Charlie K

Greatest Cyberpunk Novel

Reviewed: 08-07-18

Though some of the tech is outdated, the themes and ideas of this novel feel as imminent as the day this was written.

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An Entertaining Menagerie of Stories...

Reviewed: 12-05-17

...and yeah there's poems, too. Overall, I enjoyed the collection even if I did find it a bit disjointed at times. The best stories are those at the beginning which begin innocently enough, but become clear that they're part of a larger, more complex and dangerous world. These stories ultimately culminate in a very intense, if flawed, climax. I imagine some readers would like to see these stories continue and I would entertain the thought of seeing these stories expanded and given their own collection or even worked into a uniquely styled novel. If the collection had ended there I would have probably given this five stars and recommended it without hesitation.

There are just some stories that don't fit into, what I presume, is supposed to be a collection of strange and science fiction stories. That intense climax I mentioned earlier? It's followed up by a fairy tale courtroom story. There's a kitschy post 9/11 poem ripped straight from my Mom's kitchen wall mixed in here as well? I could have done without the poems in general especially since they don't seem to support the theme of this collection. The whole last third loses the unity of the first two-thirds and seems to bounce around much more. Some stories are better than others, but I enjoyed them more often than not.

The narrator grew on me after a bit, though I sometimes felt his tone to be a bit too jovial for some of the stories and scenes he was reading. I wouldn't be surprised to find out he's a stage actor. I would definitely listen to another book read by him.

In conclusion, if you want to mix up your sci-fi consumption or try some out this isn't a bad collection to go to especially for the first part of the collection.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this audiobook from the author in exchange for an honest review.

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So Much More Than the Making of the 'The Room'

Reviewed: 11-13-17

First off, the book is an amazing character study into Tommy Wiseau, the writer/director/star of cult classic 'The Room,' and the author's, Greg Sestero, relationship with him. It shows how the met, stayed friends, how the toxic their relationship became and, of course, gets into the making of 'The Room' in great, hilarious, and sometimes disturbing detail. If you're looking to figure out how this film ever got made or completed, this is your book.

It also serves as a sort of autobiography of a failed actor. Sestero recounts his time in Hollywood trying to make it into shows or TV with little or no success. Big opportunities are squandered by small misunderstandings, some opportunities are gained through mistakes, and it can all lead to basically nowhere. I feel this story complements the story of making 'The Room' as a sort of every man experience for the not so well known actors in Hollywood. We don't know much about the all the actors and crew on The Room, but we can imagine their experience isn't too different from Sestero's.

Overall, it's a fascinating book read by the author who can do a great Tommy Wiseau impression providing humor that can be lost in the physical text. I think you can read this before or after seeing the movie, but whatever else it's an interesting look at a side of Hollywood film making you're unlikely to hear very many places.

AUDIBLE 20 REVIEW SWEEPSTAKES ENTRY

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Beautifully written sci-fi masterfully performed

Reviewed: 06-02-17

Would you consider the audio edition of Void Star to be better than the print version?

With the different narrators each performing a different POV character, it made differentiating the different story lines easier. In the book, chapters are generally less than 10 pages long and characters can change rather rapidly. Hard to judge if it was better than reading the book, but the production value was high and I know the narration heightened the experience of certain scenes in the book.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Void Star?

The ending, especially in relation to Kern, is very satisfying and truly enriches everything that preceded it. Much of the prose is very beautiful and reminds of some of the best and classic books I've read in the past. Sometimes it feels more like poetry but it fits just perfect.

Which character – as performed by the narrators – was your favorite?

Irina, performed by Cassandra Campbell, and Kern, performed by Michael Braun, stood out most to me. Braun perfectly captures Kern's more frenetic violent story while also being able to relate the character's innocence and naivety. Campbell is doing most of the heavy lifting story-wise, but her performance really is beautiful and matches the prose very well while keeping an edge in more tense scenes.

Any additional comments?

I don't usually reread books, but I think I'll be revisiting this one. I'll definitely be picking up a hard copy.

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10 people found this helpful

Finally, a Magic System that Means Something

Reviewed: 02-21-14

Would you listen to Lexicon again? Why?

Maybe, I usually don't come back to fast paced thrillers like this but it felt like there was something more going on that I missed.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Eliot was the most interesting to me but just because he felt like he had the most history and internal conflict throughout the story. But he also doesn't go through as dramatic and interesting an arc as Emily does it's kind of a toss up.

Which character – as performed by Heather Corrigan and Zach Appelman – was your favorite?

Corrigan's Emily and Appleman's Eliot too difficult to compare. I'll go with Corrigan's Emily just because I feel she really brings some sympathy to a character who needs later on down the line.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

It's difficult to share without giving a lot away, but suffice it to say I really enjoy Max Barry's romances in his books.

Any additional comments?

