Audiobook Review: A Guide For The Perplexed

A Guide for the Perplexed
Author: Dara Horn
Narrator:  Carrington MacDuffie
Unabridged, Length 10 hrs, 34 min
Publisher: AudioGo
Release Date: 9-9-13

Publishers Summary:
A thrilling new novel exploring how memory shapes the soul, by "an astonishing storyteller."
Software prodigy Josie Ashkenazi has invented a program that records everything its users do. When an Egyptian library invites her to visit as a consultant, her jealous sister Judith persuades her to go. But in Egypt's post-revolutionary chaos, Josie is kidnapped - leaving Judith free to usurp her sister's life, including her husband and daughter, while Josie's talent for preserving memories becomes her only hope of escape.
A century earlier, Solomon Schechter, a Cambridge professor, hunts for a medieval archive hidden in a Cairo synagogue. What he finds will reveal the power and danger of the world Josie's work brings into being - a world where nothing is ever forgotten.
Interweaving stories from Genesis, medieval philosophy, and the digital frontier, A Guide for the Perplexed is a spellbinding tale sure to bring a vast new listener to the acclaimed work of Dara Horn.
©2013 Dara Horn (P)2013 AudioGO

My Thoughts:

The idea of a software that automatically records and preserves memories was intriguing and it reminded me of some of my friends who try to record their life with Facebook and other social media.  It also made me wonder what does happen to our digital life when we are no longer here to monitor or publish our memories?  Of course, in recording our own memories, we add only what we want others to know.  Josie Ashkenazi has invented a software, called Geniza, that records everything and is so precise, it can even make predictions. 

I like a work that leads me to do research and it was interesting to look up Solomon Schechter and his discovery of the rare Hebrew manuscripts (the Cairo Geniza).  However the three story lines left me a bit confused.  I wish it had been a guide for me.  Instead of being spell bound, I was perplexed.  I didn't find the characters to be well developed and had many questions.  Why did Josephine have a nickname (Josie) but Judith did not?  As a Judith who has been called Judy all my life by friends and family, I found that odd.  Could it have been the author's attempt to show the pervasive "Mom loves you best" syndrome?  Why did Judith insist on her sister going to Egypt in the first place?  If it was to take over Josie's life, why did she give it up so readily? Why did Josie forgive her sister so easily?  And why didn't the story end when it should have instead of going on and on like the Energizer bunny?

Carrington MacDuffie's performance was excellent.  She handled the accents and male/female voices perfectly, especially the Scottish twins who would have bored me to tears if I met them in real life.  This was my first experience with her work and I would like to hear more.

I give A Guide for the Perplexed 3.5 for story and 5 stars for narration.

Review copy provided by AudioGo via Audiobook Jukebox.


 

Audiobook Review: Dream Student

Dream Student: Dreams, Book 1

Author: J.J. DiBendetto

Narrator: Heather Jane Hogan

Unabridged, 11 hrs & 33 min

 Publisher: James J. DiBendetto  7/17/13

Publishers Summary:

What would you do if you could see other people's dreams? If you could watch their hidden fantasies and uncover their deepest, darkest secrets without them ever knowing?
Sara Barnes is about to find out. She thought that all she had to worry about was final exams, Christmas shopping and deciding whether she likes the cute freshman in the next dorm who's got a crush on her.  But when she starts seeing dreams that aren't hers, she learns more than she ever wanted to know about her friends, her classmates…and a strange, terrifying man whose dreams could get Sara killed. 

Dream Student is the thrilling first installment of the Dreams Series.
©2013 James DiBenedetto (P)2013 James DiBenedetto   

My Thoughts:
The idea of seeing other people's dreams got me interested in hearing the audio version of Dream Student.  It's an intriguing concept, seeing into other people's minds by way of their dreams. I loved how Sara met Brian, the young man she fell in love with through meeting him in her dreams and seeing him in his.  Not all her dreams are that pleasant.  Someone is murdering young women, and Sara is terrified when she sees the killer's dreams.  I enjoyed this peek into college life from the prospect of a young girl.  She was experiencing college during the same time period I did - late 1989 through 1990.  I was a commuting adult student working my way through college and always wondering how it was for the young people who got to live on campus. 

