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Ronald

59 year old software engineer, playwright, and novellest. I have purchased hundreds of titles from Audible.

Martinsville, OH, United States | Member Since 2008

HELPFUL VOTES

34 reviews
136 ratings
362 titles in library
22 purchased in 2013

FOLLOWING

FOLLOWERS

Callis Rose

UNABRIDGED
- by Mark Tufo
- Narrated by Sean Runnette
Callis Rose

UNABRIDGED (9 hrs and 9 mins)

By Mark Tufo

Narrated By Sean Runnette

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(39)
Performance
(35)
Story
(35)

Callis Rose is a girl blessed with a gift from above or cursed with a ruthless power she barely understands; it's really just a matter of degrees. As her family life is turned asunder she is thrown into an indifferent Social Services program where she defends herself the only way she knows how. Callis is moved from home to home until she finally settles at the Lowries. As she starts her first day of high school she meets both her favorite and least favorite person. Both happen to be part of the same household.
Amanda says: "If "Carrie" had a sister she would be "Callis""
"A good antidote to being too happy"

Overall
Performance
Story

I have really enjoyed Mark's books ... they are funny, they are interesting, and I care about the characters. However this book is not funny, and while it is interesting you will likely not care about the characters.

Very Minor Spoiler Alert: take a sweet young girl with an unusual capability and stick her with an absolutely unrelenting stream of the most despicable people you can dream up. Not just for a little while - not to provide an opportunity for growth ... just not-stop grinding right till the end ... until they turn her despicable. I almost stopped listening when she was taken from the perfect household with the perfect caring foster mother and placed with a known IV drug user with scabs on her arms and babies crawling in filth on the floor. Enough is enough ... please give me at least one person in the book I can care about.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs: Jane Jameson, Book 1

UNABRIDGED
- by Molly Harper
- Narrated by Amanda Ronconi
Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs: Jane Jameson, Book 1

UNABRIDGED (9 hrs and 24 mins)

By Molly Harper

Narrated By Amanda Ronconi

Overall
(3860)
Performance
(2699)
Story
(2707)

Maybe it was the Shenanigans gift certificate that put her over the edge. When children's librarian and self-professed nice girl Jane Jameson is fired by her beastly boss and handed $25 in potato skins instead of a severance check, she goes on a bender that's sure to become Half Moon Hollow legend. On her way home, she's mistaken for a deer, shot, and left for dead.
Denise says: "What a HOOT!!!!!!!"
"Larry the Cable Guy meets Twilight"

Overall
Performance
Story

This book is not great art, but it is enjoyable enough. I like Blue Color Comedy tour well enough, but Larry the Cable Guy is my least favorite of the bunch.

It took me a while to get used to the characters - they are not necessarily people I'd hang out with. The main character is sort of a young Sissy from Sordid Lives - very homespun, grating voice, emotional issues.

I don't regret purchasing it - but I don't think I'll get the other books in the series.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
1Q84

UNABRIDGED
- by Haruki Murakami , Jay Rubin (translator) , Philip Gabriel (translator)
- Narrated by Allison Hiroto , Marc Vietor , Mark Boyett
1Q84

UNABRIDGED (46 hrs and 50 mins)

By Haruki Murakami, Jay Rubin (translator), Philip Gabriel (translator)

Narrated By Allison Hiroto, Marc Vietor, Mark Boyett

Overall
(3013)
Performance
(2601)
Story
(2569)

The year is 1984 and the city is Tokyo.
A young woman named Aomame follows a taxi driver's enigmatic suggestion and begins to notice puzzling discrepancies in the world around her. She has entered, she realizes, a parallel existence, which she calls 1Q84 - "Q" is for "question mark". A world that bears a question....
Howard says: "Worth the investment."
"A slowly unfolding masterpiece"

Overall
Performance
Story

If you like the idea of a lengthy tea ceremony in a Zen garden, then you'll love this book. If you can't understand why they don't just drop a tea bag in some boiling water, then you'll hate this book.

If you like a slow mysterious strip-tease with multiple layers of clothes, then you'll love this book. If you prefer to go into a topless bar and want the girl naked by the end of the first song, then you'll hate this book.

