Official Blurb
Leander Stillwell was an 18-year-old Illinois farm boy, living with his family in a log cabin, when the U.S. Civil War broke out. Stillwell felt a duty “to help save the Nation;” but, as with many other young men, his Patriotism was tinged with bravura: “the idea of staying at home and turning over senseless clods on the farm with the cannon thundering so close at hand . . . was simply intolerable.” Stillwell volunteered for the 61st Illinois Infantry in January 1861. His youthful enthusiasm for the soldier’s life was soon tempered at Shiloh, where he first “saw a gun fired in anger,” and “saw a man die a violent death.”
Stillwell’s recounting of events is always vivid, personal, and engrossing. “I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh . . . The fronts of both lines were . . . shrouded in smoke. I had my gun at a ready, and was trying to peer under the smoke in order to get a sight of our enemies. Suddenly I heard someone in a highly excited tone calling to me from just in my rear, –’Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why don’t you shoot?’ I looked around and saw that this command was being given by . . . our second lieutenant, who was wild with excitement, jumping up and down like a hen on a hot griddle. ‘Why, lieutenant,’ I said, ‘I can’t see anything to shoot at.’ ‘Shoot, shoot, anyhow!’ ‘All right,’ I responded. . . And bringing my gun to my shoulder, I aimed low in the direction of the enemy, and blazed away through the smoke. But at the time the idea to me was ridiculous that one should blindly shoot into a cloud of smoke without having a bead on the object to be shot at.”
The Story of a Common Soldier is a compelling coming of age tale that will appeal not only to Civil War buffs but to anyone who enjoys autobiographies. Written at the urging of his youngest son, when Stillwell was a mature man–a lawyer, judge, and member of the Kansas legislature, it combines graphic detail (provided by his war diary and letters written at the time to his family) with the insights of a thoughtful man looking back on those horrific times.
My Review
The official blurb tells it like it is. This is a memoir, one of the best actually, so often memoirs are of officers rather than the privates, and this one fills that gap nicely.
The book takes the main character right through the war, from being a newbie in the line, right through various battles and promotion to the end. One point that particularly caught my ear was how he started to be a deliberate straggler and was then brought up short and mended his ways when his officer spoke to him. Not a telling-off but a disapointment. It's that difference that gets through to good soldiers ( IMHO ).
I found the daily life of this chap facinating, from how he found food and the clothes he wore through to the battles he took part in. All in detail and all very personal.
The writing was very good and the reading likewise good. I really enjoyed this book and recomend it to any history buffs out there.
Reading 2
Production 2
Story 3
Total 7/9
Download the book from Librivox
Listen to chapter one
Wednesday, 30 December 2009
Monday, 28 December 2009
Short Science Fiction Collection 21
Official Blurb
Science Fiction is speculative literature that generally explores the consequences of ideas which are roughly consistent with nature and scientific method, but are not facts of the author’s contemporary world. The stories often represent philosophical thought experiments presented in entertaining ways. Protagonists typically “think” rather than “shoot” their way out of problems, but the definition is flexible because there are no limits on an author’s imagination. The reader-selected stories presented here were written prior to 1962 and became US public domain texts when their copyrights expired.
My Review
The usual SciFi collection blurb from our friends at Librivox. I keep wishing they would put a bit more effort into blurbing these collections. I tend to feel that the standard blurb is likely to put people off. Just a bit dry.
Straight off, I can tell you that this is a good collection of stories. Looking over the collection I personally rated 7 of the stories as Good, 2 as OK and only 1 as poor. That's not bad going considering the disparate sources or the stories.
I'll be linking to my fave which was about a man salvaging a shipwreck in space, that had a few surprises! Then there was the good one about a Pygmy planet with metal monsters and another with robot love and yet another with space-commandos doing battle.
This little collection covers pretty much everything I like about sci fi, mysteries, battles, spaceships and science...fiction.
A good collection well worth the time to download and stuff in your ears.
Reading 2
Production 2
Story 3
Total 7/9
Download the book from Librivox
Listen to my fave story
Science Fiction is speculative literature that generally explores the consequences of ideas which are roughly consistent with nature and scientific method, but are not facts of the author’s contemporary world. The stories often represent philosophical thought experiments presented in entertaining ways. Protagonists typically “think” rather than “shoot” their way out of problems, but the definition is flexible because there are no limits on an author’s imagination. The reader-selected stories presented here were written prior to 1962 and became US public domain texts when their copyrights expired.
My Review
The usual SciFi collection blurb from our friends at Librivox. I keep wishing they would put a bit more effort into blurbing these collections. I tend to feel that the standard blurb is likely to put people off. Just a bit dry.
Straight off, I can tell you that this is a good collection of stories. Looking over the collection I personally rated 7 of the stories as Good, 2 as OK and only 1 as poor. That's not bad going considering the disparate sources or the stories.
I'll be linking to my fave which was about a man salvaging a shipwreck in space, that had a few surprises! Then there was the good one about a Pygmy planet with metal monsters and another with robot love and yet another with space-commandos doing battle.
This little collection covers pretty much everything I like about sci fi, mysteries, battles, spaceships and science...fiction.
A good collection well worth the time to download and stuff in your ears.
Reading 2
Production 2
Story 3
Total 7/9
Download the book from Librivox
Listen to my fave story
Wednesday, 23 December 2009
Kronos
Official Blurb
Two years after his wife's death, oceanographer and former navy SEAL, Atticus Young, attempts to reconcile with his rebellious daughter, Giona, by taking her on the scuba dive of a lifetime-swimming with a pod of peaceful humpback whales in the Gulf of Maine. But the beauty of the sea belies a terror from the deep-a horrific creature as immense as it is ancient. There is no blood, no scream, no fight. Giona is swallowed whole by the massive jaws. Only Atticus remains to suffer the shame of the survivor and his inconsolable grief turns to an unquenchable thirst for revenge.
Drawn by the spectacle, Trevor Manfred, a ruthless billionaire, approaches Atticus with a proposition: Trevor will make available all the advanced technology of his heavily armed mega-yacht, the Titan, to aid Atticus in his death-quest. In return, Trevor is to receive the beast's corpse as the ultimate hunting trophy. But in the midst of the hunt, Atticus makes a terrifying discovery that changes the way he sees the ocean's creatures and begs the question: what is Kronos? The answer sets him on a new and much more deadly course.
My Review
This story is exciting and absorbing. It grabbed me from the first chapter and just didn't let go. I was listening to a chapter a week, and couldn't wait for each new installment. As soon as it download I was popping it in my ears!
The story sets up some nice appealing characters right from the get go and starts putting them into a thrilling situation. The thrills just keep going from there,even when the story itself is not relating an action scene.
I found the bad guy in this story to be rather chilling. At first he seems harmless but as you get to know him , he grows as a threat until you know just what you're dealing with. A very well put together set of characters all round.
The reading was good too, not by the author which is usually the case at Podiobooks , and he had a good voice and nice pacing that kept me focused on the story.
Reading 3
Production 2
Story 3
Total 8/9
Download the book from Podiobooks
Listen to the first chapter
Two years after his wife's death, oceanographer and former navy SEAL, Atticus Young, attempts to reconcile with his rebellious daughter, Giona, by taking her on the scuba dive of a lifetime-swimming with a pod of peaceful humpback whales in the Gulf of Maine. But the beauty of the sea belies a terror from the deep-a horrific creature as immense as it is ancient. There is no blood, no scream, no fight. Giona is swallowed whole by the massive jaws. Only Atticus remains to suffer the shame of the survivor and his inconsolable grief turns to an unquenchable thirst for revenge.
Drawn by the spectacle, Trevor Manfred, a ruthless billionaire, approaches Atticus with a proposition: Trevor will make available all the advanced technology of his heavily armed mega-yacht, the Titan, to aid Atticus in his death-quest. In return, Trevor is to receive the beast's corpse as the ultimate hunting trophy. But in the midst of the hunt, Atticus makes a terrifying discovery that changes the way he sees the ocean's creatures and begs the question: what is Kronos? The answer sets him on a new and much more deadly course.
My Review
This story is exciting and absorbing. It grabbed me from the first chapter and just didn't let go. I was listening to a chapter a week, and couldn't wait for each new installment. As soon as it download I was popping it in my ears!
The story sets up some nice appealing characters right from the get go and starts putting them into a thrilling situation. The thrills just keep going from there,even when the story itself is not relating an action scene.
I found the bad guy in this story to be rather chilling. At first he seems harmless but as you get to know him , he grows as a threat until you know just what you're dealing with. A very well put together set of characters all round.
The reading was good too, not by the author which is usually the case at Podiobooks , and he had a good voice and nice pacing that kept me focused on the story.
Reading 3
Production 2
Story 3
Total 8/9
Download the book from Podiobooks
Listen to the first chapter
Sunday, 20 December 2009
A Traveller in War-Time
Official Blurb
This is a collection of a series of journalistic articles written during his travels throughout WWI era Europe that Churchill — the American author, not the famed British statesman — published in 1917; the book version came out in 1918. The writing is sharp, straightforward, and rarely sentimental, with loads of local color and occasional humor.
My Review
This is an interesting collection of anecdotes from the first world war. It does show is journalistic nature as nothing goes into too much depth and rather just presents a series of things that happen. The Journalist is merely passing through and does not seem to get himself too involved in what he finds.
This book was... ok. Not enough depth of detail for my own liking but just enough detail from the period to keep me listening. If you have any interest in the first world war then you might easily find this audio book to your taste.
Readng 2
Production 2
Story 2
Total 6/9
Download the book from Librivox
Listen to the preface
This is a collection of a series of journalistic articles written during his travels throughout WWI era Europe that Churchill — the American author, not the famed British statesman — published in 1917; the book version came out in 1918. The writing is sharp, straightforward, and rarely sentimental, with loads of local color and occasional humor.
My Review
This is an interesting collection of anecdotes from the first world war. It does show is journalistic nature as nothing goes into too much depth and rather just presents a series of things that happen. The Journalist is merely passing through and does not seem to get himself too involved in what he finds.
This book was... ok. Not enough depth of detail for my own liking but just enough detail from the period to keep me listening. If you have any interest in the first world war then you might easily find this audio book to your taste.
Readng 2
Production 2
Story 2
Total 6/9
Download the book from Librivox
Listen to the preface
Tuesday, 15 December 2009
Little Fuzzy
Official Blurb
Jack Holloway, a prospector on the planet Zarathustra discovers small furry creatures. These creatures are obviously intelligent, but are they animals or are they sapient? If they are sapient the planet will be declared a protected zone and the company that is developing the planet commercially will lose their exclusive rights to the resources…
My Review
The author H Beam Piper is usually pretty good, so I looked forward to this story. It didn't disapoint. It's set on a fairly frontier world of the future and the lead character becomes entranced with little fuzzy creatures start turning up. He invites one into his house and is surprisd at its intelligence.
It's a well put together story, and emotes, fun, love and anger at human stupidity and greed and this all adds up to a good story line.
Now having said that, I will add that I think the story goes on a little at the end, that is to say it gets a little preachy, but that doesn't last long, and if I can forgive Crighton, his brain dumps, I can forgive Piper his little speech.
A delightful reader made this a fun listen.
Readng 3
Production 2
Story 3
Total 8/9
Download the book from Librivox
Listen to chapter 1
Jack Holloway, a prospector on the planet Zarathustra discovers small furry creatures. These creatures are obviously intelligent, but are they animals or are they sapient? If they are sapient the planet will be declared a protected zone and the company that is developing the planet commercially will lose their exclusive rights to the resources…
My Review
The author H Beam Piper is usually pretty good, so I looked forward to this story. It didn't disapoint. It's set on a fairly frontier world of the future and the lead character becomes entranced with little fuzzy creatures start turning up. He invites one into his house and is surprisd at its intelligence.
It's a well put together story, and emotes, fun, love and anger at human stupidity and greed and this all adds up to a good story line.
Now having said that, I will add that I think the story goes on a little at the end, that is to say it gets a little preachy, but that doesn't last long, and if I can forgive Crighton, his brain dumps, I can forgive Piper his little speech.
A delightful reader made this a fun listen.
Readng 3
Production 2
Story 3
Total 8/9
Download the book from Librivox
Listen to chapter 1
Friday, 11 December 2009
You Know Me Al
Official Blurb
Big, fat, dumb, lazy, vain, headstrong and cheap, Jack Keefe is a journeyman pitcher with the Chicago White Sox in the rowdy days of the Deadball Era, circa 1915, ruled by the likes of Ty Cobb and John McGraw. In You Know Me Al, we follow Jack Keefe’s life on-field and off, via the letters Jack writes to his old chum Al in his home town of Bedford, Indiana.
Ring Lardner was a Chicago sportswriter who covered the White Sox, and he brought an insider’s knowledge of clubhouse life together with his biting wit and gift for the vernacular to create a comic gem in You Know Me Al. The six Jack Keefe stories that compose this volume were originally written as individual magazine articles, but the epistolary format made it easy to collect them into a single running narrative covering Jack’s first two years in the Big Leagues.
It isn’t necessary to know baseball history to enjoy the book, which is as much about Jack’s troubles with girlfriends, wives and babies as it is about the Chicago White Sox. For the baseball fan, however, this glimpse into a bygone era adds an extra layer of fascination. In any case, Lardner’s portrait of the professional ballplayer as a dumb, drunken narcissist is as funny today as the day it was written.
My Review
Gosh, what can I add to that blurb, it says everything I was going to say! Well I suppose I can tell you that the reader creates a fantastic voice character for not only the protagonist but also many of the people he runs into. The voice of the reader is what really brings this book to life.
I suspect that a stright reading of this book would have fallen rather flat, but the characterisation in the voice of the reader makes this audio book into an absolute joy!
The humour is subtle and between the lines. As you learn to know and love the lead character, his traits are what will get you laughing. It's hard to explain really, but only once you know this guy does the humour flow out.
To summarise, this is a great read, light humour at its best.
Readng 3
Production 2
Story 3
Total 8/9
Download the book from Librivox
Listen to chapter 1
Big, fat, dumb, lazy, vain, headstrong and cheap, Jack Keefe is a journeyman pitcher with the Chicago White Sox in the rowdy days of the Deadball Era, circa 1915, ruled by the likes of Ty Cobb and John McGraw. In You Know Me Al, we follow Jack Keefe’s life on-field and off, via the letters Jack writes to his old chum Al in his home town of Bedford, Indiana.
Ring Lardner was a Chicago sportswriter who covered the White Sox, and he brought an insider’s knowledge of clubhouse life together with his biting wit and gift for the vernacular to create a comic gem in You Know Me Al. The six Jack Keefe stories that compose this volume were originally written as individual magazine articles, but the epistolary format made it easy to collect them into a single running narrative covering Jack’s first two years in the Big Leagues.
It isn’t necessary to know baseball history to enjoy the book, which is as much about Jack’s troubles with girlfriends, wives and babies as it is about the Chicago White Sox. For the baseball fan, however, this glimpse into a bygone era adds an extra layer of fascination. In any case, Lardner’s portrait of the professional ballplayer as a dumb, drunken narcissist is as funny today as the day it was written.
My Review
Gosh, what can I add to that blurb, it says everything I was going to say! Well I suppose I can tell you that the reader creates a fantastic voice character for not only the protagonist but also many of the people he runs into. The voice of the reader is what really brings this book to life.
I suspect that a stright reading of this book would have fallen rather flat, but the characterisation in the voice of the reader makes this audio book into an absolute joy!
The humour is subtle and between the lines. As you learn to know and love the lead character, his traits are what will get you laughing. It's hard to explain really, but only once you know this guy does the humour flow out.
