Midst Toil and Tribulation

Safehold Series, Book 6

By: David Weber

Narrated by: Kevin T. Collins

Length: 28 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

David Weber's New York Times bestselling Safehold series of military Science Fiction adventure, which began with Off Armageddon Reef, continues with Midst Toil and Tribulation

WAR AND FAMINE

Once the Church of God Awaiting dominated all the kingdoms of Safehold. Then, after centuries of stasis, the island kingdom of Charis began to defy the edicts of Mother Church—egged on, some say, by the mysterious warrior-monk Merlin Athrawes, who enjoys the Charisian royal family's absolute trust.

What vanishingly few people know is that Merlin is the cybernetic avatar of a young woman a thousand years dead, felled in the war in which aliens destroyed Earth...and that since awakening, his task has been to restart the history of the long-hidden human race.

Now, reeling from the wars and intrigues that have cascaded from Charis's declaration of independence, the Republic of Siddermark slides into chaos. The Church has engineered a rebellion, and Siddermark's all-important harvest is at risk. King Cayleb and Queen Sharleyan struggle to stabilize their ally, which will mean sending troops—but, even more importantly, preventing famine. For mass starvation in Safehold's breadbasket is a threat even more ominous than civil war...

©2012 David Weber (P)2012 Macmillan Audio

Narration is Fingernails on Chalkboard.

The narrator gets one star for being able to read. But! Did he even listen to the previous audiobooks? Even one? "CHARR is" vs. "CAR is" , whichever is correct doesn't matter. It is the latter which has been used up til now. Its change is like the fingernails on a chalkboard.

The story remains intact. And seems a decent continuation.

the narrator is too emotional to read properly

the narrator is too wrapped up in conveying emotion to pronounce words and names properly.

I really enjoyed the series

great story. one complaint is that the keep switching readers and they all seem to a different accents and pronunciations the same names. might want a codex to keep things straight.

Book 5 - Mainland Foothold

Charis comes to Siddarmarks aid. Reader uses more emotion than most. Changes pronounciations of many places & names.

Great story, horrible narration

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I wouldn't recommend this particular audiobook unless the person had not listened to the previous books in the series. The difference between the narrators was really noticeable in this book. I ended up reading this book instead of listening.

What did you like best about this story?

How the various story lines worked together.

What didn’t you like about Kevin T. Collins’s performance?

Everything; I don't think he listened to the previous narrators to gain an understanding of how they pronounced names to keep the series as cohesive as possible so that the change in narrators was not so jarring.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

NO!!!!!!

Narrator sucks

Holy crap, did the narrator even listen to the previous narrator? His pronunciation of the names totally sucks and is completely different. It completely takes you out of the story and makes you focus on the way he’s butchering the pronunciation than the story.

Stop Changing Readers in the middle of a series

Would you listen to Midst Toil and Tribulation again? Why?

Doubtful, the reader seems like he is on the edge of succumbing to the vapors at any minute

Would you be willing to try another one of Kevin T. Collins’s performances?

Not if I can avoid it

Any additional comments?

If it is necessary to change readers in the middle of a series at least make the effort to make sure the new guy pronounces the names of the characters the same as in the previous volumes. This guy sounds like some kind of failed Shakespearian wannabe.

solid story

if I had to give a negative, it's the occasional, extended self-reproach interludes in which Merlin has begun indulging.

If you love this series then...

What made the experience of listening to Midst Toil and Tribulation the most enjoyable?

The story is the only enjoyable part of what Audible and McMillian have offered up. Buy the book and sit down for a good read but since Audible and McMillian have refused to listen to their readers/listeners I suggest that you avoid this offering as it will give you little joy. The "so called" publishers have used a fourth narrator on this series and have yet to offer a reason why. They started with an incredibly tallented reader in Mr. Oliver Wyman and after two books switched to Jason Culp. Mr Culp was a shock because his reading felt wrong. Then after Mr. Culp we got Mr. Keating. Let's just say that my enjoyment went from south of good to what the heck are these morons doing to David Weber's story?

What didn’t you like about Kevin T. Collins’s performance?

I hated the fact that he pronounced things wrong and was the fourth performer in six books. This would never have stood for any other series of books, why is it standing for this series?

Any additional comments?

Switch publishers Mr. Weber If they won't listen to you when you make comments then DROP them and site attempted destruction of your work product, and credibility.

mispronounciation ruins good.story

new narrator's mispronounciation of names distracts from story. Very frustrating listening. please redo this book.