Joseph M. Carletta

Glad it’s over…

Reviewed: 10-14-24

Thankfully, this was a free download and I didn’t waste a credit on it. Overall, it wasn’t terrible, but it was boring and dragged on, painfully. I almost gave up listening to it, but after putting in over 3 hours, waiting for it to get interesting, I felt I’d invested enough time that I had to see it through, so I soldiered on.

The main idea of the plot didn’t even present itself until about the 4th hour and by then, I’d already decided this was not the “hard science fiction” it claimed to be. The story was okay, but there were so many details that could have been left out, like how Doug took a pee and had to “stick his penis in a tube” - or the part where he had to self-catheterize… oy vey, I really didn’t need that. What was Brandon Morris thinking?

The worst part of all was the stupid accents that the narrator used. His narration would have been okay, had he not used his “John Wayne” voice for more than one character. I couldn’t bear to listen to it, as it sounded like a bad SNL skit. His German accent made me feel as though I was watching “Hogan’s Heroes”, as it sounded forced and over the top.

I really wanted to like this book and I did listen to the whole thing. The ending was anti-climactic and contrived. All in all, this was like a book that a middle school kid may enjoy, but if you’re a fan of real science fiction, this book isn’t going to be one you’ll remember. It wasn’t the worst audiobook I’ve heard, but it wasn’t one I’ll be listening to again…

Save your money and maybe read or listen to something by Octavia Butler instead…

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Fascinating, Informative and Timely…

Reviewed: 08-24-24

I’m so glad I listened to my friend who recommended this book. It was utterly brilliant and I would say another “must read” for anyone trying to navigate this frantic & unpredictable era we’re living in.

It’s hard to believe he’d written this before 2020, the tumultouos year that brought us a pandemic and a much needed changing of the guards, but not before an insurrection and coup… The implications of Chat GPT hadn’t yet been revealed to the general public, but it’s certainly fascinating to see the pace at which AI has suddenly changed everything as we knew it. The rate that things will change going forward is inevitable, now that the Pandora’s Box has been opened. The lesson of the book is that it’s up to US to see to it that we don’t cause our own demise, based on what buddhism refers to as the “Three Poisons” of Greed, Anger and Ignorance. The fact that he ended with a chapter (one of the 21 “lessons”) on meditation was profound and also necessary. I’ve been practicing meditation and buddhism for the last 30 years and what he says about the importance of meditation is a message, whether you’re a buddhist, Hindu, Christian, Muslim, Jew or atheist, it’s a necessary thing to adapt into one’s life, if you don’t want to get sucked into the matrix. Bravo, Yuval Noah Harari… You knocked it out of the park with this one.

Another thing I should mention is that the narration was superb and the overall production of the audiobook was top notch. I also suggest reading the text first, as the info hits home and sticks a lot better that way.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Incredible Story, Brilliant Writing, Captivating Narration…

Reviewed: 08-08-24

Having read a few of Octavia Butler’s books, the Earthseed novels are by far my favorites. I loved Parable of the Sower, but Parable of the Talents is even better. The fact that these were written in the 1990s (published in 1994 and 1998, respectively) and they’re so indicative of the times that we’re in now (Parable of the Sower begins in July 2024) make them all the more compelling. This is right up there with books like “1984” “The Handmaid’s Tale” and “Brave New World” but the timing and the similarities to what is going on in the U.S. politically as I write this make it eerily chilling to read. Especially with the dangers of “Project 2025” looming in the near future.

It makes total sense that this book would be on the list of “banned books” that “some” people would rather you not read. It’s a glimpse of what COULD (and very well might) happen, should the country move toward that direction. The entire scenario is plausible and nothing seems impossible. That’s what makes it all the more frightening.

The characters are all very deep & complex and listening to these books narrated so well makes it feel as though you’re immersed in the story with them.

The narration was superb (for both books) and it kept my attention. The only reason why I took off one star in my overall rating was because of the editing. There were several spots in the book where a chapter would finish, or the narrator would change, but instead of leaving a few seconds of space between, so that you could process the last thought, the chapter or part would start abruptly and it almost seemed like a very bad mistake on the part of the editor who mixed it. It wasn’t like it only happened once or twice, either. It happened numerous times throughout the book and it was a bit annoying. I can’t believe they didn’t catch that. I only say this because I do a podcast of my own and I narrate it and edit it, so I’m aware of how it’s done. If they could fix that, this would be an overall perfect audiobook, but that little annoyance is enough to make you cringe while listening.

