The Official Blurb
The sequel to Plague Ship, Voodoo Planet finds the Solar Queen banned from trade and starting her supposed quiet two-year stint as an interstellar mail carrier. But instead her crew accepts a visit to the safari planet of Khatka, where they find themselves caught in a battle between the forces of reason and the powers of Khatka’s mind-controlling wizard.
My Review
For start you cant go wrong listening to this story if you like classic Sci Fi. Nortons's stories are always fun and action driven, and of course once again we have the fabulous Mark Nelson doing the reading. Mark favours us with a lot of Sci Fi readings and they are always excellent.
There's not a lot more I can add to the official blurb storywise except to say it was fun and enjoyable story with science vs magic. Excellent stuff.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Download it Librivox
List to the first chapter
Saturday, 29 November 2008
Thursday, 27 November 2008
The Loss of the S.S. Titanic
The Official Blurb
This is a 1st hand account written by a survivor of the Titanic about that fateful night and the events leading up to it as well as the events that followed its sinking.
My Review
What have here is the carefully written account of a survivor who approaches his subject with clarity and without the expected amount of passion. He relates stories of his aquaintances onboard before the accident and often remarks on how sad it is that the person just described did not survive.
After relating his own escape he details the events that took place on the Carpathia and on reaching land. Quite dispassionately almost as if he was simply observing rather than being a participant.
Then he goes on to relate the state of safety in ship building and what could and should be done to make ships safer for the passengers and even offers some suggestions on general maritime safety at sea.
I found the story engaging but the suggestions for ship safety and maritime operating procedures a little dull. I was deeply interested to hear the story of an actual survivor and once the immediate survival story was over I found my interest wavering.
I would reccommend that any "fan" of the Titanic (fan?) take a listen to this book. It is extremely well read and my lack of personal interest at the end is no reflection on the reader. It's free, so you have nothing to lose by my taking a listen!
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 1/3
Total Score 5/9
Download it Librivox
List to the first chapter
This is a 1st hand account written by a survivor of the Titanic about that fateful night and the events leading up to it as well as the events that followed its sinking.
My Review
What have here is the carefully written account of a survivor who approaches his subject with clarity and without the expected amount of passion. He relates stories of his aquaintances onboard before the accident and often remarks on how sad it is that the person just described did not survive.
After relating his own escape he details the events that took place on the Carpathia and on reaching land. Quite dispassionately almost as if he was simply observing rather than being a participant.
Then he goes on to relate the state of safety in ship building and what could and should be done to make ships safer for the passengers and even offers some suggestions on general maritime safety at sea.
I found the story engaging but the suggestions for ship safety and maritime operating procedures a little dull. I was deeply interested to hear the story of an actual survivor and once the immediate survival story was over I found my interest wavering.
I would reccommend that any "fan" of the Titanic (fan?) take a listen to this book. It is extremely well read and my lack of personal interest at the end is no reflection on the reader. It's free, so you have nothing to lose by my taking a listen!
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 1/3
Total Score 5/9
Download it Librivox
List to the first chapter
Wednesday, 26 November 2008
Reminiscences of Captain Gronow
The Official Blurb
A collection of memoirs about the Peninsular War, the Battle of Waterloo, and society and personalities of Regency London and 19th century Paris, by a sometime Grenadier Guards officer, unsuccessful parliamentarian, and dandy. Gronow displays social attitudes of the day which would now be regarded as unacceptable, but is a clever raconteur who brings to life both the horrors of war and the gaiety of high society.
My Review
My ongoing interest in wargaming has for many years spurred my interest in all things of the Napoleonic period, and so this audio book came to my attention because it included the eye-attracting words "Waterloo" and "Penninsular".
There is not a single story running through this narrative, it is rather an series of anecdotes, genuine reminiscences of the life and times. These are not limited to war time memories but also capture events and people before and after the war. We hear of the socialites, the gambling houses, young men ruined, brave mean dueling, and the ridiculous lengths a man in love will put himself through!
We also have the war memories interleaved with other the other stories.
