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Michael

colorado springs, CO, United States | Member Since 2010

6
HELPFUL VOTES
  • 9 reviews
  • 14 ratings
  • 146 titles in library
  • 12 purchased in 2013
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  • When the Lion Feeds: Courtneys, Book 1

    • UNABRIDGED (15 hrs and 40 mins)
    • By Wilbur Smith
    • Narrated By John Lee
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (5)
    Performance
    (4)
    Story
    (4)

    He began life at his twin brother’s side, soon running wild on his father’s ranch on the edge of Africa. But violence, desire, and fate sent Sean Courtney into exile - where he would fight and love his way to extraordinary success and heartbreaking failure.... In a place called The Ridge of White Waters, Sean made a life-long friendship, mined a fortune of gold, and met his own demons. Then an act of cunning betrayal struck - and ignited a new adventure to a new frontier.

    Melinda says: "Great Writer. Great Story."
    "couldn't get through it"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    What would have made When the Lion Feeds better?

    enough with the kiss kiss looking for love routine already.
    more action less looking for love.


    What was most disappointing about Wilbur Smith’s story?

    it drags. i couldn't finish it.


    Who would you have cast as narrator instead of John Lee?

    he's good enough to do the job, it is the plot


    What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

    aggravation that it wasn't more like Assegai


    0 of 1 people found this review helpful
  • Threat Vector

    • UNABRIDGED (18 hrs and 22 mins)
    • By Tom Clancy, Mark Greaney
    • Narrated By Lou Diamond Phillips
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (1909)
    Performance
    (1628)
    Story
    (1634)

    Jack Ryan has only just moved back into the Oval Office when he is faced with a new international threat. An aborted coup in the People's Republic of China has left President Wei Zhen Lin with no choice but to agree with the expansionist policies of General Su Ke Quiang. They have declared the South China Sea a protectorate and are planning an invasion of Taiwan. The Ryan administration is determined to thwart China’s ambitions, but the stakes are dangerously high as a new breed of powerful Chinese anti-ship missiles endanger the US Navy's plans to protect the island.

    Charles says: "The Clancy that gave us Clear & Present..."
    "good finish to this trilogy"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    What made the experience of listening to Threat Vector the most enjoyable?

    i like lou diamond phillips, and getting out of JR's love issues was a relief.
    the story is totally unbelievable but yet engaging the whole time.


    Who was your favorite character and why?

    i still like chavez [when LDP does his voice] and clark.


    What does Lou Diamond Phillips bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

    personality to chavez.
    he needs do do more books.
    i would check them out.


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

    SPOILER ALERT:
    clark faking the heart attack?


    Any additional comments?

    All three books are good. i relisten to them while walking all the time

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • Empire and Honor: Honor Bound, Book 7

    • UNABRIDGED (19 hrs and 8 mins)
    • By W. E. B. Griffin, William E. Butterworth
    • Narrated By Scott Brick
    Overall
    (102)
    Performance
    (83)
    Story
    (88)

    October 1945: The Germans and Japanese have surrendered. For Cletus Frade and his colleagues in the OSS, it should be time to pack up - but they have far more important things to do. Chief among them is the protection of their assets, especially the human ones. In the closing months of the war, the United States made a secret deal with the head of German intelligence’s Soviet section. In exchange for a treasure trove of intelligence - in particular the identity of the Soviet spies in the U.S. atomic bomb program - his people would be spirited to safety in Argentina.

    Edward Lulie says: "Surprising Good Sequel"
    "better than others and a good follow up"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    What did you love best about Empire and Honor?

    love is the wrong word. good book, better than others, and i like the fact he has added some new characters.


    Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

    no, but it does roll along rapidly. i do get tired of listening to all the kissy kiss lovey dovey crap he constantly writes into his books.
    editor sucks, but i am into WEBG books for decades and they are good series.


    Have you listened to any of Scott Brick’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

    only the WEBG books. I don't really like his narration but he is less aggravating than that Dove guy.


    Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

    yea, i wanted to skip chapters or sections when they are intimate. its not pron but it gets old after a while


    Any additional comments?

    if you are into the WEBG series' yea it's worth your time.
    if not, get the first one in the series first.

    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
  • The Polish Officer

    • UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 43 mins)
    • By Alan Furst
    • Narrated By George Guidall
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (198)
    Performance
    (63)
    Story
    (65)

    New York Times best-selling author Alan Furst is internationally renowned as master of the European espionage thriller. Unfolding in September of 1939 as Hitler's Wehrmacht ravages Warsaw, The Polish Officer reveals the daring mission of a Captain in the Polish underground intelligence service.

    Charles Lawton says: "Insight into a dark era"
    "pre-war historical fiction"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

    If you know anything of the politics of pre-WWII you can easily follow the thread of the story. While enjoyable it takes a while to immerse into the character. And the succeeding chapters jump around a bit. With easy references to other characters in previous books Furst continues his character development.


    How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

    Furst tracks well with the intelligence system of pre-WWII and I thought this was going to be a more Polish military centric book. The Russian references are worthwhile but diverted me from the true threads of the book.


    Which scene was your favorite?

    Maybe the evacuation of the gold from Poland.


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

    Nope, probably the ending being unresolved.


    Any additional comments?

    I am skeptical of buying more in this series. None of the reviews are exactly, well, positive.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • Power Down: Dewey Andreas, Book 1

    • UNABRIDGED (16 hrs and 27 mins)
    • By Ben Coes
    • Narrated By Peter Hermann
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (899)
    Performance
    (606)
    Story
    (607)

    There was one factor that the terrorists didn’t take into account when they struck the Capitana oil platform off the coast of Colombia - slaughtering much of the crew and blowing up the platform - and that was the Capitana crew chief, Dewey Andreas. Dewey, former Army Ranger and Delta, survives the attack, rescuing as many of his men as possible. But the battle has just begun....

    Lesley says: "OH MAN, WHAT A RIDE!!!"
    "couldn't finish it"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

    dragged on. read the other reviews and thought i would try it out, but just couldn't get through the first download.


    Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Peter Hermann?

    george guidall or eric gray


    What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

    sleep, frustration it wasn't faster or more involved.


    Any additional comments?

    none

    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
  • The Colonels: Brotherhood of War Series, Book 4

    • UNABRIDGED (15 hrs and 50 mins)
    • By W. E. B. Griffin
    • Narrated By Eric G. Dove
    Overall
    (120)
    Performance
    (107)
    Story
    (110)

    They were the professionals, the men who had been toughened by combat in the mine-laden fields of Europe, in Korea, in Greece, in Indochina. Now, in the twilight of a dying decade, they must return to the United States to forge a new type of American soldier - one to be tested on the beaches of Cuba and in a new war yet to come....

    Dennis says: "A Great Series!"
    "Pleasant experience"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    What did you love best about The Colonels?

    Glad that they are finally producing the BoW series and hopefully the publishers will finish out the series and TC also.


    What about Eric G. Dove’s performance did you like?

    While his voice is pleasant and much less aggravating than Dick Hill, Dove has no idea (and obviously neither does the editor) about the military or the language. It is the simple things like misstating military time (one=thousand hours, not ten=hundred hours on a 24 hour military clock). But Dove does know it is a [M Nineteen-eleven A one] pistol not a [M one nine one one A one] pistol. Significant improvement over listening to Dick Hill in the other books. Enjoyable listen and recommend it to other W E B G fans.


    Any additional comments?

    Pick it up, its a worthy listen but you need to start with the Lieutenants.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • Black List: Scot Harvath, Book 11

    • UNABRIDGED (12 hrs and 3 mins)
    • By Brad Thor
    • Narrated By Armand Schultz
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (815)
    Performance
    (711)
    Story
    (708)

    Somewhere, deep inside the United States government, is a deadly list. Members of Congress never get to see it and only the president has the final say over it. Once your name is on the list, it doesn't come off - until you're dead. Someone has just added counterterrorism operative Scot Harvath's name to the list. Somehow, Harvath must evade the teams dispatched to kill him long enough to untangle who has framed him and why they want him out of the way.