To summarise, this is a great read, light humour at its best.
Readng 3
Production 2
Story 3
Total 8/9
Download the book from Librivox
Listen to chapter 1
Saturday, 5 December 2009
Diary of a Nursing Sister on the Western Front 1914-1915
Official Blurb
The title is, I think, self explanatory. The nurse in question went out to France at the beginning of the war and remained there until May 1915 after the second battle of Ypres when she went back to a Base Hospital and the diary ceases. Although written in diary form, it is clearly taken from letters home and gives a vivid if sometimes distressing picture of the state of the casualties occasioned during that period. After a time at the General Hospital in Le Havre she became one of the three or four sisters working on the ambulance trains which fetched the wounded from the Clearing Hospitals close to the front line and took them back to the General Hospitals in Boulogne, Rouen and Le Havre. Towards the end of the account she was posted to a Field Ambulance (station) close to Ypres (Ieper, or in First World War speak ‘Wipers’)
My Review
If your interested in the first world war then I think you'll find this account rather a case of required listening. As the blurb says it tells the rather unheard story of a nurse who is close to the front lines. The womens point of view of the first world war is a rather undertold story.
The story related, is relatively simple, and we dont get deeply into the characters of the perople involved but we hear time after time what they have to do and what they have to put up with. I realise that last sentance may sound negative, but I don't mean it to be. The story telling is not repetative but the situation of wave after wave of injured passing through the hospitals and on trains tells a terrible story. You can tell, that the sister wants to get onto the trains from the rear hospitals to where she can do more good and then as the story moves on how hurt and almost dispairing the sister becomes. She starts to hint at the tragedy and you can "just tell" that by the end she is being worn down.
She tells us of the characters who pass through, the "chipper chaps" who though injured are happy because the war seems to be going well, and then the reverse. She also tells us a little of the other unheard story of the first world war, the use of British Empire troops from India and beyond. ( How many war movies have you seen where every face is white?! This, depite the fact that the Empire forces where involved in every theatre in huge numbers. )
It is a dramatic narrative that drags on your heart strings, presented here by a series of excellent female readers whos passion for the story shows in their work.
A word of warning. As with many of these period narratives lifted from letters, the Censor has been at work. The numbers,names and locations of some units are deleted from the text. The production team have in this case decided to use the "beep" to indicate these locations. You may find this distracting at first, as I did, but I became totally used to it in the second chapter. Don't let that put you off. The story and the reading are well worth listening.
Readng 3
Production 2
Story 3
Total 8/9
Download the book from Librivox
Listen to chapter 1
The title is, I think, self explanatory. The nurse in question went out to France at the beginning of the war and remained there until May 1915 after the second battle of Ypres when she went back to a Base Hospital and the diary ceases. Although written in diary form, it is clearly taken from letters home and gives a vivid if sometimes distressing picture of the state of the casualties occasioned during that period. After a time at the General Hospital in Le Havre she became one of the three or four sisters working on the ambulance trains which fetched the wounded from the Clearing Hospitals close to the front line and took them back to the General Hospitals in Boulogne, Rouen and Le Havre. Towards the end of the account she was posted to a Field Ambulance (station) close to Ypres (Ieper, or in First World War speak ‘Wipers’)
My Review
If your interested in the first world war then I think you'll find this account rather a case of required listening. As the blurb says it tells the rather unheard story of a nurse who is close to the front lines. The womens point of view of the first world war is a rather undertold story.
The story related, is relatively simple, and we dont get deeply into the characters of the perople involved but we hear time after time what they have to do and what they have to put up with. I realise that last sentance may sound negative, but I don't mean it to be. The story telling is not repetative but the situation of wave after wave of injured passing through the hospitals and on trains tells a terrible story. You can tell, that the sister wants to get onto the trains from the rear hospitals to where she can do more good and then as the story moves on how hurt and almost dispairing the sister becomes. She starts to hint at the tragedy and you can "just tell" that by the end she is being worn down.
She tells us of the characters who pass through, the "chipper chaps" who though injured are happy because the war seems to be going well, and then the reverse. She also tells us a little of the other unheard story of the first world war, the use of British Empire troops from India and beyond. ( How many war movies have you seen where every face is white?! This, depite the fact that the Empire forces where involved in every theatre in huge numbers. )
It is a dramatic narrative that drags on your heart strings, presented here by a series of excellent female readers whos passion for the story shows in their work.
A word of warning. As with many of these period narratives lifted from letters, the Censor has been at work. The numbers,names and locations of some units are deleted from the text. The production team have in this case decided to use the "beep" to indicate these locations. You may find this distracting at first, as I did, but I became totally used to it in the second chapter. Don't let that put you off. The story and the reading are well worth listening.
Readng 3
Production 2
Story 3
Total 8/9
Download the book from Librivox
Listen to chapter 1
Tuesday, 17 November 2009
Short Science Fiction Collection 20
Official Blurb
Science Fiction is speculative literature that generally explores the consequences of ideas which are roughly consistent with nature and scientific method, but are not facts of the author’s contemporary world. The stories often represent philosophical thought experiments presented in entertaining ways. Protagonists typically “think” rather than “shoot” their way out of problems, but the definition is flexible because there are no limits on an author’s imagination. The reader-selected stories presented here were written prior to 1962 and became US public domain texts when their copyrights expired.
My Review
Well as usual with the Librivox collection blurb , it tells you absolutely nothing about the collection!
Well let me rectify that a little. As with the last collection this set of stores is pretty good, especially as most of them are fairely recently written (last 50 years!).
I rated only one as bad, two as ok and he rest as good, making this a collection well worth listening to.
I can reccommed "The Gun" which is a Phillip K Dick story and read by Gregg Margarite who is fast becoming one of my fave Librivox readers.
My other reccomendation is "Arm of the Law" by Harry Harrison, and once again read by Gregg Margarite!.
These two stories and most of the others are classic sci fi where a friends from the future deal with robots, aliens and smoke cigarettes. All in all a good little collection with some excellent reads.
Readng 2
Production 2
Story 2
Total 6/9
Download the book from Librivox
Listen to my pick
Science Fiction is speculative literature that generally explores the consequences of ideas which are roughly consistent with nature and scientific method, but are not facts of the author’s contemporary world. The stories often represent philosophical thought experiments presented in entertaining ways. Protagonists typically “think” rather than “shoot” their way out of problems, but the definition is flexible because there are no limits on an author’s imagination. The reader-selected stories presented here were written prior to 1962 and became US public domain texts when their copyrights expired.
My Review
Well as usual with the Librivox collection blurb , it tells you absolutely nothing about the collection!
Well let me rectify that a little. As with the last collection this set of stores is pretty good, especially as most of them are fairely recently written (last 50 years!).
I rated only one as bad, two as ok and he rest as good, making this a collection well worth listening to.
I can reccommed "The Gun" which is a Phillip K Dick story and read by Gregg Margarite who is fast becoming one of my fave Librivox readers.
My other reccomendation is "Arm of the Law" by Harry Harrison, and once again read by Gregg Margarite!.
These two stories and most of the others are classic sci fi where a friends from the future deal with robots, aliens and smoke cigarettes. All in all a good little collection with some excellent reads.
Readng 2
Production 2
Story 2
Total 6/9
Download the book from Librivox
Listen to my pick
Saturday, 14 November 2009
The Book of Dragons
Official Blurb
A dragon who flies out of a magical book; one whose purr quiets a fussy baby; another who eats an entire pack of tame hunting-hippopotomuses: These eight dragon tales are filled with the imaginative wit of children’s author Edith Nesbit.
My Review
The official blurb about nails it. THis is a book of eight seperate stories all about dragons, but not the expected fire breathing dragons you might expect. Sure, some of them do breath fire but it's pretty much incidental to these stories.
These are bed time stories that wont terrify, but will excite a childs imagination.
It's a childs book, and I think it holds up in todays world.
Readng 2
Production 2
Story 2
Total 6/9
Download the book from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
A dragon who flies out of a magical book; one whose purr quiets a fussy baby; another who eats an entire pack of tame hunting-hippopotomuses: These eight dragon tales are filled with the imaginative wit of children’s author Edith Nesbit.
My Review
The official blurb about nails it. THis is a book of eight seperate stories all about dragons, but not the expected fire breathing dragons you might expect. Sure, some of them do breath fire but it's pretty much incidental to these stories.
These are bed time stories that wont terrify, but will excite a childs imagination.
It's a childs book, and I think it holds up in todays world.
Readng 2
Production 2
Story 2
Total 6/9
Download the book from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
Monday, 9 November 2009
Short Science Fiction Collection Vol. 017
Official Blurb
Science fiction (abbreviated SF or sci-fi with varying punctuation and case) is a broad genre of fiction that often involves sociological and technical speculations based on current or future science or technology. This is a reader-selected collection of short stories, first published between 1951 and 1962, that entered the US public domain when their copyright was not renewed.
My Review
Another great collection from Librivox. Ten short stories from various authors. Some of them being very very big names in the Sci fi genre. We've got E.E. Doc Smith Harry Harrison and Phillip K. Dick, among others.
I rated 6 of the stories as good and 3 more as good, meaning I only disliked 1!
If you like a variety of short stories these collections are great, especially since they are now including these more modern authors and therefore more modern stories.
As to my favourite, well it's truely hard to say. But I do reccomend "The Vortex Blaster" and "Postmark Ganymede" as a couple of goodies.
The readers are a good bunch.
Readng 2
Production 2
Story 2
Total 6/9
Download the collection from Librivox
Listen to my pick
Science fiction (abbreviated SF or sci-fi with varying punctuation and case) is a broad genre of fiction that often involves sociological and technical speculations based on current or future science or technology. This is a reader-selected collection of short stories, first published between 1951 and 1962, that entered the US public domain when their copyright was not renewed.
My Review
Another great collection from Librivox. Ten short stories from various authors. Some of them being very very big names in the Sci fi genre. We've got E.E. Doc Smith Harry Harrison and Phillip K. Dick, among others.
I rated 6 of the stories as good and 3 more as good, meaning I only disliked 1!
If you like a variety of short stories these collections are great, especially since they are now including these more modern authors and therefore more modern stories.
As to my favourite, well it's truely hard to say. But I do reccomend "The Vortex Blaster" and "Postmark Ganymede" as a couple of goodies.
The readers are a good bunch.
Readng 2
Production 2
Story 2
Total 6/9
Download the collection from Librivox
Listen to my pick
Tuesday, 3 November 2009
Discovered Country
Official Blurb
Rosemary Halpern, a mild-mannered librarian from Boston, found herself trapped hundreds of years in the future. A future that faced a new Ice Age. A future where ghouls walked the Earth, ravenous for human flesh.
My Review
Not good. A bizarre narrative story. The protagonist finds herself thrown forwards in time to a future where people starve and the undead plague the living. You or me, might wonder how that happened, not the protagonist, she doesn't care and its not explained. She then goes on a journey having a series of episodic disjointed events that leave no stain or effect on the story, just disconected things happening.
The story is a typical heros journey but without any of the good bits! No explanation for why anthing happens, no questioning from those involved, no character development, all together quite bland.
I "think" this is YA novel, but some parts make me think otherwise, so I can't quite place it, or forgive it.
The only thing that kept me listening was the readers excellent voice.
Readng 3
Production 2
Story 1
Total 6/9
Download the book from Podiobooks
Listen to the first chapter
Rosemary Halpern, a mild-mannered librarian from Boston, found herself trapped hundreds of years in the future. A future that faced a new Ice Age. A future where ghouls walked the Earth, ravenous for human flesh.
My Review
Not good. A bizarre narrative story. The protagonist finds herself thrown forwards in time to a future where people starve and the undead plague the living. You or me, might wonder how that happened, not the protagonist, she doesn't care and its not explained. She then goes on a journey having a series of episodic disjointed events that leave no stain or effect on the story, just disconected things happening.
The story is a typical heros journey but without any of the good bits! No explanation for why anthing happens, no questioning from those involved, no character development, all together quite bland.
I "think" this is YA novel, but some parts make me think otherwise, so I can't quite place it, or forgive it.
The only thing that kept me listening was the readers excellent voice.
Readng 3
Production 2
Story 1
Total 6/9
Download the book from Podiobooks
Listen to the first chapter
Monday, 2 November 2009
The Creature From Beyond Infinity
Official Blurb
A lone space traveler arrives on Earth seeking a new planet to colonize, his own world dead. At the same time a mysterious plague has infected Earth that will wipe out all life. Can a lone scientist stop the plague and save the world? Or will the alien find himself on another doomed planet?
My Review
Well there is an interesting premise here. An alien arrives at earth, earth in the pre-mammal age, so he decides to hang around for people to develop and goes to sleep. A really really long sleep.
It's a good idea for a story and a fun listen. The alien in this case is just like us and so we have a lot of fun when he goes mixing with the earthlings. A human story but with all of the classic sci fi traits, aliens, time travel ( of a sort ) and massive super science. An excellent and fun piece literature. I especially loved the old world feel of this sci fi , for instance when photographers are still using "plates".
Read by the excellent Mark Nelson, who gives an outstanding professional reading as usual.
Readng 3
Production 2
Story 2
Total 7/9
Download the book from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
A lone space traveler arrives on Earth seeking a new planet to colonize, his own world dead. At the same time a mysterious plague has infected Earth that will wipe out all life. Can a lone scientist stop the plague and save the world? Or will the alien find himself on another doomed planet?
My Review
Well there is an interesting premise here. An alien arrives at earth, earth in the pre-mammal age, so he decides to hang around for people to develop and goes to sleep. A really really long sleep.
It's a good idea for a story and a fun listen. The alien in this case is just like us and so we have a lot of fun when he goes mixing with the earthlings. A human story but with all of the classic sci fi traits, aliens, time travel ( of a sort ) and massive super science. An excellent and fun piece literature. I especially loved the old world feel of this sci fi , for instance when photographers are still using "plates".
Read by the excellent Mark Nelson, who gives an outstanding professional reading as usual.
Readng 3
Production 2
Story 2
Total 7/9
Download the book from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
Sunday, 25 October 2009
The Aliens
Official Blurb
The human race was expanding through the galaxy … and so, they knew, were the Aliens. When two expanding empires meet … war is inevitable. Or is it …?
My Review
This short little novelette is a great human story dealing with the classic sci fi theme of "First Contact" with an alien race.
In this story we follow the crew members of the human populated ship as they react to and deal with the alien spaceship that turns up off the starboard bow. The people vary in their reactions, from awe to angry racism.
How should they deal with these "people", how do they communicate to them, what weapons do they have, why are they advancing , is that a threat, is it friendly?
This is a fun little story and runs for just under an hour and a half of classic sci fi that can't fail but be pleasing to any fan of space opera.
The reading was grand and paced wonderfully.
Readng 3
Production 2
Story 2
Total 7/9
Download the book from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
The human race was expanding through the galaxy … and so, they knew, were the Aliens. When two expanding empires meet … war is inevitable. Or is it …?
My Review
This short little novelette is a great human story dealing with the classic sci fi theme of "First Contact" with an alien race.
In this story we follow the crew members of the human populated ship as they react to and deal with the alien spaceship that turns up off the starboard bow. The people vary in their reactions, from awe to angry racism.
How should they deal with these "people", how do they communicate to them, what weapons do they have, why are they advancing , is that a threat, is it friendly?
This is a fun little story and runs for just under an hour and a half of classic sci fi that can't fail but be pleasing to any fan of space opera.
The reading was grand and paced wonderfully.
