You no longer follow Ralph

You will no longer see updates from this user when they write new reviews, or suggestions based on their library or recommendations.

You can re-follow a user if you change your mind.

OK

You now follow Ralph

You will receive updates from this user when they write new reviews, or suggestions based on their library or recommendations.

You can unfollow a user if you change your mind.

OK

Ralph

Austin, TX, United States | Member Since 2007

24
HELPFUL VOTES
  • 8 reviews
  • 188 ratings
  • 620 titles in library
  • 30 purchased in 2013
FOLLOWING
0
FOLLOWERS
0

  • Rising Tides: Destroyermen, Book 5

    • UNABRIDGED (17 hrs and 32 mins)
    • By Taylor Anderson
    • Narrated By William Dufris
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (775)
    Performance
    (481)
    Story
    (484)

    Stuck in an alternate universe during World War II, Lieutenant Commander Matthew Reddy of the U.S.S. Walker has found an unlikely but invaluable ally in Commodore Jenks of the New Britain Imperial Navy. And now they are united in their desire to hunt down the traitor who abducted two women both men would die to protect: Reddy's love, nurse Sandra Tucker, and young Princess Rebecca of the New British Empire. But first they have a new battle to win. However, this battle will not be fought with broadsides and broadswords, but with cunning and intrigue.

    DAVID says: "Each book in this series is better than the last!"
    "Rising Tides: Destroyermen, Book 5"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    Well written and inspite of being only the next book in the series, this one wraps things up better than book 4 where we were left hanging, screaming for book 5 so we could find out what happens. Well after you read book 5 you'll know.

    Book 5 isn't perfect. Some actions sequences are less than what I would have expected compared to those in previous books but others were better, and we are left wondering if there will be whole new stories to come just expanding on these events.

    This is a good read and well worth your time.

    2 of 2 people found this review helpful
  • Mindstar Rising: The Greg Mandel Trilogy, Book 1

    • UNABRIDGED (14 hrs and 52 mins)
    • By Peter F. Hamilton
    • Narrated By Toby Longworth
    Overall
    (405)
    Performance
    (369)
    Story
    (364)

    It's the 21st century, and global warming is here to stay, so forget the way your country used to look. And get used to the free market, too – the companies possess all the best hardware, and they're calling the shots now. In a world like this, a man open to any offers can make out just fine. A man like Greg Mandel for instance, who's psi-boosted, wired into the latest sensory equipment, carrying state-of-the-art weaponry – and late of the English Army's Mindstar Battalion.

    Michael G. Kurilla says: "Portrait of a SciFi master as a novice"
    "Early career but well written"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    Obviously an "early" Hamilton. It reads smoothly and the narrator is pleasant, but he's still learning to develop his plots. This isn't the epic thriller you will come to love in the star flyer wars in the Pandora's Star/Judas Unchained series or the Void Series but you'll grow to like the characters and there's pretty good action mixed in to keep action junkies like me happy. If you like his style in his later books read this series and if you give it time it will grow on you, if you're not sure or a new reader of Peter F Hamilton, his later books are his best and these are simply good so whatever you do don't put these down and leave Hamilton until you've tasted the good stuff.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • The Lost Fleet: Dauntless

    • UNABRIDGED (9 hrs and 59 mins)
    • By Jack Campbell
    • Narrated By Christian Rummel, Jack Campbell
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (2992)
    Performance
    (1646)
    Story
    (1676)

    Captain John "Black Jack" Geary's legendary exploits are known to every schoolchild. Revered for his heroic "last stand" in the early days of the war, he was presumed dead. But a century later, Geary miraculously returns from survival hibernation and reluctantly takes command of the Alliance fleet as it faces annihilation by the Syndics.

    Appalled by the hero-worship around him, Geary is nevertheless a man who will do his duty. And he knows that bringing the stolen Syndic hypernet key safely home is the Alliance's one chance to win the war. But to do that, Geary will have to live up to the impossibly heroic "Black Jack" legend.

    Chance says: "Ranks up there with Star Wars!"
    "This is a good space opera"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    It's been a while since I've come across a writer of space opera's I've found interesting. I may not have believed his premiss about the new fleet tactics and lack of command obedience he had to overcome when he took command of the fleet but in true SciFi form if you dispell or forgive the premiss, the rest is consistent and very interesting and action packed. Once I got into this first book in the series, I finished all the rest in less than 2 weeks. I found these a very good read. Can wait until the next in the follow up series comes out in May.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • Hounded: The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book 1

    • UNABRIDGED (8 hrs and 11 mins)
    • By Kevin Hearne
    • Narrated By Luke Daniels
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (6502)
    Performance
    (5692)
    Story
    (5673)

    Atticus O’Sullivan, last of the Druids, lives peacefully in Arizona, running an occult bookshop and shape-shifting in his spare time to hunt with his Irish wolfhound. His neighbors and customers think that this handsome, tattooed Irish dude is about twenty-one years old - when in actuality, he’s twenty-one centuries old. Not to mention: He draws his power from the earth, possesses a sharp wit, and wields an even sharper magical sword known as Fragarach, the Answerer. Unfortunately, a very angry Celtic god wants that sword, and he’s hounded Atticus for centuries....

