Audio Book Review: Hell's Rejects

Hell's Rejects

By:  M.R. Forbes

Publish Date:  February 19, 2017, Audiobook Release April 6, 2017

Format:  Audiobook - 9 hrs 15 mins
Narrated By:  Jeff Hays

Genre:  Science Fiction

Series:  1st book of Chaos of the Covenant Series

Impression:  A dangerous crew created put on a dangerous mission.

Synopsis:
The most powerful starships ever constructed are gone. Thousands are dead. A fleet is in ruins. The attackers are unknown. The orders are clear: Recover the ships. Bury the bastards who stole them.

Lieutenant Abigail Cage never expected to find herself in Hell. As a Highly Specialized Operational Combatant, she was one of the most respected soldiers in the military. Now she's doing hard labor on the most miserable planet in the universe.

Not for long.

The Earth Republic is looking for the most dangerous individuals it can control. The best of the worst, and Abbey happens to be one of them. The deal is simple: Bring back the starships, earn your freedom. Try to run, you die. It's a suicide mission, but she has nothing to lose.

The only problem? There's a new threat in the galaxy. One with a power unlike anything anyone has ever seen. One that's been waiting for this moment for a very, very, long time. And they want Abbey, too.

Be careful what you wish for.

They say Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. They have no idea.

First Sentence:
"First time in a dropship, Lieutenant?"

Purchase At:
Amazon

Audible 

My Thoughts and Summary:

*I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

The powers of the Republic will do about anything to stop the Outworlders after their latest attack. They destroyed a station with many powerful and elite captains present then stole of the two powerful space ships that were the only thing strong enough to fight the Outworlders. On a secret order, Captain Olis Mann is to do anything to kill who killed their people and stole the ships. Captain Mann feels creating a crew of ex-military and now prisoners with nothing left to lose is the answer.

Jeff is one of the most entertaining voice actors I've listened to. And I will continue to listen to him. He has a voice for every single character, no matter how large or small the part. When we have more than one character responding, we hear more than one character responding. Jeff truly brings the story to life when he tells it. This book is no different than I'd expect from Jeff.

So I know I enjoy M.R. Forbes's books. I know I love listening to Jeff Hays. And I absolutely love this title and description. How could I go wrong when I see it up for review? I HAD TO HAVE IT!

Forbes dives right in with events that shows us the Republic is struggling with Outworlders. There is a real battle between them in the universe. And being in space, it's life or death, and they are fighting for life.

We do get a large cast of characters. Each is in a different place or side of the battles. In doing this we get to see all that is happening, giving the story and world a large feel.

In getting these many different characters views, a few of them are lives that are extinguished with the battles they fight. Sad, but gives us a great view without giving away the "bad guy" and their full intentions. It also gives us the information that another character is sent to investigate while we follow our main characters. There are views from solid characters we follow through the book. Abigail Cage is one of these characters. She's severely wronged. Then someone wants to use her. But she's stronger than them - mentally. She outwits them. Though, because of that she almost gets overlooked when Captain Olis Mann going about fixing things (so we think) is looking for help. Captain Olis Mann is a man on a mission. He's to do what it takes to stop the Outworlders. The Republic have given him free rein to find the ships stolen, and kill who took them and killed so many people in the process.

It's mentioned by a few characters of how the Republic is corrupt. We start to see that with some of the actions being done to and with a few characters. There really is something more than meets the eye with the Republic that's to be good. I'm guessing the Outworlders have very good reason to fight them. But it's sad to see so many lives lost. We also see the Outworlders are not the innocent side either. But in the end we see there may be a third option here. Who are these people and what side are they on? If they are even on a side.

The universe is large. We get many different beings in this book. There are many different aliens (and I'm including humans as we are a being in a vast space system) in this world. I love it! It adds diversity to the cast but also adds to their personalities. Who they are and what they believe makes a huge difference in how they react.

