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Mangawut?

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An Obsession of Minutia

Overall
2 out of 5 stars
Performance
2 out of 5 stars
Story
2 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 09-05-24

I like Bones, the television series. This was not that. One of the things that became insufferable over a period of time was this obsession over tiny details that add nothing to the story or plot. I don't care what street you turned your car down. Mentioning it once in a while, fine, but giving the name of every street? Please. No. This is a detective story, not a travel guide.

It almost seems to be posturing on the part of the author: "Look at the places I've been! Aren't I so well-traveled? Did you know: I know the street names in Montreal, because I'm sooooo well-traveled." This got old very fast. I fully understand wanting to set the location, but this was unnecessarily rammed into the story, like word count filler.

The main protagonist was, at first, interesting and I wanted to know more about her and become invested in her journey. As time went on, I found myself saying, "Oh, COME ON!" with her ridiculous decisions. On the one hand, she's a professional. Okay, I'm sold. On the other hand, she is irresponsible to the point that I felt like I was watching a slasher film seeing the silly college girl doing silly things right before she got an axe buried in her. Professional? I guess. Competent? Absolutely not. The author seems trapped between wanting to make her 'quirky' and 'highly skilled' and in the end she just looks like an out-of-control basket case who was lucky to make a few connections and be handed some second chances.

I honestly just stopped caring about her. I was far more interested in the other police officers by the end and this was an extremely difficult book for me to finish. Twice, I nearly gave up, but I soldiered through it.

And, honestly, how many times is she going to go grocery shopping, buy food, eat food, talk about food, go out to eat, etc.

"I bought enough groceries to feed Ohio" "I got some avocados and steak-- and burger king, too" "I need to go shopping again" PLEASE no. Save me from narrated shopping lists!

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Awful Narration

Overall
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
1 out of 5 stars
Story
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 05-21-24

No disrespect to the male narrator. He did fine.

Imani Parks, on the other hand, I just want to know what happened here. Did she not get any direction? Was she forced to narrate in a vacuum with no outside input? Did she forget that a comma is not cause for a second long dramatic pause? Why was she mispronounced the name of the character she read for?? (Emty instead of Am-i-ty).

And for goodness sakes why was her work not proofed?! How did this get past the editor?! The sound engineer?! Why were so many glaring mistakes allowed to stand??

I genuinely am curious. Was there an emergency? Did she have to narrate her whole part over again hurriedly because the master was lost? Was there a tragedy in her family that caused this and which the publisher was sympathetic for and so allowed this to stand as is?

I get it, being a voice actor (which narration is) is harder than it seems. But ... wow. Just WOW.

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Not bad, but... bleak.

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Story
3 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 11-25-22

just my opinion, the story is quite bleak. I'm reminded of a child who can create wonderful things, but then destroys them in a fit of pique.

this isn't to say the story is bad. just... bleak.

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The Iron King Audiobook By Julie Kagawa cover art

Loved the Story, but...

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
3 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 10-27-22

Maybe it's just me. Maybe it's the narrator trying to find her groove. She has a fair range, she has talent, but...

It feels like she's narrating a bedtime story for a little kid, or reading to a classroom full of starry eyed tweens. This is something I experience frequently with female narrators; certainly not all, by any means, but often enough I've noticed the very obvious trend.

Hopefully, like James Marsters, she finds her groove with this series.

Please, to future narrators of the feminine persuasion... don't treat your listeners like they're 9.

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Listening to He Who Fights With Monsters is...

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 09-27-22

... kind of my thing.

Lot of stuff goes on in this one, can leave you hungry for more interaction with other characters. It's all stuff that needs to happen though.

Listen to the epilogue chapters. You won't be disappointed.

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"Narcisist vs Sociopath"

Overall
2 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Story
2 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 05-26-22

There are no heroes here.

The "protagonist" learns nothing (or very little) about herself and does no growing as a character, which makes her triumphs hollow. She begins the story angry, petty, antagonistic and mean spirited and ends the story the same way.

