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The Solaris Empire is one conquest away from uniting the continent, and the rare elemental magic sleeping in 17-year-old library apprentice Vhalla Yarl could shift the tides of war. Vhalla has always been taught to fear the Tower of Sorcerers, a mysterious magic society, and has been happy in her quiet world of books. But after she unknowingly saves the life of one of the most powerful sorcerers of them all - the Crown Prince Aldrik - she finds herself enticed into his world.
Tristran Thorn has lost his heart to the hauntingly beautiful Victoria Forester. One crisp October night, as they watch, a star falls from the sky, and Victoria promises to marry Tristran if he'll retrieve the star and bring it back for her. It is this promise that sends Tristran on the most unforgettable adventure of his life.
Mother and warrior. Scholar and spy. Rebel and hero. Set in a magical world of terror and wonder, this audiobook is a deeply felt epic of courage and war, in which the fates of these three characters intertwine - and where ordinary people become heroes, and their lives become legend.
Mary Jekyll, alone and penniless following her parents' deaths, is curious about the secrets of her father's mysterious past. One clue in particular hints that Edward Hyde, her father's former friend and a murderer, may be nearby, and there is a reward for information leading to his capture...a reward that would solve all of her immediate financial woes. But her hunt leads her to Hyde's daughter, Diana, a feral child left to be raised by nuns.
Timid, socially awkward, and plagued by self-esteem issues, Fred has never been the adventurous sort. One fateful night - different from the night he died, which was more inconvenient than fateful - Fred reconnects with an old friend at his high school reunion. This rekindled relationship sets off a chain of events thrusting him right into the chaos of the parahuman world.
In a not-too-distant future, a simple outpatient procedure that has been promised to increase empathy between romantic partners has become all the rage. So when Briddey Flannigan's fiancé proposes that he and Briddey undergo the procedure, she is delighted! Only, the results aren't quite as expected. Instead of gaining an increased empathetic link with her fiancé, Briddey finds herself hearing the actual thoughts of one of the nerdiest techs in her office. And that's the least of her problems.
The Solaris Empire is one conquest away from uniting the continent, and the rare elemental magic sleeping in 17-year-old library apprentice Vhalla Yarl could shift the tides of war. Vhalla has always been taught to fear the Tower of Sorcerers, a mysterious magic society, and has been happy in her quiet world of books. But after she unknowingly saves the life of one of the most powerful sorcerers of them all - the Crown Prince Aldrik - she finds herself enticed into his world.
Tristran Thorn has lost his heart to the hauntingly beautiful Victoria Forester. One crisp October night, as they watch, a star falls from the sky, and Victoria promises to marry Tristran if he'll retrieve the star and bring it back for her. It is this promise that sends Tristran on the most unforgettable adventure of his life.
Mother and warrior. Scholar and spy. Rebel and hero. Set in a magical world of terror and wonder, this audiobook is a deeply felt epic of courage and war, in which the fates of these three characters intertwine - and where ordinary people become heroes, and their lives become legend.
Mary Jekyll, alone and penniless following her parents' deaths, is curious about the secrets of her father's mysterious past. One clue in particular hints that Edward Hyde, her father's former friend and a murderer, may be nearby, and there is a reward for information leading to his capture...a reward that would solve all of her immediate financial woes. But her hunt leads her to Hyde's daughter, Diana, a feral child left to be raised by nuns.
Timid, socially awkward, and plagued by self-esteem issues, Fred has never been the adventurous sort. One fateful night - different from the night he died, which was more inconvenient than fateful - Fred reconnects with an old friend at his high school reunion. This rekindled relationship sets off a chain of events thrusting him right into the chaos of the parahuman world.
In a not-too-distant future, a simple outpatient procedure that has been promised to increase empathy between romantic partners has become all the rage. So when Briddey Flannigan's fiancé proposes that he and Briddey undergo the procedure, she is delighted! Only, the results aren't quite as expected. Instead of gaining an increased empathetic link with her fiancé, Briddey finds herself hearing the actual thoughts of one of the nerdiest techs in her office. And that's the least of her problems.
