Nick
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Wind and Truth
- Book Five of the Stormlight Archive
- By: Brandon Sanderson
- Narrated by: Kate Reading, Michael Kramer
- Length: 62 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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Dalinar Kholin challenged the evil god Odium to a contest of champions with the future of Roshar on the line. The Knights Radiant have only ten days to prepare—and the sudden ascension of the crafty and ruthless Taravangian to take Odium’s place has thrown everything into disarray. Desperate fighting continues simultaneously worldwide—Adolin in Azir, Sigzil and Venli at the Shattered Plains, and Jasnah in Thaylenah. The former assassin, Szeth, must cleanse his homeland of Shinovar from the dark influence of the Unmade.
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Really sad you sold your soul
- By R. Jones on 12-12-24
- Wind and Truth
- Book Five of the Stormlight Archive
- By: Brandon Sanderson
- Narrated by: Kate Reading, Michael Kramer
Editor Wanted, apply within
Reviewed: 12-30-24
Wind and Truth:
For years the audience has been barreling towards this. The pressure building with each revelation. The evolution of characters loved and hated, characters that have fallen from grace, characters pursuing redemption. Everything is converging in these final ten days. Be prepared to sit in anxiety as you travel towards outcomes you have only previously guessed at. Leave space for fresh treachery. Fresh disappointments. Be prepared for a cliffhanger.
For all the revelations, there were many, at the end I felt unsatisfied. With the conclusion of Mistborn First Era, there was a sense of closure. Of finality. A story that would go on, but a story finished. That is not the case with the conclusion of Stormlight First Arc. Every main character thread is left with an ambiguous to be continued. With strong foreshadowing of the Second Arc starting after some significant time passage.
Spoilers/Predictions:
Harold of Second Chances:
I suspect most of Kaladins storyline in the coming books will be Kaladin learning the lives of each of the Harold’s and their crimes. Philosophical challenges seeking to find cracks that can be used to leverage healing gestures to restore the Harold’s mental health. I suppose it could be done right but after Wind and Truth I suspect it will be a tedious immersion breaking slog.
Shallan the Shadesmar Wanderer:
Really don’t expect anything particularly interesting from Shallan in the next book. Her character arc has been stagnant for some time now. It will be interesting to see how the loss of Honor/Stormlight impacts Shadesmar. There was a little foreshadowing before the close suggesting some significant changes. Hopefully, that will inject some much needed life back into Shallan’s arc.
Adolin:
Once again Adolin finds himself as a military force multiplier. After contending with the realization that he was obsolete, through his unique bond with Mia, Adolin finds he may be humanities last bulwark against the forces of opposition. Adolin and his/Mia’s Unoathed. The Desolation hit hard. The city depopulated. Adolin and the Unoathed are going to be busy bee’s.
Health of Stormlight:
Personally I feel like Wind and Truth is out of sync with the rest of the Stormlight series. After four robust books, building a specific society/world/culture - Wind and Truth took a turn at a ninety degree angle. Without earning those changes in the narrative. Much of the texture was missing for WaT.
It’s the end of days; Roshar itself will be transformed by the outcome and… every champion of the cause is off the clock. Kaladin, is doing his best Dr.Katz impersonation.
Szeth’s narrative stalled in a carousel.
Shalan and the Silent Court: after all the ground work, team building etc… the Silent Court was almost completely excluded from WaT. Shalan’s journey through the Spiritual realm… is like every other Shallan story arc. The premise is set early, rinse and repeat until you’re ready to let a chasm fein stomp on you for fun.
I’m okay with Dalinar’s end. His character served its purpose. I wish it was done better. After all the foot dragging his final conflict felt rushed.
I know this review probably makes people think I’m not a Sanderson fan - which isn’t true. I’m a huge Sanderson fan. I’m just not a fan boi. And WaT was probably the weakest Sanderson book I’ve ever read.
I don’t know if he is surrounded by yes men, editors and beta readers that are not doing their jobs or what… but this was a serious decline in Sanderson’s writing, style, and narrative structure.
