Review: Children of Titan Series: Books 1-4

Children of Titan Series: Books 1-4 by Rhett C. Bruno
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A while back I reviewed Titanborn, the first book in the Children of Titan series. The book was an excellent hook into a new series and since then I’ve managed to consume every book in the series, including one of the prequel novella, The Collector. I’ve just noticed that a second novella has dropped, so I’ll have to go get it and update this review later. For now, this review covers Titanborn, Titan's Son, Titan's Rise, Titan's Fury, Titan's Legacy, and The Collector.

After an outstanding first novel, the Children of Titan series continues to be mind-blowingly good. The first four books create a very nice narrative with a single story arc, though much of it remains hidden and is only slowly doled out to the reader as the storyline progresses. Titan’s Son all takes place at the same time as Titanborn. Rather than focusing on Malcolm Graves, it tells the same events from the perspective of Kale Drayton, the mysterious figure in Titanborn who seemed to have a close connection with the Children of Titan. Getting the story from the other side gives so much more insight into the events of the Children’s rebellion, including what part Cora, Rylah, and Aria played during the uprising. I’m normally against split books, but this one is really, really well written.

Titan's Rise and Titan's Fury pick up after the events at the end of the first two split books and rather than focusing on one perspective like the first two books, they both rotate chapter POV characters, primarily Malcolm Graves and Kale Drayton. Throughout these books, Malcolm Graves quickly became one of my all-time favorite characters. His snark, general smartassery, and this old-dog-can-still-bite attitude make him memorable and always fun to read. Throughout the series, the plot was written extremely well and though hints and foreshadowing were dropped here and there, there were always surprises and turns I didn’t expect. It really highlights just how well the Children use subterfuge and misdirection to accomplish their goals and manipulate the rest of the solar system.

The first four books neatly wrapped up the Children of Titan story, so Titan's Legacy was a very welcome surprise. Saying much about the plot could spoil the series but it was the perfect ending for the series. For maximum enjoyment, read or listen to The Collector before getting into Titan's Legacy, as Legacy wraps everything in the series up nicely and ends it in a way that is perfectly fitting to Malcolm Graves’ character.

R.C. Bray provides another excellent performance in all the audiobook versions of the Children of Titan novels (and novella). He was a perfect choice for Malcolm Graves and I don’t know any narrator could have voiced the character better. My only gripe with the narration was that when the POV characters started rotating in Rise and Fury, sometimes there wasn’t enough of a difference between the voices of Malcome and Kale to tell the difference between the two. Keep in mind, it was only a very, very minor annoyance and even with it, it is some of the best narration you’ll hear from any audiobook.

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Review: Straight Outta Fangton

Straight Outta Fangton by C.T. Phipps
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In Straight Outta Fangton, Peter Stone finds out that the vamp life isn’t always as glorious and great as he was led to believe. Apparently, if you are poor and barely making ends meet before becoming a vampire, you can still be poor and barely make ends meet after becoming a vampire. It’s a 180 from most vampire-based series I’ve heard about and I really dig the crass humor and pop culture asides. The characters are great, the dialog is entertaining, and there’s a surprisingly complex and interesting plot going on underneath the comedy and satire. I've read and listened to the book multiple times and I swear it keeps getting better every time. 

I’ve really liked the whole United States of Monster’s setting. Despite swearing urban fantasy isn’t for me, I’ve gotten into the Brightblade, Weredeer, and now Straight Outta Fangton series. The depth of the setting is immense and despite it being largely a setting for comedies, it’s very well thought out and put together. And I’m so sorry Jane, but I’m going to have to say that Straight Outta Fangton is my favorite series set in this universe so far. 

Cary Hite is a perfect match to narrate this book. His comedic timing, inflection, and his delivery are all excellent for Straight Outta Fangton. He gives the perfect voice to Peter Stone and makes a great book even better.  

Special thanks to C.T. Phipps, who provided me with this book at my request.

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Review: Esoterrorism

Esoterrorism by C.T. Phipps
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Like a snarky James Bond meets Supernatural

Esoterrorism has everything I've come to look for in a C.T. Phipps book. It’s full of action and intrigue, but also deep and well-written characters. While the plot is thick enough to make it a great thriller, its irreverent tone and humor keep it light enough to balance everything out. And for those that will appreciate it, you’ll also find a cast of multicultural and inclusive characters that feel natural, but yet there is no obvious and in-your-face attempt at social justice indoctrination.