 I was a little confused at first.  The story was told in Sara's voice but when the dreams happened I was ejected out of her head and the omniscient voice relayed the dream.  Dreams are probably like that but I wouldn't know.  I don't remember mine.  I sort of wished she would just stay in her head and tell me she was in the dream.  But that's just me.  Once I got over my initial confusion I really enjoyed Dream Student.  The voice of the narrator sounded pleasant and appropriate for the age group.  However, she read at such a slow pace I felt that if I had to listen that slowly I wouldn't  be able to enjoy the story.  I did something I rarely do - I sped up the pace to 1.2x and enjoyed it a bit faster than the 11 hrs & 33 mins. 

Usually I recommend the audio version but in this case I think the print version would be just as enjoyable.  However, I look forward to more in the Dream series in audio format. I give it 4 stars for story and narration.  

Review copy provided by James J. DiBendetto, author and publisher. 

Audiobook Review: A Reason to Live: A Marty Singer Mystery Book 1

A Reason to Live 
(A Mary Singer Mystery, Book 1)
Author: Matthew Iden
Narrator: Lloyd Sherr
Unabridged, Length 8 hrs, 10 min
Publisher: Matthew Iden  8/14/13

Publisher's Summary:
 In the late 90s, a bad cop killed a good woman and DC Homicide Detective Marty Singer got to watch as the murderer walked out of the courtroom a free man. Twelve years later, the victim's daughter comes to Marty begging for help: the killer is stalking her now. There's just one problem: Marty's retired...and he's retired because he's battling cancer. But with a second shot at the killer - and a first chance at redemption - Marty's just found…a reason to live.

©2012 Matthew Iden (P)2013 Matthew Iden

My Thoughts:
When I plugged in my earbuds and the oddly familiar voice filled my ears I knew that I would enjoy this audiobook even if the story was ho-hum.  But I was totally hooked by the time I head the voice say, "....as my day dragged itself across the floor of my life."  The writing is crisp and vivid and the characters wonderfully developed.  I laughed out loud at Marty's description of the paper gown he had to wear in the doctor's office.  I felt a sinking in the pit of my stomach when the symptoms of cancer appeared and he got the diagnosis.  Scary feeling, even second hand.

I love Marty Singer.  He is a hero who agrees to help a scared young woman even when his own life is uncertain due to his battle with cancer.  Amanda's mother was murdered twelve years ago and Singer was one of the investigating officers.  She kept his card all these years and has asked him for help.  It seems the murderer (who got away with it) is back and stalking her.  The mystery and plot twists kept me captivated and entertained all the way to the end. 

This was my first audiobook experience with Lloyd Sherr as narrator.  When I looked him up, I saw why his voice seemed so familiar.  He's a voice over artist that I've heard many times and he's the perfect choice for Marty Singer.  His voice pinned me in the moment, left me feeling the emotions of a man worried about his own life, but also a hero who forgets himself long enough to help someone else.  A Reason to Live is already a five star novel in print but I don't think I would be able to imagine Marty as perfectly as Sherr performed it.  I have always been an avid reader but the added dimension of a voice such as Sherr's adds a wonderful intimacy.   A Reason to Live is a winning combination of mighty fine writing and excellent narration. It's the first in the series and I can't wait to hear more.   I highly recommend A Reason to Live to anyone who loves a good mystery.   You would enjoy it in print but the audiobook is outstanding.   I give it five stars for story, production and narration.

Review copy provided by Matthew Iden, author and publisher.

A Reason to Live is available at Audible.com and iTunes
Kindle and print versions at Amazon.com





 

Audiobook Review: The End of Vandalism

The End of Vandalism
Author: Tom Drury
Introduction: Paul Winter
Narrator: Lloyd James
Unabridged, Length 10.5 hrs
Publisher: AudioGo  9/1/13


Publisher's Summary:
Welcome to Grouse County, a fictional Midwest that is at once familiar and amusingly eccentric, where a thief vacuums the church before stealing the chalice, a lonely woman paints her toenails in a drafty farmhouse, and a sleepless man watches his restless bride scatter their bills beneath the stars. At the heart of The End of Vandalism is an unforgettable love triangle set off by a crime: Sheriff Dan Norman arrests Tiny Darling for vandalizing an anti-vandalism dance and then marries the culprit's ex-wife Louise. 

