The Beast Within

By: Jimmy Gillentine

Narrated by: Jiraiya Addams

Angela has fallen in love with Andrew Bane, the bouncer at Aces High, the bar where she works. He is everything she's looking for in a man, but he can act so distant and cold. When a local drug ring goes after Andrew for revenge, Angela finds out who and what Andrew really is. He is hiding the beast within. And when it is released, there is a price. A price of blood and flesh.

©2013 Inkstained Succubus Productions (P)2016 Inkstained Succubus Productions

Hooked!

It took a few minutes, but barely within the first chapter I was hooked! I love the descriptiveness of the characters, locations, the attitudes and especially the snark. This being my first audio book EVER, I am very pleased with the results. This is definitely a good story for those into the paranormal genre.

Can't wait for the next one!

As the one who wrote it, I am happy to hear it!

What made the experience of listening to The Beast Within the most enjoyable?

As the author who wrote the story, I have to say I am very please to hear it brought to life by the narrator, Jiraiya Addams. He does a wonderful job of taking my tale of love and blood and making it an enjoyable experience.

What other book might you compare The Beast Within to and why?

The Beast Within is a horror/ love story, with my main inspiration coming from Clive Barker. I love his book Cabal, and is the novel that made me want to become a writer.

Have you listened to any of Jiraiya Addams’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This is my first time listening to Jiraiya Addams and I look forward to hearing him continue his craft.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It is possible to listen to this in one sitting, but it can just as easily be savored by listening to one or two chapters a day.

Any additional comments?

Jiraiya Addams did a wonderful job on my work! Please give it a listen and I know he and I both hope you will enjoy the novel.

Please note, I gave the story a one star rating because it is not my place to rate my own work and I wanted this review to be about Jiraiya Addams' performance reading my novel.

A decent intro to what I hope will be a good trilogy.

The story was decent, but slow to evolve. It had good character building and while the ending was an unexpected twist, it was a pleasant one.

The narrator made this story better. The emotion and personality he gave the characters helped me to enjoy it more. I am looking forward to the next book, but I am hoping to hear more from the voice of Jiraiya Addams.

Great story made exceptional by the narrator

What did you love best about The Beast Within?

By far my favorite aspect of The Beast Within was the suspenseful narration by Jiraiya Addams. He brought so much color and depth to an already well written story.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Beast Within?

The development of the main character in general, but probably the most memorable was how he detects and anticipates his would-be attackers at the park.

What does Jiraiya Addams bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

By far, the highlight for me was Jiraiya Addams' narration...he set the mood and I was impressed with his playing so many "parts" in this novel. I will definitely be seeking other books narrated by Mr. Addams. He really brings the story to life.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, I prefer to savor it.

Any additional comments?

The Beast Within is tale of realistic supernatural. Right from the beginning the reader is sucked into the storyline and details are gritty and visceral.The protagonist's secret is slowly unwrapped, but maybe his history too abruptly revealed as the climax approaches..I understand that this is Gillentine's premier offering and I certainly look forward to continuation of the saga.But again, the highlight for me was Jiraiya Addams' narration was the highlight. He raised this already engaging story to an even more impressive pinnacle.

A hauntingly beautiful tale

Each chapter left me wanting to learn more about the main characters, as their stories were being told throughout the book. I was fully engrossed in how everything played out and wanted to know more about their backgrounds. When Andrew is finally revealed for what he is, I was in awe.

Jiraiya Addams is a fine narrator, who's reading really brought the characters to life and made me want to listen to the book again and again. I definitely look forward to hearing more books read by him.

Great listen

The story started out a little slow, but I also don't do a lot of audiobooks so that might have been part of it. In the end, I really liked it and it sounds like there might be a sequel. Yay! I love Jiraiya's voice, but was worried that such a deep voice would make me sleepy. Happy to say, it didn't! He did a really great job of showing the emotion as well as differentiating between the characters without sounding silly. I would definitely recommend to any fan of fantasy/supernatural!

Breaking Bad plus Twilight Saga

The Beast Within is a pretty good listen/read to get lost into. The story is a "Breaking Bad" crime-drama with steamy paranormal-romance and blood splattered horror. The premise is fairly original with a surprising end.
The narrator has a clear voice and I like his distinctive 'voices' and special effects.

A supernatural Roadhouse (not meant as an insult)

Any additional comments?

I'm kind of a stranger to books of this genre, but this was a fun read despite the occasional super maudlin aside. Gillentine's take on this old idea is unique and intriguing, and hints at a much larger mythos that I'm looking forward to exploring in future novels. Unfortunately Addams, the audiobook narrator, sometimes passes over small opportunities for dramatic expansion, especially during scenes of internal conflict, but that is his choice as narrative interpreter. Generally, internal monologue itself is confusing and difficult to write, especially split personalities battling for control, but Gillentine pulls it off well. He is a gifted writer and I really enjoy the vivid imagery his word choice inspires.

Addams does a good job with the narration, imbuing the characters with distinct voices. There is occasionally some confusing overlap in dialogue where characterization blends together, but it does not detract from the story too much.

The recording quality is good, but not excellent. Editing irregularities and strange compression artifacting occasionally interrupts the storytelling.

All in all, an exceptional first novel from Jimmy Gillentine, and an above average first narrative effort by Jiraiya Addams.