Official Blurb
With one kick, Joey Hamilton has sent the world of professional wrestling into chaos. In his first World Title match, on national television, Joey botched a simple maneuver, turning a scripted wrestling match into a nightmarish reality.
Now the World Champion is injured and the locker room is in tatters. With the top spot open, veteran wrestlers are jockeying for position, hoping to become the next megastar, and Joey is their target.
With a unique look behind the scenes at America's most violent dramatic art, One Fall shows the world of professional wrestling in its rawest form.
My Review
A couple of days ago I decided that I'd heard enough sci fi and fantasy and wanted to try something else, and so a search for "thrillers" turned up "One Fall" over at Podiobooks.
So what did I find? I found an excellent novel that went way beyond my expectations and cought me up in an unexpected manner. the blurb doesn't tell the whole story. You don't have to be a Wrestling fan to enjoy this book. It's as much about the Business aspects and machinations as about the wrestling.
The wrestling is treated well, this book does not pretend the on screen wrestling stories are real and shows how the business really works, how fights are planned how the on screen wrestling stories are created and shows the business world to be the real back biting place it is.
The characters are also really well portrayed. Not just the wrestlers themselves but also the fans the organisers and owners. All of them come across as real people with real feelings and problems. I had expected some cardboard cut out characters but this was not the case. I couple of times the lead character was faced with situation where I just knew he was going to turn out to be a heel, but the writer surprised me!
To summarise, I was exceptionaly pleased to find this novel, it was a great story, with great characters and terrific reading. Worth a listen!
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 8/9
Download it from Podiobooks
Listen to the first chapter
Tuesday, 21 September 2010
Saturday, 18 September 2010
Eastern Standard Tribe by Cory Doctorow
Official Blurb
Art is an up-and-coming interface designer, working on the management of data flow along the Massachusetts Turnpike. He's doing the best work of his career and can guarantee that the system will be, without question, the most counterintuitive, user-hostile piece of software ever pushed forth into the world.
Why? Because Art is an industrial saboteur. He may live in London and work for an EU telecommunications megacorp, but Art's real home is the Eastern Standard Tribe.
The comm -- instant wireless communication -- puts everyone in touch with everyone else, twenty-four hours a day. But one thing hasn't changed: the need for sleep. The world is slowly splintering into Tribes held together by common time zones, less than families and more than nations. And Art is working to humiliate the Greenwich Mean Tribe to the benefit of his own people.
The world of next week is overflowing with ubiquitous computing, where an idea scribbled onto one's comm can revolutionize an industry. But in a world without boundaries, nothing can be taken for granted -- not happiness, not money, and, most certainly, not love.
Which might explain why Art finds himself stranded on the roof of an insane asylum outside Boston, debating whether to push a pencil into his brain. Happiness or smarts? What's it going to be, Art?
My Review
This book is by Cory Doctorow and was first released as part of his ongoing podcast which incidentally is where I first heard it a year or two ago. I remembered the title but not much else so when I spotted it on podiobooks I downloaded it straight away to get a fresh listen.
The story is set in the not too distant future where technology is powerful and common place, but people are still the same old people with hope, desires... and machinations. That's what the plot revolves around, with characters who belong to modern "tribes".
The book uses the clever mix of alternating chapters one in the present one in the past, and slowly as the book progress' the stories come together to what I thought was a great conclusion.
Cory is reading his own work here and has a loverly clear diction I like to listen to. He doesn't "do voices" yet I never have any difficulty telling who's talking, perhaps that comes from reading his own work.
I was thinking about who would like this book and it's a difficult question. The story is more "Speculative Fiction" than classic science fiction and includes some Instant messenger type conversations, which might well put off anyone who likes standard writing. In the end, I've settled on recommending this book for Gadget freaks who enjoy good and well written characters.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 8/9
Download it from Podiobooks
Listen to the first chapter
Art is an up-and-coming interface designer, working on the management of data flow along the Massachusetts Turnpike. He's doing the best work of his career and can guarantee that the system will be, without question, the most counterintuitive, user-hostile piece of software ever pushed forth into the world.
Why? Because Art is an industrial saboteur. He may live in London and work for an EU telecommunications megacorp, but Art's real home is the Eastern Standard Tribe.
The comm -- instant wireless communication -- puts everyone in touch with everyone else, twenty-four hours a day. But one thing hasn't changed: the need for sleep. The world is slowly splintering into Tribes held together by common time zones, less than families and more than nations. And Art is working to humiliate the Greenwich Mean Tribe to the benefit of his own people.
The world of next week is overflowing with ubiquitous computing, where an idea scribbled onto one's comm can revolutionize an industry. But in a world without boundaries, nothing can be taken for granted -- not happiness, not money, and, most certainly, not love.
Which might explain why Art finds himself stranded on the roof of an insane asylum outside Boston, debating whether to push a pencil into his brain. Happiness or smarts? What's it going to be, Art?
