Audible Book Review: The Collapsing Empire by John Scalzi

A little slow start and then I was engrossed.

The Collapsing Empire
The Interdependency, Book 1
By: John Scalzi
Narrated by: Wil Wheaton
Series: The Interdependency, Book 1
Length: 9 hrs and 24 mins

Length: 9 hrs and 24 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 03-21-17
Language: English
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Galactic Empire, Space Opera, Sci Fi
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
2018 Locus Award, Best Science Fiction Novel
Our universe is ruled by physics, and faster-than-light travel is not possible - until the discovery of The Flow, an extradimensional field we can access at certain points in space-time that transports us to other worlds, around other stars.
Humanity flows away from Earth, into space, and in time forgets our home world and creates a new empire, the Interdependency, whose ethos requires that no one human outpost can survive without the others. It's a hedge against interstellar war - and a system of control for the rulers of the empire.
The Flow is eternal - but it is not static. Just as a river changes course, The Flow changes as well, cutting off worlds from the rest of humanity. When it's discovered that The Flow is moving, possibly cutting off all human worlds from faster-than-light travel forever, three individuals - a scientist, a starship captain, and the empress of the Interdependency - are in a race against time to discover what, if anything, can be salvaged from an interstellar empire on the brink of collapse.
©2017 John Scalzi (P)2017 Audible, Inc.

Review:
The Interdependency is a universe of human occupied worlds, planets and outposts, which are connected by The Flow. The Flow is an extradimensional field which allows travel through space so the worlds can trade together. As in any empire, there are social layers (workers, teachers, scientists), some struggling, some succeeded. And there are ‘elite’ houses competing for power. On the ruling planet, the Hub, a brand-new Emperox, Cardenia, is struggling to learn how to handle her unexpected role which includes balancing the governing council, the mercantile guilds, the spiritual arm and the other interests which are the concern of the ultimate ruler.

A starship captain, after surviving an ill-timed mutiny, arrives at the farthest planet, End, to learn that the Duke, currently in charge but involved in rebel war, wants to quarantine their cargo. Now the captain and the owner’s rep, Lady Kiva, need to figure out how to bring back a profitable return. As the rebellion rages it looks like they might be able to sell passage to people who want to leave the planet.

Meanwhile, there is a family on another section of End where a friend of the prior emperor has been engrossed in quietly studding The Flow. Father and son physicists have determined that The Flow is soon going to collapse. Lord Marce hopes to get his son and the important research on the last starship that will be able to leave End. This information will change the Interdependency and some of the powers on End don’t want the information to get to the Hub.

The lives of these three primary characters become intertwined as the universe begins its drastic change. The story started a little slowly, but I did become involved in personalities and the political plot. I enjoyed the humor and intrigue but was just disappointed by the bad language. The book ends at a point that leaves open a lot for the next struggles. I will finish the Old Man Series while I think if I want to continue this series. I can recommend this to readers who like intergalactic politics and don’t mind the language.

Audio Notes: Wil Wheaton does a nice job with the narration. He provides distinct voices and strong energy. The narration made this a better ‘reading’ experience for me.

Source: September 2017 Audible Daily Deal $2.95. This qualifies for 2019TBR and 2019Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: The Ember War, Books 1-2, by Richard Fox

I enjoyed this first contact/space military adventure. I’ll be continuing the series.

The Ember War
Publisher's Pack, Books 1-2
By: Richard Fox
Narrated by: Luke Daniels
Series: The Ember War, Book 1-2
Length: 15 hrs and 37 mins
Release date: 02-23-16
Language: English
Publisher: Podium Publishing
Genre: Sci Fi, Space Fleet, Space Military
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
The Ember War, book 1: The Earth is doomed. Humanity has a chance.
In the near future, an alien probe arrives on Earth with a pivotal mission: to determine if humanity has what it takes to survive the impending invasion by a merciless armada. The probe discovers Marc Ibarra, a young inventor who holds the key to a daring gambit that could save a fraction of Earth's population. Humanity's only chance lies with Ibarra's ability to keep a terrible secret and engineer the planet down the narrow path to survival. Earth will need a fleet. One with a hidden purpose. One strong enough to fight a battle against annihilation.
The Ember War is the first installment in an epic military sci-fi series. If you enjoyed A Hymn Before Battle by John Ringo and The Last Starship by Vaughn Heppner, then you'll love this explosive adventure with constant thrills and high stakes from beginning to end.
The Ruins of Anthalas, book 2: An ancient holocaust holds the key to humanity's survival.
Only a sliver of mankind survived the Xaros invasion. With Earth's defenses in ashes, nothing can stop the aliens' inevitable return. Hope arrives through a cryptic message from a long-lost alien race, promising the means to rebuild the shattered space fleet. Captain Valdar takes one of the last strike carriers, the Breitenfeld, and his shell-shocked crew on a desperate mission to the dead world. Unfortunately humans aren't the only power that received the ancient message....
The Ruins of Anthalas is the second book in The Ember War Saga, a military sci-fi space opera. If you like David Weber and John Ringo with a touch of Isaac Asimov, then you'll love this fast-paced and captivating adventure where humanity survives at the edge of a knife.
©2015 Richard Fox (P)2016 Podium Publishing

Review:
Book 1: The Ember War.
An alien probe made contact with one nerdy college student on earth. The alien had decided a scientific theory of Marc Ibarra might give the planet a marginally better chance to survive the coming attack by the Xaros, an alien army that wipes out all sentient life it finds. Marc and his alien probe only have sixty years to prepare.

Sixty years later the wealthy Ibarra Corporation has spear-headed space exploration and space mining. Ibarra has kept secrets and made plans to hopefully save a small fraction of humans. He didn’t want to be the one to choose those who survive but …someone has to make the hard choices.

Lieutenant Ken Hale of the Atlantic Union Marine Corps is an experience team leader who runs missions from the spaceship Breitenfeld under the command of Captain Isaac Valdar. Valdar hadn’t really wanted to leave his family but answered the call from his good friend, Admiral Garrett. Valdar had no idea that he’d be leaving for more than a short mission. The Bretenfeld is carrying a precious cargo: Ibarra’s heir and secret weapon, Stacy.

Valdar and his crew will experience events no one else has faced and discover secrets that will tear apart their lives. The space fleet has survived the first devastating attack of the Xaros and even manage to capture an important space travel station from the Xaros. But how will the fleet stay hidden and keep mankind from extinction?

I enjoyed Hale and his Marine team who use their skills well together. They get extra rescue help from some massive, armored humans (I think referred to as Iron Hearts).

Book 2: The Ruins of Anthalas.
If the human race wants to survive, the fleet needs to obtain certain elements and secrets that might be found on the destroyed planet of Anthalas. The Breitenfeld is directed to use the Xaros jump station to reach Anthalas and find out if they can mine the needed elements. It is supposed to be an exploratory mission only but the away teams run into opposition and end up stealing crucial artifacts in addition to obtaining important information. Unfortunately, the fight with the natives draws the attention of the Xaros and exposes the humans.

Hale and his brave team are joined by some alien allies in these battle adventures. Steuben is a bit arrogant and sometimes treats the humans with contempt. Still, the longer he fights along side them the more he begins to appreciate their quick reactions and shear drive.

I won’t say that the writing is brilliant, but the world building and aliens are imaginative, and the action is fast paced. The hand full of important characters are likeable and developed so that I was rooting for them all to stay whole and return to the ship alive (at least alive enough to be healed with regeneration).

I am glad that I got the first two books in one and I have added book three to my list for future purchase. I recommend this to reader’s who enjoy space battles from authors such as Isaac Hooke, David Weber, and John Ringo.

Audio Notes: Luke Daniels is a reliable good narrator. As usual, he does well with the pacing in this sort of book and he gives the characters their own voices and personalities. His narration adds to the book and my enjoyment.