My Thoughts:
When I began listening to Paul Winter's introduction to The End of Vandalism I was impatient and didn't really pay attention.  He was talking about an author I wasn't familiar with and I wanted to get on to the story.  Except, there really wasn't a story.  The characters were engaging (there was around 60) and their details were interesting, but there was no plot.  No clues to pick up on, no exciting action to move it along.  Yet it was one of the best books I've listened to in a long time.  When it ended, I was ready to hear what Paul Winter had to say so I listened to the introduction again.  He described it as "an intelligent and kindhearted examination of a group of economically adrift characters in the modern American Middle West. And it's fucking funny."   He was right. When I heard Mary's description of how her friend Hans Cook took LSD because it made his neck feel better, you could probably hear me laughing in the next county.  I replayed it and laughed again until I had tears in my eyes.   Suddenly I didn't care it lacked plot, clues or exciting action.  I was listening to people such as I've known in my life except they weren't from the south, and well, maybe they were more eccentric. And definitely funnier.  It was like a delightful river of conversations and scenes flowing along with no apparent destination and I never knew where it would take me.  Lloyd James has a wonderful way of carrying you through the river of narrative.  His performance of all the voices was perfect, especially the women and Mary in particular.  I am sure The End of Vandalism is wonderful in print but with Lloyd James, it was absolutely fantastic. 

This was my first experience with Tom Drury's work. I loved it and I'm looking forward to more. I'm also adding Lloyd James to my list of favorite narrators.  I give The End of Vandalism 5 stars and highly recommend it.

Review copy provided by AudioGo. 

Audiobook Review: Easy Innocence

 Easy Innocence
Author: Libby Fischer Hellman
Narrator: Beth Richmond
Unabridged, Length: 10 hrs 59 mins
Publisher: Books in Motion 8-7-09

Publisher's Summary
Removed from the gritty streets of Chicago, the residents of the North Shore sleep easily in their million-dollar homes. Easily, that is, until a local girl is discovered bludgeoned to death in the woods. Quick to blame the man with the bat, the North Shore returns to its version of normalcy. But the accused's sister isn't so willing to forget and hires Georgia Davis - former cop and newly-minted PI - to look into the incident.
What Georgia finds hints at a much different, darker answer. It seems that some privileged, preppy schoolgirls on Chicago's North Shore have learned just how much their innocence is worth to hot-under-the-collar businessmen. And while these girls can now pay for Prada, iPhones, and Jimmy Choos with their earnings, they don't realize that their new business venture may end up costing them more than they can afford.
©2008 Libby Fischer Hellmann; (P)2009 Books In Motion   

My Thoughts: 
This was my first experience with Libby Fischer Hellman's work and is the second book in her Georgia Davis series.  There is enough references to the first book in the series to make me want to go back and start the series from the beginning.  I found the story hard to get into at first but did enjoy getting to know Georgia Davis. She's smart and strong but also vulnerable.  She's a former cop who was kicked out of the force and is now earning her living as a private investigator.  Tired of routine cases such as skip traces and cheating spouses, she jumps at the chance to investigate the murder of a school girl in order to prove the innocence of the mentally challenged man accused of the crime.  Soon she is caught up in a world of rich, spoiled teenagers involved in prostitution and the adults who exploit them.  

This was also my first experience with narrator Beth Richmond.  During the first half of the book, her voice and style just didn't work for me.  I don't know if it was because I became accustomed to her voice or she improved that much for the last half, but I ended up enjoying her performance very much and realizing she was perfect for this book. 

It wasn't an "I couldn't put it down" listen but it did have plenty of plot twists and red herrings to keep me interested and the solution was a complete surprise.   I give it 3.5 stars.

