Swords of Exodus

By: Larry Correia, Mike Kupari

Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot

Length: 17 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's Summary

The hard-hitting sequel to groundbreaking military adventure Dead Six.

On the far side of the world, deep in former Soviet Central Asia, lies a stronghold called the Crossroads. It is run with an iron fist by a brutal warlord calling himself Sala Jihan. He is far more than a petty dictator, for Jihan holds the fate of nations in his grasp. To save a world slipping into chaos, Jihan must either fall or be controlled.

One secret military organization called Exodus plans to see that this happens. For this mission, they need the best of the best. Unfortunately the man they need is rotting in an almost unassailable foreign prison.

Enter Lorenzo, thief extraordinaire. Lorenzo is now retired, happily married, and living in paradise. His Achilles heel: an FBI-agent brother who has gone missing - disappeared into the stronghold of warlord Jihan. Exodus promises to give Lorenzo his chance to rescue his brother if and only if Lorenzo will perform one service for them: break Michael Valentine out of a captivity from which no one has ever emerged alive.

And if Lorenzo can accomplish that - well then, the Crossroads awaits the sword of Exodus.

©2013 Larry Correia, Mike Kupari (P)2014 Audible Inc.

WOW! This series is riveting!

Any additional comments?

I never would have thought I'd enjoy a series like this. Based on the premise, it sounds like a 'guy' book. I love Larry Correia's writing though, so I thought I'd give the Dead Six books a listen. The character development, story, descriptions, and narration are PHENOMENAL!! I LOVE these books!! It's like the best action movie EVER unfolding in your head. Also, Balki (Bronson Pinchot) is quite possibly the most fantastic audiobook narrator in history. More Dead Six books please!!

14 of 15 people found this review helpful

....Valentine and Lorenzo Battle at the Crossroads

Listening to this book is like having a virtual reality action movie playing in your head. I don’t know if the authors and the narrator worked in conjunction while planning this book, but the result is the same — Correia and Kupari write and Pinchot reads and the bullets fly right in front of your eyes.

If you desire a straight reading without an invasive narrator placing his own character impressions on the story then listening to this book is not going to go well for you. But if you are seeking for a completely over-the-top dramatic performance, with wild, even melodramatic, character accents; clearly distinct character voicings so distinct that every speaker is immediately identified; and a word tempo that varies with the intensity of the action, then your search is over.

Pinchot is one of the very best of the performing narrators. In less capable hands, (say that of a strict book “reader”) this might have become an interminable recitation of descriptions of the arcing of tracer bullets over fields of snow, but with Pinchot’s vocal cords included in the mix this becomes more than a thriller novel.

I believe that such dramatically performed audiobook productions classify as a entirely different genre, a different art-form, if you will. You can read a book and imagine all these scenes in your head while your eyes are focused on the words on the page. You can watch a movie and see the cinematographer’s interpretation of the story while your eyes are affixed to the silver screen. But with a dramatic audiobook rendition of a great story, you can visualize the story playing out in your mind while your eyes continue to see the world around you. This book encourages your mind to engage in feats of mental multitasking that is unique to audiobooks. What to call this new genre; this new form of art? How about “Second Sight?” For that encompasses what such a work does to the aficionado: allows you to walk around, or drive, of cook, while the story is playing out before you only in your mind’s eye.

16 of 18 people found this review helpful

Leaves To much unresolved

From start to finish “Swords of Exodus” delivers non-stop action. The two main characters, Valentine and Lorenzo, are held over from “Dead Six” and a host of new characters (along with a few old ones) are added in. The story is well written and engaging, however the main problem that kept it from being an easy 4 star book was that the plot didn’t seem to go anywhere. None of the issues that the characters were trying to take of were resolved and big gaping “what will happen next” questions are there staring the reader in the face. Will there be another book in the series? Of course there will because this left so many open questions. If you’re looking for something to keep you riveted with action then look no further but if you want something that gives you a more complete story you might want to wait for book 3 and read them together.