I was gluded to this audio book. The insight into another time totally absorbed me and the stories were thought provoking, humerous and interesting by turns.
Add to this the fact that the reader is of outstanding quality. I kept thinking that I was listening to a BBC history broadcast!
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 7/9
Get it from Librivox
Get the first chapter.
A collection of memoirs about the Peninsular War, the Battle of Waterloo, and society and personalities of Regency London and 19th century Paris, by a sometime Grenadier Guards officer, unsuccessful parliamentarian, and dandy. Gronow displays social attitudes of the day which would now be regarded as unacceptable, but is a clever raconteur who brings to life both the horrors of war and the gaiety of high society.
My Review
My ongoing interest in wargaming has for many years spurred my interest in all things of the Napoleonic period, and so this audio book came to my attention because it included the eye-attracting words "Waterloo" and "Penninsular".
There is not a single story running through this narrative, it is rather an series of anecdotes, genuine reminiscences of the life and times. These are not limited to war time memories but also capture events and people before and after the war. We hear of the socialites, the gambling houses, young men ruined, brave mean dueling, and the ridiculous lengths a man in love will put himself through!
We also have the war memories interleaved with other the other stories.
I was gluded to this audio book. The insight into another time totally absorbed me and the stories were thought provoking, humerous and interesting by turns.
Add to this the fact that the reader is of outstanding quality. I kept thinking that I was listening to a BBC history broadcast!
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 7/9
Get it from Librivox
Get the first chapter.
Tuesday, 18 November 2008
Fast in the Ice
The Official Blurb
At the age of 16 Ballantyne went to Canada and was six years in the service of the Hudson’s Bay Company. His rule in writing, being in every case, was to write as far as possible from personal knowledge of the scenes he described.
In this book he details the lives of the crew as they must overwinter in the frozen north including their meetings with Eskimos and bears and their struggles with disease. This is a realistic account of what life was like for the explorers of the Arctic.
My Review
A while back I was blown away by Shackletons account of his exploits at the pole, and that lingering awe is what drew me to this story. We have the recorded account of a captain and his crew as they become locked in by the ice. It's a very interesting read/listen you get to hear about the practicalities of the physical environment the men build and the social and mental stresses they go through just trying to survive.
We also hear about their escapades with Bears and the occasional interaction with the indiginous people. The story as told is mildly engaging and kept me hooked right to the end.
As a bonus the reader is excellent and delivers the reading in a delightful bouncy tone that brings the text alive.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Get it from Librivox
Get the first chapter.
At the age of 16 Ballantyne went to Canada and was six years in the service of the Hudson’s Bay Company. His rule in writing, being in every case, was to write as far as possible from personal knowledge of the scenes he described.
In this book he details the lives of the crew as they must overwinter in the frozen north including their meetings with Eskimos and bears and their struggles with disease. This is a realistic account of what life was like for the explorers of the Arctic.
My Review
A while back I was blown away by Shackletons account of his exploits at the pole, and that lingering awe is what drew me to this story. We have the recorded account of a captain and his crew as they become locked in by the ice. It's a very interesting read/listen you get to hear about the practicalities of the physical environment the men build and the social and mental stresses they go through just trying to survive.
We also hear about their escapades with Bears and the occasional interaction with the indiginous people. The story as told is mildly engaging and kept me hooked right to the end.
As a bonus the reader is excellent and delivers the reading in a delightful bouncy tone that brings the text alive.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Get it from Librivox
Get the first chapter.
Friday, 7 November 2008
Around the World in 72 Days
The Official Blurb
This is a true account by American woman journalist who, in 1889, set out to see whether she could beat the fictional journey in Jules Verne’s 1873 novel, Around the World in Eighty Days. Wearing one dress and carrying one handbag, Elizabeth Cochrane Seaman (pen name “Nellie Bly”), reported her travels back to avid readers in America.
My Review
This is the second Nellie Bly story/journalistic novel I've listened to and I must admit to be being just as delighted with this one as the last.