Source: November 2016 Audible Sale. This qualifies for 2019TBR and 2019Audiobook goal.

#NetGalley Book Review: The Girl in Red by Christina Henry

This is realistic post apocalyptic.

The Girl in Red
by Christina Henry

File Size: 1626 KB
Print Length: 302 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1785659774
Publisher: Berkley (June 18, 2019)
ASIN: B07KNRN1VL
Genre: Fairy Tale Retelling, Post-Apocalyptic, Sci Fi
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

From the national bestselling author of Alice comes a postapocalyptic take on the perennial classic "Little Red Riding Hood"...about a woman who isn't as defenseless as she seems.
It's not safe for anyone alone in the woods. There are predators that come out at night: critters and coyotes, snakes and wolves. But the woman in the red jacket has no choice. Not since the Crisis came, decimated the population, and sent those who survived fleeing into quarantine camps that serve as breeding grounds for death, destruction, and disease. She is just a woman trying not to get killed in a world that doesn't look anything like the one she grew up in, the one that was perfectly sane and normal and boring until three months ago.
There are worse threats in the woods than the things that stalk their prey at night. Sometimes, there are men. Men with dark desires, weak wills, and evil intents. Men in uniform with classified information, deadly secrets, and unforgiving orders. And sometimes, just sometimes, there's something worse than all of the horrible people and vicious beasts combined.
Red doesn't like to think of herself as a killer, but she isn't about to let herself get eaten up just because she is a woman alone in the woods....

Review:
Red is a young woman who survived the ‘Crisis’. A terrible coughing virus has destroyed society as it used to be. Red had hoped that her family – parents and brother - could get to her grandmother’s house. But now she is on her own in a red jacket trying to avoid the predators, the marauders and the government (maybe?) troops.

Red is pragmatic and knows to scavenge for items needed to survive. That includes blankets for warmth, canned goods for food and an axe for protection. Red is determined but she will face terrible odds, not just in lawless people but in a deadly monster that she would never have believed in if she hadn’t seen it with her own eyes.

I initially thought this might be a fairy tale retelling, but the similarities are limited. After all, in this story the wolves may have to be afraid of Little Red. I choose not to describe more of the details to avoid spoilers. I liked that this post-apocalyptic tale has a lot of realistic elements. The author also deals nicely with several timely issues like racism and sexual orientation. Red is a wonderful character of intelligence and strength in a desperate situation. The ending leaves some questions, but the story is really about a frightening journey which shares sorrow and hope. I recommend this to fans of the post-apocalyptic genre.

Source: 2019 NetGalley. This qualifies for 2019NetGalley goal.

Audible Book Review: Fata Morgana by Steven R. Boyett and Ken Mitchroney

This fun, alternate history is full of WWII period, and beyond, action.

Fata Morgana

By: Steven R. Boyett, Ken Mitchroney

Narrated by: Macleod Andrews

Length: 12 hrs and 9 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release date: 06-13-17

Language: English

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Genre: Alternate History, Sci Fi, Time Travel

My Ration: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary

At the height of the air war in Europe, Captain Joe Farley and the baseball-loving, wisecracking crew of the B-17 Flying Fortress Fata Morgana are in the middle of a harrowing bombing mission over eastern Germany when everything goes sideways. The bombs are still falling and flak is still exploding all around the 20-ton bomber as it is knocked like a bathtub duck into another world.

Suddenly stranded with the final outcasts of a desolated world, Captain Farley navigates a maze of treachery and wonderand finds a love seemingly decreed by fate—as his bomber becomes a pawn in a centuries-old conflict between remnants of advanced but decaying civilizations. Caught among these bitter enemies, a vast power that has brought them here for its own purposes, and a terrifying living weapon bent on their destruction, the crew must use every bit of their formidable inventiveness and courage to survive.

Fata Morgana—the epic novel of love and duty at war across the reach of time.

©2017 Steven R. Boyett & Ken Mitchroney (P)2017 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Review:
Captain Joe Farley and his WWII flight crew are relieved to get a new B17 when their first one barely limps into base. They name their new plane Fata Morgana and Joe describes a mysterious woman to be painted on the nose. They pick up a new crew member, a Native American who bailed from his plane which shockingly arrived back to base with an all dead crew.

The crew is part of a bombing mission during which the formation comes under attack by German bombers. Suddenly the Fata Morgana is pulled into a dark cloud and spit out into a desolated world. The planet appears devastated and the crew is alarmed when two opposing teams converge on them, one trying to protect them and the other attacking them. It appears the teams are from two rival colonies who are trying to get the plane for their own use. And that these people are not the worst enemy they will face.

The wisecracking crew members are stranded unless their mechanic wizard can get the plane working again. Meanwhile they are all surprised, especially Joe, when the woman of his dreams appears in front of them! She convinces them to return to her community but not everyone is as welcoming as she is. The crew makes friends but will have to survive betrayal to have a future.

The story starts a little slowly as the authors introduce and develop the crewmembers. There is fun banter and baseball camaraderie shared even during the stresses of war. The battle scenes are well written with action and tension. Once the plane crashes in the other world there are totally different tensions and conflicts the crew must face. I liked the well-developed characters, the action, the romance and the plot twists. The romance grows slowly and warmly to mature to a point of heartbreak. There is a strange scene involving limited characters around the center of the time whirlwind. This gives some of the surprising background of the world. I anticipated the betrayal but didn’t see all of the twists which made it interesting.

This isn’t as good as my favorite alternate history/universe series, The Destroyermen series, but it was a fun, fill-in listen. I recommend this to readers/listeners who enjoy World War II era and/or the alternate history genre.

Audio Notes: Macleod Andrews does a wonderful job with the narration. He captures the variety of character accents and energies. His narration helped to bring the story alive. The narration enhanced the story for me and I would be glad to listen to more by this narrator.

Source: 12/2/2017 Audible Daily Deal $3.95. This qualifies for 2019TBR and 2019Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: Harden, Lee Harden, Book 1 by D.J. Molles

This is gritty but I was glued to listening.
Harden
Lee Harden, Book 1
By: D.J. Molles
Narrated by: Christian Rummel

Series: Lee Harden, Book 1
Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 10-23-18
Language: English
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Sci Fi, Post Apocalyptic
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
Harden is the highly-anticipated return to the NYT best-selling series, The Remaining.
It’s been three years since Lee Harden emerged from his bunker into a world gone mad. Governments have fallen. And new ones have taken their place. In the United Eastern States, Lee and his team of battle-hardened operatives walk a tightrope of survival, keeping their fledgling society safe from the creatures beyond their gates - and from the enemies within.
Then, an ambush in hostile territory reveals a traitor in their midst - and leaves Lee barely clinging to life. Wounded and on the run, Lee and his team race to uncover the leak before it’s too late. Through a background of destruction, betrayal, and newly-evolved apex predators, they must stay one step ahead of a ruthless organization spreading out of the south - an organization that has allied with someone who wants Lee dead, and the United Eastern States demolished. But how do you stay ahead of an enemy that knows every move you make?
Reintroducing one of the most beloved heroes in post-apocalyptic fiction, Harden immerses you in a reality of desperate gambits, where wrong moves could cost the lives of thousands, but saving them could cost your humanity. The only rule is NEVER STOP FIGHTING.
©2018 D.J. Molles (P)2018 Audible, Inc.

Review:
Harden is a dedicated soldier who found himself as one of the few left with resources when a virus turned the majority of people into zombies. He started his days struggling for survival with the mantra “the only easy day was yesterday”. (The Remaining.) This story opens with Harden nearly dead. His team is trying to revive him from a chest wound while they are on the run and under fire. Harden is now struggling to live, get up and fight, reminding himself that this is who he is: he has to protect his team and he can “never stop fighting”.

