Lost in the Clouds

By: R.K. Gold

Narrated by: Kyle Tait

Length: 4 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

Neville Canton is about as average as any man can be. He has a mediocre job, a pleasant wife, and an ongoing feud with his sister.

He thought he was destined for great things in life, but unfortunately never got a real shot. Once all the excuses dried up the cancer finished the job.

Now trapped in a cloud between the living and the dead, he must find his way to the afterlife.

With the help of a spiritual guide, he navigates through seven challenges; seven tasks to sever his final connections to the mortal world.

If he fails, he forfeits his eternity and the consequences may be worse than death.

©2017 Earl of Plaid (P)2017 Earl of Plaid

Lost in the Clouds

Any additional comments?

This was an interesting and creative take on what happens after you die. It is definitely different and unusual from anything I have listened to before. The synopsis sounded really intriguing and even though it was entertaining and interesting overall, it just wasn't for me. It felt like it had that "dream" quality at times. You know when you have a dream and most of it makes sense then all of the sudden it takes a left turn and it just seems odd and confusing. I'm sure there is some deeper meaning/insight to the story that just flew right over my head. Honestly, it seemed like some kind of weird hallucination acid trip. ( I'm basing that on what I've heard not from personal experience).

Evidently the space between death and the afterlife can be a strange adventure for some depending on what earthly connections you need to cut and what final business you need to take care of. Hopefully when the time comes my trip will be much more dull and peaceful than Neville's.

Kyle Tait did a really good job with the narration. This is the first time I have listened to him narrate a book. Nice voice that is easy to listen to for long periods of time. Clearly spoken with a nice even pace. Great character voices. His voice for "the guide" was great. A bit creepy. But it gave him a distinct personality. He was able to bring the story and characters to life. Very enjoyable.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and I voluntarily provided this review.

Just okay...

Interesting concept with some relatable moments, though, a bit depressing. The narration was okay but it didnt seem like the voice matched the character.

I received a free review audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

A Valuable Lesson

When I was listening to this book I was reminded of that old and familiar saying: 'you can't take it with you'. And as I listened I thought perhaps it should be amended to include 'and you probably wouldn't want to if you could'. Even though as a Christian this isn't an interpretation of the afterlife with which I am very familiar, I still related to the story for that reason/lesson.

The story moves at a brisk pace. I was able to finish it in one sitting.

This was the first time I heard narrator Kyle Tait do fiction. His old man voice and laugh is particularly outstanding and is not something I am likely to forget anytime soon.

I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Getting to the afterlife isn't as simple as dying.

R.K. Gold tells an interesting tale of what it may be like when we pass away. As the listener you follow Neville Canton's journey from death to what lays beyond. Neville truly is not exceptional in any way but that just makes his tale from within the clouds even more interesting. While the story can drag at times R.K. Gold hints at a larger philosophy of life and keeps the story moving. Kyle Tait's depiction of Neville's guide truly made this audiobook for me, he was able to brink humor and mystery to a tale that needed both.

If you are curious about tales of the afterlife I think this one will show you a different twist then any before it (at least it did for me).

Great read

Any additional comments?

Lost in the Clouds by R.K. Gold was a good read. Neville has sucuumed to his cancer but it isn't the end of his story. He has to find his way to the afterlife with the help of a spiritual guide.

Recommended to the ones with an open mind

Neville Canton had an average life, and unfortunately, died of cancer. This is the story of his pass to the afterlife, of the trials he will have to overcome to avoid getting lost in the clouds.

I think this is a very personal book. The afterlife and the journey towards it has a different meaning to everybody. This books is kind of original in the way that it proposes different kinds of ordeals than the ones we are used to.

While I enjoyed the story, I think I was not able to get all the meaning Gold had pour onto it. it could be that I don't really believe in anything like this, or just that the story kept me expecting something... else.

I did enjoy Kyle Tait's narration. He really became Neville in this story, and was also good with voices. I just found the spiritual guide's a bit overdone. For the rest, his voice is clear and his audio production skills are very good.

