May 8 2016

AudioBook Review – Into the Void

I don’t know what I’m gonna do now, not being able to listen to the next in the Pax Humana series! sigh. But I’ve really enjoyed these 3 audiobooks, so well worth it… Please check them out starting with –

http://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/The-Terran-Gambit-Audiobook/B00RW0TXFO/ref=a_search_c4_1_3_srTtl?qid=1462694859&sr=1-3

My review is as follows –

“Fab 3rd book”

So I have to admit, I was kinda disappointed in the length of this, but only because there were plot lines not tied in. I am guessing with a huge world like this it’s always going to be the case, where we’re all waiting on the next one. Now I totally know what being a fan is like, haha thanks guys. I’m defo hooked and can’t wait for the next.

Story and some spoilers!

The audio, kicks off after their escape from Admiral Trajan, and lands them out of one fire into another. At least this one goes down well and it seems they backed the right side too. Always a bonus.

Greg does a wonderful job here of playing the Oberon, their accents are just awesome and it greatly enhances the sheer vastness of this series and the scope that Nick Webb has at his writing disposal.

What I really do love about a series like this is seeing the characters change and grow, and there were some fabulous moments in here. Not in any order as that is how I remember them.

The biggest moments for me in here, were – knowing something was going to happen at the opera house. Seeing those bikes, feeling Jake’s gut instinct. And of course it had to be Po this time, can’t leave her out of all the trouble and mess can ya. So my hero gal’s been kidnapped and it’s like all hell breaks loose as heading back to the ship the 51st brigade have taken over the ship! omg… what a nightmare.

Captain Brand is also really in the thick of it against the Vikeron, thank goodness he had Al on the ship to work out how to break down their defences! good on him, what a genius!

Jake, Ben, and Anya do a great job in working together with Captain Brand, and his merry band of fighters. Alongside the internal workings from Lt, Aialla (sp) they manage to get on board and meet up and talk their way into the bridge.

I am so so glad that Senator Galba was found out, and totally can see why Jake needs him alive for the next few books. 🙂

Another moment that got me was at the end. Ben going nuts was always going to happen and I am very glad that at least it wasn’t aimed at Jake totally even if his thoughts had him dead and twisted into pieces.

I did feel so sorry for the 51st brigade on the bridge, what a way to go out… but yeah it was coming.

Ben’s admittance to Jake over the PekoBots, almost had me in tears. What he went through so horrific, I’ve been screaming at him to tell the Doc and Genius Al so that they can re-program the darned things!

All in all, a very excellent job…. just hurry with the next few guys, I’m waiting with abaited breath! 🙂 heheh

I have to know if they can rescue Po and Admiral Pritchard! and how they can fight the good fight and free Earth!

Apr 28 2016

AudioBook Review – The Terran Gambit

You can pick up the Audio from here –

http://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/The-Terran-Gambit-Audiobook/B00RW0TXFO

“Great SF!”

I first listened to a sample of this series, (before buying the other one) and wasn’t 100% sold on the beginning I have to admit. It started off a little slow for me, and I didn’t think I liked Jake at all. (and it’s my fav character name ever)

But I do love Nick’s other series, and thought it deserved a chance. So, I dived in. After getting over the beginning and the backstory behind the Pax Humana and the world he’d created, I did start to like the story and Jake, even though he’s a bit of an idiot.

Nick weaves a pretty solid world here, but it does take some focus to understand all the different worlds, and how they’ve come to be where they are, with the resistance. Perhaps it was the depth of the world that just didn’t quite flow as well for me as the previous audiobook’s I’ve delved into, or it could just be, that this was his first, and he was finding his feet a bit more 🙂 either way, it’s still a very enjoyable story and one that I will listen to again and pass on the ‘amazon kindle’ versions to my mum, I know she’ll love them, haha.

There were a great number of characters in here, and Greg always delivers a fab performance, his voices and acting is a pleasure to listen to and suits this genre very well. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves Military SO and Sci Fi.

Some of the more distinct ones, have to be Po and Ben, considering what they all go through, they form a great team and as characters they really do grow, I can’t help but feel for them, in their situation and in their pain. It’s a really harsh world they’re in. And lots of people die, for all the wrong and right reasons. Some really hard decisions for Jake, and though they’re the better ones, it’s a tough call to do it still, he’s got some huge kahonas doing it.

So, on to the next, I’ve already gotten about an hour into it, 🙂 and I also bought the third. thanks both to Nick and Greg for the entertainment, it makes my life so much more interesting.

Apr 26 2016

AudioBook Review – Riders of the Purple Saga

Written by Zane Grey, narrated by Ann M. Richardson.

A western… oh my goodness I actually listened to nearly 12 hours of a western. Where were the space ships and aliens…. haha.

Seriously if you love westerns this is a total classic, and a joy to listen to. 🙂

Review is ————-

“Different….”

The beautiful thing with Audio Books is that you can listen to them and do a hundred other things. For me it’s driving.

I used to watch and read westerns when I was much younger, but I admit I’ve never picked this one up.

It is a classic, and beautifully written, with long descriptive prose and imagery. This is the first book of Ann M Richardson’s I have listened to, and despite the genre not being something I would avidly seek out, I was totally swept away in her narration of Jane. Ann, has a fantastic ability to perform both side, male and female and to draw you in with the characters wonderful accents. It really was a joy to listen to, and I would defo look out for more books by her.

