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Asshat wormie

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I'm trying to get through the Ian Esselmont books and just keep dreading them, I really love the added malazan world building but I can't decide if he is a shit writer or if i just absolutely fucking hate the narrator. Gonna give reading it myself a try and hope it is better that way. A bad voice actor can really ruin books, I have put off any more stormlight because the femail voice for the 3rd book was so unbearable.
Those books are shit.
 

lgarthy

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I listened to three of the Jack Reacher novels; Killing Floor, Die Trying and Tripwire. Of the three, I think Killing Floor was probably the best narrated and written/constructed, but I enjoyed Tripwire the most. But, after finishing listening to Tripwire, I feel I never have to read or listen to another Jack Reacher anything ever again. Weird, right? It's like I had enough cake...
 

Phayd

Golden Knight of the Realm
114
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I'm trying to get through the Ian Esselmont books and just keep dreading them, I really love the added malazan world building but I can't decide if he is a shit writer or if i just absolutely fucking hate the narrator. Gonna give reading it myself a try and hope it is better that way. A bad voice actor can really ruin books, I have put off any more stormlight because the femail voice for the 3rd book was so unbearable.
I can't take Kate Redding anymore for Stormlight. I switched to Graphic Audio for Sanderson.
 
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Dandai

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Final book (I believe that is still the plan?) of Expeditionary Force is out

Just finished the book

Overall it was a satisfying conclusion to the series and stuck with the themes and style of the previous books. This series was never a collection of timeless classics, but it was entertaining. I think if you made it 14 books in, you’ll be good with how it wraps up.
 
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slippery

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Just finished the book

Overall it was a satisfying conclusion to the series and stuck with the themes and style of the previous books. This series was never a collection of timeless classics, but it was entertaining. I think if you made it 14 books in, you’ll be good with how it wraps up.
Yeah, happy enough with the ending. About what I expected through the course of the book. Wonder what his future plans are
 
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Woefully Inept

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This is the series he just started. I assume it'll be more of this. I heard it was good but I'd loke to wait for a few more books to release first before I start it. I've got plenty on my list to keep me busy until then.

 

Dandai

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This is the series he just started. I assume it'll be more of this. I heard it was good but I'd loke to wait for a few more books to release first before I start it. I've got plenty on my list to keep me busy until then.

I listened to the sample at the end of book 14 I think? I wasn't impressed, and the reviews on that link confirm my suspicions.
 

slippery

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I thought it was fine, but he does try to force the Joe and Skippy stuff onto the MC and talking dog. It's kind of how I feel about Expeditionary Force though. It's a good series and enjoyable because of RC Bray, but it's definitely formulaic and nothing crazy in world/storytelling. If you can just enjoy things without being overly critical you'll likely enjoy it. If you're going to be like Chuk over stuff then it's probably not for you. The story is definitely not as good as ExForce though
 

Arbitrary

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Just finished out Failure Mode. For a stretch I was going through these one after another including during a stint with covid and I don't think I did myself any favors. I liked this one a lot and I think a big part of that was the gap between when I finished up 14 and the release of 15. Between my investment in the story and their quality they were good enough to keep going but only just good enough. It's not really reasonable of me to expect something to hold my attention and be all kinds of awesome not only through a couple hundred hours but also one story after another back to back with no pauses. The literary equivalent of "how can I miss you if you never go away."

The last action sequence and all the implications were A+ though. Where the fuck was this hiding throughout the entire fucking series?
 

Oblio

Utah
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I'm trying to get through the Ian Esselmont books and just keep dreading them, I really love the added malazan world building but I can't decide if he is a shit writer or if i just absolutely fucking hate the narrator. Gonna give reading it myself a try and hope it is better that way. A bad voice actor can really ruin books, I have put off any more stormlight because the femail voice for the 3rd book was so unbearable.
It isn't only the females voice, it is the way he writes some females too. I am on my second listening of the series and I am seeing it more for what it is. I like Sanderson's stories a lot but some of his characters are not very palatable to me. The females voice doesn't help it. I think he does a great job of writing Kal in those books and he even does a good job with writing Syl, not a fan of Chelan or however it is spelled.

Not always females either. I loved the first Mistborn series because Wayne is not an enjoyable character, he is cumbersome for the audience to follow. I know it is how Sanderson writes combat in that series, but Wayne is overwhelming with humor just gets old. I kinda like Wax and Mr Suit was fitting.
 

