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John Perry did two things on his 75th birthday. First, he visited his wife's grave. Then he joined the army. The good news is that humanity finally made it into interstellar space. The bad news is that planets fit to live on are scarce - and alien races willing to fight us for them are common. So, we fight, to defend Earth and to stake our own claim to planetary real estate. Far from Earth, the war has been going on for decades: brutal, bloody, unyielding.
Meet the galaxy's unluckiest outlaws. Carl Ramsey is an ex-Earth Navy fighter pilot turned con man. His ship, the Mobius, is home to a ragtag crew of misfits and refugees looking to score a big payday but more often just scratching to pay for fuel. The crew consists of his ex-wife (and pilot), a drunkard, four-handed mechanic, a xeno-predator with the disposition of a 120kg housecat, and the galaxy's most-wanted wizard.
A magical serial killer is on the loose, and gelatinous, otherworldly creatures are infesting the English countryside. Which is making life for the Ministry of Occultism difficult, because magic is supposed to be their best kept secret. After centuries in the shadows, the Ministry is forced to unmask, exposing the country's magical history - and magical citizens - to a brave new world of social media, government scrutiny, and public relations.
Interstellar con man Rex Nihilo has a price tag on his head. Railroaded into smuggling a shipment of contraband corn to a planet short on food, Rex finds himself on the run from an insidious corporation named Ubiqorp, which reaps obscene profits by keeping the planet dependent on shipments of synthetic rations. When Rex and his long-suffering robot companion Sasha are sentenced to work as slave labor on a massive Ubiqorp plantation, they learn the terrible secret behind the corporation's products.
Bob Johansson has just sold his software company and is looking forward to a life of leisure. There are places to go, books to read, and movies to watch. So it's a little unfair when he gets himself killed crossing the street. Bob wakes up a century later to find that corpsicles have been declared to be without rights, and he is now the property of the state. He has been uploaded into computer hardware and is slated to be the controlling AI in an interstellar probe looking for habitable planets.
Hi, how are you? Yes, I am talking to you, the reader of this book's description. Okay, I get it, fourth-wall breaking is overdone. Get over it. This book, Villains Rule, is a fantasy action-comedy which you have to hear. Not because it redefines the genre, far from it. But rather for what it contains. A villain's tale. How often do you get to listen to a story where the villain is the protagonist? No, not an anti-hero, or a brooding monster, nor a hero thinly disguised as a villain. And not evil. If you want evil, take that nonsense to therapy.
John Perry did two things on his 75th birthday. First, he visited his wife's grave. Then he joined the army. The good news is that humanity finally made it into interstellar space. The bad news is that planets fit to live on are scarce - and alien races willing to fight us for them are common. So, we fight, to defend Earth and to stake our own claim to planetary real estate. Far from Earth, the war has been going on for decades: brutal, bloody, unyielding.
Meet the galaxy's unluckiest outlaws. Carl Ramsey is an ex-Earth Navy fighter pilot turned con man. His ship, the Mobius, is home to a ragtag crew of misfits and refugees looking to score a big payday but more often just scratching to pay for fuel. The crew consists of his ex-wife (and pilot), a drunkard, four-handed mechanic, a xeno-predator with the disposition of a 120kg housecat, and the galaxy's most-wanted wizard.
A magical serial killer is on the loose, and gelatinous, otherworldly creatures are infesting the English countryside. Which is making life for the Ministry of Occultism difficult, because magic is supposed to be their best kept secret. After centuries in the shadows, the Ministry is forced to unmask, exposing the country's magical history - and magical citizens - to a brave new world of social media, government scrutiny, and public relations.
Interstellar con man Rex Nihilo has a price tag on his head. Railroaded into smuggling a shipment of contraband corn to a planet short on food, Rex finds himself on the run from an insidious corporation named Ubiqorp, which reaps obscene profits by keeping the planet dependent on shipments of synthetic rations. When Rex and his long-suffering robot companion Sasha are sentenced to work as slave labor on a massive Ubiqorp plantation, they learn the terrible secret behind the corporation's products.
Bob Johansson has just sold his software company and is looking forward to a life of leisure. There are places to go, books to read, and movies to watch. So it's a little unfair when he gets himself killed crossing the street. Bob wakes up a century later to find that corpsicles have been declared to be without rights, and he is now the property of the state. He has been uploaded into computer hardware and is slated to be the controlling AI in an interstellar probe looking for habitable planets.
Hi, how are you? Yes, I am talking to you, the reader of this book's description. Okay, I get it, fourth-wall breaking is overdone. Get over it. This book, Villains Rule, is a fantasy action-comedy which you have to hear. Not because it redefines the genre, far from it. But rather for what it contains. A villain's tale. How often do you get to listen to a story where the villain is the protagonist? No, not an anti-hero, or a brooding monster, nor a hero thinly disguised as a villain. And not evil. If you want evil, take that nonsense to therapy.
