Shatter Point

By: Jeff Altabef

Narrated by: Brian Rollins

Length: 8 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

When her 19-year-old son Jack miraculously recovers from a serious head trauma, Maggie is sure her luck has changed. But when she's abducted by a shadow from her past - a phantom with dangerous sapphire eyes - it's up to Jack and his younger brother Tom to unravel the mystery and save their mom from a deadly psychological battle.

The brothers seek help from their colorful great aunt, who exposes them to a world of nefarious family secrets, explosive government conspiracies, and a series of horrific murders. Together they must navigate a dark underworld full of political subterfuge and class warfare.

Yet, as they search for their mother, Jack changes - raked by skull splitting headaches and weird visions. How exactly did he recover from his coma, and how does this tie into the psychopath who has abducted their mother?

Will Jack and Tom save Maggie before her abductor reaches his shatter point? Does Jack have enough time left?

Winner of the Pinnacle Book Achievement Award, Fall 2014 - Best book in the Thriller category

©2014 Evolved Publishing LLC (P)2015 Evolved Publishing LLC

Contemporary sci-fi suspense thriller

This novel is set in the year 2041. Future scientific advances are a major part of the story. On the other hand human evil and greed have changed little. Shatter Point is a well written suspense thriller with some really interesting characters. Aunt Jackie, a senior citizen and ex intelligence agent, is especially vivid and likable although she is not one of the main characters. Narration is excellent. I recommend this novel mostly for fans of contemporary sci-fi.

looking for a psychological-thriller

Maggie's son is recovering surprisingly well from a head trauma. Soon after this, Maggie gets kidnapped by a monster from her childhood. Maggie's sons will try to get her back with the help of their aunt and a secret society called the 'Fourteenth Colony'.

'Shatter Point' is a thriller set in a near future. People trying to get Maggie back will discover a conspiracy experimenting with human brains, perception and behavior. It is an action packed book that will have the listener speculating about possible outcomes. It was highly entertaining, although I expected more on the brain experiments and the investigation to reduce the provoked side effects. We are given through a story about a psychopath with too much money and power, and who is also behind more complex schemes. If you are into this sort of stories, this book will be for you. If you prefer a book around a science-fiction story, this book may not fulfill your expectations. There is a bit of sci-fi here, but very subtle, and the society and technological advances are not fully explained, but taken for granted, and one is expected to swallow some 'techniques' and facts that do not have a lot of fundament behind.

I think the story could have worked a bit better if it was going to be focused more on a couple of the several topics appearing in the book. Please also note that there is a book by the author titled 'Fourteenth Colony'. Reading that one is not a requirement, but I think it would give us a background to be better prepared for 'Shatter Point'.

There is a fair amount of characters in this story, due to the several storylines. This makes the book very dynamic, but it is easy to get lost and confused with so many characters. They are not fully developed and I was not able to connect to any of them.

Brian Rollins' narration was correctly done, even though it is humanly impossible to have different voices for all the characters in the story. There was a detail that bothered me a bit though. At the beginning and end of the book there is some ambiance music which does not make a lot of sense and does not add anything to the story. I have seen this done in some other books, and it is something to be careful with, since sometimes, if the mix is not correctly done, the narration can be masked by the music. This is what happens here, especially at the end of the book.

I enjoyed this book, although I would have preferred more emphasis on the science-fiction and more focus on fewer storylines. It gets a bit confusing at times. If you are looking for a psychological-thriller this book may be for you.

Audiobook was provided for review by the narrator.

Please find this complete review and many others at my review blog

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GREAT STORY & NARRATION!

Where does Shatter Point rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Its a good one, suspense, mystery and some twists!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Aunt Jackie!! lol she is funny!

What does Brian Rollins bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I like Brian's narratives...he is fun to listen to!

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

How Maggie's boys were willing to do anything to save their mom!

Any additional comments?

** I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review **

This was a slow starter for me, but a strong finish! Maggie is a good mom, struggling too keep her family afloat..trying to live a normal life, but since her teen years has been stalked by a psycho named Cooper she met as a young girl...he kidnaps her and her sons have to find her..her son Jack is just freshly out of a Coma and unbeknownst to him and his family is the subject of a untested medication that is slowly killing him....This is a twisty little thriller that will have you wondering whats going to happen next!

