scmccarty

An Original & Unique Ghost Story

Reviewed: 04-11-20

I previously read Paver's book, Dark Matter, another period ghost story discussing isolation, loneliness and the malevolence of a rightfully perturbed ghost. Thin Air is a departure from that but equally provoking and terrifying; looking deeply at ambition, claustrophobia, sibling rivalry, and fear of the unknown come crashing together on a mountain that is known throughout the world as a "man-killer."

Paver's strength is her eloquent storytelling and prose -- she holds your attention through the perspective of Stephen, a doctor, and a member of the mountain expedition. Stephen is relatable, prudent, and logical but comes up against the reality that something awful happened on the mountain and how "the laws of man" do not seem to apply in the air up there.

Daniel Wayman's narration is spot on -- you can hear the tension in his voice, the terror, and even the annoyance when Stephen talks with his fellow climbers. You're able to clearly differentiate between the different voices of the characters and Wayman weaves a fun, terrifying, and relatable ghost story for us to enjoy.

All in all, this is a stellar ghost story filled with mystery, scares, and plenty of beautiful writing to enjoy. Highly recommend.

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Absorbing, Creepy, and Capitvating

Reviewed: 04-04-20

This was one story that I simply could not stop listening to. My walks were longer and my listening was enhanced as I listened to a truly spellbinding story that was both imaginative, creepy, and heartbreaking at the same time. Paver weaves an intriguing and captivating tale of 5 young men (and the narrator Jack) in the 1930s on a remote, Arctic island that happens to be haunted by a viciously malevolent ghost. Much of this story is told from Jack's perspective as (one by one) his compatriots depart the island and he is left in utter isolation.

I was frequently unsettled and this can be attributed to Jeremy Northam's splendid narration of Jack and the rich array of characters that Paver introduces the reader/listener to. Northam is able to clearly differentiate each character's unique voice and take Paver's splendid writing and turn it into an enjoyable listen. The ending was terrifying and brutally gripping as Jack struggles with both his sanity of the isolation, the darkness, and a ghost hell-bent on ending him.

What I enjoyed about this book was that it was a ghost story for everyone; coupled with a deep appreciation for nature and the outside. Moreover, it looks at the human impact of loneliness and isolation -- examining how someone could contend with such an experience. Paver's writing and imagery are superb; supported by an extraordinary and methodical narration by Northam -- you won't be disappointed.

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Engrossing. Clever. Delicious.

Reviewed: 03-14-19

This is a rich and clever whodunit. I truly enjoyed listening to it. This can partially be attributed to the strong performances by Samantha Bond and Allan Corduner. Ultimately, this is a true and faithful successor to the Agatha Christie novels I have come to enjoy with a rich story, lively characters, and a fiendishly clever plot. In fact, I could actually see this playing out. This is great for long car rides and can easily be picked up if you need to drop off for a bit. I found it seriously addicting to listen to. If you like Anthony Horowitz, I would also suggest "The House of Silk," which is a great Sherlock Holmes mystery that is truly faithful to the Doyle canon. This, however, is a superb standalone mystery within a mystery -- and a bittersweet ending. Everyone loses something in the end when a murder occurs. That is, in fact, life as it is.

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If you like The Keepers, You'll Like This

Reviewed: 02-18-18

First, there was Serial, then Making a Murderer and The Keepers...now West Cork comes along and it was a genuinely a fun experience and extremely chilling. The story is not about the death of a French woman in rural Ireland but also about the man that the Irish police pointed the finger at.

It is an incredibly engrossing and intriguing story -- one that I had never heard about in the US but am very interested in. The interviews, the candid conversations, the excellent sound engineering made this feel like I was there along with Sam and Jennifer as they interviewed, scoped, and traveled throughout rural Ireland in search of the truth. While Bungey and Forde ultimately find no definitive conclusion to the unsolved murder -- they do paint a vivid portrait of how a violent crime can impact everyone in a small community and can change the course of everyone's life even 20 years later.

