Drew (@drewsant)

I’m not sure what to make of this book. I found myself enjoying it despite the fact that I hate pretty much every character in it! A couple of spoiled brats, and absent father, and a stoned boyfriend don’t make for a likable bunch but the story is so well written and engaging I couldn’t help liking it and wanting to read on. The plight they find themselves in is heartbreaking but the journey they take really got me thinking more than a book has in a while.

‘Dies the Fires’ is a post-apocalyptic book, with a bit of magic and medieval history combined. Not only do electronics not work, but many of the things people would use post apocalypse to survive (Guns) do not work, which pushes everyone into a middle ages lifestyle. The story is slow in the middle but had a good beginning and end. The characters were likable, but overall people in general seemed to change drastically a bit too quick after the change occurred. Also there was just way to much wiccan talk for me, which I normally wouldn’t mind but since it really didn’t add to the story I could have done without it.

Performance was pretty good but sometimes everyone sounded like they were either from Scottland or Ireland.

Infection is your run of the mill Zombie book. It has a lot of flesh tearing action, but doesn’t add anything to the genre or some great character to separate itself from other zombie books. Most of the characters are pretty quick to realize what is happening which is the only way they survive, but there is nothing that draws you to these people and many of them aren’t likable. Finally the book doesn’t really resolve anything. It needs to be read as a series so you have to commit to more than one book. If you’re looking for another Zombie gore book stop here and get ready for a ride. If you’re looking for something more I would move on.

The performance on this book was better than average, but not the best I've heard.

This book was a little too young adult for me. The book really played on the tensions and interactions of the teen group during the zombie apocalypse rather than the actual apocalypse itself. As a result I didn’t really connect or like the characters, although the author does do a good job of making you feel sorry for/know where, Sloan, the main character is coming from. It was an interesting but didn’t have the normal action you would see in a normal zombie book.

The Performance was good, not great.

I wasn’t really feeling this book. There is enough action, but the story is just sort of there, it doesn’t rise to a crescendo, or do anything to really draw you in. The telling just seems like a series of events rather than a good tale with twists and turns. The characters don’t do much evolving as they just seem to change on the stop of a dime, and I found them not that likable. I found the story rather plain and not that engaging.

The performance was good not anything special but not bad, strickly middle of the road.

The Return Man takes you on a trip through the bad lands which used to be part of the USA but has been ceded to the Zombies. The main character is likable but has his own flaws and demons which he must overcome. The story does a good job of balancing character development with action and mystery which keeps you engrossed in the telling. The author does have a habit of using metaphors to describe the scene (Flowing like water from a spigot) which seems a bit gimmicky to me, but doesn’t really take away from the story. Certainly not what I would call a happy ending, it certainly wraps it all up and even leaves room for another book if the author chooses.

The Performance was a bit lacking. When not doing dialog Mr. Clark was dry and monitone. When interacting with the characters he was really good.

“Old Man’s War” is a good old fashioned sci-fi book. Take 1 parts future, 1 parts spaced aged technology, 1 part aliens and mix well. Throw in a couple of twists and good characters and you’ve got yourself a winner, and that’s what we have here. The characters are well written (if a bit too fortunate at times) and easy to connect with despite being old. There is enough action to keep you interested and the overall story does well to pull you into this brave new world. Highly recommended for the Sci-fi lover in you.

Wonderful performance by William Dufris to boot!

This is a really good book. Well written and translated. The characters are very likable and the story is great. I couldn’t put it down! The book starts off a bit slow as the zombie apocalypse begins, but once the action starts it keeps coming. Party scary, part funny and part sad this book has a lot of great qualities.

The performace by Nick Podehl was so good. His eastern european characters were dead on! Loved it!

A Middle of the road thriller. The book has enough action but it has these weird breaks in it. At one point there is a long discussion between two of the main characters regarding their personal life but it doesn’t really add to the story and quite frankly it didn’t seem to fit in general. The author seems to know a lot about snipers as there is a lot of talk about the preparation and adjustments needed which really gets you close to the main character. Not sure if it’s interesting enough to keep going with the series for me.

Performance was very good. Couldn't have asked for a better reading.

This book gives a good illustration of what life might be like after a plague has wiped out a good portion of the population. If you’re looking for a heart pounding action packed fight for survival you’ll probably want to pass on this. What the book does over though, is a deep look at how people may react after the crap has hit the preverbal fan. Great character development and an engaging story offer up a nice tale to get you thinking about love, loss and how we go on.

What I thought was a CIA spy thriller was anything but thrilling. The main characters weren’t put into any sort of danger until well over half way through the book. There is only one maybe two scenes that I would consider interesting and I wouldn’t consider either of them suspenseful as they lack details and story lines which draw a reader in. The antagonist isn’t really defined until the very end so there no one stirring the pot, no one to root against. In the end everything comes up roses as the author is more interested in pushing faith than telling an interesting story. If you want a feel good story underpinned by religion this is your book. If you’re looking for entertainment you probably want to look elsewhere.

In addition the reader of the book is not right for it. He does a good job diferentiating between characters but it voice is too calm. Even when the author tries to create some drama, it doesn't come through in the reading. I felt it was too calm and even toned.