The Shootout Solution

Genrenauts Episode 1

By: Michael R. Underwood

Narrated by: Mary Robinette Kowal

Leah Tang just died onstage. Well, not literally. Not yet. Leah's stand-up career isn't going well. But she understands the power of fiction, and when she's offered employment with the mysterious Genrenauts Foundation, she soon discovers that literally dying onstage is a hazard of the job!

Her first assignment takes her to a Western world. When a cowboy tale slips off its rails and the outlaws start to win, it's up to Leah - and the Genrenauts team - to nudge the story back on track and prevent a catastrophe on Earth. But the story's hero isn't interested in winning, and the safety of Earth hangs in the balance....

©2015 Michael R. Underwood (P)2015 Macmillan Audio

great start

Would you listen to The Shootout Solution again? Why?

no, since doesn't really add much to second listen

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

traveling through book genres. least interesting is visiting only one genre at a time.

Which character – as performed by Mary Robinette Kowal – was your favorite?

I like the lead

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

. No, I paced it out

Starts weak, gets better

The opening almost lost me, but it hit a stride halfway through. I can't help but think the author chose the wrong protagonist: it would've been better if he had the main character be from a genre world, stumbling through the curtain and forced to a Platonic realization. Leah is certainly likable, but her introduction feels artificial and forced.

Narrator is good enough when voicing the women, but I found her male voices distracting. She shouldn't try to go so low on them; would be better if she let her voice stay higher, but opened her vocal chords more for a broader sound.

Needlessly drenched in SJW sauce.

What disappointed you about The Shootout Solution?

It was an interesting idea, but the efforts the author took to make sure that every SJW check box was hit was almost comical. The shoehorning of any possible SJW cause de jour got in the way of telling the story.

Would you ever listen to anything by Michael R. Underwood again?

Not likely.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Mary Robinette Kowal?

Narration was fine, not Kramer or Lang, but good.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

It was like a pretty good meal that had a a quarter inch of salt poured on top of it.

Any additional comments?

I expect the story to be in the running for a Hugo this year.

Amateur night

Sorry to be such a downer but the only good thing I can put for this is that it was only about three hours long.

Though a clever story I think that maybe only someone who has a career in writing may enjoy this as the references to technical aspects of writing permeated this entire work and were not at all disguised- but that was obviously what the book is based around.

Also no offense to the voice actor, but she can't pull off any of the male voices. It was painful to listen to. Way too forced - sounds like she is trying for an octave too low without actually becoming lower only ducking a chin in and putting out a chest while simply talking slower.