Readng 3
Production 2
Story 2
Total 7/9
Download the book from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
The Brighton Boys in the Radio Service
Oficial Blurb
The Brighton Boys in the Radio Service is a boys adventure story set in WWI – Three College Chums join the military and face the perils of spies, submarines and enemy soldiers in the trenches of embattled Europe. An engaging story set in a period where good guys wore white hats, bad guys wore black hats and every chapter ends with a cliffhanger so you have to come back for more!
My Review
The official blurb gives it all away! The story is a non stop WWI adventure for boys. The heros are young and new at the military thing but it doesn't stop them from being suspicious, resourceful and darned good at their new job in Wireless communications.
The characters are very 2D and despite the cliff hanger you know the good guys are going to win. Is this a bad thing? No, it's a good thing, predictable yes, and a fun filled rollercoaster of an adventure story. There is never a dull moment as the boys join up cross the atlantic and get into action against the Germans, along side thier allies the brave and bold French.
If you fancy a "Boys Own" type of listen you wont go wrong with this audio book. the reader does a darned good job of presenting the story in its upbeat "jolly good fun" tone.
Readng 3
Production 2
Story 2
Total 7/9
Download the book from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
The Brighton Boys in the Radio Service is a boys adventure story set in WWI – Three College Chums join the military and face the perils of spies, submarines and enemy soldiers in the trenches of embattled Europe. An engaging story set in a period where good guys wore white hats, bad guys wore black hats and every chapter ends with a cliffhanger so you have to come back for more!
My Review
The official blurb gives it all away! The story is a non stop WWI adventure for boys. The heros are young and new at the military thing but it doesn't stop them from being suspicious, resourceful and darned good at their new job in Wireless communications.
The characters are very 2D and despite the cliff hanger you know the good guys are going to win. Is this a bad thing? No, it's a good thing, predictable yes, and a fun filled rollercoaster of an adventure story. There is never a dull moment as the boys join up cross the atlantic and get into action against the Germans, along side thier allies the brave and bold French.
If you fancy a "Boys Own" type of listen you wont go wrong with this audio book. the reader does a darned good job of presenting the story in its upbeat "jolly good fun" tone.
Readng 3
Production 2
Story 2
Total 7/9
Download the book from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
Thursday, 22 October 2009
The South Pole; an account of the Norwegian Antarctic expedition in the Fram, 1910-12
Official Blurb
In contrast to Scott’s South Pole expedition, Amundsen’s expedition benefited from good equipment, appropriate clothing, and a fundamentally different primary task (Amundsen did no surveying on his route south and is known to have taken only two photographs) Amundsen had a better understanding of dogs and their handling, and he used of skis more effectively. He pioneered an entirely new route to the Pole and they returned. In Amundsen’s own words: “Victory awaits him who has everything in order — luck, people call it. Defeat is certain for him who has neglected to take the necessary precautions in time; this is called bad luck.” Short accounts by other members of the party are appended.
My Review
Absolutely facinating account of true life adventures exploring the white land. I've enjoyed other books from Librivox relating to the snowy wastes (which for some unknown reason have always had a appeal to me).
This story was not quite on the same heroic scale of "South!" which I reviewed a good while ago, but is epic in it's breadth of detail about this journey.
Here we get the details of the journey to the south ( which in itself was quite an impressive sail journey ), and how they crew fell in love with the dogs.
We hear the details of journey across the ice, the dangers, the discovereries and the terrible, heart wrenching issues in dealing with the sled dogs later on in the journey.
In all I was bouyed up at this story of human endurance and fortitude and at times sadened by the horror of hunting and sledging in such extrems.
Readng 2
Production 2
Story 2
Total 6/9
Download the book from Librivox
Listen to the first part
In contrast to Scott’s South Pole expedition, Amundsen’s expedition benefited from good equipment, appropriate clothing, and a fundamentally different primary task (Amundsen did no surveying on his route south and is known to have taken only two photographs) Amundsen had a better understanding of dogs and their handling, and he used of skis more effectively. He pioneered an entirely new route to the Pole and they returned. In Amundsen’s own words: “Victory awaits him who has everything in order — luck, people call it. Defeat is certain for him who has neglected to take the necessary precautions in time; this is called bad luck.” Short accounts by other members of the party are appended.
My Review
Absolutely facinating account of true life adventures exploring the white land. I've enjoyed other books from Librivox relating to the snowy wastes (which for some unknown reason have always had a appeal to me).
This story was not quite on the same heroic scale of "South!" which I reviewed a good while ago, but is epic in it's breadth of detail about this journey.
Here we get the details of the journey to the south ( which in itself was quite an impressive sail journey ), and how they crew fell in love with the dogs.
We hear the details of journey across the ice, the dangers, the discovereries and the terrible, heart wrenching issues in dealing with the sled dogs later on in the journey.
In all I was bouyed up at this story of human endurance and fortitude and at times sadened by the horror of hunting and sledging in such extrems.
Readng 2
Production 2
Story 2
Total 6/9
Download the book from Librivox
Listen to the first part
Sunday, 18 October 2009
Short Sci Fi Collection 16
Official Blurb
Science fiction (abbreviated SF or sci-fi with varying punctuation and case) is a broad genre of fiction that often involves sociological and technical speculations based on current or future science or technology. This is a reader-selected collection of short stories, first published between 1951 and 1962, that entered the US public domain when their copyright was not renewed.
My Review
The blurb doesn't give much away does it. This was a quite good collection of ten stories. Often with these collections you only get one or two good ones, but in this set there were five especially good stories, with the others being fairly average.
My favourite in this collection was story called "All Day Septemer", being a story set on the moon in the not too distant future.
The other stories I liked were "Beyond the door" and "Blessed are the meek", the latter of which brought a rye smile to my face as I listened.
I'd heard only one of the stories before ( often these short stories get repeated in later Librivox collections ) so it was a real breath of fresh air.
All of the readers were good and made it into a good listen. I give this collection a thumbs up.
Readng 2
Production 2
Story 2
Total 6/9
Download the collection from Librivox
Listen to my fave' story
Science fiction (abbreviated SF or sci-fi with varying punctuation and case) is a broad genre of fiction that often involves sociological and technical speculations based on current or future science or technology. This is a reader-selected collection of short stories, first published between 1951 and 1962, that entered the US public domain when their copyright was not renewed.
My Review
The blurb doesn't give much away does it. This was a quite good collection of ten stories. Often with these collections you only get one or two good ones, but in this set there were five especially good stories, with the others being fairly average.
My favourite in this collection was story called "All Day Septemer", being a story set on the moon in the not too distant future.
The other stories I liked were "Beyond the door" and "Blessed are the meek", the latter of which brought a rye smile to my face as I listened.
I'd heard only one of the stories before ( often these short stories get repeated in later Librivox collections ) so it was a real breath of fresh air.
All of the readers were good and made it into a good listen. I give this collection a thumbs up.
Readng 2
Production 2
Story 2
Total 6/9
Download the collection from Librivox
Listen to my fave' story
Friday, 16 October 2009
The Stars my Brothers
Official Blurb
Published in the May, 1962 issue of Amazing Stories “The Stars, My Brothers” gives us a re-animated astronaut plucked from a century in the past and presented with an alien world where the line between humans and animals is blurred.
My Review
This is a cool short sci fi story set a couple of hundred years into the future. It deals with a man frozen who is then woken up a hundred years later and the worlds he finds himself inhabiting.
It's not all ray guns and combat, but rather a more intellectual look at human attitudes and their relationship with aliens/animals.
So, as I've hinted, we dont have ray guns and space combat, but we do have , space ships, aliens, other worlds, a chase, high tech, and all wrapped around a neat little story that will keep the sci fi fan happy.
The reader is excellent, he doesn't do "voices" but he has a pacing and style that is very good.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 7/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
Published in the May, 1962 issue of Amazing Stories “The Stars, My Brothers” gives us a re-animated astronaut plucked from a century in the past and presented with an alien world where the line between humans and animals is blurred.
My Review
This is a cool short sci fi story set a couple of hundred years into the future. It deals with a man frozen who is then woken up a hundred years later and the worlds he finds himself inhabiting.
It's not all ray guns and combat, but rather a more intellectual look at human attitudes and their relationship with aliens/animals.
So, as I've hinted, we dont have ray guns and space combat, but we do have , space ships, aliens, other worlds, a chase, high tech, and all wrapped around a neat little story that will keep the sci fi fan happy.
The reader is excellent, he doesn't do "voices" but he has a pacing and style that is very good.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 7/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
Tuesday, 13 October 2009
Police Operation
Official Blurb
H. Beam Piper (1904–1964) was an American science fiction author. He wrote many short stories and several novels. He is best known for his extensive Terro-Human Future History series of stories and a shorter series of “Paratime” alternate history tales. (Summary from Wikipedia)
My Review
This is a short novelette set in Piper's Paratime world, a future where human kind is crossing multiple parallell time streams and policing any illegal actions carried out by the paratimers.
This story is notable for giving a good explanantion of the paratime terminology, an introduction if you will to how the worlds of Paratime work and interact.
The story itself is rather simple, a paratimer has illegally taken a beast from one time line as a pet into another time line where the beast does not belong, and the paratime police are tasked with sorting the mess out.
The book is an interesting listen and doesn't take long, less than an hour. The reading is done by two people, the first half being notable for an excellent reading by a young librivoxateer. His reading is pretty good but suffers from a plosives on the mic' which is a little distracting. That said I'm glad I listened as it was a fun little jaunt into the paratime.
Reading 2/3
Production 1/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 5/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
H. Beam Piper (1904–1964) was an American science fiction author. He wrote many short stories and several novels. He is best known for his extensive Terro-Human Future History series of stories and a shorter series of “Paratime” alternate history tales. (Summary from Wikipedia)
My Review
This is a short novelette set in Piper's Paratime world, a future where human kind is crossing multiple parallell time streams and policing any illegal actions carried out by the paratimers.
This story is notable for giving a good explanantion of the paratime terminology, an introduction if you will to how the worlds of Paratime work and interact.
The story itself is rather simple, a paratimer has illegally taken a beast from one time line as a pet into another time line where the beast does not belong, and the paratime police are tasked with sorting the mess out.
The book is an interesting listen and doesn't take long, less than an hour. The reading is done by two people, the first half being notable for an excellent reading by a young librivoxateer. His reading is pretty good but suffers from a plosives on the mic' which is a little distracting. That said I'm glad I listened as it was a fun little jaunt into the paratime.
Reading 2/3
Production 1/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 5/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
Monday, 12 October 2009
Starmans Quest
Official Blurb
Travelling at speeds close to that of light, spacemen lived at an accelerated pace. When one of the twin boys left the starship, he grew older while his twin in space barely aged. So the starship twin left the ship to find what happened to his brother who was aging away on earth.
My Review
This is a great little story by Robert Silverberg. Not only are the characters fun to follow but the world has a lot of interest in it as well. As you listen you constantly discover new things about the Earth of the future and life abord space ships.
The Earthmen seem to age really quickly while the spacemen moving at close to light speed age very slowly, so a journey of year actually leave enough time for hundreds of years to pass on the planets. This leads to two different cultures , that clash at every opportunity.
So we have interesting people, and world to discover and two main plot lines and even a twist in the tail to keep you listening.
The reading is excellent and the pacing good so I heartily reccomend this story from Librivox.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
Travelling at speeds close to that of light, spacemen lived at an accelerated pace. When one of the twin boys left the starship, he grew older while his twin in space barely aged. So the starship twin left the ship to find what happened to his brother who was aging away on earth.
My Review
This is a great little story by Robert Silverberg. Not only are the characters fun to follow but the world has a lot of interest in it as well. As you listen you constantly discover new things about the Earth of the future and life abord space ships.
The Earthmen seem to age really quickly while the spacemen moving at close to light speed age very slowly, so a journey of year actually leave enough time for hundreds of years to pass on the planets. This leads to two different cultures , that clash at every opportunity.
So we have interesting people, and world to discover and two main plot lines and even a twist in the tail to keep you listening.
The reading is excellent and the pacing good so I heartily reccomend this story from Librivox.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
Friday, 11 September 2009
Simple Sabotage Field Manual
Official Blurb
Formed during World War II, the United States Office of Strategic Services (OSS), was organized for special operations and intelligence gathering and analysis. Included in its mission was the implementation of, and training of foreign forces in, propaganda, espionage, subversion, and sabotage. After the war, OSS functions were transferred to the newly formed Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
This “Simple Sabotage Field Manual” was used by OSS agents in training “citizen-saboteurs” in methods for inciting and executing simple sabotage to thwart industry and other vital functions in Axis-occupied areas.
My Review
As the blurb says this is a manual, not a story. It's an interesting choice for a reader at Librivox to have picked. There's no fun or excitement in here its raw data!
I have quite a vibrant interesting in WWII, I play boardgames based on WWII, and even have a podcast with a WWII theme, so this Librivox offering couldn't fail to appeal to me.
The book is presented in two halves with the latter half containing most of the juicey Sabotage instructions. While listening to the fairly dry material my imagination went wild and I was envisioning French, Belgium and Polish civilians reading and following the instructions. It was a real delight to me.
What about you though? this is a specialist book, if you don't have the same level of interest as me in this material I suggest you pass this by, theres no story here except what you conjure in your mind. Thus despite loving this book, I cant really give it a high rating, as that wouldn't be fair on normal peole like you!
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 1/3
Total Score 5/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
Formed during World War II, the United States Office of Strategic Services (OSS), was organized for special operations and intelligence gathering and analysis. Included in its mission was the implementation of, and training of foreign forces in, propaganda, espionage, subversion, and sabotage. After the war, OSS functions were transferred to the newly formed Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
This “Simple Sabotage Field Manual” was used by OSS agents in training “citizen-saboteurs” in methods for inciting and executing simple sabotage to thwart industry and other vital functions in Axis-occupied areas.
My Review
As the blurb says this is a manual, not a story. It's an interesting choice for a reader at Librivox to have picked. There's no fun or excitement in here its raw data!
I have quite a vibrant interesting in WWII, I play boardgames based on WWII, and even have a podcast with a WWII theme, so this Librivox offering couldn't fail to appeal to me.
The book is presented in two halves with the latter half containing most of the juicey Sabotage instructions. While listening to the fairly dry material my imagination went wild and I was envisioning French, Belgium and Polish civilians reading and following the instructions. It was a real delight to me.
What about you though? this is a specialist book, if you don't have the same level of interest as me in this material I suggest you pass this by, theres no story here except what you conjure in your mind. Thus despite loving this book, I cant really give it a high rating, as that wouldn't be fair on normal peole like you!
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 1/3
Total Score 5/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
Thursday, 10 September 2009
Nightmare Abbey
Official Blurb
Deep in the fens of the British coast sits the gloomy mansion that goes by the name Nightmare Abbey. It is inhabited by persons of very low opinion of the human race, and in fact they pride themselves in the depths of their detestation. Others of its denizens believe the ultimate exercise and product of the human mind ought to be chaos.
Now let the young master of the house get snared by the wiles of a beautiful young lady. And for good measure, toss in another beautiful young lady. Now Scythrop (named in honor of an ancestor who became bored with life and hanged himself) is about to find that two such make too much of a good thing!
Peacock wrote Nightmare Abbey as a satire, and he has folded in allusions to or quotations from literally dozens of other works. He makes use of many long, impressive-sounding words (some of which he very possibly made up!). Ignore these and his occasional Latin phrase, treat the rest as a farce, and you’re on track for a fun listen!
My Review
It was very well read... The reader did some excellent and amusing voices... but...