While the story and plot of Esoterrorism are great, the highlight of any of Phipps’ books is the characters. One of my favorite things about many of his books is though they are part of different series, most take place in the United States of Monsters, and the main characters in one book will often be included as a supporting character in another book. Esoterrorism works as a prequel to many of the other series and you get to learn more of the original stories of characters from other books. So if you like any of the other books, you’ll find Esoterrorism to be another great book to read. If you haven’t read any of the other books, you’ll find Esoterrorism is a great place to start your addiction to the rest of the United States of Monsters series.

As far as the audiobook version goes, you’ll see a pattern in my other reviews: C.T. Phipps is a kick-ass author and Jeffery Kafer is an awesome narrator. And when two great artists have worked in a multi-series partnership to produce several audiobooks, their talent tends to enhance the final product to a level that is more amazing than either could be alone. Esoterrorism (and other series which both are part of such as Agent G, Cthulhu Armageddon, and The Supervillainy Sage) is a great example of the excellent work that you get out of such a partnership.

Special thanks to C.T. Phipps, who provided me with this book at my request.

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Review: Cursebreaker

Cursebreaker by Carol A. Park
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was blown away by Banebringer (the first book in The Heretic Gods series), and Cursebreaker continues to amaze me with its deep characters, entertaining dialog, and intriguing plot. Cursebreaker deviates in style from Banebringer; Banebringer focused almost exclusively on Vaughn and Sweetblade, limiting POV to the two protagonists and their missions.  Cursebreaker opens things up to feel more like an epic fantasy novel.  The narrative is expanded in scope and incorporates a more extensive cast of characters and a more expansive setting, focusing on the larger political structure and further exploring the pantheon and mythology of the Heretic Gods. 

Both books check all my boxes for what a good fantasy novel should have, but Cursebreaker’s characters and dialog are most likely what makes this book (and the series) great. The characters are well developed, deeply flawed, and unbelievably raw with their collection of fears, foibles, and vulnerabilities. There are no heroic, shining paragons of good; the protagonists are human, fallible, and carry plenty of physical and mental scars. The relationships presented in the novel are equally realistic, as characters attempt to balance issues of trust, betrayal, love, and lust. The interactions, particularly the interplay and tension between Vaughn and Ivana, are so strained at times that it’s almost unbearable to read.  

Eric Bryan Moore narrates the audiobook version of Cursebringer, and his masterful performance may be one of the reasons I like The Heretic Gods series so much. He creates distinct voices for each character and performs both male and female voices well. Moore is able to portray the characters, particularly the primary protagonists, in a way that brings their personalities, imperfections, and emotions to life.

Special thanks to Eric Bryan Moore who provided me with a copy of this book at my request.

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Review: In the Orbit of Sirens

In the Orbit of Sirens by T.A. Bruno
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An intriguing blend of sci-fi and fantasy

In the Orbit of Sirens was an intriguing book with surprising depth and complexity. It's categorized as science fiction on both Audible and Amazon, but Bruno seamlessly blends fantasy elements into the novel.  The story is set on a newly colonized world -- but one already inhabited by intelligent, indigenous lifeforms. The planet has rich mythology that comes to life as the colonists discover the god-like creatures they refer to as Sirens.  The Sirens have powers and abilities that defy scientific explanations, and they are tied to the planet as Gaia-like protective deities. With the plot revolving around the supernatural Sirens, the story deviates from most of your typical sci-fi adventures to be something somewhat unique in the building of genres.

I'll admit that I wasn't that impressed with the book before the various plot elements came together and the narrative started to solidly move forward.  I was about a quarter into the story before becoming hooked on the building suspense and intriguing mix of sci-fi and fantasy.  Besides the unique premise, there was also good dialog and interaction, an interesting cast of characters, and an entertaining plot that was difficult to predict.  While the story does come to a resolution at the end, there were also a few loose, unresolved threads that leave a perfect opening for future books in the series.

