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Kim Venatries

Member Since 2010

197
HELPFUL VOTES
  • 43 reviews
  • 371 ratings
  • 836 titles in library
  • 60 purchased in 2013
FOLLOWING
12
FOLLOWERS
45

  • Petroplague

    • UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 19 mins)
    • By Amy Rogers
    • Narrated By Jeff Bower
    Overall
    (8)
    Performance
    (8)
    Story
    (6)

    What if bacteria turned all the gasoline in Los Angeles into vinegar? Carmageddon doesn't begin to describe it; Petroplague does. UCLA graduate student Christina Gonzalez wanted to use biotechnology to free America from its dependence on Middle Eastern oil. Instead, an act of eco-terrorism unleashes her genetically-modified bacteria into the fuel supply of Los Angeles, making petroleum useless.

    Michael G. Kurilla says: "Feels like a made for TV movie"
    "Fast Paced Science Thriller"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

    Yes I would. I will admit that some of the science went over my head but it was an enjoyable listen.


    Who was your favorite character and why?

    The mayor was pretty cool.


    How could the performance have been better?

    The narrator tried too hard on the female voices.


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

    There were several action scenes that were riveting. For instance, the scene in the police station where one of the good guys is in a handcuff chain with a bunch of bad guys. The chase scene with the police on Segways chasing an eco-friendly experimental car that only goes about 25 mph was funny.


    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • World War Z: The Complete Edition (Movie Tie-in Edition): An Oral History of the Zombie War

    • ABRIDGED (12 hrs and 8 mins)
    • By Max Brooks
    • Narrated By Max Brooks, Alan Alda, John Turturro, and others
    Overall
    (82)
    Performance
    (75)
    Story
    (73)

    World War Z: The Complete Edition is a new recording of Max Brooks’ best-selling novel, World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, featuring 21 additional Hollywood A-list actors and sci-fi fan favorites performing stories not included in the original edition. New narrators include Academy Award-winning director Martin Scorsese, Spiderman star Alfred Molina, The Walking Dead creator Frank Darabont, rapper Common, Firefly star Nathan Fillion, Shaun of the Dead’s Simon Pegg, and members of the casts of Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, Heroes and more!

    Thomas says: "Chapter 3 is still broken: still unacceptable"
    "A Good Story with an All Star Cast but ABRIDGED"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    First off, I have to say I was “duped” into thinking this was finally the unabridged version of the book. I have a strong aversion to abridged books and probably would not have purchased this had I known it was not the complete work. Having said that, it was still a good listen despite the missing parts. If you never read the print version you probably won’t notice because the story is told in the style of firsthand accounts that are choppy by nature. Think Ken Burns doing a documentary on a worldwide zombie war. All-in-all it is a moving story that is less about zombies than the human spirit, good and bad.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • The Martian

    • UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 28 mins)
    • By Andy Weir
    • Narrated By R. C. Bray
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (151)
    Performance
    (147)
    Story
    (145)

    I’m pretty much f**ked. That’s my considered opinion. F**ked. Six days into what should be the greatest two months of my life, and it’s turned into a nightmare. I don’t even know who’ll read this. I guess someone will find it eventually. Maybe 100 years from now. For the record... I didn’t die on Sol 6. Certainly the rest of the crew thought I did, and I can’t blame them. Maybe there’ll be a day of national mourning for me, and my Wikipedia page will say "Mark Watney is the only human being to have died on Mars."

    Brian says: "Duct tape is magic and should be worshiped"
    "Who Knew? So Much Science Could = So Much Fun!"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    The story is packed full of science-- biology, botany, physics, chemistry, astronomy-- you name it and it is in there. But it is not at all dull or tedious. You do not have to understand it all completely (a lot flew right over my head) to enjoy the story. Mr. Weir manages to make even rocket science a seamless, painless part of a good story. At its heart is a very simple story about survival under the most hostile and unnatural conditions imaginable. There is an astronaut stranded on Mars without enough food, water and air to last until a rescue. And rescue is extremely doubtful since everyone on earth believes him dead. On the “bright side” there are plenty of "70's sitcoms and disco music to keep him company. His struggle to survive and remain sane and the herculean efforts to save him are excellent entertainment.