My Review
This book is by Cory Doctorow and was first released as part of his ongoing podcast which incidentally is where I first heard it a year or two ago. I remembered the title but not much else so when I spotted it on podiobooks I downloaded it straight away to get a fresh listen.
The story is set in the not too distant future where technology is powerful and common place, but people are still the same old people with hope, desires... and machinations. That's what the plot revolves around, with characters who belong to modern "tribes".
The book uses the clever mix of alternating chapters one in the present one in the past, and slowly as the book progress' the stories come together to what I thought was a great conclusion.
Cory is reading his own work here and has a loverly clear diction I like to listen to. He doesn't "do voices" yet I never have any difficulty telling who's talking, perhaps that comes from reading his own work.
I was thinking about who would like this book and it's a difficult question. The story is more "Speculative Fiction" than classic science fiction and includes some Instant messenger type conversations, which might well put off anyone who likes standard writing. In the end, I've settled on recommending this book for Gadget freaks who enjoy good and well written characters.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 8/9
Download it from Podiobooks
Listen to the first chapter
Thursday, 16 September 2010
Legacy by James Schmitz
Official Blurb
Ancient living machines that after millennia of stillness suddenly begin to move under their own power, for reasons that remain a mystery to men. Holati Tate discovered them—then disappeared. Trigger Argee was his closest associate—she means to find him. She's brilliant, beautiful, and skilled in every known martial art. She's worth plenty—dead or alive—to more than one faction in this obscure battle. And she's beginning to have a chilling notion that the long-vanished Masters of the Old Galaxy were wise when they exiled the plasmoids to the most distant and isolated world they knew....
My Review
This is a fun sci fi yarn tat will keep you on your toes, much like the lead character! The plot has lots of action and twists, and the lead character is quite literally a kick ass heroine.
The universe that's built up in this story is really classic sci fi, inter-stella travel is faster than light, people with the money can travel between planets and stars and humans are everywhere. Pretty typical sci fi backdrop. Now add in the mysterious missing acient race and the relics they left behind and you have what is now considered a cliched backdrop. Yet, I expect that was not so much the case back in '62 when this was written. Never the less, despite the familiar in this story it is never dull or predictable.
It's a true yomp round the future with the hero being a girl and the enemies plentiful. Cahses, fights, monsters, space ships, what more could you want?
This book is read by "peac", a voice new to me. I really hope he keeps recording because he's done an outstanding job on this reading!
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 7/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
.
Ancient living machines that after millennia of stillness suddenly begin to move under their own power, for reasons that remain a mystery to men. Holati Tate discovered them—then disappeared. Trigger Argee was his closest associate—she means to find him. She's brilliant, beautiful, and skilled in every known martial art. She's worth plenty—dead or alive—to more than one faction in this obscure battle. And she's beginning to have a chilling notion that the long-vanished Masters of the Old Galaxy were wise when they exiled the plasmoids to the most distant and isolated world they knew....
My Review
This is a fun sci fi yarn tat will keep you on your toes, much like the lead character! The plot has lots of action and twists, and the lead character is quite literally a kick ass heroine.
The universe that's built up in this story is really classic sci fi, inter-stella travel is faster than light, people with the money can travel between planets and stars and humans are everywhere. Pretty typical sci fi backdrop. Now add in the mysterious missing acient race and the relics they left behind and you have what is now considered a cliched backdrop. Yet, I expect that was not so much the case back in '62 when this was written. Never the less, despite the familiar in this story it is never dull or predictable.
It's a true yomp round the future with the hero being a girl and the enemies plentiful. Cahses, fights, monsters, space ships, what more could you want?
This book is read by "peac", a voice new to me. I really hope he keeps recording because he's done an outstanding job on this reading!
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 7/9
Download it from Librivox
Listen to the first chapter
.
Tuesday, 14 September 2010
Collapse at Hidden Verse Three Three Two by Brian Holtz
Official Blurb
The Multiverse Generator is failing. Dimensions threaten to collapse and entire populations will cease to exist unless it is reset. One being from each of more than five thousand verses has been acquired, and their DNA verified. Only one remains. His name is Timothy Rayburn and he is a resident of Earth. The Consolidation of Organized Systems has sent a ship to retrieve him.
Timothy is a teenager failing speech class due to a paralyzing fear of public speaking. He soon learns that his problems are quite small compared to the impending collapse of all existence. He must overcome his fear if he is to survive not only the dangers of space travel and multiversal war, but himself.
My Review
This is an excellent Sci Fi story, it doesn't take itself too seriously but at the same time has moments of high tension and excitement.
The official blurb really doesn't give you a clue as to what this story is about, so at the risk of a minor spoiler or two...