I listen to books on my long drive to and from work. Unlike some books, I rarely found myself sitting in the driveway, on edge, waiting for the chapter to end. However, I frequently found myself eager to get up in the morning (even on a weekend) so I could pick up where I left off.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Eternal Kiss of Darkness: The Night Huntress World Series, Book 2

UNABRIDGED
- by Jeaniene Frost
- Narrated by Tavia Gilbert
Eternal Kiss of Darkness: The Night Huntress World Series, Book 2

UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 24 mins)

By Jeaniene Frost

Narrated By Tavia Gilbert

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(1866)
Performance
(1115)
Story
(1108)

Chicago private investigator Kira Graceling should have just kept on walking. But her sense of duty refused to let her ignore the moans of pain coming from inside a warehouse just before dawn. Suddenly she finds herself in a world she’s only imagined in her worst nightmares.
Ashley says: "Okay, Bones doesn't sound like my British ex but!"
"I like her other books. But this one, not so much"

Overall
Performance
Story

I find Jeaniene's books very entertaining. This one, however, felt a little off. I liked the story, but the editing was sub-par. There were several errors that jarred me out of the story.

However, my biggest complaint is that Jeaniene is getting carried away with sex scenes. I understand that the books in this series are sort of super-natural Romance stories, and I'm used to an occasional fairly detailed sex scene (it seems like now days every story has to have an obligatory sex scene). I am anything but a prude, but with this book the scenes were waaayyyy toooo loonnnngggg and there were tooooo many of them - I actually caught myself saying out loud, "Not another one!". Maybe she ran out of story line and had to pad the word count with sex.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Fuzzy Nation

UNABRIDGED
- by John Scalzi
- Narrated by Wil Wheaton , John Scalzi
Fuzzy Nation

UNABRIDGED (7 hrs and 18 mins)

By John Scalzi

Narrated By Wil Wheaton, John Scalzi

Overall
(2278)
Performance
(1932)
Story
(1927)

In John Scalzi's re-imagining of H. Beam Piper's 1962 sci-fi classic Little Fuzzy, written with the full cooperation of the Piper Estate, Jack Holloway works alone for reasons he doesnt care to talk about. Hundreds of miles from ZaraCorps headquarters on planet, 178 light-years from the corporations headquarters on Earth, Jack is content as an independent contractor, prospecting and surveying at his own pace. As for his past, thats not up for discussion.
Samuel Montgomery-Blinn says: "Short, sweet, and satisfying storytelling."
"This is literally two books presented together"

Overall
Performance
Story

When you download you'll get Fuzzy Nation AND Little Fuzzy. Little Fuzzy was the original book and Fuzzy Nation is an update and a rewrite.

The two books have different strengths and weaknesses. Fuzzy Nation was mostly plot driven, with character development only for the central character. The writing style was a little thin, but the plot carried me along so I didn't mind.

I loved the fuzzy animals, and the book kept me well entertained. The one thing that absolutely drove me crazy about it was the overuse of "said". When you are reading you can skip over that, but when it is being read to you it is like a hammer rapping on your skull. XXX, said A. YYY, said B. Oh, said A. Yes, said B.

Little Fuzzy is much more richly written and character driven, but less captivating. I admit to writing this review while only half way thru Little Fuzzy - I'm not completely sure I'm going to finish it.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Wizard: The Life and Times of Nikola Tesla: Biography of a Genius

UNABRIDGED
- by Marc J. Seifer
- Narrated by Simon Prebble
Wizard: The Life and Times of Nikola Tesla: Biography of a Genius

UNABRIDGED (22 hrs and 17 mins)

By Marc J. Seifer

Narrated By Simon Prebble

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(398)
Performance
(349)
Story
(341)

Nikola Tesla (1856-1943), credited as the inspiration for radio, robots, and even radar, has been called the patron saint of modern electricity. Based on original material and previously unavailable documents, this acclaimed book is the definitive biography of the man considered by many to be the founding father of modern electrical technology.
Jean says: "Tesla was a hundred years ahead of his time"
"A good historical account"

Overall
Performance
Story

I have always been interested in Tesla. I wanted to know more about his inventions, and to understand better why he has faded into history.