    2 of 2 people found this review helpful
  • Jumper

    • UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 49 mins)
    • By Steven Gould
    • Narrated By Macleod Andrews
    Overall
    (201)
    Performance
    (174)
    Story
    (179)

    What if you could go anywhere in the world, in the blink of an eye? Where would you go? What would you do?Davy can teleport. To survive, Davy must learn to use and control his power in a world that is more violent and complex than he ever imagined. But mere survival is not enough for him. Davy wants to find others like himself, others who can Jump.

    Katherine says: "Lot's of fun"
    "Don't Miss This One...Dare You to Stop Listening!"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    At least you will not want to stop listening. Very good story, well written and narrated. Mr. Gould is a master of the "what would you do if...." He puts you in the story and what a story! I'm making Steven Gould one of my go-to authors.

    2 of 2 people found this review helpful
  • Animal Kingdom: An Apocalyptic Novel

    • UNABRIDGED (5 hrs and 43 mins)
    • By Iain Rob Wright
    • Narrated By Peter Bishop
    Overall
    (2)
    Performance
    (2)
    Story
    (2)

    Everything is going great until a bizarre snake attack sends everybody in the zoo running for cover. It isn't long before Joe realizes that there is a lot more going on than a simple snake attack. And if the hungry lions, roaring gorillas and charging elephants now free from their cages have anything to say about it, there is more bloodshed to come. All of the world's animals are attacking, and no one knows why. What they do know is that man is now on the bottom of the food chain.

    Kim Venatries says: "Good Story of Animals and Humans Behaving Badly"
    "Good Story of Animals and Humans Behaving Badly"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    Nothing deep or complex here. Tight plot, action and human drama all within the confines of a British zoo. Well written and a decent performance.

    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
  • Wildside

    • UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 43 mins)
    • By Steven Gould
    • Narrated By Paul Boehmer
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (15)
    Performance
    (14)
    Story
    (14)

    Forget the lottery. Teenager Charlie Newell has just discovered something that will make him and his friends billionaires. What if a world existed in which no humans ever evolved? No cities. No pollution. No laws. A fantastic world filled with unimaginable riches in which everything - everything - was yours just for the taking?

    Charlie has found that world. And he plans to use it to make him and his friends rich.There is a problem: How do you keep something this big a secret?

    Matthew says: "And welcome to it..."
    "What if you could...."
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    Step into another world rich with resources like for instance, gold? Stuff that you can sell in this world for lots of money? And then suppose you told your very best friends about it so they could help you haul it back to this world and share in the wealth? This is a great story with action and suspense but not what you’re thinking given the cover art. Now I did have a little trouble swallowing teens randomly knowing that much about legal issues and it’s a bit heavy with the avionics and mechanics but those issues are minor and hey if your into those things, bonus for you. The take away is the story is really good and will hold your attention. Good job with the narration as well.

    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
  • Zombie Fallout: Zombie Fallout, Book 1

    • UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 30 mins)
    • By Mark Tufo
    • Narrated By Sean Runnette
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (1619)
    Performance
    (1513)
    Story
    (1515)

    This is the story of Michael Talbot, his family, and his friends: a band of ordinary people trying to get by in extraordinary times. When disaster strikes, Mike, a self-proclaimed survivalist, does his best to ensure the safety and security of those he cares for. Book one of the Zombie Fallout Trilogy follows our lead character at his self-deprecating, sarcastic best. What he encounters along the way leads him down a long dark road, always skirting the edge of insanity.

    Teddy says: "Hooked!"
    "Not for Me... Apocalypse is Just Not That Funny"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    I like humor. I like apocalypse fiction. I like zombie fiction. I can even like a book that combines all three in the right proportion. But somehow the recipe was off for me in this book. Maybe it was the timing of the wise cracks or the amount of jokiness. I tried but I couldn't get through this.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • Whiskey Beach

    • UNABRIDGED (15 hrs and 24 mins)
    • By Nora Roberts
    • Narrated By Peter Berkrot
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (349)
    Performance
    (303)
    Story
    (299)

    For more than 300 years, Bluff House has sat above Whiskey Beach, guarding its shore - and its secrets. But to Eli Landon, it’s home.… A Boston lawyer, Eli has weathered an intense year of public scrutiny and police investigations after being accused of - but never arrested for - the murder of his soon-to-be-ex wife. He finds sanctuary at Bluff House, even though his beloved grandmother is in Boston recuperating from a nasty fall. Abra Walsh is always there, though.

