Book Review - Her Brother's Keeper by Mike Kupari

I pre-ordered Her Brother's Keeper back in June and have been waiting anxiously for it. This is for two reasons. First, I really like Mike's work with Larry Correia in Dead Six and Swords of Exodus. Those two books have awesome characters and action and a plot that is more complex than a whole lot of other books out there. I recently read some books through a free ebook service and I have not reviewed them here because they felt very mediocre. I once asked my Mom if Jane Eyre was a Gothic novel and she replied by saying Jane Eyre is what Gothic novels aspired to be. Dead Six and Swords of Exodus are to action and military thriller as Jane Eyre is to Gothic. Because of how Mike and Larry wrote those books, you can tell when you're reading Mike and when you're reading Larry. This is not due to a difference in quality but rather style, and Mike has established a great writing style. I would say that Mike has a great way with characters, specially ones that have to deal with all kinds of troubles and still keep on moving. Second, for a brief period, before he cleared out his Facebook friends, I was able to interact with him and see a bit of his life. He was a really nice guy. Somebody that impressed me in several different ways. I don't know that I would be able relate to him or that we would have a lot in common, but he was somebody that I wanted to see succeed. Her Brother's Keeper is his first solo book and if it did well then he might be able to get a contact with the publisher that would help support him. Between his good writing and my desire to see him succeed, I wanted to support him. That is why I pre-ordered his book. And I'm glad I did.

Plot: Cecil Blackwood is the heir to the Blackwood clan's fortune and power on Avolon. He is also a bit of a scoundrel. His latest adventure has sent him to the far distant, tumultuous planet of Zanzibar, hunting alien relics where he was quickly captured by a local warlord, Lang. Now he is being ransomed off to his family. Captain Catherine Blackwood runs a tight ship and has a reputation for calm efficiency. That's one of the reasons her father hired her to get her brother back despite not being happy with her chosen career. Catherine's job is to travel the months long journey to Zanzibar and get her brother back. Her father simply intends to pay Lang, but Catherine knows that most jobs don't always go according to plan so while stopping for supplies she hires a few people who specialize in getting people like her brother away from warlords like Lang. With a ship for of supplies and some people who are very good at breaking things She sets off to rescue her brother. But Cecil won't be ideal for that time and what he and his colleagues find might just change Zanzibar for the worst.

My personal favorites: As with his other work, I liked the characters. Kupari has created a good cast. I would love to follow any of the characters into other stories whether it's Catherine into space, Cecil on a dig, or Marcus at home with the police. The world/galaxy Mike set up is complex. It explains the idea of "lost technologies" far better than I've seen it anywhere else. The action was, of course, well done. Mike knows his stuff having been in firefights and disarmed actual bombs himself. The story was also more than just your standard space opera. There was a mash of different genre stories throughout and it made it a lot of fun. It was difficult to put the book down once I started.

Considerations: There is little strong language, certainly a lot less than Dead Six. There wasn't any graphic violence, despite there being a fair amount of action. It was tastefully done. There was some sensuality with nothing graphic or too descriptive - along the lines of Dead Six again. All in all, I would recommend it to a older young adult and above audience - 18 or so.

I loved every minute of Her Brother's Keeper. It was a great action Sci-fi with classic elements such as space ship battles, FTL travel, new cultures and aliens and, where rocket ships take off and land on their tails, "...as God and Heinlein intended." I'm glad to have it in my collection and I look forward to future stories set in this world. The total length was 384 pages.

Book Review - The Aeronaut's Windlass:The Cinder Spire Series book 1 by Jim Butcher

I've reviewed a couple of Butcher's Dresden Files books and I enjoyed them quite a bit. I would like to read more of his stuff, but my library doesn't carry the next one I need. Luckily, I was able to get The Aeronaut's Windlass through my library's eBook collection. I was excited because I really liked Butcher's other stuff and I can appreciate, and enjoy, a good steam punk. Windlass was not a good steam punk, it was a great steam punk. It was accessible, mysterious, funny, intriguing, exciting, and captivating. Because I have a lot of reading time on the bus, I don't tend to read to myself at home. However, I couldn't get enough of this book and finished in traditional fashion, lying in bed unable to sleep until I finished it. It's the third of six books that I've got on my plate at the moment. And I'm glad that I was able to enjoy it.

Plot: The Spires are community that rises into the sky in structures built by unknown hands that are connected via airships powered by crystals grown over years, decades, and centuries. While they usually get along, every once in a while there are difficulties. Spire Albion is a prosperous "country", ruled by a council of noble houses and protected by the Fleet. Captain Francis Madison Grimm is not with the fleet. He was, but he was drummed out for cowardice, or at least that's what the official report said. Since then he's been making his way as a privateer wreaking havoc on Spire Aurora's merchant shipping. Enough that they decided to try to shoot down his ship. Limping home Grimm arrives in time to help repel a full scale assault on Spire Albion by Spire Aurora. Grimm isn't the only one that is able to lend a hand at the time of the assault. Gwendolyn, Benedict, Bridget and Rowl (a cat) are recruits finishing their training in the Guard who find themselves faced with the enemy. Showing great coolness and cunning while under fire they catch the eye of the man in charge and are tasked with a mission of finding out what the attack was trying to cover. There is more than meets the eyes going on.

My personal favorites: I liked everything about this book, the characters, the plot, the world, the action. Everything. It was gripping and complex, yet easy to follow. The cats were wonderful, adding intrigue and comic relief in turn. Yet everything was balanced so well that it didn't feel too much at any time. The tension was consistent but I didn't get desensitized. The learning curve was fairly lengthy but it was a gradual and, again, easy to follow. Butcher does a great job with action and suspense and there were several stand up and cheer moments. All in all it was a great read and an awesome ride.

Considerations: There was plenty of violence, but little of it was graphic. Some strong language, but nothing my that jumped out - a lot of it was in world language. Some sensuality, but very, very little, and nothing descriptive. I would probably recommend it for more of a mid to later young adult (sixteen and up) more for situation and technology considerations than for anything else.

I loved The Aeronauts's Windlass. It was a great action/adventure story told in a fun world and by an expert storyteller. It would be a great read for someone interested in steampunk or someone looking for a fun take on sci-fi. Either way, it's a total win. I got it on ebook, so I cannot say how long it was.