The narration in the audiobook version is something of a mixed bag. Some parts of Michael Reimer's performance are excellent. For example, his character voices (especially using a synthesized voice for a marine who uses a cybernetic voice box) are very good and, for the most part, distinctly unique.   It helps that Bruno describes his characters well, making it easy to attribute accents and speech patterns -- and Reimer replicates these well.   However, at the start of the book, Reimer's default narration voice felt flat and monotone and was a bit of a turn-off. The lack of voice inflection was so bothersome that I almost stopped listening after only a few minutes.  However, once character dialogue became prominent and character personalities became more evident in POV text, the issue narrowed to become only a rare and minor annoyance.

Special thanks to T. A. Bruno, who provided me with this book at my request.

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Review: Cleansed

Cleansed by G.S. Scott
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Intriguing world-building, but disappointing and unclear plot

As I finished Cleansed, I had to sit back and wonder what the hell I just read. By the end of the book, I still hadn’t figured out whether there was a plot or if it was just a loosely strung-together series of events and abandoned plot threads. Each time the plot began to build in a direction, it felt like the author changed their mind, ditched it, and decided to go with something new. And it’s not that the story has plot twists frequently tossed in, it just keeps changing its course as if the book is more of a loosely related collection of short stories. 

The book is a coming-of-age story for Dirge, an orphaned son of a prostitute, who apparently is predestined for some sort of greatness (though I’m not sure what exactly it will be as it changes often). As a coming-of-age story, the book spans over two decades, but this also causes additional issues with the plot. Chapters often jumped forward in time by months or even years, which made following the changing narrative even more difficult. Most of the characters and narrative hooks are also fairly cliché, so they didn’t add anything particularly interesting to help the reader keep track of the story.

Though I didn’t care for the overall organization of the book and its rambling plot, I did think individual chapters were well written. When looked at in isolation, parts of the book were interesting and enjoyable to read. I can tell the author has a talent for writing dialog, character interactions, and building suspense. The action in the series was also well done and though there were some pretty graphic descriptions of blood, gore, and unsavory actions, most were included to bring to life the dark and grim setting and show some of the more intriguing cultural aspects of living in a world ruled by chaos. I just wish the plot meshed together better and everything made sense when looking at the book as a whole.

I will also mention a warning - this book examines some primal issues concerning the nature of morality, the fickle definitions of good and evil, and it brings up some pretty existential questions surrounding religion and the worship of deities. Deeply religious people may want to avoid reading this book as they could find some of the comparisons to real-world religions disturbing or distasteful. I’m not turned off by violence either, but as Cleansed has some pretty graphic depictions of blood, gore, and some heinous, despicable acts, those triggered by such should probably avoid it.

I think one saving grace, at least for the audio version of the book, was the performance of the narrator.  The narrator has some talent, able to portray a very wide range of characters with unique voices, accents, and characterizations. As I’ve said before that sometimes a good narrator can save a bad book - and though I wouldn’t say that Cleansed is a bad book, the narration certainly kept me entertained enough to finish it despite my issues with the plot.  I’d certainly recommend looking up other books with the same narrating and giving them a try.

Special thanks to Sean Duregger, who provided me with this book at my request.

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Review: Zombie Crusade: Still Alive Book Eight

Zombie Crusade: Still Alive Book Eight by Javan Bonds
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

New Book, Same Gratuitous Blood and Violence

I love the Still Alive series because it usually has a perfect balance between gratuitous violence, dark humor, and entertaining storylines. However, Zombie Crusade tips in the scale and has a bit more gratuitous blood and gore than previous books; normally, such a thing isn’t an issue, but in this case, it tended to overtake plot development and most of the humor turned out to be more macabre than the usual dark slapstick. But all that violence and gore is still masterfully written and vividly detailed, so if that’s what you’ve come for, you won’t be disappointed. But for me, I enjoyed the great storylines and humor present in the series, so I was sad that about half the book is dedicated more to slasher-type gore and not so much to plot development.

There are two prominent storylines in Zombie Crusade that carry over from the previous books and while they only crawl forward (due to the superfluous descriptions of violence and gore), they were entertaining enough to keep my attention. Through both the Black Hand arc and the escapades of Brother Mike Brown, we meet a few new characters (both heroes and villains) and also continue to follow the frightening evolution of the naked, blue cannibals as their capabilities continue to develop. However, this book (and the last one as well) feel more like a spin-off series than true sequels to the first six books. Though they aren’t bad by any measure, I do patiently (ok, impatiently) await the return to Mo’s journals and the plot involving the group I see as the primary protagonists of Still Alive.