    Lauren says: "Usually love Nora, but this one is a dud"
    "Not So Good"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    This was not an enjoyable experience for me. I don't normally complain about a book being too long but this one sags and drags. I did not bond with the characters or the improbable plot. There was no suspense for me. Very repetitive and farfetched. The narration was okay, it was the story that disappointed.

    7 of 7 people found this review helpful
  • Nids

    • UNABRIDGED (4 hrs and 7 mins)
    • By Ray Garton
    • Narrated By Seth Michael Donsky
    Overall
    (1)
    Performance
    (1)
    Story
    (1)

    Medical research? Genetic experiments? No one knows exactly what goes on inside the sprawling BioGenTech building on the edge of town. But after an enormous explosion at the facility, people in town start turning up dead...and in pieces. Something is loose in Hope Valley. Something big...and fast...and hungry. It has a lot of legs, a nasty disposition and a big appetite. This is one spider you can’t step on.

    Kim Venatries says: "Okay Story...Laughably Bad Narration"
    "Okay Story...Laughably Bad Narration"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    The good: 1950s style giant insect menaces small town. The bad: abrupt ending. The ugly: super awful narration. Seriously, just listen to the sample. Especially the voices. Like a mangled accident scene you can't tear your ears from. The narrative was overly dramatic and uneven and the voices...the town seemed to consist of people with random heavy New England accents, southern California valley girls and Fog-horn Leghorns. The adult female voices were either cutesy two year olds or whiskey soaked octogenarians. Nothing in between. Nothing even close to what they should have sounded like. I cannot recommend this audiobook unless you are looking for a primer on how NOT to narrate a book. Or you need a laugh. Get the print version instead.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • Extinction Machine: The Joe Ledger Novels, Book 5

    • UNABRIDGED (14 hrs and 58 mins)
    • By Jonathan Maberry
    • Narrated By Ray Porter
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (184)
    Performance
    (173)
    Story
    (172)

    The president of the United States vanishes from the White House. A top-secret prototype stealth fighter is destroyed during a test flight. Witnesses on the ground say that it was shot down by a craft that immediately vanished at impossible speeds. All over the world, reports of UFOs are increasing at an alarming rate. And in a remote fossil dig in China dinosaur hunters have found something that is definitely not of this earth.

    Karen says: "Another Amazing Entry in the Series"
    "Go for Maberry…Need More Please!"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    What did you love best about Extinction Machine?

    Frankly it's a tie between a fantastically good story and superb narration. Mr. Maberry is very good at taking the unbelievable and making it not only completely plausible but he makes you look at it from a wholly new prospective. Yes, the story is about alien visitation but it has nothing to do with little green men or space lizards that come to conquer. It will make you think, worry and wonder while enjoying a rousing thriller. (Heavy sigh) now the wait until the next installment.


    Which character – as performed by Ray Porter – was your favorite?

    Ray Porter is why audiobooks rock. He takes the character of Joe Ledger and the series to another level.


    3 of 3 people found this review helpful
  • Rig: A Novel of Terror

    • UNABRIDGED (6 hrs and 25 mins)
    • By Bryan W. Alaspa
    • Narrated By Clifton Satterfield
    Overall
    (3)
    Performance
    (3)
    Story
    (3)

    Rig 42, the largest and most advanced oil rig the world has ever known, has just hit something. The airwaves fill with the sounds of screaming, terror, and torture, and then there is silence. Now, the biggest oil rig in the world sits quietly. But something evil has infiltrated the massive structure. The company is desperate to find out what's happened. A team of mercenaries and oil rig experts is dispatched to determine what the danger is and if it can be eliminated.

    Kim Venatries says: "Doesn't Really Deliver...Bub-Lite"
    "Doesn't Really Deliver...Bub-Lite"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

    I would not say it was well-spent but it was not a total waste either. It should have been better.


    Would you be willing to try another book from Bryan W. Alaspa? Why or why not?

    Probably not. The story was not well written. The plot summary begs for a listen/read (if you like this kind of story) but the actual story falls flat, DOA. The characters are one dimensional or no dimensional and the suspense is non-existent. I kept listening hoping there would be some huge plot twist or big reveal to make it all worth the effort.


    What about Clifton Satterfield’s performance did you like?

    He did a decent job. Not particularly memorable or bad.


    If this book were a movie would you go see it?

    Yes. Maybe on screen with a more fleshed out screen play and appealing characters it would be more engaging.


    Any additional comments?

    Get J.A. Konrath's Origin instead. Same premise but much, much better done.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful

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