Harden helped establish a community of survivors which has allied with other groups along the coast as the United Eastern States. They all face the threat of self-appointed “president” Briggs who has commandeered resources and set up base in Colorado. Briggs wants to abandon the south to the infected hordes and he needs to eliminate Harden to get to the resources Harden has gathered. Harden and his team are facing a new force and coping with the realization that someone from their home base at Fort Bragg has betrayed them.

Harden and allies were able to stop a horde of infected about to take over North Carolina. But now the infected have adapted and are changing into stronger and more reasoning creatures dubbed Primals. While Harden and team try to escape, trouble is expanding back home. There is opposition sniping (literally) at Angela, the selected leader (and semi love interest of Harden). And some of the residents have gotten lax about perimeter safety allowing a threat into the protected community. They are in crisis when they learn that there is a mole and traitor in their midst.

I was glad to pick up this series again and appreciated that Harden is exhausted and struggling (after he survives death). I had forgotten how harsh the language is and I had to get into the story to get around the swearing. Thank goodness that Mr. Molles concentrates on intense plotting and suspense. I stayed up too late listening and was glad and sad at the end. Glad because there is a small light of hope and sad because the book ended with open issues (mini cliff hanger). I will have to pick up the next one to continue the saga. I recommend starting this series at the beginning.

Audio Notes: Christian Rummel continues to do a wonderful job providing voices and emotional intensity for these characters. The narration enhances my enjoyment of the story.

Source: November 2018 Audible Credit. This qualifies for 2019TBR and 2019Audiobook goal.

Links to my reviews of the earlier books:
The Remaining, Book 1  4.25
The Remaining: Aftermath, Book 2  4.5
The Remaining: The Refugees, Book 3  4.25
The Remaining: The Fractured, Book 4  4.5
The Remaining: Trust: a Novella  4.0
The Remaining: Faith: a Novella  4.0
The Remaining: Allegiance, Book 5 4.25
The Remaining: Extinction, Book 6 4.5

#NetGalley Book Review: Finder by Suzanne Palmer

I enjoyed this sci fi, action story.

Finder
by Suzanne Palmer

File Size: 2742 KB
Print Length: 397 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0756415101
Publisher: DAW (April 2, 2019)
ASIN: B07FC7KWLB
Genre: Action Adventure, Sci Fi, Space Colonization
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Fergus Ferguson has been called a lot of names: thief, con artist, repo man. He prefers the term finder.
His latest job should be simple. Find the spacecraft Venetia's Sword and steal it back from Arum Gilger, ex-nobleman turned power-hungry trade boss. He’ll slip in, decode the ship’s compromised AI security, and get out of town, Sword in hand.
Fergus locates both Gilger and the ship in the farthest corner of human-inhabited space, a backwater deep space colony called Cernee. But Fergus’ arrival at the colony is anything but simple. A cable car explosion launches Cernee into civil war, and Fergus must ally with Gilger’s enemies to navigate a field of space mines and a small army of hostile mercenaries. What was supposed to be a routine job evolves into negotiating a power struggle between factions. Even worse, Fergus has become increasingly—and inconveniently—invested in the lives of the locals.
It doesn’t help that a dangerous alien species Fergus thought mythical prove unsettlingly real, and their ominous triangle ships keep following him around.
Foolhardy. Eccentric. Reckless. Whatever he’s called, Fergus will need all the help he can get to take back the Sword and maybe save Cernee from destruction in the process.

Review:
Fergus is a “finder” which is basically a glorified, trained repo man. He once was considered a hero having saved many lives during an incident on Mars. But he has always suffered survivor’s guilt as the rescue was more the result of a blunder than intended action. Fergus moves along in life as a loner, long since having determined not to get involved with people. He has found that his luck in finding things tends to come with a side of mayhem to those around him. Accordingly, he likes to get in, complete his job, and get out.

Fergus’ current assignment is to retrieve a stolen airship. The ship was specially programmed not to allow outsiders or pirates. However, a brutal trade warlord, Gilder, posed as a buyer and stole the ship during a test flight. Gilder is using the ship to take over a space colony, Cernee, where his burly enforcer henchman is eliminating the leaders of the various communities which are part of the colony hub.

As Fergus approaches Cernee, he meets a wiry, feisty old woman who saves him from death in the cable car they are on. The explosion and ‘Mother’s’ last wish pull Fergus into the middle of the local power struggle. Just outside the colony are hovering alien crafts which keep the locals in fear as they occasionally capture people and return them with unexpected ‘gifts’ and powers.

Fergus makes a few tentative friends… more appropriately allies to help him accomplish his mission. The rescue plan goes far afield which is not uncommon for Fergus’ wild plans. Before he can secure the ship and return it to the shipbuilders he has to face the aliens, rescue an ally’s daughter from Mars and help the locals survive the threat of Gilder.

I totally liked Fegus as a loner who can’t help but rescue others around him. His plans are unconventional which make for fun diversions such as bouncing ball decoys and holographic sparkling pogo airsticks. The characters who step in to help Fergus are interesting as well. There is plenty of action and good humor. The problems that Fergus creates for himself are frustrating and it is not clear how he will get around them in the future. Still, I found the story creative and engaging. I would enjoy more in the series. I recommend this to readers who enjoy fun space adventure.

Source: 2019 NetGalley. This qualifies for 2019NetGalley goal.

Audible Book Review: The Event By Nathan Hystad

This is a quick sci fi listen.

The Event
By: Nathan Hystad
Narrated by: Luke Daniels

Series: The Survivors, Book 1
Length: 6 hrs and 33 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 07-24-18
Language: English
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: First Contact, Sci Fi
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 3.75; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
The ships came at dawn. Dean’s wife is dead. Her last words: When the ships come...wear the necklace. Then the ships arrived.
Cities all around the world reported strange alien vessels descending. Some saw them as the heralds of a new age; others fired everything they had at them. All were taken as the beams lashed down and drew them into the sky.
Dean was left behind, seemingly the last man on Earth. A trail of clues left by his dead wife guides Dean on a perilous journey across America and beyond to learn the truth behind the mysterious ships and save humanity from its doom.
But not everything is as it seems.
The Event is the epic first novel by Nathan Hystad, creator of the best-selling Explorations anthology series.
©2018 Nathan Hystad (P)2018 Audible, Inc.

Review:
Dean’s wife suffered an unexplained illness and died a few years ago. She left Dean with a whispered “sorry” and instructions to wear the necklace when the ships arrive. Now the ships have arrived and Dean retrieves the necklace just in time to see everyone around him beamed into the alien ships. Why wasn’t he taken and what secrets did his wife hide from him? With a letter from his dead wife in hand, Dean sets off with his neighbor’s dog as his only companion. It is only as he follows the mysterious instructions of the letter that he begins to find others with similar mysteries. Dean, an accountant, is an unlikely hero to help save humanity but he is a man on a mission and finds more and more reasons to persist as he gets closer to the goal.

This wasn’t really compelling for me but it is a quick story/listen. It kept me interested to see how the small band of survivors would face the aliens. There isn’t a great depth of character development and there are scenes that just don’t jive. I liked that there was light humor and no swearing. There are six more books in the series and the ratings seem to have gotten better so I might continue the series sometime in the future.

Audio Notes: Luke Daniels is a reliable narrator who is able to add life to a story. The narration enhanced the story for me.

Source: 1/24/2019 Audible Daily Deal $2.95. This qualifies for 2019Audiobook goal.

#NetGalley and Audible Book Review: Nightstalkers, An Area 51 Novel, by Bob Mayer

This is just the sort of monster/alien hunting action I enjoy for a quick read.

Nightstalkers
An Area 51 Novel
By: Bob Mayer
Narrated by: Eric G. Dove

Series: Area 51, Area 51: The Nightstalkers, Book 1
Length: 7 hrs and 27 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 12-11-12
Language: English
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Genre: Action & Adventure, Fantasy, Sci Fi
My Rating: 4.0of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.0.