    Chris says: "Finally, a modern day fantasy that really hits the"
    "This series is very good"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    I bought "Hounded" on one of Audibles sales based entirely on its 4+ rating. But what could a book about a modern day Druid do to keep your interest??? It's great. Its funny, its original, its action packed, it develops its characters enough for you to actually come to think of them as people you'd like to know, simply put its the best new series I've read in years and his dog is hillarious. Get Hounded and I think you'll be hooked.

    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
  • Across the Nightingale Floor: Tales of the Otori, Book One

    • UNABRIDGED (8 hrs and 25 mins)
    • By Lian Hearn
    • Narrated By Kevin Gray, Aiko Nakasone
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (5301)
    Performance
    (1499)
    Story
    (1491)

    A tour-de-force novel set in ancient Japan filled with passion, fantasy, and feuding warlords. The first volume in the highly anticipated Tales of the Otori trilogy.

    Jody R. Nathan says: "Wonderful epic story"
    "Nice read"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    I like the writing style smooth with mostly short sentences to keep the action moving even in the slower parts of the book and having lived in Japan it has some of the flavor of Japan even if it is a bit mystical.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • Mockingjay: The Final Book of The Hunger Games

    • UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 43 mins)
    • By Suzanne Collins
    • Narrated By Carolyn McCormick
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (19959)
    Performance
    (14410)
    Story
    (14515)

    Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena live, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge....

    Teddy says: "Well done... but bitter-sweet..."
    "Too much introspection"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    Book 1 is great, two is good and then there's the mockingjay. Someone must have told the author to get the character more in touch with her feelings and turned an action series into a quivering indecisive mess. It's sad because I loved the first book and this series could have been so much more. In the end I was simply glad it was over and thats pretty sad.

    1 of 2 people found this review helpful
  • Laddertop

    • UNABRIDGED (1 hr and 58 mins)
    • By Orson Scott Card, Emily Janice Card
    • Narrated By Emily Janice Card, Stefan Rudnicki
    Overall
    (48)
    Performance
    (45)
    Story
    (45)

    Twenty five years ago, the alien Givers came to Earth and bestowed upon the human race the greatest technology ever seen—four giant towers known as Ladders that rise 36,000 miles and culminate in space stations that power the entire planet. Then, for reasons unknown, the Givers disappeared.

    Brad says: "For immature readers (no offense intended)."
    "where's the end"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    The story is nicely written, but it just ended when it appeared to be just getting started. Maybe I missed something important and I was interrupted several times near the end but it just left me hanging. It had all the features that made most of Card's other books so readable but ... Where's the Beef???

    1 of 1 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
    (15430)
    Performance
    (9915)
    Story
    (9922)

    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!"
    "who compared this to Tolkien"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    Don't be fooled by the quality of the writing. Mr. Martin can make words flow, it's a shame he doesn't understand honest fore shadowing, character relationships & plot development. Do not expect this book to be a page turner except to hurry ahead to find some meat that is actually developed, There is action but he sets up situations that could fill a 100 pages & then kills the character or cuts away as if to say there is a maximum length to each chapter or never develops the relationships or action promised in earlier fore shadowing. Unfortunately I bought all 5 in the series at the time of my original purchase of a Game of Thrones hoping the quality of proses meant the story was just slow to develop but these books are like a bad daytime soap with no reason for anything other than bad acting & plot. I am 1/2 way through book 4 & still waiting for peyton place to become the great adventure it easily could be but nothing yet. Only more meaningless characters showing up to waste my time and disappear or change fundamentally in character. Whoever compared this author to Tolkien couldn't get past the R. R. in the name. Tolkien he ain't!

    I love a good mystery where we try to follow the clues until the end where a cute twist ties it all up but a cardinal rule is never lie to the reader or waste their time. Its ok not to use the gun on the table in the den in scene one in the final act but not ok for the author to highlight someone pick it up, sneak it into his pocket and set up his relationship with the gun only to never see it again and then have someone else kill the victim in the last scene in the kitchen with a butcher knife randomly grabbed in the sink when the struggle begins.

    If I could do it over, I would not have bought these books. But on a bright note, when James Lee takes over narration in the book 4 there will be no more complaints about the narrator! He's good!

    19 of 26 people found this review helpful

Report Inappropriate Content

If you find this review inappropriate and think it should be removed from our site, let us know. This report will be reviewed by Audible and we will take appropriate action.

CANCEL

Thank You

Your report has been received. It will be reviewed by Audible and we will take appropriate action.