#Audiobook Review

[arthurdrakoni]

Flatland is an underrated classic that imagines life in a 2-D world. This is my review.

You’ll get a lot of answers when you ask when speculative fiction was born. Some will tell you that it began with Hugo Gernsback and the pulps. Others will say that it goes as far back as mythology and folklore. Personally, I go with those who say that it began with Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, though I don’t discount earlier works such as Gulliver’s Travels or The Tempest. I say all of this because I’m taking us back to the 19th Century for today’s review. We’re going to review the classic novel Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin A. Abbott.

Imagine, if you will, a sheet of paper that is infinitely large and stretching to all sides. Now imagine that on this sheet of paper there are a series of geometric shapes, but instead of staying in place these shapes move about and have complex social lives. Welcome to Flatland, a world of only two dimensions. There is width and length, but there is no height or depth.

The book follows A. Square who is…well, he’s literally a two-dimensional square. He acts as our guide to the realm of Flatland and relates to use the ways of his countrymen and their doings. There are two main events that serve to completely change A. Square’s world view. The first is his contact with Lineland, a world of only one dimension, and the second is meeting a figure known as Lord Sphere. Lord Sphere claims to come from a strange world of three dimensions called Spaceland.

The book goes into great detail about how life works in a world with only two dimensions. For example, it is customary to meet someone by feeling them in order to determine their shape. It’s also considered polite to give directions to the way north when meeting a traveler on the road. Societal rank and job are determined by the number of sides that one has, with circles being at the top of things. Each successive generation gains an additional side, except for the low ranking isosceles triangles, though there are exceptions. Women, being incredibly sharp and pointy lines, have restrictions placed on them so that they can avoid constantly killing people by accident. We also learn much of the history of Flatland, such as why colors have been banned by the upper classes. There is some pretty great world building in this novel.

That having been said the fact the citizens of Flatland are all living geometric shapes does limit the amount of exploration that can go into their biology and physics. A. Square does hint at future explanations, but he decides that it will take up too much time and bore the reader. Or to put it another way, if you wonder how they eat and breathe and other science facts…well, I’m sure you all know the words to the Mystery Science Theater 3000 theme song. You’ll also notice that Flatland society bares more than a passing resemblance to the society of Victorian Britain. This is intentional, as Abbott intended for Flatland to be just as much a satire as a compelling story. For example, the class system of Flatland is rather absurd when given further scrutiny, but Abbott was making about about how the British class system was absurd and ultimately rather arbitrary.

Since it was written in 1884 Flatland has long since fallen into the Public Domain. As such, many other writer have tried their hand at tackling the subject matter Flatland is built upon. Usually they will focus on one particular aspect while ignoring the others. Admittedly I haven’t read any of these books, but of the ones I’ve heard of thanks to TV Tropes I’d say Planiverse sounds the most promising. It attempts to look at how biology, chemistry, physics and culture would function in a realistic 2-D world.

Have you read Flatland? If so, what did you think?

Link to the full review on my blog: https://drakoniandgriffalco.blogspot.com/2017/02/book-review-flatland-by-edwin-abbot.html?m=1

#flatland #Edwin A Abbott #2-D #2-D World #satire #review #science fiction #scifi #Victorian Britain #science fiction books #book recommendations #book review #audiobook review #audiobook #Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions #alternate dimension #speculative fiction #speculative evolution #2-D Dimension #speculative biology #public domain #public domain books #public domain literature

[somebogwitch]

Review of the Rivers of London audiobook

It's a bit longer than my usual TikToks but there was a lot to talk about.

#audiobooks #audiobook #books #booktok #rivers of london #peter grant #ben aaronovitch #book reviews #audiobook review

[walkawaytall]

Audiobooks for which I think the narration vastly improves the book consumption experience:

The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green, narrated by John Green - this is John’s first non-fiction book and his narration of the book imbues the text with the right balance of emotion. I cry every time I listen to it, especially the chapter “Googling Strangers” (a version of which you can hear on the podcast that the book kind of spun off from for free if you want). I think John was the perfect narrator for this book and I can’t imagine anyone else reading it. In case you’re wondering, my favorite chapter is “Bonneville Salt Flats”.

