Review: Unfinished Business: Pursuit of an Antarctic Killer

Unfinished Business: Pursuit of an Antarctic Killer by Theodore Jerome Cohen
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Book: **
Performance: **

A Mostly Boring Thriller

Generally I consider myself a fan of mysteries/thrillers and having been to some of the places in the story, I was hoping for a bit of nostalgia to boot … but it was not to be. The story itself had a little action, but much of it was told in passive voice taking away from any suspense that would have made it interesting and not something that sounds like reading a police report. Even the detailed court proceedings were extremely prediction and not that interesting. Perhaps it would have been better if I had read the first of the series, but this was billed as a potentially stand alone sequel that really wasn’t. Without a solid foundation it was just too easy to drift away and miss parts of the narrated story … but when my attention returned, it never really felt like I missed much. At 5 hours for 250+ pages, it is a bit on the short side, which limited how complex the plot could be … which seemed like it just faded out in the end … or I missed something in the rush for it to be over. I am sure this works for some folks … but not for me.

I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

#UnfinishedBusiness #AntarcticMurders #FreeAudiobkFacebkGrp


View all my reviews

Review: Danger Beneath The Surface

Danger Beneath The Surface by Jon Sniderman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Book: ***
Performance: ***

A Short Trip Down Memory Lane

I wanted to give this a listen based almost entirely on a bit of nostalgia … and on that point it delivers. Of all the places I have lived, AK was the best experience that I have had. It is a short vignette that, as near as I can recall, is more or less solid on location and science, so props for that. However, the story itself was pretty slow … a simple mystery plot that might have been a science thriller in a longer format, but there was not really a lot of suspense (most of this was just confirming details on why animals were getting sick and dying … and given the science theme was reasonably predictable). Still … the narration was decent and I enjoyed the trip down memory lane.

I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

#DangerBeneathTheSurface #FreeAudiobkFacebkGrp

View all my reviews

Review: Elodia's Knife: Book One of the Visigoth Saga

Elodia's Knife: Book One of the Visigoth Saga by Robert S. Phillips
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Book: *
Performance: ***

There Is So Much Wrong Here

To start … it is poorly written in passive voice with way too much descriptive text making it nearly impossible to actually put yourself into the story. Instead, the reader remains on the outside looking in, reading/listening to the third person narrative describing what happened, broken up by extremely awkward/unnatural dialog.
.
There are zero sympathetic characters in this story. I uniformly disliked them all, not finding any of them to be even remotely believable. I don’t think there was a single relationships that was not extremely dysfunctional

There is way too much detail that doesn’t advance the plot … probably because the plot is MIA making this something of a rape fantasy that for some reason over uses the euphemism “bumping” as if that makes it all okay. This is even more aggravating because most of the historical details are just wrong … the roman military didn’t work like that, roman river patrol boats didn’t work like that, roman weapons and armor didn’t work like that, roman disciple and law didn’t work like that, roman christianity didn’t work like that … and all of these weird anachronisms might be hidden for most readers because the overarching history (the conflict between Rome and the Goths on the Danube) is at least correct in broad strokes. I found the poor research so ubiquitous that it was hard to ignore and I almost DNF.

I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

#ElodiasKnife #VisigothSaga #FreeAudiobkFacebkGrp #KindleUnlimited

View all my reviews

Review: The Edith Wharton Collection

The Edith Wharton Collection by Edith Wharton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Book: ***
Performance: ****

A Nice Way to Enjoy a Classic

First off … this is not my typical fare; in fact, I don’t usually care for relationship drama, but I am on a bit of a classics kick and this seemed like an easy way to move outside my comfort zone … and for the most part that is true. The Narration on this collection was great and made it all very enjoyable. In “The Age of Innocence,” we get a Hallmark love triangle set in the NYC socialite scene that now has a bit of a nostalgic feel to it. I am not sure why “The House of Mirth” was not first, but they are remarkably similar stories to my mind, with perhaps a more stinging critique of social expectations and obligations of the time found here. Enough to make me happy to not be living then (while every age has its issues, I would like to believe that there is more freedom and opportunity today for many folks that traditionally had little or none). Granted this is all first world issues … but is still progress. The last piece, “Ethan Frome,” is the weakest of the three and explores an even darker side of human social relationships. All in all, it was worth the effort, but such stories remain a bit of a struggle for me to enjoy much.

