• WARP Book 1: The Reluctant Assassin

  • By: Eoin Colfer
  • Narrated by: Maxwell Caulfield
  • Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (370 ratings)

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WARP Book 1: The Reluctant Assassin  By  cover art

WARP Book 1: The Reluctant Assassin

By: Eoin Colfer
Narrated by: Maxwell Caulfield
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Publisher's summary

Riley, a teen orphan boy living in Victorian London, has had the misfortune of being apprenticed to Albert Garrick, an illusionist who has fallen on difficult times and now uses his unique conjuring skills to gain access to victims' dwellings. On one such escapade, Garrick brings his reluctant apprentice along and urges him to commit his first killing. Riley is saved from having to commit the grisly act when the intended victim turns out to be a scientist from the future, part of the FBI's Witness Anonymous Relocation Program (WARP). Riley is unwittingly transported via wormhole to modern-day London, followed closely by Garrick.

In modern London, Riley is helped by Chevron Savano, a 19-year-old FBI agent sent to London as punishment after a disastrous undercover, anti-terrorist operation in Los Angeles. Together Riley and Chevie must evade Garrick, who has been fundamentally altered by his trip through the wormhole. Garrick is now not only evil, but he also possesses all of the scientist's knowledge. He is determined to track Riley down and use the timekey in Chevie's possession to make his way back to Victorian London where he can literally change the world.

©2013 Eoin Colfer (P)2013 Listening Library Audio

What listeners say about WARP Book 1: The Reluctant Assassin

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Disappointed

I was so excited to listen to these books. I am such a big fan of his previous series (Artemis Fowl). Unfortunately, this book does NOT live up to expectations. Plot holes, lame dialogue, and un-relatable unrealistic characters are just some of the problems of this book.
Apart from content, the narrator is very mediocre. For someone who has to do an American accent and a female voice, this narrator has a very poor grasp of both. Problem not all his fault (because of the content) but very cheesy and again just overall poor quality.
I loved Artemis, can Colfer please re-discover his writers voice?

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Colfer writing for American film

Is there anything you would change about this book?

This was Fagan as an insane assasin who's training the Artful Dodger meeting up with Dr. Who.

What could Eoin Colfer have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

He could have done a better job by being more considerate of his fans and not pieced together old fiction. It lacked more than just imagination. As a fan of Colfer's novels, I kept hoping for things to turn around. I just may return the recording.

Which scene was your favorite?

When the announcer said, 'Audible hopes..."

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

No. I'm not convinced this was all written by Colfer. But being so vacuous, it should really do well with American audiences. Perhaps that was the intent. I know that Hollywood would've ruined Artemis Fowl (making it into a pieced together mess). And this may be Colfer snickering at Hollywood and American audiences. Still, I take umbrage at being a true fan in the middle who gets the smack.

Any additional comments?

The reader was brilliant. The performance tops the story. And that is the only benefit owing to Colfer's latest. He was taking a p..s.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Fun story with some quality voices.

What made the experience of listening to WARP Book 1: The Reluctant Assassin the most enjoyable?

I'm a big Eoin Colfer fan, and his combination of humor and action is well represented here. The characters are unique and interesting with their own personal issues and motivations.

Maxwell Caulfield does a great job of balancing the many different accents throughout, including the strange case of mixing two distinct character voices at times to imply the struggle for control.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The villian, Garrick is absolutely the best reason to pick this one up. Already one of the smartest, if vilest, men in Victorian London, the technology of time travel gives him familiarity with the technology of today. His self-confidence comes to the surface in a delightfully "Bond villian" style where he feels completely unthreatened by Riley and Chevie.

"Agent Orange" was my second favorite, and favorite supporting character.

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

I listen on my commute, primarily, and at first this wasn't a hard one to stop when I got to work and home. As the story moved back to the past in the last act, howeve,r it grew ever more compelling to listen to. By this time in the tale, the listener shares the belief that there's really nothing they can do to stop or even escape from Garrick, and you need to keep listening just to find out how they might pull it off.

Any additional comments?

The one sticking point was Agent Chevron Savano's voice. Always a challenge for a grown man to pull off a young female character, but there seemed to be a lot of variation in her speech patterns. At times, the over articulation reminded me of Joe Mantegna from Criminal Minds.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Just didnt like it

What disappointed you about WARP Book 1: The Reluctant Assassin?

I thought that it would be more sci-fi than it turned out to be.

What could Eoin Colfer have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

I really like his books that are funny and way out there with the fantasy and sci-fi together.

What about Maxwell Caulfield’s performance did you like?

I thought that he did a good job narrating this novel

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from WARP Book 1: The Reluctant Assassin?

I did not listen to the entire book, so I would not be able to answer this effectively.

Any additional comments?

This book just wasn't my cup of tea

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Nice start for a series

Good universe, interesting characters, fleshed out backgrounds, well paced, overall good story telling. Yes, it's aimed at YA, but it's fun for all.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Enjoyed immensely

Colfer does it again with a new cast of characters. I found this to have a lot of the Artemis Fowl series fantasy flair, but to be far more grounded. The narrator was excellent. He had very distinct voicing that was consistent throughout.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Colfer starts a great new series

If you could sum up WARP Book 1: The Reluctant Assassin in three words, what would they be?

Yes, I loved Artemis but it is done and it was time for his to start something new and this is every bit as good a series. Riley is a plucky young man who although shifted to the 21st century from the 19th, he handles it well despite the obvious confusion from such a time shift. Chevron is not Holly but she is a smart teen who just happens to be working for the government. I can't wait for book 2.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Warp book 1

Could be less gruesome. Not a favorite that I have listened to in this app.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

I did not finish it

I am faithful Colder fan, but got to chapter 7 and still didn't care about the characters.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

AWESOME. FUN & AMAZING READ!

I had started this last year but then I got busy and I couldn't finish it. But I am finally able to finish this book and it was just as AWESOME and AMAZING as when I started it! This is such a FUNNY and LIGHT and just A FEEL GOOD Book. That I will always want to come back to it when I need a good boost of FUN and LIGHT readin! I highly recommend it! AWESOME, AMAZING, BRILLIANT and EPIC! A MUST READ!

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