Tim and his friends find out the hard way that you shouldn't question the game master, and you shouldn't make fun of his cape. One minute, they're drinking away the dreariness of their lives, escaping into a fantasy game and laughing their asses off. The next minute, they're in a horse-drawn cart surrounded by soldiers pointing crossbows at them.
Set in a small Cotswold town, Inspector Hobbes and the Blood is a fast-paced comedy cozy mystery fantasy about the adventures of Andy, an incompetent reporter, when he is reluctantly working with Inspector Hobbes, a police detective with a reputation. Andy soon finds himself immersed in a world where not everyone is human, and a late-night visit to a churchyard nearly results in grave consequences, and a ghoulish outcome. An accidental fire leads to Andy having to doss in Hobbes's spare room.
Low-level entertainment lawyer Nick Carter thinks it's a prank, not an alien encounter, when a redheaded mullah and a curvaceous nun show up at his office. But Frampton and Carly are highly advanced (if bumbling) extraterrestrials. And boy, do they have news. The entire cosmos, they tell him, has been hopelessly hooked on humanity's music ever since "Year Zero" (1977 to us), when American pop songs first reached alien ears. This addiction has driven a vast intergalactic society to commit the biggest copyright violation since the Big Bang.
Space travel just isn't what it used to be. With the invention of Quantum Teleportation, space heroes aren't needed anymore. When one particularly unlucky ex-adventurer masquerades as famous pilot and hate figure Jacques McKeown, he's sucked into an ever-deepening corporate and political intrigue. Between space pirates, adorable deadly creatures, and a missing fortune in royalties, saving the universe was never this difficult!
One hundred and seventy-five years have passed since god quit on mankind. Without his blessing, Hell itself, along with the ancient power of The Deep, were unleashed upon the world. Two world wars and oceans of blood later, a balance was reached. Demonkind took its place as the ruling aristocracy. Mankind, thanks to its ability to create, fell to the position of working proletariat. Alive, but not living. Lucky us. Welcome to New Golgotha, the east coast supercity.
What's worse than a child with a magnifying glass, a garden full of ants, and a brilliant mind full of mischief? Try Al, a well-meaning but impish artificial intelligence with the mind of a six-year-old and a penchant for tantrums. Hope Takeda, a lab assistant charged with educating and socializing Al, soon discovers that day care is a lot more difficult when your kid is an evolving and easily frightened A.I.
His razor-sharp intellect, uncanny powers of deduction, and knowledge of the criminal underground are legendary throughout London. He solves cases with the able assistance of his close friend and confidant. And, one day, he will become the arch enemy of Sherlock Holmes. Meet Professor James Moriarty - consulting criminal.
Cal Carver is having a bad day. Imprisoned and forced to share a cell with a cannibalistic serial killer, Cal thinks things can't possibly get any worse. He is wrong. It's not until two-thirds of the human race is wiped out and Cal is abducted by aliens that his day really starts to go downhill. Whisked across the galaxy, Cal is thrown into a team of some of the sector's most notorious villains and scumbags.
Hank is a thug. He knows he's a thug. He has no problem with that realization. In his view the galaxy has given him a gift: a mutation that allows him to withstand great deals of physical trauma. He puts his abilities to the best use possible and that isn't by being a scientist. Besides, the space station Belvaille doesn't need scientists. It is not, generally, a thinking person's locale. It is the remotest habitation in the entire Colmarian Confederation. There is literally no reason to be there.
They mustn't harm a human being, they must obey human orders, and they must protect their own existence...but only so long as that doesn't violate rules one and two. With these Three Laws of Robotics, humanity embarked on a bold new era of evolution that would open up enormous possibilities, and unforeseen risks.
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.
Emperor Mollusk. Intergalactic Menace. Destroyer of Worlds. Conqueror of Other Worlds. Mad Genius. Ex-Warlord of Earth. Not bad for a guy without a spine. But what's a villain to do after he's done... everything. With no new ambitions, he's happy to pitch in and solve the energy crisis or repel aliens invaders should the need arise, but if he had his way, he'd prefer to be left alone to explore the boundaries of dangerous science. Just as a hobby, of course. Retirement isn't easy though.
Reluctantly compelled to deliver these defenseless, fluidless children to safety, Cole gathers a misfit crew for a desperate journey to the far reaches of the galaxy. Their destination: the mysterious world of Yrnameer, the very last of the your-name-heres---planets without corporate sponsors. But little does Cole know that this legendary utopia is home to a murderous band of outlaws bent on destroying the planet's tiny, peaceful community.
Follow Cole's adventures through a delightfully absurd science-fiction universe, where the artificial intelligence is stupid, dust motes carry branding messages, and middle-management zombies have overrun a corporate training satellite.
