Condition Book One

A Medical Miracle?

By: Alec Birri

Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble

Length: 6 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

The first in a dystopian trilogy based on the author's command of a top secret government unit.

What if all brain disorders were treatable? Few would lament the passing of dementia or autism, but what if the twisted mind of a sex offender or murderer could be cured too? Or how about a terrorist or maybe a political extremist? What if we could all be "corrected"?

It's 1966, and RAF pilot Dan Stewart awakes from a coma following an aircraft accident into a world where nothing seems to make sense anymore. Not being able to recall the crash might be expected, but what about the rest of his life? And what's stopping him from taking his medication? Is it brain damage that's causing paranoia about the red pill, or is Dan right to think something sinister is going on?

His horrific injuries don't make any sense either - a post-crash fire caused him to suffer almost 100% burns. How is it even possible to survive that? Are the hallucinations and strange dreams trying to tell him something? They are, and he'll soon find out what, but not before his doctor's sure the shock won't kill him.

©2016 Nick Smith (Alec Birri) (P)2018 Nick Smith (Alec Birri)

Talk About a Twist!

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

Dan woke up in a hospital and although he remembered being in an airplane crash, things didn't make sense. I was as confused as Dan was because I learned things as he learned them. He could not figure out if the doctor was actually helping him or if he had an ulterior motive because it seemed that everyone was in the same state of recovery as him.

Condition Book One is good. It really kept my attention at the beginning but it got pretty slow in the middle. It seemed to take a little too long for Dan to figure things out, but it got a lot better at the end. Talk about twists! I'm looking forward to finding out what happens in Book Two.

You Should Really Take The Red Pill

4.5 out of 5 stars

I’m not used to a book messing with my mind as much as the first book in the Condition series did. I honestly didn’t know what was going to happen in this book even with only a few minutes left in it. Birri was able to write a poignant and real story the scared the heck out of me.

This book is really a couple stories all tied together – but all surrounding the same person. If I go into more detail than that I think it will ruin the story. Actually, a lot of the commentary I wanted to get into would probably contain spoilers (even just talking about the accuracy of the personality swings in a certain condition).

That being said, Birri wrote a book that made me feel. And he wrote a story that will stick with me for a while. A story that I want to keep reading because now I have to know what happens to these patients and anyone else involved.

A mixture of a medical thriller and dystopian – Condition is a crazy story that might actually happen one day. Full of very realistic depictions of a specific condition and really heart wrenching scenes – this one will stay with me for a while.

Jonathan Keeble narrated this story, and I thought did a wonderful job. The voice used was perfect for both the character and for setting the scene.

I received a copy of this book - it has not affected my review in any way. If you enjoyed my review, please consider voting for it. Every vote helps.

I was hooked from the start

I was pretty impressed with this book. My favorite thing about it was that I was right alongside Dan Stewart, the main character, as he discovered one thing after another. It was absolutely delicious trying to work this story out. As Dan fits one puzzle piece together after another, so did I. Dan didn’t always have it right at the first go, but even his wrong guesses gave us another smidge of info.

Dan is plagued by the same daily questions from his doctor, visions of his brother Bryan, and that odd feeling that folks around him are constantly lying to him. Is he paranoid? Maybe… maybe not. Tracy, the head nurse who he interacts with the most, seems to have his best at heart but he’s still not sure about that. It could just be that he’s in love with the size of her bosom. His wife and good friend Tony seem to have secrets from him too, the kind that makes his blood boil. Even Bryan refuses to answer some of his basic questions.

Every time I thought I had the underlying mystery figured out, a new bit of info would present itself and I would figure out that I’m wrong. I was totally OK with that because it meant this story had more to offer. At first, it appears Dan is being treated for burns and has been unconscious for 6 months, which would explain his muddled mind. But why all the little lies from staff and family?

This story has one weakness and that is the ladies. Tracy gets the most page time and has the most developed character. However, most of her character centers on her chest and her desire for a serious romance. The Lady Prime Minister could turn out to be an interesting character later in the series but right now she is one dimensional: righteous anger. Dan’s wife gets a few lines here and there and she’s just in the story to be of comfort. There’s a few other female minor characters.

The real villain of the tale, Professor Savage, doesn’t make a strong appearance until the last third of the book. He’s the genius behind this new treatment for the ‘condition’ and yet he may have an ulterior motive. He doesn’t seem to mind sacrificing a few eggs to make an omelette. I look forward to him being a bigger character in Book 2. 4.5/5 stars.

