"A Poor Recording of a Brilliant Work"
If you like insane humor delivered quietly and politely, then you'll love Saki. His twisted view of everyday life is as funny today as when it was written. Davidson and May give an excellent reading of these wonderful stories, it is unfortunate that they sound as if they were recorded on a Mr. Microphone in the trunk of a 1957 Buick on I-95 during rush hour. If you go for this, and you should, definitely get the best quality format your player can handle.
"AT LAST!!!!!!!"
This is the third time I have purchased A Princess Of Mars from Audible. Finally, something worth listening to! Thanky you Tantor Media for finally hiring a good reader.
"Good stuff!"
While I was waiting for the next Harry Dresden novel to be published I went looking for something else to listen to. I found this in a sale and gave it a try. I couldn't "put it down". Good story, good action, and a good sense of humor. I am now going to purchase the next 4 audiobooks - oh yeah, and a good reader.
"Holy Kumquat, it's abridged!"
Who in their right mind would abridge a book like this! It's one of the funniest books I've ever read - and I always loan to women friends who are having guy problems, they laugh and they learn. After all, the best humor has a lot of truth in it. Abridging this is like cutting out half of a joke and still expecting to be funny. I guess it's my fault. I was so happy to see this audiobook available that I didn't stop to check to see if it was abridged. Don't do it mon!
"Insanity as an Art Form"
After listening to all the Terry Pratchett and Carl Hiaasen that Audible had to offer I was looking for something "interesting". I picked up some Tim Dorsey on a sale. This one is definitely my favorite. It is so insane it's wonderful. In addition to what the other reviewers mentioned it has some of the funniest parenting advice in history regarding a 5 year old boy: "I don't know, give him something with lots of sugar (to drink)", "Hey Serge, he's chewing through the leash". Serge is persued by Mahoney, an FDLE agent trapped in a Raymond Chandler novel who's as least as crazy. And don't forget the Doberman, the most accident prone prime time bounty hunter in history. Lastly, I really like Oliver Wyman as the reader. Serge is a serial killer who refuses to take his medication and drinks multiple pots of coffee each day. Wyman gives Serge a higher pitched and slightly faster voice, which fits nicely with this behavior. Enjoy, it's not your grandmother's humor.
"Please, no more talking! I'll tell you everything!"
The book downloaded in 5 parts. So far I have listened to the first 3 parts and almost nothing has happened except conversation and exposition. A good editor could have saved this book.
"DEVO reads Burroughs"
Ay Chihuahua! Can't anybody read like a normal human being! I panned the first Princess of Mars because the reader affected a really bad southern accent for John Carter. Now, in this version the reader does a good voice for Carter and the exposition, but, all other characters sound like Hollywood savages - a slow halting "Me no want bad thing to happen" kind of voice. NOTICE: I will pay a bounty to anyone who can deliver a version of this book that sounds like it was read by a normal intelligent human being. ARRRGGGHH!!!!
"Pure Pratchett - a stealth classic."
The first time I listened to this I dismissed it as not one of his best - nothing of consequence was happening; no wars, murders, dragons etc. But when I listened to it again with out the expectation of momentous events, I was enchanted. Pratchett's humor and love for his quirky characters comes through on every page. This is very much worth a quiet listen.
"A welcome re-recording."
The original recording of this story used an ensemble cast that had as much feel for the material as a centipede does for a bicycle. I'm annoyed that I had to purchase this audiobook twice, but I'm glad that I finally got a good reading of an excellent story. If, like me, you purchased the original recording, buy this. You'll be glad you did.
"Pine Cove rises again."
This is the third novel Moore has written about Pine Cove, the previous being Practical Demonkeeping and The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove. While Moore is an absolute master of off-kilter humor, his novels sometimes lack simple humanity. You just don't care about the characters; sort of a mild case of Douglas Adams disease. In the Pine Cove novels Moore has developed a cast of off-beat characters that you truly care about, while telling their story with his charcteristic humor.
Angel and the other Pine Cove novels don't have the sharp edge of Dirty Job, but they are somehow more enjoyable. I will reread this before I reread Dirty Job. Maybe its just a nicer place to be.
"Finally, hooray!"
After I had major surgery in 2005 a thoughtful friend gave me a box of books to occupy my recovery at home. Tucked in the box was the first 4 books in the Dresden Files, as the books are known. To this day I still remember my delight at discovering how much fun they were to read, and still are.
Harry Dresden is a great twist on the two-bit private eye. Like a typical P.I., he packs a gun and he works for peanuts (or sometimes pizza). He also packs a wizard's staff and gets involved with things Sam Spade never imagined.
As the series has evolved Dresden and his world have developed so well and clearly that I know his world as well as my own.
DO NOT judge the books by the Sci-Fi channel series, which did reeketh mightily. This is great!
My only complaint is that this, Audible's first offering of a Dresden story, is book 10 in the series. First time "readers" would benefit from listening to the stories in order, since each, to varying degrees, does build on the stories before.
Hey Audible, PLEASE give us the rest of the stories, unabridged. Thanks for this one.