The Official Blurb
In this collection of Sherlock Holmes stories, the great detective continues doing what he does best: averting political scandals, tracking down murderers, dragging Dr. Watson into unpleasant situations. As always, it’s adventurous fun for the rest of us. This book was published in 1917, after The Return of Sherlock Holmes.
My Review
What we have here is the standard fare for a collection of short Sherlock Holmes stories from Conan Doyle. I love Sherlock Holmes and so was really looking forward to this audio book. I was not disapointed by the story content. Holmes as always shows a facinating insight into the ordinary and deducts his way to success in a varied and interesting set of cases.
The final story brings Sherlock into wartime or very nearly wartime, and because of this I can now finally forgive Basil Rathbone for starring in those old wartime Holmes stories.
This recording was made by various volunteers at Librivox and all of the readers were pretty good. Unfortunately the "Production" on this book has suffered. In particular the first story covered in the first two files had an awful levels issue. The reader herself sounded fine but the fact that the sound levels were washing up and down like a manic tide meant that I could not listen to the first story.
This book is still worth downloading, even if you miss the first story due to the sound levels.
Reading 2/3
Production 1/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 6/9
Available from Librivox
Saturday, 31 May 2008
Saturday, 24 May 2008
The Masha Chronicles
The Official Blurb
A noir page-turner detailing the roller-coaster adventures of Masha, a reluctant young assassin. When Masha meets American businessman, Charlie Hammerschmidt, she thinks she’s found the ticket out of Kiev’s underworld. When Charlie is murdered in her apartment, she discovers the ride is just beginning. The Masha Chronicles is a full cast PodioDrama .
My Review
I was attracted to this story because of the Full-Cast nature of it. I actually like full cast audio dramas very much. As the blurb suggests this story starts in Kiev and moves over to the States in what is an exciting underworld adventure.
There are no "good" characters in this story of murder and theft and I found that rather dispointing. I like my stories to have good guys as well as bad guys. The lead character "Masha" is unfortunately such a selfish unplesant person that her predicaments do not engender any sympathy.
The story moves quickly, there is rarely time for breath in fact, so if you enjoy modern thrillers with the gritty darkness of being focused on the underworld this might be the story for you.
The production is fine, and the full cast does keep the ears awake.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 1/3
Total Score 6/9
Available from Podiobooks
A noir page-turner detailing the roller-coaster adventures of Masha, a reluctant young assassin. When Masha meets American businessman, Charlie Hammerschmidt, she thinks she’s found the ticket out of Kiev’s underworld. When Charlie is murdered in her apartment, she discovers the ride is just beginning. The Masha Chronicles is a full cast PodioDrama .
My Review
I was attracted to this story because of the Full-Cast nature of it. I actually like full cast audio dramas very much. As the blurb suggests this story starts in Kiev and moves over to the States in what is an exciting underworld adventure.
There are no "good" characters in this story of murder and theft and I found that rather dispointing. I like my stories to have good guys as well as bad guys. The lead character "Masha" is unfortunately such a selfish unplesant person that her predicaments do not engender any sympathy.
The story moves quickly, there is rarely time for breath in fact, so if you enjoy modern thrillers with the gritty darkness of being focused on the underworld this might be the story for you.
The production is fine, and the full cast does keep the ears awake.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 1/3
Total Score 6/9
Available from Podiobooks
Wednesday, 21 May 2008
Release - Army Life in a Black Regiment
Not a review, but a piece of self publicity! My latest audio book is now available for free download from librivox!
It's called "Army Life in a Black Regiment" and was written by Thomas Wentworth Higginson who commanded the first black regiment raised during the American Civil War.
For fans of the film "Glory" you'll hear familar passages, as the film script seems to have lifted entire chunks of text from this book.
It's been a facinating read.
Listen, share and spread the word.
It's called "Army Life in a Black Regiment" and was written by Thomas Wentworth Higginson who commanded the first black regiment raised during the American Civil War.
For fans of the film "Glory" you'll hear familar passages, as the film script seems to have lifted entire chunks of text from this book.
It's been a facinating read.
Listen, share and spread the word.
Monday, 19 May 2008
Dyke Darrel the Railroad Detective
The Official Blurb
Dyke Darrel investigates an audacious train robbery that included the murder of a friend, and embarks on a man-hunt. High Victorian serial melodrama at its best!