Will Shatter Your Perception

What made the experience of listening to Shatter Point the most enjoyable?

I enjoyed the way the story-lines intertwined into a complex story of characters and their own part of the action. At first, it was a little confusing, but once you sorted out who, what, when, and where, it flowed more smoothly.

What about Brian Rollins’s performance did you like?

I really liked the narrator. I am a narrator snob, I have to say. If I don't like the narrator's voice, no matter how much I want to listen to the book, I can't do it. He has a mellow, easy voice. Sometimes, he was a little iffy on character voices by trying to change his voice, but I give him an A for effort. I never wanted to turn it off.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I think that Cooper showing Maggie the gory piece that started it all at the end of their forbidden friendship is the catalyst for the whole book. His obsession with her only spiraled from then on out. Maggie's "solitary" days also creeped me out. It was like she was almost just as obsessed as he was.

Any additional comments?

I liked that there were dystopian elements weaved throughout the tale. It felt like a genre mix, but it was a good one. It gave the reader more to think about than simply the serial killer and the hunt for Maggie. The doctor was also a good addition with his experimental drug. Tom and Jack are good characters who give it more of a familial feel. Listening to the two boys is like getting to know them, and they are so different but united in their actions. Aunt Jackie was a hoot. I also liked that there is resistance aspect to the order of America. Shatter Point will shatter your illusions in this psych thriller with dystopian elements. It is a ride that is complex and complicated, but worth it in the end. I was given this book to review by the author, and my opinions are my own.

Keeps you on your toes!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes! This was awesome. Listened to it all weekend long while cleaning the house. So many twists and turns made it a blast to listen to.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Totally. The story is three different plots intertwined. All three kept me guessing and wondering what was going to happen next. And the backdrop of a corrupt, totalitarian regime in America was just so very believable.

What about Brian Rollins’s performance did you like?

As always, Brian's narration is spot-on. I love these characters and he has such a great range from young man to creepy serial killer. Plus his rendition of Aunt Jackie was the perfect blend of humor and serious.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

You don't mess with Aunt Jackie!

Any additional comments?

I'm hoping to listen to more books by Jeff Altabef on Audible.

Good mix of stories

Kidnapping, medical experiments, serial killers, and more. There is a lot going on in this thriller. Once you remember the characters it's fun to follow.

The narrator tries to give a different voice to everyone. A couple stand out better or are more recognizable than others, but he did a good job.

If you like a thriller it's a good listen.

Outstanding Thriller

Would you consider the audio edition of Shatter Point to be better than the print version?

I haven't read the print edition, but I would have to say that Brian's narration brings these characters to life. Especially the villains. It adds a layer of tension to hear the emotion and insanity these characters possess in his voice.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Absolutely. I loved the twist near the end and the dystopia that Mr. Altabef has created is way too close to being reality. It's frighteningly plausible.

What about Brian Rollins’s performance did you like?

This isn't my first time listening to his work and, as usual, the characters are great and his voice is so nice to listen to. His villains are awesome and his Aunt Jackie was fantastic!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I was shocked at how "real" this future felt. This is something that could truly happen. I was more than a little sad when a certain character dies. They were great!

Any additional comments?

Grab this book now. It's totally worth the Audible Credit! I'm hoping this is part of a series and want to see the rest of this future world and the characters. Maybe a prequel with the life of Aunt Jackie!

Shatter point

What did you love best about Shatter Point?

The characters are colorful and the action keeps the reader/ listeners engaged. Combine that with some political commentary on the current and a possible future society, and the overall reading experience is superb. I highly recommend this audiobook.

Great sequel

This book picks up months after the events from the previous book In The series. Jack has an experimental drug in his system he is unaware of. Tom and Jacks mom is kidnapped by the devious Mr. Cooper. It’s a race to find her. Good book overall wish they explored the 14th colony more in this series.

Shatter Point

This story was ok.Good scientist makes drug,bad scientist who wants to rule the world uses it.One man is cured...for awhile,but it makes him do bad things. I really wasn't sure what all was going on in this book.Narration by Brian Rollins was ok.There was a lot of repetition.
I was given this book free for an honest review.

A very good mystery fast paced

Really enjoyed this book quite an intriguing mystery fast paced I would loose track go back a couple of chapters and listen again, narration was very good