Audio Book Review: What Lurks Beneath by Ryan Lockwood

This is a well dramatized story of biologists and divers chasing a sea monster (and it chasing them).
#FRATERFEST-7.

What Lurks Beneath [Dramatized Adaptation]
Written by Ryan Lockwood
Narrated by Collected Narrators: A full cast
Andy Brownstein, Colleen Delany, David Jourdan, Dawn Ursula, Deidra Starnes, Dexter Hamlett, Ericka Rose, Evan Casey, James Konicek, James C. Lewis, Ken Jackson, Kenyatta Rogers, Michael Glenn, Michael John Casey, Nanette Savard, Nanna Ingvarsson, Patrick Bussink, Richard Rohan, Scott McCormick, Thomas Keegan, Yasmin Tuazon

Run Time 6h 41min
Release Date: June 3, 2020
Publisher: GraphicAudio
Genre: Horror, Science Fiction
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.0.

Publisher Description
A new breed of terror that rises from the depths of the ocean. To hunt. To devour. To kill.
The first attack occurs in the underwater caverns of the Bahamas. Two professional divers exploring the unknown. A monstrous flesh-ripping predator they never see coming.
Now the attacks are coming closer and closer to shore. A sun-soaked playground for sea-loving tourists. A human feasting ground for whatever lurks beneath.
Now, in a desperate race against time, Eric Watson, an expert on remote control underwater vehicles, and marine biologist Valerie Martell, must identify a savage new species of killer—and piece together one of nature’s most horrific mysteries. But the most terrifying discovery of all waits for Val and her team at the bottom of the sea. A discovery too shocking, to comprehend.
Because up till now, this creature existed only in mankind’s darkest nightmares. Not anymore.

Review:
Valerie is a biologist who specializes in studying cephalopods —squids and octopuses. She is having a bad week as the most recent study specimen has just died. Plus, she is struggling with how to resolve her relationship with Will, a diver, who has spent the last year falling into the bottle. She is preparing to give a project update and knows that her co-worker Eric is getting the better presentation spot.

Eric has been developing a remote control underwater drone vehicle that will help exploring in the deep waters. It is still experimental but very close to use.

Valerie and Eric are called in to investigate underwater caverns in the Bahamas when members of a diving team don’t return. There have been local cave divers who have been attacked too. And rumors of sightings of a sea monster akin to the Kraken. When a tourist is snatched from the beach the concern and investigation intensifies.

The author shares this story in alternating chapters which include the prospective of the sea monster. This creates sympathetic feelings for the creature which is behaving as it should – seeking prey and a safe place to have her children.

There is some environmental discussion going on, especially with remarks on government testing in the water with disregard for the impact on the sea creatures. There wasn’t clarity to the testing (or results) but the military actions seem to serve more as a catalyst that wakes the sea creature and threatens it.

I enjoyed the interactions between the characters and the sea creatures. There is good action and suspense that kept the story moving well. There were some gaps in the histories of the characters, but I realized after I finished that this is actually a second book in a series (first book Below) so the first would have filled in those relationships better. I enjoyed the suspense and intensity of the story and appreciated the different POVs. I suppose it fits with the “horror” genre and I recommend this to fans of deep-sea monsters.

Audio Notes: There is a full cast of narrators for the dramatization. This worked will and enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

Source: October 27th, 2021 Chirp Purchase $3.99. This qualifies for 2022TBR and 2022Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: Christmas Eve, 1914 by Charles Olivier

This is heart-wrenching.

Christmas Eve, 1914
By: Charles Olivier
Narrated by: Cameron Daddo, Xander Berkeley, Cody Fern, Damon Herriman, James Scott, John Beck, Lance Guest, Gabe Greenspan, Nate Jones

Length: 1 hr and 13 mins
Performance
Release date: 12-16-14
Language: English
Publisher: Audible Studios
Categories: Fiction, Historical
My Rating: 5.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 5.0; Narration 5.0.