Book Review - Vatta's War Series by Elizabeth Moon

The last of the first set of borrowed book from Dad. Vatta's War consists of five books: Trading in Danger, Marque and Reprisal, Engaging the Enemy, Command Decision, and Victory Conditions. These are military sci-fi with a good dose of intrigue and character drama. Dad recommend them since I enjoyed Honor Harrington and I'll agree that the two feel similar. I would have to say that a big chunk of that similarity comes from the strong, competent female lead, but there was a lot that was different about them too. For instance Honor Harrinton is a mature, up through the ranks officer while Ky Vatta got never graduated from the academy (not from lack of trying) and is young and impulsive. In short, so as to keep this from being an unnecessary comparison of two excellent worlds, I liked both of them a lot and they are quite different. There are a lot of good things I want to put in the personal favorites section.

Plot: Ky Vatta is the daughter the CEO of widely successful Vatta Enterprises. A family owned and operated shipping company, Vatta is widely respected across interstellar trade routes. Ky, however, is more interested in joining the Spaceforce than in running cargo or sitting behind a desk. That all comes crashing down when she gets kicked out of the Academy. Sent by her family to run an old ship to the scrapyard, Ky is not looking forward to the quite life of a trader. Unfortunately, fate has a way of giving people exactly what they ask for but don't want. Ky's first "milk run" of a trade attempt lands her in the middle of a civil war. While Ky is able to address the challenge and rise above it, fate has much more in store. When her family is attacked and interstellar communications go down Ky decides to put her training to good use. While Vatta started out as the victim Ky intends to make them the avenger.

My personal favorites: There are lots of good characters and great situations that they have to work through. Moon does a good job at keeping the tension going without it feeling overdone. All of the conflicts felt authentic and believable. Ky is a bit of a loose cannon (at first) and grows through her challenges well. The character dramas between the players felt real as well and provided a great context to the over-arching challenges the characters faced. The action was well done and there was some great stand up and cheer moments. I also liked how the characters had their own competencies and weaknesses and how they all played off each other. I was surprised by the direction the story, or elements of the story went at times and wasn't disappointed at all.

Considerations: There is violence, but nothing graphic or gratuitous. And there were some sexual references, but again, nothing overt, graphic, or explicit. There was not any strong language used and the writing was age appropriate for late young adult. In a final comparison with Honor Harrington, these books are lightly more appropriate for a younger audience.

I'm always a little anxious when starting a new series, worried that I'll be able to get into it and will find it enjoyable. The series starts off quickly and just keeps going, ramping up the challenges without leaving you feeling burned out. Trading was just over 300 pages, Marque was about 400, Engaging was just over 400, Command was just under 400, and Victory was just over 400.

Audible Book Review - Dune by Frank Herbert

I'm getting caught up on book reviews, as you can probably tell. I'm also in the middle of a series and am waiting until the end to review it. If I followed my past model (reviewing each book as it comes out) I would have to write two more book reviews. Dune is the second to last Audible review I will do for the present. I have one more book I pre-ordered coming at the end of October so I'll get to that one when I can. Dune is one of my favorite books. Considered one of the outstanding landmarks in the sci-fi genre, my father suggested it to me when I was in high school. There are a lot of books in the series, but I have only read the first book, and I'm okay with that. The book had a full cast, but did not always use it. The chief narrator was Scott Brick, who read the sections that were none dialog and limited dialog. The full cast was utilized for sections that had excessive dialog, particularly those without dialog tags, where two people are talking rapidly back and forth. There were also sound and music cues that were very effective at providing atmosphere and ambiance. I'm not surprised the production won a Audie award in 2008. I liked the different voices cast for the characters. Baron Harkonnen was particularly good.

Plot: Arrakis, Dune, is a planet of sands and Spice. The chemical Melange, known as Spice, is critical for interstellar travel. It is beyond important. It is essential to the present and future of the empire. But any Spice mining draws the justifiably feared Makers, sand worms so large they can eat factories whole. What's more, Dune is so dry that water of all kinds is richly cherished, so much so that when someone dies the water is reclaimed from their bodies prior to burial. Paul Atredies, the son and heir of Duke Leto, comes to Dune as a young man when the emperor grants his family the fiefdom of Dune. The previous rulers, House Harkonnen, House Atredies' rival, nemesis, and greatest threat, sought to subjugate the natives through force and violence. But Leto seeks to alley himself with the natives - the Fremen. These desert nomads grow up in the most harsh conditions in the galaxy. If he is successful, he will have the finest worriers imaginable - more fierce than the Emperor's terror troops. So it is no surprise that there is a trap waiting for Paul and his family, set to wipe them out. However, Paul and his father know that the first step of defeating a trap is knowing that it's there...

My personal favorites: Dune has got all the hallmarks of sci-fi, inventive technologies, strange cultures, intriguing alien creatures, new societies, and then it throws in a chunk of political and religious intrigue. One of Dune's motto's is "plans within plans, within plans, and it's important to remember than as you listen to it. The character's are great and the depth of the conflicts is captivating. The book is over 20 hours long, but it didn't feel like it. There are moments of reflection as well as moments of action. And let's face it, the idea of riding a sand worm is just awesome.

Considerations: In terms of descriptions there is nothing that I would object to a young teen reading. There is nothing graphic or gratuitous in the writing. The only consideration is the steep learning curve and the more adult level intrigue and themes. As I stated at the beginning, I was in high school when I read the book.

I try to re-read this book every couple of years, but because it's a great story with good intrigue and characters that I love. I'm glad to have it as part of my audio library now as well, particularly since the production is very good. The total length was just over 20 hours.

Book Review - Farmer in the Sky by Robert A Heinlein

When I was a boy scout I was told that I should read Farmer in the Sky by Robert Heinlein. I was told that it was published, in an abridged format, in the Boys Life magazine. The inside cover conveys this as well, mentioning that it was titled, "The Satellite Scout." As the more hard core sci-fi was not my usual cup of cocoa, all I knew about the book was that the main character was an Eagle Scout. As I was borrowing books from Dad and exploring more sci-fi, I figured that it was time to finally sit down and read Farmer in the Sky. While it takes me a while, I try to read the books my parents recommend. As per the usual, I was not disappointed. Heinlein is one of the grandfathers of sci-fi, and as I recently pre-ordered a sci-fi book,Her Brother's Keeper by Mike Kupari, I figured that I ought to establish some roots. Especially since Kupari pointed out that the space ships in his book, "land on their tails as Heinlein intended." Farmer in the Sky was published sixty-five years ago and while dated (no references to calculators but several to slide rules) I would say it still holds up.

