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Deborah

ratings
34
REVIEWS
16
FOLLOWING
0
FOLLOWERS
0
HELPFUL VOTES
44

  • Bleak House

    • UNABRIDGED (37 hrs and 11 mins)
    • By Charles Dickens
    • Narrated By Hugh Dickson
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (180)
    Performance
    (73)
    Story
    (67)

    The case of Jarndyce and Jarndyce has ground its way through the courts for generations. At its heart are Ada Clare and Richard Carstone, who find love - and terrible loss - through their involvement in the endless battle. Meanwhile, her friend Esther Summeson, who believes she is an orphan, gradually discovers the truth of her identity. The court case throws out a web ensnaring all who come near it, including Lady Dedlock, the menacing lawyer Tulkingham, detective Bucket and tragic little waif Jo.

    Deborah says: "Ideal as an audiobook"
    "Ideal as an audiobook"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    Dickens' novels are ideal as audiobooks -- with the right narrator. And this narrator is brilliant, bringing the large cast of characters to life, each with his or her own distinctive, appropriate, perfectly rendered voice. I have re-discovered Dickens since I joined audible.com, and I look forward to "reading" the next novel. They're all wise, witty, beautifully crafted stories that capture the age as well as tell the timeless truths of human nature.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • Neverwhere

    • UNABRIDGED (12 hrs and 37 mins)
    • By Neil Gaiman
    • Narrated By Neil Gaiman
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (4465)
    Performance
    (1331)
    Story
    (1351)

    Richard Mayhew is an unassuming young businessman living in London, with a dull job and a pretty but shrewish fiancée. Then one night he stumbles upon a girl lying on the sidewalk, bleeding. He stops to help her, and his life is changed forever. Soon he finds himself living in a London most people would never have dreamed of: a city of monsters and saints, murderers and angels. It is a world that exists entirely in a subterranean labyrinth of sewer canals and abandoned subway stations.

    Thomas says: "Neverwhere is Great"
    "Delightful story, wonderful narration"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    Having enjoyed Gaiman's audio recording of "Stardust," I was looking forward to another Gaiman fantasy narrated by him. This was even better. Loved the story -- a wonderful marriage of reality and fantasy, fun characters including hysterically evil "Mutt and Jeff" villains, plus lots of satirical references to popular culture and London, contemporary and historical. Gaiman is a masterful narrator. I could listen to his voice all day! This book made a long drive fly by.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • The Providence Rider: A Matthew Corbett Novel, Book 4

    • UNABRIDGED (15 hrs and 33 mins)
    • By Robert McCammon
    • Narrated By Edoardo Ballerini
    Overall
    (238)
    Performance
    (215)
    Story
    (212)

    The Providence Rider is the fourth installment in the extraordinary series of historical thrillers featuring Matthew Corbett, professional problem solver. The narrative begins in the winter of 1703, with Matthew still haunted by his lethal encounter with notorious mass murderer Tyranthus Slaughter. When an unexplained series of explosions rocks his Manhattan neighborhood, Matthew finds himself forced to confront a new and unexpected problem. Someone is trying - and trying very hard - to get his attention.

    bionichands says: "This is a fun series"
    "Such a disappointment"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    I rarely give up on a book or a series and, on the basis of book 2, really wanted to see this one through. Book 2 had introduced many wonderful characters and plot lines which were mostly abandoned in book 3. Book 4 started off really well -- some great new characters, a return to the central mystery introduced in book 2, some new settings (aboard ship and on an island in Bermuda). But Matthew is a bore by this point -- helpless in almost every situation (he's always being saved by others or by circumstances beyond his control) and hardly the smart "problem solver" of books 1 & 2. The stereotypes come thick and fast -- the giant ex-slave who's always there to save the white folks' hides, the noble "savage", the silky but deadly Indian, the drunken and rowdy Irishmen, etc. etc. The ending was truly galling. Unfortunately, the author felt the need to repeat information from the other books numerous times, which slowed the pace further. And those tortured metaphors! This is the worst-written of the 4, by far. Such a disappointment after a decent start and a very strong 2nd book. I won't be looking for any more in the series or by this author.

    I gave the performance a 4 because this narrator is very good. I will look for other books that he's narrated.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • Mister Slaughter: A Matthew Corbett Novel, Book 3

    • UNABRIDGED (16 hrs and 17 mins)
    • By Robert McCammon
    • Narrated By Edoardo Ballerini
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (290)
    Performance
    (259)
    Story
    (260)

    . Mister Slaughter opens in the emerging metropolis of New York City in 1702, and proceeds to take both Matthew and the reader on an unforgettable journey of horror, violence, and personal discovery. The journey begins when Matthew, now an apprentice problem solver for the London-based Herrald Agency, accepts an unusual and hazardous commission. Together with his colleague, Hudson Greathouse, he agrees to escort the notorious mass murderer Tyranthus Slaughter from an asylum outside Philadelphia to the docks of New York.