The story itself is very journalistic and of its day, that is, rather than hearing about all of the trials and tribulations we rather get to hear about Nellie's impressions of the exotic things she sees and finds and the feminine focus thereon. In a modern equivalent we would hear about the stuggle at immigration, the danger from rebels and what have you.
So the tone of this narrative is very bouyant and upbeat but does lack a little in "grit". It also has a bit of a mystery! Who was the other woman doing the round the world trip?
All in all a good listen, as the narrator/reader pitches just the right reading for this upbeat work.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 7/9
Get it from Librivox
Get the first chapter.
This is a true account by American woman journalist who, in 1889, set out to see whether she could beat the fictional journey in Jules Verne’s 1873 novel, Around the World in Eighty Days. Wearing one dress and carrying one handbag, Elizabeth Cochrane Seaman (pen name “Nellie Bly”), reported her travels back to avid readers in America.
My Review
This is the second Nellie Bly story/journalistic novel I've listened to and I must admit to be being just as delighted with this one as the last.
The story itself is very journalistic and of its day, that is, rather than hearing about all of the trials and tribulations we rather get to hear about Nellie's impressions of the exotic things she sees and finds and the feminine focus thereon. In a modern equivalent we would hear about the stuggle at immigration, the danger from rebels and what have you.
So the tone of this narrative is very bouyant and upbeat but does lack a little in "grit". It also has a bit of a mystery! Who was the other woman doing the round the world trip?
All in all a good listen, as the narrator/reader pitches just the right reading for this upbeat work.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 7/9
Get it from Librivox
Get the first chapter.
Thursday, 30 October 2008
Half Share
The Official Blurb
A Trader's Tale from the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper : Book 2
After Ishmael Wang is promoted to the environmental section, he's caught in a swirl of mystery, doubt, belief, lust and a really nice fitting pair of jeans. He has to come to grips with what it means to be a spacer while he's still trying to figure out what it means to be a man. Join Ishmael, Brillo, Pip, and the rest of the crew of the Lois McKendrick as they help the newest member of the crew adjust to life in the Deep Dark.Half Share is the sequel to Quarter Share. Note: Some scenes in Half Share involve adult themes, nudity, sex and references to religions not based on Judeo-Christian traditions. Read at your own risk.
My Review
I was really digging the prequel to this book "Quarter Share". When I reviewed it I said that I really enjoyed it and I was going straight on to listen to this sequel.
I do not feel the same way about this audio book. It started really well in the same vein but then it just got smutty. I ended up skipping past three chapters because the author just brought in something totally out of step with the rest what the first book set us up for.
Although it's true that some trading took place in this book and that we had new charaters to expand our interest it devolved into smut.
I'm now undecided about listening to the next in the series. I dont like skipping chapters, I dont want to do that again.
As with the first book in the series the producton and reading are excellent a real nice listen ( when I dont have to skip chapters).
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 1/3
Total Score 6/9
Get it from Podiobooks
Get the first chapter.
A Trader's Tale from the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper : Book 2
After Ishmael Wang is promoted to the environmental section, he's caught in a swirl of mystery, doubt, belief, lust and a really nice fitting pair of jeans. He has to come to grips with what it means to be a spacer while he's still trying to figure out what it means to be a man. Join Ishmael, Brillo, Pip, and the rest of the crew of the Lois McKendrick as they help the newest member of the crew adjust to life in the Deep Dark.Half Share is the sequel to Quarter Share. Note: Some scenes in Half Share involve adult themes, nudity, sex and references to religions not based on Judeo-Christian traditions. Read at your own risk.
My Review
I was really digging the prequel to this book "Quarter Share". When I reviewed it I said that I really enjoyed it and I was going straight on to listen to this sequel.
I do not feel the same way about this audio book. It started really well in the same vein but then it just got smutty. I ended up skipping past three chapters because the author just brought in something totally out of step with the rest what the first book set us up for.
Although it's true that some trading took place in this book and that we had new charaters to expand our interest it devolved into smut.
