Andrew

Better than Automatic Fluency, but still not good

Revisado: 10-22-22

I've listened to three Mark Frobose titles thus far; Power Spanish I, Automatic Fluency Latin American Spanish for Conversation I and also Automatic Fluency Latin American Spanish for Conversation 2. Power Spanish I Accelerated is marginally better than the other two, but it's still not good.

My main issue with all three titles is the mindless repetition. I highly doubt many listeners will retain information from these audiobooks as the format seems rather unorganized and really just focuses on repetition of a few, and I mean few, phrases. I simply repeat what I hear, but I don't receive any grammatical support to truly understand the why.

Also, I have a native speaker professional tutor from Mexico and a second tutor from Colombia. I asked them about various phrases in this audiobook and they were both confused as to why certain sentences were constructed with certain words. One example that comes to mind is the use of "despues". The audiobook says "I prefer to eat now: Prefiero comer ahora" and "I prefer to eat later: Prefiero comer despues". That use of despues seems off and both my tutors asked "despues de que?" as if the sentence wasn't complete because despues implies the activity will take place after something else. So perhaps it would make more sense as prefiero comer despues de clase : I prefer to eat after class. Two better options would be 'prefiero comer mas tarde: I prefer to eat later' and 'prefiero comer luego: I prefer to eat later". This is just one example that I can recall, but there were other phrases in this audiobook that seemed off and perhaps not what a native speaker would use.

I recommend Paul Noble's language learning books as they provide useful phrases, grammatical support to further understand concepts, and they have better spaced repetition.

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Lvl 2 just as bad as Lvl 1 - Mindless Repetition

Revisado: 09-05-22

Story: The listener really doesn't learn much in the 4 hours it takes to complete this audiobook. As other listeners mentioned, there are only a few phrases / sentences that make up the entirety of this audiobook. Also, I noticed that audio clips in "Automatic Fluency Latin American Spanish for Conversation" are literally the same as those in his "Power Spanish I Accelerated" audiobook that was released in 2013 (4 years prior to Automatic Fluency). It seems that he simply took clips from his older material and tried to make it a new audiobook. Just like Level 1 in Automatic Fluency, Level 2 is full of mindless repetition.

Narration: I find it rather annoying that the narration says "You should have said" 82 times (I just opened the PDF, searched the phrase, and found 82 results). It's unnecessary filler, and really I just don't think it's a good phrase to say to someone when they're trying to learn a language. Also, for some reason, the narrators in both Level 1 and Level 2 would say simple words and phrases slowly and then suddenly introduce a new and much longer phrase, say the new phrase quickly, and not repeat the new phrase. I'm currently between A2-B1 in Spanish and have a decent ear, but even I had trouble understanding the narrators when they flew through the new phrases. I also don't understand why Mark Frobose and the narrators chose to do this. It's not like the narration said 'okay, now listen to native speed', it seemed completely random at first but then I noticed that it's just the longer phrases are sped up and the listener will have to rewind if they want to hear it again.

Overall: The Automatic Fluency Levels 1 and 2 are seriously lacking and I wouldn't recommend them for language learning. Sure, there are a few phrases, and I mean a few, that may be useful to learn from this audiobook series, but there are far better language learning audiobooks out there that can help teach us listeners much more. In my opinion, Paul Noble and Olly Richards provide some of the best language learning audiobook options.

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Can you say ‘Beans’ 16x?! Mindless drilling

Revisado: 08-10-22

It's really hard to find something good about this audiobook and you're constantly reminded throughout the audio that "no guarantee of fluency is either expressed or implied", so don't be fooled by the title "Automatic Fluency".

Story: I'll start by saying that, personally, I'm somewhere between an A2-B1 level in Spanish. That said, I don't think this audiobook is for a true beginner to the language. I have a decent understanding on variance concepts in Spanish and a somewhat extensive vocabulary, and as I was going through I had many moments where I thought 'goodness, well it's a good thing I know X because otherwise this wouldn't make sense.' There is little to no grammatical support in here, nor are there explanations as to why certain words are used. For example, why does the story say "learn other languages / aprender otras lenguas" and then literally the next sentence say "which languages do you want to learn / cuales idiomas quieres aprender" and not explain the difference between lenguas or idiomas when they both are talking about lanuages? Or why does it switch between " I need to / necesito" and "I have to / tengo que" without an explanation? There are multiple examples like these throughout the audiobook. I thought chapter 8, the final chapter, was going to start going into grammar because it was talking about Yo form verbs, but it just ran through a list never to be seen again.

