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Russell

Lives in Hollywood. Born in Paris. Raised in Washington, D.C. Capitals! Very effete and all so sweet. Cats have four feet, but I've only got three.

Los Angeles, CA, United States

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HELPFUL VOTES
  • 5 reviews
  • 18 ratings
  • 0 titles in library
  • 2 purchased in 2013
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  • Island of the Sequined Love Nun

    • UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 39 mins)
    • By Christopher Moore
    • Narrated By Oliver Wyman
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (623)
    Performance
    (325)
    Story
    (322)

    Take a wonderfully crazed excursion into the demented heart of a tropical paradise - a world of cargo cults, cannibals, mad scientists, ninjas, and talking fruit bats. Our bumbling hero is Tucker Case, a hopeless geek trapped in a cool guy's body, who makes a living as a pilot for the Mary Jean Cosmetics Corporation.

    Daniel says: "This one is a keeper."
    "Classic Moore"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

    I would recommend this book to anybody who likes a good story with a lot of humor, some of it quite grim.


    What was one of the most memorable moments of Island of the Sequined Love Nun?

    The ending is classic.


    What about Oliver Wyman’s performance did you like?

    He does voices very well. He's a good reader. What else is there to say.


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

    It totally made me laugh.


    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • The Infernals: A Novel

    • UNABRIDGED (9 hrs and 18 mins)
    • By John Connolly
    • Narrated By Tim Gerard Reynolds
    Overall
    (40)
    Performance
    (35)
    Story
    (37)

    Young Samuel Johnson is in trouble. Not only is his eyesight so poor that he mistakenly asks out a letter box on a date, but an angry demon is seeking revenge for Samuel’s part in foiling the invasion of Earth by the forces of evil. It wants to get its claws on Samuel, and when Samuel and his faithful dachshund, Boswell, are pulled through a portal into the dark realm, the home of the Infernals, it gets its chance.

    Robert says: "Wonderful for Children and Adults"
    "Delightful"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    Would you listen to The Infernals again? Why?

    I relish the opportunity to listen to The Infernals again. The narrator was able to capture the entirely English sensibility of this book. The characters are quirky and easy to love. While probably written for a younger audience, say fourteen year olds, it is even better to listen to as an adult. It is multi-layered, like a Bugs Bunny cartoon. There's something for everyone. The explanation of quantum physics and multi-dimensionality is brilliant. Not that it matters much to our day to day lives, it is interesting nonetheless. The narrator was blasé without being patronizing. It's difficult to narrate a humorous story without sounding like a clown. Good show!


    What was one of the most memorable moments of The Infernals?

    I don't want to give away anything, but Mrs. Abernathy is fabulous.


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

    No, I've not had the pleasure.


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

    It made me laugh out loud. A welcome release of emotion.


    Any additional comments?

    None.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • The Handmaid's Tale

    • UNABRIDGED (11 hrs)
    • By Margaret Atwood
    • Narrated By Claire Danes
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (1053)
    Performance
    (927)
    Story
    (925)

    Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead, serving in the household of the enigmatic Commander and his bitter wife. She may go out once a day to markets whose signs are now pictures because women are not allowed to read. She must pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, for in a time of declining birthrates her value lies in her fertility, and failure means exile to the dangerously polluted Colonies. Offred can remember a time when she lived with her husband and daughter and had a job, before she lost even her own name....

    Melinda says: "Not So Far-Fetched -- Still Chilling"
    "Bone Chilling!"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    What made the experience of listening to The Handmaid's Tale the most enjoyable?

    There was a lot more substance to the book than there was to the movie. I am a big fan of the movie, which I've seen at least three times (all on video). Atwood employed subtle literary devices reminiscent of Flannery O'Connor. It is a cautionary tale that stands the test of time. While the movie did not spell it out, the book portrays an America that has fallen into the hands of the Religious Right during a time of climate change and falling birth rates. The dystopia created by these forces is not beyond the possibility of realization. The narrator was the celebrated Clare Danes. Who could ask for more. I highly recommend this book, even if you've already read it, and even if you've seen the movie. In fact, if you've seen the movie, but not read the book, then you simply MUST download this audiobook.


    What other book might you compare The Handmaid's Tale to and why?

    Any dystopian novel of a bleak future. Take your pick.


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

    No, I've not had the pleasure. She did a wonderful job of capturing the main characters personality: intelligent, resilient and determined to survive.


    If you could rename The Handmaid's Tale, what would you call it?

    Every Woman is a Vessel


    Any additional comments?

    No.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • George, Nicholas and Wilhelm: Three Royal Cousins and the Road to World War I

    • UNABRIDGED (21 hrs and 14 mins)
    • By Miranda Carter
    • Narrated By Rosalyn Landor
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (85)
    Performance
    (37)
    Story
    (39)

    In the years before the First World War, the great European powers were ruled by three first cousins: King George V of Britain, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, and Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. Together, they presided over the last years of dynastic Europe and the outbreak of the most destructive war the world had ever seen, a war that set 20th-century Europe on course to be the most violent continent in the history of the world.

    D. Littman says: "interesting and entertaining work of history"
    "Wonderful Listen!"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    Would you listen to George, Nicholas and Wilhelm again? Why?

    I would listen to G, N and W again, but not for a while. It is a well-written book, with lots of quotations by the primary players, and those who were in positions of influence and power. It is an intimate look at the lives of three men who were thrown into circumstances beyond their control and their attempts, however futile, to mold events. The narration was excellent, well-paced, clear, but with emphasis when needed. It is a tragedy of men who were unprepared for the Twentieth Century. All were born in the previous Century and were not visionaries- far from it. They were mediocre men, thrown into a milieux that was beyond their understanding.


    What did you like best about this story?

    I was surprised by what a sympathetic character Kaiser Wilhelm (Willie) was. While the text and narration did not seem to intend for this result. I found myself feeling a bit sorry for this eldest grandson of Queen Victoria who nearly died at birth and because of obstetrical mishandling was left deformed and in pain (both physically and emotionally) for the rest of his life. His treatment of his mother, of course, is inexcusable. The portrayal of Edward VII was also eye-opening. I merely saw him as a narcissistic voluptuary, but he was actually a man of substance and vision.


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

    Sorry, no. I haven't listened to Rosalyn Landor's other performances but I give her 5 stars for this one. She read with equanimity and did a good job when quoting men. A lot of women narrators try to put it on thickly, but she didn't. Kudos!


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

    Yes.


    Any additional comments?

    No.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • A Dance with Dragons: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book 5

    • UNABRIDGED (49 hrs)
    • By George R. R. Martin
    • Narrated By Roy Dotrice
    Overall
    (6342)
    Performance
    (5239)
    Story
    (5237)

    Dubbed the American Tolkien by Time magazine, George R. R. Martin has earned international acclaim for his monumental cycle of epic fantasy. Now the number-one New York Times best-selling author delivers the fifth book in his spellbinding landmark series - as both familiar faces and surprising new forces vie for a foothold in a fragmented empire.

    J. Cano says: "A tale of two publishers:"
    "Getting Worn Out"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    Would you listen to A Dance with Dragons again? Why?

    Once was enough.


    What was one of the most memorable moments of A Dance with Dragons?

    It all starts to blur.


    Which character – as performed by Roy Dotrice – was your favorite?

    Tyrion


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

    For those of you who loved the first four books!


    Any additional comments?

    Dotrice is good at doing male voices but his female voices are sad. He's done a marvelous job so far overall.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful

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