Time Bomb

By: Jonathan Kellerman

Narrated by: Jeff Harding

Length: 17 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's Summary

A sniper opens fire on a crowded Californian schoolyard but is killed before any children are harmed. When the sniper’s identity is revealed, a media frenzy erupts – why would they want to take innocent lives? Psychologist Alex Delaware is brought in to help the kids cope with the ordeal but is quickly drawn into exploring the motives of the would-be assassin. Alex soon finds himself on a bloody and twisted trail into the world of political extremism from which there may be no way back…

©1990 Jonathan Kellerman (P)2009 Isis Publishing Ltd

Narrator

I really did not care for the naration of this story. I did not like the verbal portrayal of Milo, and found it 'grated' on my nerves.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Should have been a short story

The basic story was good... all the other "junk" thrown in was distracting, diluting and depleting to my patience. The narrator was horrendous, as was noted here by others. His pronounciations of some words were baffling. Pat Metheny (musician) pronounced Pat Methanee (as in methadone). There are several more, each painful and without logic.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Narration puts a stop to listening

This review concerns only the narration. This may be a great book, but I simply cannot get past the narrator's technique. I really tried. I was just a little nervous at first with the narration (every sentence has the same stress: (da-da-da-da DA), but I thought I could get used to it for the sake of the story.
Then, less than 2 minutes into the recording comes the voice of 'Milo.' A parody of 'hard-bitten cop.' Almost unbearably unconvincing. Okay, well, maybe he won't be a main character. Then comes the principal, Linda Overstreet, Ed.D. OMG! It was fascinating to try to figure out what kind of audio manipulation created this voice. and what, exactly, was supposed to be conveyed by her absurd breathlessness (sexy? overmedicated? just weird?). I knew there would be children's voices coming up, so I masochistically listened on and, yep, distractingly bad.
It's hard to do voices. Really hard. But not impossible. Sorry this book wasn't matched up with a more skilled reader.

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

Good book, excruciatingly awful reading.

What did you like best about Time Bomb? What did you like least?

Another good one by Kellerman. It's been years since i read it in print, but this narrator is so criminally bad that it's difficult to fairly judge the merits of the book itself. Milo often sounds like a vary bad imitation of Michael Keaton's "Betelgeuse," & the voices of other characters vary wildly. The women are cringeworthy. The only character who sounded 1/2way decent (the rabbi) was a minor one. The reader's voice often sounds so strained I kept getting a vision of him with fold of skin being twisted in a pair of vice-grips. VERY unfortunate that 'Alexander Adams' (a.k.a. Grover Gardner) didn't do all the Alex Delaware books.

What didn???t you like about Jeff Harding???s performance?

Anything, everything. His voice, accents, performance, timing, and characterizations seemed middle school level at best. I will in the future avoid this reader like the plague.

4 of 6 people found this review helpful

Just an okay read...

Would you try another book from Jonathan Kellerman and/or Jeff Harding?

I've read almost everything Jonathan Kellerman.

How could the performance have been better?

I prefer John Rubenstein as a narrator.

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

Such a terrible narrator

I love the Alex Delaware series. But the narrator is just awful. Mispronounces simple words. Awkward grating voice. Just so so bad. Which is unfortunate.

I Didn't Think It Would Ever End

I really enjoy the Alex Delaware series. However, I don't think I will be able to listen to any more narrated by Jeff Harding. He was just terrible and his voice over for the female characters is beyond description. Honestly, I don't know what to say. By the time I'd gotten down to the last two hours I was listening simply to get it over with. The length of the book compounded the terrible narration and I reached a point where I had completely forgotten what the mystery was. If there was a tie-in to the sniping incident and the sniper I lost that someplace. As much as I'd like to continue the series I don't think I can with this narrator. Not a book I can recommend anyone purchase or use a credit on.

Good book, but not his best.

I'm a Kellerman fan and enjoyed this book. it wasn't his best though. it just seemed like he got to a point and wanted to wrap it up quickly; the end was rather rushed.
I wasn't thrilled with the narrator...maybe it was a regional thing, but he pronounced a lot of words much differently than I ever heard them. I'm from the area of the country where the action takes place and none of the characters would talk that way. it seems like he should figure out how to pronounce 'Pacoima' before attempting to read this book.

Very odd pronunciation by reader was distracting.

I always enjoy listening to the Alex Delaware books, but Spira Gyra isn't speara geera. Many other weirdnesses. Ficus as feecus. I will think twice before buying a book read by Jeff Harding again.

Not Kellermans best work, but fair

What did you like best about Time Bomb? What did you like least?

There were some irrational plot leaps and assumptions by the characters.

Would you be willing to try another book from Jonathan Kellerman? Why or why not?

Most of his stuff is very good 4-5 stars

Any additional comments?

Narrator was terrible. Mispronounced words, flat tone -not very professional

Excellent

Kellerman at his best
Great artistry in character description
Great twisty plot
Jeff Harding's narration brilliant - I would listen to him all day - wait - that's just what I did - and loved it

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Not the best thriller I've read

Is there anything you would change about this book?

A lot less detail about the clothes everyone was wearing and the decor of their houses - it became tiresome after a while

Would you be willing to try another book from Jonathan Kellerman? Why or why not?

Yes, if I could be sure that there were not so many detailed descriptions of clothes and houses - quite distracting

Have you listened to any of Jeff Harding’s other performances? How does this one compare?

Excellent as always - I have listened to many books read by Jeff Harding and love the way he portrays male and female characters

Do you think Time Bomb needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

I'd like to know if the relationship between Alex and the head teacher continued

0 of 1 people found this review helpful