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Matthew

Buckeye by birth, Jayhawk by the grace of God.

Overland Park, KS, United States | Member Since 2010

43
HELPFUL VOTES
  • 50 reviews
  • 53 ratings
  • 177 titles in library
  • 12 purchased in 2013
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  • Night over Water

    • UNABRIDGED (14 hrs and 32 mins)
    • By Ken Follett
    • Narrated By Tom Casaletto
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (479)
    Performance
    (218)
    Story
    (215)

    On a bright September morning in 1939, two days after Britain declares war on Germany, a group of privileged but desperate people gather in Southhampton to board the largest, most luxurious airliner ever built - the Pan American Clipper - bound for New York.

    Daniel Mcafee says: "Fun Listen"
    "Not his best...in fact not even close..."
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    but not awful either. It started EXTREMELY slow, but once they get into the air, it picks up a bit. Compared to his other books I found the characters less believable and the story more of a stretch. The frequent sex scenes (even compared to Follett's other books) were horribly described and seemed forced-- very bizzarre. If you are new to Follett I'd recommend every single one of his books over this one (starting with Pillars of the Earth and Fall of Giants)... this was the only book by him that I had not read.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • The Jester

    • UNABRIDGED (12 hrs and 52 mins)
    • By James Patterson, Andrew Gross
    • Narrated By Neil Dickson
    Overall
    (564)
    Performance
    (75)
    Story
    (74)

    Hugh De Luc, a poor innkeeper, returns home from the First Crusade wearied from battle and disillusioned by carnage. After journeying from the Holy Land back to his own small village, he finds his nightmare is just beginning.

    A User says: "Spellbound and engaged"
    "Good Story"
    Overall
    Performance
    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.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • The Cold Dish: A Walt Longmire Mystery

    • UNABRIDGED (13 hrs and 18 mins)
    • By Craig Johnson
    • Narrated By George Guidall
    Overall
    (1875)
    Performance
    (1139)
    Story
    (1139)

    Award-winning author Craig Johnson's critically acclaimed debut Western mystery takes listeners to the breathtaking mountains of Wyoming for a tale of cold-blooded vengeance. Four high-school boys were given suspended sentences for raping a Cheyenne girl. Now, two of the boys have been killed, and only Sheriff Walt Longmire can keep the other two safe.

    Chris says: "Cold Dish"
    "Enjoyed the writing and plot....but"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    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.

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

    • UNABRIDGED (12 hrs and 14 mins)
    • By David Baldacci
    • Narrated By Ron McLarty, Orlagh Cassidy
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (2034)
    Performance
    (1616)
    Story
    (1624)

    Will Robie may have just made the first - and last - mistake of his career.... It begins with a hit gone wrong. Robie is dispatched to eliminate a target unusually close to home in Washington, D.C. But something about this mission doesn't seem right to Robie, and he does the unthinkable: He refuses to kill. Now, Robie becomes a target himself and must escape from his own people.

    Fleeing the scene, Robie crosses paths with a wayward teenage girl, a 14-year-old runaway from a foster home. But she isn't an ordinary runaway....

    andrea says: "I Hope There's a Sequel!!"
    "Bravo"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    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.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • Agenda 21

    • UNABRIDGED (8 hrs and 35 mins)
    • By Glenn Beck
    • Narrated By January LaVoy
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (447)
    Performance
    (408)
    Story
    (413)

    Just a generation ago this place was called America. Now, after the worldwide implementation of UN-lead program called Agenda 21, it's simply known as the 'Republic'. There is no president. No congress. No Supreme Court. No freedom. There are only the Authorities. Citizens have two primary goals in the new Republic: to create clean energy and to create new human life. Those who cannot do either are of no use to society. This bleak and barren existence is all that 18-year-old Emmeline has ever known.

    Terri says: "Bad Ending"
    "'1984' meets 'Logan’s Run'; aka – N. Korea"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    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.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power

    • UNABRIDGED (18 hrs and 50 mins)
    • By Jon Meacham
    • Narrated By Edward Herrmann, Jon Meacham
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (441)
    Performance
    (368)
    Story
    (364)

    In this magnificent biography, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of American Lion and Franklin and Winston brings vividly to life an extraordinary man and his remarkable times. Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power gives us Jefferson the politician and president, a great and complex human being forever engaged in the wars of his era. Philosophers think; politicians maneuver. Jefferson’s genius was that he was both and could do both, often simultaneously. Such is the art of power.