The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins, narrated by Tatiana Maslany — Tatiana is an actress (I mainly know her from an arc on Heartland and a couple of episodes of Parks and Rec, but she was apparently the main character in Orphan Black and has done a bunch of other stuff) and this really comes through in her narration — in a good way. She’s a fantastic voice for Katniss’ inner monologue and I don’t find her read of other character’s voices distracting or confusing in any way. Granted, I knew the stories before listening to the audiobooks, but I enjoyed these so much that, not only did I buy them so I would stop using up Hoopla borrows on them, I also have suggested them to like ten people this year and looked to see if Tatiana had narrated anything else that I might find interesting (she hasn’t done any other audiobooks from what I can tell, which is a real shame).

The Truly Devious Series by Maureen Johnson, narrated by Kate Rudd - I also went looking for anything else narrated by Kate Rudd and was not disappointed — she’s narrated over 500 books, including some of John Green’s novels. But the Truly Devious series is just really fun. It’s a YA murder mystery series. The first three center around the same mystery while the next two (and I assume any subsequent additions) are standalones with the same central cast of characters. Kate does an excellent job of reading the engaging source material and I think I have enjoyed every book I’ve heard her read; I just also happen to really like this series.

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy, narrated by Jennette McCurdy — I think for a memoir as heavy as this one, it only makes sense for Jennette to read her own words. The book is great, her narration is great, but it’s probably not for everyone. Jennette’s story of becoming a well-known child actress at the behest of her mother only to realize once her mom died of cancer that their relationship was abusive is somewhat harrowing, but there is hope woven in as well.

Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott, narrated by January LaVoy — this book is really good but it also gutted me (I won’t spoil anything, but do maybe look up content warnings prior to consuming) and January LaVoy did a really good job. If her name sounds familiar to my Star Wars peeps, it probably is: she read the audiobook for Bloodline, some of the stories in the From A Certain Point of View series, and the new recording of The Courtship of Princess Leia (lol) among others, but she has also narrated loads of non-Star Wars material. Loved this book, loved her narration of it.

Special mention:

The All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness, narrated by Jennifer Ikeda — this is a special mention because I do not actually suggest these books at all. The first one starts out fairly promising with a seemingly interesting and strong main character who suddenly loses all of her personality and agency the moment she meets a hot vampire, and it’s not because she’s being compelled or anything interesting like that. By the end, the only “character” I really liked was the house that Diana’s aunts owned? (Well, I also spent a chunk of the first book hoping that the weird number of times Matthew warned Diana that his stallion bites would turn out to be foreshadowing that the horses were all vampires, but that unfortunately never panned out.) Anyway, these books are not good but I am convinced I kept listening to them even after swearing off the series after the first book because of Jennifer’s narration. And then they switched narrators for the weird little follow-up fourth book about Phoebe becoming a vampire (Time’s Convert) and I wasn’t able to finish it. (And that is not me saying that the narrator of Time’s Convert isn’t good. She narrated Leia, Princess of Alderaan and also did the Leia chapters in The Princess and the Scoundrel, which means I have told multiple people that I wish she would have read the whole book rather than switching off with whoever did Han’s chapters. She’s a fine narrator. What I’m saying is that Jennifer Ikeda was good enough to keep me listening even when I hated what was being read to me while another perfectly fine narrator couldn’t do that, and that’s saying something.)

#these are in no particular order #but I do really really love #the anthropocene reviewed #audiobook #audiobook review #books #book review #the hunger games #suzanne collins #tatiana maslany #truly devious #maureen johnson #kate rudd #i’m glad my mom died #jennette mccurdy #thistlefoot #gennarose nethercott #january lavoy #jennifer ikeda

[bookwyrmshoard]

Phasers on Stun!: How the Making (and Remaking) of Star Trek Changed the World, by Ryan Britt

Informative, entertaining, and delightful

As a lifelong Star Trek fan, I found Phasers on Stun!: How the Making (and Remaking) of Star Trek Changed the World both very informative and highly entertaining. The book covered things I already knew (for example, how Martin Luther King, Jr., told Nichelle Nichols that she had to remain on the show) , but also went into depth on things I hadn’t known (like the extent to which Nichols was instrumental in getting NASA to diversify the astronaut program, and her subsequent recruiting on NASA’s behalf.)

