Category: Thoughts

Episode 194; The Hurt, Review

8/9/2020

One of the best Hookers of recent times opens up about the trials and tribulations of the world of high performance Rugby.

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By: Dylan Hartley
Narrated by: Mike Sengelow
Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins
Publisher: Penguin 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 50; Two top five Audiobook choices.

17/10/2017

For our fiftieth episode I thought it would be fun to do something a little different. So I invited Alex from the Tangents Entertained Podcast on to chat about his top five choices in audiobooks.

So sit back as we both try to highlight some of the titles we think are worthy of your time.

We apologise for the slight audio issues are the end of the show.

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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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Audiobook Details

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

If you fancy connecting with Paul please don't hesitate to reach out on twitter on the following handles

Paul - @wellbeingosteo
Site - @BackwardsCom

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

If you fancy connecting with Paul please don't hesitate to reach out on twitter on the following handles

Paul - @wellbeingosteo
Site - @BackwardsCom

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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Audiobook details

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

If you fancy connecting with Paul please don't hesitate to reach out on twitter on the following handles

Paul - @wellbeingosteo
Site - @BackwardsCom

Episode 34; The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger, Review

14/8/2017

feels From a point of ignorance having not read the series before or seen the Film Paul dived into the Magnum Opus that is The Dark Tower with its first book The Gunslinger.

With a mix of Fantasy and Western with a plash of sci-fi Stephen King proves he is a master storyteller with this hook of a book. I say "Hook" as there is a meal here but it feels like it is just wetting the appetite for the series to come.

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Release Date:14/06/2012
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Written by: Stephen King
Narrated by: George Guidall
Length: 7 hrs and 19 mins
Series: The Dark Tower, Book 1
Unabridged Audiobook

If you fancy connecting with Paul please don't hesitate to reach out on twitter on the following handles

Paul - @wellbeingosteo
Site - @BackwardsCom

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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Audiobook Details

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.

If you fancy connecting with Paul please don't hesitate to reach out on twitter on the following handles

Paul - @wellbeingosteo
Site - @BackwardsCom

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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Audiobook Details

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

If you fancy connecting with Paul please don't hesitate to reach out on twitter on the following handles

Paul - @wellbeingosteo
Site - @BackwardsCom

Book received from publisher and reviewed using Audiobooks.com

Episode 30; Happy, Review

2/8/2017

A non-self help book that really can help change your ideas on happiness.

Derren Brown puts his vast talents to work on trying to uncover that most elusive of states Happiness. Throughout this book he explores the philosophical basis of Happiness with the end goal of getting the listener to change their mindset on what they believe the state of "Happy" to be.

It's an intriguing listen and one well worth your time to explore as thoroughly as you can.

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Audiobook Details

Written by: Derren Brown
Narrated by: Jot Davies
Length: 18 hrs
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:10/11/2016
Publisher: Random House Audiobooks

If you fancy connecting with Paul please don't hesitate to reach out on twitter on the following handles

Paul - @wellbeingosteo
Site - @BackwardsCom

Episode 29; Muhammad Ali: A Tribute to the Greatest, Review

23/7/2017

For amny he was the sportsman of the century. However his is as much for his exploits within the ring as for his activism out of it.

With A tribute to the greatest Ali's biographer Thomas Hauser takes a look at the legend of Muhammad Ali through a series of essays as well as personal recounting of his interactions with Ali and a treasure trove of quotes about the Greatest.

It is however in the final section of the book where Hauser looks into his legacy that Ali left behind that helps to cast a new light on the GOAT, that makes this book a must listen to.

muhammad_ali_a_tribute_to_the_greatest.mp3
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Audiobook Details

Release Date:09/06/2016
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited
Written by: Thomas Hauser
Narrated by: Eric Meyers
Length: 9 hrs and 22 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

If you fancy connecting with Paul please don't hesitate to reach out on twitter on the following handles

Paul - @wellbeingosteo
Site - @BackwardsCom

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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Audiobook Details

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

If you fancy connecting with Paul please don't hesitate to reach out on twitter on the following handles

Paul - @wellbeingosteo
Site - @BackwardsCom

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.

the_rise_and_fall_of_dodo_review.mp3
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Audiobook Details

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

If you fancy connecting with Paul please don't hesitate to reach out on twitter on the following handles

Paul - @wellbeingosteo
Site - @BackwardsCom

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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Audiobook Details

-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

If you fancy connecting with Paul please don't hesitate to reach out on twitter on the following handles

Paul - @wellbeingosteo
Site - @BackwardsCom

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

Episode 18; Introducing my son to Harry Potter via Audiobooks.

26/6/2017

This episode has a duel purpose, one is to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Harry Potter and the second is to show how I'm using the Audiobooks and Novels to hopefully bring my son into this fantastic series.

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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.

episode_17__the_girl_on_the_train_review.mp3
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Audiobook Details

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 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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Audiobook Details

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 13; The Mixer: The Story of Premier League Tactics, from Route One to False Nines, Review

17/6/2017

Celebrating and/or analysing 25 years of the Premier league writer Michael Cox does a fantastic job of making the often boring subject come alive. By utilising both the thoughts of the participants in the game as well as match reports to emphasise his point Cox manages to bring a sometimes dry subject to life.

This is aided by the narration of Colin Pace as he delves into his box of accents in order to bring the book to life. This is still a technical book but it is easy to listen to and really does a great job shining a light on the tactics of the "greatest league in the world".

