Michael Evans-Layng
- 34
- reviews
- 23
- helpful votes
- 128
- ratings
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The Mercy of Gods
- Captive's War, Book 1
- By: James S.A. Corey
- Narrated by: Jefferson Mays
- Length: 14 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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The Carryx—part empire, part hive—has waged wars of conquest for centuries, destroying or enslaving species across the galaxy in its conflict with an ancient and deathless enemy. When they descend on the isolated world of Anjiin, the human population is abased, slaughtered, and put in chains. The best and brightest are abducted, taken to the Carryx world-palace to join prisoners from a thousand other species. Dafyd Alkhor, assistant to a prestigious scientist, is captured along with his team.
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Incredible
- By Davey Francis on 08-15-24
- The Mercy of Gods
- Captive's War, Book 1
- By: James S.A. Corey
- Narrated by: Jefferson Mays
Slow Start But Worth It
Reviewed: 11-24-24
They’re clearly setting up a saga with many twists and deep characters. Eager for more! Great world building and convincing alien psychologies and philosophies.
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More: A Memoir of Open Marriage
- By: Molly Roden Winter
- Narrated by: Molly Roden Winter
- Length: 8 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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Molly Roden Winter was a mother of small children with a husband, Stewart, who often worked late. One night when Stewart missed the kids’ bedtime—again—she stormed out of the house to clear her head. At a bar, she met Matt, a flirtatious younger man. When Molly told her husband that Matt had asked her out, she was surprised that Stewart encouraged her to accept.
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engaging but contradictory
- By Eyal Goldshmid on 03-15-24
- More: A Memoir of Open Marriage
- By: Molly Roden Winter
- Narrated by: Molly Roden Winter
Many Honest Insights About Love
Reviewed: 01-30-24
I thoroughly enjoyed this insightful, blisteringly honest reflection on life and love. I have learned similar lessons about the expansiveness of the human heart and think, as a general principle, that the love we bring into the world is our primary source of real hope.
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The Fated Sky
- Lady Astronaut, Book 2
- By: Mary Robinette Kowal
- Narrated by: Mary Robinette Kowal
- Length: 10 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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Mary Robinette Kowal continues the grand sweep of alternate history begun in The Calculating Stars. The Fated Sky looks forward to 1961, when mankind is well established on the moon and looking forward to its next step: journeying to, and eventually colonizing, Mars. Of course the noted Lady Astronaut Elma York would like to go, but there’s a lot riding on whoever the International Aerospace Coalition decides to send on this historic - but potentially very dangerous - mission. Could Elma really leave behind her husband and the chance to start a family to spend several years traveling to Mars?
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The authors Agenda is showing
- By Areader on 09-26-18
- The Fated Sky
- Lady Astronaut, Book 2
- By: Mary Robinette Kowal
- Narrated by: Mary Robinette Kowal
Thrilling and Moving Vol II
Reviewed: 12-30-23
I liked literally everything about this book and can hardly wait to listen to volume III. I love science fiction but it doesn’t often move me to tears. This did—several times.
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The Calculating Stars
- A Lady Astronaut Novel
- By: Mary Robinette Kowal
- Narrated by: Mary Robinette Kowal
- Length: 11 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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On a cold spring night in 1952, a huge meteorite fell to earth and obliterated much of the East Coast of the US, including Washington, DC. The ensuing climate cataclysm will soon render the Earth inhospitable for humanity, as the last such meteorite did for the dinosaurs. This looming threat calls for a radically accelerated effort to colonize space and requires a much-larger share of humanity to take part in the process. Elma York’s drive to become the first lady astronaut is so strong that even the most dearly held conventions of society may not stand a chance against her.
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Never achieves lift off
- By Richard Bruno on 10-01-18
- The Calculating Stars
- A Lady Astronaut Novel
- By: Mary Robinette Kowal
- Narrated by: Mary Robinette Kowal
What a great start to a series!
Reviewed: 12-27-23
I thoroughly enjoyed every word of this exciting, believable book and look forward eagerly to the subsequent volumes. And the author’s reading is first rate to boot!
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Greyhound (Movie Tie-In)
- A Novel
- By: C. S. Forester
- Narrated by: Jim Frangione
- Length: 8 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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The mission of Commander George Krause of the United States Navy is to protect a convoy of 37 merchant ships making their way across the icy North Atlantic from America to England. There, they will deliver desperately needed supplies, but only if they can make it through the wolf pack of German submarines that awaits and outnumbers them in the perilous seas. For 48 hours, Krause will play a desperate cat-and-mouse game against the submarines, combating exhaustion, hunger, and thirst to protect 50 million dollars worth of cargo and the lives of 3,000 men.
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More real than you can imagine....
- By David L. Carter on 01-07-21
- Greyhound (Movie Tie-In)
- A Novel
- By: C. S. Forester
- Narrated by: Jim Frangione
Great job getting into a skipper’s head
Reviewed: 09-30-23
I have read few books that do anywhere as good a job as this one in portraying the unrelenting stresses and strains of command in general, and convoy protection duty in the North Atlantic in particular. The voice performance conveys tension in every sentence, which is entirely appropriate for the subject matter but can take an emotional toll—like much great literature.
A good companion to this book is Nicholas Monsarrat’s The Cruel Sea, which focuses more on the relationship between an executive officer and his captain. It is equally enthralling and both left me wondering how men could withstand the demands.
This, in turn, reminded me of The Caine Mutiny, and the impact that such duty was said to have had on the behavior and ultimate breakdown of Captain Queeg.
I commend them all to my fellow readers and listeners.
