My Review
Once again this is not a book review, but rather a review of an entire old radio series available for download for free from the internet archive.
This series is as the name suggests the retelling of the Horatio Hornblower stories, presented here as a series of half hour shows.
It is old time radio so there are some issues with the noise on the recording, but this is in the form of hiss and crackle and not the killer loss the higher frequencies we sometimes get.
The story is of course excellent, presented here as a series of memories of the aged Hornblower told as he thinks back. After the aged Hornblowers intro the action switches into full audio drama format. It is very well done and a delight for any fans of the sea.
This set of recordings is a little mixed up. There are even a couple that come from a differn't series but still telling the Hornblower story, I believe these came from the BBC.
This series is well worth a listen, high action, high fun.
Reading 2/3 ( would be 3 but for the hiss )
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 7/9
Available from the Internet Archive
Listen to the first show on the list.
Friday, 29 August 2008
Saturday, 16 August 2008
Playing for Keeps
The Official Blurb
Playing for Keeps tells the story of Keepsie Branson, a bar owner in the shining metropolis of Seventh City: birthplace of super powers. Keepsie and her friends live among egotistical heroes and manipulative villains, and manage to fall directly in the middle as people with powers, but who just aren't strong enough to make a difference. Or that's what they've been told. As the city begins to melt down, it's hard to tell who are the good guys and who are the bad.
My Review
This is a super hero story. Not your usual superhero story. The story follows a bunch of superhero failures, people who have been turned away from the superhero accademy because their super powers arn't super enough. They resent being turned away and have been hanging out in the bar belonging to one of them.
The "Heros" in this world are pretty nasty, and the villians seem like good guys and the protagonists somewhere in the middle.
The story follows the events of these wannabees as the city erupts into adventure and disaster, they try to help, they try to fight, they try to survive.
It's an exciting novel that'll be twisting your face into a laugh one minute and into concern for the characters next. Ups, downs and never a let up in the interest.
Just a little warning, not for kids, contains profanity...lots of it.
I rate this...
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 7/9
This book is available from podiobooks
An audio promo for the book
Playing for Keeps tells the story of Keepsie Branson, a bar owner in the shining metropolis of Seventh City: birthplace of super powers. Keepsie and her friends live among egotistical heroes and manipulative villains, and manage to fall directly in the middle as people with powers, but who just aren't strong enough to make a difference. Or that's what they've been told. As the city begins to melt down, it's hard to tell who are the good guys and who are the bad.
My Review
This is a super hero story. Not your usual superhero story. The story follows a bunch of superhero failures, people who have been turned away from the superhero accademy because their super powers arn't super enough. They resent being turned away and have been hanging out in the bar belonging to one of them.
The "Heros" in this world are pretty nasty, and the villians seem like good guys and the protagonists somewhere in the middle.
The story follows the events of these wannabees as the city erupts into adventure and disaster, they try to help, they try to fight, they try to survive.
It's an exciting novel that'll be twisting your face into a laugh one minute and into concern for the characters next. Ups, downs and never a let up in the interest.
Just a little warning, not for kids, contains profanity...lots of it.
I rate this...
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 7/9
This book is available from podiobooks
An audio promo for the book
Thursday, 14 August 2008
The Napoleon of Notting Hill
The Official Blurb
While the novel is humorous (one instance has the King sitting on top of an omnibus and speaking to it as to a horse: “Forward, my beauty, my Arab,” he said, patting the omnibus encouragingly, “fleetest of all thy bounding tribe”), it is also an adventure story: Chesterton is not afraid to let blood be drawn in his battles, fought with sword and halberd in the London streets, and Wayne thinks up a few ingenious strategies; and, finally, the novel is philosophical, considering the value of one man’s actions and the virtue of respect for one’s enemies.
My Review
If your looking for a slowish paced story that will bring a wry smile to your face and keep it there, then this is the story for you.
As the blurb states is has its bizarre moments, but they all fit into theme of the story. I was quite interested to find London broken up into seperate countries waring with each other ... with halbards!
I think of this story as a relaxing Sunday afternoon listen. Worth queueing up on you Ipod or computer when in a relaxed mood, perhaps a glass of wine ready at your side?
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
This book is available from Librivox.
An audio promo for this book.
While the novel is humorous (one instance has the King sitting on top of an omnibus and speaking to it as to a horse: “Forward, my beauty, my Arab,” he said, patting the omnibus encouragingly, “fleetest of all thy bounding tribe”), it is also an adventure story: Chesterton is not afraid to let blood be drawn in his battles, fought with sword and halberd in the London streets, and Wayne thinks up a few ingenious strategies; and, finally, the novel is philosophical, considering the value of one man’s actions and the virtue of respect for one’s enemies.
My Review
If your looking for a slowish paced story that will bring a wry smile to your face and keep it there, then this is the story for you.
As the blurb states is has its bizarre moments, but they all fit into theme of the story. I was quite interested to find London broken up into seperate countries waring with each other ... with halbards!
I think of this story as a relaxing Sunday afternoon listen. Worth queueing up on you Ipod or computer when in a relaxed mood, perhaps a glass of wine ready at your side?
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
This book is available from Librivox.
An audio promo for this book.
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