Kovaks

Mr. Poopybutthole
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It isn't only the females voice, it is the way he writes some females too. I am on my second listening of the series and I am seeing it more for what it is. I like Sanderson's stories a lot but some of his characters are not very palatable to me. The females voice doesn't help it. I think he does a great job of writing Kal in those books and he even does a good job with writing Syl, not a fan of Chelan or however it is spelled.

Not always females either. I loved the first Mistborn series because Wayne is not an enjoyable character, he is cumbersome for the audience to follow. I know it is how Sanderson writes combat in that series, but Wayne is overwhelming with humor just gets old. I kinda like Wax and Mr Suit was fitting.
Sanderson books are much better through graphic audio. Just finished the most recent stormlight after swearing off the audio versions because the 3rd was unbearable but the graphic audio made it good.
 

Phayd

Golden Knight of the Realm
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Just finished the Expeditionary Force series. RC Bray was great and thanks to whomever recommended it.
 
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Chersk

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Have a very long road trip this weekend and looking for a new series to get into. I’m starting at RC Bray because for me he elevates material a full grade letter.

I haven’t listened to the Mountain Man stuff - reading really good reviews about this one
Helldivers - heard about this one for awhile, not so sure on the setting
Jeremy Robinson’s Infinite stuff - again good reviews but not so sure on a series that isn’t really connected

anybody have experience with any of these?
 

Intrinsic

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Have a very long road trip this weekend and looking for a new series to get into. I’m starting at RC Bray because for me he elevates material a full grade letter.

I haven’t listened to the Mountain Man stuff - reading really good reviews about this one
Helldivers - heard about this one for awhile, not so sure on the setting
Jeremy Robinson’s Infinite stuff - again good reviews but not so sure on a series that isn’t really connected

anybody have experience with any of these?

Yesterday I finally finished all 6 Crash Dive books he did while on my drive back from Nashville. They were all very enjoyable and Bray nailed the reading. Listening to 6 back-to-back is a little much for anybody, regardless of who it is but it was spread out over about 2 months. Worked out well bc each book was around 5.5hrs which was almost exactly my door to door commute.

Was going to do his tank series but saw Bray didn’t narrate that so started Earthsea instead (which he also didn’t narrate but wanted a genre change anyway). That has kind of been a mistake bc jeez this Renfaire fantasy accent from Rob Inglis is just a bit much for me.

Flying to Orlando tomorrow so may start something else if I can find my headphones. Otherwise will just finish Horus Heresy 5 on my Kindle.
 

Chersk

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I ended up doing the first books of both Helldivers and Mountain Man. They're both pretty cool but I prefer Mountain Man. The whole premise behind Helldivers is just meh.
 
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Intrinsic

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Last night after posting I downloaded Infinite so am going to try that out in flight. Had 13 credits, may as well spend them.

And Ex Force: Failure Mode, bc somehow I missed a new release of one of me favorite series. Shame on me.


Embarrassed Shame GIF
 

Intrinsic

Person of Whiteness
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Have a very long road trip this weekend and looking for a new series to get into. I’m starting at RC Bray because for me he elevates material a full grade letter.

I haven’t listened to the Mountain Man stuff - reading really good reviews about this one
Helldivers - heard about this one for awhile, not so sure on the setting
Jeremy Robinson’s Infinite stuff - again good reviews but not so sure on a series that isn’t really connected

anybody have experience with any of these?

Forgot to follow up that I finished Infinite on my last work trip. This book was a mess. The first 25% was enjoyable and then the entire concept was dropped and it turned in to a bland evil AI plot, then a bland multiverse whatever you want to call it plot, then just more bland.

My give the 2nd book a shot to see if it is more cohesive but I don't have high hopes after this 1st entry.
 

Oblio

Utah
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I have 5 credits on Audible that I have to spend by the end of day tomorrow.

Any suggestions?

My favorite authors are of course Erikson & Martin. I really like Abercrombie and Sanderson too. Islington is okay and I have not started the Red Queen series by Lawrence yet so I don't know if like his stuff yet, but I do own that trilogy. I tend to lean toward High Fantasy, but I have room for sci-fi, for example I do remember enjoying the Honor Harrington series.

Any help would be appreciated, I have fcuked up the past two years and probably lost 10-20 credits by no spending them in time with their fucking bullshit policy.