A Murder of Manatees

By: Larry Correia

Narrated by: Adam Baldwin

Length: 2 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's Summary

When half your galaxy is unexpectedly sucked into a black hole - when a hitherto-unknown species of space aliens lays waste to your home planet - when disaster rears its ugly head (or heads) - who can you call for faster-than-light appraisals and best-in-the-multiverse customer service? Just one man - Tom Stranger, Interdimensional Insurance Agent.

In this latest chapter of his interstellar exploits, Tom is about to deliver a crushing performance evaluation to Jimmy the Intern when the unimaginable happens: The beloved Wendell the Manatee has been kidnapped! Armed with his battle mechs and his elite corps of junior associates, can Tom find Wendell before he's canned in oil? And can Jimmy, at long last, channel his inner agent?

A Murder of Manatees will make you quiver with fear, laugh uncontrollably, and wonder whether your deductibles are too high.

©2017 Larry Correia (P)2017 Audible Originals, LLC.

Larry and Adam are a fantastic combination.

Would you listen to A Murder of Manatees again? Why?

Yes and I already have, it was so good I played it a second time.

What other book might you compare A Murder of Manatees to and why?

Tom Stranger: Interdimensional Insurance Agent. Honestly not much is

What does Adam Baldwin bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

As the voice actor of the book he represents President Baldwin quite well, the resemblance is uncanny....

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

Yes, the first time my co-workers were concerned I was laughing so hard, the second listen they wanted to know why.

Any additional comments?

Worth the spend to get a solid performance of Adam Baldwin and the fantastic writing of Larry Correia in one package.

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

As good as the 1st book with added Wendell!

Tom Stranger was the first audiobook I ever listened to and I loved it. Murder of Manatees is just as good as the first book, if not even better. Not least because there is more Wendell!! Adam Baldwin did a fantastic job once again and I really, really hope Larry writes another one for him to narrate. If they do I'll definitely get to it.

13 of 14 people found this review helpful

Only 4.8 stars in unacceptable

Dear Mr. Starnger of Stranger and Stranger,

I would like to offer my services on the next panel for the lack of a perfect 5 star reveiw for this book. As some of you know Tom Stranger save my planet, Earth ZZ9 Plural Z Beta, from a Volgon constructor fleet that were trying to destroy my planet to build a hyperspace bypass. He also was able to have peace talks with the dolphins and convinced them to come back to my planet.
The fact that this book dose not have a 5 star reveiw is an injustice to what he does and stand for. I will like to personal be on the next panel even if i have to sit next to aurthor Larry Corria ( that dolphin hate monger) .

Forever Grateful,
Arthur Dent

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

It's Nigh Houn

For those who haven’t trusted dolphins since Douglas Adams’ A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Larry Correia’s new audiobook, A MURDER OF MANATEES, is for you. Performed by Animal Mother himself, Adam Baldwin, the second adventure of Tom Stranger, Interdimensional Insurance Agent, places Tom and Jimmy the Intern in a race against the clock to find the missing Wendell T. Manatee before every Florida in every multiverse is destroyed in retaliation. (As Tom points out, manatees love to blow stuff up.) Plus Tom gives professional advice to Larry Correia–the writer, not the Interdimensional Lord of Hate and the inventor of the Combat Wombat. Apparently writing himself into his own story is a bad decision, and Larry should strive to be more professional, like Stephen King or Clive Cussler.

Like all humor, tastes vary, depending on whose sacred cows are getting gored. Or, more appropriately, whose cows just got hit by the Death Star. Larry Correia cuts loose on A Murder of Manatees, as he does in every Tom Stranger adventure, and all subtlety and restraint are gone. It’s open season on memes and newsmakers, wrapped up in exploding mechs, dimension hopping, bar fights, and evil dolphin mercenaries. Or pretty much the average day on Correia’s blog, where many of the jokes originated.

Following in the steps of Monster Hunter International, Correia doubled-down on the challenge to find the most boring occupation possible, and makes excellent customer service amusing. Straight-laced Tom Stranger is a droll badass who lives to provide exemplary customer service, while Jimmy is a parody of a college protester who used not just charisma, but all his stats, as a dump stat. And while Jimmy is the butt of some well-deserved jokes, he also gets a chance to shine every now and again, much to Tom’s confusion and wonder. This odd couple works well together with Tom navigating the perilous currents of interdimensional insurance while Jimmy blunders into usefulness.