Publisher's Summary
Staff Sergeant Winthrop Carter only enlisted in the army for the steady pay. When he cheated on the Special Forces’ final exam, he never expected his actions would get him drafted into the Nightstalkers - an elite team with a mysterious mission and even more mysterious leader.
For decades, Rifts have been opening and unleashing bloodthirsty alien life forms into our reality. The Nightstalkers’ goal is to shut down these breaches and stop the beings that emerge from rampaging out of control.
While still integrating with his unusual teammates - including a sociopath, a Black Ops washout, and a contemporary MacGyver - Carter gets his first taste of interdimensional action when a Rift opens inside a gated community. With half a dozen deadly invaders threatening the residents, the Nightstalkers must hunt down and eliminate the aliens before they break through containment and wreak havoc on an unsuspecting world.
©2012 Robert Mayer (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Review:
The Nightstalkers are a special, elite team, with a mysterious leader and a mysterious mission. They draw from the best of the army and special forces, seeking those who are willing to commit to a team that puts their lives on the line every assignment. The Nightstalker team has to contain and sometimes annihilate supernatural enemies, creatures that most people don’t know exist. They do their best to minimize collateral damage but are prepared to us excessive force if needed.

The team opens with an action-packed mission to close a dimensional rift and in the process one team member gets pinned with cactus spines causing him to question why he is doing this work. When that injured member walks away, Staff Sergeant Winthrop Carter, is asked to fill the opening on the team.

The team is led by “Moms” and under the direction of a mysterious woman who speaks with a Russian Accent. She has rarely been seen in person as she usually meets with the team in holographic form. The team consists of members who have unusual skills that work together: sharpshooting, troubleshooting, tech expertise, bomb specialist and communications.

Carter is just getting used to the strange team members when they are called out to a wealthy country club subdivision to eliminate the alien “fireflies” which inhabit inanimate objects. The team is setting up ‘undercover’ in one of the elite houses, but a smart, sassy teen from the house across the street is watching every move. “Scout” shows up at the door and offers her services since she knows the neighborhood and clearly the team needs some guidance to fit in.

While they are hunting the creatures to eliminate, they are also concerned about an important artifact that has gone missing and could be misused in the wrong hands. It is soon clear that someone who knows their protocols has brought an attack against the team.

Neither the characters, nor the plot are deeply developed but they are sufficiently set out to make it fun. I totally enjoyed the action and the quirky characters. Scout makes a fun addition. I liked the 1970’s references – they worked for me. I recommend this as an easy read for readers who like monster hunting, military sci fi.

Audio Notes: Eric G. Dove does a nice job with the narration. He distinguishes the character voices, male and female. His voice fits the quick action. The narration added to my enjoyment of the story.

Source: NetGalley 2013 originally and Kindle Unlimited and Whisper Sync pick up 5/4/19. This qualifies for 2019TBR, 2019 NetGalley and 2019Audiobook reading goals.

#NetGalley Book Review: SkyLine: The Dragon Commander - A Military Science Fiction Romance Adventure

This was a quick read; intro to a series.
SkyLine The Dragon Commander
A Military Science Fiction Romance Adventure
by Kennedy King

File Size: 4302 KB
Print Length: 90 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: Mind of Khan Studios (October 21, 2018)
ASIN: B07JL9PNKD
Genre: Cyberpunk, Dragon, Fantasy, Military Sci Fi
My Rating: 3.75 of 5.0

It's 2350. Cold Fusion, AI nanotech cops, and the SkyLine between a dying Earth and a developing Mars are parts of life.
Major General Christopher Droan has survived a crisis. It left him with trauma and a deeper understanding of his dad’s distrust for technology.
Now all he wants is to focus on the love of his life, Sheeba.
It’s a turbulent time to be a Major General, even one resigned to desk work. But the calm can only last so long. When tragedy strikes Precinct 117 in Shanghai, Chris and his unit are forced to gear up again.
What waits for them in the heart of a robot with a beta personality matrix will change the planets on both ends of the SkyLine, mankind, and Major General Christopher Droan, forever.

Review:
Major General Christopher Droan leads a special team who has survived some traumatic battles. They have seen and survived devastating attacks. Droan is trying to put his love life first as he helps his fiancé, Sheeba, plan their wedding. Sheeba is afraid to tell Droan of the nightmares that are increasing. When she’d like to keep Droan close to hand, he is called away to meet his team at the site of a radical attack.

Droan suspects that something is troubling Sheeba but she isn’t telling him the problem. He has no choice but to respond to the call out. A strong precinct in Shanghai has had all of the officers killed but one, Finch. The attack wasn’t from outside, but rather by the AI partners of the officers. Finch only survived because his new partner, DA-Vos, protected him. What, or who, could cause these specialized AI units to turn on their human masters?

The story has intrigue and some strange paranormal twists. Sheeba’s nightmare visions have a strange connection to an unexplained power that challenges Droan. How can Droan deal when confronted with “You cannot shoot a thought”?

I really liked the action and intrigue in the story. Droan’s assignment is a little confusing but I imagine it would come clear in the next book. There is some sexual contact (not vulgar) and some (gruesome) killing. The writing is easy and the story moves quickly. I just feel it could have used a little more depth and clarity. I recommend this to readers who like military sci fi with cyberpunk and dragon elements.

Source: NetGalley 2019. This qualifies for 2019NetGalley goal.

#NetGalley Book Review: The Book of Ruin by W.G. Hladky

I'm glad I pushed on to read this post-apocalyptic story full of action and intrigue.

The Book of Ruin
by W.G. Hladky

File Size: 1705 KB
Print Length: 371 pages
Publisher: Middle River Press; 1 edition (August 26, 2018)
ASIN: B07GVNZJXM
Genre: Military, Post-Apocalyptic, Sci Fi
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Generations after solar storms sent the world spiraling into a Second Dark Age, descendants of American soldiers defend the last NATO stronghold in Germania. From the Asiatic Steppes comes the mysterious Vucari. NATO sends Senior Chief Loveboy Weir and a team of rangers to investigate. Traveling in anti-gravity vessels, they visit the beautiful city-state of New Reykjavik and mountains where Kazaks use giant eagles to hunt enemies. The rangers also journey to the City of Ghost that spews poison and to a floating monastery where monks protect the Book of Ruin. They also encounter Vladimir the Resurrected, the Vucari’s warrior prince, who claims to want peace but decimates any population that resists him. Weir struggles to convince NATO not to trust Vladimir. While politicians and clerics make backroom deals to appease Vladimir, Weir prepares for a war he fears is coming...

Review:
Years ago the world was plunged back into a dark age after solar storms and wars destroyed the ‘enlightened’ society. Rather than rebuild in unity, society again divides with religious factions and territorial countries. A mysterious and brutal force, disclosed as the Vucari, are making a move to capture the surrounding nations of Germania, where the descendants of American soldiers have survived.

I am glad I pressed beyond the first 10% of the book to where the political posturing, intrigue, and battle activities take precedence. I became invested with the integrity and dedication of the primary characters of Senior Chief Weir and his associates. They have to overcome the obstacles of corrupt and incompetent superiors in their own governing and military branches while preparing to face a new enemy which is greater in numbers and dark evil.The individual honor and self sacrifice of the protagonist soldiers had me rooting for them to prevail.

There are internal intrigues, battles with leadership strategy and plenty of (mostly gritty) action that kept my attention. The enemy is gruesome, drinking blood, torturing victims and more gruesome preversions. Definitely “Ugh” but well developed and interesting. I was glad of the unusual allies that stepped up to face the enemy.

