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Robert

pittsburgh, pa, United States | Member Since 2009

4
HELPFUL VOTES
  • 24 reviews
  • 57 ratings
  • 381 titles in library
  • 31 purchased in 2013
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  • Promise Me

    • UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 20 mins)
    • By Harlan Coben
    • Narrated By Harlan Coben
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (191)
    Performance
    (87)
    Story
    (87)

    The school year is almost over. Anxious families await word of college acceptances. In these last pressure-cooker months of high school, some kids will make the all-too-common and all-too-dangerous mistake of drinking and driving. But Myron is determined to help keep his friends' children safe, so he makes two neighborhood girls promise him: If they are ever in a bind but are afraid to call their parents, they must call him.

    Ed says: "Coben should stick to writing"
    "A Talent For Writing, Not Narration"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    Would you consider the audio edition of Promise Me to be better than the print version?

    If you are a fan of the Myron Bolitar series and you have seen other reviews, you already know the answer to this. The print edition would have been better. The narration of this book is painful at times.

    However, if you are a Myron Bolitar fan, it is still worth the money, just be prepared.


    Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

    In my opinion, this is the best book of the Myron Bolitar series. The momentum and flow of this story made it worth dealing with the narration issues. The plot twists in this story were not forced. The villains were not the usual 2 dimensional characters. They had gray areas, and all of them had redeeming characteristics.

    I can usually see where a story is headed. Not this time. Keeping writing Myron Bolitar books, just let someone else voice them!


    Would you be willing to try another one of Harlan Coben’s performances?

    No, this was painful at times. Not so bad I could enjoy it, because I have heard worse. But it was a distraction from the story. Some characters Harlan does well, while others, I just cringed.

    Mr. Coben does seem to become more relaxed by the end of the book, or I just became immune to his voice.

    Harlan Coben is a very talented writer. This seems to be his only attempt at narration.


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

    A bad question for an unabridged audio. But if I could have I would have.


    Any additional comments?

    Jonathan Marosz did an excellent job giving voice to Myron, Win, Big Cindy, and Esperanza in the first 7 books of the series. This one, thankfully was a one shot deal for Harlan.

    And unfortunately, I know that there is yet another narrator for the next two books. I can only hope that the new voice has character.

    0 of 1 people found this review helpful
  • Odd Apocalypse: An Odd Thomas Novel, Book 5

    • UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 46 mins)
    • By Dean Koontz
    • Narrated By David Aaron Baker
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (1403)
    Performance
    (1222)
    Story
    (1221)

    Once presided over by a flamboyant Hollywood mogul during the Roaring ’20s, the magnificent West Coast property known as Roseland is now home to a reclusive billionaire financier and his faithful servants. And, for the moment, it’s also a port in the storm for Odd Thomas and his traveling companion, the inscrutably charming Annamaria. In the wake of Odd’s most recent clash with lethal adversaries, the opulent manor’s comforts should be welcome. But there’s far more to Roseland than meets even the extraordinary eye of Odd, who soon suspects it may be more hell than haven.

    D says: "Odd Apocalypse; Oddly Great"
    "Back On Track?"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    Would you try another book from Dean Koontz and/or David Aaron Baker?

    I have been a fan of Dean Koontz for over 20 years. I will continue to listen and/read his work.


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

    The end of this book was a bit predictable, but still entertaining.


    Have you listened to any of David Aaron Baker’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

    I have a lot of audiobooks by various authors and narrators. I have a lot of audios read by David Aaron Baker and I am never disappointed by his work.


    Any additional comments?

    I hope that this book is a sign that Dean Koontz is getting The Odd Series back on track. The mystery of the eternally pregnant woman who calls herself Annamaria, is getting old. But this book does give hope to this series finding a direction.

    I just hope it doesn't fizzle like the Moonlight Bay Trilogy that stalled after book 2

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • Killing Floor

    • UNABRIDGED (15 hrs and 23 mins)
    • By Lee Child
    • Narrated By Dick Hill
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (3972)
    Performance
    (2196)
    Story
    (2169)

    All is not well in Margrave, Georgia. The sleepy, forgotten town hasn't seen a crime in decades, but within the span of three days it witnesses events that leave everyone stunned. An unidentified man is found beaten and shot to death on a lonely country road.