My favorite part of Zombie Crusade wasn’t a part of the actual book, but rather, the bonus short story included at the end. It’s a prequel story about Smokes and what transpired between the advent of the zombie plague and the first meeting between Smokes and Mo. It was fun and reminiscent of the earlier books, and definitely worth reading.

For the audiobook, Salzman continues to be an exceptional narrator for the Still Alive series, but much of Zombie Crusade’s third-person point of view doesn’t give him much of a chance to shine. I think his best work is in the unique voices of the primary group’s characters, so a significant amount of his talent goes unnoticed in this book. However, Salzman does get a chance to rock out some awesome narration in the short story at the end.

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Review: Prelude to the Shards

Prelude to the Shards by Michael Timmins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A Well-Written and Well-Executed Beginning for a New Series

I enjoyed Prelude to the Shards. It was well written, had interesting and deep characters, and excellent world-building. Though it’s a typical start to an epic fantasy series, with several significant protagonists being introduced within their own plotline and background stories, it’s also really well done and put together. And unlike similar novels where each chapter shifts to a different protagonist’s POV, the three individual stories in Prelude are written as self-contained novellas.  

Each story in Prelude to the Shards is perfectly executed. The characters are introduced along with details about their background, personality, and quirks; their motivations for uprooting their lives and traveling, which I imagine will ultimately lead them to crossing paths in future books, start to develop as each story ends.  All three narratives are deep and descriptive, providing bits and details that slowly build the world and explain its politics, magic systems, and cultures. If every book in this series is as well done, this will be an excellent series.

My only gripe about Prelude to the Shards isn’t really a drawback -- it’s actually something that is executed well. All three stories contain their own mini-plots, but each ends right after the narrative climax but before anything is really, truly resolved.  The end feels rather sudden. You could say that each story ends “right when it was getting good.” But the word “Prelude” is right there in the title, so I suppose I should have expected as much.  It’s infuriating because it leaves me with tons of unresolved questions, but I have to say that the author has done an excellent job hooking me, and now I want to read the next book in the series, which isn’t out yet (as of the time I’m writing this).  So that’s a bit irritating.  But I guess if the only negative thing I can say about a book is that it left me wanting more, it’s not a negative thing.

C. J. Grey does a pretty good job narrating the audio version of the book. He does excellent, unique voices for the characters, matches the tone of the writing, and manages to pull off both male and female voices well. Prelude to the Shards was already good, and the excellent performance makes it that much better.

Special thanks to Michael Timmins, who provided me with this book at my request.

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Review: The Supervillainy Saga, Volume One

The Supervillainy Saga, Volume One by C.T. Phipps
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've reviewed each book that makes up this volume (The Rules of Supervillainy, The Games of Supervillainy, and The Secrets of Supervillainy) so, this is more or less a review of the series itself.  But if you haven't read or listened to any of the books in this series, you don't even need to read the rest of this review -- go ahead and buy it! You won't regret it.  Most omnibus volumes are a good value, but getting three books of the Supervillainy Saga for the price of one is one hell of a good deal. The Supervillainy Saga is easily one of my favorite series, and there would be no way I'd turn down this bargain.

Supervillainy Saga is a fun, light-hearted parody of the superhero genre that elicits nostalgia for the golden age of comics. It's purposely packed with superhero tropes and comic references yet is still wildly entertaining with a roller-coaster ride of a plotline. However, all the poking-fun at the genre does not prevent it from being a great superhero story (or supervillain story, I suppose), and its satirical approach is fun, clever, and unique; Phipps really enjoys writing Supervillainy Saga, and you can tell that it is a labor of love by someone who has a life-long passion for comics. 

Each book in the series gives a new satirical take on a genre of media or pop culture. For example, while the first focuses on comics, heroes, and villains, the second book is full of witty humor and parodies of fantasy, sci-fi, and horror genres.  Even with the humor and spoofs, Phipps still manages to make his characters interesting and has created them with unique personalities and interpersonal relationships, which continue to develop throughout each book and narrative arc. It's a rare thing to have such deep and unique characters in a light-hearted comedy series. My favorite thing about the series is that it is full of irreverent comedy, entertaining pop-culture references, and satirical allusion to classic comics; reading or listening to The Supervillainy Saga is a guaranteed way to lift your spirits and make you smile.