About This Audible Original
"Gentlemen, maybe war takes a holiday today."
This mesmerizing audio drama takes you to the dismal trenches of World War I. It is here, under the constant threat of exploding shells and artillery, that British and German soldiers live in deplorable conditions. Braving the merciless cold and crushing exhaustion and hunger, the men conduct patrols and fight, often to the death, to advance mere inches in the frozen No Man’s Land that lies between them.
But on Christmas Eve, the Western Front gives way to a miracle of grace, as soldiers from both sides emerge from their trenches to greet each other, share their meager rations, and bury the dead for an unofficial and temporary truce. Drawing upon the unforgettable true story of history’s most transcendent ceasefire, this Audible Original, a finalist for the 2016 Audie Award for Best Audio Drama, commemorates an astonishing moment of peace—and celebration of man’s capacity for kindness—in the midst of total war. A full cast performance of a heart-wrenching script written by Emmy Award-winner Charles Olivier and produced by Dawn Prestwich (The Killing), Christmas Eve, 1914 is the perfect reminder of how holiday hope can be found in the unlikeliest of places. At the story’s end, listeners will also enjoy a performance of the classic carol, "Il Est Ne" by Tom Tom Club.
The ensemble cast includes Damon Herriman, Cameron Daddo, Xander Berkeley, James Scott, Lance Guest, Nate Jones, Cody Fern, John Beck, Gabe Greenspan, and Heiko Obermoeller.
©2014 Audible Inc. (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Review:
This story is set up as a letter from a field officer to a mother of a very young soldier who died ten years earlier. The officer describes the events surrounding the soldier’s arrival at the front, leading to his death and a moving impact resulting in his burial and a day of truce on the battlefield. The officer clearly expresses his emotions of regret, heartbreak, and humility based on the bravery of the young man who stepped forward to fight for his country and to encourage the other soldiers.

This is a full-cast dramatization that puts the listener at the front with the mud, the grit, the stink, the hunger, the exhaustion, the sounds of bombing, the fear, and even the dysfunction – all expressing the horror of war. The lack of integrity and the incompetence of the officers is disturbing as are the sometimes nonsensical orders. The conditions that all of the soldiers faced on the front line are gut-wrenching.

I think that I had heard about this cessation of hostilities for Christmas before, but this story brings it alive. I loved the addition of the singing by the young man and the echoes that bring the sides to the point of truce and allow them to move out to “No Man Lands” to bury the dead. My heart was soon hurting as I listened and by the end tears were running into my ears (I was lying down).

This is beautifully written on a very tough subject. I hope to get my children and grandchildren to listen to this and to recognize how human we are and how horrible war is. The Audible is moving and I highly recommend it.

#HoHoHoRat.
Source: December 2018 Free Audible Original. This qualifies for 2019TBR and 2019Audiobook goals.

Audio Book Review: The Tempest by William Shakespeare

This is a a wonderful and entertaining production.

The Tempest
by William Shakespeare
Published by AudioGO/ BBC Radio


William Shakespeare Audio Book
DRAMATIZATION
Reader: Full Cast
Running Time: 2hrs 55min

Genre: Dramatization, Classic
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Description:
BBC Radio has a unique heritage when it comes to Shakespeare. Since 1923, when the newly formed company broadcast its first full-length play, generations of actors and producers have honed and perfected the craft of making Shakespeare to be heard.
Raging storms and rich beautiful music combine to magical effect in this production of Shakespeare’s allegorical last play, where mystical forces work to restore harmony and order to an estranged community.
Revitalised, original, and comprehensive, this is Shakespeare for the new millennium.

Review:
It has been many years since I read Shakespeare’s Tempest (or any of his works). It always seemed like a stormy drama to me - and so it is!

This tragic-comedy is set on a remote enchanted island, where the wizard Prospero, the exiled Duke of Milan, plots to restore his daughter, Miranda, to her rightful place. Prospero uses illusion and skillful manipulation to conjures up a storm, the tempest, to lure to the island his usurping brother Antonio and a co-conspirator, Alonso, King of Naples. Prospero sets up to reveal Antonio’s treachery and during the process his bound servant, Ariel aids in the secret love encounters of Miranda and Alonso's son, Ferdinand.

This audio production gives this much more flare and charm than a simple reading. I got more of the love story in this version along with the political machinations and power struggles. I enjoyed the dramatization although I have to admit it was a little bit hard to follow along while I was doing chores. I think this would be perfect to listen to with the text to follow along or at least in a setting where one appreciates the program for itself without trying to do other things that might distract (like my chores did).

Audio Notes: The voices, musical background and sound effects were well done and added to the program for me. I enjoyed this method of re-experiencing a classic work.

I received this and Of Poseidon from SYNC YA May 30 – June 5, 2013.