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Merrison and Sachs are sublime

Reviewed: 08-07-17

Growing up and listening to these audiobooks when I was younger, I could feel myself transported back in time and seeing Holmes and Watson hash it out and solve these perplexing crimes. Merrison actually holds the distinction of having performed every story of Holmes and Sachs (who succeeded the late Michael Williams) does not disappoint as Watson.

These stories are part of the original canon. In addition, they draw upon references to stories that Conan Doyle wrote. All of these adoptions are expertly acted (not forced) with incredible sound effects -- making it feel like you are in the room with Holmes and Watson as they solve the case together. I highly recommend these for a long car drive. The stories are absorbing and pull you in. It's only a shame that this particular set of stories signifies the end of Merrison and Sachs taking on Doyle's famous detective. But they are worth the listen.

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Alright Story but Butter Alternatives

Reviewed: 02-24-17

This wasn't bad but it wasn't great. Simon Cowell as Sherlock Holmes seemed to work for me. However, the voice acting was not that strong from the supporting cast. Watson's character was written more as bumbling, aloof, and not fully aware. The stories were not that bad. However, they did not seem to fit into the Sherlock Holmes canon that is so strong.

If you want to hear a wonderful dramatization of Sherlock Holmes with stellar sound effects, voice acting, and story -- I would recommend that dramatizations starring Clive Merrison as Sherlock Holmes and Michael Williams as Dr. Watson. After Williams passed away, Andrew Sachs took over as Watson and he is equally good. I would recommend those audio books over these hands down.

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Holmes and Watson Come to Life

Reviewed: 02-13-17

I grew up listening to these books. I remember my mother popping the cassette into the car stereo when I was young and play these stories along with all the Sherlock Holmes stories portrayed so masterfully by Clive Merrison and the late Michael Williams.

For start, you can certainly see an improvement in quality from "A Study in Scarlet" to "The Hound of the Baskervilles" and the "Valley of Fear." The voice acting, which has been lauded by critics, and the engrossing story have brought me back to listen to these again and again.

I highly recommend these for a long car ride or trip. They are entertaining, faithful to the original books, and thoroughly enjoyable.

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2 people found this helpful

Realistic, Funny, and Down-to-Earth

Reviewed: 11-26-16

I will admit that I listened to this book after watching the Ridley Scott adaption starring Matt Damon. The book, however, is superior to the film (but only barely). The book, read by R.C. Bray is realistic to the point of too much detail -- realizing how close I felt we actually were to getting to Mars in the next 10 years. Furthermore, there were several "laugh out loud" moments thanks to the incredible wit and masterful narrative dictated by Andy Weir. It is great for listening on your own or for a long car ride with adults in the car. It has a lot of language so it is not good for kiddos but man was it good. I highly recommend it.

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1 person found this helpful

Interesting but no Divinci Code

Reviewed: 01-02-16

this was a really interesting read. As I studied American history especially early American history, I found the topics and the research that Brown did as incredibly and lightning and explanatory. however, I would certainly fault the fact that I feel that the incredible intelligence of the primary characters in this book did not come out fully. There were multiple times where I could see where the plot was going but these very intelligent characters with PhDs and Ivy League educations lacked complete and total common sense and the antagonist exploited this I think too much. regardless, I felt it was a very entertaining and fun listen. The narration is spot on and I am glad that Dan Brown decided to bring his stories to the United States.

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Classic and Nostalgic - Holmes at his best

Reviewed: 01-20-15

I grew up listening to these stories. My mother would buy these taps and play them in the car and I would listen to them on long car rides. Today, I still listen to them again and again -- and I'm very glad that Audible has them in such great condition.

The BBC did not cut corners with these productions. Professional actors on stage, screen or radio often frequent the casts. The stories are very faithful to Doyle's work. Frankly, I feel that Merrison (despite not being able to see him) is the quintessential Holmes and Williams is the perfect Watson (wise, romantic, friendly and sharp).

Like all of these productions - they are entertaining, fun and interesting to listen to. It truly feels like you are right there with Holmes and Watson in the room -- and are along for the ride. I highly recommend these stories.

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