Hendrick

Brutal, Unpredictable, Poetic

Reviewed: 02-27-25

I picked up Red Rising on a whim. it was in the YA genre's orbit so I thought it would be derivative. I couldn't be more wrong. I wish a had read this book when it released because I have never been so consistently engaged with a novel. The prose are beautiful, and near poetic at times. The characters feel real, and I never once was able to predict the twists and turns of the story. And I have read few books with such intense conflict. But despite the violence, none of it is obscene as it is handled with mature discretion. I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys adventure, action, and male protagonists.

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Put 'American' in the title

Reviewed: 02-10-25

This book provides a narrow perspective that only covers the USA's toymaking history. The huge and pioneering roles of Europe and Asia in the global toy industry are only touched upon briefly. The US history is covered well but does not fulfill the promise extended by the title.

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An Introduction to Conservation

Reviewed: 07-15-24

I usually listen to history or fiction, so when I bought this book on a whim I did not know what to expect. I was surprised to find the author present an accessible and informative account of the Orca, covering a wide breadth of topics from its biology to the mythology that surrounds it, to the whales own behavior and social relations. All of this prepares the reader for the most engaging part of the book which covers the 20th and 21st century struggle over the fate of the Orcas in the captive whale industry. Much of what is recounted happened before I was born, so I found this a fascinating primer on an issue that was mostly settled by the time I was a small child.

The author also offers very handy tips on how to get into ethical whale watching. After having my interest in the Orcas fanned by this book, I might just have to do it!

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3 people found this helpful

Shallow

Reviewed: 06-26-24

Many have pointed out that the narration was slow. I could listen at 1.25 speed comfortably. The other two readers only read quotes or footnotes, so I found this a good tool to differentiate them from the main text.

On to the content.

If you have read Freud, Jung, or myth collections you will be disappointed. 90% of the book is quoting from these sources and precious little is spend on developing the argument of some universal mythos system. Campbell admits in the introduction that he relies on Freud and Jung, and further admits in the epikogue that there is no universal interpretation of myths (despite setting out to provide just that). It read more like a student's lengthy thesis, heavy in research but confused in purpose, than a scholarly work.

There were a few flickers of interest, such as Campbell's prescient views on globalization (and his not so accurate prediction of impending world government). But if you are already well read you will not gain much from this book.

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If Joss Whedon Wrote Gay Porn

Reviewed: 05-17-24

I realized it was trash in the first minute, but listened through just so I could write and informed review.

It's a weird sex comedy combined with a revisionist political power fantasy. Every male character talks with a "camp gay" accent like we're in sitcom LA. Exposition is delivered as awkwardly as possible. One partner in the gay sex ritual is a specifically stated to be under 18. The "priestess" is a dude.

This honestly feels like a bait and switch given how serious the cover and info blurb are. The ancient Middle East is a fascinating time period and deserves a better treatment from writers than this.

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The Truth Is In Plain Sight

Reviewed: 04-28-24

Sand separates the myth and reality. I found the historical sections enlightening, while the political analysis, especially the analysis of the Zionist movement, deepened my understanding of nationalism and how it relates to the Jews.

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Struggle and Faith

Reviewed: 03-16-24

Blythe tears up the official history without condemning any party found within. He is interested in truth, first and foremost, an essential quality when dealing with Mormon history as it is almost always either a hagiography or a demonization. Through Terrible Revolution's study of folklore, vernacular religion, lay prophecy, and apocalypticism we can gain a glimpse of a cultural history long suppressed by the church and ignored by those outside it. This book helped dispel many illusions I had about Mormon doctrine and at the same time it opened up new avenues of study within it. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in Mormon cultural history, and to anyone who wants to know how the church developed into what it is today.

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Betrayals Upon Betrayals

Reviewed: 03-11-24

The voice acting was very authentic sounding and greatly helps sell the atmosphere of this wartime.

This book is politically incorrect, but not in the usual way. It shines the spotlight on Winston Churchill and his wartime United Kingdom, two objects which are held near sacrosanct in Anglo-Saxon historiography, and challenges their hypocrisies. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in a different perspective on historical dogma.

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2 people found this helpful

Great Payoff; Odd Narrator Choice

Reviewed: 11-22-23

The drama surrounding the Grey Wardens and their griffins in the 4th Blight was compelling. I wish more Dragon Age books focused around the Wardens, who's war against the Darkspawn is the most unique part of the setting.

The narrator does a good job, it's just odd that they chose a male narrator when both POV characters, and most of the supporting cast, are female. Doesn't ruin anything, not by a longshot, but I feel that a female narrator could have brought the characters more to life.

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Men, War, and White Phosphorus

Reviewed: 11-18-23

PJ Ochlan is an incredible narrator. His German accent is perfect and adds authenticity to these readings. Too often the narrators of these memoirs have British accents, or even worse the translation is into British English. D-Day through German Eyes captures the voices of its storytellers, avoiding localization.

The formatting of this book is very good. Many soldiers have war stories that are very short, so they cannot write a book about their experience. This doesn't make their experiences any less valuable, and so gathering their accounts about a specific battle is a great way for their stories to see the light. The soldiers interviewed appear to be decent men, many of them the wounded, sickly, and the noncombatants who were caught on the frontlines of one of history's largest invasions. Their mindsets are closely examined by Eckhertz, giving us insight into the thoughts of average German soldiers and officers of this time period.

The veterans do not pull punches, and the violence of war is described frankly and in some detail. However, even against this backdrop, the horror of white phosphorus is exceptionally harrowing. I had no idea America's history of using this terror weapon was so long, and how liberally it was deployed during the Invasion of France. The fact America still uses white phosphorus to this day, despite universal condemnation and global calls for a ban, makes the accounts of its earliest use from its first victims very valuable.

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