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
Monday, 31 August 2009
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)