WaT is in need of serious editing. Two thirds could do with some serious condensing. Reduce the narrative down. A third could have been jammed in the copier and left there thus improving the narrative.
I might be a man standing alone but there it is.
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The Damned Trilogy
- A Call to Arms, The False Mirror, and The Spoils of War
- By: Alan Dean Foster
- Narrated by: Mikael Naramore
- Length: 36 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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For millennia, the Weave, an alliance of species, have fought to resist the telepathic Amplitur, who strive to unite all self-aware life-forms in their great "Purpose." The Weave is slowly losing ground, but for both sides, warfare focuses more on outthinking and outmaneuvering your foe than destruction. In fact, most regard violence as hideously barbaric, and even the thought of harming another sentient being is beyond imagining.
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One of my favorites
- By Mike From Mesa on 10-22-19
- The Damned Trilogy
- A Call to Arms, The False Mirror, and The Spoils of War
- By: Alan Dean Foster
- Narrated by: Mikael Naramore
For the enduring souls of the tenacious only.
Reviewed: 07-26-23
I wanted to like this trilogy.
It was an interesting concept with potential. However, after 15 chapters my enthusiasm has been utterly leeched from this offering… and probably this author all together.
I found the plot labors needlessly. The author was trying to make a point for 15 chapters… a point that was made for 15 chapters… in a row. The point is a very simple conceptual notion. If an alien species and humans can effectively communicate the other complicated concepts effectively then there is no reason such a core trait of humanity could not just as easily be communicated effectively. Regardless of the irrational/delusional pacifist character delivering the information or not. The aliens had plenty of observational material to foster understanding.
When you couple that, with the flat character development, and the juvenile plot devices and development… it’s just an all together unsatisfying experience that leans further towards annoying with each passing chapter.
I have heard the second and third book is better, but the first is simply unbearable. I assume the psychological trauma inflicted to one’s psyche by enduring the first caused such mental anguish anything would be interesting in comparison and so the following books were awarded higher marks by the tenacious souls that endured.
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Drake's Drum
- Ark Royal, Book 17
- By: Christopher G. Nuttall
- Narrated by: Ralph Lister
- Length: 13 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Humanity is on the ropes. Despite military victories, the sheer grinding power of the alien virus is taking its toll. The space navies are pushed to the limit, the colony worlds are fighting a desperate war against the infected, the economy is on the brink of utter collapse and Earth herself has come under attack. But there is one ray of hope. If a small force can penetrate to the heart of the alien empire and tear it apart, it might just win humanity enough time to save itself and win the war once and for all.
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The Lion and Unicorn Trilogy
- By Nick on 12-01-22
- Drake's Drum
- Ark Royal, Book 17
- By: Christopher G. Nuttall
- Narrated by: Ralph Lister
The Lion and Unicorn Trilogy
Reviewed: 12-01-22
The Ark Royal series, has long since been a favored SciFi series of mine. However, the last few iterations is a real slog to get through. A trend that started to a lessor degree with the Invincible trilogy.
Invincible, Lion, and Fighting for the Crown, are all plagued with the same problem. Scenes, story arcs, characters, are stuck in loops. Everything just keeps happening over and over again. Describing the same scene, with its same “conflict”, as it has been described countless times before. I’m starting to think copy and paste is being used to write these last books.
It has become completely predictable. You know what will happen in the chapter just by the prompt of the first paragraph. Which means you have to sit through a “clever” build up to a reveal - the audience already knew was coming 20 minutes/pages before.
As it is I can no longer recommend the series to new readers or listeners. I can only recommend as far as Fear God and Dreadnought. But also I feel compelled to finish the series just to see how it ends after the commitment I’ve invested in the series.
Just please… stop with the cheesy romance novel garbage. Nobody cares and it brings nothing to the story.