Plot: Bill and George are headed to Ganymede, emigrants headed for the small colony on Jupiter's largest moon. The trip will take two months and they're not sure exactly what will happen when they get there, but they know that they are going. This means some big changes for the father and son team. Bill suddenly finds out that he's getting a step-mother and step-sister. He won't be going to school in the near future. And he will be leaving his scout troop. But the changes continue when they reach the Jovian moon and find out that the planners back on Earth hadn't listened to the colony's demands for less people and more equipment. Now Bill has to decide how he, George, and their new family are going to survive in this outer world wilderness.

My favorite parts: The narrative was great. Bill was a solid narrator that felt natural and had his imperfections. I liked the characters and even though I didn't feel myself getting sucked into the book, I realized halfway through that Heinlein had enticed me deep enough that I really cared for the characters, and was invested in the story. The book did a great job of balancing sci-fi's traditional tech heavy dialog with good story telling. You learn how they are able to do everything but I didn't get bogged down in the descriptions.

Considerations: There's a reason this book was released in a middle grade level publications. There wasn't anything that was questionable and it would read well for many ages. It's clear to me why my parents recommended it to me as a young boy scout (age 11-12).

If I were to introduce my children to sci-fi, I would probably start with this book. It's clean, it's a traditional sci-fi story format, and it's not too long. I'm sure that's what my parents were trying to do. The total length was 224 pages. 

Baen Books Free Library Book Review - The Honor of the Queen by David Weber, Honor Harrington book 2

About six months ago I got into the Baen Free Radio Hour podcast hosted by Tony Daniel. I originally got into it because for the last 15 minutes or so they play an unabridged audio book which they've serialized. They are about half way through Larry Corriea's Hard Magic and it's what prompted me to buy that some production (and the 2nd book in the trilogy) when I had the chance. However, the podcast has also introduced me to other authors and reading resources that I didn't know about before. One of these was the Baen Ebook Free Library. While I didn't really get into ebooks before I recently got a smart phone with a screen big enough to actually be able to read off of. When I realized this, I thought I would give ebooks a try. Interestingly enough I had recently borrowed Honor of the Queen from my father when I found it for free on Baen's ebook website. I didn't pick this book up on Audible because I wasn't sure if I wanted to pursue the story from On Basilisk Station. I'd learned how big the series was and after reading several book descriptions didn't know if I liked the way the series was headed. I figured borrowing the book would be a safe way to explore it. To wrap up this long introduction - I loved the book even more than the first and am glad that I have a copy that I can keep. Here is a link to Baen Ebook Free Library for the book. It was a great read and had some great suspense and showed us just how human and how awesome Captain Honor Harrington can be. For those that would like, they also have the first book in the series On Basilisk Station available in the Free Library. You could probably read the second without the first, but they don't explain the tech quite as well the 2nd time around.

Plot: After the near disaster at Basilisk Station the Royal Manticoran Navy has realized how seriously the People's Republic of Haven was about their expansionism. With Basilisk safely protected the RMN starts looking for other ways the Peeps might get at them. This takes them to Yeltsin's Star, a two planet system with a 600 year feud. The Manticorans are looking to support the planet Grayson all the while suspecting that the Peeps will back the Masadans. While technologically less advanced and culturally very different from Manticore and Haven, Yeltsin's Star does have one thing that both powerhouses want - location, location, location. But how far are Manticore and Haven willing to go to court the Graysons and the Masadans? How much blood will be spilled before the power houses realize that they have gotten involved in one religion's jihad on the other? Honor must come to grips with all of this while she acts as diplomat to a planet where a women's place is at home and decidedly not in the military.

My persona favorites: Weber does a great job of giving us social and political intrigue with some serious kick trash space combat. As I read I watched with mounting dread as the challenges and obstacles piled up. It made the climax that much better. Weber does a really good job of showing the extent of a battle and the result of using such powerful weapons. Ships and people die at a realistic rate and the physics involved feel true and correct. I found the fanaticism of the Masadans to be believable and in some ways pitied them. Weber even got me to care about Haven at one point. All of the characters were fantastic and I enjoyed the villains and the heroes/heroines

Considerations: Like the first book, there is language and violence in this book. I found it used appropriately and wasn't jerked out of the story by it. While there is some graphic descriptions of violence, it is minimal and again, doesn't distract. I do need to mention that there is a rather intense scene where we learn about the fate of some female POWs that some may find disturbing. The scene in question is powerfully written and does not wallow in the visceral, but conveys the strong emotions that are the root of the characters' reactions.

Overall, I loved The Honor of the Queen. I was really happy with the action and the characters. I am defiantly going to borrow the next book from my father and continue to explore the free library.

Audible Book Review - Hard Magic by Larry Corriea

Audible had a sale not long ago and I got an E-mail saying that some of the items on my wish list were part of the sale. Hard Magic is the first book in the Grimnoir Chronicles, one of my favorite trilogies written by one of my favorite authors. I've owned a physical copy for years. I had never planned on using a credit on it, but when it was available for $4... It was too tempting. Interestingly enough, Hard Magic is the current after program book that the Bean Free Radio Hour podcast is featuring. Every week after they have their interview with their guest they play a fifteen or twenty minute section of the complete, unabridged audio book. As of this writing they are on part 20 something out of a whole lot more, but it was this podcast that convinced me that I really wanted to own the audio book. The narration is done by Bronson Pinchot who does a wonderful, incredible job with it. I like his narrations as his voice talent is almost like a full cast reading the material. Listening to him in 15 minute sections was wonderful enough that I wanted to be able to enjoy one of my favorite stories read by an amazing narrator any time I wanted. Here is a link to Audible's page for the book. I previously reviewed Warbound, the conclusion of the trilogy, when it came out last year. I figured that even though I had already read this book, the fact that I now own two copies of it in different formats was enough to warrant a review here.

Plot: In the 1850s people from all walks of life started to exhibit magical powers. These powers varied by their intensity but fell into easily defined limits. Brutes - who could magnify their strength, Torches and Cracklers - who could control fire and lightning, Gravity Spikers - who could manipulate gravity, and many more with  powers over mind, body, and spirits began to change the history of the world. Jake Sullivan is a Great War veteran war hero, former convict, and an Active Gravity Spiker. Working as a private investigator in Detroit he finds himself drafted by the Bureau of Investigation to help arrest a dangerous Brute who Jake just happen to know. However, during the arrest Jake finds himself against an entire gang of Actives - and not just actives, but the best, most powerful actives he's ever heard of. When they get way Sullivan can't give up the chase. In the process however, Jake learns that the there is still a war going on and that the fate of the world hangs in the balance. Meanwhile, Sally Faye Vierra is enjoying working on her adopted grandfather's dairy farm. Purchased from her Dust Bowl displaced family for $10 by the Portuguese man, Faye has grown up learning about hard work and teleportation, an ability she shares with "Traveler Joe." She loves life and doesn't see anything in the future but the same when Her grandfather is murdered for a strange device that she's never seen before. With Traveler Joe's last request for her to seek out a former friend she leaves the destroyed farm and ends us discovering that her grandfather belonged to something a lot bigger than anything she could have imagined. And it turns out that that device her murder took could spell the end of the world.