I enjoyed this story. The crew too. A bunch of misfits, or rejects as the title says, that are brought together. But they make an awesome crew with some conflicts mixed in. The crew has a feel like the crew on the tv series Dark Matter. I enjoy this blend of personalities.

This story is all science fiction, though not heavy in the way of trying to understand technology. It's in space, on spaceships, with neat things they all can do. But! There is an element of something more. You get a paranormal feel at the very end of the story. Is it divine or is it alien powers? I don't know, and that's an added curiosity to keep me coming back for more!



****If you found my thoughts helpful, please click Yes at Amazon and/or Audible. Thank you!

Audio Book Review: Dead Lucky

Dead Lucky

By:  M.R. Forbes

Publish Date:  July 6, 2014, Audiobook Release September 17, 2015

Format:  Audiobook - 1 hrs 55 mins
Narrated By:  Jeff Hays

Genre:  Urban Fantasy

Series:  1.5 novella in Ghosts & Magic series: Book 1 ~ Dead of Night, Book 2 ~ Dead Red

Impression:  Conor at the beginning, when he finds his dice.

Synopsis:
When a strange message arrives through an even stranger channel, necromancer Conor Night is driven to discover its meaning, even if it takes a road trip that he might not be healthy enough to survive. Joined by his sexy partner and an undead wise-ass, he’s about to rush headlong into a magic and mayhem filled night in New Orleans that will leave his future riding on a roll of the dice.
Luck, be a lady…

* Dead Lucky is a standalone novella (20,000 words) set in the contemporary, urban fantasy world of Ghosts & Magic. It precedes Dead of Night in the timeline, and is a great place to sample the series, get a deeper look into Conor’s backstory, or simply enjoy the ride. *

First Sentence:
"Conor... The dishes."

Purchase At:
Amazon    

Audible

My Thoughts and Summary:
*This audiobook was a gift.

Going through plans of a break in and snag of an ancient coin, Conor hears voices that call to him, telling him to find them. He has one week before the job to get the coin and he feels the insane desire to go to New Orleans, that what he's to find is there. There's a job for him here, find a set of dice that only a necromancer can find in a casino run by a voodoo lord.

It's always a pleasure to listen to Jeff narrate a story. Not only do we get different voices, but we get a few added effects with the characters (like Conor coughing). And, always what we are looking for, heart of the character. Jeff becomes who he voices. One of my favorites to listen to as he's so entertaining with his voice and the recording is seamless.

This novella is before Dead of Night in Conor's life time line. I'm listening to it after the second book. You can listen to this one at any time, before the series or during it. You get a great feel for Conor and the world.

This novella is one that would be very good to sample the world and Conor. We learn about the movement of the fields returning magic to the world. We see the touch it's had on the world, the changes in people and land.

This novella is neat because we get to see Danelle in action. If you've read the series, you'll understand what I mean. If you've not read the series, it's okay, you'll understand when you get to the series. But the cool thing here, we get to see how Conor came to possess the dice. This was something that was in the back of my mind, curious about.



***If you found my thoughts helpful, please click Yes at Amazon and/or Audible. Thank you!

Audio Book Review: Dead Red

Dead Red

By:  M.R. Forbes

Publish Date:  March 15, 2015, Audiobook Release July 7, 2015

Format:  Audiobook - 7 hrs 56 mins
Narrated By:  Jeff Hays

Genre:  Fantasy

Series:  2nd Book in Ghosts & Magic series; 1st Book ~ Dead of Night

First Impression:  Conor's scrounging, but finds the truth.

Synopsis:
Conor Night, the world’s only surviving necromancer, is used to having bad days. After all, he’s spent the last few years as a minor pawn in the Game of Houses while keeping one foot planted firmly in the grave. But between the job offer he can’t refuse from a wizard he doesn’t trust, and the appearance of a cult bent on sending him to the afterlife, his days are about to get a whole lot worse.

He’s used to the threat of death. Death making threats? That’s new.

First Sentence:
I always tried to be quiet when I got back from a job.