Audio Book Review: Battle for L.A. by CJ Henderson and Mark Sparacio

This is an action, comic story in audio.
Battle for LA
Author: CJ Henderson, Mark Sparacio
Narrator: Full Cast
Publisher: AudioComics 
Length approximately 42 minutes

Genre: Pulp Fiction, Dramatization
My Rating:4.0 of 5.0

In the early morning hours of February 25, 1945, US anti-aircraft shore artillery opened fire on an unidentified object in the skies above Los Angeles, California. Over the course of the next three hours, “swarms of planes” were reported as roaming the skies above the city of angels, though in the end the only actual damage was the result of traffic accidents, friendly fire from the attack, and in some cases, heart attacks caused by stress.

The public was later told that there the attack was a false alarm. Moonstone Books, however, has unearthed the government documents that show the real truth…and how some of the greatest heroes in pulp history fought back against the “event”…

Battle for LA is AudioComics’ second collaboration with Moonstone Entertainment, Inc., adapted from the illustrated novella by CJ Henderson and Mark Sparacio, and starring pulp heroes The Black Bat, Domino Lady, Secret Agent X, and The Phantom Detective, and classic comic character Airboy. America’s pulp and comic avengers pit their wits (and guns) against a menace from another world in a story actually inspired by true events!

Review:
This is a fun listen and perfect for readers who like comics and action. The pulp heroes date from the 1930s. I had heard of The Phantom Detective and Airboy but the others were new to me. The story is set in 1945 and shares the adventure of The Phantom Detective and Secret Agent X, with the help of the others, as they hunt down and battle a private mogul who is threatening to use an other worldly device. The heroes goal is to eliminate the terrifying, but mystifying, device that would wipe out the population.

The story is full of sharp, comic dialogue, fast paced action and fitting sound effects. I also enjoyed the underlying spy nature of the characters and the machinations in the time setting of 1945. I wouldn’t want a steady diet of this genre but it was fun for a quick listen!

Audio Notes: I enjoy the give and take of dramatization with numerous characters. There was background music and sound effects that at time were too loud and made me strain to follow the conversation. That would cause difficulties for those who have difficulty hearing dialogue, like my DH.

I received this comic audio from the Publisher through AudioBook Jukebox.

Audible Book Review: The Chronology Protection Case by Paul Levinson

This short mystery dramatization packs an active dilemma of time paradox to the extreme!
The Chronology Protection Case
by Paul Levinson


LENGTH    38 mins
RELEASE DATE    01-01-05
PUBLISHER    Listen & Live Audio
Genre: Mystery, Dramatization
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
The radio play of "The Chronology Protection Case" was adapted by Mark Shanahan with Paul Levinson, based on the novelette by Paul Levinson which first appeared in the pages of Analog magazine in September 1995. The script of the radio adaptation was nominated for a prestigious Edgar Allan Poe Award as "Best Play of 2003" by the Mystery Writers of America.

The radio play was initially performed live before a studio audience at the Museum of TV & Radio in September of 2002. It was subsequently recorded at CDM Studios in New York City in 2003, featuring a cast of nine actors, with an original sound design and score. The CDM recording was produced by Charles de Montebello and Mark Shanahan.

"The Chronology Protection Case" radio play, a science fiction murder mystery, features Shanahan in the role of Dr. Phil D'Amato, the forensic detective who appears in Levinson's acclaimed novels, The Silk Code, The Consciousness Plague, and The Pixel Eye. When D'Amato is approached by the distraught wife of a missing scientist whose work is embroiled in secrecy, he is plunged into an adventure with a terrifying and powerful force of nature at the heart of a series of mysterious deaths.
©1995 Paul Levinson; (P)2005 Listen & Live Audio, Inc.

Review:
This is a dramatized story featuring forensic Detective, Dr. Phil D’Amato. Phil is called by Dr. Lauren Goldring, a physicist married to another physicist, Ian Goldring, who specializes in quantum physics. Ian was working on a device to send signals that would travel faster than light particles. But Ian has disappeared. As Phil begins searching for Dr. Goldring he discovers Ian with three gun shot wounds. Then Lauren turns up dead from an allergic reaction to sedative that Phil requested.

Phil works with Detective Lieutenant Jannie to pursue the case and he calls a Science and Research Journalist friend, Jack who dies next day. There were six people working on the special project and now four are already dead. The two survivors are not talking and all evidence of discussions and correspondence, even emails have been erased.

