Category: Review

Episode 149; Noumenon Infinity, Review

19/9/2018

Following on your Noumenon (reviewed in Episode 38) Marina J. Lostetter turns her attention on to Convoys 7 and 12 as they attempt to complete their differing missions.

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By: Marina J. Lostetter
Narrated by: Christopher Ragland
Series: Noumenon, Book 2
Length: 19 hrs and 14 mins
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

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Epsidoe 146; Thrawn, Review

5/9/2018

As far as "villians" go in the Star Wars Universe Thrawn is one of the best.
Here Timothy Zahn shows his path into the empire with twists and turns that will listeners.

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.By: Timothy Zahn
Narrated by: Marc Thompson
Series: Star Wars, Book 11, Star Wars: Thrawn, Book 1
Length: 16 hrs and 56 mins
Publisher: Random House Audio

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Episode 116; Grey Sister, Book of the Ancestor, Book 2, Review

24/4/2018

Mark Lawrence returns with his tale of Nona Grey and her journey through the Convent of Sweet Mercy.
Fantastic writing is polished off with wonderful narration by Helen Duff .

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By: Mark Lawrence
Narrated by: Helen Duff
Length: 16 hrs and 1 min
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

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Episode 110; 17th Suspect, Review

21/3/2018

Women's Murder Club, Book 17

Coming into a series on the 17th Book can be difficult, however when a story is well crafted and inclusive it can open its arm to new readers and make them fans.

the 17th suspect is certainly a book that draws you in more so by the relationships of the central players than the resolution of the crimes involved.

January LaVoy stamps her usual seal of quality on the product with strong narration and characterisation.

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By: James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
Narrated by: January LaVoy
Series: Women's Murder Club, Book 17
Length: 6 hrs and 55 mins
Unabridged
Release date: 22-02-18
Language: English
Publisher: Random House Audiobooks

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Episode 89; Endurance, Review

17/1/2018

For many Ernest Shackleton was one of the best explorers of his time however it is perhaps his biggest failure that lead to him achieving immortality.

Endurance; Shackleton's Incredible Journey, tells the story of man versus the elements in such a way that if it was fiction you would say it was too far fetched to be believable. However thanks to first accounts (in the form of diaries and letters etc) Alfred Lansing has manged to create a narrative that is sure to shock without ever feeling sensationalised.

This is a must listen to book for anyone interested in adventure but more importantly the strength of the human condition.

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By: Alfred Lansing
Narrated by: Simon Prebble
Length: 10 hrs and 23 mins
Unabridged
Release date: 04-24-08
Language: English
Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

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Episode 85; Moon Over Soho: PC Peter Grant, Book 2, Review

11/1/2018

It's been a while but it's time for a review of the second book of the Peter Grant series. This time Peter becomes embroiled in a music related crime with magical overtones.

The mixture of a recognisable world mixed with magic make this a relatable story but one still able to shock with ease.

The team up of Ben Aaronovitch and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith is a match made with a type of narrative magic.

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Written by: Ben Aaronovitch
Narrated by: Kobna Holdbrook-Smith
Length: 10 hrs and 1 min
Series: Peter Grant, Book 2
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:18/07/2011
Publisher: Orion Publishing Group Limited

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Episode 73; The Physics of Star Wars: The Science Behind a Galaxy Far, Far Away, Review

1/12/2017

Physics can be a daunting subject, however I have always found a great gateway into a subject into a difficult area is through a medium you enjoy. In The Physics of Star Wars we get a look into the principals of subject as they pertain to the phenomena we find in the Star Wars universe. The fact it's also an audiobook is just the icing on the cake.

Each chapter deals with a specific area such as how are Light-sabres formed and could we make Deathstar? This allows a drop in type of listening especially handy when relistening.

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Written by: Patrick Johnson
Narrated by: Jonathan Davis
Length: 7 hrs and 50 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:07/11/2017
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

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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)

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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

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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.

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

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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.