My Review
This is a story that follows the detective as he progresses through his investigation. It also spends few segments following the bad guys. The story moves swiftly and your not left idle waiting for action.
The characters are a little over the top, the bad guys are presented as evil and the good guys as very upright. A couple of times the main character gets into scrapes where he will die, only to be rescued in the nick of time by someone not heard of before or again latter. These stick out when you listen as the characters are not foreshadowed or followed up, making them obvious "plot-point" characters.
The main character was not really developed, I didn't feel much sympathy for him. In summary the story was ok and kept me entertained but I wouldn't say I was excited by it at all.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 1/3
Total Score 5/9
Available from Librivox
Dyke Darrel investigates an audacious train robbery that included the murder of a friend, and embarks on a man-hunt. High Victorian serial melodrama at its best!
My Review
This is a story that follows the detective as he progresses through his investigation. It also spends few segments following the bad guys. The story moves swiftly and your not left idle waiting for action.
The characters are a little over the top, the bad guys are presented as evil and the good guys as very upright. A couple of times the main character gets into scrapes where he will die, only to be rescued in the nick of time by someone not heard of before or again latter. These stick out when you listen as the characters are not foreshadowed or followed up, making them obvious "plot-point" characters.
The main character was not really developed, I didn't feel much sympathy for him. In summary the story was ok and kept me entertained but I wouldn't say I was excited by it at all.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 1/3
Total Score 5/9
Available from Librivox
Wednesday, 14 May 2008
Dark Fantasy
The Official Blurb
Every since Lights Out went out several years ago, fans of the fiendish have been clamoring for more good old goose-pimple horror drama on the air. Now they have it. One of the programs that currently freezes the airwaves with its chilling stories is Dark Fantasy comparatively new to the networks. In the late hours of Friday nights these shivery, shocking stories go out over NBC - right straight from Oklahoma City, which you might not have thought of as headquarters for haunts. Station WKY is the home of the Dark Fantasy plays, and the writer is Scott Bishop, who lives in the midst of mystery and the supernatural, represented by the innurnerable volumes of thriller fiction, fantasy lore and all kinds of horror literature that fill his home andhis office. Bishop has long contributed to network broadcasting and to magazines. He says, "Give the listener enough material to let his imagination go to work, and he'll supply his own goose-pimples." Dark Fantasy has been furnishing plenty of such material since last November. And judging from enthusiastic comment, the horror fans are responding with goose-pimples galore! Tune in every Friday on Station WKY Oklahoma City.
My Review
This review is not of a book! Instead I'm reviewing an entire radio series from the early 1940's. Each episode of Dark Fantasy is a seperate story and they all have different subjects. The writer has a nice talent for leaving the story just at a point where you want more, but the meat of the story has been told. It's an odd situation I guess, but still satisfying.
As with any series some episodes are better than others and I can especially rec' "The Demon Tree" and "W is for Werewolf".
With this being an Old Time Radio show, it suffers in the sound quality, with many episodes having lost the higher quarter of the audio spectrum, making some difficult to follow. I've found that these episodes are easier to listen to when using headphones. To reflect this I've lowered the "Reading" score.
Reading 1/3
Production 3/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Available from Archive.org
Every since Lights Out went out several years ago, fans of the fiendish have been clamoring for more good old goose-pimple horror drama on the air. Now they have it. One of the programs that currently freezes the airwaves with its chilling stories is Dark Fantasy comparatively new to the networks. In the late hours of Friday nights these shivery, shocking stories go out over NBC - right straight from Oklahoma City, which you might not have thought of as headquarters for haunts. Station WKY is the home of the Dark Fantasy plays, and the writer is Scott Bishop, who lives in the midst of mystery and the supernatural, represented by the innurnerable volumes of thriller fiction, fantasy lore and all kinds of horror literature that fill his home andhis office. Bishop has long contributed to network broadcasting and to magazines. He says, "Give the listener enough material to let his imagination go to work, and he'll supply his own goose-pimples." Dark Fantasy has been furnishing plenty of such material since last November. And judging from enthusiastic comment, the horror fans are responding with goose-pimples galore! Tune in every Friday on Station WKY Oklahoma City.
My Review
This review is not of a book! Instead I'm reviewing an entire radio series from the early 1940's. Each episode of Dark Fantasy is a seperate story and they all have different subjects. The writer has a nice talent for leaving the story just at a point where you want more, but the meat of the story has been told. It's an odd situation I guess, but still satisfying.
