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.

#Audio #Review of Civil War (Marvel) by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven

Great audio performance makes this comic book story entertaining even for those of us who don't read comics!

CIVIL WAR (MARVEL)

Author: Mark Millar, Steve McNiven

Approximate Run Time: 6 hours
Release Date: March 2013
ISBN: 978-1-59950-952-5

Genre: Comic book Action
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

The epic story that blows the Marvel Universe apart!

Iron Man and Captain America: two core members of the Avengers, the world's greatest super hero team.

After a tragic battle in Stamford Connecticut, the U.S. government demands that all super heroes unmask and register their powers.

To Tony Stark—Iron Man—it's a regrettable but necessary step.

To Captain America, it's an unbearable assault on civil liberties.

So begins the Civil War.

© Marvel

Review:
This is set at a time when there are numerous super heroes and wanna be super heroes raging through America. A young team of hotshots are doing a type of super hero reality show. Their antics go wrong and a terrible tragedy occurs. Government sources, already wary of villainous super beings, demand registration and disclosure of all super heroes and their powers. Tony Stark as Iron Man decides that it would be best for the super hero community to be visible and open. He supports the legislation for registration and helps set up the outer space detention center to hold villains and non-compliant super heroes.

Tony brings Peter Parker, Spiderman, along side to mentor him and use his special skills. Reed Richards, Mr. Fantastic, is also wrapped up in the arrangements for the registration process and, as he struggles with all of the mathematical and mechanical equations, he loses touch with his own wife, Sue Storm, Invisible Woman.

Not all the super heroes agree with registration and Captain America becomes the leader of a resistance movement. Tony pulls them into a trap and in the ensuing battle one of the great super heroes, a friend of both sides, is killed by a character whom everyone believes to be another great super hero but turns out to be a clone. Sue leaves Reed to side with the resistance and, after learning more horrible truths, Peter changes sides too.

Tony and the government Shield office have programs to spy out the “caped” heroes and even more invasions of privacy. Tony thinks he’s right to support this but Captain America feels that the new law violates his freedoms. Super heroes who were once friends and allies line up to battle it out. Can the heroes come to terms or, in an effort to “be right”, will they destroy the community they are trying to protect?

This story presents a dilemma of balancing public protection and the civil liberties of individuals. There are personal issues and betrayals that add to the intrigue. I found it interesting to have these real life problems framed in a comic book story, but that doesn’t make them any less potent... maybe more so.

Audio Notes: I do LOVE GraphicAudio! The performance wraps around you, just as it claims: “a movie in your mind!” You hear the crash, clang and flare of the battles; the radio transmitted messages; and the whispered cries and sobs of loss. I might not pick up the comic book but this full performance audio makes for great entertainment. The individual narrators do a really good job of portraying the voices and the unique characters.

I received this Audio from GraphicAudio through Audiobook Jukebox.

Audio Book Review: The Templar Chronicles 1, The Heretic, by Joe Nassise

This is a fully dramatized production and very exciting to listen to.

The Templar Chronicles 1 The Heretic

by Joe Nassise

Approximate Run Time: 6 hours

Release Date: February 2012
ISBN: 978-1-59950-836-8
Available in paperback, Kindle and other formats too.

Genre: Urban Fantasy
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Description:

At the end of the First Crusade, the church created a monastic military order known as the Knights Templar. Now, rising up from the ashes of history, they are the Vatican’s last defense in the war between good and evil…

Cade Williams is no ordinary man. His ability to cross over to the other side makes him uniquely qualified to command the Church’s special operations division. As a modern-day Knight, Cade can use the curse that has scarred his soul as a weapon against the forces of darkness. But a new kind of unholy war is brewing — and soon Cade may be the last man standing…between the living and the dead.

The desecration of Templar cemeteries has sparked a full-scale investigation. Cade and his team suspect that a cabal of necromancers is behind it all. Their purpose: to claim the legendary powers of a lost holy relic for their own ungodly campaign.

For Cade, there’s only one way to stop them — by tracking the dead himself…crossing the most sacred of battle lines…and facing his own terrifying demons.

Review:

This is an excellent audio with full graphic sound effects aptly described as the introduction notes: “Graphic Audio - a movie in your mind!”

The Templars are a line of Vatican warriors, dating back to the Crusades, who fight demons and other supernatural forces in the age old battle of good forces versus evil. Each knight has a special paranormal skill they use in the battle.

Cade Williams, is sometimes looked at as a rogue member of the Templar knights known as “the Heretic.”  Cade’s wife, Gabriel, was tortured and butchered right in front of him.  He is brash, bitter and resentful. He fought against the evil Adversary and is able to walk through portals to a grey shade world of the dead. Cade refuses to recognize or appreciate a God who would allow his wife to be disfigured and killed, but he still fights for the good against the vile evil he knows exists. Cade may not always exhibit all Christian precepts, but his team respect his expert leadership knowing that he sees a broader picture and will be on the front lines leading them through the battles.

Cades’s team is called in when the hidden headquarters of the Templars and the Templar cemeteries are attacked. Although other teams could serve as bodyguards, Cade’s team is assigned because they will go on the offensive when it becomes needed, which is likely. The attacks on the headquarters are mysterious and devastating. There are few clues except that someone in their own ranks is leaking information and there is an obscure reference to ‘a circle of 9.’

The trail eventually leads to a necromancer, Logan, who was thought to be a minor wizard.  But Logan has joined forces with The Adversary to gain power. The goal is to steal a priceless and powerful artifact from the archives of the Templars. Do Cade and his loyal team stand a chance to protect the treasure of the Templars when the enemy is always one step ahead?

There are several secondary characters who are not fully developed but presented with sufficient quirks and flaws that I want to read more about them in future ‘episodes.’ Although Cade’s love for his wife has a significant part in the story, this story is definitely action and not romance. Mr. Nassise has created an interesting storyline and characters who you root for and mourn.

The audio reading is powerful and intense, suiting the fast paced action and dangers of the story. The background noises do make it seem like listening to a movie. Once in a while (like a lot of movies I know) the sound is almost too much, overwhelming the dialogue. But most often the production is wonderfully entertaining and it left me wanting more of the story and more graphic audio experiences.

The audio version is great but if you don't do audio and like action then I recommend you try this series in another format. 

A big thank you to Graphic Audio and AudioJukebox for making this book available to me for review.

Although the action moves around, it starts and several scenes occur in Connecticut so I will place it there for Where Are You Reading Challenge. I will also add it to my New Author and Audio challenges.