My personal favorites: Some may hear of Larry Corriea's books being described as "action" and assume that action is all they contain. While there is no shortage of action in the Grimnoir Chronicles Corriea demonstrates that he is capable of so much more than awesome action. One thing that I like about his action is that it translates very, very well non-printed media. As for the characters, their motivations are firm, their abilities and limitations are clear and their personalities are distinct. I particularly like the diversity to the cast. You have Jake, who might be described as the all American hero fighting along side Faye, an unpredictable hick, John Browning, the Mormon gun maker, Jane, the Eastern European Healer, and Heinrich Koenig, a former resident of Berlin who survived the post war catastrophe that got it renamed Dead City. The villains are also well done. The Chairman, the Iron Guard, and Mr. Madi are all more than just megalomaniacs looking for world domination. The story is complex with twists and turns that never take it off the rails, but lets you come along on the ride.

Considerations: It is important to note that there is strong language and some graphic descriptions of violence in this book. Nothing is gratuitous, and it is not as bad as the Monster Hunter books, but it is there. It is a solid action story so while it does have great story and suspense some may feel overwhelmed by the action scenes. My older sister confessed to skipping many of Corriea's action scenes, but I think that was more out of a sense of "Okay, this Larry getting his quick fix and then the story will continue." There are no sexual scenes and only a small handful of scenes with implied sensuality.

I'm already planning on picking up the next two books of the Grimnoir Chronicles at some point because I enjoyed the audio version of Hard Magic so much. Maybe I'll get lucky and they'll go on sale soon. The total length was one minute under 16 hours.

Audible Book Review - Monster Hunter Nemesis by Larry Corriea

This is one that I've been anxiously awaiting. While I've reviewed other books of Larry Corriea, this is the first book of his from the Monster Hunter universe. This is book five in the series and while the previous four do provide a lot of background on characters and events it arguable that you could read Nemesis without going through the previous books. However, I really liked the previous four books and would recommend them to anyone who enjoys those kinds of books. Some bookstores don't know how to shelf the Monster Hunter series because while it feels like an urban fantasy (modern context with supernatural elements) the reasoning behind it is more sci-fi. The basic description of Monster Hunter I can provide is this. Monsters are real. The government has established an organization (the Monster Control Bureau or MCB) that strives to keep them secret and eliminate them. As this task is beyond a single, secret government organization, a system of bounties was established. Private eradication companies exist, funding their operations through these bounties. Monster Hunter International (MHI) is the top private company in the United States, and maybe the world. This latest book continues giving us more information on the world of monsters and those that fight them. Here is a link for the Audible page for the book. It was narrated by Oliver Wyman, who narrates the other Monster Hunter books, and while I was initially skeptical about his performance it wasn't long before he brought me fully into the story and I was enjoying myself.

Plot: Every monster hunter currently alive knows of Special Agent Franks of the MCB. They know that he can kill anything. They know that he is faster, stronger, and tougher than anyone else. He beat a werewolf to death with its own arm. When demons are confronted with Franks they yell, "Oh, $#*!, it's Franks! RUN!" When there is a problem that needs fixing. He's the man the MCB sends to deal with it. But he's not a man. He's a monster. And now he's crossed a line. Forced to choose between following orders and fulfilling his mission he fulfilled the mission and now is under fire for choking out the MCB director. It turns out that while Franks can kill anything he puts his mind to he can't just kill the bureaucratic spymaster that wants him out of the way. Framed and without allies Franks is loose with the largest bounty ever on his head. Hunters from all over the world are converging on his position and he needs to prove his innocence before he is overwhelmed. Even he has his limits. But Franks is not just fighting for his own survival. Franks' Contract, his Deal, is older than the United States and bigger than the earth. Franks may well be the only thing between mankind and the gates of Hell. And somebody wants him dismantled.

My personal favorites: My previous favorite Monster Hunter book was Alpha, the back story of Earl Harbinger. Nemesis takes a similar vain where we get to see an in-depth look at Franks, his backstory, and his motivations. Nemesis takes Franks and deconstructs him (pun intended) before our eyes. We see what makes him tick and why he does what he does. We also get to see MCB headquarters and the federal agents that we know and see things from their side. Grant Jefferson, the former MHI prick we've seen in previous books still has a chip on his shoulder, but I was actually routing for him for most of the book. We also get to see Archer and Heather, two favorites from previous books. The action sequences were awesome, as usual. I also loved the take on how religion fits into the Monster Hunter world.

Considerations: Like I mentioned with Corriea's other books - There is language, violence, and some gore. Larry does not do sex scenes, so you don't have to worry about that. The languages wasn't as bad as Dead Six but it is still there. There is nothing gratuitous in this book - in regard to the things that may be concerns. Like I said, for people who enjoy these kinds of book I heartily recommend it. If this genre is not for you, you probably already know what you're missing here.

Nemesis was a solid hit and I've already started to listen to it again. It has also made me want to reread the previous books to reexamine Franks' character and see what I can learn now that I know him better. The total length was just over 16 hours.

Audible Book Review - William Shakespeare's Star Wars: Verily a New Hope and The Empire Striketh Back by Ian Doescher

I put out a call on Facebook looking for some new listens on Audible and a good friend directed me towards William Shakespeare's Star Wars. He prefaced his remarks with, "Hear me out" and while I was a little skeptical I had only to listen to the sample audio to find myself grinning like a madman. Here is the Audible page for Verily a New Hope and the Empire Striketh Back  Listen to them yourself. It's honest to goodness iambic pentameter and Shakespearean language fitted nicely with the Star Wars characters and world. The story is one that many are familiar with. If not, it may be helpful to watch movie prior to listening to the book simply so you can focus on the words and characters instead of trying to figure out why Chewebacca is called a rug and doesn't have many lines. The descriptions are good, they are just insufficient to introduce the characters to a new audience. With that said, I think someone could still enjoy the story regardless of their Star Wars experience. There was a cast of narrators including: Daniel and Jonathan Davis, Ian Doescher, January LaVoy and Marc Thompson and I enjoyed their performance quite a bit. As the production was licensed by George Lucas they used the original score for many scenes as well as a full range of sound effects. It sounded a lot like a classic radio play than an audio book and it was well done.

