjoyable, relaxing read.
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Another fun entry in the series, but pretty much the same. Fun, a cozy mystery well narrated by Grover Gardner. The book is very self-contained, so give it a shot if you want something that has no other redeeming qualities than being an enjoyable, relaxing read....more
If you haven't read it, you should. I never re-read this book, although I get it out & look at it occasionally. It's too heart breaking.
Charlie, the tIf you haven't read it, you should. I never re-read this book, although I get it out & look at it occasionally. It's too heart breaking.
Charlie, the title of the movie made from this book & the name of the hero, is retarded. Science gives him intelligence, along with Algernon, a lab rat. The story is told through Charlie's diary & feels very personal. Very well done.
*** Spoiler Alert *****
Charlie gains intelligence, love & yet no mastery of his fate. He becomes a genius & then watches Algernon's decline, knowing it was going to happen to him, but he continues to write in his diary. We follow his rise & then his fall - it's amazingly poignant. ...more
This was a far better fantasy than I recalled. It's really held up well & had all the elements needed to make it an excellent one; action, romance, & This was a far better fantasy than I recalled. It's really held up well & had all the elements needed to make it an excellent one; action, romance, & excellent attention to the realities of war, although the hyperbole factor was quite high. The best fighters were also the rulers, so they tended to continually put themselves in harm's way. Kind of silly, like Kirk & the command crew of the Enterprise, but fun.
While the world is one with magic, there are other dimensions of which ours is one, so a few characters, 2 of the main ones, are from our world. That added a lot to the story. Not everyone was good or bad, either. While Good & Evil were forces in the world, some people were occasionally jerks & got put in their place. Very well done.
I can't say I was in love with the reader, but he didn't ruin it either. It was a bit more of a production than I like. Different voices for each character & some were hard to hear, the voice was low. The Hightowers were great. They sounded like Sean Connery & made me think of Highlander, which fit perfectly.
This was a far better fantasy than I recalled. It's really held up well & had all the elements needed to make it an excellent one; action, romance, & excellent attention to the realities of war, although the hyperbole factor was quite high. The best fighters were also the rulers, so they tended to continually put themselves in harm's way. Kind of silly, like Kirk & the command crew of the Enterprise, but fun.
While the world is one with magic, there are other dimensions of which ours is one, so a few characters, 2 of the main ones, are from our world. That added a lot to the story. Not everyone was good or bad, either. While Good & Evil were forces in the world, some people were occasionally jerks & got put in their place. Very well done.
I can't say I was in love with the reader, but he didn't ruin it either. It was a bit more of a production than I like. Different voices for each character & some were hard to hear, the voice was low. The Hightowers were great. They sounded like Sean Connery & made me think of Highlander, which fit perfectly.
My library nailed me with the wrong edition. Rebecca Burns might have a nice voice for some stories, but not these. Yuck. Her voice doesn't carry the My library nailed me with the wrong edition. Rebecca Burns might have a nice voice for some stories, but not these. Yuck. Her voice doesn't carry the men who would be kings at all. :(
Find another version. Great stories, just not the right reader.
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My library nailed me with the wrong edition. Rebecca Burns might have a nice voice for some stories, but not these. Yuck. Her voice doesn't carry the men who would be kings at all. :(
Find another version. Great stories, just not the right reader....more
I vaguely recall reading some short Ellery Queen stories many years ago & seeing a few episodes of a TV series that was kind of fun, so when I saw my I vaguely recall reading some short Ellery Queen stories many years ago & seeing a few episodes of a TV series that was kind of fun, so when I saw my library had these as audio books, I thought I'd give them a try. I listened to a bit of the narration & really liked it, but I was ultimately terribly disappointed. 1.5 stars is the best I can do. I'm giving it 2 stars simply so I'll give another a try in the future.