I would argue that the "antagonist" is a more complete character, with a more complete arc of development.

Regardless, both are rotten to the core and systematically destroy everything around them. I was waiting for an Alien to start crying and shout "mommy, daddy, stop fighting!"

The mystery in the story is unsatisfying, with a trite delivery and zero significant payoff.

By about two hours in, I wanted the story to be over already. I was not shocked, I was not thrilled, I could not empathize with any of the major characters, the action had very little impact for tge most part. I stuck it out to finish because I was waiting for ... I don't know what. To be able to give an honest review, I suppose.

The only characters I cared at all about were the more minor characters. They felt more alive and their plight and terror was far more convincing.

The Aliens are window dressing. They posses a minimum of impact, no sense of dread or suspense, no real foreboding or impending doom. They're "Action Movie Set Dressing".

Honestly, I'm at a loss where all the rave reviews come from. The people who love the franchise have, admittedly, been starved of anything in the franchise of substance for a long time (or which wasn't flat out bad). We crave more... but we should only settle for more that is GOOD.

I truly hope this never becomes a movie or miniseries. it would be such a waste.

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Alien: Covenant or, "How Not to Space"

Overall
1 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Story
1 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 05-17-22

I do not necessarily blame the author, and do not blame tge narrator in the least. The author, I am sure, was handed this terrible story (the film script) and had to do what they could with it while following the beats of the film.

This is a story about the college kids in every slasher film if they somehow did not die in the woods and grew up to be scientists. Terrible scientists. Irresponsible and pig headed colonists.

With only a single lander on the vessel they decided to "go have us a lookyloo" at a planet not their destination. The crew of the lander consisted of: The Captain, The Cargo Supervisor, The Co-Pilot, a Scientist and the ENTIRE Security team... and the Synthetic who is required for the proper functioning of the greater colony vessel... It only gers worse from there.

These are the people in charge of two thousand souls suspended in hypersleep??? Are you KIDDING me?!

Nobody stopped to think, hey, what happens if the lander gets damaged? Everyone just took off their helmets and EVA gear on AN ALIEN PLANET. Apparently, secure munitions storage is something that happens to other people.

That's just the tip of the iceberg. This is an utter farce, an exercise in pedestrian storytelling at best.

This is TERRIBLE. I have read better horror fiction penned by thirteen-year-olds.

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Dresden???

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
3 out of 5 stars
Story
3 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 09-18-21

This collection of shorts is... very light on the Dresden Files. Near as I can tell, there is only one story here that takes place in the Dresden Files Universe.

I would overlook that, except Audible called it a Dresden Files book, unless I am grossly mistaken. So, not too enthused about that bit.

There are good stories and not so good stories here; nothing I would call out and out bad, but some are crafted with superior skill or fit the tone of the theme better than others.

Some of the narrators are very good, excellent even. Some of the narrators should... nnnnot do narration. Some of them fit the tone, can really drag the listener into the story, while others are either just unskilled, floundering or desperately hamming it up.

There are a few excellent stories in this collection. Hunter and Healer (or is it Healer and Hunter?), Baggage, and the last story by Rob Thurman, as well as the tale about Molly Carpenter in her new, uh, job. If you have credits to spare and are willing to look past about half of the content it's worth a listen.

For a collection that is supposed to be about the monsters that aren't necessarily evil, even if they're monsters doing wicked things, I think only the first and last stories really hit the mark. Those are the only two where the "moral ambiguity" comes into clear focus, while the rest are either making an attempt with characters who are not at all evil or "monstrous" or hardly touch upon the subject at all. Perhaps "Baggage" does? That character though is repentant and haunted...

Just one listener's opinion. As ever, your mileage may vary.

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ouch

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 05-17-21

another wonderful story with twisting turns and shocking action, and also with deep pains for Harry and reader alike.

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POLKA! WILL NEVER DIE!

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 01-11-21

Zombies. Wizards. Polka. Sue.

Nothing more need really be said, except that polka will never die.

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