Plot: A long time ago, in a galaxy far far way the Galactic Empire is in the process of tracking down the Rebel Alliance which has recently stolen plans to their soon to be completed space station - the Death Star. With the power to destroy an entire planet the Death Star will ensure compliance and security for the Empire. There search takes to them to the planet Tatooine where a young farmer is dreaming of adventure. What happens, though, when the adventure is over and the consequences come looking for you.

My personal favorites: As a lover of Shakespeare I know that lots of people have adapted Shakespeare for different settings. My sister saw a version of Macbeth set in Japan. My cousin played in Much Ado about Nothing that was post WWII, and we won't even start on the Romeo and Juliet adaptations. Why can't Star Wars be adapted? Ian Doescher does a great job of giving us Star Wars as read by Elizabethans. The exceptional aspect of the production was that the story is written in context with the other stories of the original trilogy. For example, Obi-Wan Kenobi gives the audience an aside where he debates how much to tell Luke of his father. The tradition of soliloquies and asides gives us a deeper understanding of the characters, especially R2-D2 and Lando Calrissian . All in all it was a lot of fun.

Considerations: The only considerations I can mention are ones that people already think of when they hear the title of these books i.e. "What the Heck!" I did not find any offensive content or anything I would object to my children listening to.

Both stories were well done with afterwards explaining nuances drawing attention to some of the things the author did to adapt the story. I look forward to listening to this like an old radio play with my kids when they are old enough to appreciate it. I'm also looking out for The Jedi Doth Return due to come out next month. While I do have other books ahead of it in my cue I look forward to finishing out the trilogy. The length of both stories was the length of an average Shakespearean play, that is 3 and half hours.

Audible Book review - Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

I have a couple of friends that I like to talk books with. While discussing favorite characters my friend Kevin mentioned his favorites was Special Agent Aloysius X.L. Pendergast featured in books by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. I wasn't sure what to listen to next on Audible, so I figured I would give Relic, the first book featuring Pendergast, a try. I was not disappointed in the book or by Pendergast. I was expecting Pendergast to feature as the main character, but was a little surprised to find him as a mid book addition to the cast. With that said the character was a compelling one who didn't overshadow the main characters of Margo Green, Bill Smithback, or Vincent D'Agosta. He didn't take anything away from them and brought a lot himself. Wikipedia calls the book a "techno-thriller." I would describe it as a sci-fi mystery/horror with the authors not pulling any punches when it comes to the consequences of having a natural killer loose. The book does feel dated in some of its references to technology, but holds up well in other areas. Here's a link to the Audible page for the book. It was narrated by David Colacci who did a great job. Not only were the characters individually distinguishable but effects were used for when characters were speaking via radio or in a cavernous space.

Plot: The Museum of Natural History in New York is opening its biggest, most impressive, and most important exhibition in a week and nothing is going to stop it. Not even a trail of bodies. Margo Green, a Ph.D candidate working at the museum, watches as the police try to solve these murders without success. But as more and more clues about the murder weapon and the state of the bodies comes to light Margo is forced to acknowledge that the killer may not be human. Drafted by her mentor, Dr. Frock, and with the help of a resourceful, if slightly egotistical journalist Margo dives deep into the history of a failed expedition, evolutionary biology, and the museum's sub-basement to find and end the killer. Meanwhile, Lt. Vincent D'Agosta, a NYPD officer, and Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast of the FBI (Baton Rouge office), regardless of what their superiors are doing, are trying to keep everyone safe from what may be humanities only natural predator.

My personal favorites: The characters were great. Both the ones I was cheering for and the ones I despised. The narration brought them to life and the writing made them real. Pendergast, like my friend said, was a lot of fun even thought he shows up towards the middle. I really like Lt. D'Agosta, a cop who is dead set on doing the right thing for people and who still cares enough that he struggles watching an autopsy. The creature itself was terrifying and a great work of plausible science and motivations. I was also impressed with the consequences that resulted when things came apart. While a review or two might say that the museum would never have launched the exhibition with the deaths the results of what happen when they launch it are very believable and rather well thought out. It was an exciting read and made for some good suspense.

Considerations: This book does feature gruesome murder: evisceration, decapitation, and other grisly motis operandi. There is very little description of the events occurring, but the aftermath is described. The level of description tends to vary on the character and with a journalist and a police officer being two of the POV characters they tend to keep the descriptions objective. There is an autopsy scene were the injuries are described in detail but in a purely clinical fashion. There is also strong language in the book, used appropriately and only by certain characters. There is no sensual or sexual content.

My wife makes fun of me for my inability to sit quietly though horror films, but I do like good suspense. At times this felt like horror - a gruesome killer loose in a public place - but it was a well written suspense and I found it quite enjoyable. The total length was just over 13 hours.

Audible Book Review - Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone

My brother recommended I try Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone based on it's eligibility for the Hugo this year. As a voting member he and his wife received e-copies of all of the eligible works he found it fascinating. Knowing how excited my brother can get about things he enjoys I took a look at it on Audible. The selection is larger than my local library and i recently found their return policy so I'm more willing to risk a new book or author there. I read the synopsis and was intrigued. It did look promising. However, I already had books in mind and so it sat on my wishlist until I found the return policy on Audible. Trading in Redshirts I scooped up Three Parts Dead and found myself entranced. The world is gritty. The magic is mystical, and the plot was a mystery wrapped with fantasy, religion, and corporate intrigue. Here the link to Audible's page for the book. The narrator was Claudia Alick and she did a good job of the book. It wasn't perfect, but it was very good. I liked the world that Gladstone created, somewhere between high and urban fantasy. The mix was well done. There is a pretty decent learning curve - Gladstone does a lot of showing the world without too much preamble. The Craft (magic - specifically a form of necromancy) is not fully explained, we just know it's limitations and potentials. We don't know how they do things though. It was a fun ride. Unexpected at times and very riveting.

Plot: Tara is under a lot of pressure. She was graduated from The Hidden Schools of Craft simply so they could throw her out the front door to plummet to her death. Then, in an attempt to help her home village she finds herself on the wrong end of an angry mob. Now she is the newest associate (probationary) in one of the world's leading firms of craft and she and her boss have to figure out how a god died and how they are going to fix it before the rioting starts. Combine that with vampires, gargoyles, creditors, and the black suits of Justice and this case is not going to be easy. Tara may be pressured, but at least she wasn't the one on watch when the God died. Abelard, a priest of Kos Everburning, was there when his God ceased to be. Needless to say he is having a crisis of faith and is bound to do everything he can to help Tara and her boss represent the deity in the coming battle for his body and godly power. That includes introducing Tara to his friend Kat - even if Kat is addicted to an odd stimulant. Dealing with her own problems, Kat's professional expertise and unusual recreation (letting vampires bit her wrist) helps Tara and Abelard track down information about Kos' death and they begin to suspect that the god didn't die of natural causes. It appears to be a case of murder most divine.

