withherownwings

Interesting magic system, good mature MC

Revisado: 12-31-24

Unusual premise, good solid magic system, non-whiny MC and not too much romance. Very good urban fantasy that is not just a romance in disguise.

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Light quirky sci fi Firefly esque

Revisado: 07-20-24

Outcasts crew on an old ship. Captain almost got kicked out of the academy, pilot is a brilliant but cocky wildcard, engineer can make anything out of junk parts… we all know the trope but it’s lots of fun.

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Great start to a great unique series

Revisado: 05-24-24

Clever Scalzi has another thought-provoking twist on reality with the concept of "what if murder doesn't stick"? Immaculately narrated by zachary Quinto. Get all three books now.

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Utterly charming old school New York story

Revisado: 04-04-24 El oyente recibió este título gratis

Charming, funny, almost timeless story. A classic New York story in the depiction of a doorman in a fancy NY apartment building surrounded by the have and have-nots of society, as told by a good-hearted young man looking for his place in life after the passing of his father. It’s written in a slightly naive and whitewashed style, like PG Wodehouse or It’s A Beautiful Life, which makes it feel like the 1950s despite a few current pop culture mentions. Sweet, funny, sometimes farcical - a feel good listen!

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Good as Philippa Gregory!

Revisado: 06-26-23

Wonderful narrator and engaging story. Woman-focused historical fiction. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will listen again.

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wishy washy storyline distracts

Revisado: 07-01-20

Full of "exactly the way you like it" , "the kind you prefer" etc
If I'm listening to a guided meditation based on imagery and sensory experiences, I don't want a boat "as open or as cozy as you like." I don't need a meditation to cater to my boat and party preferences. Set the scene.

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satisfyingly refined and rich High Fantasy

Revisado: 02-26-20

I haven't read any of these books, but sought them out after watching the excellent The Witcher original Netflix series. The reviews of the entire series note that this is not an action-packed superhero kind of tale, but a long build that focuses on character building and observation on the truth of humanity. This book of prequel short stories to the series is almost exactly what is covered in the Netflix series Season 1, with only slight differences. It has the same rich and somewhat heavy feel. Perhaps imagining the beauty of the series helped keep me interested in the story despite the slower pace. This is rich high fantasy storytelling. There are some jokes and a ribald bard, but it's also a lot of politics and prejudice in the typical feudal system of peasants, merchants, lords, and kings.

If Game of Thrones is too bloody and unprincipled, the Witcher might be more your style. Peter Kenny performs a perfect narration as somber Geralt tries to choose his own Moral Guide in a world that seems very base.

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30+ hrs of Southern Gothic Horror as good as King!

Revisado: 02-26-20 El oyente recibió este título gratis

I loved The Elementals by this same author, so when I saw the offer of a free Audible Code to review this collection of stories as one big audiobook, I eagerly accepted. I was not disappointed. Like The ghosts and sand of The Elementals, Blackwater is part sweeping family drama, enjoyable historical fiction, racial tension of the times, and some seriously eerie happenings that you can't see when you look at them directly, but you just seem to glimpse them in shadows and disappearing through doorways. McDowell does an incredible job of making very disctinct and well-fleshed out characters in generational families - reminding me of Tennessee Williams with his Southern dysfunctional families. In Blackwater, we trace more than fifty years in the lives of the powerful Caskey family of Perdido, Alabama, a lumber-baron family that is mostly run by women (overtly or covertly) who come to great prosperity but a lot of melancholy. They are still mostly likeable. McDowell was very inclusive in his cast of characters - white, black, manly men and fey bachelors, daddy's girls and mother's sons, shrewd women and shrill women, and even lesbians. We begin the book in the 1910's as a flood overtakes the town, and a new power is unleashed that will change the town and family forever.

This is Southern Gothic subtle horror at its best. McDowell world-builds and character-builds with the finesse of Stephen King, and his ability to forbode and then surprise-shock the reader even though the tension has been building for a long time is masterful.

Excellent narration by Matt Godfrey pulls you in and doesn't let you go. Other than the somewhat grating voice of James, I thought he did an great job with a book full of female and Southern female voices. I was very surprised that it was read by a male narrator. 4.5 stars - rounding to 5 since we don't get half stars.

I got a credit to post an honest review about the audiobook from the publisher.

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the dystopia to settle into

Revisado: 01-21-20

I'm shocked that this is a first novel. It's another of the "plague wipes out most of the human population and a ragtag group of stragglers work to survive and build a new community" books, but this one is well done. It's not a cheap thriller, though the realities of such a world would be filled with horrific instances of hunger, violence, rape, and even cannabilism and those dangers are all given fair attention. Billy Todd is a sort of autistic man, whose parents raised him methodically to help him cope with his mental health issues. He's also highly intelligent and has a strong moral character. he works well as the leader of the group. The book is well researched and it was very interesting to see how the community grows and solves the problems for its needs. It was good to see ex-military characters that are not just ruthless killers. The Native American character was one of my favorites because of his wisdom and thoughtfulness, but I could have done without the Injun jokes. All the characters are fleshed out and realistic. The dialogue is very natural and characters have good growth arcs, flaws, and distinct points of view. That's a lot to juggle in a book with so many characters! The location of the book in a rural area pretty far away from population centers makes it fairly easy for the group to survive, thrive, and stay pretty safe. They get a little too lucky with finding group members that know so many necessary skills, but I'll let that pass. Very enjoyable read!

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underdog fights to be a full time comic

Revisado: 01-21-20

Funny nerdy comic telling embarrassing tales about his misfit childhood, and his move from a small New Hampshire town to New York, working in restaurants and as a production aide in TV to survive while pursuing his dreams of becoming a comedian at open mic nights and comedy venues. The stories are pretty heartwarming and self-deprecating. You can tell that Wade has made many a Moth Storytelling appearance, and this book felt like a longer Moth Storyslam grand finale.

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