    Lawerence says: "Started 5* later 2*s- why?"
    "A Great Start To A Long Running Series"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

    Yes, this is a smart action packed thriller that never really falls into a formula. The series has been around for 16 years and 18 books to date. I am also a fan of Lee Childs' other books, so starting the Reacher Series was a natural choice for me.


    Which character – as performed by Dick Hill – was your favorite?

    Dick Hill's performance once again is on the mark. Dick Hill brings all the characters to life. I have been a fan of Dick Hill's narration through Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch series and other Lee child books.


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

    I have read some of the bad reviews, if people read the Publisher's Summary and a handful of reviews


    Any additional comments?

    As of this writing, this series has over 3200 positive reviews and approx. 200 two star or less reviews. If you read a handful of reviews you will know that this book contains a few coincidences that you have to bend if not suspend belief, but if you get past that this is a great book.

    To anyone starting this series, I say read the publisher's summary and some of the reviews. Most of the bad reviews are over people saying that this book was not what they expected. I read the reviews and the summary and this first book surpassed my expectations.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • A Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire, Book I

    • UNABRIDGED (33 hrs and 50 mins)
    • By George R. R. Martin
    • Narrated By Roy Dotrice
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (15489)
    Performance
    (9974)
    Story
    (9980)

    In a time long forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons off balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. As the cold returns, sinister forces are massing beyond the protective wall of the kingdom of Winterfell. To the south, the king's powers are failing, with his most trusted advisor mysteriously dead and enemies emerging from the throne's shadow.

    Teddy says: "OMG! OMG! OMG!"
    "Game Of Thrones Rules The Medieval Fantasy Kingdom"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    I have recommend this book to friends. I have purchased the entire series to date, and at the time of this review, I am halfway through book 2 (and loving it). However, take heed of the reviews when purchasing this series. This is a great EPIC in the medieval/fantasy genre. It contains graphic depictions of rape, murder, sex, incest and more political intrigues than I can keep track of. HBO, not Disney turned it into a serious, yet some listeners were expecting Harry Potter.

    The massive story does start off a little slow, but it is laying the ground work and introducing a vast ensemble of characters. Once the story takes off, it kept me glued to the edge of the throne until the very end. I can honestly say, I have never read a book with this many central characters in my life. On of the complaints I have noticed in some reviews is of main characters dying off. The beauty of these books is that no one is safe.

    The narration of this book was also very impressive. For the 5% of the listeners that gave
    Roy Dotrice a less than favorable review, image trying to a voice to such a vast array of characters. Mr. Dotrice does a tremendously outstanding job of giving a voice to 7 main characters and countless minor characters.

    This audiobook lives up to it's great reviews

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

    • UNABRIDGED (17 hrs and 51 mins)
    • By Daniel O'Malley
    • Narrated By Susan Duerden
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (1282)
    Performance
    (1165)
    Story
    (1167)

    Myfanwy Thomas awakes in a London park surrounded by dead bodies. With her memory gone, her only hope of survival is to trust the instructions left in her pocket by her former self. She quickly learns that she is a Rook, a high-level operative in a secret agency that protects the world from supernatural threats. But there is a mole inside the organization - and this person wants her dead.

    Ethan M. says: "Harry Dresden meets English bureaucracy"
    "Lured In By Reviews, Hooked On The Story"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    I found this audiobook when it was on sale. It had excellent reviews by my fellow Audible listeners. I usually stick with certain authors, but for the price, I figured how bad could it be. I was hooked from the very beginning. I couldn't wait for to find out how the story ends, then when it did, I wanted more.

    The book throws you into the action from the start. I was afraid that the story was going to the Bourne Identity with a female protagonist, but I was pleasantly surprised. It's a story with a great heroine with just the right mix of action, Sci-Fi, and suspense.