    Joshua says: "A Worthy Successor to 'Full Black'"
    "Nothing new here move along"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    Is there anything you would change about this book?

    Not a lot to write about.
    If you have read one Thor book you've got the story line.
    Lots of character development, loss of some characters, adding some others.
    At least there wasn't a rush to end the book by the editors like some publishers.
    And the next book is set up by how this one ends so fan boyz are prepped for next year.


    Would you be willing to try another book from Brad Thor? Why or why not?

    Sure, I'm in, probably pick up the next one.


    What three words best describe Armand Schultz’s voice?

    blech, blech, blech.


    Could you see Black List being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

    no


    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • The Last Heroes: A Men at War Novel, Book 1

    • UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 33 mins)
    • By W. E. B. Griffin
    • Narrated By Michael Russotto
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (58)
    Performance
    (49)
    Story
    (47)

    June, 1941. Determined that the United States will be prepared for war, Franklin D. Roosevelt and "Wild Bill" Donovan orchestrate the most complex espionage organization in history, the Office of Strategic Services. Young and daring, the OSS assemble under a thin camouflage of diplomacy and then disperse throughout the world to conduct their operations. And no operation is more critical than the one being conducted by hotshot pilot Richard Canidy and his half-German friend Eric Fulmar: to secure the rare ore that will power a top-secret weapon....

    Scott says: "Horrible acting job by the narator."
    "like putting sandpaper in your ears"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

    While this is a great anthology & story line, the narrator is totally out of his depth.
    The narrator doesn't know the word "caveat" in the military intelligence sense.
    Lots of starting and stopping in the dialogue.


    Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

    The plot is a do-over of other W.E.B. Griffin books. You know what you are getting into when you start.
    Great to work out with or ride your bike.


    How could the performance have been better?

    Get someone like George Guidall to narrate for you.
    I recently listened to another book that had a female & male narrator.
    I thought it would of been great & it did work for the story line, but the had horrendous orchestra music that over-whelmed you.
    The point is that the male/female team would work well in this anthology.


    Do you think The Last Heroes needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

    Duhhh-it's part of a series.


    Any additional comments?

    Get a better narrator.
    But it is a good listen if you like WEB G.

    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
  • Covert Warriors: Presidential Agent Series, Book 7

    • UNABRIDGED (12 hrs and 32 mins)
    • By W. E. B. Griffin, William E. Butterworth
    • Narrated By Dick Hill
    Overall
    (345)
    Performance
    (286)
    Story
    (290)

    At a Mexican roadblock, a U.S. Embassy SUV is stopped at gunpoint, three of its passengers murdered, and a fourth kidnapped. Everything points to the drug cartels, especially when the kidnappers say they will return the hostage if a cartel kingpin is released from U.S. federal prison.But when word gets to Charley Castillo and his group of “retired” spies and special operators, they have their doubts.

    Richard Tabisz says: "Disappointing"
    "Mildly entertaining story for the series"
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    What did you like best about Covert Warriors? What did you like least?

    I wait for the new WEB Griffin books just to stay up on the series I like. While these are good story lines, they are predictable just like his other series. This story is ok. Just that OK. I do like the characters somewhat.Where is Sergeant Major Jack Davidson now?There is a good adjunct plot deviation with


    What was most disappointing about W.E.B. Griffin and William E. Butterworth ’s story?

    I am extremely tired of the ongoing fight between Pevsner & Charlie over who is tsar.Can we move on?The SVR/Putin line is getting old. Get the SOF Chain of Command straight. Hire somebody to give you advice. This mistake is extremely aggravating.The editing is getting poor. I still don't get the conflict between Naylor VS McNabb/Charley.


    Would you listen to another book narrated by Dick Hill?

    Hill does ok.I really wish he used a different inflection for Vic D'Alesandro.


    Did Covert Warriors inspire you to do anything?

    Yes, don't buy another one until I get through with my aggravation.


    Any additional comments?

    Only buy this if you are keeping up with the series.

    3 of 5 people found this review helpful

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