To sum it up in a word - misogynistic. Coming from me, that's damning. It's not a word I use often since I don't think it is used properly most of the time. This book was published in 1967, but it's #31 in the series. The first was published in 1929, so I don't expect women to be treated equally. That's the times, but this story went out of its way to denigrate women. Boob size, pretty faces, & riches were their measure & the core of the story line. It was taken for granted that they were otherwise too stupid to tie their shoe laces, save for one ugly old lady who was quite savvy & kept very secondary.
Also (I will not say worse, although it should be, so that gives you an idea how bad the misogyny was.) the big mystery was obvious about 2/3 of the way through. The last third dragged while Ellery brooded about it & then brings it to light at the very end at the worst possible moment. If I was the Scot, I'd have broken his nose.
I have #7 The Siamese Twin Mystery & might try that at a future date, but it had better be a lot better or I won't finish it. I barely made it through this one as I kept waiting for some sort of great ending. I didn't get it. My recommendation is to skip it.
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I vaguely recall reading some short Ellery Queen stories many years ago & seeing a few episodes of a TV series that was kind of fun, so when I saw my library had these as audio books, I thought I'd give them a try. I listened to a bit of the narration & really liked it, but I was ultimately terribly disappointed. 1.5 stars is the best I can do. I'm giving it 2 stars simply so I'll give another a try in the future.
To sum it up in a word - misogynistic. Coming from me, that's damning. It's not a word I use often since I don't think it is used properly most of the time. This book was published in 1967, but it's #31 in the series. The first was published in 1929, so I don't expect women to be treated equally. That's the times, but this story went out of its way to denigrate women. Boob size, pretty faces, & riches were their measure & the core of the story line. It was taken for granted that they were otherwise too stupid to tie their shoe laces, save for one ugly old lady who was quite savvy & kept very secondary.
Also (I will not say worse, although it should be, so that gives you an idea how bad the misogyny was.) the big mystery was obvious about 2/3 of the way through. The last third dragged while Ellery brooded about it & then brings it to light at the very end at the worst possible moment. If I was the Scot, I'd have broken his nose.
I have #7 The Siamese Twin Mystery & might try that at a future date, but it had better be a lot better or I won't finish it. I barely made it through this one as I kept waiting for some sort of great ending. I didn't get it. My recommendation is to skip it....more
Very much like the previous 2, just a continuation that's self-contained enough to stand on its own. While the story comes to a satisfying end, there'Very much like the previous 2, just a continuation that's self-contained enough to stand on its own. While the story comes to a satisfying end, there's certainly room for more books. ...more
It's a pretty good continuation of the first book, but definitely suffers from middle book syndrome. Must be read in order, of course. I enjoyed it, bIt's a pretty good continuation of the first book, but definitely suffers from middle book syndrome. Must be read in order, of course. I enjoyed it, but it didn't wow me. On to the third & final book of the trilogy....more
This was a lot of fun action with very little gore & sex, just a con man who tries to do the 'right' thing while lining his own pockets. Of course, thThis was a lot of fun action with very little gore & sex, just a con man who tries to do the 'right' thing while lining his own pockets. Of course, the course is a tough one to navigate, so Gas has to scramble to keep a step ahead. There are some leaps in the plot, but it's all in fun so didn't bother me.
It was nice reading another book with power armor, too. Future infantry in power armor is a theme that has interested me since I read Starship Troopers & The Forever War. Followed by Armor & Old Man's War in that order shows a progression of the idea. This is a good, if not great, addition.
Mammay really showed the feel of an infantry unit with the macho guy interplay & all. Excellent narration helped the story, too. Definitely recommended....more
There isn't an audio edition listed, but that's what I'm reading. Well narrated as usual by Stephen Rudniki & I liked it better than the last few bookThere isn't an audio edition listed, but that's what I'm reading. Well narrated as usual by Stephen Rudniki & I liked it better than the last few books. The sex scenes were done better & there weren't too many since he's pushing 70, but he's still a badass. It was fun revisiting some of his old jobs, too....more
Lettie is basically Lucas with tits, which I expected, & there were enough nods to her sex to make her seem enough like a chip off the old block that Lettie is basically Lucas with tits, which I expected, & there were enough nods to her sex to make her seem enough like a chip off the old block that the resemblance didn't become a burden. In this, I think he did a better job than Connelly has done with Renee, a female version of Harry. (I really like & read Connelly's books as soon as they come out.)