Aside from that, this is an amazing book and if you haven’t read any of Octavia Butler’s masterpieces, this one is by far at the top of my list.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Boring and not worth it

Reviewed: 05-12-24

Thankfully this was a free download on audible. The story sounded like it would be interesting but I couldn’t stick with it. I got 3 hours in and there’s no way I could put up with the amateur narration and lackluster storyline for another 17 plus hours. It started out promising but quickly took a turn and I just could not stick with it. I listen to a lot of books on audible and this one was by far one of my least favorite.

The narration was sub par and the writing sounds like it was written by a high school student in a creative writing class. The story drags and there are so many pointless parts that do nothing but add to it going into ten different directions.

From the get go, just trying to suspend my disbelief was impossible. The plane takes a detour into an alternate timeline and when it crashes, the passengers just somehow seem to accept it? There’s more time spent on minutia than on building the story and I just couldn’t stick with it. I tried. Three and a half hours in I just gave up.

Save your time and listen to something else. I’m so glad I didn’t use a credit to purchase this. Total let down. Sorry.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Great story - just a tad too long

Reviewed: 03-29-24

I have to admit, at first, the constant humor was annoying. It seemed like every other line was a joke. I didn’t know if I was listening to a sci-fi book or an episode of Seinfeld with Seth Macfarlane narrating as Brian the dog from Family Guy. Honestly, it was a bit goofy for the first ten chapters and I almost gave up. However, as I became used to Andy Weir’s prose and started to get into the story, it grew on me. The entire premise of the story seemed almost plausible on a scientific level and that’s what kept me intrigued.

The characters were all very interesting and I especially liked how “Rocky” had that synthesized voice. I also loved the Beatles references and since I’m also a huge Beatles fan, I was happy to know that Andy Weir was too and he incorporated them into the story (and dedicated the book to them!)

What I found to be a little annoying were some of the terms, like “Talmeba” and the character named “Strat” (really?) I don’t know why that got under my skin, probably because I’m a guitar player and for me “Strat” will always be “Stratocaster” - and to have a scientist with that name just seemed odd… He could’ve picked another name, especially given the fact that I’ve never heard a Russian named “Strat” in my life… but I digress…

The narration was superb - once I’d gotten used to the constant humor - and the overall delivery was great. I just think the book could’ve been about half the length and still been effective. The tedious details and the over emphasis on insignificant things started to make me lose interest, but I stuck with it and it was really a great book, overall.

If you have the time and don’t mind sci-fi that borders on slapstick comedy, give it a listen. Great book.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Boring and pointless…

Reviewed: 12-31-23

Let me preface this review by stating that I’m a huge fan of John Scalzi’s writing and of his other books. He’s a brilliant writer and I’ve not been disappointed by anything he’s written, as every other book of his I’ve read or listened to was phenomenal.

This short story was the exception. When I’d read the summary of it, it seemed like something I’d be very interested in and being a fan of Scalzi’s writing, I thought I’d download it as a quick treat. The narrator was okay, but his voice was too soft and his delivery seemed sleepy.

The overall story was just as I’d said in the title of my review - boring and pointless. It did absolutely nothing for me and quite frankly, I couldn’t wait for it to end. I’ve never had that feeling about any other books by John Scalzi, so I was a bit disappointed. Thank goodness this wasn’t my introduction to his work because I never would’ve listened to or read anything else by him afterward. I will tell you that if you’re a fan of his, this is not his best work. It seems like a throw away idea he had and somehow published it.

Even though I didn’t particularly care for this one, it doesn’t change the fact that John Scalzi is still one of my favorite authors. He’s an incredible writer, but even an incredible writer has a couple of duds. This was one of them. Sorry.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Incredible, all around! Superb storytelling and impeccable writing.

Reviewed: 12-30-23

To say John Scalzi has become one of my favorite fiction writers would be a gross understatement. After listening to The Dispatcher, I immediately downloaded “Starter Villain” and absolutely loved it! His writing is so good and it left me wanting more, so I listened to “The Kaiju Preservation Society” shortly after that. Another brilliant story and the narration was amazing. For sure, I became hooked on Scalzi’s work.

When I started scouring through his other titles, I was surprised to find out that “The Dispatcher” was book one of three in the series! Of course, I immediately downloaded the other two and I must say, they were both equally as great as the first book. After completing the other two, I’m wondering when Netflix, or some other streaming platform is going to pick it up and make a series out of it (if it isn’t already in the works). The entire series is so well written and it would make an incredible show. I can only hope this happens. For now, I’m hoping John Scalzi will write more adventures of Tony Valdez, as I’m craving to find out where his next adventure will lead him! That right there, is the mark of a truly great novelist. Writers like John Scalzi are rare. I typically read mostly non-fiction, but since I spent a lot of time driving, I’ve started to enjoy listening to stories like this. For sure I plan on reading the rest of John Scalzi’s work and I’m so glad I stumbled upon “The Dispatcher” when it was offered on Audible as a free download!