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Restricted Data
- The History of Nuclear Secrecy in the United States
- By: Alex Wellerstein
- Narrated by: John McLain
- Length: 17 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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Drawing on troves of declassified files, including records released by the government for the first time through the author's efforts, Restricted Data traces the complex evolution of the US nuclear secrecy regime from the first whisper of the atomic bomb through the mounting tensions of the Cold War and into the early 21st century. A compelling history of powerful ideas at war, it tells a story that feels distinctly American: rich, sprawling, and built on the conflict between high-minded idealism and ugly, fearful power.
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Alright. Some interesting facts
- By Dustin C. on 07-28-24
- Restricted Data
- The History of Nuclear Secrecy in the United States
- By: Alex Wellerstein
- Narrated by: John McLain
Great book, just one minor complaint…
Reviewed: 09-18-23
My only beef is with one aspect of the performance, and that is the pronunciation of Vannevar Bush’s first name. It’s VAH neh var, not vah NEE ver. Other than that teeth-grinding mistake, the reader did a great job.
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Wow, No Thank You.
- Essays
- By: Samantha Irby
- Narrated by: Samantha Irby
- Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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A new rip-roaring essay collection from the smart, edgy, hilarious, unabashedly raunchy, and best-selling Samantha Irby. Irby is 40, and increasingly uncomfortable in her own skin despite what Inspirational Instagram Infographics have promised her. She has left her job as a receptionist at a veterinary clinic, has published successful books and has been friendzoned by Hollywood, left Chicago, and moved into a house with a garden that requires repairs and know-how with her wife in a Blue town in the middle of a Red state....
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listen to this book. and then repeat. twice.
- By hattie walls on 04-08-20
- Wow, No Thank You.
- Essays
- By: Samantha Irby
- Narrated by: Samantha Irby
Not every joke hits, but the vast majority do!
Reviewed: 07-29-23
I can’t remember the last time I read or listened to a book where I laughed out loud or chuckled so often. Talk about blunt honesty with a hilarious—and expertly profane—edge, and this book would be a topic for sure. If you’re prudish this book is probably not for you. If you’re prudish but sick to death of the constrictions such worldviews impose, and the joy they wring out of you, and want to have your puritanical or Catholic cage rattled, this book is definitely for you.
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Secret Empire
- Eisenhower, CIA, and the Hidden Story of America's Space Espionage
- By: Philip Taubman
- Narrated by: Michael Prichard
- Length: 15 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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During the early and most dangerous years of the cold war, a handful of Americans, led by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, revolutionized spying and warfare. In great secrecy and beyond the prying eyes of Congress and the press, they built exotic new machines that opened up the Soviet Union to surveillance and protected the United States from surprise nuclear attack. Secret Empire is the dramatic story of these men and their inventions, told in full for the first time.
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More people should know what Ike accomplished.
- By RG on 09-14-04
- Secret Empire
- Eisenhower, CIA, and the Hidden Story of America's Space Espionage
- By: Philip Taubman
- Narrated by: Michael Prichard
If you’re curious about technical espionage this is the book for you
Reviewed: 07-24-23
A commenter in a Facebook discussion on the SR-71 mentioned this book as a great read elucidating the revolution in espionage wrought by advances in technology from the fifties through the turn of the century. Wow, was here right. Very thorough and insightful writing that delves not only into the enormous technical barriers that had to be overcome but also the bureaucratic infighting and politics that all-too-often hindered progress. Taubman also discusses the limits of technical intelligence vis-à-vis human intelligence as it pertains to more current problems of terrorism and nuclear proliferation and the immense challenges of dealing with the huge volume of visual and audio information now gathered electronically. It kept my interest throughout and I recommend it highly.
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Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Collection
- By: Arthur Conan Doyle, Stephen Fry - introductions
- Narrated by: Stephen Fry
- Length: 71 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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Ever since he made his first appearance in A Study In Scarlet, Sherlock Holmes has enthralled and delighted millions of fans throughout the world. Now Audible is proud to present Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, read by Stephen Fry. A lifelong fan of Doyle's detective fiction, Fry has narrated the definitive collection of Sherlock Holmes - four novels and four collections of short stories. And, exclusively for Audible, Stephen has written and narrated eight insightful introductions, one for each title.
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Chapter Guide!
- By Katya Rice on 05-25-18
Brilliant Stories and Brilliant Performance
Reviewed: 04-09-23
Whoever thought of combining Stephen Fry with Doyle’s great detective had a brain wave of the first order. Besides Fry’s wonderful reading I found his affectionate and well-informed interactions enlightening and entertaining. Great combo all the way around!
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Barbarian Days
- A Surfing Life
- By: William Finnegan
- Narrated by: William Finnegan
- Length: 18 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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Pulitzer Prize, Biography, 2016. Barbarian Days is William Finnegan's memoir of an obsession, a complex enchantment. Surfing only looks like a sport. To initiates it is something else entirely: a beautiful addiction, a demanding course of study, a morally dangerous pastime, a way of life.
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What a Jerk.
- By ML Sadler on 03-06-17
- Barbarian Days
- A Surfing Life
- By: William Finnegan
- Narrated by: William Finnegan
I didn’t want it to end, either
Reviewed: 10-19-22
Not too often I weep at the end of a book just because I’ve reached the end. But Barbarian Days got to me, especially knowing the author was the one reading it. Perhaps it got to me as deeply as it did because I’m about the same age as Finnegan and his reminiscences prompted so many of my own. I didn’t find it a particularly profound book in terms of philosophy, yet it moved me to ponder my own life. I’m not yet sure if I’ve found it wanting or not, but it’s good to wrestle with the issues and Barbarian Days has certainly insisted that wrestling; perhaps just getting older has a hand in that too. Highly recommended.
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