That leads me to my biggest gripe about this audiobook. I was expecting this to be more like spaced repetition, where words and phrases are presented, repeated a few times, and then come up again after an extended period of time to test retention. However, this ended up being more like mindless drilling of individual words or phrases. The listener is supposed to repeat when prompted and sometimes say the word both before and after the native speaker; well, this leads the listener to repeat individual words almost 10 times in a row! I checked, and you say the word "beans / frijoles" 16 times! So if you're saying it both before and after the speaker, that's 32 times, and not spaced but in a tight cluster.

Narration / Performance: I gave this 1 star, but not because of the native speakers. To me, the audio seemed overly spliced / edited. So instead of hearing "voy al restaurante" or "voy a la tienda" as a single flowing sentence, the listener hears a clearly spliced audio recorded on clearly different days of "voy" "al restaurante" or "voy" "a la tienda". Again, there are multiple examples of this throughout the audio. Also, it would have been nice to hear some explanation for the pronunciation of the "v" in voy and other words.

Overall: This wasn't for me, clearly. I also don't think it's for beginners, especially because it has little to no grammatical instruction. This isn't really spaced repetition like I expected and turned into the mindless drilling / repetition of old school teaching methods. If a listener really wants to better understand concepts, I'd recommend Paul Noble for a similar style, but far better presentation and also easy to understand grammatical support, and Olly Richards for his short story books.

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History was Everything

Revisado: 08-20-18

"Carlin often said that history was everything, for it was in man’s nature to make the same mistakes over and over."

Queen of the Tearling was an enjoyable read/listen. I did not really know what to expect, but the story had enough action, adventure, mystery and magic to capture my attention and keep me involved. There are some interesting characters and I want to know more about them - Javel, the Fetch, Mace. Then you have the queen and the red queen, which is a pretty classic tale, but the approach with Kelsea is a nice take as she tends to differ from a typical queen. A few other reviewers mentioned the confusion on the period, and yes, it catches you off guard. I thought this was in the middles ages, but then when references from modern culture and technology came up, it changed my view and understanding. I do not think that this takes away from the story, but it is worth noting.

At first, I had to get used to the narrator’s voice for certain characters. Not too far into the book, though, Katherine Kellgren grew on me and I will say she was really good. She did a great job capturing the characters and their thoughts/emotions. There was a sizable list of characters too, and it is always fun to see how a narrator adapts to give each a voice.

Overall, Queen of the Tearling is a pretty good book. There are some characters that I am invested in so I will likely move to the next in the series to see what happens and how they develop.

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Tell Your Money Where To Go

Revisado: 06-06-18

"A budget is people telling their money where to go instead of wondering where it went"
― Dave Ramsey, The Total Money Makeover

Story: The Total Money Makeover is a financial strategy that, while some may say is simple, certainly is not easy. Dave Ramsey outlines a plan that, if you stick to it, you will be successful and stable. This book is full of helpful information and strategies to get you started and to keep you moving on your journey to financial freedom.

Narration: At first, I was not thrilled by the narration. I am all for authors narrating their own work, but I found the initial listen to be rough and almost insulting. Some reviewers have mentioned the same. I recall making faces and thinking to myself “why is he saying it like that?” Perhaps I would have given it 3-stars. However, I have listened to this audiobook four times now (soon to be five) and I can say that the narration grows on you. From the second listen on, I found the narration to be motivating and energizing. While the narration still fluctuates at times, the tone matches the intensity needed to tackle your finances!

Overall: This is an audiobook that you can listen to multiple times over – and you should! The Total Money Makeover helped me realize many faults in my financial planning and got me and my family on track. If you stick to the plan, you will see results! While my family and I are not debt free, we only have a car loan and mortgage left as I write this review. That is HUGE for us. Books like this should have been a requirement in high school and college. I cannot recommend this book enough.

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Referees Had Been Known to Vanish

Revisado: 05-22-18

“Although people rarely died playing Quidditch, referees had been known to vanish and turn up months later in the Sahara Desert.”

Story: Quidditch Through the Ages is an entertaining history of the sport. You will cover the development of the sport, the introduction to rules, broom evolution and an overview of some of the Quidditch teams. Last, and certainly not least, is the thrilling reporting from the 2014 Quidditch World Cup!

Narration: The story is good, but the narration and production is what really makes this audiobook special. All of the narrators do a wonderful job at capturing their characters (or multiple characters) and the sound effects really add to the listening experience. At times, I legitimately jumped as I thought a bludger was coming my way!

Overall: Quidditch Through the Ages is a fun little book. I do wish that it was longer, but it does a good job at quenching the thirst for more Harry Potter information and history. The narration is fantastic and the production really comes to life! Some say the audio from the sound effects was loud at times, which is true, but for me that added to my experience. Is the sport as deafening as it came across in the narration? I could imagine so when you are flying around on nothing but a broom, while fans are screaming constantly and you are also trying not to take a hit. Seriously, I still fear a bludger from time-to-time throughout my day!

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Pity Those Who Live Without Love

Revisado: 05-01-18

“Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all those who live without love.”

Story: The action, suspense, danger, adventure and magic you find in this book is extraordinary. J.K. Rowling did a wonderful job of pulling a number of pieces together to wrap up the story. The book explains so much more than could be squeezed into the movie and it really illuminates a number of things that did not make sense to me just from the movie. Classic example of how the book is significantly better. I feel most people will have similar feelings, but the story and connection between Harry, Dumbledore and Snape really makes this book amazing. Also, the detail on the Deathly Hallows and the relationship to Harry was awesome.

Narration: I caved and gave this 5 stars. I still feel that some of the female voices are lacking and, for me, are less than stellar. Luna and Ginny come to mind. That said, overall, the narration is great and very engaging. Jim Dale was able to bring the characters to life and really pulled me into the story.

Overall: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is a fantastic end to the series. I knew that this would be different from the movie (again, having never read/listened to all of the books until now), but I had no clue how in the dark I was from just seeing the movies. So much was explained so well. My mind was also blown when I learned about the more than probable relationship between Harry and the Peverell family. Seriously, this series is amazing! If you have not already done so, listen to this series!

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There’s Nothing Difficult About Golf, Nothing

Revisado: 03-01-18

“Up to a considerable point, as I see it, there’s nothing difficult about golf, nothing. I see no reason, truly, why the average golfer, if he goes about it intelligently, shouldn’t play in the 70s”
― Ben Hogan, Ben Hogan's Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf

Story: The story or purpose of this book is pretty straightforward - to help you improve your golf game. Ben Hogan, one of the greatest of all time, breaks the book into sections for players to focus on step-by-step. Take one fundamental, put it to practice and then come back for more. The book is setup well and is easy to follow.

Narration: Steve Carlson did a great job with the narration. He was definitely well-suited for the book. The pronunciation and pacing was excellent for the material and I just felt calm and relaxed throughout the listen - which is how I should feel while golfing!

Overall: **How does this book not automatically come with any purchase of a set of clubs!?** Seriously, this should be everyone's initial go-to manual. Truly, these are great and timeless fundamentals which were applied years ago and can be applied for years to come. I've started to use this information for my own game and already see improvements. Scores in the 70s - here I come!

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Let Us Pursue that Flighty Temptress, Adventure

Revisado: 02-12-18

“Let us step into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure.”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Story: This was always my favorite of the movies and the book certainly doesn't dissapoint! The plot continues to thicken and this particular book finally gets into some of the darkest aspects of the entire series. The character development is great and the story, like the other books, is beautifully descriptive, detailed and captivating. I found myself deeply invested in the struggles of Harry, Malfoy and the other characters. This book really gets a lot of emotions from the reader/listener.

Narration: I gave this 4 stars as I didn't think all the voices were fantastic. I'm sure I missed this in the previous books since I was so into the story, but it's become clear that some of the female voices just aren't nearly as strong as the male voices. Luna and Ginny stand out, but I believe there was another female character in there that fell short of what I would have expected. Aside from that, the other characters and the way Jim Dale captures the emotions is great!

Overall: Half-Blood Prince is simply phenomenal. This book does a great job of explaining so, so much about the entire series. It also builds up to the final book which I've never read, but I'm sure will be amazing. I'm a fan of this book in particular as it gets darker; you can feel the struggle and emotions of the characters and it's thrilling! A great novel and a great addition to the series.

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You're just as sane as I am

Revisado: 01-19-18

Story: Order of the Phoenix is truly amazing! The story; the way it builds, the tension and suspense, everything about it is beautifully detailed and yet again captivating. There is so much in this book that I never realized before (having only seen the movie previously). There is a lot of action, but I think my favorite parts are from the amount of information that is given that helps develop and further drive the story. I also found it hilarious thinking of the characters ages in this book and myself at that time in life... typical teenage troubles :P

Performance: For me, something about Jim Dale's performance missed the mark compared to the other books. I can't remember all the characters, but a few of the female characters didn't sound right (or how I would have thought in my head). Luna stands out the most, though. Whenever she came up, I would think it was another guy in the group until the description came in saying it was Luna speaking. Aside from that, the other characters (and there are plenty of characters) were really great!

Overall: It's funny, this book was one of my least favorite originally (again, having only seen the movie previously - for some reason I just didn't think much of it), but now it's one of my favorites! I really feel it's an action-packed book, starting with the attack in the beginning and the duel towards the end. That said, there is also a lot in between that gives Order of the Phoenix so much magic!

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