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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

Episode 43; Nevernight, Review

22/9/2017

Mia is a young girl of 10 when her life as she knows it is taken away. This leads her into the arms of a mysterious stranger with a cause and ultimately into full time education.

Unfortunately the academic establishment she joins is not a normal school but instead a church dedicated to the training of assassins.

Jay Kristoff creates a rich world that manages to feel both fresh and familiar and populates it with a rich array of characters that test Mia right to the very end.

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Release Date:11/09/2017
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited
Written by: Jay Kristoff
Narrated by: Holter Graham
Length: 20 hrs and 10 mins
Series: The Nevernight Chronicle, Book 1
Unabridged Audiobook

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Episode 39; Phasma: Star Wars: Star Wars, The Last Jedi, Review

8/9/2017

Deliah S. Dawson does the job I wish The Force Awakens was able to do and give the First Order a level of menace that you have to pay attention to.

Within the 12 hour running time of Phasma we get a glimpse at the person underneath the chrome armour and it certainly leaves an impact that I did not feel watching the film.

The story is narrated by January LaVoy and helps to give me greater hope that the Last Jedi will give us the villains we deserve.

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Written by: Delilah S. Dawson
Narrated by: January LaVoy
Length: 12 hrs and 14 mins
Series: Star Wars, Book 30
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:01/09/2017
Publisher: Random House Audio

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Episode 38; Noumenon

8/9/2017

Travelling to the stars is a dream of many, however the reality of long space missions is one that has been dealt with in many forms. In Noumenon Marina J. Losetter brings her own thoughts to the struggle faced by humanity and comes up with a pearl of a tale.

Noumenon is about the actual experience of a civilisation travelling through space without knowing if they going to discover anything and in some cases not having had the opportunity to volunteer for the mission in the first place.

The book is wonderfully well crafted and certainly worthy of your listening consideration.

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Written by: Marina J. Lostetter
Narrated by: Christopher Ragland , Laurence Bouvard , Madeleine Rose
Length: 14 hrs and 27 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:27/07/2017
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

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Episode 37; Innocence

8/9/2017

Any tale by Roald Dahl is worth reading in my opinion, his ability to delight and disgust are second to none within the children literature category.

This book however is aimed a different audience but it still has the power to capture the imagination of adults. Whether it's through his autobiographical work or stories this book will run you through a mixture of emotions and show to everyone what a treasure Dahl was and still is to this day.

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Release Date:10/08/2017
Publisher: Penguin
Written by: Roald Dahl
Narrated by: Dan Stevens , Richard E. Grant , Richard Griffiths , Tamsin Greig , Andrew Scott
Length: 5 hrs and 57 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

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Episode 36; HALO: Envoy, Review

29/8/2017

A review from a Halo newbie.

Despite Paul's lack of detailed HALO knowledge he still wanted to know more about the universe and the books felt like an ideal way to achieve this.

His review below reflects this and hopefully you will follow his thought pattern on what is really an intriguing book.

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Written by: Tobias S. Buckell
Narrated by: Scott Brick
Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins
Series: Halo (Dietz), Book 18
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:25/04/2017
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio / Halo Books

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Episode 32; Believe Me: A Memoir of Love, Death and Jazz Chickens, Review

8/8/2017

In terms of comedy few can stand up to the work of Eddie Izzard. In this memoir he brings his personality to the narration of this "Directors Cut" of his book.

Opening up about his life in terms of the loss of his mother at a young age, through school, Dyslexia and of course his sexuality with a level of insight and comedy that are truly infectious.

This has to be one of the best autobiographies I have reviewed and it is certainly worth listening to.

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Written by: Eddie Izzard
Narrated by: Eddie Izzard
Length: 14 hrs and 37 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:15/06/2017
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd.

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Episode 31; The Legion of Flame: Book Two of the Draconis Memoria, Review

3/8/2017

Continuing on from The Waking Fire Anthony Ryan builds on his already rich world with this second book of the Draconis Memoria series.

With new perils and history coming to the fore the book both captivates and adds layers of complexity to the story that are sure to please.

