Torchwood: The Exodus Code

By: John Barrowman, Carole E. Barrowman

Narrated by: Daniel Pirrie

It starts with a series of unexplained events. Earth tremors across the globe. Women being driven insane by their heightened and scrambled senses. And the world is starting to notice - the number one Twitter trend is #realfemmefatales. Governments and scientists are bewildered and silent. The world needs Torchwood, but there's not much of Torchwood left.

Captain Jack Harkness has tracked the problem to its source: a village in Peru, where he's uncovered evidence of alien involvement.

In Cardiff, Gwen Cooper has discovered something alien and somehow connected to Jack. If the world is to be restored, she has to warn him - but she's quickly becoming a victim of the madness, too....

©2012 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2012 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Geezers

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I would have Barrowman read it.

What did you like best about this story?

The story is a bit complicated to follow, but is pretty cannon to Torchwood. The characters are the ones we know and love/ hate.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Daniel Pirrie?

Maaaaybe. Something British. He's a very good reader. His dialects are pretty spot on, and he's Ianto!

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Yup. Ahem- BBC! Look at this. It would make a good series.

Any additional comments?

Ok- I know this is totally Americo-centric, and I am sorry. I really am, but we pronounce the word, "Geyser" like "Guy-zer" with a long I, and the narrator pronounces it with the British pronunciation("Gee-zer" with the long E), even when Americans are talking about it with other Americans. It was really distracting.

Great story told well

Would you consider the audio edition of Torchwood: The Exodus Code to be better than the print version?

In some ways yes, because the reader really gets into the story and brings the characters to life.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

The narrator did not know how to pronounce "geyser, hacienda, or piazza" with an American accent. When doing a British accent (Welsh, Scottish, English, etc.) it's "geezer" but Americans say "gizer" and would be unlikely to spontaneously start saying "geezer." Perhaps I'm being picky, but this narrator did wonderful voice work otherwise so I couldn't help but hold him to a higher standard. Other than that "geezer" word coming out of Americans mouths and making me cringe, he did a great job of bringing the characters to life without being obtrusive.

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

Yes. As the story got moving it was hard to stop listening.

Any additional comments?

Great book, great work, but needed some research on the American accents. (Which were done very well except for "geezer" for "geyser" and the New Orleans being more generic southern.)

OK but not good

the story was interesting but not the best. plot was a bit week. Not terrible but not as good as I was hoping for.

Exodus Code an immortals adventure

What did you love best about Torchwood: The Exodus Code?

This is a fast paced adventure yarn that goes many places in the world and through most of the twentieth and into the twenty first century.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

I like happy endings and I did like this one. Most of the good guys came out all right in the end.

Which scene was your favorite?

Jack Harkness falling out of the sky like a big bird onto a sacred incan mountain in Peru was my favorite. I could just see it so clearly in my mind's eye.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When Jack would sacrifice himself but refused to alow a young girl to be one as well was so heart wrenching for him.

Any additional comments?

Some knowledge of the BBC TV show Torchwood though not essential would greatly expand your understanding and enjoyment of this novel. The male author also played the character of Jack Harkness in the show. For that reason the characterizations are spot on.

Heeerrree's JACK!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Torchwood for Torchwood fans. A fast-paced story that reads like watching an episode, including snarky commentary and sexual tensions. Who better to write Jack than John and Carole Barrowman? I would recommend this book to my friends who are followers of the series as a quick fix for withdrawals from one of the cleverest shows on television.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Torchwood: The Exodus Code?

Without giving too much away, my favorite scene was with Gwen and Anwen in the grocery store... Because WHO HASN'T BEEN in that predicament? And now times 1,000!

What about Daniel Pirrie’s performance did you like?

Daniel Pirrie's performance was excellent. The only way the performance piece would have been improved is for John Barrowman to do it, but I understand that is completely unfair to Mr. Pirrie, who did a fantastic job that even hardcore fans like me can appreciate. Besides, he very competently switched between multiple characters, and, who knows, he may have been better at it than even Mr. Barrowman (blasphemy, I know)!

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

I would have loved to just listen on and on, but I save my audiobooks for drive time and ironically grocery shopping. I used the Whispersync feature offered by Amazon and Audible, which allowed me to switch between listening and reading. I ultimately DID finish both book and audio in a few days.