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The Last Tribe
- By: Brad Manuel
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 22 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Fourteen-year-old Greg Dixon is living a nightmare. Attending boarding school outside of Boston, he is separated from his family when a pandemic strikes. His classmates and teachers are dead, rotting in a dormitory-turned-morgue steps from his room. The nights are getting colder, and his food has run out. The last message from his father is to get away from the city and to meet at his grandparents' town in remote New Hampshire.
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A perfect year in the post apocalypse.
- By Andrew Pollack on 06-18-16
- The Last Tribe
- By: Brad Manuel
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
The Apocalypse, by Disney.
Reviewed: 05-11-22
The Last Tribe…
I suppose the best way to frame any review would be to phrase it as: The Apocalypse, by Disney.
If you’re looking for a narrative devoid of conflict, struggle, character friction or development, then this is a tale for you.
The world as we know it ends. Billions dead. There is a mere scattering of survivors that struggle… I mean just survive the winter. Food is everywhere. Water magically appears when needed. Don’t worry about being up crap creek in the apocalypse- out of the billions that have died you’ll be blessed with a surgeon, a mechanical engineer, a veterinarian, a pilot, a genius that has a firm grasp of… every scientific discipline… further any survivors that are remotely crass,” bad”, or have undesirable character flaws choose upon their own to stay away or leave the merry band to continue to grow.
Everyone, literally every character at one point in the narrative or another, is prone to weeping. Just overwhelmed by how pleasant the apocalypse was and how blessed they all are to have found each other.
I’m not positive but I think the author is heavily medicated and spends ample time at feel good retreats getting their chakras aligned.
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USS Hamilton: Ironhold Station
- USS Hamilton, Book 1
- By: Mark Wayne McGinnis
- Narrated by: James Patrick Cronin
- Length: 9 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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Thousands of crew are reported dead, including the ship’s captain. Reluctantly, the young XO, Galvin Quintos, will be taking command of the fleet's crippled dreadnaught, the USS Hamilton, while doing his best to bring fleet survivors back to Earth. To make matters worse, there’s a murderer running loose on board the ship, critically low fuel levels, and the Grish are back, in fast pursuit and ready to finish what they’d started. Only by sheer luck - and a good measure of cagey smarts - will Quintos be able to rise to the challenge.
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Requires Serious Suspension of Disbelief
- By Aser Tolentino on 07-24-21
- USS Hamilton: Ironhold Station
- USS Hamilton, Book 1
- By: Mark Wayne McGinnis
- Narrated by: James Patrick Cronin
Is this a synopsis or a book?
Reviewed: 08-28-21
Overall; it was an entertaining book. Ironhold Station, has the bones of a good story - however it felt more like an abbreviated synopsis of a story instead of the story itself. Hardy, is about the only memorable character. The doctor… and her YA budding Twilight saga romance with the captain… was blunt and obvious from the jump. I’m debating if I want to listen to the other books in this series or not. It feels like a flimsy Arc Royal knock off.
The narration was well performed and added depth to an otherwise flat story.
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The Reality Dysfunction
- Night's Dawn Trilogy, Book 1
- By: Peter F. Hamilton
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 41 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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In AD 2600, the human race is finally beginning to realize its full potential. Hundreds of colonized planets scattered across the galaxy host a multitude of prosperous and wildly diverse cultures. Genetic engineering has pushed evolution far beyond nature's boundaries, defeating disease and producing extraordinary spaceborn creatures. Huge fleets of sentient trader starships thrive on the wealth created by the industrialization of entire star systems, and throughout inhabited space the Confederation Navy keeps the peace.
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Finally on Audible!! My favorite Hamilton series!
- By Patrick on 04-05-16
- The Reality Dysfunction
- Night's Dawn Trilogy, Book 1
- By: Peter F. Hamilton
- Narrated by: John Lee
The first book I ever read by, Hamilton.
Reviewed: 05-03-16
Any additional comments?
I'm so pleased this series has made it to Audible. It is one of my flagship go to Space operas. Epic in all ways.
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6 people found this helpful