The narration is excellent and really brings life to the saga's characters.  Jeffrey Kafer is a talented narrator that has really managed to capture (or create) the personality of the primary characters through unique voices and makes this book very entertaining to listen to.  I already knew Kafer was an excellent voice actor, so it's even higher praise for me to say that he takes his performance to an all-new level with The Supervillainy Saga.  His excellent narration creates tense moments, engaging action scenes, lovable characters (even the villains!), and hilarious dialog.  Phipps and Kafer together make this book a great success.

Special thanks to C.T. Phipps, who provided me with this book at my request.

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Review: The Horror of Supervillainy

The Horror of Supervillainy by C.T. Phipps
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Why do they keep underestimating Gary?

It’s been a long, painful wait for the next Supervillainy Saga book and I was so happy when I saw that Book 7 was out, available, and narrated by the great Jeffrey Kafer. Gary continues to be too good to be a great villain yet too insane to be a good hero.  But that’s okay, he always carves out his own place and plays by his own rules.  Of course, if you are reading a review for Book 7, I’m assuming you’ve at least read or listened to a few of these books and know all that.  And if you haven’t, you really, really need to start.  Go and get Book 1 now!

Book 7 initially seemed to be looser on plot than some of the previous books, but in the end, everything came together so well that I couldn’t believe I didn’t see it coming. However, the insanity reaches new heights at the end of the book, so I don't even know where it can go here -- I hope there’s still more Supervillainy Saga to come. To say more would give it away, but this book is full of the same great puns, pop culture references, and crazy, Gary-related antics as the other books in the series. And just like in some of the more recent books in the series, there are some guest characters (both new and old friends) that really make this story enjoyable.

I can’t say enough good things about Jeffrey Kafer, he rocks all the voices, both male and female, including the numerous accents that I’m sure Phipps writes into the books just to challenge him. Kafer had always been on my “good” narrator list, but after listening to seven books in the Supervillainy Saga, he’s right up there at the top. 

Special thanks to C.T. Phipps, who provided me with this book at my request.

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Review: One Day as a Lion

One Day as a Lion by Jonathan E. Hernandez
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I had a hard time really deciding what to say about One Day as a Lion and how to rate it, as there are tons of great things about the book, but also a few nagging issues. At the start, I was pretty convinced this was going to end up as a three-star book, but by the end, I’d give it four stars. Averaging it out, it’s a solid three and a half stars, but I think there is a good chance future books in this series will be better. So overall, I’m rounding it up to four stars (since we don’t have a half rating).

The world-building was my favorite part of the novel and it involves a really unique take on human colonization and evolution. The Regime was a different kind of antagonist that I haven’t really seen before and I really found their xenobiology-based technology and distinctive culture fascinating. The level of development and detail put into the Regime is impressive. Talks-To-His-Spear’s POV chapters were great and everything involving the Regime was well done. I’d quickly pick up a novel that focused on the Regime’s POV that explored their culture, politics, and history.

My main critique of One Day as a Lion boils down to the quality of writing, particularly throughout the first half or so of the book. At the beginning of the book, most of the text is heavy on plot-driving dialog and action, but short on the descriptive text to really describe what’s going on and who the characters are. The pacing is odd and the story skips forward without transition text, which makes it hard to figure out how characters moved to a new location or scene. The missing transitions and “travel” scenes also meant less opportunity for character development, so most of the characters end up feeling flat and didn’t grow beyond their cliche military character tropes.

But, from what I understand, this is Hernandez’s first published book and the writing continued to improve as I moved deeper into the story. By the end of the book, I felt like there had been a dramatic improvement. I think the next book will be even better.

Ryan Kennard Burke narrates the audio version and does a good job with the story and unique characters. I don’t have any complaints about Burke’s performance, voices, or accents.

Special thanks to Aethon Books, who provided me this book free of charge at my request.

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Review: Aftershocks

Aftershocks by Marko Kloos
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 It's not Frontlines, but it's still pretty good

I know Marko Kloos by his Frontlines series, which has become one of my favorite military sci-fi to listen to. Knowing how great that series was, I dived into The Palladium Wars as soon as I got the chance. First, let me say other than being in the same type of military sci-fi genre, the two series couldn't be more different (but they are both excellent!). While Frontlines was a very personal story told from the first-person perspective of a soldier, The Palladium wars rotates between the point of view characters in each chapter, with each character being far separated from the others in this first book. I'm going to assume the series will follow the same formula usually used by this POV style and eventually the POV characters will be pushed together as either friends or foes as their individual storylines cross. I'm bringing up these points because much like other series that follow this formula, the first book is meant to set up the plot so that it can start moving into the first story arc and introducing the cast of POV characters. Therefore, it IS a bit slow -- but the world that is being set up is amazingly complex and detailed, the writing is excellent, and so far the plot is intriguing.

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Review: Titanborn

Titanborn by Rhett C. Bruno
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Titanborn has been on my radar for a long time, and now that I've gotten to it, I have no idea why I had waited so long. There isn't much to not like about it or the rest of the series -- it's got a dark and gritty sci-fi-inspired setting, complex and flawed characters, and a plot that will keep you guessing until the very end. That's not just a superfluous description; I literally could not have imagined how this book ended. I'm not going to spoil it, but if you hate reading predictable books where you can see every plot twist coming, you'll enjoy Titanborn. Plus, the audio version is narrated by R.C. Bray, who I'm pretty sure has never had a bad performance.

The book follows the ventures of Malcolm Graves, an elite corporate agent who operates in a future world where megacorporations run the sol system. Malcolm conveys a film noir quality to the novel, as he's an anachronistic anti-hero who is a blend of gumshoe, assassin, and smart-ass alcoholic. He even carries the sci-fi equivalent to a magnum revolver in a holster under a classic duster coat. Overall, I loved the gritty tech-noir setting, Malcolm's endless snark and sarcasm, and the edgy writing. Maybe I was reading a bit too deep, but I also found that Titanborn presents a futuristic take on some modern contemporary social issues, and by doing so, presents some dark questions about the fate of our morality and humanity in a future where we've failed to address those issues. Regardless of whether this was intentional, you have to like a good that makes you think a bit at the end.

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Review: Hammond's Hardcases: The Complete Series

Hammond's Hardcases: The Complete Series by Jack Colrain
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hammond's Hardcases by Jack Colrain is your standard military sci-fi brain candy. I read the complete series omnibus, so this review includes all three books. Overall, the series isn't exceptional, but it'll be solid entertainment if you are into the military/space marine sci-fi genre and like lots of well-written action. It's certainly worth giving the series a try now that it's a 3-for-1 omnibus deal on Audible and Kindle (and free on KU).

Like most omnibus editions, I didn't feel like all three books earned the same rating or could be reviewed together. Thus, there may be some spoilers in the review below as I focus on the highs and lows of each book included in the trilogy omnibus. You've been warned.

The first book (Mozari Arrival) was my favorite of the series. There was a focus on character development, lots of mystery involving the Mozari, and new and exciting technology. I found the plot intriguing, and the book really kept my attention. I'm a fan of the character and relationship development in a series, and it was balanced with action sequences, so I really enjoyed it.

However, I was immediately turned off to the second book (Trojan Colony) when its ridiculous premise became clear. Here's a minor spoiler: The target world for a new earth colony was discovered to be right in the middle of humanity's worst and far superior enemy's territory. And the military, civilian government, and colonists all just say, "Oh well, we are already halfway there. Let's just do this thing anyway." Once you get over the absurd way the plot was set up, the rest of the book was pretty enjoyable. Lots of gold ol' shoot em' up action, cliche military vs. civilian headbutting, and just in the nick of time rescues.

The last book (Gateway War) just felt like a series of explosions, space battles, and ground-pounding space marine engagements. Again, the earth's civilian and military leadership is still packed with morons whose poor decisions set up the action-packed plot. The book's last half degrades into a non-stop action-packed slugfest. It wasn't really my thing, and getting through it was a bit grinding, but I can certainly see the appeal it may have for many readers and fans of action-based sci-fi.