Now there is only one. Phil meets with Dr. Julie Fenwick, the only remaining survivor from the research project. Their discussion is remarkably intense as they try to figure out how to avoid becoming the next to die as time... or something or someone... protects itself.

There was no in depth character development but the plot line carried the story. Although the science of quantum physics would be difficult for most of us non-scientific types to follow, the impact of the time paradox was still understandable and created the basis of a unique mystery.

Audio Notes: This is a great audio dramatization that reminded me of radio dramas from the years before television – although the quality is much better. If you enjoy listening to fun stories, this is a quick mystery with an ironically twisted plot.

I received this download for review from the Author through AudioBook Jukebox.

Audio Book Review: The Grapes of Wrath, Dramatization

I really enjoyed this dramatization of this classic story.

The Grapes of Wrath
By John Steinbeck, Frank Galati [Adapt.]
Read by Shirley Knight, Jeffrey Donovan, and a Full Cast
Published by L.A. Theatre Works

LENGTH 1 hr and 59 mins
Locate a copy at Amazon | Audible | iTunes

Genre: Dramatization, Classic Literature
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Description:
Drought and economic depression are driving thousands from Oklahoma. As their land becomes just another strip in the dust bowl, the Joads, a family of sharecroppers, decide they have no choice but to follow. They head west, towards California, where they hope to find work and a future for their family.

"With a photographer’s eye for honest detail and a musician’s ear for the era’s language and dialogue, John Steinbeck’s Dustbowl epic of displacement, heartache, and hope became both a touchstone and lightning rod in American literature as soon as it was published in 1939. The novel continues to resonate and L.A. Theatre Works’s full-cast performance of Frank Galati’s Tony Award-winning stage adaptation hits all the high points. In this story of family and survival, Jeffrey Donovan provides a solid voice and foundation for the Prodigal Son figure, Tom Joad. Francis Guinan finds the wisdom and humor in the broken preacher, Jim Casey. And veteran Broadway star Shirley Knight shines as the matriarch, Ma Joad, bringing heart, soul, and tears to every line. A fine introduction to Steinbeck’s world.”

Review: 
I remember reading Grapes of Wrath years ago either in high school or college days. My recollection is that it was striking but depressing. I really had no big desire to re-read a depressing book. However, I downloaded the dramatized audio adaptation from SYNC as a pair with Eleventh Plague. Since I had reviewed Eleventh Plague a few weeks ago I decided it would be interesting to listen to the classic it was paired with. I am very glad that I did.

This dramatization includes songs and jingles that fit the soulfulness of the Great Depression.  The drama brings forth many of the emotions that flowed from the original story but it is much easier listening. Tom Joad is a son returning home from prison. He runs into a light hearted Jim Casey, who has given up preaching for a more prosaic and basic life of a rambler.  The Joad family is already packing to leave the Oklahoma land which has been taken over as the sharecroppers are being put out. The family includes grandparents who really do not want to leave but have little choice, a daughter who is pregnant and hoping for better things for her child and parents who a putting one foot before the next to survive and live the life as dull as it may seem.

There is a large group who are taking what belongings they can carry and moving to California where it is rumored there are good jobs and a chance to rebuild a new homestead.  Along the way they share comraderie around the fires and tents. Some places they find welcoming and others they are barred or ousted by others who do not want to share or who are suspicious of strangers bringing trouble.  One stranger the meet tries to tell them that the pamphlets promising jobs are lies but the family will not listen, they must learn for themselves.

There is little of joy in the story which is a harsh and poignant portrayal of the financial and mental losses suffered by those who lost hope during the times of the Great Depression. Fortunately the songs and jingles in this dramatized adaptation help bring a bit of spirit amid the sorrows and down to earth plodding of life.   The actors who "play" the characters do a wonderful job of conveying the emotional burdens that they are facing.

I thought this was a great pairing with Eleventh Plague.  I could see struggling familial units and societies, with fear, greed, loss, sorrow, depression and a flicker of hope in each story. Somehow reading both seems appropriate in this time of economic strife that may see communities falling into some of these same problems.

I encourage listening to both of these audios and I give a BIG thanks to SYNC YA for making them available!

This was from the wonderful SYNC YA Summer 2012 program which offers free downloads of Young Adult and Classic pairs to encourage YA listening.

I will add this to my Audio Challenge List.