It was a rather disjointed, inconsistent narrative. It brought the odd half smile to my lips, but I basicly just didn't "get it".
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 1/3
Total Score 6/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
Deep in the fens of the British coast sits the gloomy mansion that goes by the name Nightmare Abbey. It is inhabited by persons of very low opinion of the human race, and in fact they pride themselves in the depths of their detestation. Others of its denizens believe the ultimate exercise and product of the human mind ought to be chaos.
Now let the young master of the house get snared by the wiles of a beautiful young lady. And for good measure, toss in another beautiful young lady. Now Scythrop (named in honor of an ancestor who became bored with life and hanged himself) is about to find that two such make too much of a good thing!
Peacock wrote Nightmare Abbey as a satire, and he has folded in allusions to or quotations from literally dozens of other works. He makes use of many long, impressive-sounding words (some of which he very possibly made up!). Ignore these and his occasional Latin phrase, treat the rest as a farce, and you’re on track for a fun listen!
My Review
It was very well read... The reader did some excellent and amusing voices... but...
It was a rather disjointed, inconsistent narrative. It brought the odd half smile to my lips, but I basicly just didn't "get it".
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 1/3
Total Score 6/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
Monday, 7 September 2009
The White Company
Official Blurb
Set during the Hundred Years’ War with France, The White Company tells the story of a young Saxon man who is learning what it is to be a knight. Raised by Cistercian Monks and rejected by a violent elder brother, Alleyn Edricson takes service with one of the foremost knights in the country. When Alleyn falls in love with the knight’s daughter, he must prove himself to be a courageous and honourable knight before he can win her hand. Alleyn and his friends set forth with the other men-at-arms to join Prince Edward in Bordeaux, from where they will take part in the Prince’s campaign into Spain. It is in Spain that Alleyn and others must prove themselves to be very valiant and hardy cavaliers.
My Review
I absolutely loved this production. The blurb gives you a very good overview of the story but does not give you any idea of the horde of delight to be found within!
I admit to being a Cadfael fan, and this book scratches the same medieval itch. From the lack of tech to the turn of phrase, this story drips with period feel. A period when knights were Gentle, squires honourable, and ladies fair.
The characters in this story jump out of the story to endear themselves to you by their subtle and detailed portrayals. Every characters seems to have their own voice within the text ( and the reader supplies a voice for them all as well! ).
The lead character is a simple honest young man, who finds himself somewhat at a loss and takes up with a pair of strong Archers who are off to war. In their company he starts the journey towards a real medieval manhood and winning the hand of his love.
Every step of the journey if exciting and enthralling by turns, from struggeling to speak of his love, to a clash of swords, this story has it all.
Now a special word about the reader of this audio delight. Clive Catterall is the reader and was a perfect choice for this text. His British accent accompanies a soft presentation that smooches your ears, it fits the genteel characters perfectly and he is able to give them each a special voice to fit their character. An outstanding audio work.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 8/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
.
Set during the Hundred Years’ War with France, The White Company tells the story of a young Saxon man who is learning what it is to be a knight. Raised by Cistercian Monks and rejected by a violent elder brother, Alleyn Edricson takes service with one of the foremost knights in the country. When Alleyn falls in love with the knight’s daughter, he must prove himself to be a courageous and honourable knight before he can win her hand. Alleyn and his friends set forth with the other men-at-arms to join Prince Edward in Bordeaux, from where they will take part in the Prince’s campaign into Spain. It is in Spain that Alleyn and others must prove themselves to be very valiant and hardy cavaliers.
My Review
I absolutely loved this production. The blurb gives you a very good overview of the story but does not give you any idea of the horde of delight to be found within!
I admit to being a Cadfael fan, and this book scratches the same medieval itch. From the lack of tech to the turn of phrase, this story drips with period feel. A period when knights were Gentle, squires honourable, and ladies fair.
The characters in this story jump out of the story to endear themselves to you by their subtle and detailed portrayals. Every characters seems to have their own voice within the text ( and the reader supplies a voice for them all as well! ).
The lead character is a simple honest young man, who finds himself somewhat at a loss and takes up with a pair of strong Archers who are off to war. In their company he starts the journey towards a real medieval manhood and winning the hand of his love.
Every step of the journey if exciting and enthralling by turns, from struggeling to speak of his love, to a clash of swords, this story has it all.
Now a special word about the reader of this audio delight. Clive Catterall is the reader and was a perfect choice for this text. His British accent accompanies a soft presentation that smooches your ears, it fits the genteel characters perfectly and he is able to give them each a special voice to fit their character. An outstanding audio work.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 8/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
.
Sunday, 6 September 2009
The Door Through Space
Official Blurb
At one time Race Cargill had been the best Terran Intelligence agent on the complex and mysterious planet of Wolf. He had repeatedly imperiled his life amongst the half-human and non-human creatures of the sullen world. And he had repeatedly accomplished the fantastic missions until his name was emblazoned with glory.
But that had all seemingly ended. For six long years he’d sat behind a boring desk inside the fenced-in Terran Headquarters, cut off there ever since he and a rival had scarred and ripped each other in blood-feud.
But when THE DOOR THROUGH SPACE swung suddenly open, the feud was on again—and with it a plot designed to check and destroy the Terran Empire.
My Review
This is not a sci fi story with huge mighty ships pushing across the void to engage in combat beyond the "door", as I had at first expected. Instead this story has a down to earth , grubby feel. It's subterfuge and underhanded nastiness at it's best.
The story is most definitely set on an alien world , but, the sci fi setting is almost irrelevant to the plot. yes the humans are interacting with aliens, yes the aliens have diferent cultures, yes the technologies are highly advanced, but this is all just a backdrop to what is really a very human story. When enemies draw knives on each other you and see the blood and the sweat in your mind.
The environment is nasty and grubby and this adds to the tension in the story. The humans are in trouble and the dirt adds to the uncomfortable feeling.
This is a really good story and exceedingly well read. The woman who starts the reading apparently "disapeared" and never returned to complete the project, an event that happens so often on such internet driven projects. However the reader who took up the reins is also very very good, so it didn't cause much of a distraction.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 8/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
At one time Race Cargill had been the best Terran Intelligence agent on the complex and mysterious planet of Wolf. He had repeatedly imperiled his life amongst the half-human and non-human creatures of the sullen world. And he had repeatedly accomplished the fantastic missions until his name was emblazoned with glory.
But that had all seemingly ended. For six long years he’d sat behind a boring desk inside the fenced-in Terran Headquarters, cut off there ever since he and a rival had scarred and ripped each other in blood-feud.
But when THE DOOR THROUGH SPACE swung suddenly open, the feud was on again—and with it a plot designed to check and destroy the Terran Empire.
My Review
This is not a sci fi story with huge mighty ships pushing across the void to engage in combat beyond the "door", as I had at first expected. Instead this story has a down to earth , grubby feel. It's subterfuge and underhanded nastiness at it's best.
The story is most definitely set on an alien world , but, the sci fi setting is almost irrelevant to the plot. yes the humans are interacting with aliens, yes the aliens have diferent cultures, yes the technologies are highly advanced, but this is all just a backdrop to what is really a very human story. When enemies draw knives on each other you and see the blood and the sweat in your mind.
The environment is nasty and grubby and this adds to the tension in the story. The humans are in trouble and the dirt adds to the uncomfortable feeling.
This is a really good story and exceedingly well read. The woman who starts the reading apparently "disapeared" and never returned to complete the project, an event that happens so often on such internet driven projects. However the reader who took up the reins is also very very good, so it didn't cause much of a distraction.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 8/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
Thursday, 3 September 2009
Short Science Fiction Collection Vol. 015
Official Blurb
Science fiction (abbreviated SF or sci-fi with varying punctuation and case) is a broad genre of fiction that often involves sociological and technical speculations based on current or future science or technology. This is a reader-selected collection of short stories that entered the US public domain when their copyright was not renewed.
My Review
This is another much of short sci fi stories, in fact its the 15th(!!!!) collection from Librivox. Each story is read by a different reader and comes from different authors. This of course means that when you start listening you have no idea whats coming up. Some of the stories may be familar to you, but they were pretty new to me.
The collection has 10 stories of various lengths and there were 6 that I really enjoyed.
Beyond Lies the Wub
Crysal Egg
I'm a stranger here myself
New Accelerator
Radiant Shell
Scientist Rises
The final one I've listed really appealed to me, the odd fancy of it simply appealed and gave me a chuckle.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to one of the stories
.
Science fiction (abbreviated SF or sci-fi with varying punctuation and case) is a broad genre of fiction that often involves sociological and technical speculations based on current or future science or technology. This is a reader-selected collection of short stories that entered the US public domain when their copyright was not renewed.
My Review
This is another much of short sci fi stories, in fact its the 15th(!!!!) collection from Librivox. Each story is read by a different reader and comes from different authors. This of course means that when you start listening you have no idea whats coming up. Some of the stories may be familar to you, but they were pretty new to me.
The collection has 10 stories of various lengths and there were 6 that I really enjoyed.
Beyond Lies the Wub
Crysal Egg
I'm a stranger here myself
New Accelerator
Radiant Shell
Scientist Rises
The final one I've listed really appealed to me, the odd fancy of it simply appealed and gave me a chuckle.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to one of the stories
.
Monday, 31 August 2009
Iron Dragons
Official Blurb
Dragon pee really stinks.
With that bit of cautionary advice, master dragonslayer Davian begins his tale.
Davian is a Third Level Master of The Order, a group of men who alone have the power to battle the most fearsome creatures on all of Saramond. For thousands of years, the brothers of The Order have protected their world.
Now something has upset the balance of power between man and dragon, and Davian must face what appears to be a dragon that cannot be seen.
But Davian is losing his grip on reality — and the fate of the world rests with a stable hand, an underfed priest, and a gardener from beyond the stars.
My Review
A fantasy novel with dragons in it. A good premise. Actually it's a good book, not just a good idea.
The hero of the story is a dragon slayer, a man with magical powers who's been trained from youth to become a protector of the people. The people do need protecting, when a dragon moves into an area, it eats the sheep, the goats, the cows and of course the people!
They are big and nasty with only a few small weak spots that are nigh on impossible to exploit for the average man. Thus the wandering wizards of "the order", travel the land killing the dragons.
The story starts with a good dragon fight and really doesn't let up. This was an audio book I didn't want to put down. The characters are loveable the voice charactisation very good, and the story engaging and thrilling.
The read is very good, the pacing is quite fast but I found that part of the appeal, it didn't give you a chance to drift off, it hooked me like a fish!
The story is billed as part of a series but this is a stand-alone story that need not be part of anything else.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 8/9
Download it from Podiobooks
Listen to the first chapter
Dragon pee really stinks.
With that bit of cautionary advice, master dragonslayer Davian begins his tale.
Davian is a Third Level Master of The Order, a group of men who alone have the power to battle the most fearsome creatures on all of Saramond. For thousands of years, the brothers of The Order have protected their world.
Now something has upset the balance of power between man and dragon, and Davian must face what appears to be a dragon that cannot be seen.
But Davian is losing his grip on reality — and the fate of the world rests with a stable hand, an underfed priest, and a gardener from beyond the stars.
My Review
A fantasy novel with dragons in it. A good premise. Actually it's a good book, not just a good idea.
The hero of the story is a dragon slayer, a man with magical powers who's been trained from youth to become a protector of the people. The people do need protecting, when a dragon moves into an area, it eats the sheep, the goats, the cows and of course the people!
They are big and nasty with only a few small weak spots that are nigh on impossible to exploit for the average man. Thus the wandering wizards of "the order", travel the land killing the dragons.
The story starts with a good dragon fight and really doesn't let up. This was an audio book I didn't want to put down. The characters are loveable the voice charactisation very good, and the story engaging and thrilling.
The read is very good, the pacing is quite fast but I found that part of the appeal, it didn't give you a chance to drift off, it hooked me like a fish!
The story is billed as part of a series but this is a stand-alone story that need not be part of anything else.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 8/9
Download it from Podiobooks
Listen to the first chapter
Tuesday, 25 August 2009
LibriVox Short Ghost and Horror Story Collection Vol. 004
Official Blurb
A collection of fifteen stories featuring ghoulies, ghosties, long-leggedy beasties and things that go bump in the night. Expect shivers up your spine, the smell of human flesh, and the occasional touch of wonder.
My Review
A pretty typical collection of stories here, some good, some ok and some rather boring but thankfully few of these. The lengths of the stories in this collection vary from 7 minutes up to nearly an hour. Not every story includes a ghost or a supernatural entity, yet they all fit the right mood for this collection. There's not a lot more I can add except to say there are three stories in this collection worthy of special mention because they are really good.
Old Mr. Wiley
The Voice in the Night
The Brazilian Cat
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to one of the good ones
A collection of fifteen stories featuring ghoulies, ghosties, long-leggedy beasties and things that go bump in the night. Expect shivers up your spine, the smell of human flesh, and the occasional touch of wonder.
My Review
A pretty typical collection of stories here, some good, some ok and some rather boring but thankfully few of these. The lengths of the stories in this collection vary from 7 minutes up to nearly an hour. Not every story includes a ghost or a supernatural entity, yet they all fit the right mood for this collection. There's not a lot more I can add except to say there are three stories in this collection worthy of special mention because they are really good.
Old Mr. Wiley
The Voice in the Night
The Brazilian Cat
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to one of the good ones
Monday, 24 August 2009
The Scarlet Plague
Official Blurb
It’s 2072, sixty years after the scarlet plague has depopulated the planet. James Howard Smith is one of the few survivors of the pre-plague era left alive in the San Francisco area, and as he realizes his time grows short, he tries to impart the value of knowledge and wisdom to his grandsons. Through his narrative, we learn how the plague spread throughout the world and of the struggles of the handful of survivors it left in its wake.
My Review
This little novella is surprisingly interesting, in parts. This is not an adventure nor does it have much excitement, the story is after all an old guy telling about the days of his youth. This story includes the coming of the Scarlet Plague a disease with a near 100% fatality rate and kills within hours of first showing symptoms.
He describes how society rapidly fell apart, and how a group of people he fell in with tried to survive the plague. It really is a story told, rather than one lived. I had hoped this might have been a story along the lines of "The Trffids" but it is far too short and the real human story is glossed over by the old man as he tells the story.
So in the end, I can't rate this highly, but it did fill some time and caught my ears some places while getting a little dull in others. The reader was good, but even his excellent skills couldn't raise up this story.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 1/3
Total Score 5/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
It’s 2072, sixty years after the scarlet plague has depopulated the planet. James Howard Smith is one of the few survivors of the pre-plague era left alive in the San Francisco area, and as he realizes his time grows short, he tries to impart the value of knowledge and wisdom to his grandsons. Through his narrative, we learn how the plague spread throughout the world and of the struggles of the handful of survivors it left in its wake.
My Review
This little novella is surprisingly interesting, in parts. This is not an adventure nor does it have much excitement, the story is after all an old guy telling about the days of his youth. This story includes the coming of the Scarlet Plague a disease with a near 100% fatality rate and kills within hours of first showing symptoms.
He describes how society rapidly fell apart, and how a group of people he fell in with tried to survive the plague. It really is a story told, rather than one lived. I had hoped this might have been a story along the lines of "The Trffids" but it is far too short and the real human story is glossed over by the old man as he tells the story.
So in the end, I can't rate this highly, but it did fill some time and caught my ears some places while getting a little dull in others. The reader was good, but even his excellent skills couldn't raise up this story.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 1/3
Total Score 5/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
Saturday, 22 August 2009
Tanks
Offical Blurb
In an eerie future that never was, but might have been, two ordinary soldiers hold the fate of a war in their nicotine-stained hands.