    When i later read that this was Daniel O'Malley's first book, I was even more impressed. From what I have read, this may turn into another series. I look forward to reading more about Myfanwy.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • Doctor Who: Day of the Cockroach

    • ORIGINAL (1 hr and 16 mins)
    • By Steve Lyons
    • Narrated By Arthur Darvill
    Overall
    (23)
    Performance
    (21)
    Story
    (23)

    Arthur Darvill reads this exclusive audio adventure featuring the Eleventh Doctor, Amy and Rory. The TARDIS materialises in a pitch-dark tunnel, where the Doctor, Amy and Rory stumble on the dead body of a soldier. Questioned by his superior officer, Colonel Bowe, they learn that they're inside a British nuclear bunker, in the middle of an atomic war - in 1982. Amy and Rory weren't even born then, but they know the bomb didn't drop that year, and so does the Doctor.

    Napski says: "Pure excellence"
    "An An Average Doctor Who Story"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

    Yes, this book has all the frills at Who story should have. Rory, cut off from Amy and the Doctor, creepy cockroaches, a little mind control, and nothing being as it seems.


    Which character – as performed by Arthur Darvill – was your favorite?

    Arthur Darvill, of course performs Rory (his TV character) the best. But he does a pretty mean Matt Smith impression. Amy Pond is the only character that needed a little work.


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

    Yes, and I did. It made working on the lawn and garden, more enjoyable.


    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • Army of One: A Torchwood Adventure

    • ORIGINAL (1 hr and 10 mins)
    • By Ian Edgington
    • Narrated By Kai Owen
    Overall
    (4)
    Performance
    (4)
    Story
    (4)

    Washington, D.C., post-Miracle: The city has been hit by a spate of very unusual serial killings. The victims are different ages and genders and the locations vary, but each body has one thing in common: it has been reduced to a dried-up, desiccated husk. Special Agent Lucas Avery has dealt with some tricky puzzles in his time, but this is stranger than anything he has ever encountered. His one lead is a pair of names: Gwen and Rhys.

    Robert says: "An An Average Torchwood Tale"
    "An An Average Torchwood Tale"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    If you could sum up Army of One in three words, what would they be?

    Entertaining but average.
    Don't get me wrong, this story isn't bad, just not great.


    What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

    I always liked the Gwen-Rhys relationship. I actually disliked the TV episodes where Gwen strayed with Owen, or gravitated toward Jack. The TV writers destroyed Torchwood. I am happy to see the books have brought back the quality of Series 1 and 2 of Torchwood.I a


    Which character – as performed by Kai Owen – was your favorite?

    Kai Owen narrates a lot of the Torchwood stories. He is dead on with his Captain Jack and of course, his own character, Rhys. He brings all the characters to life.


    Any additional comments?

    I am not really sure if this book is properly titled. Yes, Gwen Cooper Williams is the last Torchwood agent standing, but she is not alone. This is a Rhys-Gwen adventure

    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
  • Dead Beat: The Dresden Files, Book 7

    • UNABRIDGED (15 hrs and 14 mins)
    • By Jim Butcher
    • Narrated By James Marsters
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (3509)
    Performance
    (2307)
    Story
    (2302)

    When a killer vampire threatens to destroy head of Special Investigations Karrin Murphy's reputation, unless Harry delivers the powerful Word of Kemmler to her, he has no choice. Now Harry is in a race against time to find the Word before Chicago experiences a Halloween night to wake the dead.

    A User says: "I wish it was about 20 hours longer"
    "This Book Is Anything But A Dead Beat"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

    The Dresden Files series was recommended to me by a coworker. I have recommended the series to friends that I think would enjoy it.If you like sci-fi and fantasy mixed with mystery and action the Dresden Files are for you. A cross between Magnum PI and Harry Potter.


    What was one of the most memorable moments of Dead Beat?

    I really don't like the choice of questions in this review, but the best thing about Dead Beat is Bob gets into the action. Another memorable thing about this book is the progression of the series. This series gets better and better.


    What does James Marsters bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

    I am a huge fan of James Marsters, the actor. When I first listened to book 1 and 2, I was a bit disappointed by the narration of the books at times. By book 3, James is in the zone.