Overall, I found the first book excellent and the following books just okay. Had there been more plausible plot devices and a bit more even pacing in the later books (between plot and character development and action), I would have enjoyed them much more. But I think some of this may just be my tastes in books. All-in-all, it was good enough that I'd give other Jack Colrain books a shot as well, particularly if I was in the mood for something fast-paced and action-oriented.

I also listened to some of this series on the audiobook edition from Audible in addition to the kindle book. Like the Hammond's Hardcases series, Andrew Tell's performance is good, but not without its flaws. The narration kept me interested, the tone projected the proper emotions, and the pacing matched well with the action in most of the series. However, Tell pauses a lot, which makes the cadence of the reading a bit uneven. It annoyed me initially, but I became used to it as the series went on. There are also many secondary characters throughout the series, and I feel like the narrator exhausted his range trying to come up with unique voices for each. Occasionally it was difficult to tell who was talking by their voice alone (particularly with female characters, who sounded very similar).

Special thanks to Jack Colrain, who provided me with these books at my request.

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Review: Still Alive: Series Box Set Books 5 & 6

Still Alive: Series Box Set Books 5 & 6 by Javan Bonds
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The best low-brow humor and zombie-slaying gore!

The Still Alive series continues to be one of my favorite go-to books for gratuitous violence, lowbrow humor, and descriptions of unspeakable things I wish I could unread. I can't be sure, as I'm not certain which scenes of the book my brain has blocked from my memory to protect itself from the mental trauma, but these two books may have been the most violent and gruesome book of the series. In a good way. If you haven't started this series, you should really give it a shot. Once you start, you won't be able to stop. It's kind of like passing a car wreck on the highway- you know you shouldn't slow down and look and you tell yourself you won't, but then you find yourself staring anyway. But, again, it's in a good way.

But seriously, this is a great series. The writing is well done, the plot is exciting and detailed, and most of the characters are deep and developed. Hidden under all the blood and gore, Javan Bonds has some talent as an author. The humor typically balances the darker aspects of the books, providing levity and enjoyment when it's needed. And it's just gotten better with the addition of the box set for the 5th and 6th books in the series (Zombie River Run & Zombie Paradise Lost).

Zombie River Run is the follow-up for the first four books in the Still Alive series by Javan Bonds. It chronicles the continuing struggles and adventures of the crew of Viva Ancora and the survivors of Guntersville. I really can’t say enough good stuff about this entire series, I love its humor, its cast of characters, and the storyline. And as an Alabamian, I find the characters, their interactions, and their culture extremely relatable. I swear that I’ve met and know some of them. However, I think Zombie River Run suffers a bit in the storyline because of where it falls in the series as it's working to resolve a few loose ends from the first books and set things up for the next few. That means after the story arc was wrapped up in the first four books, Zombie River Run transitions us into what is sure to be a great second story arc. It's a bit slower than the previous books and doesn’t end with the same adrenaline rush of climax, but it still has some great scenes, excellent dialog, and fun culture references.

Zombie Paradise Lost is full of all things that make this series great but is also a "split book" that takes place at the same time as Zombie River Run and I'm still internally debating if I liked that. Many of the events from Zombie River Run are repeated in Zombie Paradise Lost, but described from a different perspective. It provides some additional insight into many of the events in the last book but also left me feeling a bit cheated on the plot and advancement of the story arc. And while I was disappointed Mo isn't a major character in Zombie Paradise Lost, I really enjoyed the fully developed story involving the investigation of the missing children -- the whole good versus evil element has been excellent.

S.W. Salzman's performance in this series continues to blow me away. I still can't believe that one narrator can create so many different, distinct voices. It really makes the book come alive and significantly adds to Bonds' already well-developed characters. I’m definitely adding Salzman to my favorite narrator list and will be hunting down other books that he’s recorded.

Special thanks to Javan Bonds who provided me with this book at my request.

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Review: Refuge

Refuge by J.J. Blacklocke
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A new and fresh take on Space Opera

Refuge is a unique tale that takes your standard space opera in a new direction. It has some fantastic world-building going on, and the setting is amazingly immersive and detailed. The story takes place on a space station called Tradepoint, which is a nexus for trade between alien species. Unlike typical science fiction, Refuge focuses less on technology and instead explores culture, social exchanges between species, and commerce. Every aspect is well thought out, with careful consideration for the practical problems usually glossed over in science fiction, like language, pathology, and biological adaptation issues.

