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A marriage and litigation mentor

Reviewed: 07-29-24

Sexton is hilarious in his frankness. I was hooked at his first, well-timed F bomb. He speaks to my personal experiences as a once-divorced litigator so there was a lot for me to like and learn beyond the marriage lessons, which are themselves inspiring in a “yeah let’s not be like that” kind of way. It’s rare to find realistic depictions of effective cross-examination in such relatable contexts. If I lived in New York, I’d definitely sign up for his continuing legal education course.

Sexton has a great voice in every sense so it’s a real treat that he read it himself. But, most of all, this was highly entertaining. You don’t need to be a lawyer or divorcee - or married! - to enjoy this audiobook.

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Radical honesty

Reviewed: 03-09-24

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I’m no monarchist but the human stories and dysfunctional family dynamics are absorbing - here, told by a relatively clear-eyed and relatable actor who, even with the PTSD, seems to love life. He shows us what this kind of celebrity is really about. He’s sometimes clueless, as he admits, which isn’t surprising given his upbringing and the fact that he’s a human being. A little more self-awareness about his wealth would have been welcome. We don’t all get to hop on private jets to Southern Africa when we’re feeling low. Still, it’s all he knows, and rather than becoming another arrogant rich white guy, he puts in the work to be empathetic and self-deprecating. Harry’s military service was the real deal. That alone is redeeming, even of that’s all you knew about him aside from the crazy fiction written in real time.

You might come away with a new respect for this young public figure, and maybe even fondness. I did. Highly recommend.

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He’s come a long way

Reviewed: 12-30-23

Really fun, if often dark, zombie apocalypse series with a unique hero one comes to love and appreciate. The good and evil in this one are more nuanced and the ending is quite satisfying. RC Bray, like Gus, is an old friend by now. One you never get tired of.

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Well written

Reviewed: 08-24-23

Not that much happens beyond the dysfunction and all sorts of addiction, yet I couldn’t wait to get back to it. I attribute that to the writing and the well-matched reader. These characters may be familiar to many of us, for better or worse. The story does not bog down in Debbie’s chaos or the narrator’s self-absorption and, all told, is optimistic.

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10 people found this helpful

Focused and gritty account

Reviewed: 08-24-23

One of the better D-Day accounts focused on the 1st Division, tip of the spear at the east end of Omaha on June 6. Pulls no punches and paints a vivid picture of the carnage and impossible situation on the beach and at the shingle. The reader is solid and consistent, with a voice meant for history documentaries.

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My favorite installment

Reviewed: 07-02-23

Maybe it’s because I listened to it on vacation, and maybe it’s because I love horses, but this might be my favorite installment yet. I’m a huge fan of the series and I enjoyed the hell out of this story.

I appreciate that big things happen in these stories. There’s plenty of action that leans towards the realistic (with some pardonable exceptions). Characters are multi dimensional and imperfect, no one is wholly (stupidly) evil or good. Bayou writes stories and characters like McMurtry and even like McCarthy. Outcomes are not predictable. His view of humanity is balanced, not overly cynical like some post-apocalyptic writers. He’s clearly read some history. So his take on the recovery of civilization rings true. Finally, for whatever reason (nerd) I appreciate the attention to detail when it comes to weapons and gear.

RC Bray is king. That is all.

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1 person found this helpful

This one's about The Leather

Reviewed: 05-28-23

This one was particularly action-packed and entertaining, despite some uncharacteristically poor choices by Gus. The Leather are a great character. As is the shotgun.

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revenge thriller with a competent protagonist

Reviewed: 05-27-23

This was a guilty pleasure. Carr is at his best when he's describing tactical situations and equipment. I appreciated that the protagonist was effective and there was little trumped-up tension, no drawn-out ridiculous fights with the baddest bad guys or annoying plot devices like "but the pistol dropped out of his hands" or "his brain seized and he missed." Very refreshing. He also shows the cold clarity with which special operators make life and death decisions in combat. That rang true.

While I'd still recommend it, the story has its flaws. (SPOILERS) The profound losses and disasters that befell the protagonist in the setup were a lot and at times our hero was a little too casual considering. It seems like his friends were feeling his losses more than he was. And most of the bad guys were one-dimensional. That's a pet peeve of mine. Yes, they were motivated by money, and arguably the elimination of combat fatigue is a worthy cause, but as individuals they were all such back-stabby jerks that you wonder why anyone followed them. The one bad guy who had a conscience never redeemed himself before he was blown apart by a suicide vest. The Admiral was particularly annoying though I still enjoyed his comeuppance. Finally, "the dark continent" when referring to Africa? Dude. It's 2023, not 1910. And U.S. forces not torturing captives shows a lack of courage? I don't have a problem reading stories from a diversity of political views, but that's just silly (and un-American).

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dark and entertaining

Reviewed: 04-04-23

Escapism at its best. I enjoyed this one too, though I miss the zombies a little. Some of the bad guys' battle tactics are diabolically creative.

Not sure why some people didn't like this one, it's pretty consistent with the series so far. Many seem to be swept up in anti-woke (whatever that is) hysteria. Oh noes! A female heroine! God forbid. And no, Gus isn't a tough guy. He's a self-absorbed, fiftysomething alcoholic who is still learning about loyalty and courage. Which is what makes him so great, and why his flashes of rage and courage are so entertaining.

Spoiler-ish: there were times when the story got so dark that I wondered if I could trust Blackmore anymore. [pause] I can.

I offer this criticism: too many of the bad guys are over-the-top evil and one-dimensional. Maybe because they're Canadians? I jest. Bad guys with human traits and gray areas are far more engaging, not to mention realistic.

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Not really about dogs

Reviewed: 04-04-23

I agree this reads (listens) like an academic paper. It's awfully dry. But it's not beyond comprehension, either. I prefer less inside-science and more on-the-ground, practical and well-founded speculation about what it must have been like being a Neanderthal as their species came to an end. The dog stuff came late and much time was spent on dog skulls, doggie evolution, and extremely cautious and limited conclusions. I recommend Clan of the Cave Bear for those readers like me, a history major with limited STEM skills who enjoys a vivid story based on science rather than centered on it. In fact, Shipman does too!

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