I'm now undecided about listening to the next in the series. I dont like skipping chapters, I dont want to do that again.
As with the first book in the series the producton and reading are excellent a real nice listen ( when I dont have to skip chapters).
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 1/3
Total Score 6/9
Get it from Podiobooks
Get the first chapter.
Friday, 24 October 2008
The Sleeper Awakes
The Official Blurb
The Sleeper Awakes is a dystopian novel about a man who sleeps for two hundred years, waking up in a completely transformed London, where, because of compound interest, he has become the richest man in the world. He has been the famous Sleeper for centuries. A fanatic socialist, the main character awakes to see his nightmares realized, and the future revealed to him in all its horrors and malformities. The people adore him, and their masters - the supervisors of his legacy who rule in his name - do not want him breathing.
My Review
H.G. Wells has written an outstanding story here. Of course it is of its own time and the idea that compound interest could lead to ruling the world is clearly daft. But, perhaps when he was writing this story, governments were more honourable and wouldn't just freeze peoples accounts at the drop of a hat ( sorry Iceland ).
The sleeper wakes in world so changed that he barely understands what is happening and finds himself being manipulated and used. Through the lies and deceit he struggles against the things that surround him, and he finds himself. With battles on and under the ground and even fights taking place in the air we do have a good deal of action.
This is classic period sci fi, written by the master and well read to boot. There tended to be hum on this recording but this is easily overlooked and put from your mind.
Reading 2/3
Production 1/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 5/9
Get it from Librivox
Get the first chapter.
The Sleeper Awakes is a dystopian novel about a man who sleeps for two hundred years, waking up in a completely transformed London, where, because of compound interest, he has become the richest man in the world. He has been the famous Sleeper for centuries. A fanatic socialist, the main character awakes to see his nightmares realized, and the future revealed to him in all its horrors and malformities. The people adore him, and their masters - the supervisors of his legacy who rule in his name - do not want him breathing.
My Review
H.G. Wells has written an outstanding story here. Of course it is of its own time and the idea that compound interest could lead to ruling the world is clearly daft. But, perhaps when he was writing this story, governments were more honourable and wouldn't just freeze peoples accounts at the drop of a hat ( sorry Iceland ).
The sleeper wakes in world so changed that he barely understands what is happening and finds himself being manipulated and used. Through the lies and deceit he struggles against the things that surround him, and he finds himself. With battles on and under the ground and even fights taking place in the air we do have a good deal of action.
This is classic period sci fi, written by the master and well read to boot. There tended to be hum on this recording but this is easily overlooked and put from your mind.
Reading 2/3
Production 1/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 5/9
Get it from Librivox
Get the first chapter.
Sunday, 19 October 2008
Tom Swift and His War Tank
The Official Blurb
Tom Swift, that prolific youthful inventor, is engaged in trying to help the Allies win WWI. After reading newspaper accounts of the British tanks, Tom takes a sheet of paper and sets out to design a better one from scratch. And fortunately, he can throw the whole family business behind his venture.
He has two problems: First, his friends and acquaintances are questioning his patriotism because he hasn’t enlisted as a rifleman for the front lines. Even his girl is worried his blood isn’t true-blue. But that’s because he is developing his tank in secret, and they don’t know he’s concentrating on winning the war the American way, with machines.
The second problem is that the German spies have penetrated the secret of what is being built in the high-security shop on the Swift property. And they will stop at nothing to steal its design - not kidnapping Tom, and not kidnapping the tank itself, complete with crew.
Tom and his buddies had better work fast, or the American riflemen are going to find the Kaiser’s soldiers using American-designed tanks against them!
My Review
This is a "ripping yarn" type story. The lead character is an inventer with outlandish design and production skills. In this case the story revolves around the building of a Tank for use against the Germans during WWII.
The bad guys are German spys the hero's are all clean cut american boys. There is never any doubt about who is who and you always know that the heros are going to be okay in the end.
The adventure rolls on in the "ripping yarn" style and you dont have a chance to get bored.
