Tag Archives: audiobook

The Raven Tower

Book Review of The Raven Tower, by Ann Leckie

Leave a reply

I borrowed an audio copy of Ann Leckie‘s The Raven Tower through my local library.

Description from Goodreads:

For centuries, the kingdom of Iraden has been protected by the god known as the Raven. He watches over his territory from atop a tower in the powerful port of Vastai. His will is enacted through the Raven’s Lease, a human ruler chosen by the god himself. His magic is sustained via the blood sacrifice that every Lease must offer. And under the Raven’s watch, the city flourishes.

But the power of the Raven is weakening. A usurper has claimed the throne. The kingdom borders are tested by invaders who long for the prosperity that Vastai boasts. And they have made their own alliances with other gods.

It is into this unrest that the warrior Eolo–aide to Mawat, the true Lease–arrives. And in seeking to help Mawat reclaim his city, Eolo discovers that the Raven’s Tower holds a secret. Its foundations conceal a dark history that has been waiting to reveal itself…and to set in motion a chain of events that could destroy Iraden forever. 

Review:

This had a slow, but consistent pace. But I found that I continued to find chores I could do to keep listening to it. I enjoyed that the narrator was utterly unexpected and that the main character was just a tad off-centre from power. If you’re looking for a rollicking, fast-paced novel, this isn’t it. But it you like interesting, thought-provoking narrations it very well could be. This was my first Leckie book, but it won’t be my last. And Adjoa Andoh did a great job with the narration. In fact, while I’m sure I’d have liked the book regardless, I wonder if I’d have loved it as much as I did had I not listened to it.

Dead Man

Book Review of Dead Man (Black Magic Outlaw #1), by Domino Finn

Leave a reply

I picked up a freebie copy of Dead Man, by Domino Finn in 2017. I upgraded to an Audible copy in my recent audio book buying spree.

Description from Goodreads:

I’m Cisco Suarez: necromancer, shadow charmer, black magic outlaw. Sounds kinda cool, doesn’t it? It was, right until I woke up half dead in a dumpster.

Did I say half dead? Because I meant 100% dead. Full on. I don’t do things halfway.

So here I am, alive for some reason, just another sunny day in Miami. It’s a perfect paradise, except I’m into something bad. Wanted by police, drenched in the stink of dark magic, nether creatures coming out of the woodwork, and don’t get me started on the Haitian voodoo gang. Trust me, it’s all fun and games until there’s a zombie pit bull on your tail.

I’m Cisco Suarez: necromancer, shadow charmer, black magic outlaw, and totally screwed. 

Review:

Entertaining overall, but there was a slow start with far too many info drops and the plot was a tad on the thin side. There were also a couple inconsistencies, like someone walking to work and saying they’d get a ride home and then Cisco showing up at work to borrow her car, which is there. However, I liked Cisco and was invested in what happened to him. I’d be willing to read the next in the series. Neil Hellegers did a fine job with the narration.

dying for a living

Book Review of Dying for a Living, by Kory M. Shrum

Leave a reply

I picked up an ebook copy of Kory M. Shrum‘s Dying for a Living as an Amazon Freebie in 2015. Then, I purchased the Audible version in my recent audiobook buying spree

Description from Goodreads:

On the morning before her 67th death, it is business as usual for Jesse Sullivan: meet with the mortician, counsel soon-to-be-dead clients, and have coffee while reading the latest regeneration theory. Jesse dies for a living, literally. As a Necronite, she is one of the population’s rare 2% who can serve as a death replacement agent, dying so others don’t have to. Although each death is different, the result is the same: a life is saved, and Jesse resurrects days later with sore muscles, new scars, and another hole in her memory.

But when Jesse is murdered and becomes the sole suspect in a federal investigation, more than her freedom and sanity are at stake. She must catch the killer herself—or die trying.

Review:

This was OK. That’s the best I can say for it. It wasn’t bad, but nothing in it lit me up either. It’s and interesting world Shrum created and I appreciated the bi-sexual lead, but I also found Jesse’s constant sarcasm annoying and I often found her responses to things stupid. Here’s an example, someone is trying to kill you, you know this. They’ve almost succeeded once already, in fact. A friend calls and frantically tells you that people are coming for you and you have to get out of the house fast. Do you drop everything and run or do you whine about how you just made a sandwich and could leaving wait? Hmmmm, this is apparently a hard decision because Jesse did the latter. There were several similar instances. There were also a couple ‘well, isn’t that convenient’ moments. The final one with Lane, especially. So, while the book is competently written, it wasn’t a winner for me.

Now, a word of the narration by Hollie Jackson. She did a fine job in the narrative parts of the story and I thought she did a fine job with Jesse and the male characters, as well. However, each and every other female in the book is voiced with such saccharine, borderline teasing tones that I wanted to slap them all. None felt natural. Never have a met a woman who actually speaks like all of these women do.