I am not sure if I could recommend this book to anyone. I think it will be enjoyed by those with an open mind and who believe in the afterlife. 

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Kyle Tait. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

Well performed book

The story is unique and not my normal taste. Even so, it was well written and descriptive. The narrator did a great job bringing this story to life and had me in tears at some points. This afterlife adventure was totally worth the credit!

Stand Out Performance

If I had to sum this book in three words it would be:
Outside the Box!

An interesting trip from life to the other side

Neville is quite the ordinary man, neither a saint nor a devil. He’s got some hangups but also some righteous anger. As he drifts in the in-between, he’s guided by a rather blunt, grumpy man. Neville has to face all the things he loved and hated in life and one by one let go so that he can move on to the next stage of existence.

Not much happens in this book. It’s a quiet, personal, and emotionally challenging journey for Neville and us readers are just along for the ride. In this sense, I would compare it to some of Guy Gavriel Kay’s books where the story is all about a character’s personal growth. Honestly, at first I wasn’t too sure where this tale would go but I was hooked on Neville and really wanted to see what he would make of it.

Perhaps half way through the tale we learn more about Tessa, Neville’s older sister, and why he holds such anger towards her. I really liked this scene because it gave me both sides of the larger issues that stood between the two. They both made mistakes and they both had to pay for them.

Neville’s bland wife Catherine wasn’t all the interesting. We only get small snatches of her, seeing how she’s done her best to support Neville emotionally throughout the years. I would have liked more about her because I’m pretty sure she had hobbies or friends or personal tribulations.

A few more minor characters come into play. Dennis is the office parasite. There’s a memory of Neville’s dog Wilbur. There’s also a lovely lady at the office that could be Neville’s friend or his undoing. The cast was pretty small for this book and I think that makes it ideal for a stage play.

There were a few times when the story lagged a little for me. I felt that Neville had made his point but then slid into the Whiny Zone. The first time, this was part of his character but as he did it more and more often, I became a little tired of it.

On a side note, as Neville fades in and out of life throughout this book, he often mentions tingling in his personal bits. Yep. Honestly, after the second time it added a little humor to the tale. Neville’s nethers are tingling again! Perhaps it’s just me or perhaps the author was trying to work in a reference to Neville’s root chakra.

All together, I was entertained throughout the book. The tale has some weight as Neville confronts his own shortcomings and overcomes them. This is a small, quiet tale that left me with some deep thinking to do.

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Kyle Tait. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

Narration: Kyle Tait was a perfect fit for this book. He was great as Neville, capturing the often subtle emotions of this character. His female voices were also believable and all the character voices were distinct. I especially loved his voice of the grumpy guide that Neville is plagued by as he transitions from the living to the after life.

Who needs a body anyway?

I have read all of R.K.'s books so far and each one brings something different and unique to the table. First there was a living forest with a guardian demon, then a religious cult survival thriller and now a mystical journey between life an death.

As I journeyed through the story each of the tests that our hero undertook became more convoluted. Not a negative for the reader but as a difficulty for Neville. From straightforward to temptation that he didn't realize was leading him astray.

For a story about some random dude in a cloud, the character development is incredibly deep. What's more is that it's not just developing the character of Neville but the character of every individual who at some point must go on this journey. Sure there is buy-in to Neville himself as you discover his backstory and type of person he is, but it is more that we as the reader get a deeper glimpse of what may await us in the in-between and what actually matters in life as we know it.

The guide was fantastic and you are always guessing at what his actual deal is (in a good way). It is terrifying to imagine this journey alone and the guide brings some levity (and creepiness in a fun way) to the dire situation.

Again, this is a quick read/listen. You will be able to crank it out in half a day give or take but the length takes nothing away from the story itself. I have high hopes for this writer and I cannot wait to see what comes next.

Also, I am kind of hoping the guide and the demon are connected in some way. I know not every writer has their own universe connecting everything but these two characters are fantastic and would love to learn more about them.

Highly recommend this for anyone who enjoys the mystical, metaphysical, magical or just enjoys a good read.