One note is the change of narrator which did take some adjusting to but in the end Steve West proves to be more than capable of the job of helming this pretty monstrous listen.

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Written by: Anthony Ryan
Narrated by: Steve West
Length: 25 hrs and 50 mins
Series: Draconis Memoria, Book 2
Unabridged Audiobook

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Book received from publisher and reviewed using Audiobooks.com

Episode 28; The Dead Zone, Review

21/7/2017

The Dead Zone has had something of a renaissance in recent times. Making this audiobook narrated by James Franco an almost perfectly timed release.

The story has a great protagonist weaving his way through a rather difficult existence while on a collision course with a nasty piece of work.

The review does take a little of the early mystery out of the story but all I will say is this is a book with so much depth it does not even scratch the surface.

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Written by: Stephen King
Narrated by: James Franco
Length: 16 hrs and 11 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:04-25-17
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

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Episode 25; Stalingrad, Review

13/7/2017

One of the finest history books I have ever read finally comes to Audiobook. Antony Beevor's work on the horrors of Stalingrad during the Second World War not only show the scope of battles but introduce a human element to proceedings. This mixture helps to create a book that is full of impact without ever needing to dramatise the events it describes.

The narration by Peter Noble is first rate as he gives the book the impact it needs again without ever becoming theatrical in his delivery.

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Written by: Antony Beevor
Narrated by: Peter Noble
Length: 16 hrs and 39 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:06/07/2017
Publisher: Penguin

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Episode 24; The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O., Review

10/7/2017

It's a big "IF" but IF time travel was a possibility what would be the logistical issues involved?

This is a question that faces the team of D.O.D.O. a slightly obscure branch of the government and it's very small team of players. This is the start of a story that jumps through time in order to play out a mystery more than 400 years in the making.

Along the way we will meet a vast cast all narrated by the cast listed below, however the POV storytelling means that the story is easy to understand in a narrative sense but more importantly thoroughly engaging.

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Written by: Neal Stephenson , Nicole Galland
Narrated by: Laurence Bouvard , Shelley Atkinson , Laural Merlington , Joe Barrett , Will Damron , Luke Daniels, Robert Fass, James Foster, Tavia Gilbert, Arthur Morey, David Stifel, Charlie Thurston, and Kate Udall.
Length: 24 hrs and 28 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:15/06/2017
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

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Episode 19; MatchUp, Review

28/6/2017

MatchUp is a collection of 11 short stories that bring together 22 of the best Thriller writers around. The idea behind the book is to have one female writer and her character work with or against a male writer and his character. This leads to some fantastic stories that are eye catching to say the least (see the list below for the list of writers).

With a host of narrators this book does a tremendous job in encompassing the wide breadth of Thrillers available today and at over 15 hours it should keep you on the edge of your seat for a long while to come.

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-Lee Coburn and Joe Pickett in “Honor & …” by Sandra Brown and C.J. Box
-Tony Hill and Roy Grace in “Footloose” by Val McDermid and Peter James
-Temperance Brennan and Jack Reacher in “Faking a Murderer” by Kathy Reichs and Lee Child
-Jamie Fraser and Cotton Malone in “Past Prologue” by Diana Gabaldon and Steve Berry
-Liz Sansborough and Rambo in “Rambo on Their Minds” by Gayle Lynds and David Morrell
-Jeffrey Tolliver and Joe Pritchard in “Short Story” by Karin Slaughter and Michael Koryta
-Harper Connelly and Ty Hauck in “Dig Here” by Charlaine Harris and Andrew Gross
-Regan Pescoli and Virgil Flowers in “Deserves to be Dead” by Lisa Jackson and John Sandford
-Lucan Thorne and Lilliane in “Midnight Flame” by Lara Adrian and Christopher Rice
-Bennie Rosato and John Corey in “Getaway” by Lisa Scottoline and Nelson DeMille
-Ali Reynolds and Bravo Shaw in “Taking the Veil” by J.A. Jance and Eric Van Lustbader
Narrated by: Lee Child, Jay O. Sanders, Linda Emond, Dennis Boutsikaris, Gerard Doyle, January LaVoy, Laura Benanti, Robert Petkoff, CJ Wilson and Karen Ziemba
Length: 15 hrs and 15 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:13/06/2017
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