The reader is excellent "Mark F Smith" is a Librivox regular and does voices that are always delighful and full of character. Sadly the recording is a little marred by a quiet whine throughout. This whine does not change so it is easily "tuned out" when listening.
All in all a good listen
Reading 3/3
Production 1/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Get it from Librivox
Get the first chapter.
Here is the first chapter.
Tom Swift, that prolific youthful inventor, is engaged in trying to help the Allies win WWI. After reading newspaper accounts of the British tanks, Tom takes a sheet of paper and sets out to design a better one from scratch. And fortunately, he can throw the whole family business behind his venture.
He has two problems: First, his friends and acquaintances are questioning his patriotism because he hasn’t enlisted as a rifleman for the front lines. Even his girl is worried his blood isn’t true-blue. But that’s because he is developing his tank in secret, and they don’t know he’s concentrating on winning the war the American way, with machines.
The second problem is that the German spies have penetrated the secret of what is being built in the high-security shop on the Swift property. And they will stop at nothing to steal its design - not kidnapping Tom, and not kidnapping the tank itself, complete with crew.
Tom and his buddies had better work fast, or the American riflemen are going to find the Kaiser’s soldiers using American-designed tanks against them!
My Review
This is a "ripping yarn" type story. The lead character is an inventer with outlandish design and production skills. In this case the story revolves around the building of a Tank for use against the Germans during WWII.
The bad guys are German spys the hero's are all clean cut american boys. There is never any doubt about who is who and you always know that the heros are going to be okay in the end.
The adventure rolls on in the "ripping yarn" style and you dont have a chance to get bored.
The reader is excellent "Mark F Smith" is a Librivox regular and does voices that are always delighful and full of character. Sadly the recording is a little marred by a quiet whine throughout. This whine does not change so it is easily "tuned out" when listening.
All in all a good listen
Reading 3/3
Production 1/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Get it from Librivox
Get the first chapter.
Here is the first chapter.
Wednesday, 8 October 2008
Detailed Minutiae of Soldier Life in the Army of Northern Virginia, 1861-1865
The Official Blurb
The author, who fought as a private in the Army of Northern Virginia during the Civil War, describes the Confederate soldier’s daily struggles with hunger, illness, fear, and the perils of combat; as well as his pride of service, love of comrades, and courage in the face of overwhelming odds.
My Review
This is not a work of fiction, it is the memoirs of an artilleryman turned infantry of the time he spent in the forces during the American Civil War. He relates how the soldiers gallantly joined up, how being a soldier as opposed to be an officer was seen as having more merit and honur! He then tells us how the southern volunteers learned through hard experience in the required footware and what really needed to be carried by a foot soldier.
We hear a lot of the little details of day to day life of the soldier and how this particular soldier fared while outpacing the supplies. You'll learn something when you listen.
I'm a wargamer in some of my spare hours ( that means I play with toy soldiers ) and I've read a lot of ACW books, but even my well read mind picked up on some interesting facts and thoughts from this memoir.
The reader of this book is very good and I had some chuckles when some of the swear words were bleeped!
Basicly, it's good historical content, well read and an easy listen.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 1/3 ( Low story rating, because it's a memoir! )
Total Score 5/9
Get it from Librivox
Here is the first chapter.
The author, who fought as a private in the Army of Northern Virginia during the Civil War, describes the Confederate soldier’s daily struggles with hunger, illness, fear, and the perils of combat; as well as his pride of service, love of comrades, and courage in the face of overwhelming odds.
My Review
This is not a work of fiction, it is the memoirs of an artilleryman turned infantry of the time he spent in the forces during the American Civil War. He relates how the soldiers gallantly joined up, how being a soldier as opposed to be an officer was seen as having more merit and honur! He then tells us how the southern volunteers learned through hard experience in the required footware and what really needed to be carried by a foot soldier.
We hear a lot of the little details of day to day life of the soldier and how this particular soldier fared while outpacing the supplies. You'll learn something when you listen.