As with any series some episodes are better than others and I can especially rec' "The Demon Tree" and "W is for Werewolf".
With this being an Old Time Radio show, it suffers in the sound quality, with many episodes having lost the higher quarter of the audio spectrum, making some difficult to follow. I've found that these episodes are easier to listen to when using headphones. To reflect this I've lowered the "Reading" score.
Reading 1/3
Production 3/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Available from Archive.org
Sunday, 11 May 2008
Tarzan Lord of the Apes
The Official Blurb
Tarzan of the Apes is Burroughs’ exciting, if improbable, story of an English lord, left by the death of his stranded parents in the hands of a motherly African ape who raises him as her own. Although he is aware that he is different from the apes of his tribe, who are neither white nor hairless, he nevertheless regards them as his “people.” When older, larger, stronger apes decide that he an undesirable to be killed or expelled from the tribe, it is fortunate that Tarzan has learned the use of primitive weapons.
Although small and weak by ape standards, Tarzan is a human of god-like strength and agility to men who discover him. By studying these people, he gradually decides he is not an ape at all, but human.
And when he meets Jane, a beautiful American girl marooned with her father and friends on the hostile coast of Africa, Tarzan conceives love for her. When they are unexpectedly rescued before Tarzan can find a way to reveal his feelings to Jane, he determines to become civilized and follow her into the world of people – to find her and wed her, though he must cross continents and oceans, and compete with two other suitors for her hand.
My Review
Everyone knows who Tarzan is. Or at least we think we do! When I finally got round to listening to the actual book I found out things that had never been hinted at by the saturday morning Tarzan films.
Tarzan is raised by the Apes, and the book reveals what that means. It means Tarzan doesn't have a lot of the human feelings and sensibilities. Humans at first scare him, then he becomes a murderer and a canibal. He doesn't know any better of course and so doesn't even consider it as doing anything wrong.
The story evolved a little slowly, and started with Tarzan's parents going on a trip. However once the parents pop-their-clogs the story becomes a lot more interesting. The auther develops the Apes as real characters and we as listeners are not bored by their interactions.
The story jumps another notch once humans move into the apes part of the jungle. So we have a story that speeds up and gets better as it goes and therefore draws you in and keeps you interested.
The reader is this case is fast becoming one of my favourite Librivox readers, Mark Smith. He also read Mysterious Island which I reviewd a while ago.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 7/9
You can find the book at Librivox.
Tarzan of the Apes is Burroughs’ exciting, if improbable, story of an English lord, left by the death of his stranded parents in the hands of a motherly African ape who raises him as her own. Although he is aware that he is different from the apes of his tribe, who are neither white nor hairless, he nevertheless regards them as his “people.” When older, larger, stronger apes decide that he an undesirable to be killed or expelled from the tribe, it is fortunate that Tarzan has learned the use of primitive weapons.
Although small and weak by ape standards, Tarzan is a human of god-like strength and agility to men who discover him. By studying these people, he gradually decides he is not an ape at all, but human.
And when he meets Jane, a beautiful American girl marooned with her father and friends on the hostile coast of Africa, Tarzan conceives love for her. When they are unexpectedly rescued before Tarzan can find a way to reveal his feelings to Jane, he determines to become civilized and follow her into the world of people – to find her and wed her, though he must cross continents and oceans, and compete with two other suitors for her hand.
My Review
Everyone knows who Tarzan is. Or at least we think we do! When I finally got round to listening to the actual book I found out things that had never been hinted at by the saturday morning Tarzan films.
Tarzan is raised by the Apes, and the book reveals what that means. It means Tarzan doesn't have a lot of the human feelings and sensibilities. Humans at first scare him, then he becomes a murderer and a canibal. He doesn't know any better of course and so doesn't even consider it as doing anything wrong.
The story evolved a little slowly, and started with Tarzan's parents going on a trip. However once the parents pop-their-clogs the story becomes a lot more interesting. The auther develops the Apes as real characters and we as listeners are not bored by their interactions.
The story jumps another notch once humans move into the apes part of the jungle. So we have a story that speeds up and gets better as it goes and therefore draws you in and keeps you interested.
The reader is this case is fast becoming one of my favourite Librivox readers, Mark Smith. He also read Mysterious Island which I reviewd a while ago.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 7/9
You can find the book at Librivox.