My Review
This is not a full length book but more a novella. Its set in a future that never happend on a war torn plain shrouded in artificial smoke, and follows the stories of two lost infantrymen.
It's an interesting premise for this story. The concepts of war within this world, is that if the enemy see you, your dead, bombed from the air or demolished by artillery. So the battlefields are swamped with artificial soke so that you cant be seen. The infantry man is too weak to survive against tanks, so tanks dominate the smoke.
It's an interesting world and presented in a pulp style that is appealing to my sci fi classic geek.
The reader is an established professional, although she never edits out her fluffs, but that said, she generally makes so few that I am amazed at the quality of her work. Anyone hiring her for voice work would likely get their moneys worth twice over! I wish I was that good.
Reading 2/3
Production 1/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 5/9
Download it from Internet Archive
Listen to the first chapter
In an eerie future that never was, but might have been, two ordinary soldiers hold the fate of a war in their nicotine-stained hands.
My Review
This is not a full length book but more a novella. Its set in a future that never happend on a war torn plain shrouded in artificial smoke, and follows the stories of two lost infantrymen.
It's an interesting premise for this story. The concepts of war within this world, is that if the enemy see you, your dead, bombed from the air or demolished by artillery. So the battlefields are swamped with artificial soke so that you cant be seen. The infantry man is too weak to survive against tanks, so tanks dominate the smoke.
It's an interesting world and presented in a pulp style that is appealing to my sci fi classic geek.
The reader is an established professional, although she never edits out her fluffs, but that said, she generally makes so few that I am amazed at the quality of her work. Anyone hiring her for voice work would likely get their moneys worth twice over! I wish I was that good.
Reading 2/3
Production 1/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 5/9
Download it from Internet Archive
Listen to the first chapter
Wednesday, 19 August 2009
The Art of War
Official Blurb
“The Art of War is a Chinese military treatise written during the 6th century BC by Sun Tzu. Composed of 13 chapters, each of which is devoted to one aspect of warfare, it has long been praised as the definitive work on military strategies and tactics of its time. The Art of War is one of the oldest and most famous studies of strategy and has had a huge influence on both military planning and beyond. The Art of War has also been applied, with much success, to business and managerial strategies.”
My Review
This is a classic book that any fan of militrary history will tell you. As the blurb says some even consider it definitive, although the more rational might bring themselves to mention Carl von Clausewitz's "On War". Nevertheless this book is a very interesting presentation on making war with common sense.
The narrative style of the text is of it's age, and reads like is should be read aloud and so comes to the audio book format very well.
If you want to get the most from this book, you shouldn't try listening to it all at once. You need to think about whats being said, it's a teaching text after all. I'd suggest that this audio book would be well worth listening to before studying the text properly.
The reader very good although having a woman read a text on warfare seems odd to my male-old-fogie-set-in-his-ways ears. This reader IS good.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 7/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
There is an alternate version of this audio book
“The Art of War is a Chinese military treatise written during the 6th century BC by Sun Tzu. Composed of 13 chapters, each of which is devoted to one aspect of warfare, it has long been praised as the definitive work on military strategies and tactics of its time. The Art of War is one of the oldest and most famous studies of strategy and has had a huge influence on both military planning and beyond. The Art of War has also been applied, with much success, to business and managerial strategies.”
My Review
This is a classic book that any fan of militrary history will tell you. As the blurb says some even consider it definitive, although the more rational might bring themselves to mention Carl von Clausewitz's "On War". Nevertheless this book is a very interesting presentation on making war with common sense.
The narrative style of the text is of it's age, and reads like is should be read aloud and so comes to the audio book format very well.
If you want to get the most from this book, you shouldn't try listening to it all at once. You need to think about whats being said, it's a teaching text after all. I'd suggest that this audio book would be well worth listening to before studying the text properly.
The reader very good although having a woman read a text on warfare seems odd to my male-old-fogie-set-in-his-ways ears. This reader IS good.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 7/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
There is an alternate version of this audio book
Tuesday, 18 August 2009
Futility, Or the Wreck of the Titan
Official Blurb
This novel was published a full 14 years before the sinking of the Titanic, but listeners may be surprised at how many parallels this fictional tale has with subsequent true events.
The Titan is the largest and most technologically advanced steamship of her time. She is considered unsinkable. Her full speed crossings of the Northern Lane Route carry her rich passengers in the highest standards of luxury and comfort. The less well-off travel in rougher quarters but still benefit from the speed of travel. These crossings, however, are fraught with navigational hazards, the greatest of which is ice.
Unlike the ship, one member of her crew is not of the highest standard. At least, not anymore. John Rowland is a broken man who drinks to forget his past. However, when the Titan crashes into an iceberg during her attempt to break a speed record, he is forced to confront his past. Can he overcome his enemies and escape as the ship begins to sink? And can he make his way back to civilization and find self-respect once more? Adventure and soul-searching await Rowland, with a surprise ending.
My Review
This is an interesting novella. As the blurb says it's being written before the Titanic is quite quite remarkable, and that was what caught my attention.
The story is very simple, there are not any sub plots here it's simple and straight forwards. As the blurb suggests, a fallen ships officer is thrown into dire staights with only his physical strength and sence of honour to defend against all manner of unexpected foes.
The lead character has his faults but the simple writing weaves this nicely along a path where you quickly gain sympathy for his plight. As I was litening I found him endearing and his sense of honour appealed to the wanna-be-knight that is my soul!
The end was a sweet surpise, I'd been guessing that it was going elsewhere and ended up with a feel good feeling.
As you've guessed I really enjoyed this story and the reader helped that along. He's a loverly voice that fits perfectly with the story and his poise and pacing were excellent.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 8/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
This novel was published a full 14 years before the sinking of the Titanic, but listeners may be surprised at how many parallels this fictional tale has with subsequent true events.
The Titan is the largest and most technologically advanced steamship of her time. She is considered unsinkable. Her full speed crossings of the Northern Lane Route carry her rich passengers in the highest standards of luxury and comfort. The less well-off travel in rougher quarters but still benefit from the speed of travel. These crossings, however, are fraught with navigational hazards, the greatest of which is ice.
Unlike the ship, one member of her crew is not of the highest standard. At least, not anymore. John Rowland is a broken man who drinks to forget his past. However, when the Titan crashes into an iceberg during her attempt to break a speed record, he is forced to confront his past. Can he overcome his enemies and escape as the ship begins to sink? And can he make his way back to civilization and find self-respect once more? Adventure and soul-searching await Rowland, with a surprise ending.
My Review
This is an interesting novella. As the blurb says it's being written before the Titanic is quite quite remarkable, and that was what caught my attention.
The story is very simple, there are not any sub plots here it's simple and straight forwards. As the blurb suggests, a fallen ships officer is thrown into dire staights with only his physical strength and sence of honour to defend against all manner of unexpected foes.
The lead character has his faults but the simple writing weaves this nicely along a path where you quickly gain sympathy for his plight. As I was litening I found him endearing and his sense of honour appealed to the wanna-be-knight that is my soul!
The end was a sweet surpise, I'd been guessing that it was going elsewhere and ended up with a feel good feeling.
As you've guessed I really enjoyed this story and the reader helped that along. He's a loverly voice that fits perfectly with the story and his poise and pacing were excellent.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 8/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
Saturday, 15 August 2009
Faithful Warrior
Official Blurb
Pastor Michael Farris was a well loved man. Loving husband and father, Shepherd of his church, Courageous minister to the inner city gangs of Columbus Ohio. He helped people change their lives for the better. But when his peaceful life is suddenly shattered by a senseless drive by shooting, a side of Pastor Farris that almost no one knew comes to the surface...a violent shadow of a life that he had been able to keep secret all these years. As he seeks to right the crimes committed against him he is unexpectedly confronted by a ghost from his past, and Mike Farris suddenly finds himself in a race against the clock to stop an insane terrorist from killing thousands, maybe even millions in one fell swoop.
My Review
When I found this book at podiobooks I was overjoyed. I've really enjoyed all of the books from this author ( Basil Sands ) that I've heard. This story was not a disappointment.
Mr Sands opens the book with a flashback, a technique that he's used in his other novels to great effect and likewise here. This gives his lead characters a history that you can use to build the characters in your mind as you're following the modern half of the story.
The novel is very engaging and starts with two very emotive scenes that shock, enthrall and draw you into the story. It doesn't take long for the story to tie the two story lines together ( the current and flashback ) into a single thread and the later half of the book then stays firmly in the present.
I have to say that I was rather pleased to find the lead character so unusual, a Marine turned Minister, that's two character traits that seem an unusual pair yet are dealt with here is such a way that they are believable.
Another feature of the book that appealed to me was the inclusion of some favourite characters from his other novels edging into this story and giving me that happy nostalgia that always comes with familiar characters.
Was this story vastly different from his other novels? No. It dealt with the same topics in another way and was all the better for it. I like the writing style, I like the reading style and I like the hero's. A good book.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 8/9
Download it from Podiobooks
Listen to the first chapter
Other audio books by the same author I've reviewed.
Karls Last Flight
65 Below
Pastor Michael Farris was a well loved man. Loving husband and father, Shepherd of his church, Courageous minister to the inner city gangs of Columbus Ohio. He helped people change their lives for the better. But when his peaceful life is suddenly shattered by a senseless drive by shooting, a side of Pastor Farris that almost no one knew comes to the surface...a violent shadow of a life that he had been able to keep secret all these years. As he seeks to right the crimes committed against him he is unexpectedly confronted by a ghost from his past, and Mike Farris suddenly finds himself in a race against the clock to stop an insane terrorist from killing thousands, maybe even millions in one fell swoop.
My Review
When I found this book at podiobooks I was overjoyed. I've really enjoyed all of the books from this author ( Basil Sands ) that I've heard. This story was not a disappointment.
Mr Sands opens the book with a flashback, a technique that he's used in his other novels to great effect and likewise here. This gives his lead characters a history that you can use to build the characters in your mind as you're following the modern half of the story.
The novel is very engaging and starts with two very emotive scenes that shock, enthrall and draw you into the story. It doesn't take long for the story to tie the two story lines together ( the current and flashback ) into a single thread and the later half of the book then stays firmly in the present.
I have to say that I was rather pleased to find the lead character so unusual, a Marine turned Minister, that's two character traits that seem an unusual pair yet are dealt with here is such a way that they are believable.
Another feature of the book that appealed to me was the inclusion of some favourite characters from his other novels edging into this story and giving me that happy nostalgia that always comes with familiar characters.
Was this story vastly different from his other novels? No. It dealt with the same topics in another way and was all the better for it. I like the writing style, I like the reading style and I like the hero's. A good book.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 8/9
Download it from Podiobooks
Listen to the first chapter
Other audio books by the same author I've reviewed.
Karls Last Flight
65 Below
Thursday, 6 August 2009
Triplanetary
Official Blurb
“Doc” E.E. Smith pretty much invented the space opera genre, and Triplanetary is a good and well-known example. Physics, time, and politics never stand in the way of a plot that gallops ahead without letup.
Having earned a PhD in chemical engineering, it’s understandable that the heroes of Smith’s story are all scientists. He didn’t want to be constrained by the limits of known science, however, so in his hands the electromagnetic spectrum becomes a raw material to be molded into ever-more amazing and lethal forms, and the speed of light is no bar to traveling through the interstellar void.
Come enjoy this story of yesteryear, set in tomorrow, where real women ignite love at a glance, real men achieve in days what governments manage in decades, and aliens are an ever-present threat to Life-As-We-Know-It!
My Review
The last paragraph of the official blurb tells you how this classic sci fi story rolls!
This story starts off with high sci fi action, moves into the middle story with high action and speeds into a high action ending! It never relents. Fight, fear and foe are the watch words of this narrative with fight being to the fore.
Triplanetary is a a government like organisation that spans the three populated planets of Earth's solar system, and it has many enemies. The story starts with pirates being ... piratanical within the solar system and moves into an attack by seemingly unstoppable aliens with weapons that can tear worlds apart.
The story keeps your attention and the reader is excellent, a near perfect combination for fans of classic sci fi.
I heartily recommend this Librivox presentation.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 7/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
“Doc” E.E. Smith pretty much invented the space opera genre, and Triplanetary is a good and well-known example. Physics, time, and politics never stand in the way of a plot that gallops ahead without letup.
Having earned a PhD in chemical engineering, it’s understandable that the heroes of Smith’s story are all scientists. He didn’t want to be constrained by the limits of known science, however, so in his hands the electromagnetic spectrum becomes a raw material to be molded into ever-more amazing and lethal forms, and the speed of light is no bar to traveling through the interstellar void.
Come enjoy this story of yesteryear, set in tomorrow, where real women ignite love at a glance, real men achieve in days what governments manage in decades, and aliens are an ever-present threat to Life-As-We-Know-It!
My Review
The last paragraph of the official blurb tells you how this classic sci fi story rolls!
This story starts off with high sci fi action, moves into the middle story with high action and speeds into a high action ending! It never relents. Fight, fear and foe are the watch words of this narrative with fight being to the fore.
Triplanetary is a a government like organisation that spans the three populated planets of Earth's solar system, and it has many enemies. The story starts with pirates being ... piratanical within the solar system and moves into an attack by seemingly unstoppable aliens with weapons that can tear worlds apart.
The story keeps your attention and the reader is excellent, a near perfect combination for fans of classic sci fi.
I heartily recommend this Librivox presentation.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 7/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
Wednesday, 29 July 2009
Varney the Vampire
The Official Blurb
Originally published as a penny dreadful from 1845 until 1847, when it first appeared in book form, Varney the Vampyre is a forerunner to vampire stories such as Dracula, which it heavily influenced.
Flora Bannersworth is attacked in her own room in the middle of the night, and although her attacker is seemingly shot dead, the body is nowhere to be found. The discovery of two small bite marks on Flora’s neck leads Mr Marchdale, an old friend of the family, to the conclusion that she was bitten by a vampire. While Flora recovers, her brother Henry and Mr Marchdale begin their hunt for the vampire. Their suspicions soon fall on the mysterious Sir Francis Varney, who has just bought an old abbey near Bannersworth Hall, and who bears an uncanny resemblance to Marmaduke Bannersworth, a long-dead ancestor of the family.
My Review
Hmmm... This was a long long story. I've been listening to it for a long time. the reason it took so long was that it didn't really engage me. I shot through the first 10 chapters or so but then my listening slowed up.
The problem was that I couldn't identify with the characters. This is partially because of the writting style. Which I can happily put down to the serialized nature of the stories source. Yet the characters weren't really ... memorable. That's not to say I couldn't keep track, but rather they didn't appeal. One or two of them came across as rather pathetic and others as plain stupid.
So is this a negative review. Well not really, I did get to the end which is a plus, one of the characters, a ships captain, kept me laughing and as the story progressed I actually found what sympathies I had, were for the "evil" vampire rather than victims"
It's a fair listen and worth trying to see if it appeals to you.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 1/3
Total Score 5/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
Originally published as a penny dreadful from 1845 until 1847, when it first appeared in book form, Varney the Vampyre is a forerunner to vampire stories such as Dracula, which it heavily influenced.
Flora Bannersworth is attacked in her own room in the middle of the night, and although her attacker is seemingly shot dead, the body is nowhere to be found. The discovery of two small bite marks on Flora’s neck leads Mr Marchdale, an old friend of the family, to the conclusion that she was bitten by a vampire. While Flora recovers, her brother Henry and Mr Marchdale begin their hunt for the vampire. Their suspicions soon fall on the mysterious Sir Francis Varney, who has just bought an old abbey near Bannersworth Hall, and who bears an uncanny resemblance to Marmaduke Bannersworth, a long-dead ancestor of the family.