Mr. Pinchot does a great job bringing all of the characters to life! Tons of accents and characters and he does them all superbly giving each their own voice.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Shoot em up, escape, repeat

This is the continuation of Dead Six. For a while it's OK, there are holes, parts of the story that make no sense. But it's Ok for a while. Take the Expendables movies, same kind of high action, heros escaping through a barrage of gunfire. For a couple of hours I'm all in. The challenge with Larry's books is sometimes the story goes on and on to the point where I start skipping chapters because I already know whats going to happen.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Pro tip: Press Pause on Series, Wait for Next Book

Looking back, the first book in this series, Dead Six, was a satisfying read. This book, hold your horses. You're going to see a lot a favorable reviews, but the truth is this is bit of a letdown.

There is a major fight/betrayal at the end of Swords of Exodus, but the book ends like those freeze frame "to be continued" notices in TV shows from the old days. In other words, it has a great build up, but no resolution. If you buy it, at least know that's what you've got in store. A better strategy might be to wait until the next book in the Dead Six series comes out, read the reviews, and then decide. Hopefully that one has an ending that this one left out.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

This book is only half a story.

I was disappointed when I got to the end and none of the plot lines were wrapped up. I usually like Mr. Correia's books but not this one.

6 of 7 people found this review helpful

Top shelf with Brad Thor & David Baldacci!

What made the experience of listening to Swords of Exodus the most enjoyable?

The characters! Their individual quirks and flaws make them believable; the readers voice for Big Eddy and Carl is just funny and the story is 'stuck on the edge of your seat' great!

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

It did. Just when I was sure of the next turn a new character popped up and sent me down another path.

Which scene was your favorite?

Just about anytime Carl & Reaper are trying to bring their boss in! The dialogue is just too funny.

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

Gosh, that's a hard one

Any additional comments?

This book was barely cooled down on my phone before I had booted up the sequel! Amoung my favorites!

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

Heart Accelerating Action Adventure

Although Dead Six and Swords of Exodus are not for everyone, Ling’s speech at the end of the book captures the reason I love Larry Correia and Mike Kupari series. The characters are important archetypes that represent what is best in humanity: the willingness to sacrifice to make the world a better place, where hard men and women have to do things to protect the world from evil that most people deny exist, and what matters most in times of crucial decisions is not who you were but who you are now. Yes, it is a shoot them up, hard core action adventure full of violence, guns, chaos and moments of comic relief with a cliff hanger ending, but the characters are engaging, the dialogue is well written and the bad guys represent all the excesses of what defines evil and you cannot stop listening. The story, as in Dead Six, vacillates back and forth between Lorenzo’s and Valentine’s point of view. Pinchot reading brings these characters to life to such an extent that you find yourself talking out loud to them as you listen, and your heart rate accelerating. As sophisticated and technologically advanced as the world has become, the nature of evil that festers in men’s souls has not been eradicated. Unfortunately, it still takes the rack of a slide to administer justice and heroes are found in unlikely places with what starts out as questionable motives. To get the most enjoyment and vicarious thrills out of this novel, read Dead Six first. My only regret is that the next book is not yet available.

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

Better Than The First Book!!!

This book continues the first one, too many things happened here and too many actions taken.. You get to know about Exodus and how they operate. But the best part in this book is that you can't expect how it ends... its ending was fantastic and how things will go from now is up for the imagination.

Larry Correia and Mike Kupari did a great job in this book.. I can't wait for the next one.

And narration by Bronson Pinchot was one of THE best narrations I have ever heard, he did a fantastic job narrating all these characters, and their emotions.

9 of 12 people found this review helpful

Honest fiction

Larry Correia and Mike Kupari write a lot of the plot in a true-to-form, realistic fashion. There are a few cheesy one-liners in there, but they are written in open honesty and often add a comedic counterpoint, so I don't get hung up on it. Pinchot always (and I mean always) portrays female characters as quiet and shy, even when they're supposed to be angry or screaming during a firefight. Otherwise, he is probably one of the most versatile narrators I have heard.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

dead 6

excellent, really enjoyed it, an action packed roller coaster ride. can't wait for the next book.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful