Audio Book Review: Titanium Rain by Josh Finney

This is a fast paced, action packed wonderful full drama audio.

Titanium Rain

by Josh Finney

Audio CD (June 26, 2012)
1ST edition
Number of Discs: 1
Format: Original recording
Label: The AudioComics Company
Run Time: 98 minutes
ASIN: 098547971X

THE TITANIUM RAIN AUDIO MOVIE IS NOW AVAILABLE THROUGH iTunes, Amazon Mp3, CDBaby, 7Digital (US), AND AudioComics Digital Direct! CD’s ARE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE THROUGH Amazon, ZBS, CDBaby, Discount Comic Book Services, AND The AudioComics Webstore!

Genre:  Sci Fi, Graphic

My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

 To be alive is to be at odds with the world. 
Man against nature. Man against man.

The instinct to survive is what has
made us who we are.

In the year 2031 mankind’s survival instinct is put to the test when a civil war in China spirals into global conflict. Nations are destroyed. Millions are killed. And for many, like US Air Force pilot Alec Killian, survival will mean shedding some of his humanity in exchange for biotech and machine. Is this the ultimate corruption of nature, or the birth pains of a new chapter in mankind’s evolution?

This is the basis for one of the most acclaimed graphic novel series in recent years: Titanium Rain, created and produced by 01 Publishing and published by Archaia Entertainment. Now Titanium Rain makes the jump from the printed page to full-cast audio movie adapted for audio by co-creator Josh Finney and directed by William Dufris. Visit the Titanium Rain Audio site for more information!

Review:
This story focuses on a group of special Air Force pilots, the primary character being Alec Killian and his flight team members. These pilots are sometimes referred to as “hacks” because their DNA was hacked and ‘upgraded.’ In a world where there are not enough pilots they became part of the Prometheus program where those who didn’t make the cut got a second chance. They become special fighter pilots with manufactured eyes & hearts and DNA with what it takes to handle the adrenalin.

There is a discussion on whether it is appropriate to improve on God’s design. Those in favor express the view that it is information and technology that God has allowed similar to allowing doctors to find cures to the plagues and illnesses from the middle ages to current times.

There is a lot of excitement and action in the fast paced, brief story taking place in a futuristic war setting. The story gives background explaining how the current war began and the extreme opposition the forces face. This is definitely a graphic audio with wonderful, adrenaline pumping background sounds of fighter jets. There are also ‘on the ground’ troop dialogues at play and under fire. There is some vulgar language and humor although it is most likely realistic.


I really enjoyed the story although it is short and left me interested for more. The full cast drama sound is great so I recommend this as a good way to listen to these stories.

 I received this for review from Audio Comics through Audiobook Jukebox.

Hardcover available at Amazon.
I will add this to my Audio and New Author Challenge lists.

Book Review: I Own the Dawn: The Night Stalkers by M.L. Buchman

This is a full action, high intensity read with great details! 

I Own the Dawn: The Night Stalkers

by M.L. Buchman

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (August 1, 2012) 
• Language: English 
• ISBN-10: 1402258135 
• ISBN-13: 978-1402258138

Genre: Military, Romantic Suspense

My Rating: 5.0 of 5.0

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2012

Name: Archibald Jeffrey Stevenson III

Rank: First Lieutenant, Dap Hawk Copilot

Mission: Strategy and execution of special ops maneuvers

Name: Kee Smith

Rank: Sergeant, Night Stalker Gunner and Sharpshooter

Mission: Whatever it takes to get the job done

You Wouldn't Think It Could Get Worse, Until It Does...

When a special mission slowly unravels, it is up to Kee and Archie to get their team out of an impossible situation with international implications. With her weaponry knowledge and his strategic thinking, plus the explosive attraction that puts them into exact synchrony, together they might just have a fighting chance.

Review: 

Kee Smith is a female “warrior”.  She was a street orphan and trouble landed her in the Army where she found a ‘home.’ She tested and scrambled her way to the top level of warriors as a sharpshooter so that she could get assigned to the elite Special Operations Aviation Regiment division, SOAR, and specifically to the Night Stalkers. 

Kee comes to the camp with a hostile attitude. She has always had to prove herself and she is inclined to believe that even the ‘legendary’ Major Emily Beale, with her FBI father, was handed her position. Kee soon learns that each member of the SOAR team, including Beale, clearly earned their wings and respect.

Archie is a chopper piolet and an amazing tactician, strategist, with SOAR. He has flown with Beale since they became friends at West Point. He comes from a family of influence with a father who builds boats and a CEO mother who has learned to navigate the political and financial world of alliances and trade groups.

On an early protective run the team picks up an eleven-year-old girl hidden in the rocks.  She has clearly been walking a long time, alone and scavenging to stay alive. Kee takes her under her wing before she even realizes she has chosen to protect the girl. Kee makes Dilyana feel safe while Archie brings her calm and smiles.

The street smart Kee and 'Professor' Archie may not seem a likely pair but they are pulled together by their mutual attraction. They take vacation with Dily in tow and Archie’s parents showing up unexpectedly putting Kee into an emotional quandary she is unaccustomed to.