This book fulfilled both desires. I learned a lot about his inventions (very interesting), and I learned that he was such an overblown stuffed shirt with a Messiah complex that people couldn't stand him. Frankly, I stopped the book with about an hour to go just because I disliked Tesla's personality so much.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
A Canticle for Leibowitz

UNABRIDGED
- by Walter M. Miller
- Narrated by Tom Weiner
A Canticle for Leibowitz

UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 59 mins)

By Walter M. Miller

Narrated By Tom Weiner

Overall
(386)
Performance
(337)
Story
(334)

Winner of the 1961 Hugo Award for Best Novel and widely considered one of the most accomplished, powerful, and enduring classics of modern speculative fiction, Walter M. Miller’s A Canticle for Leibowitz is a true landmark of 20th-century literature—a chilling and still-provocative look at a postapocalyptic future.
Joel says: "A Classic"
"Sort of a shaggy dog story"

Overall
Performance
Story

Well, I thought it was a good effort that fell a bit short. It felt like a couple of short stories on a common topic which were loosely tied together. There was an extremely feeble attempt to provide a 'thread' throughout the book, but it really felt artificial.

Listening to the book did make me want to learn Latin :-)

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
The Lost Fleet: Fearless

UNABRIDGED
- by Jack Campbell
- Narrated by Christian Rummel , Jack Campbell
The Lost Fleet: Fearless

UNABRIDGED (9 hrs and 51 mins)

By Jack Campbell

Narrated By Christian Rummel, Jack Campbell

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(2341)
Performance
(1278)
Story
(1296)

Outnumbered by the superior forces and firepower of the Syndicate Worlds, the Alliance fleet continues its dangerous retreat across the enemy star system. Led by the legendary Captain John "Black Jack" Geary, who returned to the fleet after a hundred-year suspended animation, the Alliance is desperately trying to return home with its captured prize: the key to the Syndic hypernet, and the key to victory.
Dan says: "Aaah the Strawberrys"
"Action"

Overall
Performance
Story

Action. Action. Action. Action.
Very thin characters. Minor character development for main character.
Action. Action. Action. Action.

Did I mention Action? I mostly enjoyed the book, but afterwards felt like I had been snacking on empty calories.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Redshirts: A Novel with Three Codas

UNABRIDGED
- by John Scalzi
- Narrated by Wil Wheaton
Redshirts: A Novel with Three Codas

UNABRIDGED (7 hrs and 41 mins)

By John Scalzi

Narrated By Wil Wheaton

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(2916)
Performance
(2716)
Story
(2714)

Ensign Andrew Dahl has just been assigned to the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid, flagship of the Universal Union since the year 2456. Life couldn’t be better…until Andrew begins to pick up on the facts that (1) every Away Mission involves some kind of lethal confrontation with alien forces; (2) the ship’s captain, its chief science officer, and the handsome Lieutenant Kerensky always survive these confrontations; and (3) at least one low-ranked crew member is, sadly, always killed.
Cristina Hatfield says: "Quite an enjoyable read"
"Clever concept left half cooked"

Overall
Performance
Story

I liked the idea behind the book, but it really felt unfinished and poorly edited. It's not that there were grammatical errors, but there were a number of sections that would have really benefitted from additional detail, more inner conflict, better developed storyline, etc. The writing was uninspired and a bit strained sometimes.

In order to fulfill his page-count quota the author appends a couple of short stories - one of which was touching and showed a deft touch. If only the rest of the book was written so well

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Conquest: Indian Hill, Book 3

UNABRIDGED
- by Mark Tufo
- Narrated by Sean Runnette
Conquest: Indian Hill, Book 3

UNABRIDGED (14 hrs and 10 mins)

By Mark Tufo

Narrated By Sean Runnette

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(159)
Performance
(149)
Story
(150)

And so the end begins.... Mike joins forces with an unlikely alliance in a desperate attempt to head off humanity's mass extinction.
Professor says: "ENDING FIXES ALL !!!"
"I love to read Tufo's works"

Overall
Performance
Story

Another winner by Mark Tufo. I enjoy his writing, and Sean Runnette is the PERFECT narrator for his work.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful