Overland Park, KS, United States | Member Since 2010
"Stick With It!"
I'm glad I did. I stopped listening a few different times, went on to other newer books, but always returned once complete. I flew through the second half of this book....once Massie gets the main characters introduced it really picks up. I am a history enthusiast, but admittedly knew next to nothing about WWI naval engagements aside from the famous sinking of Louisitania and perhaps one other. This book is the "soup to nuts" overview of WWI naval power, ship types, war strategies, key players and specific battles. I have read one other Massie book (Peter the Great), though I had not read Dreadnought prior to this (I’m not sure if that would have made the experience better or worse, but I have heard excellent reviews of that book as well). Like with Peter the Great, Massie finds a way to take what would normally be dry textbook type material and bring it to life so it reads like an extremely well written piece of fiction. The narration for Castles of Steel was some of the best I have heard; I am well over 50 audiobooks and this was near the top. He does a masterful job with all three main accents- British, German and American. If you find this subject matter even remotely interesting, give it a try-- you won't be disappointed!
"Good Story"
It reminded me of other works by Ken Follett (Pillars of the Earth, World Without End). The story had a unique flair to it; wrapped around the crusades and the backdrop of French feudalism in the 12th century. The characters were well developed and the book moved at a good pace. Narration was good, however the reader had an English accent; which is odd considering the book takes place in France. All in all a good read and definitely worth the credit. If you enjoyed this book and you are not familiar with Ken Follett, check out the works above.
"Enjoyed the writing and plot....but"
I thought there were many parts of the book that were slow. It would really grab me for a period and then slow down again. It seemed to do this over and over. There was some very clever dialogue, in some parts I found myself laughing out loud (something I rarely do when listening/reading). Overall I liked the book, I just wish it moved a little faster.
"Bravo"
This was my first Baldacci book. It was a pleasant surprise. I grew up loving James Bond; the Roby character reminds me of 007. I too hope there is a sequel, but in the meantime I intend to check out some other books by this author.
"'1984' meets 'Logan’s Run'; aka – N. Korea"
While the premise around Agenda 21 is interesting and somewhat grounded in facts (all be it much artistic leeway in extrapolating the UN author(s) exact intentions), I found the book to be fairly dull. A few parts/concepts kept my attention better than others, but virtually all of them seemed to be enhanced retread versions (disguised rip offs) from other works, ie – 1984, Logan’s Run, Atlas Shrugged, et al. Maybe it’s worth the credit…just maybe.
"Must read for history buffs!"
I have recently completed Adams, Franklin & Washington's biographies as well. All were equally good, but in my opinion it is very important to read them all. The perspectives each author has of their own subject versus the others and how they all interrelate as advisaries and/or allies through the early years of our nation is important to garner. It paints the whole picture, instead of just one author's opinion. I plan on tackling Hamilton next. I find Edward Herrman's narration to be perfect; he is all over the History Channel so his voice is familiar and appropriate for a book of this type.
"Uplifting"
I enjoyed the book. Great tale of redemption, forgiveness, etc. Very easy listen and narration was decent. If you are a "seeker" you will love it.
"Say What You Want..."
but you must experience this book for yourself and make up your own mind. The story and background alone are deserving of a read. I found it fascinating.
"Masterful Narration....so so book"
If only the book was half as good as Lou Diamond Phillips' narration was (superb!).... the story was just "ok" for me. A few interesting parts but they were few and far between. I do not understand all the 5 star ratings on this one. The characters were interesting and the plot was decent, but it just felt rushed to me... especially the ending.
"Entertaining"
but a bit far fetched. If you have ever worked for Microsoft you will probably love this book. If not, I think you will find it entertaining, but certainly no masterpiece. There were a few scenes that I really identified with; particularly her numerous interactions with the other snobby moms from the prep school. I thought the narrator did a nice job (definitely above average), but it was not someone I had heard before.
"Not as good as Fall of Giants..."
But still a good book nonetheless. I read Fall of Giants over a year ago so it took me a while to put all the connections back together in my mind. Early in the book, some of the sub plots were unable to hold my interest. I found myself wanting to fast forward in places to get back to the other sub plots that were more interesting and fast paced. The second half of the book was much better than the first and I gave it 4 stars because of this. It really got going and ended well. I am looking forward to the last book.