The Narration: Jonathan Keeble did a very nice job with this story. He makes a perfect Dan, with his posh air and demanding to know this and that while also keeping him very human in his confusion, anger, and fear. His female voices were good too. Each character is distinct in his performance. I especially liked his sinister, older voice for Professor Savage. 5/5 stars.

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

Interesting and controversial

After suffering a terrible accident, pilot Dan Steward wakes up in a hospital not being able to remember his past. The doctors advice him to take the red pill to recover his memory, but Dan is very suspicious about this new treatment.

After reading the blurb I was taken aback at listening the first half of the book. I really enjoyed the story and thought it was well written, but I was not able to connect the book to the summary. I think the blurb gives away too much about not only this one but future books, and I think modifying it would help to preserve the intrigue.

The story is told from Dan's point of view, and although it may seem confusing at times, I really enjoyed how Birri played with Dan's perception to show the reader only what he wanted. I think it was done in a very clever way, since the reader can start guessing at some point that there is something amiss with Dan, but it's not easy to point out what, and even for those who can make a guess, I sure the outcome will surprise everyone.

The characters are not fully developed but we have to take into account that they are all seen from Dan's distorted point of view. I usually tend to prefer a further character development, but I have to say that the way Birri did it here worked really well in order to transmit how confusing things were for Dan. His mood swings and perception changes were fantastically reflected in the book, making empathizing with Dan easy.

The last part of the book opens the reader's eye to the truth about the condition and the red pill. There were some glimpses here and there but we only see the truth here. This was interesting and sets the basis for future books, but I felt that both parts of the story (Dan's story and the implications of the pill) were not very well interconnected. I felt them disjointed somehow, but it could just be a personal appreciation.

Jonathan Keeble's voice and style were the perfect for this book, delivering a clear narration and very good character's interpretations. Keeble did a good job in bringing the characters to life, especially Dan.

I am looking forward to books two and three and see what Birri has come up with regarding such an interesting and controversial subject.

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

A Medical Miracle?

Alec Birri really knows how to write a dystopian thriller that really got me thinking, “this could actually happen in the near future!” (if it’s not already that is!) That coupled with the dulcet English tones of narrator Jonathan Keeble you will really get sucked into this story.

The Story:

You are thrust back to 1966 and Dan Stewart has just woken from a coma to find himself in a hospital and covered in 100% burns, but he can’t remember anything other than he’s a pilot and there was an airline crash. He starts to try and piece things together but as the story progresses you soon come to realise that not all is what it seems for Dan and the others in the hospital,.

The first half of the book was a little confusing at times, but then I felt that added to the whole premise of what was going with Dan, the other patients and the infamous red pill, when you are presented with twists and turns it will really give you food for thought. A magic pill to cure all mental illness, seems like a great idea right? but at what cost?

The Audio:

Jonathan Keeble had the perfect voice for this book, his English accent fitted the book well and his voice was easy to listen to. You were lulled into his use of different tones, accents and it was easily distinguished between genders.

The recording was crisp and clear, with no background or white noise. and the narration flowed seamlessly.

Cant wait for book 2 this series has me seriously hooked!

A great mystery and an alright sci-fi premise

I received a free review copy of this book, at my request, and am voluntarily leaving this unbiased review.

This book is a Rollercoaster ride. From the graphic opening, to the bizarre mystery of the first half to the equally bizarre but totally different second half, I never felt like I had a handle on the story.

The story opens with terrible accident and follows with the victim waking up in hospital. Suffering from memory loss and faced with staff and loved ones who won't tell him any details, the patient is left to rediscover his life and circumstances.

The second half of the book covers the bigger picture, rather than the specifics of the single character.

I preferred the first half of the book, personally. The mystery of the situation was really intense and there was just enough information littered through conversations to barely piece together parts of the story the main character couldn't make sense of. It is really well done and I was absolutely hooked to know what was happening to the main character.

The second half was a bit of a let down, in that the mystery is exposed and then the real world comes crashing in. It is heart felt, and interesting, and I still enjoyed it, but not to the level of the first half.

Knowing this is the setup for a larger series I get why the second half was what it is, but the first half is so well done I would have preferred a whole book on that premise, and forget the rest of the series.

Having said that, the world and the characters are amazingly detailed and complex. The mystery is engaging, enough details are provided to give a sense of accomplishment when an aspect is figured out, but not so much as to ruin the overall mystery. The moral question is interesting, as well.