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Audiobook Details

Written by: Michael Cox
Narrated by: Colin Mace
Length: 14 hrs and 24 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:01/06/2017
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Episode 12; Alien: Covenant: A Novel, Review

13/6/2017

As tie ins go the Alien Franchise has been very well serviced by Alan Dean Foster. His takes on the original two films as well as the generally less respected Alien 3 were well crafted affairs, that worked to enhance the film franchise giving you a deeper look into the universe of the Xenomorphs.

Now though he takes on a difficult job with Alien Covenant and although he does a good job in adapting the work there are issues with the story that he had to work with. Find out more in the review.

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Audiobook Details

Release Date:05-23-17
Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Written by: Alan Dean Foster
Narrated by: Tom Taylorson
Length: 8 hrs and 58 mins
Series: Alien, Book 0
Unabridged Audiobook

Episode 11; I Can't Make This Up: Life Lessons, Review

12/6/2017

Comedian Kevin Hart opens up about his life in and outside comedy in this warts and all look at his life. Rocks are not only looked under but seem throuoghly examined within the 11 hour time.

Hart does a fantastic job of making the listener fell his emotions both in the highs and lows of his life. His humour is a huge selling point of the narration and having him tell his story adds to the experience as a whole.

episode_11_i_cant_make_this_up_life_lessons_review.mp3
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Audiobook Details

Release Date:06/06/2017
Publisher: Audible Studios
Written by: Kevin Hart , Neil Strauss - contributor
Narrated by: Kevin Hart
Length: 11 hrs and 14 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Episode 10; The Mist, Review

12/6/2017

After a freak storm on a lake in Maine, David Drayton has to go about the business of getting his home back together. Little does he know that things are about to get stranger than he ever expected with the appearance of a Mist.

Stephen King masterfully blends suspense within this character driven novella asking what happens when people become isolated from society in the face of an unpredictable enemy. Narrated with aplomb by Will Patton.

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Audiobook Details

Written by: Stephen King
Narrated by: Will Patton
Length: 5 hrs and 19 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:05-23-17
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Episode 9; Basket of Deplorables, Review

6/6/2017

Taking a look at post Trump America. Author Tom Rachman looks at the lives of Five very different Americans in this intriguing loom at how politics can affect the lives of ordinary citizens from all walks of life.

This Audible original title has narration from five different points of view with five separate performers who all do a great job of helping you to hear their character's voice.

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Audiobook Details

Written by: Tom Rachman
Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini , Robin Miles , Jonathan Davis , Oliver Wyman , Allyson Johnson
Length: 4 hrs and 4 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:05-23-17
Publisher: Audible Studios

Episode 8; The Handmaid's Tale: Special Edition, Review

31/5/2017

Rarely does a piece of entertainment live up to the hype but with The Handmaid's Tale it truly does.

The narration by Claire Danes is superb but what makes this book so appealing is the emotional wrangler writer Margaret Atwood puts the reader through. The story is full of ideas that feel true to life enough to worry you while still remaining poignant today.

This is simply one of the best books I have listened to in a long time.

Episode 8 the handmaids tale special edition review.mp3
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Audiobook Details

Written by: Margaret Atwood , Valerie Martin - essay
Narrated by: Claire Danes , Margaret Atwood , full cast
Length: 12 hrs and 12 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:04-04-17
Publisher: Audible Studios

Episode 7; Rivers of London, Review

26/5/2017

Ben Aaronovitch's managed to take two genres and mix them together in a way alchemists of old wish they could do. His tale of magic and crime in London is nothing short of wizardry and the series began in a rip roaring fashion with Rivers of London.

Allied with the narrating goodness of Kobna Holdbrook-Smith this really is a series to delight and jump onboard with as soon as possible.

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Audiobook Details

Written by: Ben Aaronovitch
Narrated by: Kobna Holdbrook-Smith
Release Date:08/04/2011
Publisher: Orion Publishing Group Limited
Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
Series: Peter Grant, Book 1
Unabridged Audiobook

Episode 6; Just One Damned Thing After Another: An Audible Original Drama, Review

22/5/2017

The library of Audible Original Dramas continues to grow with Jodi Taylor's Just One Damned Thing After Another, adapted by Marty Ross.

This is a first foray for Paul into the St Mary's Chronicles but with a strong cast and a creative pedigree from Audible studios, hopes are high for a dramatic trip through time with Doctor Max and her cohorts.

At just over 7 hours the book was a romping ride with one question mark marring but not breaking the experience.

episode_6_just_one_damned_thing_after_another_an_audible_original_drama.mp3
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Audiobook Details

Written by: Marty Ross
Narrated by: Gemma Whelan, Ben Miles, Jonathan Bailey, Zara Ramm
Length: 7 hrs and 15 mins
Performance
Release Date:18/05/2017
Publisher: Audible Studios

Episode 5; Into The Water, Review

22/5/2017

Paul jumps head first into this new ttile from acclaimed writer Paula Hawkins. This inspite of the fact he has yet to be entertained by The Girl on the Train in any of its forms.

Into The Water is presented as a cast narration of a POV story and has all the trappings of a British crime drama with odd locals, a big city invader as well as a local mystery that has many questions hanging over it.

The true greatness of this book is its complex yet believable cast of characters and the intricacies that hold family life together.

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Audiobook Details

Release Date:02/05/2017
Publisher: Random House Audiobooks
Written by: Paula Hawkins
Narrated by: Imogen Church, Sophie Aldred, Daniel Weyman, Rachel Bavidge, Laura Aikman
Length: 11 hrs and 31 mins
Unabridged Audiobook

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