The Unnoticeables: A Novel

The Vicious Circuit, Book 1

By: Robert Brockway

Narrated by: Nick Podehl, Emily Foster, Scott Merriman

Length: 7 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

From Robert Brockway, Sr. Editor and Columnist of Cracked.com, comes The Unnoticeables, a funny and frightening urban fantasy.

There are angels, and they are not beneficent or loving. But they do watch over us. They watch our lives unfold, analyzing us for repeating patterns and redundancies. When they find them, the angels simplify those patterns and remove the redundancies, and the problem that is "you" gets solved.

Carey doesn't much like that idea. As a punk living in New York City, 1977, Carey is sick and tired of watching strange kids with unnoticeable faces abduct his friends. He doesn't care about the rumors of tar-monsters in the sewers or unkillable psychopaths invading the punk scene - all he wants is to drink cheap beer and dispense ass-kickings.

Kaitlyn isn't sure what she's doing with her life. She came to Hollywood in 2013 to be a stunt woman, but last night a former teen heartthrob tried to eat her, her best friend has just gone missing, and there's an angel outside her apartment. Whatever she plans on doing with her life, it should probably happen in the few remaining minutes she has left.

There are angels. There are demons. They are the same thing. It's up to Carey and Kaitlyn to stop them. The survival of the human race is in their hands.

We are, all of us, well and truly screwed.

©2015 Robert Brockway (P)2015 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Maybe Angels are Dangerous

it was an great idea but only an ok story to tell it. performances were good though and made it an entertaining story. glad I bought it as a daily deal versus using an entire credit.

I didn't get it

the script was sophomoric. it was entertaining, but I really didn't get the point of the story

Thoughtless story, solid performances

did not finish. it doesnt take much critical thinking for every bit of this story to fall to pieces. it's pulp reading at best.

Gore, Profanity, and Fun, Oh My!

Don't expect a whole lot of thought-provoking plot here, okay, folks? We're talking action. Don't expect much in the way of fully-fleshed out characters with grand, sweeping arcs. How about a guy who battles zombies (okay, okay, they're called "empties") but really just wants to get laid, or a girl who doesn't wanna have a metal instrument crammed down her throat and would like to make it as a stunt woman in Hollywood, if you don't mind.
There are twists here, blood and guts, humor and smart-assery galore. And if you don't take it all so seriously, it's definitely worth a Daily Deal.
Yeah, it does end on a Gee, Think There's Room for a Sequel? note, but if there IS a sequel a) I would indeed like to see a bit more put into it to satisfy the thinking man/gal, and b) a bit more character development. That would make it beyond credit-worthy too!

Definitely Something Different

The Unnoticeables was bizarre, violent, and occasionally gross... I think I liked it? It's hard to say, I'm mostly still digesting it, almost a week after finishing it.

If you don't like violence, profanity, and all around crass characters, this one isn't for you. If you don't mind those things and are intrigued by a different twist on grungy fantasy/supernatural, give it a go!

My biggest complaint is that because the story is told from the perspective of three characters, two of whom don't know what's going on, and the third is not exactly a reliable source for explanations, there's never any complete clarity around the events occurring. Sure, Carey and Kaitlyn make discoveries that advance the plot, but the overall "why," or even what the aftermath of their actions is, is never addressed. It does feel like that was a deliberate choice on the part of Brockway, though, so it's possible the book would benefit from having a friend read it as well - someone with whom the reader can discuss it, and come to their own conclusions.

Nick Podehl, Emily Foster, and Scott Merriman all did a great job with the narration. The recording was very engrossing, and it never felt like a slog to get through any part of it.

Overall, if the synopsis to this book sounds like it's up your alley, give it a shot. I'm glad I listened to it, even if I'm not sure how I feel about it afterwards.

enjoyed the performances

The language and the performances were riveting. it was a book I was glad I listened to and one I wouldn't have discovered but for a daily deal. But the story itself was less satisfying. I didn't quite get the narrative arch.

I loved it, so punk

The noble nature of a nihilist punk and his quest to just do whatever so pleases against the unstoppable cosmic forces conspiring against him.

Interesting, but hard to follow

The premise is very intriguing, but I thought the execution was a little lacking. It was difficult to follow; the exposition was sporadic and confusing. Overall, I suppose I did enjoy it, and will probably give it another listen at a later date.

Not terrible , just predictable.

I would have given the story two stars but I could see the author improving with subsequent books.

The environments and tone were good. I enjoyed authentic references to non obvious old punk bands(Dead Boys, Rocket From The Tombs) and locations (Max's).

Unfortunately the plot was pretty predictable with everything being invincible until it wasn't.

Slow start but overall entertaining

it took me awhile to get into it, maybe two to three chapters but ended up being very entertaining.