Blog Archives

Episode 72; Mythos, Review

30/11/2017

Stephen Fry presents a new way of looking of the Greek Myths. Told with modern references and language this gateway into the world of Gods and Titans is a book to capture the imagination of young and old.

Fry's narration is filled with his traditional wit and as with the Harry Potter series he does a fantastic job turning his voice to whomever he needs to.

Mythos is certainly a book to love, on the minus side some of the bigger stories like Odysseus and Perseus are not contained within the narrative. Hopefully that means we can expect a second book (this is a hope of mine)

mythos_review.mp3
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Audiobook Details

Written by: Stephen Fry
Narrated by: Stephen Fry
Length: 15 hrs and 23 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:02/11/2017
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

If you would like to connect with Paul please don't hesitate to reach out on twitter on the following handles

Paul - @wellbeingosteo
Site - @BackwardsCom

Episode 71; A Life of Crime: Memoirs of a High Court Judge, Review

30/11/2017

A fascinating look into the life and "crimes" (worked upon by The Hon. Sir Harry Ognall. A high court judge who made headlines for fulfilling his duty in one of the most high profile cases in recent British history.

This however only tells part of the story of this rather remarkable person. The book details his life from childhood through the war and school into the world of the Bar (Barrister) and then to the position of a High court Judge.

The cases he worked on are important in their own right but also let you glimpse into the decision making world of an often miss understood profession.

a_life_of_crime_review.mp3
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Audiobook Details

Release Date:02/11/2017
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited
Written by: Sir Harry Ognall
Narrated by: Mike Grady
Length: 5 hrs and 7 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

If you would like to connect with Paul please don't hesitate to reach out on twitter on the following handles

Paul - @wellbeingosteo
Site - @BackwardsCom

Episode 70; Voices on the Road Audiobook Blog Tour

27/11/2017

So far the Voices on the Road Blog Tour has had a host of wonderful entries, highlighting some of the best narrators out there as well as the reason why Audiobooks are such a fantastic way to consume literature. For a full list of the tour and read up on others thoughts please follow this link to the Audio Publishers Association website.

So in this special episode of Audiobooks Entertained I delve into why I love Audiobooks as well as highlight 5 of my favourite narrators within the fantasy genre. The reason I chose fantasy titles; can you think of any other genre that is so entwined with Road Trips?

To listen to the podcast please click on the link below or you can can also download the episode by right clicking and hitting Save as.

voices_on_the_road.mp3
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A thank you very much for dropping by and listening to my thoughts. Please feel free to let us know your favourite audiobooks as well as what you think of the show in the comments box below or on Twitter @BackwardsCom

In conjunction with the Blog Tour there is a rather spiffing give away open to residents of the United States and Canada. 10 Audiobooks have been generously donated by Galaxy Press, Hachette Audio, Harper Audio, High Bridge Audio, Macmillan, Penguin Random House Audio, and Post Hypnotic Press, Scholastic, Simon & Schuster Audio, and Tantor Audio. One winner will receive the publishers choice of titles.

All you need to do is follow us on Twitter and send a direct message and we will choose a winner by the 1st of December.

A special thank you to the folks at the APA for arranging the Blog Tour and I can highly recommend giving them a follow on Twitter at the following link Audiobook Community

Episode 69; You Can't Spell America Without Me, Review

23/11/2017

You Can't Spell America Without Me: The Really Tremendous Inside Story of My Fantastic First Year as President Donald J. Trump (A So-Called Parody) to give it its full name.

This is a tongue in cheek look back at the first year of the presidency of Donald Trump. Its true genius though is how close it steps to what we can all imagine is really going within the white house.

The narration is split between the three performers with Alec Baldwin reprising his impersonation from SNL.

you_cant_spell_america_without_me_review.mp3
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Audiobook Details

Release Date:09/11/2017
Publisher: Random House Audiobooks
Written by: Alec Baldwin, Kurt Andersen
Narrated by: Alec Baldwin, Kurt Andersen, Oliver Wyman
Length: 5 hrs and 57 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

If you would like to connect with Paul please don't hesitate to reach out on twitter on the following handles

Paul - @wellbeingosteo
Site - @BackwardsCom

Episode 68; Slab City Blues - The Collected Stories, Review

23/11/2017

Slab City Blues manages to bring the world of the strange into Sci-Fi that I can not help but love. Anthony Ryan has filled his universe with an array of larger than life characters and at the centre is Alex Mcleod. An ex-military man now earning a living on the orbital space station The Slab.

The five stories (one novel and 4 Novellas) see Alex chasing leads and calling in favours however he is a formidable force and his "Demon" status is more than earned by the end of the book.

The narration by Steven Brand fits perfectly with the gritty nature as he breathes life into the characters helping to wrap the project up perfectly.

slab_city_blues_reveiw.mp3
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Audiobook Details

Written by: Anthony Ryan
Narrated by: Steven Brand
Length: 12 hrs and 20 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:10/11/2017
Publisher: Anthony Ryan

If you would like to connect with Paul please don't hesitate to reach out on twitter on the following handles

Paul - @wellbeingosteo
Site - @BackwardsCom

Epiosde 67; Mindhunter; Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit, Review

17/11/2017

A fascinating look at one of the founding fathers of the FBI's criminal profiling department.

John E Douglas hits you with a bang straight off the bat and then lets you into one of the most interesting professions in the world. However please be aware that he holds no punches and material contained within the narration can be upsetting.

In terms of being "entertained" this book certainly delivers and I will highly recommend it to all.

mindhunter_review.mp3
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Audiobook Details

By: John E. Douglas, Mark Olshaker
Narrated by: Richard M. Davidson
Length: 15 hrs and 13 mins
Unabridged
Release date: 10-24-17
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

If you would like to connect with Paul please don't hesitate to reach out on twitter on the following handles

Paul - @wellbeingosteo
Site - @BackwardsCom

Episode 66; This Book Has Balls, Sports Rants from the MVP of Talking Trash, Review

16/11/2017

Sport is a passionate business. This is seemingly true whether you are playing or watching. This book by actor/director and podcaster Michael Rapaport shows just how much it means to one individual.

Covering an array of sports from Basketball to Tennis Rapaport spends a lively 7+ hours entertaining you with his thoughts about sports.

This is certainly a fun read and well worth listening to however a word of warning Football only gets a passing mention and even then it's called soccer.

this_book_has_balls_review.mp3
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Audiobook Details

By: Michael Rapaport
Narrated by: Michael Rapaport
Length: 7 hrs and 14 mins
Unabridged
Release date: 10-24-17
Language: English
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

If you would like to connect with Paul please don't hesitate to reach out on twitter on the following handles

Paul - @wellbeingosteo
Site - @BackwardsCom

Episode 65; Ask an Astronaut: My Guide to Life in Space, Review

15/11/2017

It's rather rare these days to get a first person account from a pioneer, thankfully we have Tim Peake. Although not the first person in space he still one of the privileged few to leave the planet and experience life outside our atmosphere.

In this book Peake tells you his story as well as answering questions that many have wondered but have not had the opportunity to ask.

A great book narrated by Robin Ince.

ask_an_astronaut_review.mp3
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Audiobook Details

Written by: Tim Peake
Narrated by: Tim Peake, Robin Ince
Length: 7 hrs and 11 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:19/10/2017
Publisher: Random House Audiobooks

If you would like to connect with Paul please don't hesitate to reach out on twitter on the following handles

Paul - @wellbeingosteo
Site - @BackwardsCom

Episode 64; Road Brothers, Review

15/11/2017

Mark Lawrence returns to the world of the Broken Empire with this collection of 14 short stories.

The main focus is Jorg Ancrath and the "Brothers" we met within the series. This allows Mark Lawrence to flesh out the characters he created. As a listener this is a wonderful insight into the thought process behind the players we find within the trilogy.

Narrated by Sean Ohlendorf one of my favourite voices in fantasy.

road_brothers_review.mp3
File Size:	6701 kb
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Audiobook Details

Written by: Mark Lawrence
Narrated by: Sean Ohlendorf
Length: 7 hrs and 44 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:02/11/2017
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

If you would like to connect with Paul please don't hesitate to reach out on twitter on the following handles

Paul - @wellbeingosteo
Site - @BackwardsCom

Episode 63; August EP750B Active Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones, Review

14/11/2017

A great Audiobook should be listened to with as little distraction as possible and with as much comfort as possible.

In this regard Paul takes a look at the August EP750B Active Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones to see if they measure up to his requirements.

august_ep750_review.mp3
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If you would like to take a further look at the August EP750B'S then please use this link

If you would like to connect with Paul please don't hesitate to reach out on twitter on the following handles

Paul - @wellbeingosteo
Site - @BackwardsCom

Episode 62; How to be Champion: An Autobiography, Review

8/11/2017

If you have heard or watched Sarah Millican's stand up shows then you really should at some point. This book does not need you to know anything about her but it would feel remiss not to point you in the direction of one of my favourite stand ups working today.

Now to the book, this is a look at Sarah Millican in any her walks of life. From a child through a fair few jobs and a lot more in-between. She pulls no punches whether it be towards herself or other, helping to make this a must listen filled with laughs.

how_to_be_champion_review.mp3
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Written by: Sarah Millican
Narrated by: Sarah Millican
Length: 6 hrs and 57 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:05/10/2017
Publisher: Orion Publishing Group Limited

If you would like to connect with Paul please don't hesitate to reach out on twitter on the following handles

Paul - @wellbeingosteo
Site - @BackwardsCom

Episode 61; Unqualified, Review

7/11/2017

From the world of film, real life and Podcasts Anna Faris opens up to all in this witty and at times gut wrenching package of an audiobook.

Seemingly no subject is off the table as Anna reveals all about everything from her marriages to her career as well as her armpit hair. All in the name of giving us "dear listeners" some smattering of life advice from an Unqualified but delightful creator.

This book is wrapped up in some with the Anna Faris is Unqualified Podcast which is well worth your time to download if you have not already.

unqualified_review.mp3
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Audiobook Details

Written by: Anna Faris, Fred Sanders - foreword
Narrated by: Anna Faris
Length: 6 hrs and 30 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:26/10/2017
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

If you would like to connect with Paul please don't hesitate to reach out on twitter on the following handles

Paul - @wellbeingosteo
Site - @BackwardsCom

Episode 60; Passchendaele: A New History, Review

7/11/2017

The Battle of Passchendaele is one of the most infamous events in World War One and in the whole of Human history.

In this insightful book Nick Lloyd does his best to help us to understand not only the battle itself but the wider political context of the events of late July to early November 1917.

If you are interested in the First World War in any form the this book is a must listen to.

passchendaele_a_new_history_review.mp3
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Audiobook Details

Release Date:05/10/2017
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Written by: Nick Lloyd
Narrated by: Mark Elstob
Length: 12 hrs and 27 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

If you would like to connect with Paul please don't hesitate to reach out on twitter on the following handles

Paul - @wellbeingosteo
Site - @BackwardsCom

Episode 59; Strange Weather, Review

3/11/2017

in Four short(ish) novels Joe Hill shows his breadth of storytelling by taking you on journeys into three very different scenarios.

From the supernatural to the modern media need for a hero Hill uses multilayered characters to entice you into their lives and the situations they find themselves in.

The four books have separate narrators who all help to add to the high quality presentation.

strange_weather_review.mp3
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Audiobook Details

Written by: Joe Hill
Narrated by: Dennis Boutsikaris, Kate Mulgrew, Stephen Lang, Wil Wheaton
Length: 14 hrs and 34 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:07/11/2017
Publisher: Orion

Epsiode 58; La Belle Sauvage: The Book of Dust, Volume 1, Review

3/11/2017

Acting as a prequel to the hugely successful His Dark Materials saga, La Belle Sauvage is a perfect entry point for new listeners. I know this because I am one.

The narrative helps to teach readers old and new about the complex world Pullman has created and hints at the richness that has yet to be discovered.

We follow the tale with its young protagonist Malcolm and his relationship with the baby Lyra.

This is a fantastically well crafted story and the narration by Michael Sheen is a huge dollop of Icing on an already tasty treat.

la_belle_sauvage_review.mp3
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Audiobook Details

Written by: Philip Pullman
Narrated by: Michael Sheen
Length: 13 hrs and 14 mins
Series: His Dark Materials, Book 0
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:19/10/2017
Publisher: Random House Audiobooks

If you would like to connect with Paul please don't hesitate to reach out on twitter on the following handles

Paul - @wellbeingosteo
Site - @BackwardsCom

Episode 57; Confessions of a Learner Parent, Review

1/11/2017

Whether you are looking forward or back Parenthood can be a scary thing, I knowledge that a young life is in your in hands can be daunting and the pressure to be as perfect as the social ideal out there can be all consuming.

Enter Sam Avery and his forthright tale of the trials and tribulations of Parenthood. Thankfully and perhaps most importantly Sam is a stand up so can see the funny side as well. This helps make the book a roller coaster of emotion and so as true to life as any book I have ever consumed on the subject.

Narrated by the Author this is a book for all that will make you laugh and cry in equal measure. Though honestly it is more slanted towards the Laughs.

confessions_of_a_learner_parent_review.mp3
File Size:	6418 kb
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Audiobook Details

Written by: Sam Avery
Narrated by: Sam Avery
Length: 5 hrs and 52 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:05/10/2017
Publisher: Orion

If you would like to connect with Paul please don't hesitate to reach out on twitter on the following handles

Paul - @wellbeingosteo
Site - @BackwardsCom