    Cheryl says: "Fantastic series!"
    "Grim and slow-paced"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    I stuck with the series on the basis of my enjoyment of book 2, but this book was a disappointment. Too much repetition of grisly scenes, too much rain (how this author loves bleak, rainy weather), too few characters, too many tortured metaphors. I downloaded book 4 hoping that the author would wrap things up in book 4 with more of the style of book 2. It was not to be. I enjoy historical fiction, and the settings for these books are wonderful, but the author really needs a good editor.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • The Queen of Bedlam: A Matthew Corbett Novel, Book 2

    • UNABRIDGED (23 hrs and 23 mins)
    • By Robert McCammon
    • Narrated By Edoardo Ballerini
    Overall
    (403)
    Performance
    (355)
    Story
    (353)

    Robert McCammon brings the hero of his previous novel, Matthew Corbett, to 18th-century New York, where a killer wields a bloody and terrifying power over a bustling city carving out its identity - and over Matthew's own uncertain destiny.

    The unsolved murder of a respected doctor has sent ripples of fear throughout a city teeming with life and noise and commerce. Who snuffed out the good man's life with the slash of a blade on a midnight street? The local printmaster has labeled the fiend "the Masker," adding fuel to a volatile mystery...

    Kathy says: "Addicting"
    "Best of the series"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    I just finished the 4th book in the series and found #2, The Queen of Bedlam, to be by far the best of the lot. I think the author must have had a good editor for this book -- brisk pace, fewer tortured metaphors and over-use of adjectives, more humor, lots of enjoyable characters and changes of scene. I read books 3 & 4 on the basis of my enjoyment of book 2, but enjoyed them less and less, I'm afraid. If he's written more books in the series, I won't be reading them. Too repetitive, slow-paced, and mediocre writing after #2.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • The Dog Stars

    • UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 41 mins)
    • By Peter Heller
    • Narrated By Mark Deakins
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (589)
    Performance
    (518)
    Story
    (519)

    Hig survived the flu that killed everyone he knows. His wife is gone, his friends are dead, he lives in the hangar of a small abandoned airport with his dog, his only neighbor a gun-toting misanthrope. In his 1956 Cessna, Hig flies the perimeter of the airfield or sneaks off to the mountains to fish and to pretend that things are the way they used to be. But when a random transmission somehow beams through his radio, the voice ignites a hope deep inside him that a better life exists beyond the airport.

    Craig says: "The End is Merely a Beginning"
    "Spare and beautiful - an elegy, a meditation"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    A beautifully-written book, very well read. I love the balance of interior monologue (like poetry - every word counts) with occasional bursts of action. So much to think about -- love, loss, friendship, how would I act if the world as I knew it ended? When are we truly alive and when just putting one foot in front of the other? I look forward to this author's next book.

    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
  • The Flight of Gemma Hardy: A Novel

    • UNABRIDGED (14 hrs and 52 mins)
    • By Margot Livesey
    • Narrated By Davina Porter
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (67)
    Performance
    (60)
    Story
    (59)

    Fate has not been kind to Gemma Hardy. Orphaned then neglected, young Gemma seemed destined for a life of hardship and loneliness. Yet her bright spirit burns strong. Fiercely intelligent, singularly determined, Gemma overcomes each challenge and setback, growing stronger and more certain of her path. Now an independent young woman, she accepts a position as an au pair on the remote and beautiful Orkney Islands. But Gemma’s biggest trial is about to begin....

    C. Lavrin-Hauge says: "f you loved Jane Eyre, you will like this novel."
    "Jane Eyre fan fiction lacks creativity"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    I was hoping for a fun re-working of the Jane Eyre story but found a dull tale that hews too closely to the original story yet lacks the sensational gothic plot twist that justifies Jane's (Gemma's) decision to leave the love of her life. Read Jane Eyre and skip this wanna-be.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • Mastiff: The Legend of Beka Cooper, Book 3

    • UNABRIDGED (20 hrs and 29 mins)
    • By Tamora Pierce
    • Narrated By Susan Denaker
    Overall
    (185)
    Performance
    (162)
    Story
    (165)

    The Legend of Beka Cooper gives Tamora Pierce's fans exactly what they want - a smart and savvy heroine making a name for herself on the mean streets of Tortall's Lower City - while offering plenty of appeal for new readers as well. From the Hardcover edition.

