averageconsumer

Surprisingly Ugly

Reviewed: 07-03-21

The last experiences I expected from this were such well-done explorations into the depths of evil. <shrug> If vividly described vileness is part of your idea of a good listening time, then you are in the right place. For me, the daily news is already more than enough exposure to the depths of suffering and deliberate evil.

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3 people found this helpful

An Absolute Travesty of a Great Work

Reviewed: 05-01-21

Whether you deeply respect the works of Manly P. Hall or are a curious newcomer- DO NOT TOUCH THIS "version". Or anything else narrated by such an extraordinarily ill-equipped and astoundingly presumptuous narrator. While he is at it, he mispronounces every last name, phrase, and sentence he possibly could. His narration style is an egotistical and breezy self-confidence that beggars description altogether. Audible, you and I have had a decade long relationship by now. THIS is by far the worst production of a great book I've encountered in all that time. PLEASE find narrators who can master this new and deeply interesting esoteric audiobook subgenre. Or just stop the grotesque butchery of Many P Hall until you have them.

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65 people found this helpful

Exactly What You Hoped For...

Reviewed: 06-04-19

Did you wonder if this new spin-off, taking place in a new country, with a new protagonist and a different narrator...could possibly match the deep delights of the original? It does.

The only thing I have against Ben Aaronovitch is overflowing creativity. He is good at many different kinds of projects. Therefore, he doesn't offer a new Rivers of London book as often as I wish. I am always a little thirsty for More, Please- waiting for the next River to flow. Yet when they do, they have always been freshly invigorating. And this new story line has lived up to my most hopeful Aaronovitch expectations. So did new narrator, Sam Peter Jackson, who magically manages to capture exactly the right tone of droll. Enjoy!

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Perfect Enjoyment Here.

Reviewed: 05-28-19

This is a great glorious surprise. Most books I end up not liking come with wildly exaggerated claims from publishers. (Which I routinely buy into anyway.) Computer One's gifts and charms, on the other hand, are offered in relatively subdued language. I almost didn't buy it for that reason. (Is this a shiny new object or not?) But listening to the clip a few times sold the book for me: the narrator is wonderful, and the writing excellent. This is the real unicorn: intelligent originality.

It holds its quiet spellbinding marvels throughout, sentence by sentence. Yes, it is a warning story. Perhaps not what one feels like listening to in dark times? Escape from planet Earth seems more to the point? Fear not. Computer One is entirely and uniquely beautiful in all its parts and pieces. The great classic tragedies always have the power to create reflection, understanding and profound resolution within us. Computer One is made of the same sublime qualities. Yes, it is haunting- in a wise, sweet, and unusually well-written way. I completely enjoyed every moment of this brilliant science fiction prophecy. And I think many others will have this same experience of very deep satisfaction.

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1 person found this helpful

If You Like Science In Your Science Fiction

Reviewed: 01-30-19

It took me a while to warm up to the idea of Antarctica as the scene for such a wildly extreme climate change disaster epic. But it turns out the catastrophes described here are perfectly possible. Even relatively likely under the circumstances, sooner or later. And that makes the cast of "ordinary" scientists unusually provocative protagonists. They are normal human beings with the usual wide variety of personal characteristics. There are no superhuman powers on display: just the ones we humans have always had to rely on in catastrophes.There are no cartoonish people here, but a very realistic and well-described variety of personalities. And I found this aspect of Icequake to be a crucially valuable contrast to the action.

I give extra credit to the unobtrusively excellent narrator. His fluidly intelligent performance makes a great difference in how this long and very complex story is seamlessly and enjoyably knit together.

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29 people found this helpful

An Unexpected Treasure of Pure Enjoyment

Reviewed: 01-26-19

Here is deeply delightful story-telling of the most unusual kind. This is a new work mysteriously sprung from a very grand, full-blown and glorious imagination. It is charming to the core, and amazingly enjoyable from start to finish.
Assemblies of the Living is therefore not for cynics. It's for those who resonate with striving for greater intelligence, love and courage. It's for those who know that evolution, by definition, is perpetually aiming to refine all forms of life and ways of living.
And for those who understand all too well that so far, "Homo sapiens" is not even remotely wise.

