Heavier Than a Mountain

Destiny's Crucible, Book 3

By: Olan Thorensen

Narrated by: Jonathan Davis

Length: 21 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

Beware of creating your worst enemy.

All Joe Colsco wanted out of life was a reasonably interesting job supporting a quiet, comfortable suburban lifestyle, eventually a small family, and time to pursue hobbies. Instead, a freak accident casts him naked onto a beach of another planet inhabited by humans with technology circa 1700. In time, Joe, now known as Yozef Kolsko, makes the difficult acceptance of a new life, has a respectable position in his new society, and is married with a child on the way. But all is not rosy. He has become embroiled in a struggle beyond any dream he could have had - or any nightmare.

The Narthani are a militant society intent on subjugating the Caedelli, the people he's come to identify with. Despite Yozef's hope to focus his life on transferring scientific knowledge and supporting a quiet life, he finds his life's direction moving beyond his control. As his actions and ideas become more important in resisting the Narthani, he reluctantly finds himself dragged into leadership roles he doesn't believe himself qualified - including efforts to unite the Caedelli clans.

The transformation of Joseph Colsco to Yozef Kolsko is about to take another step. Unwittingly, the Narthani themselves are creating an opponent unlike any they have ever faced, an enemy beyond their conceptions.

©2017 Olan Thorensen (P)2017 Podium Publishing

And Even Heavier to Read

I am hooked on this series, but disappointed with Book 3. Olan's excellent writing style continued, but the balance between action and backstory was heavily skewed towards the latter. On the plus side, a bit more of the SciFi storyline came through. But, they were just snippets compared to the over-indulgent details that dragged down the overall storyline.

I am actually glad I've caught up to the author, because I need a break. Hopefully Olan will focus on editing a well balanced storyline instead of rushing out the next book. We need more about tech transfer, the Watchers, and tactics. We need less about wet nursing, minimally consequential clan disputes, and the endless reminders that people feel Yosef is slightly odd. (After three books, we got that.)

I do want to point out that Jonathan Davis' narration really helps to make these books great. There are so many characters that it would be impossible to keep them all straight without his incredible diverse range of vocalizations.

So I am definitely in for the 4th book as the overall series is fantastic. My hope is that it lives up to the promise of the first two.

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Each Book Is Worse

Fourteen hours of narration and thirteen of them are irrelevant and obnoxious internal /thoughts/arguments or strategy (the same strategy repeated over and over), or information we don’t need to know. I was disappointed and couldn’t finish the book. The first one was great. The second one wasn’t too bad either. This one, though...

I found myself totally involved in this story

I enjoy this series very much. The story and character development is excellent. I especially enjoy the way that the narrator brings each and every character to life.There are so many possible directions that the story can take and I anxious to hear the next book in the series.

Great Book

I listen to a lot of audiobooks, and this is my favorite for the year (2017) so far. In fact, the series (Destiny's Crucible) is in my top 5 all-time. My other favorites are Lord of the Rings (you might have heard of it), the Foundation Series (Asimov), the Vorkosian Series (Lois McMaster Bujold) and the Lost Fleet (Jack Campbell aka John G. Henry). So that is the kind of company this series is in, at least in my view. It is similar in setting to Weber's Safehold series, but better.

Someone from the present ends up in an early modern modern society (similar to Europe circa 1700) and tries to help the locals make scientific and industrial progress. He lands on an island about the size of Great Britain and gets caught up trying to help the Islanders fight off invaders from one of the large continents.

One thing I like is the balance of action and character development. There are quiet lulls in the book where things move slowly instead of just being a roller coaster ride from one battle to another. The characters are excellent. There is even good character development for the main characters on the other side. And both sides have their share of admirable and not so admirable characters.

Also, the storyline has a mostly positive arc. Yes, the protagonist has some reverses and nothing is easy but, in general, the storyline is about progress. And it is not just technological and military progress. Political and economic development also play an important role in the series.

Great book, the best of the series so far (although all are very good). And the performance is excellent.

Great story, getting better each book

This author knows how to write, bringing to the table a lot of his own knowledge, and weaving it into a completely immersive world.
I really enjoyed this and the last two stories, and each inspired me to learn more about Joseph's insights by reading books he actually references in the story.
Can't recommend this book more and the series as a whole is worth an investment.
I can't say there are many books I'd read (listen) to again but this is one. I'd re listen to the whole series just to get more.
Can't wait for the next book...
By the way narrator 10 out of 10.

The Crucible rages on and on

OK I have to admit I am totally hooked on this series, and this performance. It is clearly not for everyone, and it has been swerving into the " Game of Thrones" arena on more than one occasion. That said, the characters are so real, and the vision of the planet is so compelling, that I find myself looking forward to the next offering .
Highly recommended!

Irrelevant Details to Stretch Number of Volumes

I forgave the author in the first novel for ripping-off Mark Twain's, "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court," because the premise for "21st Century man meets Napoleonic War" was explained through some interesting sci-fi machinations. Then, the sci-fi fizzled out.