Purchase At:
Amazon  /  Barnes & Nobles  /  Book Depository

Audible

My Thoughts and Summary:
*This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBlast dot com, at my request.

Flat broke as Ms. Red broke her promise to Conor, he's on the scurry to find and purchase his drugs to stay alive. Finally, Conor finds a person, with help of a friend, to purchase from, but it doesn't end well. Another group has been searching for Conor, the longest living and practicing necromancer, to do a job. The boss of this group wants to use Conor to steal something, again, and play against the Houses. Conor feels the chase of Death as he works to earn money and the medicines he needs, and maybe even a way to earn time of invisibility to Death. Death's not willing to give up easily, even threatening his friends.

Jeff is back to voice Conor and all characters. As always I settle in for a great, entertaining listen. Jeff has no troubles acting out Conor and others as they fight through this world. Coughing, and all sorts of small extras are a pleasure to have added to their various voices. The dark laughter of the mask catches my ears with the feel Jeff adds to it for us, it feels like the darkness that it possess.

With this book, I know the term 'ghost' is meant as an assassin in the magical world. Not the ghost as in dead and a see-through, floating soul left behind.

Conor is still struggling for money and meds. He's got a score to settle as he wasn't paid from his last job, as promised. This leaves him scrounging but also gives a reason to take a job he normally wouldn't, for a bit of due revenge for stiffing him on payment.

Conor has a few things to fight through in this book, and they clash against each other at times. He has Death after him as Conor's been alive to long. Death is sending his Reapers after him, getting in the way as Conor tries to live on, earn money, and find his medicine. Death also gives Conor an ultimatum, to come with him or he'll take another in his place - a soul for a soul. Conor's one fear, to die, and he's running from it as best he can. Then Conor has to face the woman he has started to fall for and who stiffed him on payment, Jin. Conor is hired to steal the orb from her, again. Once he gets close, he learns more about Jin's reasons with how things ended on the last case, and where she stands now. He'll have many after him.

I like that we learn about necromancers a bit here. That they usually don't live more than a year or two, which makes Conor the longest living and practicing necromancer. Cool. This makes him valuable and wanted, by people to do jobs and death because he's escaped him for so long.

Oh Conor. His tools of his trade are dangerous. Especially the mask, it feels worse than the dice to me. When Conor uses the mask he makes a deal that is a bit hefty. Six souls. It wants six souls. Ouch. There is a protection yet a danger to the mask. I'm curious about it and wondering how it works.

We finally get to see Tarakona! Oh to see him! WOW! Cool. And what the orb really is... Oh my. I'm not telling you as you have to find out on your own. But he leaves Conor with a warning in the end. A warning that opens the world up to so much possibility.

I found I liked the world and story in this book better. I think I understand it better going into this book and got to see Conor running or fighting something at all times. There are a few turns with those after him that have different reactions than Conor, or I, expected.



**If you liked my thoughts, please click Yes at Amazon and/or Audible. Thank you!

Audio Book Review: Dead of Night

Dead of Night

By:  M.R. Forbes

Publish Date:  May 17, 2014, Audiobook Release August 14, 2014

Format:  Audiobook - 9 hrs 53 mins
Narrated By:  Jeff Hays

Genre:  Urban Fantasy

Series:  1st in Ghosts & Magic series

First Impression:  A necromancer for hire who wants to live, but has one foot in the grave.

Synopsis:
Small-time thief and hitman Conor Night thinks having terminal cancer is his worst problem. The illegal treatments keeping him alive are expensive, and the side effects a mixed bag:

Conor can raise the dead.

When a low-end hit points to a high-end job, Conor is suspicious, but it's an opportunity he can't afford to ignore. Armed with a set of soul-sucking ancient dice, a collection of corpses, and the estranged daughter of one of the most powerful wizards on Earth, it will take all of his wit, charm, and magic to navigate the treacherous world of the dominant Houses and either finish the job, or be finished himself.

He's got ninety-nine problems, and dying is only one.

