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  • 49
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  • 131
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  • Level Five

  • By: William Ledbetter
  • Narrated by: MacLeod Andrews
  • Length: 11 hrs and 34 mins
  • Unabridged
  • Overall
    4.5 out of 5 stars 1,140
  • Performance
    4.5 out of 5 stars 1,061
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars 1,061

In Level Five, the debut near-future thriller by Nebula Award winner William Ledbetter, AIs battle for dominance, and nanotechnology is on the loose. And all that stands in the way of the coming apocalypse is a starry-eyed inventor who dreams of building a revolutionary new spacecraft and an intelligence agency desk jockey faced with the impossible choice of saving her daughter - or saving the world. 

  • 4 out of 5 stars

  • A firm 4 stars.

  • By Tony on 07-20-18

Importhamn topic but flawed story

Overall
1 out of 5 stars
Performance
3 out of 5 stars
Story
1 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 01-08-19

The story has so many holes and the story telling so thin that the only thing I remember is a pancake meeting where the syrup is described in detail. Everything else is just a blur of boring stuff.

0 of 2 people found this review helpful

  • Un Lun Dun

  • By: China Mieville
  • Narrated by: Karen Cass
  • Length: 13 hrs and 3 mins
  • Unabridged
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars 21
  • Performance
    4.5 out of 5 stars 20
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars 20

The iron wheel began to spin, slowly at first, then faster and faster. The room grew darker. As the light lessened, so did the sound. Deeba and Zanna stared at each other in wonder. The noise of the cars and vans and motorbikes outside grew tinny. The wheel turned off all the cars and turned off all the lamps. It was turning off London.... Zanna and Deeba are two girls leading ordinary lives, until they stumble into the world of UnLondun, an urban Wonderland where all the lost and broken things of London end up.

  • 5 out of 5 stars

  • Excellent! This is how a message novel should be

  • By Shom on 07-17-13

This is a childrens book

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

Reviewed: 11-04-12

What disappointed you about Un Lun Dun?

I expected China Mieville to deliver as usual - but instead I get a childrens book.
Someone ought to told me.

If you’ve listened to books by China Mieville before, how does this one compare?

Well, it's plain out sily in comparison. It got characters and depth - but the story line just doesn't hold.

What didn’t you like about Karen Cass’s performance?

pretty much nothing :-(

0 of 2 people found this review helpful

  • If You're Not First, You're Last

  • Sales Strategies to Dominate Your Market and Beat Your Competition
  • By: Grant Cardone
  • Narrated by: Grant Cardone
  • Length: 7 hrs and 47 mins
  • Unabridged
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars 3,005
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars 2,642
  • Story
    4.5 out of 5 stars 2,621

During economic contractions, it becomes much more difficult to sell your products, maintain your customer base, and gain market share. Mistakes become more costly, and failure becomes a real possibility for all those who are not able to make the transition. But imagine being able to sell your products when others cannot, being able to take market share from your competitors, and knowing the precise formulas that would allow you to expand your sales while others make excuses.

  • 5 out of 5 stars

  • Connected in 30 seconds

  • By Dunk on 10-08-16

This is a book you never ever need to read

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

Reviewed: 11-04-12

Has If You're Not First, You're Last turned you off from other books in this genre?

This is a a-typical self-help book that keeps repeating that it will show you "the good stuff", "how to make money", "I will tell you how I...X" - but *never* does.
The narrator is going on how extremely successful he is without ever telling you why, just that he is and that he did it by being persistent in doing. Well - that is not something you need to read a book about.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Grant Cardone?

yes, but I guess no one but the author was willing to record this book.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

no

Any additional comments?

Don't buy this book.

11 of 30 people found this review helpful

  • The Lean Startup

  • How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses
  • By: Eric Ries
  • Narrated by: Eric Ries
  • Length: 8 hrs and 38 mins
  • Unabridged
  • Overall
    4.5 out of 5 stars 10,023
  • Performance
    4.5 out of 5 stars 8,459
  • Story
    4.5 out of 5 stars 8,393

Most startups fail. But many of those failures are preventable. The Lean Startup is a new approach being adopted across the globe, changing the way companies are built and new products are launched.

  • 3 out of 5 stars

  • Informative, mature but not original or essential

  • By Jason Comely on 02-19-13

"Lean startup" is not a book for startups

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

Reviewed: 03-29-12

What would have made The Lean Startup better?

Eric should have found a professional reader. Now he keeps over acting, making it feel almost silly from time to time.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

I really buy into the lean thinking and to

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Eric Ries?

yes!