My Review
Hmmm... This was a long long story. I've been listening to it for a long time. the reason it took so long was that it didn't really engage me. I shot through the first 10 chapters or so but then my listening slowed up.
The problem was that I couldn't identify with the characters. This is partially because of the writting style. Which I can happily put down to the serialized nature of the stories source. Yet the characters weren't really ... memorable. That's not to say I couldn't keep track, but rather they didn't appeal. One or two of them came across as rather pathetic and others as plain stupid.
So is this a negative review. Well not really, I did get to the end which is a plus, one of the characters, a ships captain, kept me laughing and as the story progressed I actually found what sympathies I had, were for the "evil" vampire rather than victims"
It's a fair listen and worth trying to see if it appeals to you.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 1/3
Total Score 5/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
Tuesday, 28 July 2009
Gulliver of Mars
Official Blurb
This escapist novel first published in 1905 as Lieutenant Gullivar Jones: His Vacation follows the exploits of American Navy Lieutenant Gulliver Jones, a bold, if slightly hapless, hero who is magically transported to Mars; where he almost outwits his enemies, almost gets the girl, and almost saves the day.
Somewhat of a literary and chronological bridge between H.G. Wells and Edgar Rice Burroughs, Jones’ adventures provide an evocative mix of satire and sword-and-planet adventure.
My Review
Well the blurb hits the nail on the head. Not quite the rip roaring adventure of John Carter's exploits on Mars but never the less a fun listen.
It follows the hero of the piece as he travels across the face of Mars constantly discovering new and wonderous things in a haphazzard kind of way. In the truest tradition of the Pulp genre out hero is in love and must save his maiden, pretty typical stuff.
That said, the story is original, this is no John Carter rip off, it stands on it's own and makes an enjoyable listen from beginning to end. I like the characterisation of our hero, who keeps worrying about the unpaid tailor bill in his pocket!
The reader is pretty good, he doesn't do voices, but then he doesn't need to here, you can follow the push and pull of conversation regardless.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
This escapist novel first published in 1905 as Lieutenant Gullivar Jones: His Vacation follows the exploits of American Navy Lieutenant Gulliver Jones, a bold, if slightly hapless, hero who is magically transported to Mars; where he almost outwits his enemies, almost gets the girl, and almost saves the day.
Somewhat of a literary and chronological bridge between H.G. Wells and Edgar Rice Burroughs, Jones’ adventures provide an evocative mix of satire and sword-and-planet adventure.
My Review
Well the blurb hits the nail on the head. Not quite the rip roaring adventure of John Carter's exploits on Mars but never the less a fun listen.
It follows the hero of the piece as he travels across the face of Mars constantly discovering new and wonderous things in a haphazzard kind of way. In the truest tradition of the Pulp genre out hero is in love and must save his maiden, pretty typical stuff.
That said, the story is original, this is no John Carter rip off, it stands on it's own and makes an enjoyable listen from beginning to end. I like the characterisation of our hero, who keeps worrying about the unpaid tailor bill in his pocket!
The reader is pretty good, he doesn't do voices, but then he doesn't need to here, you can follow the push and pull of conversation regardless.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
Thursday, 16 July 2009
Short Ghost and Horror Collection 003
Official Blurb
A collection of fifteen stories featuring ghoulies, ghosties, long-leggedy beasties and things that go bump in the night. Expect shivers up your spine, the smell of human flesh, and the occasional touch of wonder.
My Review
An odd mix of short stories brought together as ghost and horror. I'm not actually sure that they all fit that particular mold. That said all of the readers are passable and the stories simply ok.
None of the stories are blood thirsty slasher stories. You shouldn't expect that sort of thing from these older public domain releases.
Four of the readings however stood out amongst the others for special mention. The two Poe stories are pretty good readings with this version of "The Telltale Heart" being particularly well done ( just a couple of pops on the mic's ). The "Tropical Horror" and "Empty House" stories are pretty good to.
As usual with a mixed bag of stories the appeal of the individual narratives varies from story to story. I found four that I really liked and I expect any listener will find a like number of favourites.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the Poe story
A collection of fifteen stories featuring ghoulies, ghosties, long-leggedy beasties and things that go bump in the night. Expect shivers up your spine, the smell of human flesh, and the occasional touch of wonder.
My Review
An odd mix of short stories brought together as ghost and horror. I'm not actually sure that they all fit that particular mold. That said all of the readers are passable and the stories simply ok.
None of the stories are blood thirsty slasher stories. You shouldn't expect that sort of thing from these older public domain releases.
Four of the readings however stood out amongst the others for special mention. The two Poe stories are pretty good readings with this version of "The Telltale Heart" being particularly well done ( just a couple of pops on the mic's ). The "Tropical Horror" and "Empty House" stories are pretty good to.
As usual with a mixed bag of stories the appeal of the individual narratives varies from story to story. I found four that I really liked and I expect any listener will find a like number of favourites.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the Poe story
Saturday, 4 July 2009
The Machine Stops
Official Blurb
Published in 1909, this science fiction short story takes place in a future where mankind, seemingly no longer able to survive on earth’s surface, exists in a vast underground civilization known as “The Machine”. Each individual lives in an isolated, fully-automated cell-like room, connected to global information and communication systems, but cut off from all direct experience. The narrative focuses on Vashti, an “advanced” mother whose total dependence upon The Machine has led her (like most others) to increasingly reverence and even worship it; and her “untechnological” son, Kuno, who has begun to deny The Machine’s omnipotence and even seeks to escape if possible. Kuno’s radical views are validated as the The Machine’s systems begin to malfunction and eventually fail completely.
The story has proved to be far ahead of its time, with remarkably accurate predictions of modern technologies, and paints a chilling picture of over-dependence on them. This recording marks the 100th anniversary of the original publishing.
My Review
This a short story presented here in three chapters. It's a sci fi story set in a world where man is organised, fed, watered and clothed by "the machine". It's one womans story as she discovers her son who has been outside of the machine.
It's well written and kept me listening. The story has a way of constantly revealing facts about this odd ( to us anyway ) future where all wants are met. A very interesting society has developed with odd behaviours and attitudes.
The story ends with a pathos filled creshendo that I found appealing.
It's not a high action story nor a terrible high tech one, it's about the people in this strange environment.
I listened to the whole thing in one sitting when I hadn't meant to, the reader was a joy his presentation excellent. However if this reader doesnt appeal to your preferences I've noticed that Librivox has a second version of the story by others.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
Published in 1909, this science fiction short story takes place in a future where mankind, seemingly no longer able to survive on earth’s surface, exists in a vast underground civilization known as “The Machine”. Each individual lives in an isolated, fully-automated cell-like room, connected to global information and communication systems, but cut off from all direct experience. The narrative focuses on Vashti, an “advanced” mother whose total dependence upon The Machine has led her (like most others) to increasingly reverence and even worship it; and her “untechnological” son, Kuno, who has begun to deny The Machine’s omnipotence and even seeks to escape if possible. Kuno’s radical views are validated as the The Machine’s systems begin to malfunction and eventually fail completely.
The story has proved to be far ahead of its time, with remarkably accurate predictions of modern technologies, and paints a chilling picture of over-dependence on them. This recording marks the 100th anniversary of the original publishing.
My Review
This a short story presented here in three chapters. It's a sci fi story set in a world where man is organised, fed, watered and clothed by "the machine". It's one womans story as she discovers her son who has been outside of the machine.
It's well written and kept me listening. The story has a way of constantly revealing facts about this odd ( to us anyway ) future where all wants are met. A very interesting society has developed with odd behaviours and attitudes.
The story ends with a pathos filled creshendo that I found appealing.
It's not a high action story nor a terrible high tech one, it's about the people in this strange environment.
I listened to the whole thing in one sitting when I hadn't meant to, the reader was a joy his presentation excellent. However if this reader doesnt appeal to your preferences I've noticed that Librivox has a second version of the story by others.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
Tuesday, 30 June 2009
Darkfever
Official Blurb
Enter the world of Karen Marie Moning's New York Times bestselling Fever series with her first ever audiobook podcast, Darkfever. MacKayla Lane's life is good. She has great friends, a decent job, and a car that breaks down only every other week or so. In other words, she's your perfectly ordinary twenty-first-century woman. Or so she thinks...until something extraordinary happens.
When her sister is murdered, leaving a single clue to her death-a cryptic message on Mac's cell phone-Mac journeys to Ireland in search of answers. The quest to find her sister's killer draws her into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems, where good and evil wear the same treacherously seductive mask. She is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to learn how to handle a power she had no idea she possessed-a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae....
As Mac delves deeper into the mystery of her sister's death, her every move is shadowed by the dark, mysterious Jericho, a man with no past and only mockery for a future. As the boundary between worlds begins to crumble, Mac's true mission becomes clear: find the elusive Sinsar Dubh before someone else claims the all-powerful Dark Book-because whoever gets to it first holds nothing less than complete control of the very fabric of both worlds in their hands....
My Review
Yuk.
Oh.. you want more?
This is a part of the urban fantasy boom that's been going on for a few years and this is one of my few dips into this particular pond. It's not a genre I dislike it's just not one that I normally choose.
So when this started I was impressed with the reader although the intro/outro guy got right on my nerves from the first chapter.
The lead character is presented as a Barbie girl from the south and sadly ends up having about as much character. The story is presented as a kind of diary and sufferes terribly from too much diaretric eccentricity and naval inspections.
For example, I don't care what the characters are wearing and the author seems in love with the idea of dressing her barbie doll character and friends. For goodness sake nearly every scene seems to start with the character getting dressed and telling us about their socks, shoes and shirt etc etc etc , who cares(!) where's the plot?
So as you can gather, I didn't like it. It had it's moments of action and occasional horror but between these were far too many "filler sections" that padded out the story and consisted mostly of inane drivel.
Harsh? Yep, but I really disliked this story, and resented what started out with such promise turning into mush.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 1/3
Total Score 5/9
Download it from Podiobooks ( but only if you dont like yourself! )
Listen to the first chapter
Enter the world of Karen Marie Moning's New York Times bestselling Fever series with her first ever audiobook podcast, Darkfever. MacKayla Lane's life is good. She has great friends, a decent job, and a car that breaks down only every other week or so. In other words, she's your perfectly ordinary twenty-first-century woman. Or so she thinks...until something extraordinary happens.
When her sister is murdered, leaving a single clue to her death-a cryptic message on Mac's cell phone-Mac journeys to Ireland in search of answers. The quest to find her sister's killer draws her into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems, where good and evil wear the same treacherously seductive mask. She is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to learn how to handle a power she had no idea she possessed-a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae....
As Mac delves deeper into the mystery of her sister's death, her every move is shadowed by the dark, mysterious Jericho, a man with no past and only mockery for a future. As the boundary between worlds begins to crumble, Mac's true mission becomes clear: find the elusive Sinsar Dubh before someone else claims the all-powerful Dark Book-because whoever gets to it first holds nothing less than complete control of the very fabric of both worlds in their hands....
My Review
Yuk.
Oh.. you want more?
This is a part of the urban fantasy boom that's been going on for a few years and this is one of my few dips into this particular pond. It's not a genre I dislike it's just not one that I normally choose.
So when this started I was impressed with the reader although the intro/outro guy got right on my nerves from the first chapter.
The lead character is presented as a Barbie girl from the south and sadly ends up having about as much character. The story is presented as a kind of diary and sufferes terribly from too much diaretric eccentricity and naval inspections.
For example, I don't care what the characters are wearing and the author seems in love with the idea of dressing her barbie doll character and friends. For goodness sake nearly every scene seems to start with the character getting dressed and telling us about their socks, shoes and shirt etc etc etc , who cares(!) where's the plot?
So as you can gather, I didn't like it. It had it's moments of action and occasional horror but between these were far too many "filler sections" that padded out the story and consisted mostly of inane drivel.
Harsh? Yep, but I really disliked this story, and resented what started out with such promise turning into mush.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 1/3
Total Score 5/9
Download it from Podiobooks ( but only if you dont like yourself! )
Listen to the first chapter
Monday, 29 June 2009
Last Enemy
Official Blurb
An undercover Paratimer has disappeared on assignment while in an alternate time line, and it’s up to Verkan Vall of the Paratime Police to save her. To do so, he must infiltrate a universe in which assassination is an honorable profession, and reincarnation a scientific fact. Will Verkan Vall survive in a world of killers and the undead?
My Review
This is one of H. Beam Pipers time line traveling para-time stories. The plot is given away in the official blurb.
The story itself is a little slow in getting started, or at least slower than is usual in Pipers stories, but progress' and builds towards a great and exciting end. What more can you want? All in all there is not a lot of sci fi. The time travel is incidental in the story and does not feature, the weapons and tech are meerly incidental. What it does feature is an investigation into the behaviour of a society where reincarnation is a fact and assassination is common thing and death nothing to be feared.
The reader is Mark Douglas Nelson who is an excellent reader. He's done an outstanding job in reading this story.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 7/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
An undercover Paratimer has disappeared on assignment while in an alternate time line, and it’s up to Verkan Vall of the Paratime Police to save her. To do so, he must infiltrate a universe in which assassination is an honorable profession, and reincarnation a scientific fact. Will Verkan Vall survive in a world of killers and the undead?
My Review
This is one of H. Beam Pipers time line traveling para-time stories. The plot is given away in the official blurb.
The story itself is a little slow in getting started, or at least slower than is usual in Pipers stories, but progress' and builds towards a great and exciting end. What more can you want? All in all there is not a lot of sci fi. The time travel is incidental in the story and does not feature, the weapons and tech are meerly incidental. What it does feature is an investigation into the behaviour of a society where reincarnation is a fact and assassination is common thing and death nothing to be feared.
The reader is Mark Douglas Nelson who is an excellent reader. He's done an outstanding job in reading this story.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 7/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
Wednesday, 17 June 2009
Short Science Fiction Collection Vol. 014
Official Blurb
Science fiction (abbreviated SF or sci-fi with varying punctuation and case) is a broad genre of fiction that often involves sociological and technical speculations based on current or future science or technology. This is a reader-selected collection of short stories, first published between 1951 and 1962, that entered the US public domain when their copyright was not renewed.
My Review
This offering from the Librivox community really surprised me. I've listened to their Sci Fi collection offerings before and as a rule find that I dont like the differing voices and differing subjects which dont blend into what I consider a pleasant whole. The individual stories might be good but I can't listen to them "as a book". I hope that makes sense.
This collection surprised me because I really enjoyed it! All of the readers were very good and all of the stories hit it off with me. I thought all of the selected stories were interesting and of good quality.
The story "R.S.V.P." even had me laughing. The story "vanishing point" put me in mind of a Lovecraft type story, very insightful.
So overall, if you're thinking of trying one of Librivox's Sci Fi collections this is one I reccomend.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to one of the stories
Science fiction (abbreviated SF or sci-fi with varying punctuation and case) is a broad genre of fiction that often involves sociological and technical speculations based on current or future science or technology. This is a reader-selected collection of short stories, first published between 1951 and 1962, that entered the US public domain when their copyright was not renewed.
My Review
This offering from the Librivox community really surprised me. I've listened to their Sci Fi collection offerings before and as a rule find that I dont like the differing voices and differing subjects which dont blend into what I consider a pleasant whole. The individual stories might be good but I can't listen to them "as a book". I hope that makes sense.