The voice acting by Jonathan Keeble is very well preformed. The voice range was good enough, there could have been a little more range in some of the characters, but as it is, it is well done. His male and female characters sound distinct, and while there aren't a lot of females in the book, there are a couple frequent characters, and the narrator does a good enough job with them.

In the end, it was a good book. A great mystery and an alright premise to house it in. The voice acting is very good. And it sets up book 2. I'm not sure if I'll continue with this series, as I said the first half was better than the second. However, there maybe enough there to hook me in to book 2. Time will tell.

Question EVERYTHING!

4.5 Stars. Audio book review. The brain is an amazing thing, and how it adapts to different situations – whether medically guided or not -- is fascinating. For the first half of Condition Book One, readers will likely be confused, paralleling main character Dan Stewart’s confusion. What’s real? What’s imagined? Is Dan paranoid or is he finally having clarity of thought? For that matter, is Dan a reliable narrator at all? Stick with the story because about half way in, things start to gel and the “ah-ha” and “oh nooooo” moments come in simultaneously and grab you. There are shifts and twists and turns, and I repeatedly found myself saying, “WAIT! So X is really Y and not Z! Whoa.” By the end, the REAL intrigue hits and everything clicks into horrible place, and I was clamoring to get book two (I started it the same day!).

“I’m sure you’ve no need to worry.”

Author Alex Birri does a great job with his characterization. Admittedly, I was not immediately impressed with Dan, whose first concerns after a near fatal accident are the football scores, his nurse’s boobs, and farting to amuse his daughter. He’s that guy. (Or is he?) Every characteristic choice feels deliberate, and the author uses the technique of having Dan speak out loud and ask questions of others (who keep silent) to let readers know what Dan thinks is really happening. But is he correct or crazy? There were a few places (especially in part two) where transitions are a bit rough and more explanation is needed, and there are scenes that should have been edited down. Since I read the book with my ears, I can’t speak to grammar or SPAG issues, but it's clear Birri is a gifted writer.

Both the overt and underlying message in Condition Book One (and subsequent books in the trilogy) is to question everything. Question those in power and strive to keep their power limited. Question whether there is transparency in the versions of product and policy the government gives to the public. Question whether medical advances are truly for the good of the people or intended to be corrupted and used unethically.

The narration, performed by Jonathan Keeble, is exceptional, and when I use the word “perform,” I mean it. Keeble takes on a huge cast of characters and manages to make them all unique. He tackles British, German, and South American accents and nails them – even managing several different South American dialects -- male and female, young and old. He masterfully changes his voice to match a scene’s intensity and emotion level, adding drama and realism. I will hunt down other books just to hear this talented actor again. (Happily, he narrates all three of The Condition Trilogy books.)

Condition Book One is a disturbing story with Orwellian undertones. Prepare to be unsettled. The epilogue is quite lengthy – but critical – and while the ending left me intrigued and ready for more, it also was a satisfying closure for this book and these events. Condition Book One could stand alone, but since I’ve now read the full trilogy now, I recommend you keep reading! WOWSA.

Thank you to Audiobookworm Promotions and the author for providing me a free download in exchange for my honest opinion – the only kind I give.

very interesting

medical thriller with many twists and turns.

the narrator has a pleasant voice and expressive in his narration making the book better.

I received a free copy of this audible at my request this is my honest review

Medical ethics: we can but does it mean we should?

I listened and I comprehended, but I did not care for this weird medical thriller. The author deserves points for his plot creativity. Thanks, but I'll skip the rest of the series.

Definitely Confusing in Parts

First off I want to say that this is a really interesting story. It’s confusing as f****, but it’s really interesting. There are a lot of twists and mind games going on within this story. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what is going on. Dan isn’t a really likable character and you feel skeeved out by the nurse and doctors here. Birri has written a story that just gives you one question after another and little answers to these questions. If you don’t like that type of novel I don’t recommend listening or reading this. It’s extremely suspenseful and you’re constantly asking yourself, why? I will say that while I did like this suspense throughout the novel I do wish it could have been more clear in certain areas. Sometimes I got too frustrated with the unknown and that’s why I think that even though it’s very well written and keeps you on the hook the whole way for me it’s only a 4/5.

Keeble has a really nice voice. He does well with both male and female characters. Which can be hard as a male narrator. I liked how he voiced everyone and the tones that he gave to each character. There’s not really anything about his performance that was lacking and the audio quality seems excellent as well. I give his part a 5/5!

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