Time's Echo

A CHRONOS Files Novella

By: Rysa Walker

Narrated by: Nick Podehl

Length: 3 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's Summary

Kiernan Dunne abandoned his family ties to help Kate fight the Cyrists, and he's never regretted that for one moment. But he doesn't understand why Kate can't remember that night in 1893 Chicago, when she turned back to face the killer chasing them through the smoky corridors of the World's Fair Hotel. Kate placed the CHRONOS key around his neck and made his eight-year-old self promise to wear it always, and that's a promise Kiernan has never broken.

When Kate suddenly vanishes after a Cyrist-engineered time shift, that hidden medallion is Kiernan's only hope for finding her. He returns to the Cyrist fold to look for clues, but his search will lead him back to the question that has haunted him for years - what really happened after he left Kate at the World's Fair Hotel?

This digital novella gives Timebound lovers a glimpse at Kate in another timeline and helps set the stage for Time's Edge, the second book in The CHRONOS Files Series, coming from Skyscape in October.

©2014 Rysa Walker (P)2014 Rysa Walker

Cash Grab

What disappointed you about Time's Echo?

Ridiculously short, costs more than the second book in the series! Barely adds anything to overall story. Not for children.

What was most disappointing about Rysa Walker’s story?

This whole book could condensed into 1 chapter of the main story. This is a complete cash grab.

What three words best describe Nick Podehl’s voice?

Decent OK average

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Time's Echo?

All of them, and incorporated the last couple chapters into the main books.

Any additional comments?

This book and second in the series contain (unnecessary) sexual themes. I will not be allowing my kids to listen.

Skip the Novella and Read Book #2

You will learn nothing new in this book that you will not learn by just reading book 2. I was hoping to get a better understanding of Kate and Kiernan's bond, but there was nothing, it was such a waste. The plot action also leads nowhere new. Skip the novella and just read book 2.

Finally a novella for my favorite character

Would you listen to another book narrated by Nick Podehl?

I didn't think he did a very good job with the accent. Sometimes he had one, and sometimes he didn't, which was very confusing.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

This was a pretty short book, so I think I finished it in two. I was disappointed by the narration, and considered stopping part way through the book, but decided to power through.

Any additional comments?

While I didn't love this book, I was very happy to get a little more information about my favorite character from the series. Kiernan Dunne is a great character.

A nice side trip from the first book

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I you have read/listened to Timebound and want to get some of the story from other views it is a great book.

The narration was good until it got to the female voices for some reason the voice used pulled me out of the book.

What did you like best about this story?

hearing some other viewpoints of the story

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Nick Podehl?

someone with a better range for female voices

Was Time's Echo worth the listening time?

yes

Nice companion to the series

Admittedly I loved Kiernan from the first book, Timebound, so I was very excited to get his point of view. I loved getting inside his head and understanding how he fit into Kate’s timeline(s). Because this is time travel it can become confusing at times, but the author does a good job of explaining it along the way. Although this novella did not advance the story that began in the first book, it was a great companion piece for fans of Kiernan. I would have given this 5 stars but the narration was not the best. Otherwise, I enjoyed the listen.

Decent story, but not well-narrated

Did Nick Podehl do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

Character differentiation was good, but the voices he used for those characters took me completely out of the story. Jess sounded too much like Jimmy Stewart and Saul sounded exactly like Agent Smith from The Matrix.

Also, Kiernan--the main character from whose perspective the entire story is told--is Irish. Nick's Irish accent was very slight and extremely inconsistent.

I like Nick's voice and his story-telling skills are decent, but I would have liked to see more consistency and creativity.

Any additional comments?

Overall, this was a nice filler story for the Chronos Files series. It was interesting seeing things from Kiernan's point of view and get new perspective on Kate and an "insider's" view of the Cyrists.

Kiernan’s story

This short story fills in what happened to Kiernan after he escapes the fire and the crazy killer in the later 1800’s after the Chicago World’s Fair. It explains why he is “stuck” in 1905 Boston, and gives some details about his relationship with the Kate he knew, that was different than the Kate he met at 8 years old. There were several small time shifts; one resulting in removing Kate’s existence in 1905.
I felt really badly for Kiernan’s loss of Kate and her memories of him, but he is still galant as he tries to save her on the subway after Simon attacks her. Simon’s story is also flushed out a bit in this novella, and we learn that he is indeed Prudence’s son - and that both mother and son are power hungry.

We shall see how and when Kate meets up with Kiernan again, and how she reconciles her relationship with Trey from the first book.

The narrator does all the male voices well, but he doesn’t do Kiernan’s Irish lilt nearly as well as Ms. Rudd in the main novels. He also makes all the women, including Kate, sound annoying and petty. So I just tried to hear Ms. Rudd’s voice speak for Kate.
The story was still good in spite of the funky female voices.
Looking forward to Book 2.....

Just one question to the Audible staff- why does this shorter novella cost more money than the full length story?
I didn’t want to use a credit on a 3+ hour story. And the cost of Bk. 2 was cheaper than my individual credits cost, so I bought it.

Timing if Off

What made the experience of listening to Time's Echo the most enjoyable?

This is a 1.5 Novella which is Kiernan Dunn filling in some blanks in the story line.

Who was your favorite character and why?

In this book none they are a family

Have you listened to any of Nick Podehl’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I do not know if I have, but I did not enjoy him. His performance of Kiernan Dunn was off. In the main books Kiernan Dunn has a thick lovely Irish Brogue. You cannot hear it at all in the Novellas read by Nick.

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

Running out of TIme

Not memorable

I feel it's better to stick to the full length novels than the "only from Audible" novellas. Regardless of the author, those tend to be short, throwaway works to satisfy the Audible gods.

One Book

I love this whole storyline and I feel the only negative I have so far is that the entire series could have been in one book, maybe two.

Fabulous Series

Have really enjoyed this series. Great twists and turns, wonderful imaginative story even if the time travel thought does give you a headache :)

Enjoyable sideline to the series

Interesting sideline told from Kiernan Dunn perspective. Narrator was okay but I didn't like his interpretation of Simons voice and of all female characters which he made sound trashy.
otherwise a good story.