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Morgan Caughlin

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Kind of like a modern day Narnia for adults

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 09-26-22

I very much enjoyed this book. The fantasy elements were just as enjoyable as the military ones. Takes some inspiration from old Welsh and Irish folklore (if I am not mistaken) which made it interesting and refreshing. I have listed to the first three in the series and am anxiously awaiting the fourth.

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Has the spirit of the Crichton Jurassic Park.

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Story
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 09-26-22

I found this to be a well-written and enjoyable book. The way the dinosaurs were portrayed really impressed me at some points and made them into believable monsters. The book is set in the Vietnam war and as such, some portions have nothing to do with dinosaurs and are DARK. The book has good character development and looks at topics like PTSD, Schizophrenia, and substance use at a time when these subjects were just starting to be recognized medically. It does a good job of exploring what it is like for the soldiers going through the war as well as the current situation which may not be for everyone. However, It was very well done and the prehistoric creatures were great. Like Chrichton's books, I would say it leans more to the side of science fiction than science fantasy. One example is that the raptors have feathers and the way they use these feathers makes them much more terrifying with them than without them. I wish the newer Jurassic Park movies could have taken some inspiration from it. (Also, If you were a kid in the late 90s to early 2000s and played the Capcom game Dino Crisis, you will probably get some feelings of nostalgia while listening.)

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Heavy on social justice, light on fantasy/fun.

Overall
2 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Story
1 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 09-25-22

I am about halfway through this book and will give an update once it is complete. The narrator is great, one of the better ones I have heard on Audible. The dialog is well written. However, the subject content leans heavily on the context of social justice and collectivism. This in itself is not necessarily a bad thing but it was not what I was looking for nor expected after reading the description. During the first 30 min or so I had to keep checking to make sure I hadn't downloaded the wrong book. The impression I have had so far is that it is not really fantasy/folklore in the traditional sense. There are monsters but this seems to be a general term for anything "supernatural." There is even a tech mage and some dude who sounds like he came straight out of the Valve game Portal. Anyway, if that is your thing you may really enjoy this book. If you were looking for more of a folklore meets modern-day type story, I would avoid this title.
*I have completed the book and I am glad it is finished. Looking back, you could substitute "monsters" with mutants, x-men, or "specials" and it would not have appreciably changed the narrative of the book. I have no interest in reading the sequel.

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Painful…

Overall
1 out of 5 stars
Performance
2 out of 5 stars
Story
1 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 11-30-21

I started this book after reading The Loch. These books are not of the same level. While The Loch seemed well thought out and thought provoking, Vostok was painfully absurd. This is doubly disappointing because the real Lake Vostok is so fascinating and a story on the topic has so much potential. This story was so ridiculous that it might as well have been set anywhere. It was a very annoying experience. This is all coming from an individual that enjoys stories on zombies, dinosaurs and Bigfoot. It was still too inconsistent and absurd to be enjoyable. Cannot recommend.

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