I had trouble getting into this because the beginning is full of “locker room” sexual content – a lot of who is married to whom (heterosexual and homosexual), and who is “doing” whom or wants to. This also peppers the remainder of the book but is secondary to the plot by that time. I was fearful initially that I would not be able to keep the multiple characters straight but then the connections became clear as the story moved into a strongly developed, intertwined plot.

The history of the nations and geography were well researched. Some underlying societal and political thoughts and theories are shared through the plot and characters. These were not overly emphasized so the reader can ponder them or just let them be.

My final reaction is that this is a creative, good versus evil, post-apocalyptic society story with engaging characters and intrigue. I just forewarn readers to push past the first 10% to get to the true plot.

Source: NetGalley 2018. This qualifies for 2019TBR and 2019NetGalley goals.

Audible Book Review: SpecOps, Expeditionary Force, Book 2, by Craig Alanson

I enjoyed this adventure and the AI snark.
SpecOps
Expeditionary Force, Book 2
By: Craig Alanson

Series: Expeditionary Force, Book 2
Length: 15 hrs and 50 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 03-07-17
Language: English
Publisher: Podium Publishing
Genre: Sci Fi, Space Opera
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
Colonel Joe Bishop made a promise, and he's going to keep it: taking the captured alien starship Flying Dutchman back out. He doesn't agree when the UN decides to send almost 70 elite Special Operations troops, hotshot pilots, and scientists with him; the mission is a fool's errand he doesn't expect to ever return from. At least this time, the Earth is safe, right?
Not so much.
©2016 Craig Alanson (P)2017 Podium Publishing

Review:
Colonel Joe Bishop never expected to be in a position of leadership, responsible as the captain of an alien starship and a team of Special Operations (Spec Ops) troops. But he is committed to fulfilling a promise to the AI that he ‘rescued’ from a storage room on an alien planet. He dubbed his AI friend “Skippy” and Skippy was able to help remove the alien threat that was invading Earth. In return for Skippy’s assistance, Joe agreed to take Skippy out to the ends of space to try to communicate with others of his kind or find clues to their whereabouts. The UN ordered that Joe take a Spec Ops crew and a team of scientists along on the mission. Joe disclosed to all the crew members that he didn’t really expect to ever return to Earth. Still, they accepted the chance to explore space even with the dangers they are likely to face.

Several possible AI stations are identified, and the ship sets off to investigate. They discover a site that has already been ransacked, one that has nothing and another that not only has AI artifacts but enemy aliens in the process of gathering them. The ship stumbles into an attack and has to hide to allow Skippy to make repairs. Meanwhile, a plan must be developed to avoid the enemy and steal the artifacts from their camp.

Skippy continually belittles the “monkey brain” humans and taunts his own mental superiority as he trades insults with Joe. Then he has to struggle when Joe comes up with workable solutions to problems. This makes for great bantering fun!

There are a handful of characters highlighted among the crew who are supporting Joe and the mission. There are moments of danger and bravery. There are losses and struggles for the mission and in the end they learn frightening news that sends them scampering back to Earth.

I enjoyed the mix of action and strategy brainstorming, but the best part is the nonstop snark from Skippy. I recommend this to readers who enjoy fun space adventure. I do recommend starting with book one, Columbus Day.

Audio Notes: R.C. Bray does another great job with the narration. He delivers distinct voices, AI snarkiness and consistent energy. I plan to continue listening to this series.

Source: June 2018 Audible Credit. This qualifies for 2019TBR and 2019Audiobook Goals.

Audible Book Review: So Long, Lollipops by Sarah Lyons Fleming

I enjoyed this novella telling Peter’s story after sacrifice.

So Long, Lollipops
The Free Until The End of the World Novella
By: Sarah Lyons Fleming
Narrated by: Julia Whelan
Series: Until the End of the World, Book 1.5

Length: 3 hrs and 12 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 09-12-14
Language: English
Publisher: Podium Publishing
Genre: Post Apocalyptic, Sci Fi, Zombies
My Rating: 4.0 Overall; Story 4.0 and Narration 4.0.

Publisher's Summary
**WARNING**
This novella contains major spoilers from the novel Until The End of the World. It's suggested you read the novel before you hear So Long, Lollipops. Unless you're someone who likes to read the last page of a book first - in that case, enjoy!
Peter watched his new family drive away, certain it was the last time he'd ever see them. But sometimes plans go awry in the best way. Now, the plan is to get back to them. But sometimes plans go awry in the worst way.
Sometimes the only plan is to believe it will be all right, even when it's almost impossible to believe.
©2014 Sarah Lyons Fleming (P)2014 Podium Publishing

Review:
At the end of Book 1, Until the End of the World, Peter agreed to distract the ‘zombies’ so the rest of his friends (now ‘family’) could escape to continue their trip to a safe zone community further north. Peter knows he is giving up his life, but he isn’t going down without a fight. Then he gets rescued by a young teen. Now he faces her gun but at least he is away from the “Z” mob.

Nat and her family are hesitant to trust Peter but Nat saw how he reacted as he let “Bits” and the others drive away. After Peter suffers an accident, he has no choice but to stay with the family and help them settle into their safe house. Peter also has time to contemplate his shallow past and what it takes now to survive.

Finally Peter sets off on his trip to the safe zone. He starts in a truck, but he has a long journey even if it isn’t that many miles. There are more enemies than just Zombies along the way but he is determined to catch up with Cassie and the others.

I enjoyed this short story from Peter’s perspective. I liked the phrase and title “So Long Lollipops”. This tale had danger and some ‘end of the world’ thought processes. Now I am ready to get the next book in the series.

Audio Notes: Julia Whelan continues the good job of narration for the characters in this series. She adds comfortable pacing, even with Peter’s introspective moments. I like listening to this series.

Source: Audible Free Title 9/2014. This is part of 2019TBR and 2019Audiobook Goals.

Audible Book Review: Curiouser and Curiouser: Steampunk Alice in Wonderland by Melanie Karsak

I liked the “Alice” references in this fun steampunk retelling.
Curiouser and Curiouser: Steampunk Alice in Wonderland
Steampunk Fairy Tales
By: Melanie Karsak
Narrated by: Lesley Parkin

Length: 5 hrs and 24 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 09-13-17
Language: English
Publisher: Clockpunk Press
Genre: Fairy Tale Retelling, Sci Fi, Steampunk
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
To save the Hatter, Alice must work with the one man she despises so much that she might still love him.
Alice thought she'd turned over a new leaf. No more working for Jabberwocky. No more making deals with the ruthless Queen of Hearts. No more hanging around The Mushroom with tinkers, tarts, scoundrels, and thieves in London's criminal underbelly. But she'd been bonkers to dream.
Hatter's reckless behavior leads Alice back to the one person she never wanted to see again, Caterpillar. Pulled into Caterpillar's mad schemes, Alice must steal a very big diamond from a very royal lady. The heist is no problem for this Bandersnatch. But protecting her heart from the man she once loved? Impossible.
Sometimes love is mad.
©2017 Clockpunk Press (P)2017 Clockpunk Press

Review:
Alice and her sweet sister were orphans struggling in a London workhouse when they were ‘rescued’ by Jabberwocky. He took them to his wealthy home where Bess cares for his elderly mother and he gave Alice, aka Bandersnatch, tasks that used her nimble fingers. Alice wasn’t thrilled with the work but she would do what she had to in order to care for her frail sister.

Another child who came to work for Jabberwocky was William aka Caterpillar. Alice and William work many jobs together and eventually something goes wrong. Alice and William were to take over the ‘business’ when Jabberwocky dies. Even though it means leaving William behind, Alice takes the chance to walk away from the life of crime.

Alice and Bess are living simply while Alice works in an honest position for a Lord. Bess is being wooed by the Mad Hatter, Henry, but Henry has a serious gambling problem. His actions result in Alice being called back to help William on a dangerous heist. In addition to working with William, which threatens her heart, Alice has to face the Red Queen which threatens her life.