In the 2nd and 3rd novel, we take a painful slog through ever deepening details. Unfortunately, the details that would otherwise make this novel interesting, like seminal battles where 21st Century technology meets the 19th Century battle field, rarely occur. Instead, we see skirmish lines at the end of long (interminable) chapters about home building, baby-births, personal triumphs and losses, and gimme-a-break revelations. These novels are less about adventure and more about drama. Great Court intrigue...terrible adventure.

This novel is not science fiction, it is not historical fiction, it can't crossover to fantasy in the absence of magic...it's just daytime drama (General Hospital or All My Children). It is soap opera masquerading as soft sci-fi. Don't get involved in book number 3. It is a total let down.

Can't get enough of this series. So good!

We see a definite transformation occuring with Yozef in book 3 as he begins to accept more responsibility and discover a leadership within himself he never knew was there. However, all the things I love about the series, introducing new modern day era innovations and creating battlefield tactics that baffle enemies are still present in full force. I could listen to 30 books in this series and hope they keep coming. Thus far, books 1-3 were finished in just one week as I could not put this series down!

it's not a very good book, but I love it.

the author has a tendency to tell rather than show, and way to frequently will break things down into enumerated lists. that being said, I am a big nerd and love the subject matter of these books.
the author could probably just use a better editor.

A Great Series

This series of books are awesome! I could not stop listening to the great performance Jonathan Davis provided. Olan Thorensen’s writing was truly fabulous! I strongly recommend these books.

Some thriller, mostly filler.....

The premise of the overall story is good. It ought to of been a trilogy at most. Unfortunately it has descended into a padded out multi book milking of the authors readers. The writing hasn't particularly improved since book one either and carries with it a distinctly amateur feel.
Disappointed, I will not be bothering with further books in this series and probably won't bother with the author again.

Too much talking, but no action!

Mm, this book really made me think about the whole series as a whole. There were so many great moments etc discussing tactics and plans but not a lot actually performing the deed.

I find it, especially frustrating to read some bits of the story, where they sounded rearing to go to battle around chapter 15 but actually "battled" around chapter 34!!

As you can imagine, it irked me to no end!

I really wanted Jose to be featured more dominantly in some of the poorly written action, rather than appearing as sullenly wallpaper character!

The whole story drag on and on, it has none of the excitement of the second one nor the first installment. At one point, I had to keep pressing the 30sc every now and than.

The first half was good, but it disintegrated around the second part.

The sense that I get funny enough, was that it was all bark but no bite. I won't be looking forward to read nor listen the last instalment, it has gotten quite too boring for me and I can predict the action will only happened on the last few chapters just like this one sigh.

Spoilers... All about frustration

3 books in and this was the final. Well not for the big story and not even for the daily one either. We need to see the outcome of his books and how far he can affect the world. So I go and check now and find that this is not the end. Up to book 6. But I dont think I will wade through it all to get to the answers. I just needs to be a bit faster paced and not so much about battles.

Just love this series

I know there are better books out there but I must confess I am addicted the blend of SF, Fantasy and Historical Fiction. Wonderful.

They don't come bigger than this Epic

Can't wait to buy the next book in this series. Would make a Game of Thrones
type series.

A much stronger read than book two

More action, more suspense, more development, this series is getting stronger as the books progress. So far, book three has been the strongest episode of this series, book one was second best and book two was the least gripping. I'm starting book four now, im hoping the momentum and character developments keeps building!

hurry up !!!

before i started book 1 I knew 4 more followed...
however it's becoming a drag...
to be fair the narrator is amazing but I have put him on a higher speed as the tone was sending me to sleep ...within minutes...
so far this is definitely not sci-fi...only the first couple of chapters in book 1 are...this is more of a history of 18th century battles....

Seriously needs a good editor

The book has a good underlying concept but is seriously let down by continuous recapping of past events plus inclusion of a vast amount of meaningless padding that does nothing to move the story on. This is one to avoid as the story stalls time and time again with the inclusion of repetitive pointless non story elements. Did I mention the repetition? just incase I found the repetition at times unbearable. Im not sure if I mentioned the endless padding, by the way Im just off to boil some eggs for breakfast, then I have to meet my wife later on this morning.....but the padding! I think I might have some toast with those eggs. Did i say I have my son staying with me?....All in all 2 hours of story and nineteen hours of repetition and padding.....did I mentioning the repetition and padding? If not it was padded out and very repetitive. mmmm just off for those eggs.

a great romp for those who enjoyed the magician

I'm really enjoying this series great character build ups and novel storyline. I would recommend this book to someone who enjoys Raymond E Feist

Repetitve

Whilst a great and likely continuation to the story I found my sound numerous times the author would just crack on and avoid reiterating threads of the story we'd already encountered in earlier books to such detail

I appreciate some repition is unavoidable and a necessary tool but it even went so far as repeating earlier sections from within this book

Regardless, another great performance and enjoyable continuation. I'll certainly be continuing the series and following Joseph's tale