I'm a wargamer in some of my spare hours ( that means I play with toy soldiers ) and I've read a lot of ACW books, but even my well read mind picked up on some interesting facts and thoughts from this memoir.
The reader of this book is very good and I had some chuckles when some of the swear words were bleeped!
Basicly, it's good historical content, well read and an easy listen.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 1/3 ( Low story rating, because it's a memoir! )
Total Score 5/9
Get it from Librivox
Here is the first chapter.
Friday, 3 October 2008
Red Badge of Courage
The official Blurb
This is a short novel published in 1895 and based vaguely on the battle of Chancellorsville of the American Civil War. Unlike other works on the subject, Crane’s novel does not concentrate on the big picture or the glory of war but on the psychology of one of its soldiers.
My Review
This is a classic story set during the American Civil War. It follows a young man as he joins up and moves up towards the battle. It really does justice to the pre-war nerves that young men have always felt before combat.
As the story moves forward we follow the man as he moves through fear and running away up to the point where he finds his own courage and learns to live with it.
The recording is from librivox and is read by a number of differn't people. This can sometimes be problematic when there are multiple people reading the lines of different characters. In this case it actually works very well as the story is predominently a narration and so the different voices work well to actually keep the interest up for the ear.
So we have a good story set in interesting times. Well written and well read. Although it's a war story it's not really about the war or the fighting, it's about the people and their feelings.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Get it from Librivox
Here is the first chapter.
This is a short novel published in 1895 and based vaguely on the battle of Chancellorsville of the American Civil War. Unlike other works on the subject, Crane’s novel does not concentrate on the big picture or the glory of war but on the psychology of one of its soldiers.
My Review
This is a classic story set during the American Civil War. It follows a young man as he joins up and moves up towards the battle. It really does justice to the pre-war nerves that young men have always felt before combat.
As the story moves forward we follow the man as he moves through fear and running away up to the point where he finds his own courage and learns to live with it.
The recording is from librivox and is read by a number of differn't people. This can sometimes be problematic when there are multiple people reading the lines of different characters. In this case it actually works very well as the story is predominently a narration and so the different voices work well to actually keep the interest up for the ear.
So we have a good story set in interesting times. Well written and well read. Although it's a war story it's not really about the war or the fighting, it's about the people and their feelings.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Get it from Librivox
Here is the first chapter.
Sunday, 28 September 2008
How I found Livingstone
The Official Blurb
Sir Henry Morton Stanley is famously quoted for saying “Dr Livingstone, i Presume?”. Born in Wales, he migrated over to the United States at the age of 18, he eventually became an overseas correspondent for the New York Herald. In 1869 Stanley was told by James Gordon Bennett Jr to find Livingstone, a scottish missionary and explorer. When Stanley commented on the cost Bennett’s reply was: “Well, I will tell you what you will do. Draw a thousand pounds now; and when you have gone through that, draw another thousand, and when that is spent, draw another thousand, and when you have finished that, draw another thousand, and so on; but, FIND LIVINGSTONE.” How I Found Livingstone is Stanley’s personnel account of his trip from Zanzibar to Lake Tanganyika on this quest, including time spent exploring the area with Livingstone.
My Review
Here we have not a work of fiction but the actual account by Stanley of his journey to find Livingstone, and yes it does include THE famous line. We get to hear about the trials and tribulations of the journey across africa. The swamps, the jungles, the river crossing and even the wars Stanley had to get himself involved in just to reach Livingstone.
After the adventerous journey the book also relates the happenings of the time they spent together and finally the trip back to the coast.
This is not a novel and does not contain action at every turn, it is a serious retelling of the actual events as they took place.
I'm a sucker for this old world expedition stuff, such as Roosevelts trek down the River of Doubt and the various Pole journeys so I loved every minute. I found myself facinated in the details of such journeys such as how much bully beef they needed to carry, how many men they needed to carry it and what gun works best under various conditions.
My wife on the other hand hates this kind of stuff, so you'll have to take my review with the understanding that I love that kind of thing.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Get it from Librivox
Here is the first chapter.