Friday, 9 May 2008
7th Son: Book One - Descent
The Official Blurb
Three weeks ago, the U.S. president was murdered by a four-year-old boy.
Today, seven men stare at each other in a locked conference room. Kidnapped and brought to this underground facility, the strangers are sitting in silence, thunderstruck. Despite minor physical differences, they all appear to be the same man, with the same name ... and the same childhood memories.
Unwitting participants in a secret human cloning experiment, these seven "John Michael Smiths" have been gathered by their creators for one reason -- to capture the mastermind behind the president's assassination.
Their target? The man they were cloned from; the original John Michael Smith, code-named John Alpha.
Soon our heroes -- John, Jack, Michael, Kilroy2.0 and the others -- realize the president's murder was merely a prologue to Alpha's plans. As the mystery deepens and the implications of Alpha's scheme are slowly revealed, the clones decide to stand against John Alpha. The outcome will unearth a conspiracy larger than they could have ever imagined.
Descent is the first novel in J.C. Hutchins' 7th Son thriller trilogy.
My Review
There has been a lot of hype about this story and this author. So much so in fact that I had been wary of this novel in case it was a let down. Well I finally got round to listening to the story, and I have not been dispointed.
The author is reading his own work here and does an outstanding job. He modulates his voice for the various characters just enough to bring them to life, and considering that the main characters are clones, this is a requirement to help the listener tell them apart.
Even though the characters are clones they are all fully developed seperate people that are easy to believe in and care about. I love the way the author has drops hints about each characters background as the story progresses and thus avoids wasting ages on giving us a background for each character.
The story itself appeals to the geek in me, the high-tech topic is played out to the full and the action follows quickly behind.
So where does this audio book fall down? The story just seems to end rather abruptly. As this is part one of three, I can forgive that. In fact I think the author originally wrote this as a single novel which would explain its sudden ending.
The three novels in this series have been recorded and are available so I'm going to move straight on to the next.
In summary. A good engaging listen, excitement, mystery and adventure. Yummy
Reading 3/3
Production 3/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 9/9
Available from Podiobooks
Audio Promo MP3
Three weeks ago, the U.S. president was murdered by a four-year-old boy.
Today, seven men stare at each other in a locked conference room. Kidnapped and brought to this underground facility, the strangers are sitting in silence, thunderstruck. Despite minor physical differences, they all appear to be the same man, with the same name ... and the same childhood memories.
Unwitting participants in a secret human cloning experiment, these seven "John Michael Smiths" have been gathered by their creators for one reason -- to capture the mastermind behind the president's assassination.
Their target? The man they were cloned from; the original John Michael Smith, code-named John Alpha.
Soon our heroes -- John, Jack, Michael, Kilroy2.0 and the others -- realize the president's murder was merely a prologue to Alpha's plans. As the mystery deepens and the implications of Alpha's scheme are slowly revealed, the clones decide to stand against John Alpha. The outcome will unearth a conspiracy larger than they could have ever imagined.
Descent is the first novel in J.C. Hutchins' 7th Son thriller trilogy.
My Review
There has been a lot of hype about this story and this author. So much so in fact that I had been wary of this novel in case it was a let down. Well I finally got round to listening to the story, and I have not been dispointed.
The author is reading his own work here and does an outstanding job. He modulates his voice for the various characters just enough to bring them to life, and considering that the main characters are clones, this is a requirement to help the listener tell them apart.
Even though the characters are clones they are all fully developed seperate people that are easy to believe in and care about. I love the way the author has drops hints about each characters background as the story progresses and thus avoids wasting ages on giving us a background for each character.
The story itself appeals to the geek in me, the high-tech topic is played out to the full and the action follows quickly behind.
So where does this audio book fall down? The story just seems to end rather abruptly. As this is part one of three, I can forgive that. In fact I think the author originally wrote this as a single novel which would explain its sudden ending.
The three novels in this series have been recorded and are available so I'm going to move straight on to the next.