The chapters and sections in this work are:

“The Age of Innocence”
Book 1 (5:47)
Book 2 (5:45)

“The House of Mirth”
Book 1 (6:41)
Book 2 5:32)

“Ethan Frome” (3:14)

I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

#EdithWharton #FreeAudiobookCodes

View all my reviews

Review: The Shadowmaker

The Shadowmaker by T.J. Champitto
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Book: ***
Performance: ****

A Solid Crime Adventure/Thriller Story

This is the first of a new action/ thriller series. The main character, Henry Sirola, is a master thief working for an eastern European mob organization. He and long time bestie, Darius, are recruited for the score of a lifetime, which naturally seems too good to be true. Henry’s old flame (Isabell) is also along for the ride and gives us the possibility for a little romantic reconciliation. When it all inevitably goes sideways, the team scrambles to fix everything, going up against government corruption and a Brazilian crime syndicate. Along the way, we see secrets/mystery and betrayal that keeps you guessing with a few late reveals, but nothing too surprising. Henry is a very likable, and somewhat flawed, anti-hero that is also and FBI informant (making him sort of a good guy - right?) … which to be honest, I am not clear on how that advances the plot, which for most of the story seems to be a legitimate salvage and sale … the only question is why are crime lords involved at all. At any rate, the action and pacing is good enough to easily pull your through the story without losing interest and keep it entertaining. The ending was a bit ambiguous, although for the most part satisfying.

I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

#TheShadowmaker #FreeAudiobookCodes

View all my reviews

Review: The Secret of Scripture

The Secret of Scripture by Felix Alexander
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Book: ***
Performance: ****

A History Book Disguised as a Mystery

This is the second of the series following The Secret of Heaven; however, it can be read by itself (just don’t think too hard about any of it).

Preach Brother … This book is a historical conspiracy wrapped in a mystery presented through pontificating data dumps thinly veiled as dialog. There is no doubt that a lot of research went into this story; unfortunately the author seems compelled to beat the reader about the head and shoulders with all of it. The plot itself revolves around a murder of a mathematics professor on the eve of a tech conference in Tel Aviv … and apparently sets in motion events that are designed to bring about the fall of the Zionist State of Israel. While a fair amount of the information presented was accurate (more of less), there was little to no nuance and/or context presented with it, allowing the author to weave an entertaining, if improbable, conspiracy that subscribes to a number of obscure and mostly heretical interpretations (you have been warned). With historical and scriptural interpretations designed to titillate more than to inform (much like National Treasure and The Da Vinci Code), it can be fun to play with these "what if" concepts so long as you don’t take anything at face value. Of course … with all of this exposition, the plot moves at a glacial pace that is mostly saved by an excellent audio performance. With an awesome array of character voices and near perfect delivery, the only [minor] critique I would raise about the narration simply highlights some imaginative pronunciations that didn’t conform to the more conventional forms that I am familiar with … but this didn’t detract from my enjoyment at all.

I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

#TheSecretOfScripture #AidenLeonardo #FreeAudiobookCodes

View all my reviews

Review: Palladium

Palladium by Leigh Turner
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Book: ***
Performance: ***

Set in Istanbul, a mysterious group known as the “Elders” has recruited several terrorists teams to “End the West” through a terrorist attack on the city. There is a loose connection to an ancient artifact known as the Palladium, which must first be obtained to ensure the attack would succeed, so one team steels it and abducts the archeologist that found it (the rationale for the latter is a bit thin when it is revealed much later). Fortunately, her brother Orhan is a Turkish policeman and her lover is a former British SIS officer who are on the job to get her back. Along the way they seem to always be just a step behind as the story drags on and on. Frequently there was way too much detail injected into the story and then continually repeated while doing little to advance the story, with some of the details were a bit questionable; but not enough to really detract from the overall enjoyment of the story … just don’t think about it too much and you will be fine. Over all, the lot was fairly predictable and the story mechanical enough that I had difficulty connecting to characters and plot; however, it was decent enough for light entertainment.

The narration was also pretty average … every now and then the pacing was a bit off to feel natural and the performance had difficulty differentiating the voices, but it wasn’t too hard to keep it all separate.

I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

#Palladium #FreeAudiobookCodes

View all my reviews

Review: Hopewell

Hopewell by C.J. Petit
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Performance: **
Story: **

It was a good premise, but the story just didn’t develop very well. On the up side, it was one of the more wholesome (barring some course humor that didn't land) and upright westerns in the genre (which seems to be a rare thing these days) ... and of course I am a sucker for happy endings. The main problem is the lack any real tension in the plot, made so much worse with the mechanical narration. Characters are flat and extremely predictable. World building is poorly researched (US Marshal … a federal agent … is not able to remove a locally elected sheriff because you don’t like the way he does his job). In short, the story didn't connect at all and it went on nearly two hours after resolution of the primary conflict. By the end, I was actually a tad irritated with how the main character was presented, mostly because I know it could have been better.