    Darwin8u says: "A Man and Biography Relevant to Our Day"
    "Must read for history buffs!"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    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.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • Cross Roads

    • UNABRIDGED (9 hrs and 39 mins)
    • By Wm. Paul Young
    • Narrated By Roger Mueller
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (220)
    Performance
    (189)
    Story
    (186)

    Anthony Spencer is egotistical, proud of being a self-made business success at the peak of his game, even though the cost of winning was painfully high. A cerebral hemorrhage leaves Tony comatose in a hospital ICU. He 'awakens' to find himself in a surreal world, a 'living' landscape that mirrors dimensions of his earthly life, from the beautiful to the corrupt.

    aaron says: "Blind read, and my outlook on life is changed"
    "Uplifting"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    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.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon's Near-Death Experience and Journey into the Afterlife

    • UNABRIDGED (5 hrs and 13 mins)
    • By Eben Alexander
    • Narrated By Eben Alexander
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (944)
    Performance
    (819)
    Story
    (821)

    On November 10, 2008, Dr. Eben Alexander was driven into coma by a disease so lethal that only 1 in 10,000,000 survive. Seven days later, he awakened with memories of a fantastic odyssey deep into another realm that were more real than this earthly one - memories that included meeting a deceased birth sister he had never known existed. Dr. Alexander deployed all his knowledge as a scientist to find out whether his mind could have played a trick on him. In its shutdown state, there was no way it could have.

    Kelly says: "Compelling"
    "Say What You Want..."
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    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.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • Back to Blood: A Novel

    • UNABRIDGED (20 hrs and 52 mins)
    • By Tom Wolfe
    • Narrated By Lou Diamond Phillips
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (342)
    Performance
    (272)
    Story
    (276)

    As a police launch speeds across Miami's Biscayne Bay - with officer Nestor Camacho on board - Tom Wolfe is off and running. Here is a big, panoramic story of the new America, as told by our master chronicler of the way we live now. Based on the same sort of detailed, on-scene, high-energy reporting that powered Tom Wolfe's previous best-selling novels, Back to Blood is another brilliant, spot-on, scrupulous, and often hilarious reckoning with our times.

    Cynthia says: "Masterful Story-tel!ing & Great Narration!"
    "Masterful Narration....so so book"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    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.

    0 of 1 people found this review helpful
  • Where'd You Go, Bernadette: A Novel

    • UNABRIDGED (9 hrs and 39 mins)
    • By Maria Semple
    • Narrated By Kathleen Wilhoite
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (725)
    Performance
    (636)
    Story
    (629)

    Bernadette Fox is notorious. To her Microsoft-guru husband, she's a fearlessly opinionated partner; to fellow private-school mothers in Seattle, she's a disgrace; to design mavens, she's a revolutionary architect, and to 15-year-old Bee, she is a best friend and, simply, Mom.

    Then Bernadette disappears. It began when Bee aced her report card and claimed her promised reward: a family trip to Antarctica. But Bernadette's intensifying allergy to Seattle - and people in general - has made her so agoraphobic that a virtual assistant in India now runs her most basic errands.

    Bobbie says: "Best listen of the summer!"
    "Entertaining"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    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.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • Winter of the World: The Century Trilogy, Book 2

    • UNABRIDGED (31 hrs and 48 mins)
    • By Ken Follett
    • Narrated By John Lee
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (3019)
    Performance
    (2482)
    Story
    (2484)

    Winter of the World picks up right where the first book left off, as its five interrelated families - American, German, Russian, English, Welsh - enter a time of enormous social, political, and economic turmoil, beginning with the rise of the Third Reich, through the Spanish Civil War and the great dramas of World War II, up to the explosions of the American and Soviet atomic bombs. As always with Ken Follett, the historical background is brilliantly researched and rendered, the action fast-moving, the characters rich in nuance and emotion.

    Dave says: "Great book but DON'T BUY - AUDIBLE VERSION SKIPS"
    "Not as good as Fall of Giants..."
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    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.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful

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