In summary. A good engaging listen, excitement, mystery and adventure. Yummy
Reading 3/3
Production 3/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 9/9
Available from Podiobooks
Audio Promo MP3
Thursday, 8 May 2008
Amber Page and the Legend of the Coral Stone
The Official Blurb
On the island of Maui, a sixteen-year-old international spy named Rio Kayenta discovers a two-thousand-year-old coral stone. Legend has it that the stone is meant for a girl named Amber and that with it, she can stop the evil S.H.R.O.U.D. organization. Amber Page lives in the Arizona desert and wants one thing more than anything else in the world: to see her mom and dad back together again. Amber's mom is a school bus driver who has split with her dad, but Amber believes the two still love one another. When a strange old man stops at nothing to tell Amber that the legendary stone is meant for her, it frightens her and her family deeply. It is a race against the clock to get the stone to Amber and to see if she will realize its legendary powers. For with the stone strengthening her, Amber may be able to save her family and the world.
My Review
I couldn't decide if this was a YA book or not. The book/MP3 cover makes it look like something for young girls, but inside... Well... Mystical powers, a little girl hero, a man dragging himself around a ship leaving a bloody trail behind, broken bones.
The reader has his own style. Its a stabbing staccato reading that I found rather exciting and it appealed to me. It also suited the story. This story is mysterious, scary and hard hitting all at once.
I started listening to this story on podiobooks before the recordings were finished, but the production stalled and it actually disapeared from the site for a while. When it came back I resubscribed immediately and downloaded an episode every day desperate to know how it ended. This entailed re-listening to the first half, but I didn't mind, the story was good enough to keep me interested second time through.
This is a great story.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 8/9
Find it at Podiobooks.
On the island of Maui, a sixteen-year-old international spy named Rio Kayenta discovers a two-thousand-year-old coral stone. Legend has it that the stone is meant for a girl named Amber and that with it, she can stop the evil S.H.R.O.U.D. organization. Amber Page lives in the Arizona desert and wants one thing more than anything else in the world: to see her mom and dad back together again. Amber's mom is a school bus driver who has split with her dad, but Amber believes the two still love one another. When a strange old man stops at nothing to tell Amber that the legendary stone is meant for her, it frightens her and her family deeply. It is a race against the clock to get the stone to Amber and to see if she will realize its legendary powers. For with the stone strengthening her, Amber may be able to save her family and the world.
My Review
I couldn't decide if this was a YA book or not. The book/MP3 cover makes it look like something for young girls, but inside... Well... Mystical powers, a little girl hero, a man dragging himself around a ship leaving a bloody trail behind, broken bones.
The reader has his own style. Its a stabbing staccato reading that I found rather exciting and it appealed to me. It also suited the story. This story is mysterious, scary and hard hitting all at once.
I started listening to this story on podiobooks before the recordings were finished, but the production stalled and it actually disapeared from the site for a while. When it came back I resubscribed immediately and downloaded an episode every day desperate to know how it ended. This entailed re-listening to the first half, but I didn't mind, the story was good enough to keep me interested second time through.
This is a great story.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 8/9
Find it at Podiobooks.
Wednesday, 7 May 2008
In the Service of Samurai
The Official Blurb
The choice: Serve the undead or become one of them.
Toshi never expected the strange visitor who one evening stepped foot inside his master's shop. A samurai smelling of the sea, dripping on the ground, algae strung from his armor. For the first time in his life, he discovers that monsters do roam the earth. And this one has been specifically looking
for him.
Dragged from his home and all he has ever known, Toshi must now use his acquired skills in foreign maps to help the creatures who have taken him. Yet at every turn there are problems. There are even those seeking to terminate his very life, not wanting his new master to succeed in his assigned task. And when they do find it, Toshi discovers his new master's enemies have prepared for their eventual arrival, leaving him the only one capable of recovering what has been lost. Can he do what even the undead cannot? Or will he fail and be forced to wander the world as one of them?
My Review
The word Samurai leapt at me when I first saw this podiobook. I'm a bit of a fan of the old Samurai movies and love the conflicts caused by honour and service.
I was not disapointed in this novel. Samurai, undead Samurai, ceaselessly traveling even in death to complete their duty and restore their honour. All the stuff I like.
The story follows the boy Toshi as he gets dragged into the middle of the events he couldn't even imagine. He's lost, alone, friendless and scared. The story follows him as he rises from beaten boy to manhood.
I absolutely loved this story. In a couple of places the story seems to slow down a little too much for my preference but then I shouldn't expect every writer to be a Matthew Reilly. There was however enough action and adventure to keep me listening.
I also felt that the mystical aspects were played out without the explanations that I would have liked to hear. I expect they are perfectly straight forward if you have the background in the Japanese culture but alas I do not.