I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

#Hopewell #FreeAudiobookCodes

View all my reviews

Review: The Monsters in our Shadows

The Monsters in our Shadows by Edward J Cembal
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was a bit of a stretch for me as the horror/sci-fi genre is not typically a favorite. That said, the blurb looked like enough of an interesting take to make it with the effort. To set the stage, we have a ruined apocalyptic landscape with enclaves of humans behind walled communities scrambling to survive. From the shadows, a terrifying creature (aka Shivers) emerges that haunts a specific person for a time until its hunger becomes to much prevent it from literally eating its host and if not “exiled” outside of the protective walls by then, going on a rampage devouring anybody else nearby. While there are some obvious analogies and symbolism from these shadow horrors, my interest was more on the basic story that follows Anthem, the city "Exilist" (aka The Reaper) who was responsible for making sure the afflicted were “escorted” out through the city walls into the deadlands before the Shiver goes nuts. Having a Shiver is always a death sentence … it is only a matter of time.

Anthem has a daughter … and his own Shiver, so the clock is ticking to find the truth. Does the Architect (ruler of the City of Atlas) have the answers? Maybe that is why not a single member of that family has ever been “exiled.” Or maybe the truth is outside the walls in the Deadlands. There is a mystery here (and a dark secret); however, you can’t figure it out on your own, so you are left to the whims each tantalizing encounter that keeps Anthem's apocalyptic "hero's journey" from being completely hopeless. If you enjoyed The Road, this story is probably right up your alley. Truthfully it is the end that makes this any good for me, with the obvious nod to depression and the hope contained therein; however, as mentioned above … this was not for me, so I am rounding my final score up.

I was given this free advance reader copy (ARC) ebook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

#TheMonstersInOurShadow #NetGalley

View all my reviews

Review: Slaughterhouse-Five

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Okay ... I am not a big fan of the fractured narrative style (jumping back and forth through time). That said … Vonnegut pulls it off better than most. I can't really say that I enjoyed it that much; however, it has been awhile since I have encountered the supporting pseudo-stream of consciousness writing style and I found it mildly entertaining … Vonnegut’s sardonic humor helped immensely here.

Of the story itself … the book is characterized as an anti-war book; however, I felt it had more of an amoral tone then anything (with the possible exception being his discussion with his sons concerning massacres). That is, it was more of an eye witness report then a heart felt condemnation, leaving the reader free to impose whatever moral framework desired so long as the factual events were not dismissed. In that respect, I found myself draw into the story with a rubbernecker’s morbid sense of curiosity where it was safe to look because I was not actually involved. This was where the fractured narrative style really helped; it allowed the reader to explore events that were obviously tragic without overwhelming the reader with an extended emotional response … Vonnegut would just barely touch the ‘dark-side’ before zooming away toward lighter faire.

View all my reviews

Review: The Road

The Road by Cormac McCarthy
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I read this purely on the fact that is was the selection of the month for the club. To be honest, it is not something that I would have picked up myself despite the award of a Pulitzer Prize.

I didn't like it. Sure, I recognized the sparse writing style which lent an artsy feel to the prose (and was probably what earned it the Pulitzer and is why I give it 2 stars instead of 1), but the book was an ordeal from start to finish. It had no purpose what so ever except to make the reader feel like they were in a post-apocalyptic world where hope had been completely extinguished … and it worked. Ultimately that is what doomed the book with me … at the end I sat back and simply asked a very basic question … So? Was there a message? Maybe … life goes on? Egads, even the interminable “and so it goes” from slaughter house five was better then this drekk. What about the relationship between the father and the son? Was it really love, so was it simple a reason to continue? I don’t really know, but I suspect that there really was not as much there as it would seem. The boy’s existence was simply an enabler for the father’s continued existence. Neither character showed any character development over some 287 pages so what really was the point of the story?

I have happily traded this book away on book mooch.com

View all my reviews

Review: The Jasmine Throne

The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The story is set in the cultural milieu of the Indian subcontinent and the author Suri does a very good job finding the balance between elements that would be familiar to western readers and the foreign/exotic details that make the world unique and compelling. One advantage of reading on a Kindle app is that I can quickly look up existing terms if needed. The principal conflict comes from a typical conqueror/conquered dynamic, where the cruelty and oppression of the ruling emperor and his sycophants feeds an undercurrent of sedition and rebellion. There are also elements of social strata conflict and gender [role] bias that play an important role in the story. The magic system is a hybrid religious and [nature] spiritual/supernatural format with a nominal Hindu feel, where certain rituals [bathing in sacred waters] and physical matrices [sacred wood] can generate, hold and distribute “gifts” (aka magic). There is a hint of desperation in the mix from a mysterious pandemic (aka ‘the rot’) that helps develop very sympathetic main characters. The two protagonists begin in different social strata with a shared antagonist (the Emperor) that helps to push the two together until they can develop a much deeper/emotional/somewhat romantic relationship … and here I think the author does a fantastic job with the slow burn that doesn’t overwhelm the story. Realistic and complicated family dynamics add even more to the over all drama. While the ending does set the stage for the sequel (which I am looking forward to reading), it is was a solid enough conclusion that the book can stand alone.

I was given this free advance reader copy (ARC) ebook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

#TheJasmineThrone #NetGalley

View all my reviews