Like me (and my husband, Mr. Bookwyrm), Ryan Britt is a fan not only of Trek in its many iterations, but also of the ideals and underlying beliefs of Star Trek: its optimism; its vision of a future where all intelligent beings are respected and included regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or even species; and its preference for diplomatic resolution of conflicts (although Starfleet is willing to fight to defend its member planets when necessary.) Britt looks at how those ideals have been represented throughout the various series of Star Trek, from the original series (TOS) to Strange New Worlds. The shows haven’t always lived up to those ideals—it wasn’t until Discovery that a Star Trek series featured openly LGBTQIA+ characters as regulars, for instance—but from the beginning, the Enterprise crew, and by extension Starfleet and Star Trek itself, was diverse in terms of race, gender, and species. (I suspect the original Enterprise crew would have included more alien crew members if the show could have afforded them.) And while Star Trek’s example of embracing diversity is very much aligned with the liberal and Quaker values with which I was raised, TOS and ST:TNG both had a profound effect in shaping my worldview.

In telling the history of the shows and how they impacted and interacted with popular culture and real-world events, Britt includes quotes and stories from a number of Star Trek luminaries, from writers and showrunners to actors. Some of these are drawn from interviews conducted for various articles Britt (a sci-fi and pop-culture journalist) has written over the years; other interviews took place specifically for this book. The interviews and quotes give an insight into the experiences and motivations of the people who made and remade Star Trek, and continue to do so to this day.

Whether you grew up watching one of the Star Trek shows, came to the fandom as an adult, or simply want to understand the wide appeal of the Star Trek universe, I recommend reading or listening to Phasers on Stun! It’s a warm, loving, but not uncritical look at a pop-culture phenomenon that, at over 50 years old, is still relevant, influential, and dynamic.

#star trek #ryan britt #audiobook #audiobook review #book review #my reviews #pop culture #science fiction

[lakecountylibrary]

Historical Thriller Rec: The Lioness by Chris Bohjalian

Audiobook narrated by January LaVoy, Grace Experience, and Gabrielle De Cuir. Runtime 10 hours.

The Lioness takes place in 1964 and is the story of a group of wealthy Hollywood types on safari in Tanzania. The safari goes horribly wrong. Who will make it out alive? This action packed thriller will keep you guessing.

Rarely do I give a book a 5 star rating but The Lioness gets one!

There are really no slow parts to this book. Author Chris Bohjalian keeps the reader on their toes.

The story is told from multiple perspectives, but it's not confusing because every chapter begins with the character's name.

I would definitely describe this novel as a psychological thriller. The reader really gets inside the heads of the characters.

Content Warning: There is some foul language and some gore but it is not gratuitous. Real people in desperate situations don't stop to think about censoring their language. As for the gore, I found it enhanced the story and was necessary in a book with vivid descriptions of everything else.

The narration of this novel was excellent. There are three narrators and each one is spot on. I felt transported to Tanzania, both by the author's descriptions, and the superb narration.

See more of Brenna's recs

Check out The Lioness from LCPL

#book recommendations #historical fiction #thriller #book recs #the lioness #chris bohjalian #grace experience #gabrielle de cuir #january lavoy #book review #audiobook review #brennasrecs #LCPL recs

[bargainsleuthbooks]

Astor: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune by Anderson Cooper & Katherine Howe #BookReview #AudiobookReview #September2023Books #AmericanHistory #Biography

The bestselling authors of #Vanderbilt return with the history of the #Astors, and how they built and lavished their fortune. #AndersonCooper #KatherineHowe #Bookreview #newbooks #biography #americanhistory #harpercollins #blackstoneaudio #bargainsleuth

The number one New York Times bestselling authors of Vanderbilt return with another riveting history of a legendary American family, the Astors, and how they built and lavished their fortune. The story of the Astors is a quintessentially American story–of ambition, invention, destruction, and reinvention. From 1783, when German immigrant John Jacob Astor first arrived in the United States, until…