The Vennan are definitely one of my favorite aspects of this book. They make the story appeal to both science fiction and fantasy fans, as they are a starfaring race that eschews technology in favor of their innate abilities. Their culture and spiritual beliefs are richly detailed, and yet they maintain a certain level of mystery and intrigue, which leaves you wanting to learn more. I know I'm mentioning the world-building a lot (as it's what really made this book great in my opinion), but the plot and cast of characters were also superb. Overall, Refuged managed to feel like an "epic" fantasy or space opera series sans excessive length and superfluous writing.

I have to admit that knowing Kate Reading narrated the audiobook version of Refuge sold me before even looking at the other details. I've loved her work, and she did not disappoint me in Refuge. Even if Refuge's description doesn't sound like it's a good fit for you, give the audiobook a chance just for the narration.

Special thanks to Aethon Books, who provided me this book free of charge at my request.

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Review: Interstellar Caveman

Interstellar Caveman by Karl Beecher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Interstellar Caveman is what I imagine Buck Rogers would have been if the original story had been written by Douglas Adams. Our hapless hero, Colin, is thrust unwillingly into the future after a series of unfortunate events forces him into cryogenic sleep for an undetermined (but very long) time. Colin is not a military genius, action hero, or crack star pilot… he’s just an out of work, Luddite insurance analyst who bumbles through his new life and attempts to navigate a strange future society where human civilization has stretched across the stars and colonized multiple planets.

The storyline of Interstellar Caveman is quite fun and unpredictable; I never knew quite where it was going. The book is light-hearted fun, so you can’t take its vision of future society or new technology seriously, as it's meant more as a humorous satire than a serious science fiction novel (which Colin would have hated anyway). I do think at times that the parody and humor felt a bit too out of place and occasionally the pacing of the story and dialog felt a bit uneven, but all-in-all, it was a wonderful and diverting read.

Thank you to Aethon Books who provided me this book free of charge at my request.

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Review: Faulty Prophet

Faulty Prophet by Karl Beecher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Faulty Prophet is a fun and twisted sci-fi comedy reminiscent of Douglas Adams's Hitchhiker series. It features the continuing misadventures of Colin Douglass, who has been stumbling from one misfortune to another since his awakening from cryogenic sleep. Colin isn't anything close to your classic sci-fi hero and manages to get himself in and out of absurd situations by dumb luck.

I think this sequel to Interstellar Caveman was every bit as good as the first book. Both books use Colin's experiences in the future as a satirical take on the ridiculousness of the "modern" age. Most of the jokes are lighthearted and creative, but they could sometimes get ridiculous enough to distract from the story or highlight the implausibility of the futuristic setting. Overall, I found the entertainment value of the humor and jokes to outweigh the absurdity of the situations that Colin found himself in, but true die-hard science fiction fans may find it a bit too much.

Special thanks to Aethon Books, who provided me this book free of charge at my request.

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Review: The Roach

The Roach by Rhett C. Bruno
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Roach wasn't just a novel; it was an experience. The story is centered around a vigilante known as The Roach, who has been broken and forgotten by the city he helped make safe. The book's description had me expecting some type of superhero version of Ironside, but what I actually read was something so much better. The Roach has gone from a fear-inspiring legend to a crippled drunk. But this isn't some happy ending story of redemption and rehabilitation; it is a gritty and realistic journey through the damaged psyche of a broken man.

I make the story sound pretty gloomy, but it actually is full of different emotions and hits you on a few levels. It's part gritty drama, part dark comedy, and part psychological thriller. I laughed out loud, I got goose-bumps, I shivered, and I, honest-to-god, teared up at one point. The characters come to life, the plot is thick and unpredictable, and the premise is fresh and exciting. It's the best book I've read in 2021, and I'm pretty sure it's going to stay on top for a long, long time.

The audiobook is performed by R.C. Bray, and no one I've heard could have been a better Roach. It's like the character was written for Bray to narrate (spoiler alert: it actually was). If you are a fan of R.C. Bray, this book will be worth it for that alone.

Special thanks to Aethon Books, who provided me this book free of charge at my request.

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