Sir Henry Morton Stanley is famously quoted for saying “Dr Livingstone, i Presume?”. Born in Wales, he migrated over to the United States at the age of 18, he eventually became an overseas correspondent for the New York Herald. In 1869 Stanley was told by James Gordon Bennett Jr to find Livingstone, a scottish missionary and explorer. When Stanley commented on the cost Bennett’s reply was: “Well, I will tell you what you will do. Draw a thousand pounds now; and when you have gone through that, draw another thousand, and when that is spent, draw another thousand, and when you have finished that, draw another thousand, and so on; but, FIND LIVINGSTONE.” How I Found Livingstone is Stanley’s personnel account of his trip from Zanzibar to Lake Tanganyika on this quest, including time spent exploring the area with Livingstone.
My Review
Here we have not a work of fiction but the actual account by Stanley of his journey to find Livingstone, and yes it does include THE famous line. We get to hear about the trials and tribulations of the journey across africa. The swamps, the jungles, the river crossing and even the wars Stanley had to get himself involved in just to reach Livingstone.
After the adventerous journey the book also relates the happenings of the time they spent together and finally the trip back to the coast.
This is not a novel and does not contain action at every turn, it is a serious retelling of the actual events as they took place.
I'm a sucker for this old world expedition stuff, such as Roosevelts trek down the River of Doubt and the various Pole journeys so I loved every minute. I found myself facinated in the details of such journeys such as how much bully beef they needed to carry, how many men they needed to carry it and what gun works best under various conditions.
My wife on the other hand hates this kind of stuff, so you'll have to take my review with the understanding that I love that kind of thing.
Reading 2/3
Production 2/3
Story 2/3
Total Score 6/9
Get it from Librivox
Here is the first chapter.
Friday, 26 September 2008
Karl's Last Flight
The Official Blurb
Karl Alexander had been an adrenaline junky for twenty five years. Whether flying Harriers in the Marines, piloting the shuttle for NASA, or as the chief astronaut for StrataCorp Space Flight his happiness was only found when he hit five Gs. But when a series of minor mishaps sends his ship crashing into the desert of an unknown country, Karl finds a new kind of adrenaline rush as he is swept into a raging torrent of the world at the edge of war. Spies, insurgents, secret police, and an infamous Saudi millionaire terrorist all threaten to make his next flight, his last.
My Review
This is an exciting thrilling modern ( or very close future ) adventure. The author has cleverly run two stories into one. One story follows the lead character as a young man while the other story follows the same man many years later. So we have two slightly (very slightly) linked stories running at the same time with the switch between them taking place every chapter.
It's very well written, and very well read. High action, high adventure with never a break in the steamroller of a plot. We have space ships, fighter planes, terrorists, jungles and spys, what more could anyone really want.
Simply put this is well worth a listen.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 8/9
Get it from Podiobooks.
Here is the first chapter.
Karl Alexander had been an adrenaline junky for twenty five years. Whether flying Harriers in the Marines, piloting the shuttle for NASA, or as the chief astronaut for StrataCorp Space Flight his happiness was only found when he hit five Gs. But when a series of minor mishaps sends his ship crashing into the desert of an unknown country, Karl finds a new kind of adrenaline rush as he is swept into a raging torrent of the world at the edge of war. Spies, insurgents, secret police, and an infamous Saudi millionaire terrorist all threaten to make his next flight, his last.
My Review
This is an exciting thrilling modern ( or very close future ) adventure. The author has cleverly run two stories into one. One story follows the lead character as a young man while the other story follows the same man many years later. So we have two slightly (very slightly) linked stories running at the same time with the switch between them taking place every chapter.
It's very well written, and very well read. High action, high adventure with never a break in the steamroller of a plot. We have space ships, fighter planes, terrorists, jungles and spys, what more could anyone really want.
Simply put this is well worth a listen.
Reading 3/3
Production 2/3
Story 3/3
Total Score 8/9
Get it from Podiobooks.
Here is the first chapter.
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