The Timothy mentioned is a normal kid, dragged across time and dimensions into a place where his DNA is needed to save the multiverse. Unfortunately the place they have to go to is at war with an alien race who want nothing more than the destruction and subugation of everyone! They are going to have to fight to save the multiverse.
This simple plot outline is only half the story. It leads us through dramatic and heroic actions, huge space battles, the great unknown and alien creatures that are really strange.
The lead character is believable but the author has had some fun with the aliens and they are a bit... star trekkie... but not in a bad way.
If you like sci fi, this is a rec' download.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 7/9
Find it at Podiobooks
Listen to the first chapter.
.
The Multiverse Generator is failing. Dimensions threaten to collapse and entire populations will cease to exist unless it is reset. One being from each of more than five thousand verses has been acquired, and their DNA verified. Only one remains. His name is Timothy Rayburn and he is a resident of Earth. The Consolidation of Organized Systems has sent a ship to retrieve him.
Timothy is a teenager failing speech class due to a paralyzing fear of public speaking. He soon learns that his problems are quite small compared to the impending collapse of all existence. He must overcome his fear if he is to survive not only the dangers of space travel and multiversal war, but himself.
My Review
This is an excellent Sci Fi story, it doesn't take itself too seriously but at the same time has moments of high tension and excitement.
The official blurb really doesn't give you a clue as to what this story is about, so at the risk of a minor spoiler or two...
The Timothy mentioned is a normal kid, dragged across time and dimensions into a place where his DNA is needed to save the multiverse. Unfortunately the place they have to go to is at war with an alien race who want nothing more than the destruction and subugation of everyone! They are going to have to fight to save the multiverse.
This simple plot outline is only half the story. It leads us through dramatic and heroic actions, huge space battles, the great unknown and alien creatures that are really strange.
The lead character is believable but the author has had some fun with the aliens and they are a bit... star trekkie... but not in a bad way.
If you like sci fi, this is a rec' download.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 7/9
Find it at Podiobooks
Listen to the first chapter.
.
Saturday, 4 September 2010
The Thing in the Attic by James Blish
Official Blurb
Honath the Pursemaker is a heretic. He doesn’t believe the stories in the Book of Laws which claims giants created his tree-dwelling race. He makes his opinion known and is banished with his infidel friends to the floor of the jungle where dangers abound. Perhaps he’ll find some truth down there. – The Thing in the Attic is one of Blish’s Pantropy tales and was first published in the July, 1954 edition of If, Worlds of Science Fiction magazine.
My Review
This is a fun Sci Fi story. It features members of an alien race who live in the tree tops of the jungle. They are not technologically advanced, and I had the impression they were fairly monkey like.
It gets off to a good start that leads you into revealing parts of their culture through the viewpoint of a few rebels. Rebels are always good for the story!
So there we are, the tree dwelling race have a religion, as mentioned in the blurb, and those who don't believe are punished by being lowered to the jungle floor. This is where the real story begins. Adapted to the tree top the "monkey people" as I thought of them, have to struggle to survive in a strange environment.
The story has a neat twist to round it off, which is a real treat that surprised me.
The reader Gregg Margarite who has avery good voice for this type of work.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 7/9
Find it at Librivox
Listen to the first chapter.
.
Honath the Pursemaker is a heretic. He doesn’t believe the stories in the Book of Laws which claims giants created his tree-dwelling race. He makes his opinion known and is banished with his infidel friends to the floor of the jungle where dangers abound. Perhaps he’ll find some truth down there. – The Thing in the Attic is one of Blish’s Pantropy tales and was first published in the July, 1954 edition of If, Worlds of Science Fiction magazine.
My Review
This is a fun Sci Fi story. It features members of an alien race who live in the tree tops of the jungle. They are not technologically advanced, and I had the impression they were fairly monkey like.
It gets off to a good start that leads you into revealing parts of their culture through the viewpoint of a few rebels. Rebels are always good for the story!
So there we are, the tree dwelling race have a religion, as mentioned in the blurb, and those who don't believe are punished by being lowered to the jungle floor. This is where the real story begins. Adapted to the tree top the "monkey people" as I thought of them, have to struggle to survive in a strange environment.
The story has a neat twist to round it off, which is a real treat that surprised me.
The reader Gregg Margarite who has avery good voice for this type of work.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 7/9
Find it at Librivox
Listen to the first chapter.
.
Thursday, 2 September 2010
The Intrusion of Jimmy by PG Wodehouse
Official Blurb
The action begins with playboy bachelor Jimmy Pitt in New York; having fallen in love on a transatlantic liner, he befriends a small-time burglar and breaks into a police captain's house as a result of a bet. The cast of characters head to England, and from there on it is a typically Wodehousian romantic farce, set at the stately Dreever Castle, overflowing with imposters, detectives, crooks, scheming lovers and conniving aunts.
