LarryB

A narrator's tour de force

Revisado: 07-06-18

This is one weird book. The protagonist is is a (literally) squirrel-brained beast-human hybrid. The plot is "get stronger!" via non-stop, drug-fueled, serial murder. How could such a formula possibly add up to a brilliant audiobook? The answer is the narrator, Mare Trevathan. The end.

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Miscast narrator ruins a great story

Revisado: 11-30-17

The Spirit Ring is one of my all-time favorite standalone fantasy novels. I re-read it at least once a year. Unfortunately, the narration on the audiobook is intolerable. Ms. Almasy reads with a very modern, very American voice. She is impossible to believe as a 15th century Italian.

UPDATE: Upped the overall rating by a star to conform to my other reviews.

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An epic story ruined by inappropriate narration

Revisado: 05-25-17

The Empress of Earth trilogy, of which Five Twelfths of Heaven is the first volume, is one of my all time favorite reads and Silence Leigh one of Sci-Fi's great female protagonists. She is strong, mature, and self-confident in the face of an overwhelmingly hostile male-dominated culture. This production wastes all of that bad-assed goodness. The narrator, Arielle DeLisle, has a very young-sounding voice and ends every sentence by stressing the penultimate syllable. Her weak timbre and rising pitch reduce every speech to a whine. Tragic! Regretfully, I cannot recommend it. But by all means, buy the book!

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esto le resultó útil a 3 personas

Pitch perfect

Revisado: 03-11-13

What did you love best about Soulless?

The author hits the exactly correct note of arch whimsy required in a steam punk fantasy. Her protagonist is intrepid but always correct in her usages even as she wields her parasol in defense of the empire! The story is unique in that it imagines a Victorian England in which vampires, ghosts, and werewolves are fully integrated into society (finally, a rational explanation for the necktie). Those who like their supernaturals skulking in the shadows will be disappointed. For others, Soulless is a wild romp through the drawing rooms and gas lit streets of a fantastical London filled with conventional manners and unconventional situations. Gail Carriger serves up Alexia's story in a gleefully mannered deadpan that is spot-on and never wears. The romantic elements of Soulless are satisfying without eclipsing the other excellent qualities of this solid science fiction/fantasy title. Recommended.

What other book might you compare Soulless to and why?

"The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" with more fun and less punk.

What about Emily Gray’s performance did you like?

Emily Gray is pitch perfect as the voice of Alexia Terabotti. If I had a complaint it would be that she Americanizes some pronunciations (e.g., al-UM-in-um vs. a-lu-MIN-i-um).The flaw undermines the intent of the author's voice, which is to be terribly, terribly British at all times, no matter what. It's doubly strange since Mrs. Gray is, in fact, English.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes.

Any additional comments?

I bought extra credits to rip through the first 3 books of this series. They are that good.

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