This collection surprised me because I really enjoyed it! All of the readers were very good and all of the stories hit it off with me. I thought all of the selected stories were interesting and of good quality.
The story "R.S.V.P." even had me laughing. The story "vanishing point" put me in mind of a Lovecraft type story, very insightful.
So overall, if you're thinking of trying one of Librivox's Sci Fi collections this is one I reccomend.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to one of the stories
Saturday, 13 June 2009
Hunters out of Space
Official Blurb
Originally published in the May, 1960 issue of Amazing Science Fiction Stories. Jack Odin has returned to the world of Opal, the world inside our own world, only to find it in ruins. Many of his friends are gone, the world is flooded, and the woman he swore to protect has been taken by Grim Hagen to the stars. Jack must save her, but the difficulties are great and his allies are few.
My Review
It took me a while to realise what was going on in this story. It starts with a man decending by ropes to the the inside of the earth to reach this land called Opal. That threw me because I thought I was getting into a sci fi novel. As it turns out I was.
The book reads like a sequel, not a part-two type sequel but rather a story where the characters have a history and shared events that I know nothing about. It is a story in and of itself.
After descending to the bowels of the earth the story takes a jaunt out into space and becomes the science fiction story I thought I had downloaded. It is not a high tech type of sci fi, but has a rather Barsoomian feel. The space ships throw nuke's at each other and burning rays but every one goes about armed with a sword and uses it too!
The reader has a nice voice and releates the story at a good pace and uses a smattering of voices to brighten the story and characters.
Over all a good story that started a little odd for a sci fi novel but the end result was as good and as much fun as any of the John Carter-Burroughs novels.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
Originally published in the May, 1960 issue of Amazing Science Fiction Stories. Jack Odin has returned to the world of Opal, the world inside our own world, only to find it in ruins. Many of his friends are gone, the world is flooded, and the woman he swore to protect has been taken by Grim Hagen to the stars. Jack must save her, but the difficulties are great and his allies are few.
My Review
It took me a while to realise what was going on in this story. It starts with a man decending by ropes to the the inside of the earth to reach this land called Opal. That threw me because I thought I was getting into a sci fi novel. As it turns out I was.
The book reads like a sequel, not a part-two type sequel but rather a story where the characters have a history and shared events that I know nothing about. It is a story in and of itself.
After descending to the bowels of the earth the story takes a jaunt out into space and becomes the science fiction story I thought I had downloaded. It is not a high tech type of sci fi, but has a rather Barsoomian feel. The space ships throw nuke's at each other and burning rays but every one goes about armed with a sword and uses it too!
The reader has a nice voice and releates the story at a good pace and uses a smattering of voices to brighten the story and characters.
Over all a good story that started a little odd for a sci fi novel but the end result was as good and as much fun as any of the John Carter-Burroughs novels.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
Monday, 1 June 2009
Tom Swift and his Electric Runabout
Official Blurb
Tom Swift enters an upcoming race with his specially-designed prototype electric race car. But as he makes the final preparations and adjustments, days before the race, he discovers a plot that would bankrupt not only his family, but also everyone else that relies on the local bank (which is the target of a nefarious bank-run scheme). Tom must solve the mystery and stop the criminals behind the plot before he’ll test himself on a 500 mile race against some of the best electric cars and skilled drivers in the United States. Listeners are forewarned that some elements and characters included in Tom Swift books portray certain ethnic groups in a very dated manner that modern readers, and listeners, may find offensive. Despite the racially stereotyped behavior and pronunciation in the books, the Reader believes it makes sense to read what’s written in order to be faithful to the author’s intent.
My Review
This is a fun little story, an example of speculative fiction of it's day. the Tom swift stories are all light hearted stories where you are always guarenteed a happy ending.
The cuteness of the lead character constant enemy being referred to as "the bully" gets me everytime. It's oldy worldy to me and I find that appealing.
As with the other Swift novels it all hinges around a new invention of the young Tom Swift, a genius inventor of devices. In this case the driving force is a Prize race for electric cars. We follow the hero of the story as he conceives the invention, makes it a reality and then enters the race. Along the way there are adventures and troubles and of course run ins with "the bully" and his pals.
All in all a really fun little story. the reader in this case was perfect for the story. His voice is upbeat and matches the tone of the story itself
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
.
Tom Swift enters an upcoming race with his specially-designed prototype electric race car. But as he makes the final preparations and adjustments, days before the race, he discovers a plot that would bankrupt not only his family, but also everyone else that relies on the local bank (which is the target of a nefarious bank-run scheme). Tom must solve the mystery and stop the criminals behind the plot before he’ll test himself on a 500 mile race against some of the best electric cars and skilled drivers in the United States. Listeners are forewarned that some elements and characters included in Tom Swift books portray certain ethnic groups in a very dated manner that modern readers, and listeners, may find offensive. Despite the racially stereotyped behavior and pronunciation in the books, the Reader believes it makes sense to read what’s written in order to be faithful to the author’s intent.
My Review
This is a fun little story, an example of speculative fiction of it's day. the Tom swift stories are all light hearted stories where you are always guarenteed a happy ending.
The cuteness of the lead character constant enemy being referred to as "the bully" gets me everytime. It's oldy worldy to me and I find that appealing.
As with the other Swift novels it all hinges around a new invention of the young Tom Swift, a genius inventor of devices. In this case the driving force is a Prize race for electric cars. We follow the hero of the story as he conceives the invention, makes it a reality and then enters the race. Along the way there are adventures and troubles and of course run ins with "the bully" and his pals.
All in all a really fun little story. the reader in this case was perfect for the story. His voice is upbeat and matches the tone of the story itself
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
.
Sunday, 31 May 2009
Beautiful Red
Official Blurb
The future is boring. Technology has solved the world's most pressing problems, leaving people with tedious work and mundane play. Jack is a Security Officer Class 5, which sounds important, but isn't. However, her banal life as a cubicle worker by day and tinkerer by night is interrupted when she discovers that her employer's computer system has been invaded.
Jack enlists the help of her only friends – her co-worker, Gilles and Adrian, an online friend she's never met – to help her track down the source of the invasion. Her investigation leads her to a shadowy group called the Red, where Jack learns that not everyone lives a life of quiet servitude.
Even though she believes that the Red are responsible for a series of gruesome attacks, Jack begins to become attracted to their worldview. In her search for the people responsible for the attacks, she confronts the leaders of the group as well as her own burgeoning sense of self-awareness.
My Review
I really can't tell you any more about the story than the blurb has given away but I can tell you that this is a near future that appeals to my geeky side.
The internet has been replaced with the everywhere-nets. People dont use computers to access the nets but rather use implants in their heads. A person walking past you on the street with glazed eyes is likely to be accessing the nets and either checking their bank details or on "the boards" chatting with friends.
People are also getting body mods, physical changes to their bodies for arts sake, fancy a pair of horns!?
The reader is good. Took me a little while to tune in to her style, but once there it is was worth the effort. She has a lilt and a way of applying tone that is both subtle and engaging.
All in all I really liked the story, the ending caught me off guard and it was a fun trip. Dont expect high action or laser guns but you will find you self in a very high tech future.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Download it from Podiobooks
Listen to the first chapter
The future is boring. Technology has solved the world's most pressing problems, leaving people with tedious work and mundane play. Jack is a Security Officer Class 5, which sounds important, but isn't. However, her banal life as a cubicle worker by day and tinkerer by night is interrupted when she discovers that her employer's computer system has been invaded.
Jack enlists the help of her only friends – her co-worker, Gilles and Adrian, an online friend she's never met – to help her track down the source of the invasion. Her investigation leads her to a shadowy group called the Red, where Jack learns that not everyone lives a life of quiet servitude.
Even though she believes that the Red are responsible for a series of gruesome attacks, Jack begins to become attracted to their worldview. In her search for the people responsible for the attacks, she confronts the leaders of the group as well as her own burgeoning sense of self-awareness.
My Review
I really can't tell you any more about the story than the blurb has given away but I can tell you that this is a near future that appeals to my geeky side.
The internet has been replaced with the everywhere-nets. People dont use computers to access the nets but rather use implants in their heads. A person walking past you on the street with glazed eyes is likely to be accessing the nets and either checking their bank details or on "the boards" chatting with friends.
People are also getting body mods, physical changes to their bodies for arts sake, fancy a pair of horns!?
The reader is good. Took me a little while to tune in to her style, but once there it is was worth the effort. She has a lilt and a way of applying tone that is both subtle and engaging.
All in all I really liked the story, the ending caught me off guard and it was a fun trip. Dont expect high action or laser guns but you will find you self in a very high tech future.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Download it from Podiobooks
Listen to the first chapter
Friday, 29 May 2009
Diary of a Madman
Official Blurb
A man obsessed with serial killers becomes a murderer in search of justice.
My Review
I fear my review will be almost as short as the official blurb! Why? Simply put, I only managed to listen to about three quarters of the first chapter!
The story is bloody. It starts with a killer inflicting pain and torture on an unfortunate victim. It is a protracted, unending bloody gut churning opening chapter.
I simply could not take any more and had to turn it off!
I give no review rating as I really didn't listen to enough, but I know it wasn't for me. I neither suggest you listen to it or dont, but I am warning you :)
Download it from Podiobooks
.
A man obsessed with serial killers becomes a murderer in search of justice.
My Review
I fear my review will be almost as short as the official blurb! Why? Simply put, I only managed to listen to about three quarters of the first chapter!
The story is bloody. It starts with a killer inflicting pain and torture on an unfortunate victim. It is a protracted, unending bloody gut churning opening chapter.
I simply could not take any more and had to turn it off!
I give no review rating as I really didn't listen to enough, but I know it wasn't for me. I neither suggest you listen to it or dont, but I am warning you :)
Download it from Podiobooks
.
Friday, 22 May 2009
The Thing from the Lake
Official Blurb
To get away from city life periodically, New Yorker Roger Locke purchases an abandoned farm house in rural Connecticut, and with the assistance of his cousin Phillida and her beau Ethan Vere, he sets about fixing up the place.
Immediately however, an unseen mysterious woman begins giving him warnings during nocturnal visits to leave the house at once. Soon he begins hearing strange ominous sounds emanating from the tiny lake at the back of the house coupled with a permeation of sickly odors. An evil presence then begins to visit him during the witching hours of the late night, challenging him to a battle of wits from which there can be only one victor.
Is his mysterious female visitor there to help and encourage him to flee from the house, or is she working in tandem with The Thing From the Lake?
My Review
I grabbed this title because the title sounded rather Lovecraftian to me. The story isn't really Lovecraftian at all, it's more a ghost story type of thing.
The blurb gives you the story so I wont reiterate that, but what I can tell you is that this is a fairly slow story, but not in a bad way. It's of its age in that the story plods along , tyhe content is not high action or cliffhanger but is absorbing.
To give you some idea of how absorbing let me say that I normally listen to one chapter of a book as soon as I get home from work, well with this story I started like that but after about five I started listening to two each night. The lead character is a nice guy, and that appeals to me. The other characters are likewise believable and likeable and they fit together so that their emotive responses draw on your own while listening.
It's never terrifying, but is a good quality ghost story, very likeable.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
To get away from city life periodically, New Yorker Roger Locke purchases an abandoned farm house in rural Connecticut, and with the assistance of his cousin Phillida and her beau Ethan Vere, he sets about fixing up the place.
Immediately however, an unseen mysterious woman begins giving him warnings during nocturnal visits to leave the house at once. Soon he begins hearing strange ominous sounds emanating from the tiny lake at the back of the house coupled with a permeation of sickly odors. An evil presence then begins to visit him during the witching hours of the late night, challenging him to a battle of wits from which there can be only one victor.
Is his mysterious female visitor there to help and encourage him to flee from the house, or is she working in tandem with The Thing From the Lake?
My Review
I grabbed this title because the title sounded rather Lovecraftian to me. The story isn't really Lovecraftian at all, it's more a ghost story type of thing.
The blurb gives you the story so I wont reiterate that, but what I can tell you is that this is a fairly slow story, but not in a bad way. It's of its age in that the story plods along , tyhe content is not high action or cliffhanger but is absorbing.
To give you some idea of how absorbing let me say that I normally listen to one chapter of a book as soon as I get home from work, well with this story I started like that but after about five I started listening to two each night. The lead character is a nice guy, and that appeals to me. The other characters are likewise believable and likeable and they fit together so that their emotive responses draw on your own while listening.
It's never terrifying, but is a good quality ghost story, very likeable.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
Thursday, 21 May 2009
Time Crime
Official Blurb
The Paratime Police had a real headache this time! Tracing one man in a population of millions is easy—compared to finding one gang hiding out on one of billions of probability lines!
This story from 1955 has rocket ships, time travel, slaves, post-hypnotic suggestions, drugged citizens, and a complete disregard for human rights. And those are the good guys. As a look back in time at "classic" science fiction, it's an interesting snapshot of a time when tobacco was common, sexism was unconscious, and female characters were a long way from Lara Croft.
My Review
I loved this story. Quite a short story but not a moment passes when you're left twiddeling your fingers. The author is H. Beam Piper and I've reveiwed a number of his works here previously and this one fits right in with those. It's a classic sci fi piece as the official blurb says, and it's a good one.
The story involves the Paratime Police who police the various time lines ensuring that history is not mixed up and that legimate cross time business' continue to operate.
The story starts as a couple of cops are due to go on holiday but a big case of trans-time slavery comes up and the holiday has to get cancelled. We follow the investigators as they follow up the clues and question the suspects. Typical cop-crime stuff but in a sci fi setting.
The reader is the author/narrator of "Quarter Share" which I reviewed here a while back.. his narration is outstanding and a joy to listen to. I'm looking forward to hearing more from him.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 7/9
Download it from Podiobooks
Listen to the first chapter
.
The Paratime Police had a real headache this time! Tracing one man in a population of millions is easy—compared to finding one gang hiding out on one of billions of probability lines!
This story from 1955 has rocket ships, time travel, slaves, post-hypnotic suggestions, drugged citizens, and a complete disregard for human rights. And those are the good guys. As a look back in time at "classic" science fiction, it's an interesting snapshot of a time when tobacco was common, sexism was unconscious, and female characters were a long way from Lara Croft.
My Review
I loved this story. Quite a short story but not a moment passes when you're left twiddeling your fingers. The author is H. Beam Piper and I've reveiwed a number of his works here previously and this one fits right in with those. It's a classic sci fi piece as the official blurb says, and it's a good one.
The story involves the Paratime Police who police the various time lines ensuring that history is not mixed up and that legimate cross time business' continue to operate.
The story starts as a couple of cops are due to go on holiday but a big case of trans-time slavery comes up and the holiday has to get cancelled. We follow the investigators as they follow up the clues and question the suspects. Typical cop-crime stuff but in a sci fi setting.
The reader is the author/narrator of "Quarter Share" which I reviewed here a while back.. his narration is outstanding and a joy to listen to. I'm looking forward to hearing more from him.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 7/9
Download it from Podiobooks
Listen to the first chapter
.
Monday, 18 May 2009
The Ultimate Weapon
Official Blurb
Aliens have just been discovered! Only trouble is, the Solar System has just been discovered by those same aliens -- and they want it all for themselves. The result is a war and a desperate arms race between alien technology and human ingenuity. Who will win? What is the ultimate weapon?
My Review
A classic (1936) SF story. It has all of the classic elements except a love affair and a brawny hero. What does that leave in then, you ask? Well we have aliens, space ships, the other classic hero of a scientist working with cutting edge inventions, and of course warface in the vacuum!