My Review
As the blurb says this story is typically Wodehousian. It's a light comedic farce, where everything can and will go wrong, people will make bad decisions and everyone is a stereotype!
I'm a fan of P.G. Wodehouse's work, its just so typically silly upper class twittery that it always makes me smirk and makes them a delight to listen to. This one is no different. As the blurb says an upper crust twit takes part in a crime to win a bet. Of course he's going to get caught and have to use some fast talking to stay out of trouble, oh and of course he'll find a girl and fall in love and not know how to talk to her.
That's it really, I cant say much more about the story, its simple light silly faire and fun to listen to.
It's read by the excellent Mark Nelson who proves here that he's not limited to just Sci Fi readings!
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 7/9
Find it at Librivox
Listen to the first chapter.
.
The action begins with playboy bachelor Jimmy Pitt in New York; having fallen in love on a transatlantic liner, he befriends a small-time burglar and breaks into a police captain's house as a result of a bet. The cast of characters head to England, and from there on it is a typically Wodehousian romantic farce, set at the stately Dreever Castle, overflowing with imposters, detectives, crooks, scheming lovers and conniving aunts.
My Review
As the blurb says this story is typically Wodehousian. It's a light comedic farce, where everything can and will go wrong, people will make bad decisions and everyone is a stereotype!
I'm a fan of P.G. Wodehouse's work, its just so typically silly upper class twittery that it always makes me smirk and makes them a delight to listen to. This one is no different. As the blurb says an upper crust twit takes part in a crime to win a bet. Of course he's going to get caught and have to use some fast talking to stay out of trouble, oh and of course he'll find a girl and fall in love and not know how to talk to her.
That's it really, I cant say much more about the story, its simple light silly faire and fun to listen to.
It's read by the excellent Mark Nelson who proves here that he's not limited to just Sci Fi readings!
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 7/9
Find it at Librivox
Listen to the first chapter.
.
Wednesday, 1 September 2010
The Highest Treason by Randal Garrett
Official Blurb
Set in a future in which humanity’s dream of total equality is fully realized and poverty in terms of material wealth has been eliminated, humanity has straight-jacketed itself into the only social system which could make this possible. Class differentiation is entirely horizontal rather than vertical and no matter what one’s chosen field, all advancement is based solely on seniority rather than ability. What is an intelligent and ambitious man to do when enslaved by a culture that forbids him from utilizing his God-given talents? If he’s a military officer in time of war, he might just decide to switch sides. If said officer is a true believer in the principles that enslave him and every bit as loyal as he is ambitious, that’s tantamount to breaking a universal law of physics, but Colonel Sebastian MacMaine has what it takes to meet the challenge.
My Review
This sci fi story is set far in the future during a time when the human empire is at war with an alien race, fighting to avoid enslavement, and losing.
Enter our hero, a talented military officer who is talented enough to see the problem, but trapped in a society that doesn't want to hear.
Like all good sci fi, we have space battles, alien races interstella travel and a talented protagonist. So its got elements of what I really like. Also like good sci fi it has a couple of twists to keep things interesting.
It's also got a message. I didn't really like that too much. In one place the author rattles on about the nightmare of a universal society based on equality. This small section actually brought me out of the listening experience. But it's not too long and soon behind you.
The reading is good Lee Elliot does a sterling job with what I think is her first foray into a Sci Fi reading.
To sum up, not the best story, but better than some.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Find it at Librivox
Listen to the first chapter.
.
Set in a future in which humanity’s dream of total equality is fully realized and poverty in terms of material wealth has been eliminated, humanity has straight-jacketed itself into the only social system which could make this possible. Class differentiation is entirely horizontal rather than vertical and no matter what one’s chosen field, all advancement is based solely on seniority rather than ability. What is an intelligent and ambitious man to do when enslaved by a culture that forbids him from utilizing his God-given talents? If he’s a military officer in time of war, he might just decide to switch sides. If said officer is a true believer in the principles that enslave him and every bit as loyal as he is ambitious, that’s tantamount to breaking a universal law of physics, but Colonel Sebastian MacMaine has what it takes to meet the challenge.
My Review
This sci fi story is set far in the future during a time when the human empire is at war with an alien race, fighting to avoid enslavement, and losing.
Enter our hero, a talented military officer who is talented enough to see the problem, but trapped in a society that doesn't want to hear.
Like all good sci fi, we have space battles, alien races interstella travel and a talented protagonist. So its got elements of what I really like. Also like good sci fi it has a couple of twists to keep things interesting.
It's also got a message. I didn't really like that too much. In one place the author rattles on about the nightmare of a universal society based on equality. This small section actually brought me out of the listening experience. But it's not too long and soon behind you.
The reading is good Lee Elliot does a sterling job with what I think is her first foray into a Sci Fi reading.
To sum up, not the best story, but better than some.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Find it at Librivox
Listen to the first chapter.
.
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