Kee struggles with her mixed feelings and fear of closeness as they are called back to base for a secret flight. Although they experience misunderstandings and mis-communication, soon they have to learn to trust each other to complete a near impossible, full risk mission. They are the last chance to prevent a terrorist event that could trigger a major war.

This book has great action, a plausible plot and amazing detail. Mr. Buchman’s descriptions put you in the midst of the action.  Even in the middle when the scenes are personal there is great emotional investment that keeps the reader’s attention moving forward.

I was very impressed with the detail of the military setting and tactics as well as the political complexities that would be effected by the terrorist act. If you like romantic suspense with full on action, impressive detail and intense emotions this is an author and a series you need to read.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kee thinks of Dilyana seeing her parents killed up close and recalls this vivid imagery:

The more you heard, the better your imitations. You learned to break it down. The timbre of the initial snap, the shriek of the whistle while it passed within a couple of inches, the Doppler drop-off as it moved on. And that dreadful wait, hoping it hit rock or dirt with a sharp slap rather than turning into a silent moment and then the cry of the gut-shot guy who was supposed to have your backside. Page 97.

Kee’s life is changing due to a child and a man:

Faced the world in her own way at her own pace. And the Kee Smith she knew only had one pace. Full thrust.
Now an eleven-year-old girl braided her hair and a SOAR officer held her hands and spoke of dreams.
She tried to breathe past the tightness in her chest. P285.

Thank you to Sourcebooks for providing the book to review and for allowing me to host a Giveaway.See the next post, the author interview, for the Giveaway.

Book Review: The Night is Mine by M.L. Buchman

Great action and romance story!

The Night is Mine

by M.L. Buchman

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (February 7, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402258100
• ISBN-13: 978-1402258107

     Genre: Military, Romantic Suspense
     My Rating: 4.75 of 5.0

Book Description

Publication Date: February 7, 2012 | Series: The Night Stalker

NAME: Emily Beale

RANK: Captain

MISSION: Fly undercover to prevent the assassination of the First Lady, posing as her executive pilot.

NAME: Mark Henderson, code name Viper

RANK: Major

MISSION: Undercover role of wealthy, ex-mercenary boyfriend to Emily

Their jobs are high risk, high reward:

Protect the lives of the powerful and the elite at all cost. Neither expected that one kiss could distract them from their mission. But as the passion mounts between them, their lives and their hearts will both be risked...and the reward this time may well be worth it.

Review:  This book has strong characters, a suspenseful plot and fast pacing to make a very entertaining read.

Captain Emily Beale has had to fight her way to be counted as a valued member of the SOAR (Special Operations Aviation Regiment) elite flying team. She has proven herself in many missions, pulling through with skill and guts. She works hard to be even better than the men she works with so she isn’t exactly happy when a news crew focuses on her unique cooking skills in the field instead of her flying achievements. But those skills pull her out of her unit to a special undercover assignment as chef, personal pilot and protector to the First Lady. Emily doesn’t like the woman much but can’t really refuse the orders since they come from the Commander in Chief himself who happened to be her childhood “boy next door” crush.

Major Mark Henderson recognizes Beale as one of the best pilots under his command. He has tried to treat her equally with the guys but it has been hard as his admiration for her keeps expanding. He is furious to learn she has been pulled from his team with no explanation. He realizes he wants her back... and for more than her military skills. Although fraternizing with a lower ranking officer could lose them both their jobs, Mark can’t resist a kiss right before she is shipped out. That taste has him chasing after her to find what she is up to and make sure she is safe.

Emily and Mark end up expanding her undercover scheme to include him as her high power boyfriend in order to help ferret out the secrets of who is attempting to assassinate the First Lady. As they play their roles they lose the battle of trying to resist the chemical pull that they now acknowledge between them but is such a danger to their careers.

There is lots of intense flight action to kick this off. As the book progresses there are fun cooking details, trouble in the first family, challenges with the Secret Service, explosive helicopter rides, traumatic eye injury, and jealous misunderstandings. The plot was a bit outlandish but it was different and fun.

Emily is a fabulously dedicated and skilled pilot - a great, strong heroine with brains and determination. Mark is equally tough and strong with a sense of humor thrown in to add a little fun. The writing is especially crisp in the action scenes, giving the tempo an extra punch. The romance is sensual and sexy without being graphic.  This was a fast read in pacing and because the excitement and suspense levels kept me glued to the action.

I happened to see this appropriate comment under the Product description:

Booklist (Starred review!)
"Readers who enjoy Suzanne Brockmann, Vicki Hinze, and Merline Lovelace as well as those who like good romantic suspense, military or otherwise, will enjoy the first book in the Night Stalkers series."

Those are three authors I love and I will add Mr. Buchman to the list if he produces more good reads like this. I'm ready for more in this series!

~~~~~

Some 'romantic' observations:
By Mark:
And when Captain Emily Beale flew ten tons of armored attack helicopter into battle, it was absolutely the sexiest thing he'd ever seen. Location 437.
By Emily:
Could she have found a more unlikely guardian angel than Major Mark “The Viper” Henderson? And who knew angels could make her feel so d**n happy. Location 1791.

Thank you to Sourcebooks for providing this book through NetGalley.

This was set primarily in Washington, D.C. for my Where Are You Reading Challenge. I will also add it to the ARC and New Author lists.