This is a magic system that really means something besides creating cool fight scenes. It gives a real image to the power of words and knowledge. The most powerful characters in this story are those who know how to read people and how to exploit that. Intelligence and charisma really are dangerous tools in this world just like they are in ours. Dang, I love this book.

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1 person found this helpful

Tim Curry is Still the Best

Reviewed: 02-21-14

Where does Journey to the Center of the Earth: A Signature Performance by Tim Curry rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Near the top. Curry's performance re-energized this story for me.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Journey to the Center of the Earth: A Signature Performance by Tim Curry?

Any conversation between the nephew and professor. Always amusing even over a hundred years later.

Which character – as performed by Tim Curry – was your favorite?

The professor. Hands down.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I would have if time permitted.

Any additional comments?

Nope, just a classic book read by a classic actor. It's doesn't get much better.

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It's What it Says It Is

Reviewed: 02-21-14

Would you listen to Shades of Milk and Honey again? Why?

Probably not, but only because I'm not the biggest Jane Austen fan. It was enjoyable the once and that's enough for me.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Mr. Vincent, but we're supposed to fall for him aren't we?

What about Mary Robinette Kowal’s performance did you like?

I always prefer hearing an author read their own work and when they're a professional narrator already it's even better.

If you could rename Shades of Milk and Honey, what would you call it?

Bee and Cow By-Product in Varying Colors

Any additional comments?

It's exactly what it says it is. A Jane Austen novel with a magic. Is that good? Yes and no. It does follow the Jane Austen formula closely until some more 'action' scenes until the end and that can cause it to become predictable to some readers but I also assume that's what many people will want from an Austen homage. In the end, I enjoyed it and look forward to the books in this series that stray from the Austen plot line. It was fun once, but I think some swashbuckling would be nice now.

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1 person found this helpful

Magic Systems are for Chumps

Reviewed: 02-21-14

Would you consider the audio edition of Hard Magic to be better than the print version?

I would consider it to be because of the excellent narration of Mr. Pinchot and the absence of the amateurish illustrations of some of the characters seen in the actual book.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

I was just ready for it to be over by the end, but that's not to say I didn't enjoy the story before then.

Which character – as performed by Bronson Pinchot – was your favorite?

Jake Sully has a very distinct drawl that I don't think I would have imagined myself reading the book but really fleshes the character out for me. It's a bit cartoonish at times, but fits in with the story well.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Except that I despised that little girl throughout much of the book, but that maybe because of the narrator's voice he used for her. Even so, I felt she was totally superfluous and was meant only to appeal to some extra demographic and conveniently move the plot along at times.

Any additional comments?

One of my biggest problems with this book is little extras added in between chapters in which we learn Babe Ruth was a heavy and Einstein was a cog. To me, attributing their amazing feats of humanity to magic is near insulting. It's a neat idea that that's neat for about one minute until you realize the implications, but obviously Mr. Correia doesn't really care about those implications so neither do I, I guess. And neither do I care to finish this series. Noir and superpowers are cool, but this is really just a magic system and a story about a magical society and the noir gets lost way back in the middle somewhere. If you like urban fantasy this is for you.

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A Mystery Most Excellent

Reviewed: 02-21-14

If you could sum up The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack in three words, what would they be?

Strange. Exciting. Historical. The history in this book is mostly excellent excepting for the obvious straying of course. It was a wonderful blend with strange and unusual steampunk elements that also includes some biological advancements that aren't just window dressing for an adventure story but are an integral part of the plot.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The Spring-Heeled Jack figure becomes the most interesting character in the story by the end of it

Have you listened to any of Gerard Doyle’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, but he was one of my favorite parts of listening to this book.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Who the heck let us make this?

Any additional comments?

My primary concern with the book is the story attempts to explain it's universe in a way that's supposed to be sensible but it really just doesn't make sense and so the whole attempt to tie it all together just fails miserably. It's a situation where I've already suspended my belief but the magician just keeps insisting that his sawing this woman in half is only a trick and ruins the performance. But, I will continue with the series anyways since this little debacle is now presumably out of the way and was able to enjoy the rest of the book just fine. It is still one of my favorites and perhaps my favorite example of good steampunk fiction.

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Fun Noir, Steampunk a Plus

Reviewed: 02-21-14

What made the experience of listening to Cruel Numbers the most enjoyable?

The narrator was excellent. Just enough toughness to pull off the narrator but not so much to become a caricature.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Cruel Numbers?

His constant run ins with Moira (his wife with whom he share a troubled 'marriage') and the final scene all have stuck with me long after hearing this story.

Have you listened to any of Steve Coulter’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not but will look for them in the future.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Steam always rises to the top. I object to this question for making me look silly.

Any additional comments?

My main concern is about the length of the story and how it gets rushed near the end. While I didn't really care much about the central mystery (who ever does in good noir?) I would have liked to actually have a seen with Moira speaking or just something to build to a bigger climax than what's there.

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2 people found this helpful