The story is told in present situation with alternating flashbacks to fill in the backstory. I especially enjoyed the characters and phrases recognized from Alice in Wonderland. There is even a Rabbit and a Cheshire Cat. I liked the craft of the Mad Hatter and enjoyed the steampunk elements. The story is a bit dark but balanced by fun characters and struggling romance. I plan to pick up more of the retellings by Melanie Karsak. I recommend this imaginative story to fans of fairy tale retellings and steampunk.

Audio Notes: Lesley Parkin does a nice job with the narration. She gives the characters their own voices and even captures the arrogant ugliness of the Red Queen. The narration gives good energy and enhanced the story for me.

Source: 2019 Credit Purchase. This qualifies for 2019Audiobook and Alphabet goals.

Audible Book Review: Ghost Squadron Boxed Set by Sarah Noffke

This is fun space military entertainment.
Age of Expansion: A Kurtherian Gambit Series
Ghost Squadron Boxed Set, Books 1-4
By: Sarah Noffke, Michael Anderle
Narrated by: Chris Abernathy

Series: The Kurtherian Gambit Universe, Book 104, 106, 108, 111, The Ghost Squadron, Book 1-4
Length: 26 hrs and 6 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 02-20-19
Language: English
Publisher: LMBPN
Genre: Genetic Engineering, Sci Fi, Space Military
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4,25 and Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
After 10 years of wandering the outer rim of the galaxy, Eddie Teach is a man without a purpose. He was one of the toughest pilots in the Federation, but now he's just a regular guy, getting into bar fights and making a difference wherever he can. It's not the same as flying a ship and saving colonies, but it'll have to do.
That is, until General Lance Reynolds tracks Eddie down and offers him a job. There are bad people out there, plotting terrible things, killing innocent people, and destroying entire colonies.
©2018 Sarah Noffke, Michael Anderle (P)2019 LMBPN

Review:
Eddie Teach was a Federation Pilot who stepped away from the stress and has been traveling around as a - mostly – regular guy. What isn’t really regular is that he tends to pick fights with bad characters whenever he gets the chance. He is a bit surprised when General Lance Reynolds and a strong human female, Juliana, show up to offer him a spot as pilot on a special team that is secretly fighting evil.

Captain Teach and Commander Juliana Fregin begin with a refurbished craft and the aid of an E.I. (Extended Intelligence) named Pip who is connected to Juliana and ArchAngel, the ship A.I.. Their first few missions are to recruit more unique crew members. There is a many tentacled creature (a Londil) who is a genius mechanic; an unexpected addition of a Kezzin soldier; a whiz-kid hacker and a few others added to fill out what is dubbed the Ghost Squadron. Fortunately Juliana is an enhanced kick-butt leader as she and Eddie face multiple dangerous engagements before they add a true fighting force to their team.

The primary characters are well developed. The bantering dialogue and heckling relationships among the characters add a fun aspect. The story is full of dangerous action from the beginning to the end. The alien characters and world building are creative. The alien species include violent Trids – a form of hammerhead shark who carry their own mechanism to help breath out of water and the Kezzin, a species with red, scaly skin and yellow eyes. The Kezzin were once isolationists but have recently been pulled into territorial wars.

The writing is on an easily readable level and moves along well. The only drawback for me was some (though not necessarily excessive) cursing. (The blurb does include a warning which is nice.)

This collection includes Noffke’s first four books in this Kurtherian Gambit Age of Expansion side series: Formation, Exploration, Evolution and Degeneration. These four books create a consistent plot line that is mostly resolved in book four. Still, it is clear there are new adventures and missions and I may be willing to continue in Noffke’s world.

Audio Notes: Chris Abernathy does a very good job with the narration. He provides distinct voices for the characters. The delivery moves well with strong energy, including the humor and fighting. The audio enhanced my enjoyment of the story.


An interesting note: The original Kurtherian Gambit Series consists of 21 books. The world created by author Michael Anderle who then worked with numerous other sci fi authors expanding the Kurtherian Universe to over 111 titles. I do plan to read book one, Death Becomes Her, later this year.

Source: 2019 Audible credit from Author. This qualifies for my Audiobook Goal.

Audible Book Review: Gracie’s Touch by S.E. Smith

This is spicy sexually but a very warm romance in a space sci fi.

Gracie’s Touch
By: S.E. Smith
Narrated by: David Brenin

Series: Zion Warriors, Book 1
Length: 7 hrs and 59 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 01-03-17
Language: English
Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Genre: Romance, Sci Fi, Space Military
My Rating: 3.75 of 5.0 Overall; Story 3.5; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of science fiction and paranormal romance brings another action, adventure, and suspense-filled story to transport listeners out of this world. Gracie Jones was little more than a child when Earth was invaded by an alien species. Escaping into the subway tunnels of New York City, she hid in fear of being captured. Discovered by four men who became her protectors, she fought alongside them, and they became known as the Freedom Five. At 17, she made a decision that turned the tide in the war between Earth and the Alluthans, but in exchange, she gave up all that she knew. Kordon Jefe is a Zion Warrior and the commanding officer in charge of the Confederation of Planets' military. When an unknown species begins attacking some of their outer settlements, he is assigned to discover who they are and stop them - at any cost. Gracie finds herself stranded millions of light years and hundreds of years in the future in a distant galaxy on an undeveloped moon. When an old enemy threatens once more, she does not hesitate to use her knowledge to try to stop them once again. Only this time, it is not just Earth she will be saving, but the Confederation itself. When their two worlds are thrown together, Kordon is unsure what to do with the strange, delicate creature who fights and behaves unlike anyone he has ever encountered before. One thing he does know - he plans to keep her.
©2016 S.E. Smith (P)2017 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Review:
Gracie was just a child when she survived the invasion of a brutal alien attack that decimated humanity on earth. Gracie hid in the subway tunnels until she was brought under the protection of a group of young men. The five rebels became known as The Freedom Five who led a revolution against the aliens. The only way to defeat the enemy was for Gracie to risk infiltrating the enemy mothership. She succeeded but instead of returning to earth the stolen ship she was on was hurtled deep in space to an “unknown” planet. Gracie survives on the planet and after three years despairs of ever hearing another voice. To her surprise her radio outreach attracts a lead military ship of the Confederation of Planets'.

Gracie’s gentle voice pulls in captain Kordon Jefe, a strong, usually unexcitable, Zion Warrior. Kordon becomes obsessed with finding the woman behind the voice even as his team warn him that it might be a trap as the ship is similar to a recent mysterious enemy who has been attacking isolated mining worlds.

Gracie has linguist and technical knowledge that can help the Confederation. The time travel changes the situation for Gracie. Her joy at being rescued soon turns to devastation. How can Kordon and his crew convince Gracie to fight the common enemy? And how can Kordon convince Gracie to forget her first love and take a chance on a current love? He’ll figure a way to woo her since he isn’t going to give her up.

I enjoyed the space sci fi elements, the danger and the action. In addition to the threat of the Alluthan enemy, there is an enemy closer to home who poses a threat particularly to Gracie. Not all of the plot threads are realistic so some of that has to be overlooked to enjoy the rest of the story.

All of this is a setting for a strong romance between an emotionally hurt human and a normally unemotional warrior. Kordon wants to be this big, protective mate, but of course, there is no real way to control an independent human female! Part of the fun of the story is watching (listening to) the couple grow in their relationship. (There is a secondary romance between other crew members too.) The sex elements are a little to heavy for me – Audible labeled “hot d..n”.

The world building and writing is clean and strong. The action story is still engaging but the romance takes over the story. I recommend this to sci fi readers who like heavy romance… or even more to heavy romance readers who like sci fi elements.