Review copy provided by Fischer Hellman Communications.

Audiobook Review: B. & E. A Whit Pynchon Mystery

B. &. E.  A Whit Pynchon Mystery
Book 5
Author: Dave Pedneau
Narrator: Chet Williamson
Unabridged Length 8 hrs, 16 min
Publisher: Crossroads Press
Release Date: 04-30-13

Publisher's Summary:
 
The Incident: An interrupted burglary on a peaceful Milbrook street ends in the stabbing of a citizen and the murder of a cop. And that's only the beginning of a criminal nightmare for special investigator Whit Pynchon.

The Invasion: Whit has good reason to believe that the bloody B. & E. is the latest in a rash of break-ins committed for the same reason: to steal firearms. Even worse, the culprits may be neo-Nazi terrorists, who rove through small towns like Milbrook, committing robberies as part of a larger, more treacherous plan.

The Investigation: Even with the help of his lover, newspaper editor Anna Tyree, Whit has his hands full - with an obnoxious new police chief, a rabble-rousing minister, a pack of eager news hounds and the elusive killer thieves, whose vengeance is set to explode.

My Thoughts:
B. &. E (Book 5) was more predictable than  A.P.B. I enjoyed it anyway, even though I guessed who the mastermind was right away.  It was still fun to see if I was right and the plot twists kept me interested.  It was just the right length to keep me company during a day of household chores and mowing the lawn.  The time period for this book seems to be about a year after Book 1. Whit's daughter, Tressa, who was my favorite character in A.P.B. was not a part of this book.  Whit and Anna have been living together and now she is editor of the paper instead of a reporter.  Cohabiting with the paper's editor has not softened Whit's irritation and annoyance at the press.  In fact, Whit seems to be annoyed about a lot of things - the ineptness of the investigation when a police officer is murdered during a break in, the obnoxious new police chief who admits he is no detective and the job of catching the murderous thieves.  Whit is still longing to retire to the South Carolina Low Country and hates his job.  Again, what I enjoyed most is the wonderful performance of Chet Williams.  He is especially good at showing Whit's moods.  He does the voices so well I never had to wonder who was talking, even the women and teenagers. 

I give B.&E. 3.5 stars for story and 5 stars for narration.  If you like a good thriller, you can't go wrong with this one.

Review copy provided by Crossroads Press. 

Audiobook Review: A.P.B. A Whit Pynchon Mystery

A.P.B A Whit Pynchon Mystery
Book 1
Author: Dave Pedneau
Narrator: Chet Williamson
Unabridged Length 8 hrs, 4 min
Publisher: Crossroads Press
Release Date:  04-01-13

Publishers Summary:
Special investigator Whit Pynchon and crime reporter Annie Tyson-Tyree race against time to find the psychotic killer who is murdering the wives and girlfriends of all the cops in the small West Virginia town of Millbrook.

My Thoughts:
This first book in this series has the recipe for an entertaining mystery.  There's Whit Pynchon, special investigator for Tony Danton, the prosecutor in Millbrook, WV.  He's a divorced loner who  longs to retire to the South Caroline Low Country and plans to do so in exactly one year and six months.  Then there is his teenage daughter, Tressa, who is the light of his life and lives with his ex-wife.  Whit hates reporters so when Annie Tyson-Tyree comes into the picture to report on the horrible murders of a cop's wife, Whit is very resistant to her.  So there's the budding romance.  Tressa conspires to get Annie and her father together.  More murders happen.  Soon Annie and Whit are in a relationship that includes both a romantic connection and mutual interest in solving the case.  Even though some aspects were predictable,  I enjoyed the story all the way to the satisfying ending and look forward to more in the series.  Most of all I enjoyed the narration of Chet Williamson.  This was my first experience with his work and I've added him to my list of favorite narrators.  His voice is perfect for this type of novel and I am looking forward to hearing more of his work.  I always research narrators and found that Chet Williamson is an author too and has narrated some of his own work.  My wish list just got longer!

I give A.P.B. 4 stars for story and 5 stars for narration.

Review copy provided by Crossroads Press.