It isn't a perfect book, and an experienced listener/reader will notice some flaws. But I doubt most will care very much. These are as nothing compared to so many hours of real pleasure in following the surprises. I loved the way this story subtly both unfolds and enfolds its hard science fiction charms. And I loved the narrator's equally subtle way with voices. I've never heard anyone more skillful in using small changes to create distinct characters. Together, the author and narrator are simply wonderful. Thank you!

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23 people found this helpful

Took 7 years to learn to like it, but then...

Reviewed: 08-27-18

Bought this in 2013, and tried occasionally ever since to get past the narration. The reason I didn't return it was a good one: I love some of Julie E. Czerneda's other works. I wanted to try to get past my dislike of the narrator's voice, and to enter into the spirited feeling of the tale. All these years later, I finally got the hang of non-resistance. And I was richly rewarded for being so stubborn. Because from that time on, I found this story profoundly fascinating. This is an exceptionally interesting and very cleverly-wrought tale. It is wonderfully intricate as it unwinds, which is a great pleasure when you are enjoying a journey you don't want to end.

I didn't love every single moment, or every little thing along the way. But that was never a problem. Especially since, for me, the only fantasy writer who ever ascended to such perfection was Tolkien. There are plenty of other very fine story-tellers who are thoroughly themselves. But highly intelligent science fiction and fantasy written by women? There is nowhere near enough of it, yet. Here is one.

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2 people found this helpful

Charming Story, Great Narration

Reviewed: 08-08-18

I have bought all of Patrick S. Tomlinson's audiobooks, for the general fun of his foolery and the unusual charm of his characters. As an unexpected bonus with Gate Crashers, I also discovered a new favorite narrator. I thought Alyssa Bresnahan brilliantly captured the quick rhythm and highly elusive subtleties of the writing here. She made the wildly distinctive cast of characters and their extremely witty dialogue come vividly alive for me. I see experiences here differ greatly. But I found this particular partnership of reader and writer a perfect match, and deeply enjoyable from beginning to end.

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1 person found this helpful

Exceptionally promising first book, but...

Reviewed: 08-05-18

Bob Goddard has great talent. This is a rich and thoughtful work, written with care and deep dedication to the intricacies of his complex storyline. Yet I didn't enjoy it very much, for a couple of reasons.

The first big problem is the way some of the main women scientists are constantly depicted as adolescent basket cases. Yes, the stalwart leader of the colony is a woman, and a great one. But all of these women were chosen for the moon colony because they are among the best in their fields. Notable women scientists are not perpetually crippled by the emotional problems of 14-year old girls. This was so jarring I wanted to stop listening early on. But I thought the sobbing must surely stop at some point, and it finally did- but only much later on. And not before leaving a bad aftertaste. Highly intelligent women scientists certainly may have strong emotions and reactions. But they are not ceaselessly whiny cry-babies in the face of common disaster. If you don't believe it, read the environmental news.

The second big problem for me was the ending. I felt cheated by the abrupt failure here of the careful scientific underpinnings of the book. The story's ongoing Earth-science-on-the-Moon is presented so reasonably and coherently it forms a large part of its charm. But after all that, the ending suddenly abandons all previous logic with a glaring omission. And if you see the missing link at the end, you probably won't like it any more than I did.

Re: Bernard Faricy. This narrator is new to me and quite unlike any others. It took a little time, but I learned to appreciate his dry and oddly compelling narrative style. It fits this book nicely.

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1 person found this helpful

Luminous, Intelligent and Captivating

Reviewed: 04-07-18

This work should be a Hugo nominee this year: it's that good. And as an audiobook- even better.
The description of the story is intriguing in itself. If you are reading this, it was interesting enough to attract your attention. Yet describing the story outline can't even begin to convey the rich enjoyment of listening to the audiobook as it unfolds.This particular quality of literate and fully satisfying science fiction is very hard to come by. And it is never the most highly rated by the public: when everyone has an equal vote, it can't be. But if you relish Kim Stanley Robinson and other equally intelligent science fiction writers, try Quietus.

To Tristan Palmgren,Thomas Judd, and the production team: congratulations, and thanks for the masterpiece. I've been reading mostly science fiction for 50 years, so am understandably bored by its mediocre iterations. By now, only the most deeply enjoyable experiences can galvanize me enough to try to write a review. I hope my fellow hunters-of-excellence will fully understand what I mean to convey. Quietus is a rare marvel, and a sumptuous example of the art of science fiction.

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4 people found this helpful