The narration was superb and Zachary Quinto did an amazing job. Actually, all of Scalzi’s books (that I’ve heard) are brilliantly narrated and Will Wheaton’s narration is amazing as well. I highly recommend John Scalzi’s books for download, as they’re so entertaining and well done. Now I want to read them so I can absorb his brilliant prose more thoroughly. Great writing, wonderful narration and compelling story… listen now!!

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Amazing Narration! Great story.

Reviewed: 12-10-23

I downloaded this book because it was a “freebie” and the story sounded intriguing. I listen to a lot of audiobooks and I also have a podcast that I write and narrate, so I’m pretty critical of how stories are read and how well it’s communicated by the narrator. This was one of the best narrations I’ve heard in a long time. The narrator sounded a bit dry at first, but as the different characters were introduced, his ability to make the listener “feel” as though they were listening to someone else, without too much change in the voice and without being “cheesy” with a forced accent. He had just the right inflection and his timing and sense of the storyline were impeccable. He did an amazing job and I feel like his narration really keeper me engaged and made me feel as though I was actually reading the story, as opposed to listening to an audiobook. I was completely immersed in it.

The story itself was very interesting and I hadn’t read any of John Scalzi’s books, but I most certainly am going to now. His prose is very natural, without sounding forced or contrived and the plot and delivery were paced perfectly.

I liked that the story was easy to follow (somewhat) plausible, given that it was based on something so implausible, it still managed to allow me to suspend my disbelief enough to engage in it.

For sure if you’re looking for a quick audiobook (or even a print book, as the story reads quite well) that is enjoyable, slightly humorous and suspenseful, I would recommend it. If for no other reason than the great narration and delivery.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

The female narrator is the absolute WORST!!

Reviewed: 10-12-23

I haven’t even finished the book yet, but I felt the need to inform anyone that’s about to download this book that there are two different narrators. The one featured in the “sample” clip is decent, but the female who opens up the book at chapter 1 (and seemingly narrates each odd numbered chapter) is so bad that I almost can’t listen to the book anymore.

It’s a shame because I really want to hear this story, as the sample chapter and the summary made it sound so interesting and so far, it is pretty good. (I’m 7 chapters in)

It’s a shame that they hired such a horrible narrator to ruin the telling of a great story. Her voice is annoying and abrasive and her over-acting and delivery are enough to make me want to not listen to the rest of the story. Thankfully, the other narrator is fairly good and not nearly as grating on the ears as the woman narrator. She sounds like an old, elementary school teacher, reading a nursery rhyme to a bunch of 6 year olds. Her tone and inflection are amateurish and I wouldn’t be surprised if this is her first voiceover job. Whoever directed her did an awful job.

The story seems like it’s going somewhere and I intend to continue listening, but I wanted to give a little “caveat emptor” to anyone on the fence about whether or not to waste an Audible monthly credit on this book. If you don’t mind the horrible narration, I guess it’s worth it, but if I could get my credit back, I’d take it. Sorry to the author, Eric von Schrader - I’m sure this isn’t how he envisioned his hard work.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Sagan’s magnum opus and the audio version is superb!!

Reviewed: 10-11-23

Of all Carl Sagan’s books that I’ve read, this one is, by far, my favorite. Each chapter can stand alone as a Pulitzer contender. Dr. Sagan’s prose is outstanding and concise, with no stone left unturned. I love how he unabashedly calls out all the pseudoscience and cockamamie conspiracy theories and backs up his claims with cold, hard facts.

In my opinion, this book should be required reading for every high school senior or college freshman. To be honest, I’m surprised this isn’t on the list of “banned books” that conservatives love to keep building. The irony is that the people who ban books all suffer from cognitive dissonance and most are far too ignorant to even understand the implications that Sagan discusses.

I’m an avid reader, especially of books about science, quantum mechanics and cosmology, so for all intents and purposes, I’m a bonafide nerd. The Demon Haunted World speaks to me on an entirely different level than most books. It’s one of those books that justifies my “nerdiness” and reassures me that all those years I spent reading Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Octavia Butler and George Orwell were as important as they were enlightening.

As far as the audiobook, this was probably one of the very best productions I’ve ever encountered. Cary Elwes’ narration was perfect and his delivery and inflection kept me intrigued and I felt as though Carl Sagan would’ve loved it! The chapters read by Seth McFarland were cleverly chosen and his performance was exactly how those chapters should have been read.

In summary, if you’re contemplating reading this book, or even downloading the audiobook, I think you’d be missing out if you didn’t. It’s truly one of the greatest works of Carl Sagan and a book that truly has the potential to change society and move the needle in a positive direction.

I suggest reading the book first, then listening to the audiobook. The information will be much better absorbed that way!

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!