My personal favorites: The book kept moving. The pacing was quick and well managed. Tara was an interesting character. Abelard, Kat, and the other POV characters were also well flushed out. They each had their strengths and weaknesses. I particularly liked Abelard. He was a religious character who was faced with a literal crisis of faith and overcame it without ever forsaking his faith. The theology of the book was new and refreshing and the world felt well explored. It had a great mix of action and humor and it was easy to listen to. The conclusion wrapped up the story and left things open for more exploring with the characters if the author desires to later.

Considerations: There was very little in the way of graphic description or language in this book. I must point out one use of very strong language at the end, but otherwise it was quite clean. While there was, what might be termed, sensual description (a depiction of Kat getting a "hit" off a vampire bite) there were no sexual situations. There was a rather gruesome murder scene where the victim was dismembered but while the description gives what has been done with his body there is rather sterile without being graphic. The only other thing I mention is the the Craft is a form a necromancy and enables its practitioners to do some rather unusual things such as stick somebody's face to a wig stand. Again, the descriptions are sterile and while a little sudden are not gratuitous or graphic.

I really liked Three Parts Dead and am interested in the 2nd book in the series, Two Serpents Rise. The 2nd book doesn't appear to follow the first, but takes place in the same world. It looks promising. I've readily recommended this book to people already and will continue to do so. The total length was just over 13 hours.

Book review - Cress by Marissa Meyer, The Lunar Chronicles

Since we got Audible accounts, we haven't bought very many physical books. This is simply because it's had to find time to read a book and very easy to listen to one. Cress was an exception that we had all along. Book three of The Lunar Chronicles, Cress continues a story that is part sci-fi, part, political thriller, and part romance. How does that all work? Easy. Just wrap your sci-fi triller romance up as a fairy tale adaptation. Each based around a different fairy tale heroine, The Lunar Chronicles give a fantastic (or should I saw sci-fi-ic) twist on stories most people are familiar with. However, our heroine are not simple damsels in distress. Well, they are in distress  and they are damsels, but one is a cyborg mechanic, the other is a fiery pilot, and Cress is a brilliant, if someone naive, hacker. I've loved these books since I first picked them up and Cress didn't disappoint. I'll provide a basic rundown of the series plot below (without spoilers) and include some basic pot points for Cress specifically.

Plot: The Lunar Chronicles take place in the distant future. Interplanetary travel is fairly common and years ago people settled on the moon. In fact, the people that now live on the moon have evolved into quite different people than those living on Earth - able to control others' perception of themselves and even able to take control of other peoples' bodies. Earth has been ravaged for more than a decade by a plague that is killing thousands. Queen Levana of Luna claims that her doctors have developed a cure but insists on marrying Prince Kai of the Eastern Commonwealth. This is less then desirable as Queen Levana is not know for her patience, kindness, or general positive nature. She's known more for wanting to rule the world with an iron fist. Needless to say, the match is less than optimal. Enter Cinder, a cyborg mechanic who can fix anything. Anything except her broken family, her 2nd class citizenship, and her crush on Prince Kai. Becoming Prince Kai's go to mechanic does have some advantages though. An invitation to the royal ball. But things go downhill when she make entirely the wrong impression on Queen Levana, who is visiting the palace. Things get broken. Very broken and it turns out that Cinder is the only one that can fix them. She leaves in search of answers and a possible solution and crosses paths with Scarlet, a young french lass with red hear and a pistol tucked in her waistband. Keeping her grandmother's farm going despite the older women's disappearance has been rough and the police are no help in tracking her down. Finally deciding to look for her grandmother herself takes Scarlet to Paris in the company of a street fighter who is surprisingly protective of her. However, it turns out that Scarlet's grandmother had secrets and those secrets are troublesome for the Lunars. Scarlet quickly finds it advantageous to join up with Cinder and see that the Lunars don't succeed with their plans. Luckily, both Cinder and Scarlet have an angel keeping Lunar's eyes off of them. Cress knows more about security systems that anyone else out there. She designed the ones used by Luna and she's hacked, cracked, and subverted every other system out there. Trapped on her satellite orbiting between Luna and Earth Cress has come to the decision that too much has been asked of her. Because of her, Luna and Queen Levana have been able to commit some atrocities that Cress wants no part of. But how do you get out of a prison floating in space? And what happens when your masters learn that you're helping the enemy? In the end, Cress gets to taste the fresh air of Earth and gets to meet her hero. But first she has to survive to enjoy both.

My personal favorites: Cress pays homage to the "damsel in distress," with Cress even thinking of herself as the DiD and waiting for her hero, but then shows us why this doesn't work. While being a very real DiD, Cress is also a very competent young woman who shines in her own ways. I particularly found her love of Italian opera a fun detail of her background. She was a well rounded character whose naivety was honest and believable. Cinder and Scarlet continued to be kick butt characters, even though we see Scarlet in a lot more vulnerable situations. The other characters were great as well. I always love Iko. The tension was certainly high, like in the last book, both from the physical danger as well as the potential repercussions, but the flow of the book was nice.

Considerations: There is very little in the way of considerations for this series. The only thing I feel worth mentioning in this section is the brutality that Queen Levana and other Luners can show. With that said there are no graphic descriptions. Scarlet ends (and Cress begins) with attacks of lunar super soldiers that kill 16,000 people in fourteen cites across the world. Scarlet also undergoes some traumatic experiences, but again, nothing graphic in nature. The writing is age appropriate for young teens.

Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, are all very good books. The characters are fun and competent and the plot is both robust and yet straight forward. The romantic elements are handled well and the political intrigue is diverting, but not convoluted. Can a book be classic fairy tale, sci-fi, romance, and political intrigue all at once. I submit that it can and these books are the proof. I can't wait for Winter to come out next year. The total length was just over 500 pages.