It felt like a young adult novel and the fact that the main character appears to be in his teens would seem to go along with that. The content seemed appropriate.
In summary, I really enjoyed listening to this, and it throughly enveloped my mind during long cycle rides.
Reading 1/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 5/9
Available from Podiobooks
The choice: Serve the undead or become one of them.
Toshi never expected the strange visitor who one evening stepped foot inside his master's shop. A samurai smelling of the sea, dripping on the ground, algae strung from his armor. For the first time in his life, he discovers that monsters do roam the earth. And this one has been specifically looking
for him.
Dragged from his home and all he has ever known, Toshi must now use his acquired skills in foreign maps to help the creatures who have taken him. Yet at every turn there are problems. There are even those seeking to terminate his very life, not wanting his new master to succeed in his assigned task. And when they do find it, Toshi discovers his new master's enemies have prepared for their eventual arrival, leaving him the only one capable of recovering what has been lost. Can he do what even the undead cannot? Or will he fail and be forced to wander the world as one of them?
My Review
The word Samurai leapt at me when I first saw this podiobook. I'm a bit of a fan of the old Samurai movies and love the conflicts caused by honour and service.
I was not disapointed in this novel. Samurai, undead Samurai, ceaselessly traveling even in death to complete their duty and restore their honour. All the stuff I like.
The story follows the boy Toshi as he gets dragged into the middle of the events he couldn't even imagine. He's lost, alone, friendless and scared. The story follows him as he rises from beaten boy to manhood.
I absolutely loved this story. In a couple of places the story seems to slow down a little too much for my preference but then I shouldn't expect every writer to be a Matthew Reilly. There was however enough action and adventure to keep me listening.
I also felt that the mystical aspects were played out without the explanations that I would have liked to hear. I expect they are perfectly straight forward if you have the background in the Japanese culture but alas I do not.
It felt like a young adult novel and the fact that the main character appears to be in his teens would seem to go along with that. The content seemed appropriate.
In summary, I really enjoyed listening to this, and it throughly enveloped my mind during long cycle rides.
Reading 1/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 5/9
Available from Podiobooks
Friday, 2 May 2008
Max Quick 1 : The Pocket and the Pendant
The Official Blurb
WHEN TIME mysteriously stops, young Max Quick must travel across America to find the source of this 'temporal disaster'... Along the way, he and his companions encounter ancient mysteries, quantum Books, and clues to the riddle of stopped Time. But the more Max learns, the more it seems that his own true identity is not what he once believed...
My Review
I first heard this story as it was being originally released a year or two ago, back when it was simply called "The Pocket and Pendant". The author has since written a sequel which is now entering the podosphere, and so I'll take to the time to tell you want I thought of the original.
Well simply put, I loved this story. It started out a... shall I say depressing! the tone and pacing of the stories opening is quite negative, especially for a young adult story. This is however part of the story, the lead character "Max Quick" is in a very bad situation, and the tone portrays that.
This situation and the stories tone soon change, when time stops. The world freezes in an instant, but not for Max Quick.
The story then rushes on with loveable characters, both villians and heros and we start investigating the mystery, even the mystery of who Max Quick is.
Great story, good pacing, fantastic characters, and now, a sequel to look forward to.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total score 7/9
Get it from Podiobooks
WHEN TIME mysteriously stops, young Max Quick must travel across America to find the source of this 'temporal disaster'... Along the way, he and his companions encounter ancient mysteries, quantum Books, and clues to the riddle of stopped Time. But the more Max learns, the more it seems that his own true identity is not what he once believed...
My Review
I first heard this story as it was being originally released a year or two ago, back when it was simply called "The Pocket and Pendant". The author has since written a sequel which is now entering the podosphere, and so I'll take to the time to tell you want I thought of the original.
Well simply put, I loved this story. It started out a... shall I say depressing! the tone and pacing of the stories opening is quite negative, especially for a young adult story. This is however part of the story, the lead character "Max Quick" is in a very bad situation, and the tone portrays that.
This situation and the stories tone soon change, when time stops. The world freezes in an instant, but not for Max Quick.
The story then rushes on with loveable characters, both villians and heros and we start investigating the mystery, even the mystery of who Max Quick is.
Great story, good pacing, fantastic characters, and now, a sequel to look forward to.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total score 7/9
Get it from Podiobooks
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