Horrorscope

By: Brian Evans, Helen Bousquet, Mark Biltz

Narrated by: Roberto Scarlato

Length: 8 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's Summary

When a psychic is forced to provide predictions to the Mafia in order to keep their crimes from being foiled, Helen Wilson must weigh the balance of her gift with the consequences of complying with the mob. When an underboss believes she is a threat to their criminal enterprise, he has the psychic killed. Her death causes a physical manifestation of the signs of the zodiac, who seek revenge for her murder. The signs begin a mission of revenge, as each creature targets those involved in the psychic's death.

©2014 Brian Evans and Mark Biltz (P)2015 Brian Evans

Interesting premise

This book was about a psychic who becomes unwillingly involved with the mob. It was moderately well done, for a first novel. This psychic is killed by the mob boss after he is lied to about one of her predictions--powers in the form of zodiac signs-come-to-life manifest themselves to avenge her death.

I don't have a problem so far suspending disbelief(heaven knows, I 've read about zombies, time travel, wizards and vampires) but felt supersizing the manifestations was overkill. I did have a bit of difficulty with the author's idea that information can be "inhaled". I don't know why, just that it seemed odd phrasing to me.

With regard to the narrator, his voice is very pleasant; he does the dialog part of the story very well. During the background narration part, though, he pauses at awkward places and there are a few mispronuciations. I thought he might have been a promising beginner, but after listening to the book, I checked his name and found he has narrated quite a few.

I would be willing to listen to him again on a second book. If that is improved, I would listen to more.

The editing was a bit sloppy--there are lines and words repeated in places where it seems the narration was paused, then resumed.

All in all, I got through the book okay. It is far from the worst book I have purchased and it IS a first novel for the author, according to the notes at the end. So I am willing to cut it a lot of slack. After all, I myself have NO published work. It did not require a lot of mental effort to listen to and was fine for background while doing chores around the house.

The novel ends with the words "to be continued...", so there is apparently a sequel in the works. I would be willing to purchase it to see how the author and the story progress--I am guessing that the story will follow the travels of the mysterious table that once belonged to Nostradamus and, eventually, to the psychic in this story.

Good book for the first time, but…

I like the way the story flowed. I also likeed the good characters in the story, good hearts, love.

But the editing is horrible. When the narrator missed a lot of places and corrected himself, the listener should not have to hear that.

That belongs on the bloopers recording.

Weird and not in a good way

This book feels like it was written by commitee. Formulaic, predictable, and uninspired. It was not enhanced by the narration, which is full of bizarre locutions, unnatural pauses, and mispronunciations, nor supported by the production, which is sloppy and full of errors. I listened to the entire title only to find that it is not wrapped up in the end, but instead points to a sequel. Pass.

Lithonia, GA

Everything about this audio book was Tony the Tiger GREAAAT. I truly enjoyed it. I can't wait for part 2.

A waste of a credit

What disappointed you about Horrorscope?

The narration was, at best, amateur and the storyline entirely unbelieveable. Good luck figuring out who the primary female really is....no details are provided. It is entirely impossible to feel any type of connection to any of the characters.

What could the authors have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Revise plot and hire skilled narrator

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Roberto Scarlato?

Someone who an invoke interest and emotion ...how about jim dale or simon vance

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

Abject disappointment as it had been recommended by audiofile