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

I feel disappointed... even thou I think Eric has a point here.

  • Quiet

  • The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking
  • By: Susan Cain
  • Narrated by: Kathe Mazur
  • Length: 10 hrs and 39 mins
  • Unabridged
  • Overall
    4.5 out of 5 stars 13,627
  • Performance
    4.5 out of 5 stars 11,830
  • Story
    4.5 out of 5 stars 11,760

At least one-third of the people we know are introverts. They are the ones who prefer listening to speaking, reading to partying; who innovate and create but dislike self-promotion; who favor working on their own over brainstorming in teams. Although they are often labeled "quiet," it is to introverts that we owe many of the great contributions to society--from van Gogh’s sunflowers to the invention of the personal computer.

  • 5 out of 5 stars

  • Confidence booster for introverts their parents

  • By Neuron on 02-28-14

insightfull, thoughtfull and fun

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

Reviewed: 02-06-12

Where does Quiet rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is by far the best non-fiction book I've read in a very long time. Working as a manager of a software firm - I've long known that the best developers, the silent type, thrieve in solitude and letting them be alone will get you the best results. At the same time I've often wanted to foster better team spirit with open landscape seating etc. This book got me thinking and reflecting on both my workplace and friends & family around me.

The perfomance truly matches the sense and meaning of the book - so even thou it's a bit too slow for me it really works.

What other book might you compare Quiet to and why?

The Social Animal - also a book about our interactions with other people.

Which scene was your favorite?

The part about Woz working for HP.

If you could give Quiet a new subtitle, what would it be?

Introverts - a guide

34 of 36 people found this review helpful

  • Reamde

  • By: Neal Stephenson
  • Narrated by: Malcolm Hillgartner
  • Length: 38 hrs and 29 mins
  • Unabridged
  • Overall
    4.5 out of 5 stars 8,137
  • Performance
    4.5 out of 5 stars 7,284
  • Story
    4.5 out of 5 stars 7,327

Richard Forthrast created T’Rain, a multibillion-dollar, massively multiplayer online role-playing game. But T’Rain’s success has also made it a target. Hackers have struck gold by unleashing REAMDE, a virus that encrypts all of a player’s electronic files and holds them for ransom. They have also unwittingly triggered a deadly war beyond the boundaries of the game’s virtual universe - and Richard is at ground zero.

  • 4 out of 5 stars

  • Not perfect, but worth a listen.

  • By ShySusan on 10-01-11

topical and intriguing

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

Reviewed: 01-21-12

This is another great read from Neal Stephenson - and which is taking place in the present.
Mixing both hackers, terrorists, cia, mi6 and MMORPGs makes for a great read with a twisting and interesting story line.

If you liked cryptonomicon you will love reamde

  • Earth Strike

  • Star Carrier, Book One
  • By: Ian Douglas
  • Narrated by: Nick Sullivan
  • Length: 12 hrs and 17 mins
  • Unabridged
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars 1,452
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars 1,309
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars 1,319

There is a milestone in the evolution of every sentient race, a Tech Singularity Event, when the species achieves transcendence through its technological advances. Now the creatures known as humans are near this momentous turning point. But an armed threat is approaching from deepest space, determined to prevent humankind from crossing over that boundary - by total annihilation if necessary.

  • 3 out of 5 stars

  • Forget the Characters, Just Bring on the Action!

  • By Joshua on 05-29-13

Long narrative, short short story

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

Reviewed: 01-21-12

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

No, the book goes through in detail how technology of space combat could work - but it utterly fails to engage. Characters are flat out boring and you simply don't care if they die or live to the next page.

What could Ian Douglas have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

More depth to the characters

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

it suprises - but is very uneven.

Did Earth Strike inspire you to do anything?

no

1 of 3 people found this review helpful

  • Unbroken

  • A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption
  • By: Laura Hillenbrand
  • Narrated by: Edward Herrmann
  • Length: 13 hrs and 56 mins
  • Unabridged
  • Overall
    4.5 out of 5 stars 40,441
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars 33,177
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars 33,251

Why we think it’s a great listen: Seabiscuit was a runaway success, and Hillenbrand’s done it again with another true-life account about beating unbelievable odds. On a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood. Then, on the ocean surface, a face appeared.... 

  • 5 out of 5 stars

  • Indescribable

  • By Janice on 12-01-10

Boring

Overall
1 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 01-12-11

This is a very long winding, boring story where almost non of the characters are given any depth.
it's filled with details about the war - but after a while it's just very very boring.

3 of 17 people found this review helpful