Goon Squad

Year One

By: Jonathan L. Howard

Narrated by: Gabrielle de Cuir, Nicholas Guy Smith, Jim Meskimen, Stefan Rudnicki

Length: 14 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's Summary

An ongoing, episodic "prose comic" from which the pictures are summoned by the magic of words, Goon Squad is set in an alternate version of modern-day Manchester. Its biggest divergence from the real city is that it - along with most other large urban centers - has a team of superheroes to protect it against unusual threats with which the conventional forces of law and order would have problems.

Goon Squad: Year One offers three action-packed volumes in a single collection:

Goon Squad, Vol. 1: Special Talents

• "The New Girl"
• "Nightclubbing"
• "By the Water, by the Grave"
• "Changes"
• "No-No Dojo"
• "Exterminating Angel"

Goon Squad, Vol. 2: Without Sin

• "A Star in Strange Ways"
• "Holy Fool"
• "Dead Man Tells Tale"
• "A Brief History of the Goon Squad"
• "Tale of Terror"
• "Pomona Island"

Goon Squad, Vol. 3: Old Enemies

• "Life During Wartime"
• "Red Wolf, Red Wolf, Does Whatever a Red Wolf Can"
• "Shadow of the Vivisector"
• "The Man from Switzerland"
• "The End of the Year Show"

©2016 Jonathan L. Howard (P)2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc., and Skyboat Media, Inc.

Buy this book. Buy it now.

Wow. This audiobook hits all the hallmarks of a classic comic book hero team, plus some detective noir mixed in. There are loads of adventures, plot twists, and character development. The best part? This is 3 books in one! Every time I thought it was over I would look down to discover there were HOURS more!

I hate cliffhanger endings as a rule, but I don’t even mind the cliffhanger here because so much of the main story was resolved. I can’t wait to listen to the next installment.

For those of you into fantasy and sci-fi, listen for the references and homages that are slipped in. They aren’t super obvious, in fact, they’re pretty damn subtle, but that’s what I like best about them.

While my American ear can’t geographically identify one British accent versus another, there was enough inconsistency that I could sometimes only tell the difference between characters based on the dialogue context. When reading text, you have the advantage of page layout/formatting to help distinguish between characters in a conversation. In an audiobook, we are reliant on the narrator to provide a consistent voice for each character instead. It doesn’t bother me enough to dock a star, but it it’s there.

I hated the music!

Seriously, I almost ditched the whole thing because the interlude music is so distractingly needless and terrible. I didn’t love the female reader’s version of Ian. The higher register made him sound whiny, crass, and just constantly abrupt.
I really enjoyed the story itself, but have to say again, why the hell did they use the reject “Saved by the Bell” intro music. Really bad choice. Especially when the chapter ended on something poignant or deep. Ruined the effect immediately.

Good stories but...

Excellent stories but the narrator’s attempt at accents is poor particularly ‘Ian’ whose accent varies massively from Birmingham to Merseyside to London to Americanish, very distracting...the others’ accents too vary making it most odd.

Fun... until it just ends

Great characters and imaginative scenarios. Good writing, especially the dialogue. I'm not a big fan of ensemble cast reading-- it just seems distracting--but this one is not too jumpy. The primary readers when they get going are excellent. Sound effects are used sparingly, almost without purpose, though. BUT... the book just ends, waiting for the next comic book installment. And there is no promise of further episodes. So watch out!

Manchester's Premiere Super Team

I like the Goon Squad series and I hope to see more of it. I like the characters, I like the stories, especially the last one, and I hope Howard continues with it. My one problem is that the narrator wasn't very good when it came to the male voices in the stories. I like her Nadia, but her voices of Ian and Gilbert became grating to me. Especially Ian. I hope that the next stories have more varied narration. I highly recommend this to anyone who likes superheroes.

Good stories GREAT voice acting meh sound effects

Anything Jonathan L. Howard writes I will buy/ read/ listen and these stories about a small team of "talents" (i.e. superheroes/ individuals with significantly enhanced abilities) and the world around them are charming, enjoyable and while not on the level of Johannes Cabal or Carter & Lovecraft series I think are still worth your time and money. Voice acting is top notch. I liked the IDEA of including sound effects to further the experience but I found them clumsily implemented (the narrator describes the sound and then you hear the sound). In this case either leave the sounds out (they're adequate, not amazing) or at least have them occur while they're being described instead of immediately after being described. Very clumsy.
POSSIBLY suitable for advanced/ mature YA fiction readers (the characters are in their 20s and older) but you'd have to make that call. Howard does have the YA novel/ series Katya but I haven't read that so I can't compare.

Strange narration choices, but by all means, an excellent read!

As a totally blind person who no longer has a way to enjoy comic books without inconveniencing others, the idea of these stories being "prose comic books" was quite appealing to me. I also enjoyed the enhancement with sound effects. What did strike me as odd was the way narration shifted with certain, but not all, shifts in point of view. Personally, I'd have preferred this not be done; I love audiodrama, but if you're going to make an audiodrama, then make an audiodrama. As good as all the narrators are, I found the abrupt narration changes distracting.

Despite that minor quibble, I got hooked on these characters and their superheroics straight-away, and hope we get more Goon Squad audio-adventures very soon ... because leaving us dangling from the edge of this cliff for so long is just ... just ... not right!!!

GOON SQUAD-GOON SQUAD-GOON-SQUAD! AMAZING Narrator

This is for all 3 books:
I want MORE! Jonathan, you left a cliffhanger...3 YEARS ago!! Please, say more is coming & soon!