It really is classic period and classic GOOD! In this fighting story, the Aliens have the technology advantage and start beating on the good guys ( us ) and leave them battered and bruised. Then the humans turn to ... super science! Only the brain of man will be able to meet the challenge!
The reader of this book, is an established narrator with great style. There are a few stutters and half misspoken words that slip through which can bring you out of the story, but they are very rare and the readers enthusiasm is so good that you'll stay on the ride.
Its a fun, exciting story read with energy and aplomb.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 7/9
Download it from the Internet Archive
Listen to the first chapter
Aliens have just been discovered! Only trouble is, the Solar System has just been discovered by those same aliens -- and they want it all for themselves. The result is a war and a desperate arms race between alien technology and human ingenuity. Who will win? What is the ultimate weapon?
My Review
A classic (1936) SF story. It has all of the classic elements except a love affair and a brawny hero. What does that leave in then, you ask? Well we have aliens, space ships, the other classic hero of a scientist working with cutting edge inventions, and of course warface in the vacuum!
It really is classic period and classic GOOD! In this fighting story, the Aliens have the technology advantage and start beating on the good guys ( us ) and leave them battered and bruised. Then the humans turn to ... super science! Only the brain of man will be able to meet the challenge!
The reader of this book, is an established narrator with great style. There are a few stutters and half misspoken words that slip through which can bring you out of the story, but they are very rare and the readers enthusiasm is so good that you'll stay on the ride.
Its a fun, exciting story read with energy and aplomb.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 7/9
Download it from the Internet Archive
Listen to the first chapter
Thursday, 7 May 2009
Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom
Official Blurb
Jules is a young man, barely a century old. He's lived long enough to see the cure for death and the end of scarcity, to learn ten languages and compose three symphonies...and to realize his boyhood dream of taking up residence in Disney World.
Disney World! The greatest achievement of the long-ago twentieth century. Now in the keeping of a network of "ad-hocs" who keep the classic attractions running as they always have, enhanced with only the smallest high-tech touches.
Now, though, the "ad-hocs" are under attack. A new group has taken over the Hall of the Presidents, and is replacing its venerable audioanimatronics with new, immersive direct-to-brain interfaces that give guests the illusion of being Washington, Lincoln, and all the others. For Jules, this is an attack on the artistic purity of Disney World itself.
Worse: it appears this new group has had Jules killed. This upsets him. (It's only his fourth death and revival, after all.) Now it's war...
My Review
I'm writing this just a few minutes after completeing this audio book. I've been in audio heaven. Firstly I really dig Cory Doctorow's sci fi stories, and secondly the reader is one of my all time fave's.
For blurb above gives you the idea of the story. Need has been defeated and the same with death itself. Cory has written a great novel while exploring the implications of no hunger and no death. He shows us what many would think of as a paradise, but he shows us the drama and pettiness that is still driving the human race.
The book starts very well, with introducing the environment and characters and then promptly killing the main character. Don't fret, he gets restored from a back up into a clone! So from this odd situation he dives into the human story and this is what really drives the story. Yes they are in the future and yes they do constantly engage with high tech gear but that is not the basis of the story.
The lead character finds himself driven to carry out some rather unfortunate actions but you the reader/listener are pulled along with him, and you totally understand why. Thats the heart of this excellent story, the characters, thier adventures and their journeys in a world gone sane!
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 8/9
Download it from Podiobooks
Listen to the first chapter
Jules is a young man, barely a century old. He's lived long enough to see the cure for death and the end of scarcity, to learn ten languages and compose three symphonies...and to realize his boyhood dream of taking up residence in Disney World.
Disney World! The greatest achievement of the long-ago twentieth century. Now in the keeping of a network of "ad-hocs" who keep the classic attractions running as they always have, enhanced with only the smallest high-tech touches.
Now, though, the "ad-hocs" are under attack. A new group has taken over the Hall of the Presidents, and is replacing its venerable audioanimatronics with new, immersive direct-to-brain interfaces that give guests the illusion of being Washington, Lincoln, and all the others. For Jules, this is an attack on the artistic purity of Disney World itself.
Worse: it appears this new group has had Jules killed. This upsets him. (It's only his fourth death and revival, after all.) Now it's war...
My Review
I'm writing this just a few minutes after completeing this audio book. I've been in audio heaven. Firstly I really dig Cory Doctorow's sci fi stories, and secondly the reader is one of my all time fave's.
For blurb above gives you the idea of the story. Need has been defeated and the same with death itself. Cory has written a great novel while exploring the implications of no hunger and no death. He shows us what many would think of as a paradise, but he shows us the drama and pettiness that is still driving the human race.
The book starts very well, with introducing the environment and characters and then promptly killing the main character. Don't fret, he gets restored from a back up into a clone! So from this odd situation he dives into the human story and this is what really drives the story. Yes they are in the future and yes they do constantly engage with high tech gear but that is not the basis of the story.
The lead character finds himself driven to carry out some rather unfortunate actions but you the reader/listener are pulled along with him, and you totally understand why. Thats the heart of this excellent story, the characters, thier adventures and their journeys in a world gone sane!
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 8/9
Download it from Podiobooks
Listen to the first chapter
Wednesday, 6 May 2009
Short Science Fiction Collection Vol. 13
Official Blurb
Science fiction (abbreviated SF or sci-fi with varying punctuation and case) is a broad genre of fiction that often involves sociological and technical speculations based on current or future science or technology. This is a reader-selected collection of short stories, first published between 1951 - 1962, that entered the US public domain when their copyright was not renewed.
My Review
Well the blurb wasn't very informative so lets see what I can do to enlighten you. As suggested this is a collection of Sci Fi stories without any apparent theme od reason for putting them together as a group.
The random nature of the collection distracts me a little. As I listen to a lot of audio books I'm of a "next chapter" mindset, and you don't get that with these collections. The stories are by different authors about wildly different subjects and read by a random collection of voices.
So thats the downside. The upside is that this is fun little collection. I enjoyed all of the stories and I can especially suggest you listen to "The Golden Judge" ( not really very sci fi ) and "The Next Logical Step", both of which brought a smile to my face.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first story
Science fiction (abbreviated SF or sci-fi with varying punctuation and case) is a broad genre of fiction that often involves sociological and technical speculations based on current or future science or technology. This is a reader-selected collection of short stories, first published between 1951 - 1962, that entered the US public domain when their copyright was not renewed.
My Review
Well the blurb wasn't very informative so lets see what I can do to enlighten you. As suggested this is a collection of Sci Fi stories without any apparent theme od reason for putting them together as a group.
The random nature of the collection distracts me a little. As I listen to a lot of audio books I'm of a "next chapter" mindset, and you don't get that with these collections. The stories are by different authors about wildly different subjects and read by a random collection of voices.
So thats the downside. The upside is that this is fun little collection. I enjoyed all of the stories and I can especially suggest you listen to "The Golden Judge" ( not really very sci fi ) and "The Next Logical Step", both of which brought a smile to my face.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first story
Tuesday, 28 April 2009
Deathworld
Official Blurb
Deathworld is the first in a series of novels begun in 1960 and originally serialized in Astounding Science Fiction Magazine. It’s the story of Jason dinAlt a professional gambler with psionic skills who finds himself on Pyrrus the deadliest planet to be colonized by humanity. Violent weather, active tectonics, heavy gravity, abundant predators, and a hostile splinter group of colonists is only the beginning of Jason’s quest to learn the truth about Pyrrus.
My Review
This is classic Sci Fi at its very best!. Alien worlds, space ships, creepy creatures, fighting, discoveries and gambling. What more could you pssibly want from a Sci Fi novel?
Well, I suppose you might want an appealing lead chacter, whos the underdog but is likely to win through in the end. You might want a plot that doesn't sleep, that presents you one exciting scene after another. Perhaps you want to explore the strange? Well you've got all of that here, in a story that doesn't show it's age.
The lead character is a professional gambler who has an edge, he can use his mind to manipulate the dice! Yet these powers are very limited, he's not some Sci Fi wizard wandering around the worlds blasting his enemies, no, his powers are limited to rolling the dice, and a mind to rival Sherlock Holmes.
Ths is fairly short novel that is read very well and is a delightful afternoons listening. If your a SciFi fan you should treat yourself to this free treat.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 8/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
Deathworld is the first in a series of novels begun in 1960 and originally serialized in Astounding Science Fiction Magazine. It’s the story of Jason dinAlt a professional gambler with psionic skills who finds himself on Pyrrus the deadliest planet to be colonized by humanity. Violent weather, active tectonics, heavy gravity, abundant predators, and a hostile splinter group of colonists is only the beginning of Jason’s quest to learn the truth about Pyrrus.
My Review
This is classic Sci Fi at its very best!. Alien worlds, space ships, creepy creatures, fighting, discoveries and gambling. What more could you pssibly want from a Sci Fi novel?
Well, I suppose you might want an appealing lead chacter, whos the underdog but is likely to win through in the end. You might want a plot that doesn't sleep, that presents you one exciting scene after another. Perhaps you want to explore the strange? Well you've got all of that here, in a story that doesn't show it's age.
The lead character is a professional gambler who has an edge, he can use his mind to manipulate the dice! Yet these powers are very limited, he's not some Sci Fi wizard wandering around the worlds blasting his enemies, no, his powers are limited to rolling the dice, and a mind to rival Sherlock Holmes.
Ths is fairly short novel that is read very well and is a delightful afternoons listening. If your a SciFi fan you should treat yourself to this free treat.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 8/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
Sunday, 26 April 2009
Chessmen of Mars
Official Blurb
The Chessmen of Mars is a science fiction novel by the mental sword- and physical pen- wielding author Edgar Rice Burroughs. It the fifth installment of his Barsoom series. The Chessmen of Mars is a tale of wonder and excellence that follows John Carter and Dejah Thoris, along with their daughter Tara, princess of Helium, as she is sought after by Gahan, Jed of Gathol. Adventure and peril ensue as the story unfolds.
My Review
The Barsoom series of books are a steam punk type of story where heros leap around waving swords at the bad guys even when they can all lay their hands on firearms.
This story follows a familar Barsoom pattern of a journey across unknown parts of Mars and encounters with new races of "men". A woman in trouble needs rescuing and a manly sword waving hero is close at hand.
When you listen to these Barsoom stories there is never any doubt about a happy ending being around the corner but that's not the best part of the stories. It's the adventure and action that make the story worth listening to. In common with all of the other Barsoom stories I've listened to, this is a jolly good listen!
In this story the woman in trouble is John Carter's daughter who becomes lost and needs a heroic red man to come to her rescue. Which of course he does. We find at least two new martian races to complicate things and the usual collection of predator type animals to threaten everyone.
If you've enjoyed any of the other Barsoom stories and liked them, you can move onto this story with confidence.
The reading in this novel is pretty good, but there is a rather odd thing here. There are two versions of the first couple of chapters by different readers. I have no explanation for why that may be, it's odd.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
The Chessmen of Mars is a science fiction novel by the mental sword- and physical pen- wielding author Edgar Rice Burroughs. It the fifth installment of his Barsoom series. The Chessmen of Mars is a tale of wonder and excellence that follows John Carter and Dejah Thoris, along with their daughter Tara, princess of Helium, as she is sought after by Gahan, Jed of Gathol. Adventure and peril ensue as the story unfolds.
My Review
The Barsoom series of books are a steam punk type of story where heros leap around waving swords at the bad guys even when they can all lay their hands on firearms.
This story follows a familar Barsoom pattern of a journey across unknown parts of Mars and encounters with new races of "men". A woman in trouble needs rescuing and a manly sword waving hero is close at hand.
When you listen to these Barsoom stories there is never any doubt about a happy ending being around the corner but that's not the best part of the stories. It's the adventure and action that make the story worth listening to. In common with all of the other Barsoom stories I've listened to, this is a jolly good listen!
In this story the woman in trouble is John Carter's daughter who becomes lost and needs a heroic red man to come to her rescue. Which of course he does. We find at least two new martian races to complicate things and the usual collection of predator type animals to threaten everyone.
If you've enjoyed any of the other Barsoom stories and liked them, you can move onto this story with confidence.
The reading in this novel is pretty good, but there is a rather odd thing here. There are two versions of the first couple of chapters by different readers. I have no explanation for why that may be, it's odd.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
Friday, 17 April 2009
Murder in the Gunroom
Officlal Blurb
The Lane Fleming collection of early pistols and revolvers was one of the best in the country. When Fleming was found dead on the floor of his locked gunroom, a Confederate-made Colt-type percussion .36 revolver in his hand, the coroner’s verdict was “death by accident.” But Gladys Fleming had her doubts. Enough at any rate to engage Colonel Jefferson Davis Rand—better known just as Jeff—private detective and a pistol-collector himself, to catalogue, appraise, and negotiate the sale of her late husband’s collection.
My Review
When I saw this audio book over at Librivox all I saw was the name of the author, "H. Beam Piper". I knew that name from a number of good SciFi audio books, so thinking I had another classic SciFi story I downloaded without reading the official blurb.
So imagine my shock when I discover it's not filled with fighting space ships but is rather set on earth in times gone by, and is a murder mystery!
Once my shock was over I settled down to listening. The story is slow paced and takes a chapter or two just deciding if there has even been a murder. That aside it has a lot going for it.
The author certainly seems to know his antique pistols and brings that to the book in spades which is just as well as it focuses on a collection of these things and is filled with characters who also know a lot about them.
The lead character is attractive to all fans of the murder mystery, he has the usual methodical approach that reveals the story and put pressure onto the prospective murderers. He reminded me at times of Columbo.
I especially liked the way the author described the other characters, from their dress to how they smoke, he manages to evoke their attitude and tone without labouring the point.
I was happy with the ending and wasn't left cold by the end result. It was a satisfying ending.
The reading was really very good. The reader paced himself very well, I'm not sure what it was but his narration let the story slip into my ear, and mind at a "comfortable" pace. The result was very good. I'll be looking out for this reader again.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
The Lane Fleming collection of early pistols and revolvers was one of the best in the country. When Fleming was found dead on the floor of his locked gunroom, a Confederate-made Colt-type percussion .36 revolver in his hand, the coroner’s verdict was “death by accident.” But Gladys Fleming had her doubts. Enough at any rate to engage Colonel Jefferson Davis Rand—better known just as Jeff—private detective and a pistol-collector himself, to catalogue, appraise, and negotiate the sale of her late husband’s collection.
My Review
When I saw this audio book over at Librivox all I saw was the name of the author, "H. Beam Piper". I knew that name from a number of good SciFi audio books, so thinking I had another classic SciFi story I downloaded without reading the official blurb.
So imagine my shock when I discover it's not filled with fighting space ships but is rather set on earth in times gone by, and is a murder mystery!
Once my shock was over I settled down to listening. The story is slow paced and takes a chapter or two just deciding if there has even been a murder. That aside it has a lot going for it.
The author certainly seems to know his antique pistols and brings that to the book in spades which is just as well as it focuses on a collection of these things and is filled with characters who also know a lot about them.
The lead character is attractive to all fans of the murder mystery, he has the usual methodical approach that reveals the story and put pressure onto the prospective murderers. He reminded me at times of Columbo.
I especially liked the way the author described the other characters, from their dress to how they smoke, he manages to evoke their attitude and tone without labouring the point.
I was happy with the ending and wasn't left cold by the end result. It was a satisfying ending.
The reading was really very good. The reader paced himself very well, I'm not sure what it was but his narration let the story slip into my ear, and mind at a "comfortable" pace. The result was very good. I'll be looking out for this reader again.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
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