Lindsey

This installment of the Parasol Protectorate is, I think, the best - and that's saying something! I didn't think Carriger could top the last four books in the series, but this one is absolutely awesome - it had me laughing and crying and laughing again. Mostly laughing. A definite must-listen!!!

I've heard this is the last book Carriger will write starring Alexia, but I've also heard that Carriger may write a series featuring Alexia's daughter, Prudence, and this seems likely given a few plot developments.

Visit Carriger's site for extras like interviews with Alexia, Lord Maccon, and our favourite fashionable vampire.

The concept for this book is awesome - pure geekery and tons of fun. It is a light read - nothing too deep or complicated - and one has to remember that when some parts of the plot seem illogical. The many references to geek culture and favourites (such as Firefly) are awesome.

I cannot, however, under any circumstances, recommend the narrator. I'm not sure whether the narrator had a head-cold or whether the recording was just terrible in the beginning chapters. While the audio became crisper later on, the narration was still almost unbearable. The narrator reads S-L-O-W-L-Y. So much so, I often lose track of the plot. She also distracts terribly from the story rather than enhancing it, especially when fast-paced fight scenes are read like a bedtime-fuzzy-bunny tale. Her pronunciation of words and their syllables are off, and there's a monotonous rhythm and sound to it all. The character's thoughts, intuitions, and statments sound fake because the narrator's trying for something she's just not achieving. In her defense, some the the sentences in this book would be much more understandable in print rather than as spoken word - and that's the author's problem, not the narrator's. But still, the narrator manages to turn the main character into a whiny valley-girl instead of a sarcastic kick-ass heroine.

A great Sherlock Holmes story with a Jack the Ripper twist. Very well done, very atmospheric, and well worth a credit!

This story was hard to get into for the first half-hour or so, but I continued listening and now consider "Emma Brown" to be one of the most beautiful books I have listened to in a long time. Perfect pacing, perfect writing, a perfectly satisfying story, and very well performed. It feels like a cross between Jane Austen and Charles Dickens, combining the mannerisms of bygone times with the real grittiness of the darker elements of Victorian London.

I admit, at first I had my doubts and bought this book since it was on sale. But after one listen I was hooked. This is a well-written, funny, balls-to-the-wall adventure with a supernatural twist. Seriously - get the whole series - they're well worth the credits!

This listen is both well-written and well-performed. The story has a very authentic feel and really puts the listener in the heart of the revolution. Very entertaining and informative.

Milkweed is back, two decades after we last left them. I was dubious about the time-skip at first, but it turned out to be a great decision on Tregillis' part - it really works well. A lot of mysteries are explained in this installment, and even more questions are introduced. Can't wait for the third book!

The sequel to "Blackout," and just as good as the first book, if not better. Willis is a master story-teller.

I love Connie Willis books, and this one and its sequel "All Clear" are two of my favourites. They put you smack in the middle of the action in WWII, and treat the experience with expertise and sensitivity, while maintaining a fantastic time-travel storyline.

Ladies, fair warning: listen to this book once and you'll need to buy the next three in the series immediately. Hilarious, witty, charming, and filled with Victoriana, the story and its steampunk atmosphere is well-done and always entertaining. Well-read, too. Alexia is my new favourite heroine, with all her hilarious soulless stuffiness and unfailing practicality.