Margot Cary has spent her life immersed in everything Lake Sackett is not. As an elite event planner, Margot's rubbed elbows with the cream of Chicago society and made elegance and glamour her business. She's riding high until one event goes tragically, spectacularly wrong. Now she's blackballed by the gala set and in dire need of a fresh start - and apparently the McCreadys are in need of an event planner with a tarnished reputation.
Firstborns rule society. Secondborns are the property of the government. Thirdborns are not tolerated. Long live the Fates Republic. On Transition Day, the second child in every family is taken by the government and forced into servitude. Roselle St. Sismode's eighteenth birthday arrives with harsh realizations: she's to become a soldier for the Fate of Swords military arm of the Republic during the bloodiest rebellion in history, and her elite firstborn mother is happy to see her go.
Doro is an entity who changes bodies like clothes, killing his hosts by reflexor design. He fears no one...until he meets Anyanwu. Anyanwu is a shapeshifter who can absorb bullets and heal with a kiss and savage anyone who threatens her. Together they weave a pattern of destiny unimaginable to mortals.
Just outside Los Angeles, a prisoner hidden away for 70 years sits up, gets off the bed and disappears through a solid wall. In Australia, a magician impresses audiences by producing real elephants. Nobody realizes it's not an illusion. Across the world, individuals and organizations with supernatural power suddenly detect the presence of something even they can't understand. At the center of it all, Seb Varden, a 32-year old musician with a secret in his past, slits his wrists, is shot dead and run over on the freeway.
Maybe it was the Shenanigans gift certificate that put her over the edge. When children's librarian and self-professed nice girl Jane Jameson is fired by her beastly boss and handed $25 in potato skins instead of a severance check, she goes on a bender that's sure to become Half Moon Hollow legend. On her way home, she's mistaken for a deer, shot, and left for dead.
Eve Collins starts her freshman year at college blissfully unaware that one revelation will challenge everything she's believed to be true about her family, life, and future, and right in the midst of it all is Asher St. Michael. Mysterious and aloof, Asher is appointed to protect Eve at all costs. Bound by his oath of loyalty to mankind, loving her is forbidden.
Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price - and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone.
MacKayla Lane's life is good. She has great friends, a decent job, and a car that breaks down only every other week or so. In other words, she's your perfectly ordinary 21st-century woman. Or so she thinks...until something extraordinary happens.
When she fell asleep, the world was doomed. When she awoke, it was dead. In the wake of a fever that decimated the earth's population - killing women and children and making childbirth deadly for the mother and infant - the midwife must pick her way through the bones of the world she once knew to find her place in this dangerous new one. Gone are the pillars of civilization. All that remains is power - and the strong who possess it.
A catastrophic event renders the earth a ticking time bomb. In a feverish race against the inevitable, nations around the globe band together to devise an ambitious plan to ensure the survival of humanity far beyond our atmosphere, in outer space.
Dive into the mysteries of Area X, a remote and lush terrain that has inexplicably sequestered itself from civilization. Twelve expeditions have gone in, and not a single member of any of them has remained unchanged by the experience - for better or worse.
Would you rather know a truth that makes you feel hopeless, or keep believing the lies? Beloved and bestselling author Colleen Hoover returns with the spellbinding story of two young people with devastating pasts who embark on a passionate, intriguing journey to discover the lessons of life, love, trust--and above all, the healing power that only truth can bring.
Finn looks and acts human, though he has no desire to be. He was programmed to assist his owners, and performs his duties to perfection. A billion-dollar construct, his primary task now is to tutor Cat. As she grows into a beautiful young woman, Finn is her guardian, her constant companion…and more. But when the government grants rights to the ever-increasing robot population, however, Finn struggles to find his place in the world, and in Cat’s heart.
What would have made The Mad Scientist's Daughter better?
I did not enjoy the story as a love story or a sci-fi novel at all. I thought the main character was annoying and the android she was in love with had no personality, so it's hard for me to imagine how she even fell in love with him.
What does Kate Rudd bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
I've enjoyed narrator Kate Rudd from other books and while I did not enjoy the story at all I did enjoy the presentation of it, she always does a good job.