In the spirit of Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett, The Sheriff of Yrnameer is sci-fi comedy at its best---mordant, raucously funny, and a thrilling must-listen.
Put aside the inevitable comparisons to Douglas Adams. Though this is a comic novel, Michael Rubens has a different sensibility, and presents more of an emphasis on the adventure, and most jokes are on the hero, rather than the rest of the universe. Along the way, he also pokes fun at commercialism, heroics, and business meetings as part of his broad adventure comedy. Little made me laugh out loud, but I was consistently amused.
Transcending the novel, however, is the production. Man, this is what audio books were made for - William Dufris acts every part, with some subtle sound effects for backing. Along with Gaiman's Anansi Boys, this is the best read out of some 200 audio books I have listened to. So, though the novel is 3.5 stars, the 5+ star production makes it an easy purchase.
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
This is a fun, well-read book that is refreshing for its silly yet endearing tone. The style of writing is reminiscent of early Douglas Adams books, but it doesn't wind up feeling derivative. The story moves at a good pace, the characters are goofy but lovable, and while this probably won't take home a pulitzer, I would highly recommend this novel to anyone looking for a reprieve from the grim, gritty SF that seems to dominate these days.
11 of 12 people found this review helpful
I have no idea who this voice actor is, but I'm going to listen to any book he narrates. The writing is very sharp, and the story is a ton of fun (think Blazing Saddles meets Discworld), but the voice actor threw a lot of energy into his performance and made it a joy to listen to. I hope Rubens has written some more novels set in this universe, it is a blast.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
They really went over and above with the voice acting and sound affects to bring this story to life.
It's really quite good and very funny!
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
What did you love best about The Sheriff of Yrnameer?
This is difficult to answer. The narrator was beyond perfect. The writing was such fun...I guess the whole darned thing is what I love best about it.
What did you like best about this story?
The main character was far from perfect, yet he was still a hero. He grows as a person, and remains true to himself. It was very satisfying. There were quite a few scenes that were tense and funny- quite an achievement.
Which character – as performed by William Dufris – was your favorite?
Kenneth is hands-down the best character Mr. Dufris voiced. And he did such a great job with all the characters. There was never a moment when I was not absolutely positive which person was speaking. Bravo, William!
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
I was delighted with this book. I read the synopsis, listened to the snippet and knew that if it lived up to my expectations it was going to become a favorite. It surpassed my expectations and is most definitely a favorite I will listen to repeatedly.
Any additional comments?
It's hard not to draw a comparison with Douglas Adams. Perhaps because it has quirky humor, space ships, great dialogue and unforgettable characters.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
Yes. The book was easy to follow with little in the way of a deep plot. The main character was a cross between Han Solo and Born Looser. You just had to laugh at times and wonder how this person ever survived long enough to reach adulthood. This is also his charm and quickly becomes a much liked, if no loved, character in the book.
Have you listened to any of William Dufris’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
No, this was the first. Very well read, easy to follow.
Any additional comments?
A great tongue-in-cheek story with very lovable characters. How often do you absolutely enjoy waiting to hear what the bounty hunter (bad guy) will say next?
I rated this story 3 starts since it was a one time listen with no real depth to it. It passes the time well... but I will most likely not listen to it again any time soon. That being said, I gave it three stars with a lack of depth because it made me laugh and smile several times.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
while the main the story does sound familiar (you will be thinking of Han Solo when introduced to Cole) the plot is varied enough and clever enough that you wont mind and will probably forget anyway and become completely immersed in the adventures of the sheriff of yrnameer. the narration makes the book, it is perfect! a thoroughly enjoyable romp across the galaxy, well worth a credit.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
It was a little hard to get into this book, but after I did it was really enjoyable. I love nothing more than a reluctant hero! I would definitely recommend this book to any science fiction fan.
3 of 4 people found this review helpful
The comparisons are inevitable to Douglas Adams, but let's face it, I can compare almost every fantasy series to J.R.R. Tolkien so it's a moot point to me. Just enjoy the ride.
This is definitely a book you're going to want to listen closely. The production is top notch with multi-voiced in-book jingles for space adverts, modulated voices for intercoms and radios and various vocal tweaks to really give you the sense of a world were every planet is named for a sponsor and the world is filled with non-stop marketing.
The jokes are never so over the top that it feels like the author is trying too hard although they come often.
If you like shows or movies like Spaced, The IT Crowd, Galaxy Quest, Monty Python and the Holy Grail or the Daily Show, you'll most likely love this one.
3 of 4 people found this review helpful
The story is funny and light hearted but the narration production is what makes this a premier choice. The narrator is charming and talented. This was quite an unexpected find! What a gem!
1 of 1 people found this review helpful