Review on what I'd call a Noir Comedy: Too much fun! With appropriate sad or touching points. But, continuous creative, imaginative characters & story made the fun, the funny, the heartache, & even the most gruesome scenes fabulous! I stayed up all night listening. And, I've listened again. Except for the "Exterminating Angel." Great story, but a little to sad to repeat so soon.

I can't say which character I liked the best. They each had their own amusing idiosyncrasies &, even Ian, at least one soft place in their hearts. Each has, appropriately since they are human, an array of emotions, attitudes, etc. Not just the "Ta-da! I'm here to save the day!"

The between chapter retro super-hero music was perfect. Pumped you up & added to the feel of the story. The narrator was the most amazing I've heard yet. Her range makes it hard to believe she is all these character!. Not just a lower, husky voice for a man or soft falsetto for a child, her voices are as different as the characters themselves. I've already bought 2 of her other works.

Warning: There are extremely gruesome scenes. In detail. And other disturbing scenes. There are many comedic moments, especially in the first book, but some downright depressing ones, too. In fact, if it weren't for the amazingly superb majority, I'd have taken a star off for the declining comedy & increasing depressing scenes, especially in the second book. But, like I said, the majority is amazingly superb & makes up for it. I know it's not a Disney tale, but I would really like more of the 1st book's comedy to come back. Those opposing extremes are what made me say:
Goon Squad! Goon Squad! Goon Squad!

Five Stars and I'll explain why.

This collection delivers as promised. it was presented by summery and forward as a comic book series expressed in words and the writing & narration both hit that right on the mark.

As icing on the cake there are several unique avenues and twists of plot that make the tales as a whole a fun and original narrative.

It's fun and inventive and gives what it promises. Looking forward to more tales of the Goon Squad.

Great storytelling & writing. Horrendous music 😬

As another reviewer put it, music sounds like an episode of 'Saved by the Bell.' Who is responsible for this? Please, rise above such indulgences. With that out of the way, I have high praises for both story and performances. The ending caught me by surprise, and the wide range of characterizations were top notch. I was surprised by Gilbert's squeamish viewpoint. Never heard of a werewolf so buttoned up before. I mean, no claws, no blood/hope the bad guys don't learn this... Anyway, it was part of an enemy takedown, so, meh.... If you like fantasy, check out this title. However, remember to mute the chapter bumper music. Truly inappropriate.

Atrocious pronunciation of the Northern vernacular

Scouser doesn't have a z in it! Given that one of the main selling points for this book is that it is set in Manchester they could have gotten a lead narrator who could do the accent. If you can't do the accent then don't attempt it, otherwise it will just offend people.

good story, shame about narration.

I have to get this off my chest, if a story is set in Manchester and the narrative refers strongly to the type of local inflections at least get someone who can pull of a vaguely capable ESPECIALLY when the Ukrainian is at least consistent. if would have been less chafing to the ear had non accent attempt been made. That being said, where she just reads the story I liked the voice, similar timbre to Kate Reading, but Kate knows is always solid.

I really love the story, fun super powerish detective story with engaging likeable characters.

A great set of stories

As others have said, accents are not something this narrator can do. but this is a great set of short stories from an author I really like.

Okay story but dreadful accents ruined it

Others have already said it and I have to agree - the narrator just can’t do accents, her normal voice is nice but when she tries a Manchester or generic Northern British accent it can lurch from South African to Australian to Indian all within one sentence, it just never gets anywhere near the correct accent. Then later on a guy who sounds Irish has a go at the accent and is nearly as bad!
It’s a shame but I couldn’t finish the book, just because of the accents. Whoever cast the narrators should be sacked.

Great story, horrific narration

If you can get past the painful accents this is a fun story. Surely you can find an American who can do accents that don’t morph into something resembling a brain damaged Indian cross Welshman. Or (crazy idea) employ an actual Mancunian to do the job. I really feel for the writer as this could have been so excellent.

shame about the narration

AWFUL accents, had to give up after an hour as I couldn't stand it any more

Mancunian Marvels

I loved this tale of Manchester's superhero crime-fighting team. Great characters, convincing world-building and gripping plots.

The one drawback is the narrator, specifically her inability to do convincing northern accents. Quite a drawback for an audiobook set in Manchester...

But that's just a minor quibble - this audiobook is very good indeed. I can't wait for a sequel!!!

So good!

what a reading! fantabulous! listen and enjoy a great escape from the norm. mutants with a heart and soul.

Great story, let down by dreadful casting

The story is engaging, especially as it occurs mainly in Manchester and environs, name checking places and streets.
However, the main narrator, Gabrielle de Cuir is totally unsuited for the role. Her voice and accent remind me of a refined Upper East Side lady. She can do one of the main characters beautifully, that of Puppet Girl, a Russian lady; she plays it well, with a thick accent but plenty of emotion and range. Where it falls utterly flatis her attempt at a Mancunian and Brummie accent. They veer wildly across Britain and sometimes the Antipodes for good measure. She pronounces Salford as sAlfOrd, like Sally, instead of Sulfrd, like salt; it grates. Every.Single.Time and ruins the effect.

Interesting and Funny

A great introduction to The Goon Squad, heroes of a different variety.In a world where Talents are real it creates interesting and out of the ordinary crimes requiring the help of The Goon Squad.

I found this series of stories interesting and at times funny. With well developed characters, interesting complications and situations. These stories will keep you listening for more.

The narrators were good distinguishing each character with a unique voice.