What character would you cut from The Mad Scientist's Daughter?
All of them I didn't like any of the characters I didn't associate with any of the characters I didn't cheer for any of the characters.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
There is an epic sweep to this book not only because it takes place over much of a lifetime, but it deals with core issues:
◾How do we find our identity and calling in a world where convention and societal pressure would have us choose a safe and deadening path?
◾How do we risk ourselves to truly abandon our self-focus to love another, not just love our image of another but love the person, in the midst of a world filled with pain and loss
◾Can we let go of our self-focus, our enlightened self-interest and ought we?
Cassandra Rose Clarke brilliantly explores these issues and more in The Mad Scientist's Daughter. Science fiction has always been a great medium to explore issues since we're pulled out of our culture, and its related blinders, into another world with less pre-built conceptions. Ms. Clarke takes a future earth, which is so much like our own, with all our current foibles, some additional challenges and capabilities. The story centers around Caterina Novak and Finn. Cat is the daughter in the title and Finn, an android unique in his understanding and consciousness.
I listened to much of the story on the Audible version (flipping between the Kindle and the Audible version with Whispersync for Voice). Kate Rudd narrates the story. I first heard Ms. Rudd perform John Green's The Fault in Our Stars. She is fast becoming one of my favorite narrators and performs this book admirably. One of the brilliant choice points was to play Finn with a totally flat, neutral voice. This may seem obvious for an android but I've heard them done with very artificial robotic voices. This is done with flat, even timing and tone but it never feels artificial. Certainly her performance drew me in and allowed me to get lost in the novel.
For full review: wp.me/p2XCwQ-Cs
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
There's a lot to like about this book. Finn's character is amazing and intriguing. Cat - not so much. The book is way too long. It would have been great to cut to the chase wtihout everything in the middle. And I can't quite forgive Cat for what she does to Richard but can't say much more without giving away spoilers.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Interesting tale from an adolescent point of view of growing up with a robot as a companion. It could have been financed by the cigarette lobby with its silly adolescent preoccupation with cigarettes.
This may be the future with it's many legal complications. Interesting glimpse of the brave new world
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I just love this story and wish there was more to hear about Kat and Finn.
Where does The Mad Scientist's Daughter rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
It is in my top 3 or 4 for sure. I loved it!
Who was your favorite character and why?
Cat the protagonist. Feels as if Ive grown up with her.
Have you listened to any of Kate Rudd’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
Yes, The Fault in Our Stars. This wasn't as good as a performance in my opinion but then again, TFIOS is my favorite book so I am biased on that question. I love her voice and I do like how she does male characters without that weird forced scratchy "male" voice.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
I did laugh at parts but no I didnt cry. That isnt to say that it didnt strike any emotion because it certainly did.
Any additional comments?
GET IT
So, I loved the romance, I think? ...Hated the middle, I know ... loved the ending, I think? Should I listen again ... Not sure. Really, I loved Finn.
1 of 3 people found this review helpful
Where does The Mad Scientist's Daughter rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
Pretty good but could have been a little better with a different narrator.
What was one of the most memorable moments of The Mad Scientist's Daughter?
Nothing specially stands out. But I enjoyed the interaction of Kat and Finn.
Did Kate Rudd do a good job differentiating each of the characters? How?
Well . . . I do think the voice of Kat's father was poor. Kate Rudd tried to deepen her voice to give the impression of an older man, but with her rather slow, deliberate narrating style it came over rather like someone reading The Three Bears to a child and trying to do Daddy Bear. Sometimes the narration was a bit too slow and ponderous for comfort. At first it was a bit off-putting but it didn't really spoil it for me once I got used to the way she read it as I enjoyed the story itself a lot.
If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?
The same as the book - "A tale of love, loss and robots."
Any additional comments?
Starts off feeling rather like a children's book or one aimed at young adults but this is largely due to the narrating style. But it develops as the character Kat gets older within the story so I suppose it works that way. I did look forward to hearing more of it each day so i'd recommend it if you like stories like Edward Scissorhands maybe.