Audible Book Review - On Basilisk Station by David Weber, Hono Harrington book 1

I'm not sure what I've gotten myself into. With my completion of the Tunnels series I was looking for new book blood when I had a chance to talk to my dad. He and my sister EA are presenting at Life, the Universe, and Everything (a writing symposium In Utah) on world building in science fiction and fantasy. As a result he has every excuse he'll ever need to dive headfirst into his beloved sci-fi books. I'm sure I've mentioned that science fiction is not my favorite genre to read, often because of what I might call "techno porn." Science fiction is known for dwelling on the technical intricacies and aspects of the world the author's built. Many science fiction stories depend on the reader understand the technology involved in order to understand character motivations, possible solutions, and plot points. However, sometimes the author drones on about a technology just to show how cool it is. One of the last sci-fi books I read did this and while I found the story interesting I didn't want to hear about how the main character manipulated his computer. My concern leads me to be a little wary of the sci-fi my father recommends - although I know that the books he does recommend is going to be well written. However, when he told me about On Basilisk Station by David Weber my interest was piqued as he described it as a military sci-fi. Military fiction is something that I do find very interesting and so waited with baited breath for my credits to come in so I could pick it up. I was not disappointed. David Weber gives us a heroine who is competent, cool, caring, and flawed in her own little ways. Someone we can stand up and cheer for. What's more, he gives us a whole cast of characters that we can relate to, get behind, and also stand up and cheer for. I'm worried about what I've gotten myself into because the Honor Herrington series started in 1991 and the most recent book came out two years ago. So far there are thirteen books. I don't know if I'll try to get them all one after the other, but I will probably end up working my way through them. Here is the link to the Audible page for the book. The series is narrated by Allyson Johnson who does a wonderful job of bringing the characters to life. I enjoyed her accents for the different roles and was impressed with her range of voices.

Plot: Honor Herrington is receiving her first independent command. She is a career officer in the Royal Manticorian Navy and has show great ability during her assent to the rank of Commander (just below captain in the navy) and is about to take control of Fearless, a light cruiser class warship. However, the first problem that arises is that someone has completely changed her weapon systems and expects Honor to validate the new tactics required to use them. Being the imaginative officer she is, Honor succeeds this, but then suffers from the limitations of the system. Posted to the most out of the way station possible for her efforts Honor is forced to complete multiple objectives with just her lowly light cruiser, a crew who doesn't know what to think of their new commander, and no help from the outside. What's more, there is a plot boiling below the surface of the local planet and the overworked and lonely Fearless is the only one in position to do anything about it.

My personal favorites: The book was very well written. It was clean and concise giving plenty of drama, suspense, action, and intrigue. Honor was a character that I could really get behind and we were able to see her, not just from her own eyes but from others as well. Her victories were truly exciting whether it was a naval engagement or confronting an irate merchant magnate. They were also not without costI loved the different kinds of drama within the book - naval engagements, character, troop action, personal - it had a good variety of them all. Despite the new cultural and technological elements it was easy to accept them and I didn't feel like they bogged down the story.

Considerations: The term, "swear like a sailor" is applicable here. It wasn't anything like Red Shirts more on par with Larry Correia's books. The language was used appropriately - meaning that it had weight to it and it was used by certain characters in very particular instances, usually when something was going horribly wrong. There was also a fair amount of violence. Not as descriptive as Monster Hunter International but there was certainly gore.

The audio book ended with the first chapter of the next book, Honor of the Queen, which was a nice listen. I don't know if I'll get it immediately, Words of Radiance book two in The Storm Light Archives comes up in the beginning of March and I've been waiting for it for almost a year (many have been waiting longer). I did thoroughly enjoy the book and am looking forward to grabbing these along the way. The total length was just over 15 hours.

Audible Book Review - Spiral and Terminal By Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams

I'm doing something a bit different today with this book review as I will be reviewing two books. This works because it is the last two books in the series and fall right on the heals of each other. It is very easy to discuss plot points and implications between the two books. I finished the two books in very short order both because they were quickly paced but also because I had lots of driving and project time during which I could listen. My overall impressions of the series is mixed. In the second book we see our first instance where we are led to believe that someone is dead but then it turns out that they aren't. This motif ran through the rest of the series and got to be more than little annoying. There are plenty of people who die in the book - it takes a rather apocalyptic turn in the last two books and we are placed in situations where millions of people die, but when a character who we believed to have died two books ago shows up I was just annoyed. On the flip side, I thought that many of the characters were very good - I was delighted with Eddy the Styx. Motivations made sense (for the most part) and the villains are truly villainous. There was weight to many of the decisions that were made and it showed that weight accordingly. All of those things I enjoyed. The things I didn't include the "coming back from the dead" mentioned above and many of the unresolved issues (dominion, the trio of New Germanians, what happens to the rest of the world, and most of the ending). The reveal at the end was gutsy, but I rolled with it moderately well. The series is certainly a science fiction story, even if it initially felt like an urban fantasy. Here is the Audible link to Spiral and here is the link to Terminal. They were narrated again by Steven Crossley, whose performance was very good. There were some sound edits that were very short (Sometimes it felt like they jumped viewpoints in a conversation), but it didn't happen often. All in all, I enjoyed the series but I know that I may not recommend to some people.

Plot: With the team reunited on the surface and with a breathing space, thanks to the availability of a vaccine to the dominion virus, things take on an almost normal aspect. Granted, being on the Styx's most wanted list and learning combat techniques at the age of sixteen is hardly normal. Will, Chester, and Elliot fall into a new routine. However, they start to hear alarming reports of terrorist acts not just in England, but all over the world. Acts of terror carried out by British citizens. Attacks by New Germanian troops, suicide bombers targeting world leaders - it is clear that something is happening and the team is trying to find out what. With a little inside help they learn that the Styx are experiencing a period called The Phase where Styx women are able to create what is known as the Warrior Class - Ultimate soldiers who feel no emotion but are ruthless killing machines. Even if stopped, if The Phase is not completely and utterly eradicated it will trigger a second part to The Phase that will bring about the creation of the Armagi. With their name as the root of the word Armageddon, the Armagi can alter their form to adapt instantly to any environment, can reproduce inside human hosts, and are capable of regenerating if even a single finger is preserved. The team suits up under the direction of Perry as he calls in favors from his old days in the British Military. The raid is successful, up to a point. And that point triggers a true Armageddon. Britain is alone, despised by the other countries for acts of terrorism initiated by the Styx. London falls and the team must regroup and be prepared to travel to the center of the world and back again to see it through.

My personal favorites: I already covered these in regards to the whole series, but there were some other gems that I found. I loved Eddy. He is easily one of my favorite characters and I was even able to accept his motivations and designs. Drake continued to be a delight, and I also enjoyed the 2nd Officer. There was plenty of action and the science fiction parts were quite interesting as well. It's been a while since I've read a book that takes the story as far as this one did - and it took it as far as it could possibly go. It was a most interesting read and a great example of modern science fiction.