As for the genre and story, I think what surprised me more than anything because of the era and generation of the characters in the book, I really wasn’t expecting there to be as much sex, romance and violence, haha, but they were all very pleasant surprises, and I can totally see why this was a book that marked the era from which it came from, it’s so distinctive and well thought out. jane’s got so much going on, she turns to one person and things go from bad to worse, for her personal character I could only wish that many of my friends were as strong and had as much courage as Jane. With her religious beliefs and her upbringing she really stands out. I couldn’t help myself but like her.

The author tied in so many smaller plots, and wove the whole world together so very well that even though this was a long piece for me to listen too, it was still very much an enjoyable audio.It also left me thinking about picking up another western, I guess I’m not totally against any genre now. I’ve listened to so much more than i’d ever thought I would by becoming an Audible member : )

I would highly recommend this for someone who has already read and loved the book, or for those who would like a taste of life back in this era it is just so full of life, it’s hardships and it’s loves. A fab tale to become totally engrossed with.

I was given a copy of this audio in exchange for an honest opinion by the narrator.

Apr 22 2016

AudioBook Review – The Anonymous Source

A very stressful week in work, but I’ve had this amazing book to listen to. Not one I’d normally pick up, but I can’t help but be a Jeff Hays fan now 🙂 hhahaa

This book by A.C Fuller and narrated by Jeff Hays is well worth a listen if you already love the genre!

http://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Crime-Thrillers/The-Anonymous-Source-Audiobook/B01DMW9KJO/ref=a_search_c4_1_2_srTtl?qid=1461344485&sr=1-2

Review is as follows —————-

“So interesting…. “

One of the best things I’ve loved about AudioBooks is that I’m really opening up the kind of genre’s I usually read etc. And I’ve been pleasantly surprised about a lot of them.

I’ve never really read anything in the crime/thriller category. So this was a first for me. What I enjoyed the most has to be the character element in here. Alex and Camilla are so deeply drawn that they could almost be my next door neighbours. There were some amazing character flaws that they both had, Alex so uptight over food and the fact he was fat, totally resonated with me, suffering with Anorexia for 16 years. But Camilla’s almost nonchalance over what she put in her mouth was brilliant. They are chalk and cheese and their being in this awful situation, and investigating it puts them each others pockets.

Jeff really does bring this story to life in the most amazing way, from their voices, to their eating and running. The food side of things, very distracting, when you’re listening to the book and driving a food van, I’m sure I ate more than usual this week, and I’m blaming this book!

I found that the whole AudioBook was alive. Both characters had deep problems, and inner turmoil which was played with great attention to detail by the writer and tone by the narrator, this really made the exciting scenes, tense and fast, and the slower scenes, where Alex and Camilla talked to each other about their lives deep and meaningful.

There were many twists and turns in here, and I won’t spoil it for anyone, especially the ending.I have to admit that one of my fav moments was when Alex admits to Cam, that he’s falling in love with her, and she tells him not to.

I’m a sucker for a really good story and with it being around 9/11 which even for me from the UK was hard to watch (I’d had major knee surgery the day before) and was at home when it hit out news. It was well crafted, brilliantly paced and full of little tips and hints for Alex and Camilla.

The only reason why I marked it down a little was because of the ending, maybe it’s just the genre, but I did expect more from it. I think this is something I need to listen to more of before I can totally judge it though.

Very glad I picked this one up still. 🙂 and will look out for more.

Apr 17 2016

Time is zipping on!

So this last few weeks have really been a whirlwind of things. I’ve been so busy with listening to Audio for TSK, and in catching up with things for the team on scrib, I’ve barely had time to think about anything other than get up, work, sleep…

This weeks not going to get any better, we’ve a couple of people down in work and that makes for much harder for us to get in, and booked in like the usual. I love my job, but sometimes I really wish I could go part time. That is my main goal, to write like this as the day job in the end, so all the things I am striving and working so hard for are working towards that goal. For me, and for everyone on the team.

As a company we made some decisions last weekend. Which we’re putting into fruition over the next few weeks. These are good things 🙂

AudioBook for TSK’s Lethao is almost ready! squee. I’m very excited about this.

AudioBook shorts from Holly are also nearly there, with a few tweaks to our cover design, they’re now so fab it’s unreal!

http://www.thesecretking.com/membership

Our membership only section is FREE so register and get in NOW, there you’ll all have access to the Lacria dictionary and Time App, with all other goodies as we post them.

TSK’s first short – The Truth Hurts is also in there as a free read 🙂 so get in and check it out, we’re starting our promo campaign for this in the next few days. And so far so good, response on that is amazing!

TSK’s second book is on target and set for release in Sept.

The shorts anthology also will be set for release as soon as we’ve proofed it over 🙂 Excited for this the art work by Andrew is just amazing!

Ugggh – on a personal level, I think I really just make everything so much harder for myself, and I don’t know why I do it.. haha. Started out with a sore ankle, and now I’ve a very sore leg and knee, Hubby says I should go the docs, but I never have time! so naughty…. I actually think I’m getting out my van wrong in work or something I’m doing during the day is making it bad. shrugs…

So, I’ve yet again addressed a few things, and hopefully, I can sort those out. I am running out of time for myself, and taking a day off is now going to be part of my routine. I’ve got to do it. I need some me time. And my me time, should be getting out the house to do something I enjoy…. mmm I need to think on that one a little more.

Onwards and upwards everyone, never give up on your dreams, with determination anything is possible.

hugs,

Dawn

Kanundra's Blog

Writing and life. Life and writing.

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