Tedd Adams

What a disjointed mess

Revisado: 09-15-24

The premise sounded very interesting and I was looking forward to this one. The execution, however, could hardly be any worse. If this was meant to be a commentary on our over-stimulated, excessively distracted world, it works for that. But in telling a cohesive, comprehensible narrative, it falls far short.

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May be a good story. I’ll never know because the narration is unbearable

Revisado: 10-22-23

I don’t know why some authors think they are they best person to narrate their story. In this case, it was so atrocious, I just couldn’t listen to more than 15 minutes. I was looking forward to this story, but it was a painful listen. Can’t comment on the actual story, because I quit within a few chapters.

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esto le resultó útil a 5 personas

Not bad, but know what you're getting

Revisado: 10-12-23

The overall story was better than average. Fairly well developed characters and a clear plotline. But be warned...the elements of this story are extremely disturbing and graphic. It was almost too much at times. Most bothersome is that the author seemed to relish in the most horrific depictions of child exploitation. The story could have held its own without devolving into borderline child pornography.

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Obnoxious ramblings of an unrepentant narcissist

Revisado: 08-31-23

I never read reviews prior to starting a book, but after abandoning this one after only 15 minutes (a new personal record), my instincts were confirmed. This author is just dreadful. The first turnoff for me was the four factual errors within just the first few minutes. There were other turnoffs, too, such as labeling anyone owning an Apple product a stupid liberal. Complete garbage.

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Brace yourself for some right-wing nuttery

Revisado: 02-16-22

While the first few chapters were an interesting and educational background of the Fed and some of the endemic corruption that comes with it, the author wastes little time spewing his hair-brained right-wing propaganda. No thanks. This is not a scholarly work, as much as it would like to portray itself as such.

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Quite an enjoyable listen

Revisado: 09-29-21

In reading some previous (negative) reviews, it's hard for me to get my head around just what's not to like about this book. I found it to be one of the most enjoyable listens I've downloaded in the last couple of years. I've read probably 200+ books in the espionage / technothriller genre in my lifetime, and this one ranks among the best. Many people commented about the narrator, who I found to be highly skilled, so much so that as I was reading, I thought I would specifically search out other books by this narrator, which is not usually something I focus on. He was able to deftly portray a large cast of characters, male and female, American and Chinese, all with clear distinguishing characteristics, even to the extent of differentiating the "thickness" of Mandarin accent from character to character based on the portrayed English proficiency of the character. I suspect those who rated this narrator negatively are responding not to the quality of the narration itself, but more likely to the harshness of the Mandarin accent, which is admittedly not the most mellifluous dialect spoken on Earth. I also thought the storyline was great, with lots of credible details. Granted, I am a cybersecurity specialist for a major airline, so this checks a lot of my boxes in terms of interest, but if you're looking for an enjoyable, engaging technothriller, this one is a winner!

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Struggled to get through this one.

Revisado: 05-16-19

This was probably one of my biggest audiobook disappointments, perhaps because I had such high expectations when I started the book. I did finish it, but at no point did I feel any excitement about continuing on. It was more about finishing for the sake of finishing. I was fascinated by the setting of post-WWI Berlin, but the story just wasn't compelling, and the narrator didn't help matters any. His vocal inflections barely changed between characters, even male and female, so this made it really hard to follow. I really wanted to like this book because of the setting, but it just never held my attention.

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Mindless entertainment, by-the-numbers thriller

Revisado: 03-26-18

What would have made The Terminal List better?

The story was entertaining enough, I suppose, if not the least bit surprising. It's a pretty standard, by the numbers, John Wick style kill-everyone-who's-wronged-me kind of thriller. In that sense, some elements of surprise would have made it more interesting and complex. But what really ruined what could have been a good book was the author's insistence on injecting his right-wing missives throughout the book. They did nothing to further the story, but only served as partisan catharsis for the author. That was most unfortunate.

What was most disappointing about Jack Carr’s story?

As mentioned above, the author's constant need to infuse his narrative with right-wing screeds was off-putting at best, and served as a real distraction from the unfolding of plot at worst.

Which character – as performed by Ray Porter – was your favorite?

Ray Porter is my favorite narrator by far. He always does an amazing job with every character, and really helps differentiate all the characters in a book.

What character would you cut from The Terminal List?

Well, there are so many to choose from, but out of all the fictional right-wing Easter Bunnies and Santa Clauses, I'd say the poor, black limo driver who really believes in his heart of hearts that trickle-down economics will someday trickle down to him, and that if only we could cut taxes for those benevolent billionaires he drives around town, that someday, he might be the one in the back of the limo.

Any additional comments?

Lose the right-wing dogma and this could have been a halfway entertaining story, even with its paper-thin plot.

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esto le resultó útil a 16 personas

So much potential... completely wasted.

Revisado: 02-01-18

What would have made Ghost in the Wires better?

This had the potential of being a really fascinating story, if only it had been written by an objective third party. Instead, it was written in first person by the subject, and it quickly becomes a tedious, unbearable recitation of how brilliant and clever Kevin Mitnick is in fooling all his dim-witted antagonists.

What was most disappointing about Kevin Mitnick and William L. Simon ’s story?

There's only so much I can take of rehashing Mitnick's lavish self-praise, but it's particularly disappointing because in the hands of a skilled storyteller, this could have been crafted into a truly interesting thriller. Instead, it's just chapter after chapter of Mitnick's unrelenting narcissism and it gets boring really quickly.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

I love Ray Porter as a narrator and I have listened to many of his books. I only fault him for making a bad selection of source material.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Ghost in the Wires?

I would reduce it from an entire book to one Rolling Stone length feature article. That's about how much original and interesting material there is. The rest is fluff and self-adoration on the part of the author.

Any additional comments?

There may or may not be better books on this topic. if so, I implore you to seek them out. They have to be better than this one.

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Fast-paced thrill ride

Revisado: 01-29-18

Would you listen to American Kingpin again? Why?

This was one of the best books I've listened to in a long time. It has everything you want in a good thriller... great character development, intrigue, fast pacing, incredible twists and turns, emotional engagement. And it's all the more fascinating by the fact that it all really happened.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Ross is certainly the most interesting, as the centerpiece of the story.

Which scene was your favorite?

Without giving too much away, as the Feds were closing in on their suspect, I just couldn't wait to hear more.

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

I found it hard not to like Ross, despite being a criminal mastermind. He was a kid whose creation got the best of him.

Any additional comments?

If you're on the fence about getting this, just do it. It will be an incredibly rewarding experience. And there may be some who are intimidated by the technology angle. Don't let that deter you. It's all laid out in a way that is very easy to understand without being watered down. The author did a masterful job.

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