Considerations: The Phase, to put it bluntly, is disturbing. The Styx do not do anything that can't be found in nature in other species, but that does make it pleasant or any less gross than it is. The books remain free of overly graphic descriptions, but again, it doesn't have to be graphic to be disturbing. A very large number of people die in the book in rather gruesome ways, and while we are only exposed to the aftermath it might still be considered distasteful to some.

Overall, the series was interesting and quite different from anything I've recently read. I would not recommend it to anyone under the age of 16 simply because of the more disturbing elements of the Styxs and their rather disturbing practices. Both Spiral and Terminal were just over 12 hours in length each.

Audible Book Review - Freefall by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams

It's taking me longer to get through this series than others. This might have something to do with the fact that Angel and I started listening to it together in the car, but than started listening to books on CD as it was a little easier than the speakers on our iPad. This is book three of six in the series and I'm glad to be half way through. I've enjoyed the series but for some reason I'm a little apprehensive about the remaining 45 or so hours to the end of the series. While this book wasn't as action packed as the last one, the conflicts were very real. It was a shift from more external to internal conflicts. However, this book seemed to drag on a bit more than others, but that might have been the huge break that I had between the first and second half. Here is the link for the Audible page for the book. The book was narrated by Steven Crossley who continued to do a good job with the series.

Plot: Will, Chester, and Elliot have sunk lower than they ever thought possible. With the revelation of the Styx's plot and the truth about Rebecca they have no idea how they are going to get out of their predicament. Still on the run and fighting for their lives against the monsters of wasteland they now inhabit, they are rescued by an older woman named Martha who takes them in. However, things get worse as Elliot becomes ill and they have no idea how to care for her. Ultimately they must decide if they are to stay with Martha or try to seek help for Elliot elsewhere. Meanwhile, Miss Burrows, Will's mother, has become revitalized. She is still looking for her family and doing so in the face of people suspecting that she did them in herself. She is looking for help when help finds her, and it's someone that the knows Will quite well. In the end Sylvia Burrows might become more than just a pawn in the games that are played. But before that her family will be reunited and split apart again. She and Dr. Burrows will come to know the danger they face and what is really going on. In addition, Will must learn who to trust and distrust and discovers not only more about the inner world of the earth but more about his father.

My personal favorites: I found the scientific premise interesting and even plausible in specific ways. Like a good reader I was happy with the gnats I strained and was able to swallow the camels that were presented. I was also content with the shift from a dominate external conflict to internal conflict. There was plenty of external peril and action, but it seemed that the tension was more internal. The characters remained true to form and were believable in their thoughts and actions. I wanted to throttle Dr. Burrows a couple of times, but I could understand his motivations and rational. I didn't agree with them, but I could understand them. The same was true to many of the other characters.

Considerations: Like I mentioned earlier, this book felt a little slower. Whether this was because internal conflict tends to be slower or the large break I had between starting and finishing the book, I don't know. There were parts where the characters we in a state of limbo a couple of times (as they fell deep into the Earth) and the pacing seemed to lag. Like the last two books, the Styx are not nice and can be quite ruthless - although there is not as much of them as the last book.

Freefall was good, and I enjoyed it for the most part. The slower pacing and the things that took me away from it made the experience a bit more laborious than I like. I have the next one Closer but am listening to something a little different to recharge. I think the thing that is wearing on me is that it seems that nothing seems to resolve, only get more convoluted. I would like to start seeing some resolution in the next book.

Audible Book Review - Deeper by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams

This is going to be a bit odd. Deeper is the second book in the series with Tunnels being the first. Angel got Tunnels from the library on CD and listened to it on her commute. As she picks me up on her way home (I ride the bus in) I got to hear various parts of it. When she got Deeper on Audible I decided to give it a try figuring that I had gotten enough of the plot of Tunnels to understand it. Apparently I did get enough because I enjoyed Deeper and didn't feel at all lost. It is important that you understand Tunnels before you start Deeper, but as the series has been quite fascinating I have no problem recommending it. Here is the link to Audible's page for the book. The book was narrated by Steven Crossley and while it took a little bit of time to get used to his voice, it fit the characters well and was well done.

Plot: In Tunnels, Will Burrows learned that there is a secret world underneath our feet. A society ruled by a thin, pale, haunting people called the Styx who are religious fanatics who believe that the surface world will be scoured clean and allow them to take their rightful place as rulers. They believe this so much that it doesn't matter if they have to create the scourge themselves. Will, his brother, Cal, and his friend, Chester, begin the book headed for the Deeps, the place were people are banished from the underground colony, and a dangerous place where heat, radiation, plants, and animals are all deadly. Will is in pursuit of his father, Dr. Burrows, who is bumbling around discovering that this underground world has a bigger history than anyone thought. They are met by Drake, a "top-soiler" who was kidnapped and escaped to the Deeps and Elliott, a young lady who he rescued from an unknown horror. With their help the three boys learn many of the dangers of the Deeps and try to stay one step ahead of the styx patrols that appear to be killing everyone they find. It appears that the styx are are cleaning house and their most powerful leader is set on hunting down Will, even if she has to use his mother to get him. Will finds himself the center of destruction and death as he and his friends try to survive. But what happens when it looks like everything that goes wrong is your fault? And where does the Pore go?

Personal favorites: The story is well written and quite intense at times. All of the different points of view provided a good look at the situations going on and weren't confusing or problematic. I loved how they got me to hate some of the characters. The villains in the story are very well done and truly villainous. The reactions of the boys as they experienced different things was believable and I could accept them to be teenagers and wasn't annoyed by them. Considering the situation they were facing I thought they acted like their age and that their reactions were understandable. Elliot's character in particular was awesome without being too over the top - She was human and had her weaknesses. The story was intriguing to begin with and the characters just made it very good.

Considerations: In some ways these books are an example of the edgier side of young adult literature. While there are no graphic descriptions of gore, there is a decent amount of violence. The descriptions of the violence is somewhat minimal and is not gratuitous, but I do mention it for those that might be concerned. Also, the styx are really ruthless and their plots are both sinister and somewhat ghoulish. I can't say that the level of concern for these considerations is beyond that of many other young adult books. I would say somewhere between David Eddings' Belgariard  and Elenium series, both of which I read as a teenager. I only mention them for reader awareness.

A good listen and an intense story, Deeper, kept me engaged for the whole time. I've already got the next one downloaded, but am detouring through a non-fiction for a bit, just to break things up. Such is the result of juggling multiple books. That and I want to give Angel a chance to get a good start on Freefall before I dive in. The total length was just under 19 hours.