Critical Failures III

Caverns and Creatures, Book 3

By: Robert Bevan

Narrated by: Jonathan Sleep

Length: 7 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

Going back home was not exactly what Tim and the C&C gang expected. Trouble continues to follow them back to Gulf Coast Mississippi. Trouble...and a gnome...and an undead midget.

©2014 Robert Bevan (P)2016 Robert Bevan

Natural 20 in hilarity

This book is just as hilarious as the first two books. If you have not read this series yet, I suggest you read the first book in the series. Additionally, there are a bunch a short stories that this author puts out in the same book-verse. They are separate from the main story line so you can read them to get a feel for the author without worrying about spoilers if you eventually want to read the series. If you don't like poop jokes, walk away now. There is a lot of that kind of humor in all these books. That is not all that can be found inside, however. The story line is great. Fun and coherent. The character development is where Bevan shines, in my opinion. I have read and listened to all the books in the series to date. The narrator for this series is great. He does such a great job maneuvering between the different personalities and races (halfling to half-orc). It is very enjoyable. I highly recommend all of Bevan's books for a good time. He and a bunch of other comedic fantasy writers also have a podcast where they hilariously play pathfinder. It's called Authors and Dragons. Check all of it out.

I just can't get enough of this series!

What did you love best about Critical Failures III?

The humor. This book has me literally laughing out loud while listening. The humor is extremely crude, but that may be a plus for some (like me).

Who was your favorite character and why?

Either Tim or Julian. Tim has a quick temper and says out loud the things you say in your head when angry. Julian is the newcomer to Caverns and Creatures and doesn't know all the "rules" but somehow seems to use the tools he has in unique and hilarious ways. "Horse!"

What about Jonathan Sleep’s performance did you like?

The voices are all distinct and well done.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

yes, but only to tears from laughing.

AWESOME!

Bevan knocked it out of the park and Jonathan narrated his butt off! Great listen. Go Drew Brees!!

Less D&D and too much Pottyhumor and Pinheads

What would have made Critical Failures III better?

If the author kept the characters somewhat intelligent. Instead, we see the characters go through the same stupid choices they made in previous books. The book stretches out and creates dumb plots for the sake of making itself longer. The book should have been over in the first chapter. Instead we see the main characters continue to prolong the book by acting incredibly incomponent, too much so for any intelligent creature.

What could Robert Bevan have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Less potty humor and smarter plotting. This book should have been half the size.

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

This was the best part of the book. It's amazing how many voices he has to keep up with and how much he somtimes has to sound like other characters without being them. I wish he had better material.

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

Easily anger and disappointment. There are just a lot of dumb plot points strung together. The worst is when a pretty smart character (the only one portrayed) gets in a situation where they are kidnapped. This only happens to give the party something else to do. Clearly their original mission is far too easy and only the writer now making them absolute idiots (no spells needed this time). can keep this book going.

KEEP THEM COMING!!

If you could sum up Critical Failures III in three words, what would they be?

Balls, Farts, Hitpoints

Any additional comments?

Robert Bevan and Jonathan Sleep do another amazing job. The humor is lowbrow, the scenario is ridiculous, and I love every word.
This is like junkfood for the brain.

You know the part in Jurassic Park lost world?

When the T-rex is loose in the city? Thats Cooper in this book. Buy this book of you have read the last two. Buy the series if you haven't!

no character development

I kept expecting the characters to mature as reality set in, they didn't. there are only so many life threatening situations interrupted by pants shitting, getting distracted by cleavage, or someone deciding to take their 20th nap if the day before I lose interest.

Hope you didn't want resolution

I really enjoyed the start of this series but 3 books in and it is still being stretched out for more books and you could tell by the writing in this. 30-40% of the story felt like stupid humor filler and southern stereotypes. Would not recommend unless you really thought the last too books didn't have enough jokes about shitting

Do Not Bother

While I enjoyed this author and series very much, what I didn't like is the way they try and rip the reader off! Book 3 and we're still on day one...If J.K. Rowling edited her books like Bevan does the Potter series would be 50 novels long.
The narrator (J.Sleep) is the only reason I made it through book 3 HE IS EXCELLENT. I Will find other work done by Johnath Sleep, just not Mr. Bevans. Mr. Bevans has taken enough of my hard earned money.

Series Went in the Wrong Direction

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I think I might be ashamed to recommend this to a friend. The first book was strongly irreverent, but had enough RPG humor that a casual RPGer like myself found lots of moments hilarious, and the foundation of the story seemed like something the author could really build upon. Book 2 wasn't nearly as funny, and the story degenerated with the introduction of a lot of 2-dimensional characters, with very little character development for the main characters. This book, CF3, focused on the big and interesting plot turn at the end of book 2 but didn't handle the story well after that; bizarre eccentricities were fine in the fictional world, but nobody acted believably in the real world. This book never achieved the amount of clever humor that the first did, instead relying more and more on boring crude jokes and the like. The book became downright stale, and sacrificed an actual conclusion of the plot in favor of a lame cliffhanger, which is a bad move. I don't think I'll listen to any more in this series, if the author intends to write more on it.

What do you think your next listen will be?

I think I might continue on in the Queen's Poisoner series, until the next NPCs book by Drew Hayes comes out at least. NPCs and its sequel were more up my alley, especially considering the second and third books of this series.

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

I have some narrators that I really like, and I think Jonathan Sleep did a very good job. Not the best performance I've ever heard, but certainly a very good one, with consistent, amusing voices.

Did Critical Failures III inspire you to do anything?

It inspires me to avoid reading other Robert Bevan books.

I've raced through this... bring on the next one!

Absolutely loved this next book, really worth listening to. Well produced, great narration! You must listen to this!

The comedy continues

Another brilliantly hilarious read! These stories get better and better. You must read these books, you will not be disappointed (unless you have a low charisma score)

Superb!

Listening while partaking in any activity will make you look like an Idiot as you laugh too hard!

Amazingly funny and Amazingly recorded

Where does Critical Failures III rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

The series is really high up in my list.One of my favourite series and one I keep coming back to.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Always Cooper. Always.

Which character – as performed by Jonathan Sleep – was your favourite?

Cooper.

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

Laugh. Laugh so hard I've nearly died a few times. Mainly because I listen to audiobooks while commuting to work and this series has on more than one occasion brought uncontrollable fits of laughter which is seriously dangerous when driving.

Worth it though.

Any additional comments?

Read them all. They make my work day better by listening to them on the drive in.