Review: The Bright Falls Mysteries Saga

The Bright Falls Mysteries Saga by C.T. Phipps
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Bright Falls Mysteries Saga is an omnibus of Books 1 through 3 of the Bright Falls Mysteries Series and includes I Was a Teenage Weredeer, An American Weredeer in Michigan, and A Nightmare on Elk Street. This is a combined review for all three books in the omnibus. Like many of C. T. Phipps’ books, the series is set in the United States of Monsters urban fantasy universe (which you can read more about on the author’s blog).

All the Bright Falls Mysteries books have been fun, full of comedy (and deer puns), and have had surprisingly entertaining and well-written characters and plots. But it took me so long to start on the series and I kept passing it by every time I looked for a new book. I kept seeing I Was a Teenage Weredeer and then thinking to myself, “A weredeer? That’s just dumb, I don’t think I could ever get into that book.” Yet, here I am declaring Jane Doe the weredeer one of my favorite protagonists. So if you are reading this review and are still on the fence about the series, it’s time to go ahead and take the plunge.

The introduction to the series, I Was a Teenage Weredeer, is written as a murder mystery. Jane (that’s Jane Doe ... the weredeer) finds herself playing amateur detective as she tries to track down a serial killer. Hijinks ensue. The plot is well thought out and engaging, the dialog is fun and entertaining, and I thoroughly enjoyed Jane’s inner monologues. As the first book in the series, you also get to meet all Jane’s friends, allies, and antagonists of the series.

In An American Weredeer in Michigan, Jane (the weredeer) and Emma (Jane’s now out-of-the-closet lesbian, werewolf best friend) continue to stumble into messy situations. While out for a hike, the two stumble on a murder pit full of infant’s bones and feel obligated to seek out whoever is responsible for the mass grave and bring them to justice. While on the trial of the apparent baby murder, Jane faces off against an evil cult leader, tries to sort out her relationships with Alex and Lucien, and continues to dish out non-stop deer puns.

Phipps pays homage to the classic slasher film genre in A Nightmare on Elk Street. Another supernatural killer is rampaging through Bright Falls and Lucien Lyons convinces Jane to work security on the set of his money-laundering scheme … I mean B-movie horror film. While trying to protect the crew, Jane attempts to track down the killer only to discover that the murderer’s next target is her. Though it is still essentially a comedy, A Nightmare on Elk Street is also well-written with a great plot. The plot is a bit thicker in this book than in previous novels as this final installment reveals a hidden narrative arc that’s been building throughout the series. A perfect ending and wrap-up for the trilogy.

I thoroughly enjoyed all of the Bright Falls Mysteries books and Jane’s snark and puns are entertaining enough to make buying any of these books worth it. But for the saga edition, you get three books for one price! It's especially worth it for the audio omnibus edition, as you can get the entire trilogy for a single credit. You can’t beat that!

In the audiobook version, Arielle DeLisle is deer-lightful in her performance as Jane and creates a full cast of characters with unique personalities and voices. It’s hard to find many faults with any of her narration throughout the series – she was a joy to listen to. I’ve listened to DeLisle narrate a few other series and she is definitely a go-to to give voice to quirky, spunky heroines.

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Review: Cerberus Series: Books 1-3:

Cerberus Series: Books 1-3: by Andy Peloquin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

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A great value for three great books!

The Cerberus Series is an audiobook omnibus of Books 1 through 3 of the Cerberus series and includes Assassination Protocol, Terminal Secrets, and Cyber Strike. All three books have their own self-contained plots while at the same time building toward an overall narrative arc which has a satisfying conclusion in Book 3. The Cerberus series does continue (for a total of 12 books), but the omnibus is an excellent introduction to the world and characters. 

In short, the Cerberus series is excellent. It's a different take on the normal sci-fi genre and though its title labels it as a military space opera, it fits better in the technothriller or cyberpunk genre. There are unique and interesting characters, a well-developed plot, plenty of action, and a bit of humor thrown in as well. Cerberus has just about everything you could want from a well-written book; it’s a fun and entertaining read that easily holds my attention and interest. Plus, if you are looking for audiobook value, it's three books (and 28 hours!) for a single credit.

My favorite part of the series is the protagonist: Nolan Garrett, an ex-special forces government assassin. But, he’s unique in that he was medically discharged from the military after becoming a paraplegic. Even with advanced medical technology, he was never able to walk on his own again. But he can regain his mobility through the use of an armored, AI-run cybernetic suit – which he uses exclusively while carrying out contracts as Cerberus. Since Nolan is otherwise bound to a wheelchair, he’s able to convincingly maintain a secret, civilian identity as a handicapped veteran. Though he shares his background with many ex-military type cliches (i.e. discharged after an injury, went hard into drugs and alcohol, and now plagued with doubts and regret), I find the character’s overall concept unique and intriguing. It’s also an excellent plot device, as I think I’d also get bored with a story focused on a highly-skilled, near-invincible techno-assassin. Nolan’s vulnerabilities add suspenseful situations and thrilling conflicts to keep the narrative interesting.

Bronson Pinchot is an excellent narrator, especially for an action-oriented series like Cerberus. He’s got the perfect voice for a gruff assassin but also does a great job with other characters, including Nolan’s integrated AI (who is distinctly female). Pinchot’s performance creates an immersive experience through a variety of unique voices and a tone and temper that matches well with the book.

Special thanks to Aethon Books, who provided me with this book at my request.

You can find the audiobook omnibus edition of the Cerberus series on Audible's website.