The Blurb
Jonathan Andrews, Initiate in the Seekers of the Arcane Unknown, joined the society two years ago with the hopes of protecting the secrets of magic from the greedy world beyond. However, a ravening shadow appears with a hunger for Seekers and Jonathan finds himself out of his depth. When Jonathan's friend is attacked and the young initiate is assailed with apocalyptic visions of the future, he must find a way to uncover the past and stop the beast before it tears his group, and the world, asunder. It's a ripping tale of magic, adventure and gunfights!
My Review
I found this book at Podiobooks when by chance I decided to take a look at the "Steampunk" category, it was the only book listed, so I decided to give it a go. As it turns out I'm not sure it qualifies as what I'd call steampunk, but it does qualify as a darn good book!
So what's under the covers? Well it's set in the our world , modern day, but with magic under the covers, known about by only be a select few. The protagonist is a new member of this group, an "Initiate". The book opens with the initiate on a mission to retrieve a magical relic from the hands of organised crime. Bullets, swords, magical blasts and car chases follow in rapid succession, a rip roaring start.
At this point I thought we'd be following this little crew on a new important mission or something along those lines. No. Instead we find a magical villain set on destroying the world and quite capable of actually doing it. The "Seekers", pitched as the good guys, turn out to not be all they promised.
I'm afraid to give too much away as I'll spoil the plot, but let me just say, magic, guns, swords, prophecy, robots, monsters and doomsday weapons. Wet your appetite?
Reading 2/3
Production 3/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 8/9
Download it from the Podiobooks
Listen to the first part
Saturday, 28 May 2011
Friday, 13 May 2011
Skylark Three by E.E. Smith
Official Blurb
This is a sequel to The Skylark of Space. The novel concerns Richard Seaton and his allies who have encounters with aliens while fighting DuQuesne and the Fenachrone.
My Review
This is a classic Sci Fi story from a classic author. It contains super science, space battles, aliens everything I like. Except I didn't like it.
Why? I think it went on a bit. Some chapters felt like they were inserted just to fill out space rather then advance the plot! There was quite a bit of blathering on about learning new science and going for a swim being necessary when working. What?!
Other than these down bits the action was rather good when it got going. Slicing ships up, smashing them with torpedoes, traveling faster than light into combat and even a ticking time bomb of dread - when will the bad guys arrive.
Yet in the end I was glad when it ended.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 1/3
Total Score 5/9
Download it from the Librivox
Listen to the first part
.
This is a sequel to The Skylark of Space. The novel concerns Richard Seaton and his allies who have encounters with aliens while fighting DuQuesne and the Fenachrone.
My Review
This is a classic Sci Fi story from a classic author. It contains super science, space battles, aliens everything I like. Except I didn't like it.
Why? I think it went on a bit. Some chapters felt like they were inserted just to fill out space rather then advance the plot! There was quite a bit of blathering on about learning new science and going for a swim being necessary when working. What?!
Other than these down bits the action was rather good when it got going. Slicing ships up, smashing them with torpedoes, traveling faster than light into combat and even a ticking time bomb of dread - when will the bad guys arrive.
Yet in the end I was glad when it ended.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 1/3
Total Score 5/9
Download it from the Librivox
Listen to the first part
.
Sunday, 1 May 2011
The Dambusters
Official Blurb
Taylor played pilot David Shannon in this dramatization of Paul Brickhill's best-selling novel about World War II. The documentary series focused on the 617 Dambusting Squadron and is full of air force adventure. There were 26 half-hour episodes, and the cast also featured Charles "Bud" Tingwell
Operation Chastise was an attack on German dams carried out on 16/17 May 1943 by Royal Air Force No. 617 Squadron, subsequently known as the "Dambusters", using a specially developed "bouncing bomb" invented and developed by Barnes Wallis. The MÃhne and Edersee Dams were breached, causing catastrophic flooding of the Ruhr valley and of villages in the Eder valley, while the Sorpe dam sustained only minor damage.All 26 episodes in excellent condition.
My Review
As you may have gathered from the blurb this review is not an audio book in the usual manner. It is in fact an old radio dramatisation of a book. I'm sure you've heard of the Dam Busters and the bouncing bomb designed by Barnes Wallace, this serial is not about that! It does include the bomb and the raids but that's done and dusted by episode 7 of this 26 episode series.
This drama follows the famous 617 squadron from its creation through to the end of the war. They did much more than the Dam raids, much more. After the Dam raids 617 was designated as a specialist unit. They were trained for pin point accuracy with other special bombs designed by Barnes Wallace. These included the "Tall Boy" and 10 ton monster bomb called the Grand Slam.
The most amazing trick they pulled off was being a deliberately mistaken for an allied invasion flotilla!
This old time radio drama is not cursed with too much hiss and crackle and is a real gem for drama fans.
Reading 2/3
Production 3/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 8/9
Download it from the Internet Archive
Listen to the first part
Taylor played pilot David Shannon in this dramatization of Paul Brickhill's best-selling novel about World War II. The documentary series focused on the 617 Dambusting Squadron and is full of air force adventure. There were 26 half-hour episodes, and the cast also featured Charles "Bud" Tingwell
Operation Chastise was an attack on German dams carried out on 16/17 May 1943 by Royal Air Force No. 617 Squadron, subsequently known as the "Dambusters", using a specially developed "bouncing bomb" invented and developed by Barnes Wallis. The MÃhne and Edersee Dams were breached, causing catastrophic flooding of the Ruhr valley and of villages in the Eder valley, while the Sorpe dam sustained only minor damage.All 26 episodes in excellent condition.
My Review
As you may have gathered from the blurb this review is not an audio book in the usual manner. It is in fact an old radio dramatisation of a book. I'm sure you've heard of the Dam Busters and the bouncing bomb designed by Barnes Wallace, this serial is not about that! It does include the bomb and the raids but that's done and dusted by episode 7 of this 26 episode series.
This drama follows the famous 617 squadron from its creation through to the end of the war. They did much more than the Dam raids, much more. After the Dam raids 617 was designated as a specialist unit. They were trained for pin point accuracy with other special bombs designed by Barnes Wallace. These included the "Tall Boy" and 10 ton monster bomb called the Grand Slam.
The most amazing trick they pulled off was being a deliberately mistaken for an allied invasion flotilla!
This old time radio drama is not cursed with too much hiss and crackle and is a real gem for drama fans.
Reading 2/3
Production 3/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 8/9
Download it from the Internet Archive
Listen to the first part
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