An audiobook lives and dies on the performance of the narrator. Adam Baldwin is an inspired choice, forgoing the customary detached and dry delivery to gleefully revel in the madness. His rapid and forceful pacing adds to the intensity of Correia’s chaotic action scenes while giving a touch of deadpan to the humor. Oh, and Baldwin’s attempts to speak the highly nuanced and melodic manatee language have to be heard to be believed.

Just not while drinking.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

WARNING DO NOT LISTEN WHILE DRIVING!!!!

What did you love best about A Murder of Manatees?

The hilarity that ensues immediately and doesn't let up

Who was your favorite character and why?

Beardly Mcspetznaz

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

It is as good or better

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Customer Satisfaction Guarenteed!

Any additional comments?

Don't listen to it while driving or at work, the sudden bursts of maniacal laughter can be disctracting.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

A sure fire marketing strategy: MANATEES!!!

As always, Adam Baldwin brings a special gravitas to this worthy tome. I’m sure he’ll win a Grammy or a Peabody or a Nobel or whatever, because he kills it. The man is probably our strongest orator since Raymond Burr. A genuine National Treasure.

Regarding the book itself: Larry Correia has finally reached a pinnacle achieved by precious few in the literary community, that of a “REAL WRITER”. I think what pushed him that last little bit to the apex was when he let down his last barriers against the world and wrote fully from the heart. Taking his most vulnerable character Jimmy through all the triumphs and pitfalls of the human condition left me nearly wrung out at the end. Coupled with the first installment, the Tom Stranger story is a true saga for the ages.

Hoooon!

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Tom Stranger

Delivers superior customer service. And Larry Correia and Adam Baldwin present the endeavor in grand comedic fashion.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Not as Hoontastic as I wish

I know Tom Stranger always strives for 5 stars, but this tale falls a little short. Let me hit you with the good stuff. Adam Baldwin kills it. He hits this story like a runaway comet that blasted out of Apollo's butt. he is just great. Only issue I take with Baldwin is he doesn't try to talk "dolphin". One of the best things about the first Tom Stranger story was his impression of Wendell the Manatee. In fact, Larry's fans have taken up the word Hoon as their own battle cry. I would have loved to have heard Baldwin do Dolphin, instead, we get a stupid prerecorded dolphin chitter that blares out annoyingly. It really breaks the pace of the tale.

The rest? Honestly, the story feels rushed. The first Stranger tale was a fun romp across multiple dimensions. My kids and I laughed out loud constantly. It had a great pace, hit the funny where it needed hammered, and swept you in. This story does not seem as well thought out, it feels rushed, and has little spots of laughter sprinkled throughout. Sometimes, I think Larry has gotten to a point where he gets his idea and starts writing. He writes faster than about 99% of authors (look at his output), and as such I think there have been points in his last MHI novel where the story just did not feel as developed as it could have. I love Larry's writings, but he may be stretching himself a little thin in order to put out product.

The story is not bad, but there is relatively little interdimensional hopping compared to the last short, and the lack of a real defining villain until the end detracts as well. Stranger should not be a mystery tale, in which he hunts for the root of the problem. Separating Stranger and his intern for the majority of the book was a bad idea, it was their interplay that made it so funny last time around.

If this was anyone else, I would have said it was a good short story, but I really expect a lot more out of the ILOH. So, it is worth the money, and you will be entertained, but it cou9ld have been a lot more fun.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Gasping for air!

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

This kept me laughing from the 1st minute it started. Adam Baldwin does a superb job of narrating and shifts between voices smoothly. I just wonder how many takes that he had to go through to get it right, (Without laughing himself!)

Who was your favorite character and why?

The character of Jimmy the Intern is clueless, priceless, and altogether hilarious.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

HOOOOONNNN!!!

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Hilarious adventure, continued

Team Correia / Baldwin do it again. I love this duo. They make me laugh .... the excellent delivery of clever, no punches pulled, material that provides a festive look at how serious we can take ourselves. I had to pause the story especially to laugh long, loud, and hard at the cause of tweet typo!

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Brilliant

I loved this. The story was funny as hell and Adam Baldwin is the king of narration. My only gripe is that I wish it had been a proper length novel.

Great book

Love jimmy the intern manatees are bad ass Really enjoyed the book nice to see that the series is carrying on😉💥💥💥

Hilarius

a a a a a a a a a ass an app add are and

0 of 1 people found this review helpful