Audio Notes: David Brenin does a very good job with the narration. He provides believable female voices as well as strong male voice. He carries the story plot lien with appropriate pacing and energy.

Source: August 2017 Audible sale $4.95. This qualifies for 2019TBR and 2019Audiobook Goals.

Audible Book Review: Defiance, Defending Home, Book 1 by William H. Weber

This was an okay homesteading battle but not compelling post-apocalyptic.

Defiance

By: William H. Weber

Narrated by: Kevin Pierce

Series: Defending Home, Book 1

Length: 5 hrs and 9 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release date: 07-25-16

Language: English

Publisher: Audible Studios

Genre: Post-Apocalyptic, Sci Fi

My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; 3.75 Story, 4.25 Narration.

Publisher's Summary

A month has passed since a deadly virus swept the country, killing millions and leaving chaos in its wake. Dale Hardy has managed to weather the storm by hunkering down on his homestead in Arizona. He grows his own crops, generates his own power, and draws fresh water from his own deep aquifer. But when a nearby town's water supply dwindles in the searing Arizona heat, Dale's peaceful existence is threatened.

The new mayor and sheriff want what he has, and they're willing to do whatever it takes to get it. With a crooked local government conspiring against him, Dale will need to stand in defiance or risk losing everything.

©2016 William H. Weber (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

Review:
Dale Hardy had tried to prepare for trouble. He has learned to grow his own crops, generate power and draw fresh water from the aquifer on his land which has been in his family for generations. A deadly virus has killed many people throughout the country, leaving behind chaos and lack of power during a time of severe draught. Dale hunkered in and drew his family together to help protect them from the virus and the violence that has begun to break out as resources, particularly food and water, become scarce.

Dale’s water trouble started when neighbors began demanding water, then armed strangers tried to sneak in and steal water. But now a newly self-appointed mayor and sheriff are trying to take away his water and they are willing to send in cutthroats to accomplish their goal.

Dale isn’t backing down. He may be willing to trade water for other commodities but if he isn’t willing to just give a cup of water to neighbors, he sure isn’t going to stand by while corrupt officials try to take his water.

There are personal issues to add to the tension. Dale was dating a female deputy until he became concerned that his young daughter would hear the false rumors that he had been seeing the deputy before his wife died. One of the relatives is a young man whose father was sent to prison. The prisoner has broken out and is intent on getting to his son, even as he leaves a trail of death behind him.

I generally like post-apocalyptic books. This one was centered on water shortage more than the plague crisis. There wasn’t a lot of prepper detail but there was private, defensive (initially) action. I didn’t feel there was a lot of character depth and, although I could side with Dale, I wasn’t impassioned by the story or characters. I listened all the way through, expecting a confrontation but just as that arrives, this book ends. It was okay but I am likely to try other series before continuing this one.

Audio Notes: Kevin Pierce does a good job with this genre. He presents the story with a direct flow and the characters with appropriate emotion. I think it was easier for me to listen to this on audio than it would have been for me to read in text.

Source: September 2018 Audible $1.99 Purchase (already owned Kindle version). This qualifies for 2019TBR, 2019Audiobook and 2019Alphabet goals.

Audible Book Review: Half Share A Trader's Tale from the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper, Book 2 by Nathan Lowell

I enjoyed this story that focuses on character growth rather than space action.
Half Share
A Trader's Tale from the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper, Book 2
By: Nathan Lowell
Narrated by: Jeffrey Kafer

File Size: 763 KB
Print Length: 235 pages
Publisher: Durandus (December 12, 2012)
ASIN: B00AO8QMIW
Genre: Mercantile, Sci Fi, Space Opera
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall, Story 4.5, Narration 5.0

Publisher's Summary
Six months in the Deep Dark. Four different women. One man discovers what it means to be a spacer.
It's a time of change on the Lois McKendrick. Sarah Krugg joins the crew, and Ishmael Wang moves to Environmental. After getting accustomed to life aboard a solar clipper, Ishmael must learn a whole new set of skills, face his own fears and doubts, and try to balance love and loss in the depths of space.
Both Ishmael and Sarah must learn to live by the mantra "trust Lois". For Sarah, there is the hope of escaping a horrifying past. For Ishmael, he must discover what type of man he wants to become and learn his choices have consequences.
Return with the crew of the SC Lois McKendrick, and set sail in the next installment of the Trader's Tales from the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper. All your favorites return: Ish, Pip, Cookie, Brill, Diane, and Big Bad Bev. You might even discover some new friends as you travel among the stars.
©2012 Nathan Lowell (P)2016 Podium Publishing

Review:
Ishmael is looking forward to being transferred to Environmental even though he will miss working with his friends in the kitchen. But he’ll still get to see then in the mess hall. And he already gets along with the crew in Environmental so the transfer should work well. It is Ishmael’s job to greet his replacement and show her the ropes. He is surprised that the woman shows nervousness. Although he senses something wrong, he doesn’t recognize it until Cookie notes that the woman appears to be recovery from abuse.

Ishmael is continuing to work closely with Pip, making successful trading decisions by picking up interesting products to sell at the next space station. The traders and their consortium team are doing well, even finding crafts that they can work on for future sale.

Several of Ishmael’s friends decide he needs to get out to get some relief from restrictions naturally occurring to ‘spacers’ – those out in space for months on end. First three of his female friends help Ishmael on a fun shopping trip to get him dressed in a manner fitting to his personality… assuming he has figured out who he is.

Once Ish is dressed suitably, the ladies take him out to a local bar for a bit of fun. Although one of his friends has set him up for a date, Ish decides to take control of his own situation by approaching a woman of his own choice. The encounter is interesting.

As with the first book, there is not a lot of high action in this book. Once again, I found this surprisingly engaging for a low-key space story. It focuses on the growth of Ismael and other characters. Ishmael is well balanced for a young 18-year-old and it is fun to observe his interactions with the female characters as he controls youthful hormones.

Lowell writes the characters with wonderful personalities that are relatable. As a young man Ismael would be expected to have to deal with his maleness. Lowell deals sensitively and graciously with the situations of abuse and the dating protocols within the spacing communities.

I will be picking up book three, Full Share, further along this year. I recommend this to sci fi fans who are interested in character driven stories.

Audio Notes: Jeffrey Kafer does a remarkable job with the narration. He manages to capture the character nuances presenting the clear personalities that the author has drawn. I like this series in audio and will continue with this format.

Source: 2018 Audible Credit Purchase. This qualifies for 2019TBR, 2019Audiobook and 2019Alphabet goals.

Please see this link to my review of book one, Quarter Share.

Audible Book Review: Escape from the Overworld: A Minecraft Gamer's Quest by Danica Davidson

This was a quick, fun listen.

Escape from the Overworld: A Minecraft Gamer's Quest:
An Unofficial Minecrafter's Adventure
by Danica Davidson
Narrated by: Dan Woren

Series: An Unofficial Overworld Adventure, Book 1
Length: 2 hrs
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 03-16-15
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Adventure, Bullies, Sci Fi
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0, Overall, Story and Narration

From the publisher of The Quest of the Diamond Sword and Battle of the Nether comes a new novel for Minecrafters which takes on a spellbinding battle that brings Stevie and zombie mobs into the real world!

Stevie is in for a big surprise while building his treehouse: he’s first attacked by a creeper, and then must take on a group of zombies! The near miss has him feeling like the worst mob fighter in Minecraft, so when he finds a portal into a brand-new world, he’s willing to take his chances.

He steps out of a computer screen and into the room of a sixth-grade girl Maison, who’s a talented builder. Stevie is shocked by how different this world is, and Maison takes him under her wing. But soon the two friends learn zombies have also made their way out of the portal!

More and more creatures are slipping out by the second, wreaking havoc on a world that has no idea how to handle zombies, creepers, giant spiders, and the like. Stevie and Maison must put their heads together and use their combined talents in order to push the zombies back into Minecraft, where they belong. As Stevie and Maison’s worlds become more combined, their adventure becomes intense and even more frightening than they could have ever imagined.