The story was really good. I could certainly see the events depicted happening today. Hopefully we'll have a heroine & her trusty side kick available if they do. It's probably a question of when & I probably don't know about several attempts that have been stopped. It's that well done.
He also did a good job of working Letty's back story in. That's tough to do. He didn't bore me with it & I've read every book in the series in order, but there's enough meat in the flashbacks & explanations that you'll get a good picture of her even if this is the first book you've picked up. (If it is, I highly recommend reading the rest of his books in order. After book 17, start reading a Virgil Flowers book every other time. A lot of books, but worth it.)
Well narrated, as always, but Lettie is too good to be true. The story isn't 'just a little Hollywood', unfortunately. ...more
An odd theme for an anthology, authors named David published by Baen & edited by another David. Not all fit, either. The last one was by Barry N. MalzAn odd theme for an anthology, authors named David published by Baen & edited by another David. Not all fit, either. The last one was by Barry N. Malzberg & the editor gushed over it. I didn't get it, but I've never been a fan of Mazberg's work.
Overall, it's a pretty good collection, but some of the stories I liked the best were ones I'd read before such as the Bolo story. It's one of the best & saddest. All were well narrated, so it was a pleasant listen. ...more
While it had a lot of elements that have been done before, it put them together in a new & interesting way. There were several reveals throughout the book which changed who I was rooting for. As big as they were, they made sense. Very well done. I'd like to say more, but I don't want to spoil anything. Just keep an open mind & watch for clues.
The ending was satisfying, but definitely left room for a sequel. I'm not sure if I'll read it or not. I think this did a pretty good job just like Dune. Sure, life goes on, but I never thought much of those sequels. This book was well narrated, too. I'll look for more by this author....more
I tried to read this, but Jane is not my favorite character & this was just too much of the same thing that's been done in 8 previous books. I took a I tried to read this, but Jane is not my favorite character & this was just too much of the same thing that's been done in 8 previous books. I took a break, read a different book & came back to this one. Then i took another break & finally decided I'm not going to bother with it. Too many books, too little time left....more
The Arc Manor / Phoenix Pick newsletter wrote that Ekpeki's novelette "O2 Arena"--first published in issue 53 of Galaxy's Edge magazine--has just beenThe Arc Manor / Phoenix Pick newsletter wrote that Ekpeki's novelette "O2 Arena"--first published in issue 53 of Galaxy's Edge magazine--has just been announced as a finalist for a Nebula (for Best Novelette) & provided a link to a PDF. https://mcusercontent.com/9f17d596f16...
It was short, so I read it & it's OK, although it took a leap at the end that didn't make much sense to me. Nasty world creating nasty people....more
Started off slow as Modesitt built a whole new world, but it came together fairly quickly. Full of politics & economics, both subjects that he excels Started off slow as Modesitt built a whole new world, but it came together fairly quickly. Full of politics & economics, both subjects that he excels at. He poses interesting issues that often parallel ours in some ways, but are just different enough that there's no way he's making this into a partisan debate of ours. I appreciate that since I'm sick of our politics.
His world is a steampunk one in some ways. It's fantasy due to a large minority of people having an empathic sense. There's nothing very magical about it & he clearly shows both its strengths & disadvantages as two bodyguards struggle to keep their councilor alive during a critical political period which lends some action to the story.
The politics revolve around a 3 party system where no individual councilor's vote is ever known. The reasoning behind that is really interesting. There are protesters demanding individual responsibility & they're quite effective. It will be interesting to see what they get up to in the next book.
The ending was predictable, but still well done. I'm not sure it was quite a 4 star read, but certainly more than 3 stars. Well narrated, as usual, too....more
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