Any additional comments?

For anyone who loves to read and finds it hard to secure time to do so, in general, I have to recommend the whispersync feature all the way! Often, the combination of book and audio narration costs little more than purchasing only one separately, so why not? I think authors and performers should be well compensated for their efforts because they bring so much entertainment and value through their endeavors.

Captain Jack is Back

What did you love best about Torchwood: The Exodus Code?

Exodus Code moves the story of Captain Jack Harkness forward. The combination of John Barrowman's insight into the character he plays, and Carol Barrowman's writing skill has produced a thoughtful, gripping tale that both reaches back into memory of previous characters yet embracing new ones. Past characters were honored, and new ones were fully sketched. Although the Captain has moved on from the trauma of Children of the Earth and Miracle Day, memories still haunt the immortal man. However the wit and swagger is back. Carol's descriptions of the people and landscapes are vivid, especially in Peru. I especially enjoyed the witty sexual tension in the relationship of Jack and Renso in the beginning of the book. The confrontation scene between Gwen and Rys was chilling. The scenes on Ice Maiden were engaging and believable. The Torchwood signature traits of action, drama, and sly humor were all in the mix.

Any additional comments?

Russell T Davies's Captain Jack Harkness is one of the most complex and interesting characters in modern science fiction, and this story moves the character forward. Even though I was disappointed that John did not have time to do the audio book himself, Daniel Pirrie did a good job with all the accents, especially Jack's. I bought both the book then the audio, and it was money well spent. Best Torchwood book ever!

Performance is notable.

Would you listen to Torchwood: The Exodus Code again? Why?

Yes, the nuances of the story are interesting and complex. Each time I relisten to a segment, there are details that I missed in the first casual listen.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Shelly the AI is very interesting. If only she was in the real world!

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

The performance was really good. Accents and voices distinct and spot-on.

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

You get submersed in listening to this in one sitting or at least in big chunks.

My favorite Torchwood audio book to date.

What did you love best about Torchwood: The Exodus Code?

The story is very well done. The Torchwood story was progressed seemlessly and it was very fun and enjoyable to follow in audio.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Capt. Jack is front and center in this story and is given a lot of depth that doesn't come out in some of the shorter stories.

What about Daniel Pirrie’s performance did you like?

I think he was perfect for the story. He made the story enjoyable to listen to and did not distract.

Miracle Day, The Sequel

Would you try another book from John Barrowman and Carole E. Barrowman and/or Daniel Pirrie?

Yes, if it's another Dr Who or Torchwood themed story. This book moves very slowly for at least the first half: if not for the Torchwood characters I probably would have stopped listening 2 hours in. Daniel Pirrie's characterisations were amusing, especially when he used the stereotypical GeoW Bush voice to represent how the British hear all Americans' accents, and then performed the dialog using their British pronunciations. e.g. to Americans a "Geezer" is an old codger where as a "geyser" is an erupting spring of water.

Did Torchwood: The Exodus Code inspire you to do anything?

I reviewed my copy of The Masque of Mandragora classic DW episode again.

Perhaps I expected too much.

Would you try another book from John Barrowman and Carole E. Barrowman and/or Daniel Pirrie?

Yes, I would read more from them however I admit probably only because the male author is the actor who plays Jack Harkness in the series.

Would you recommend Torchwood: The Exodus Code to your friends? Why or why not?

No, I won't be recommending this to anyone for three reasons, first I did not enjoy this book very much and second because every single male character in the book was gay. I get it Jack is indiscriminate but come on. Not every guy is gay. The third reason is this book can only be considered light reading and as such please don't preach to me about global warming, pollution, etc. while I'm trying to enjoy a little sci-fi.

What aspect of Daniel Pirrie’s performance would you have changed?

He did a great job portraying Jack and the other characters. But I have to note that one minute and fifteen seconds in while introducing the star of the book the narrator mispronounces the name "Harkness". He calls him "harness".

Was Torchwood: The Exodus Code worth the listening time?

The book was worth the listening time barely. Honestly I believe this story will be forgotten in about a week. I really feel like I wasted a credit.

Any additional comments?

I loved the Doctor Who / Torchwood tv series and this is my first book on the same subject. I hope they get better.