    Marie says: "One of the best Tamora Pierce series yet!"
    "Solid ending to the series"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    I discovered Tamora Pierce when my daughter was a tween and found her "sheroes" and story lines fresh and engaging. I especially appreciate the world she's created in such detail -- the language, geography, cultures, magic and its rules -- and how she's woven the various stories together over time. I had forgotten until the Epilogue of Mastiff how this series connects to her very first. Made me smile and made me want to go back to re-read Alanna.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • Wolf Hall

    • UNABRIDGED (24 hrs and 19 mins)
    • By Hilary Mantel
    • Narrated By Simon Slater
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (1381)
    Performance
    (720)
    Story
    (718)

    Winner of the prestigious Man Booker prize for fiction. In the ruthless arena of King Henry VIII's court, only one man dares to gamble his life to win the king's favor and ascend to the heights of political powerEngland in the 1520s is a heartbeat from disaster. If the king dies without a male heir, the country could be destroyed by civil war. Henry VIII wants to annul his marriage of twenty years, and marry Anne Boleyn.

    S. Marie says: "A unique perspective of history"
    "Brilliant historical fiction"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    Confusing at first, with so many characters not always identified clearly, but the author has brought the era and people to life brilliantly. Narrator is excellent. Can't wait to listen to Bringing Up the Bodies.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • The Pickwick Papers

    • UNABRIDGED (32 hrs and 17 mins)
    • By Charles Dickens
    • Narrated By David Timson
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (28)
    Performance
    (22)
    Story
    (23)

    The Pickwick Papers, Dickens’s first novel, is a delightful romp through the pre-Reform Bill England of 1827. Samuel Pickwick and the rest of the Pickwickians are some of the most memorable of all Dickens’s creations, and it is a joy to hear of their adventures in search of "interesting scenes and characters", and the repeated efforts of the quick-witted Sam Weller to rescue them all from disaster.

    Allen L. Harris says: "No Better Way to Spend Your Time!"
    "A Wonderful Medley of Dickens Themes & Characters"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    Audible has given me the chance to fall in love with Dickens. I have now listened to all the great novels, my favorites being Our Mutual Friend and David Copperfield, but I have loved them all. I hesitated to download The Pickwick Papers, fearing that it would be too silly and tarnish my admiration for his wit and wisdom. But I didn't have many more Dickens titles left, and I love David Timson as a narrator, so I took a chance. It took me a long time to settle into the book -- indeed there are many silly characters and events and many digressions, and it took a while for Dickens to develop those characters that I always fall in love with -- the truly good people who are kind and generous in a selfish and often grim world. Dickens tries out lots of themes that dominate his later, great, novels -- ghost stories (including a Christmas tale), debtor's prison, the legal profession (scoundrels almost all), alcoholism, tight-fisted businessmen who treat their progeny badly, political battles, the gullability and venality of humankind, and so much more. There are some truly joyous moments and characters -- the wedding banquet followed by the Christmas eve celebration was marvelous, Sam Weller (Veller) and his hysterical father, and of course Mr. Pickwick himself. Stick with the early chapters and you'll be well-rewarded.

    5 of 5 people found this review helpful
  • Dombey and Son

    • UNABRIDGED (39 hrs and 11 mins)
    • By Charles Dickens
    • Narrated By David Timson
    Overall
    (55)
    Performance
    (52)
    Story
    (49)

    Dombey and Son is vintage Dickens and explores the classic themes of betrayal, cruelty and deceit. Dombey's dysfunctional relationships are painted against a backdrop of social unrest in industrialized London, which is populated by a host of fascinating and memorable secondary characters. The complete and unabridged novel is brought spectacularly to life by veteran reader David Timson.

    eileen says: "A Hidden Dickens Gem"
    "Dark Dickens, Superb Narrator"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    This is one of the darkest Dickens I've listened to. Fewer funny or lovable characters than in many of his stories and much time spent in very sad situations with too little love and too much greed and selfishness. Narration is brilliant -- all voices are distinct and unique, women's voices are natural, and Captain Cuttle, Mr. Toots, and Sally are absolutely delightful. Despite the dark mood that prevails, this is still worth a listen because the writing is so beautiful and, as with all Dickens, his observations of human nature are spot-on. My favorite Dickens novels are still (1) Our Mutual Friend and (2) David Copperfield. Each have the perfect balance of characters, depth of story, humor and pathos in the right proportions.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful

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