View On WordPress

#American History #Anderson Cooper #Anthony Marshall #Astors #Audiobook Review #Blackstone Audio #Book Review #Brooke Astor #Fur Trade #Gilded Age #Harper Collins #John Jacob Astor #Katherine Howe #Manhattan #New Books #September 2023 Books #The 400 #The Titanic #Titanic

[hufflepuffwrites]

The Palace Papers by Tina Brown review: 4/5 stars

This is my review of Tina Brown's book, The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor - the Truth and the Turmoil. I don't know if it's considered spoilers if the book is discussing headlines. But just in case - you have been warned about spoilers ahead.

I don’t know if it’s considered spoilers if the book is discussing headlines, but just in case you want to read it yourself without any knowledge on the content be warned: there are spoilers in this review. This book covers figures that are polarizing, so please try to keep comments respectful. I want this to be a place where we can share ideas without conversations devolving into name…

View On WordPress

#audiobook review #book review

[thegirlwiththelantern]

Masters of Death

West is an absolutely delightful narrator and I loved the experience of listening to him. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, having really only heard of Blake rather than being familiar with her work itself beyond a chapter of One for My Enemy. It was a delight from start to finish. Masters of Death‘s framing device is that it’s told by Death in order to set a record straight and I did…

View On WordPress

#Audiobook Review #Audiobooks #Book Review #Books #Fantasy #Masters of Death #Olivie Blake #Review #Steve West #Tor

[rosemariecawkwell]

TBR Audiobook Review: Monstrous Regiment, by Terry Pratchett

Narrated by: Katherine Parkinson, Bill Nighy, Peter SerafinowiczSeries: Discworld, Book 31, Discworld: Industrial Revolution, Book 3Length: 11 hrs and 26 minsUnabridged AudiobookRelease date: 23-02-23Language: EnglishPublisher: Penguin Audio Summary Brought to you by Penguin. The audiobook of Monstrous Regiment is narrated by Katherine Parkinson, star of The IT Crowd and Here We Go. BAFTA and…

View On WordPress

#Audiobook review #Monstrous Regiment

[tinynavajoreads]

Oh, To Have the Time

What I've been reading and enjoying and how I hope to come back to reviewing on this blog! More consistently at least!

One must make the time. And that is definitely something I’m going to try and strive to do and set up a good habit once again for reviewing books. I know that I put a lot of my effort into my job, which is why it’s hard for me to actually find time to review books on this blog, but I have found I can do it on Tumblr right now. So, if you want that link so you can follow on what I’m currently…

View On WordPress

#audiobook #audiobook review #book #book review #book reviews #fantasy #library book #reading #reviews #short stories #writing

[fancifulpurposelesslovely]

Yall I'm reading All the Crooked Saints (more maggie stiefvater, surprise) and oh my God her writing is so well suited for magical realism.

This book is One Hundred Years of Solitude with 70% less despair (and so far 100% less ants, which I appreciate). Also owls can hear miracles, which just seems true.

Stiefvater's characteristic use of repetition fits the story and the tone so well, building a rhythm of character introduction and how we see in each character's head.

The audiobook is, of course, spectacular and the reader Thom Rivera adds elements that integral to building the magical realism and connection to Marquez specifically. If you can stand audiobooks at all, listen to this one. (Also if you do not speak Spanish or hang out with many Spanish speakers, he will introduce you to the best way to say Colorado ever.)

I'm about 70% thru and really loving it.

#all the crooked saints #maggie stiefvater #book review #thom rivera #audiobook review

[arthurdrakoni]

The Ear, The Eye, and The Arm by Nancy Farmer is an excellent example of Afrofuturism set in 22nd Century Zimbabwe. This is my review.

The Ear, The Eye, and The Arm by Nancy Farmer is set in Harare, Zimbabwe in the year 2194. Zimbabwe has grown into a first world economy and is a major player on the world stage. It has had some trouble with gangs, but that’s mostly behind it now thanks to the work of General Amadeus Matsika. The General’s three children Tendai, Rita and Kuda have spent almost their whole lives on the grounds of their family’s fortified mansion. One day they decide to sneak out to earn their scout badge for exploration, but it isn’t long before the children are kidnapped.

In order to find the children General Matsika hires a trio of mutant deceives named Ear, Eye and Arm. Ear has super-hearing, Eye has super-sight and Arm has telekinesis that allows him to feel the emotions of other people. Together the three detectives must make their way across the futuristic city of Harare and find the Matsika children before time runs out.

You don’t often see science fiction novels set in Africa, or while imagine what the future of Africa will look like. So this book was a nice change of pace. Zimbabwe of 2194 isn’t without its problems, but I like how the book overall took an optimistic view of what the future will hold. And I loved the way it incorporates traditional African culture into the story. 22nd Century Zimbabwe is a land where ancient traditions exists side-by-side with flying cars and robots.

This is very much a coming of age novel for the Matsika siblings, but just as much time is placed on the three detectives. So, even those who might not usually enjoy YA or Middle Grade novels might find something to enjoy. On aspect I enjoyed is that there is a section of Zimbabwe set aside to be Resthaven, a land where traditional African ways of life are preserved. Unfortunately, that also includes all of the unpleasant aspects of pre-Colonial life. It can be seen as a caution against those who idealize the past, as well as reminding that pre-Colonial Africa wasn’t perfect, and had issues of its own.

Have you read The Ear, The Eye, and The Arm. If so, what did you think?

Link to the full review on my blog as always: https://drakoniandgriffalco.blogspot.com/2017/02/book-review-ear-eye-and-arm-by-nancy.html?m=1

#The Ear The Eye and The Arm #Nancy Farmer #zimbabwe #afrofuturism #science fiction #book recommendations #book review #audiobook review #Middle Grade #Cyberpunk #Review #scifi #Africa #Book #Audiobook #Books #Audiobooks #Science Fiction Books

[somebogwitch]

Another audiobook review off my tiktok.

#audiobook review #audiobooks #book review #books #sabriel #garth nix #tim curry

[wahlpaper]

Review: Not My Problem

Not My Problem by Ciara Smyth

CW: Classism, Poverty, Bullying, Underage Drinking, Alcohol Relapse, Cheating, Injury

4.5/5

This book is for fans of She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen, heist movie fanatics, certainly fans of Ciara Smyth's The Falling In Love Montage, and anyone up for a queer Irish rom-com. I absolutely loved this book, so bear with me as I get the stuff I wasn't in favor of out of the way. First, while the inner monologue of main character, Aideen, is hilarious and enthralling, it doesn't always translate well for the audiobook. There were moments where it was clear what was being quipped inside her head vs out loud and there were moments when it was indistinguishable. My only other problem was that the book seemed to toe the line of believing it isn't valid to be an angry feminist. However, I do think it came around in the end.

Now, I've told you this, why should you read it? Simple! It is a wonderful book you won't want to put down! Aideen is snarky, creative, impulsive, a big dreamer, and dealing with hard times at home. When she finds herself in a position to give her enemy, Meabh (pronounced: Meve) an injury, she accepts. Meabh is a perfectionist, an environmental activist, bossy, and afraid of letting her dad down. She's also running for class president and needs Aideen to push her down the stairs to buy her time. In exchange, Meabh will owe her one.

Now Kavi, he sees the whole thing, but he wants in. He's got a touch of FOMO, a large dose of hilarity, and a decent portion of sweetheart. He's a himbo, if you're familiar with the term. Kavi mistakenly believes that Aideen is used to doing things like this for people. So with a push from him, Aideen keeps doing favors. Along the way she accidentally forms herself a social circle of misfits, perfect for a heist, should one come along.

Not My Problem will leave you laughing and crying. Aideen and her friends have a lot on their plates as they deal with high school, bullying, the problems afflicting our planet, and complicated home lives. Get ready for Kavi's stories (especially one in Chapter 23), Aideens gym excuses, the favors, how much Aideen will do for her mom, and of course a cute enemies-to-lovers story. Enjoy!

#not my problem #ciara smyth #wlw books #enemies to friends to lovers #enemies to lovers #rom com books #audiobook review #she drives me crazy #kelly quindlen #the falling in love montage #heist story #queer characters #alcholism #irish book #book blog

[whimsicaldragonette]

Audio ARC Review: Valiant Ladies by Melissa Grey

Order

Add to Goodreads

Publication Date: June 14, 2022

**This Review can also be found on my dedicated book review blog (also called Whimsical Dragonette) here.

Synopsis:

Two teen vigilantes set off on an action-packed investigation to expose corruption and deliver justice in Valiant Ladies, Melissa Grey's YA historical fiction novel inspired by real seventeenth century Latinx teenagers known as the Valiant Ladies of Potosí. By day Eustaquia “Kiki” de Sonza and Ana Lezama de Urinza are proper young seventeeth century ladies. But when night falls, they trade in their silks and lace for swords and muskets, venturing out into the vibrant, bustling, crime-ridden streets of Potosí, in the Spanish Empire's Viceroyalty of Peru. They pass their time fighting, gambling, and falling desperately in love with one another. Then, on the night Kiki's engagement to the Viceroy's son is announced, her older brother―heir to her family’s fortune―is murdered. The girls immediately embark on a whirlwind investigation that takes them from the lowliest brothels of Potosí to the highest echelons of the Spanish aristocracy.

My Rating: ★★★★★

***My Review below the cut.

My Review:

I LOVED this book so much. I have had high hopes for it ever since I first heard it announced -- seventeenth century teenage Latinx vigilante sword lesbians? sold! -- and it vastly exceeded my expectations.

Kiki and Ana were such great characters, and I loved their dynamic and their escapades. It was clear from the first pages that they meant everything to each other and loved each other very much. I loved their bond and the way their relationship and friendship strengthened as the events of the story unfolded. I also really appreciated their love of weaponry. The other characters were also very well-fleshed out and I came to feel strongly about all of them.

The villains were villainous (but not always obvious, which was nice). It was very satisfying to see Kiki and Ana stand up to them, especially when others didn't always do so -- for social or political or monetary reasons.

It was also really refreshing to see sex workers treated as regular people who are just as worthy of being rescued as anyone else? There was never any judgement or negativity toward them, which I loved.

The setting felt very real and… immersive, I guess? Like I totally believed I was there in 17th century Peru while reading.

Most of all, I had the best time while reading this. It was so fun and adventurous and it was like I was there alongside Kiki and Ana as the events of the plot unfolded. They were totally kick-ass and there was never any doubt in their minds about that fact. I will definitely be reading this one again.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Recorded Books for providing an audio arc for review.

#valiant ladies #melissa grey #queer books #lgbtq+ books #sword lesbians #netgalley #arc review #shilo reads #feiwel and friends #audiobook arc #audiobook review #recorded books

[lakecountylibrary]

Series Spotlight: Dr. Ruth Galloway Mysteries by Elly Griffiths

The Dr. Ruth Galloway series is 15 books long. I can say I have listened to each book! The 15th and final book just came out in April.

I loved this series... except for the last book. It was written in a different style than the others and I didn't care for how it jumps from character to character with no warning.

Dr. Ruth Galloway is an eminent British forensic archaeologist, who is called upon by the police whenever they find bones they need help identifying or dating. There is an archaeological discovery featured in each of the books, along with at least one murder to be solved.

The plot of each novel is unique, but the cast of characters is pretty consistent. There is a lot of character development, especially in the later books.

The books don't quite qualify as cozies, yet compared to other crime novels, they are pretty tame. I appreciate that Griffiths is able to tell a story without a lot of sex and violence.

The 14th book (The Locked Room) does deal with Covid-19 and some of it hit pretty close to home, especially the fear and isolation the characters go through.

This series would make for great television and I hope to see a screen adaptation at some point!

The narrator for the audio version of each book is Jane McDowell and she does a superb job. She is Dr. Ruth Galloway!

Look for this series in print, audiobook, ebook and eaudiobook formats at LCPL.

See more of Brenna's recs

#book recommendations #book recs #book review #mystery #forensic archaeology #ruth galloway #elly griffiths #audiobook #booklr #bookblr #litblr #audiobook review #LCPL recs #brennasrecs