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

    I like the fact that Karrin Murphy was not a central character and that some of the other reoccurring characters get a chance to get some story time.The interaction between Bob and Harry. Nothing like a friendship between a boy and his skull indwelt with an air spirit. We get to learn more about Thomas, and what makes him tick.Billy and Georgia get some story time.And Waldo Butters gets flung front and center.


    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • Deeper Than the Dead

    • UNABRIDGED (13 hrs and 43 mins)
    • By Tami Hoag
    • Narrated By Kirsten Potter
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (1192)
    Performance
    (611)
    Story
    (600)

    Three children, running in the woods behind their school, stumble upon a partially buried female body, eyes and mouth glued shut. Close behind the children is their teacher, Anne Navarre, shocked by this discovery and heartbroken as she witnesses the end of their innocence. What she doesn't yet realize is that this will mark the end of innocence for an entire community, as the ties that bind families and friends are tested by secrets uncovered in the wake of a serial killer's escalating activity.

    John says: "A pleasant surprise"
    "Murders In A Small Town-With A Twist(s)"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    This is the first time I have ever read a Tami Hoag novel. I have a set group of authors that I stick with, but I have been branching out trying to find new authors to read when the old ones become to formulaic.

    When I started this book, I thought it was going to be another Serial Killer In A Small Town book. In some ways it was, but there were more twists than a cork screw. The characters of this book are complex and very well written. You get a sense of why they do the things they do. It kept me entertained and wanting more.

    Most books of this genre have a large group of unlikeable characters, and a few likeable ones, of the latter, one is the killer. This story gave off the feeling of a very likeable town with nice people, except a few. Once the killer is caught, you almost want to pack up and move to Oak Knoll.

    There were a few MINOR things I didn't care for about this book. First was the setting of the book, 1985. The author harped too much about what doesn't exist yet. This book stressed the fact that DNA technology didn't exist and someday might be a useful tool. But it brought that fact too much. Second, was the use of the phrase Person Of Interest, which did exist since the 1960's. However, this phrase wasn't really used in law enforcement until the 2001 anthrax attacks when Attorney General John Ashcroft overused the term over and over. Like I said, minor issues.

    Kirsten Potter did and outstanding job as narrator. Each voice has a character of it's own.

    Overall this books had suspense, a little romance, and an entertaining plot.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • Washington: A Life

    • UNABRIDGED (41 hrs and 57 mins)
    • By Ron Chernow
    • Narrated By Scott Brick
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (1263)
    Performance
    (778)
    Story
    (776)

    In Washington: A Life celebrated biographer Ron Chernow provides a richly nuanced portrait of the father of our nation. This crisply paced narrative carries the reader through his troubled boyhood, his precocious feats in the French and Indian War, his creation of Mount Vernon, his heroic exploits with the Continental Army, his presiding over the Constitutional Convention, and his magnificent performance as America's first president.

    ButterLegume says: "A sad day when my book was done!"
    "And What A Life It Was"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    What did you love best about Washington: A Life?

    As the author stated, he wanted people to see who Washington really was. He accomplished his task by showing us Washington's flaws and strengths.


    What was one of the most memorable moments of Washington: A Life?

    I truly learned a lot from this book. However, the most memorable moment for me was Washington's views on slavery. I was taught that Washington was a slave owner, end of story. After listening to this biography, it show GW as more of a reluctant slave owner.


    Have you listened to any of Scott Brick???s other performances before? How does this one compare?

    I at least 4 Audiobooks that Scott performs on This book is more of a narration that most books I have heard him on. But Scott is a competent performer that makes the 40 hours of this story more enjoyable


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

    No extreme reactions. However, this book did leave me feeling sad. Not because Washington dies at the end (this is not a spoiler, you've had 213 years to hear about it). Rather, knowing the sacrifices Washington made over a 45 year period and the treatment he received from the other founding fathers. What is worse is that he wanted to enjoy the rest of his days in peace at Mt. Vernon


    0 of 0 people found this review helpful

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