Audible Book Review: Pass of Fire, Destroyermen Series, Book 14 by Taylor Anderson

I enjoyed this continuation of the series even though it is full of war action.

Pass of Fire
Destroyermen Series, Book 14
By: Taylor Anderson
Narrated by: William Dufris

Series: Destroyermen, Book 14
Length: 19 hrs and 50 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 08-13-19
Language: English
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Genre: Alternate History, Sci Fi
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 5.0.

Publisher's Summary
Time is running out for the Grand Human and Lemurian Alliance. The longer they take to prepare for their confrontations with the reptilian Grik, the Holy Dominion, and the League of Tripoli, the stronger their enemies become. Ready or not, they have to move - or the price in blood will break them.
Matt Reddy and his battered old destroyer USS Walker lead the greatest army the humans and their Lemurian allies have ever assembled up the Zambezi toward the ancient Grik capital city. Standing against them is the largest, most dangerous force of Grik yet gathered.
On the far side of the world, General Shinya and his Army of the Sisters are finally prepared for their long-expected assault on the mysterious El Paso del Fuego. Not only is the dreaded Dominion ready and waiting for them; they've formed closer, more sinister ties with the fascist League of Tripoli.
Everything is on the line in both complex, grueling campaigns, and the Grand Alliance is stretched to its breaking point. Victory is the only option, whatever the cost, because there can be no second chances.
©2019 Taylor Anderson (P)2019 Tantor

Review:
This volume continues with the struggles of the Grand Alliance against the Grik, the Dominion, and a new enemy, the League of Tripoli. There are battles in about five different locations. All battles are described with some strategy from the Humans, the Lemurians, and even the Grik, some of who are growing beyond their long time traditions.

First General Regent Champion Esshk is consumed with power even to the point of betrayal of the Grik Celestial Mother (the Queen). It isn’t clear how General Halik will respond to events. Currently, he has agreed to work with the Allies but that could change at any time. Then there is Senior First of One Hundred, Jash. Jash has been trained and elevated by Esshk but doesn’t totally agree with his actions. Jash is intent on trying to save the Celestial Mother when the Alliance attacks the second holy city, Sofesshk, in order to take the new Celestial Mother as a hostage.

The leaders of the Dominion are convinced that they can defeat the Grand Alliance. The troops of Lemurians under Major Blas, and Humans under General Blair of the Empire of the New Britain Isles, are outnumbered. Do they have enough heart and strategy to hold out until reinforcements arrive?

This book seemed more full of battles and less full of personal developments. Matt Reddy’s wife, Nurse Sandra, is benched while she awaits the delivery of their child. We do get plenty of time and interesting development with Silva, Larry, and even the Celestial Mother. I know that not all of the characters can survive the battles so I flinch whenever we risk the old favorites. I am still totally enjoying the series and am looking forward to picking up book 15, Winds of Wraith, due out in June.

Audio Notes:William Dufris is such a voice for this series. He has established voices for the various characters, human, Lemurian, Grik, Dominion, British, Irish, Spanish, male and female. I do note that the print/ebook versions have some interesting maps and drawings of the many ships. Still, I love listening to the audio versions.

My Reviews for the Destroyermen Series
Into the Storm, Book 1 -- guess I didn't write a review.

Crusade 4.5 

Maelstrom 4.5

Distant Thunders  4.75

Rising Tides 5.0

Firestorm 4.25

Iron Gray Sea  4.25

Storm Surge 4.5

Deadly Shores  4.75
Straits of Hell: Destroyermen, Book 10 5.0
Blood in the Water: Destroyermen, Book 11 4.5
Devil's Due: Destroyermen, Book 12 4.5
River of Bones (Destroyermen, #13) 4.5

Source: July 2019 Audible Credit. This qualifies for 2020TBR and 2020Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: Reunion in Death: In Death, Book 14, by J.D. Robb

This is another grand crime thriller for Eve, Roarke and Peabody.

Reunion in Death: In Death, Book 14
Written by: J. D. Robb
Narrated by: Susan Ericksen

Length: 12 hrs and 59 mins
Series: In Death, Book 14
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:05-15-13
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Genre: Modern Detective
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
At exactly 7:30 p.m., Walter Pettibone arrived home to over a hundred friends and family shouting, "surprise!" It was his birthday. Although he had known about the planned event for weeks, the real surprise was yet to come. At 8:45 p.m., a woman with emerald eyes and red hair handed him a glass of champagne. One sip of birthday bubbly, and he was dead.

The woman's name is Julie Dockport. No one at the party knew who she was. But Detective Eve Dallas remembers her all too well. Eve was personally responsible for her incarceration nearly ten years ago. And now, let out on good behavior, she still has nothing but bad intentions. It appears she wants to meet Dallas again - in a reunion neither will forget...
©2013 J. D. Robb (P)2013 Brilliance Audio, Inc

Review:
NY homicide detective, Lieutenant Eve Dallas, and her successful businessman-husband, Roarke, have returned from a relaxing vacation. Initially Eve has no pressing cases so she pulls a cold case and begins to work it with her aide, Peabody. Soon a murder comes in to pull Eve's attention so she gives the cold case to Peabody as a side assignment as they begin the pursuit of the new murder.

Very quickly Eve suspects the MO of a female killer she put behind bars years before. Sure enough, the woman has been released from prison and has lined up targets, including Eve and Roarke. This sets up conflict between the strong-headed couple as they jockey for ways to protect each other and to capture the deadly enemy.

Peabody's intriguing parents arrive to make matters interesting on the home front. Eve isn't the most comfortable hostess and now she has to play nice with this unusual and sensitive couple.

Eve's chase of the murderer has Roarke accompanying her to Dallas and Italy. I laughed over the city girl's reaction to the country setting, keeping in mind the futuristic aspects that result in Eve being unfamiliar with farm smells and critters.  On the other side of the globe, Eve has to work her way through the red tape of the Italian police hoping to get to their suspect before she slips back to US where she is likely to go after Roarke.

As always, there is plenty of good action and police procedure as well as engaging dialog. There is emotional trauma as Eve faces her childhood memories in Dallas. I liked how Peabody’s parents came to appreciate her skills and career choice as she got to cut her teeth on a case of her own. There is some POV, head hopping that works with this series.

This is a reliably wonderful series with each book presenting police suspense and personal conflicts among the characters. Although the stories could be read out of order I recommend starting at the beginning so you can enjoy the development of the character relationships.

Audio Notes: Susan Ericksen once again does a stellar job of narration. She added the voice of the villain and Peabody’s parents to her already wonderful range of characters. I always enjoy the listening experience for this series.

This is from my own Audible Library, picked up last year. It does qualify for my Triple Dog Dare, my Audio Challenge and R in my Alphabet Soup Challenge.