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Theme Music - 'Superhero' (Fractal System Remix) by Rabbit Killer, Farleon (reproduced by kind permission)

Episode 17; The Girl On The Train, Review

26/6/2017

Paula Hawkins came out of nowhere to set rather a big light on the book world in 2015. Her debut novel was one of the biggest selling Hardcovers at the time and has since become a film.

The story revolves around the idea of three women whose lives become entangled in a believable way. The real key to the story however are the characters and their development.

This is not an easy listen with some rather dark turns but with the help of a trio of talented narrators the experience is certainly worth it.

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Written by: Paula Hawkins
Narrated by: Clare Corbett , India Fisher , Louise Brealey
Length: 10 hrs and 57 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:15/01/2015
Publisher: Random House Audiobooks

Link to Into The Water Review

Episode 16; Dragon Teeth, Review

22/6/2017

Dragon teeth is a lost novel from author Michael Crichton and features his wonderful blend of storytelling and science. The science in this book is the world of Palaeontology, however unlike Jurassic Park this time it really is the bones of the formidable creatures that are the focus.

Set in 1876 this trip to the wild west in search of dinosaurs is filled with back stabbing and lowlifes as well as a large dose of historical fiction that allows for a young man to find himself on the plains of America.

A great performance by Scott Brick is supplemented by an Afterword by Sherri Crichton.

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Written by: Michael Crichton
Narrated by: Scott Brick , Sherri Crichton - Afterword
Length: 7 hrs and 40 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:01/06/2017
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Episode 15; The Waking Fire: Book One of Draconis Memoria, Review

21/6/2017

In preparation of the Legion of Fire Book Two of Draconis Memoria being released in July I have gone back to the first book to look at why it caused such an impact.

The work Anthony Ryan puts into his characters is matched only by his world building as we discover the way the population of humans of this world live with each other and the rather extreme wildlife.

As far as opening tales of a trilogy go this was very strong and so a re-dive was more than warranted.

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Release Date:07/07/2016
Publisher: Hachette Audio UK
Written by: Anthony Ryan
Narrated by: Steven Brand
Length: 22 hrs and 36 mins
Series: Draconis Memoria, Book 1
Unabridged Audiobook

Episode 14; No Middle Name: The Complete Collected Jack Reacher Stories, Review

19/6/2017

The world of Jack Reacher is given an extra layer of storytelling with this collected works. Compromising 12 stories spanning the life of the intriguing creation of Lee Child.

If like me you are new to the work of Lee Child then this is a great place to start as you get an in-depth look at the Life of Jack Reacher.

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Written by: Lee Child
Narrated by: Kerry Shale
Length: 11 hrs and 18 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:18/05/2017
Publisher: Random House Audiobooks

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Following on your Noumenon (reviewed in Episode 38) Marina J. Lostetter turns her attention on to Convoys 7 and 12 as they attempt to complete their differing missions.

Audiobook Details

As far as "villians" go in the Star Wars Universe Thrawn is one of the best.Here Timothy Zahn shows his path into the empire with twists and turns that will listeners.

Audiobook Details

Mark Lawrence returns with his tale of Nona Grey and her journey through the Convent of Sweet Mercy.Fantastic writing is polished off with wonderful narration by Helen Duff .

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​Women's Murder Club, Book 17

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As far as "villians" go in the Star Wars Universe Thrawn is one of the best.
Here Timothy Zahn shows his path into the empire with twists and turns that will listeners.

Mark Lawrence returns with his tale of Nona Grey and her journey through the Convent of Sweet Mercy.
Fantastic writing is polished off with wonderful narration by Helen Duff .

Women's Murder Club, Book 17

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