Review:
Stevie is a clumsy 11-year-old Minecrafter child who struggles to impress his successful, warrior father. Stevie hoped to make his father proud with his efforts to build a tree house but he forgets the time and is attacked. His father has to come to his rescue… again.

The next day Stevie gets frightened by a spider and falls into a brand new portal into another world. He finds himself in the room of a sixth-grade human girl, Maison. They are both startled by the overlap of their worlds but they discover they have much in common.

Maison takes Stevie to school with her and he learns that there are bullies in the human world too. He feels helpless to help his new friend. Then the Minecraft monsters start to enter the human world through the open portal. Stevie and Maison work together to fight the monsters and to protect their classmates.

As much as Stevie is thrilled with his new friend, Stevie knows he must return to his world and close the portal. Will he be able to return home and keep his friend safe?

I saw this on sale for a small amount and figured it was worth a try for a few hours’ of entertainment. It is light entertainment that touches on the issue of bullies, self-confidence and overcoming fear. I recommend it for young readers (ages 7-12+/-) and also to those who enjoy battle adventures.

Audio Notes: Dan Woren does a good job narrating this. He captures the youth and frustrations of the children. I enjoyed the audio entertainment.

Source: 2018 Audible Sale purchase. This qualifies for Audiobook Challenge.

Audible Book Review: All Systems Red by Martha Wells

How self-aware should a robot be?

All Systems Red
By: Martha Wells
Narrated by: Kevin R. Free

Series: Murderbot Diaries, Book 1
Length: 3 hrs and 17 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 10-30-17
Language: English
Publisher: Recorded Books
Genre: AI, Sci Fi, Short Story
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; 5.0 Narration

Publisher's Summary
All Systems Red is the tense first science fiction adventure novella in Martha Wells' series The Murderbot Diaries. For fans of Westworld, Ex Machina, Ann Leckie's Imperial Raadch series, or Iain M. Banks' Culture novels.
All Systems Red tackles questions of the ethics of sentient robotics. The main character is a deadly security droid that has bucked its restrictive programming and is balanced between contemplative self-discovery and an idle instinct to kill all humans.
In a corporate-dominated spacefaring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids, for their own safety.
But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn't a primary concern.
On a distant planet, a team of scientists are conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied 'droid - a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module, and refers to itself (though never out loud) as "Murderbot."
Scornful of humans, all it really wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is. But when a neighboring mission goes dark, it's up to the scientists and their Murderbot to get to the truth.
©2017 Martha Wells (P)2017 Recorded Books

Review:
“Murderbot” is a company droid assigned as the security unit (SecUnit) for an exploratory scientist team on a distant planet. Murderbot has spare time on its hands/circuits. It has already hacked its own company module and spends time streaming old movie/TV series while trying to decide who it really is. It hasn’t allowed the humans to know it can override their commands if it wants to.

A nearby mission camp goes silent so the scientists and Murderbot take a trip to discover what happened. Murderbot realizes that there is danger as it discovers murdered humans and destroyed droid units.

Normally Murderbot doesn’t care so much about humans but he finds himself liking the scientist group who seem to care for each other. Now Murderbot has to discover a way to protect its people. Maybe it really can become part of a team.

I do like sentient robots, even though that could be scary. Murderbot is a likeable character and I enjoyed how it strategized and worked with the head of the team, Dr. Mensa, to protect the humans and uncover, and out wit, those behind the murders. This story has good world building and a full plot for just a short story. The author presents prejudices from the humans and the robot and allows them to grow beyond those initial stereotypes. This is my first read by Ms. Wells but I have an older story in my Audible TBR that I plan to listen to soon.

I recommend this to those who enjoy AI sci fi stories. My only concern is that the three additional stories are under 4 hours at a price of $11.99 each so the 12 hours ends up costing a healthy $36.00.

Audio Notes: Kevin R. Free does a good job with the narration. There is an appropriate robotic tone that fits Murderbot as the narrator of the story. Free gives the other characters their own voices that helped to bring the story alive. I am glad I listened to this on audio.

Source: Audible Daily Deal $1.95 April 2018. This qualifies for Audiobook Challenge.

Audible Book Review: Villains Rule (The Shadow Master Book 1) by M. K. Gibson

This is a fun listen (with warnings for language).

Villains Rule
The Shadow Master, Book 1
By: M. K. Gibson
Narrated by: Jeffrey Kafer

Series: The Shadow Master, Book 1
Length: 9 hrs and 50 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 04-19-17
Language: English
Publisher: Amber Cove Publishing
Genre: Fantasy, Humor, Sci Fi
My Rating: Overall 4.5 of 5.0; Story 4.25; Narration 5.0

Publisher's Summary
Hi, how are you?
Yes, I am talking to you, the reader of this book's description. It's rude not to answer a person when they ask you a question. Okay, I get it, fourth-wall breaking is overdone. Get over it. This book, Villains Rule, is a fantasy action-comedy which you have to hear. Not because it redefines the genre, far from it. But rather for what it contains. A villain's tale.
How often do you get to listen to a story where the villain is the protagonist? No, not an anti-hero, or a brooding monster, nor a hero thinly disguised as a villain. And not evil. If you want evil, take that nonsense to therapy. No, I mean a villain's villain. The ones who use their power because they can, while morality is only a philosopher's complex.
This is the story of Jackson Blackwell, the Shadow Master and the top villain adviser. Sadly, even the top villain occasionally gets double-crossed. Trapped in one of the fantasy realms, Jackson has to use his skill and wits to exploit the rules, points out the genre flaws, undermine godly authority, and win the day.
Because that is what villains should do, shouldn't they? Listen to this book, have a few laughs, and find out.
©2017 Michael Gibson (P)2017 Michael Gibson

Review:
Jackson Blackwell, aka Shadow Jack, is also known as the Shadow Master. Jack used to operate as a thief and general brigand. He left field work behind and now runs a business advising villains, while claiming the top villain spot. Jack is advising one of his clients, a warlord and ruler, how to resolve a potential revolution. The man is being difficult and convinces Jack to go back to his realm to assist in a transition.

Jack takes along his trusted bodyguard, a small escort of guards, his self-absorbed nephew who needs to be trained for some type of career and his secret power source. Not too far along in the realm there is betrayal and double cross. Jack becomes a prisoner and has to figure a way out of prison and then a way back to his own realm. It helps that Jack is a God in this geek realm but he is hampered by loss of his power source. Still, Jack knows all the rules of villainy and has a trusted assistant back in his world who will help as she can.

Sometimes villains have to do whatever it takes to prevail. That might even include getting help! Jack gathers a crew of allies to help him in his dilemma. He is able to observe their uniqueness in a crowd and is able to take each unique skill, and unique story and disclose that they have a common goal.

Jack tells the story from his view, occasionally sliding into monologues to the audience. Being a top villain, he is a brilliant strategist but doesn’t always see all of the machinations of those around him; especially those he thought he could trust. Jack comments on the cliched characters and usual tropes and rules, most of which he knows how to twist. His thoughts are often sarcastic and, of course, (sadly) often vulgar. The plot and characters make for a very fun adventure -- but who do you root for when everyone is a villain?

Audio Notes: Jeffrey Kafer does a great job with the narration. He nails the irreverent tone and delivers the various characters with spot on voice and energy. The narration added life to an already strong work. This is my fourth or fifth story narrated by Mr. Kafer and I am impressed by his skill and versatility in capturing the characters. I am glad I listened to this on audio.

My hesitation on getting more in the series is due to not wanting to listen to more foul language. That’s just my choice.

Source: Audible Credit Purchase November 2018. This qualifies for Audiobook and Alphabet Challenges.