First Sentence:
I approached the door on my elbows, dragging myself like some kind of mutant lizard along the stained brown carpet that lined the eighth floor hallway of the Hotel Paramour.

Purchase At:
Amazon  /  Barnes & Nobles

Audible

My Thoughts and Summary:
*I requested a copy of this book from the narrator, author, or publisher for my enjoyment and an honest review.

On a job, Conor Night hears of another job paying two million dollars. That was a lot of money. More than his current job to kill the two men that were offered the job. After finishing his current job, Conor asks about the job. The Fixer gives it to him, but Conor has 48 hours to finish and contact him and Mr. Black or a kill team will be after him, and being a necromancer won't make a difference to them. What seemed to be a simple theft job turns out to be more, and the different powerful Houses are involved. Conor finds himself on the run while protecting another, yet fighting back against beings that shouldn't be.

I do enjoy the vast cast of voices Jeff performs in his narrations. That's the first thing that drew me to this novel, the second was it sounded like something I would read and enjoy. Jeff has not let me down with his talented voice. Not only do we get different voices but we get the muffled sounds of one talking without a jaw (you have to listen to understand) along with sounding like one is on the phone when doing so. Jeff breaths life into all the characters in a fourth dimension we don't always get in books, through voice and emotions.

Wow. This world is vast in creatures and beings and magic. There is a system to the Houses that ruled in the magical ways. And lots of ghosts, though I did get confused as to who are ghosts and not, and what ghost meant here. I'm leaving the book believing ghost isn't exactly what we think of with ghost. I think Ghost is a term used for people who are affiliated with magic, touched by it some how or for those that are hired to do theft jobs along with assassinations.

Conor is motivated by money, so he'll survive and send money to those he care(d) about. But he does have his own set of rules and morels too. Will he turn on his current employer to save his own neck? Or does he have something else up his baggy sleeves? You'll have to read to see what he'll do when put on the spot. Conor is an interesting character as he's a necromancer, and to be one you have to have one foot in the grave, so to speak. Conor is dying. That's when the necromancer ability shines along with the use of the drugs he needs to hold off the cancer from finishing it's work. He could always feel the pulse of the fields that brought magic back to the world, but that was all until he started the test drugs for his cancer.

The reason for magic being present in the world is interesting and feels well thought out. We get the descriptions are given through the book.

I think the jury is still out on this book and world. I'm just don't feel I understand what's happening in the world with ghosts and magic completely yet. We get some of the rules, but I'm not sure I understand it all yet. There is much here to see and learn, and with Conor being a hired gun or thief, there is great potential for us to see more of this powerful world.

In the end, I'm curious about this dark, magical world created. We get the complete story here but there are small openings in the world that could bring us to the series and to learn much much more about Conor and some answers he's seeking.

Audio Book Review: His Dark Empire

His Dark Empire

By:  M.R. Forbes

Publish Date:  August 31, 2013, Audiobook Release December 11, 2015

Format:  Audiobook - 7 hrs 52 mins
Narrated By:  Jeff Hays

Genre:  Fantasy

Series:  1st in Tears of Blood series

First Impression:  Two characters learn about themselves and fighting the world that's trying to stop them.

Synopsis:
They said he was a cruel and unfair man, that he could never die, and that he had ruled over us for as long as anyone could remember. They said that he made slaves of innocents, that he hunted the magically gifted, and that he named them Cursed for the tears of blood they shed. They said he claimed the ones who lingered, and killed the ones who ran.

Eryn didn’t know why she ran, except that she had promised she would survive. She didn’t know the dangers of his roads, or of the monsters that lurked beyond her imagination. She would never have guessed how much she would lose… or how much she could gain.

Silas didn’t know who he was, except that he was a murderer. Destitute, alone, and imprisoned, he couldn’t grasp the depths of the memories he had forgotten, or understand exactly how much he had lost... or how much he could gain.

It could not have been foretold how his actions would change their lives, or how their lives would change the fate of his.

For nothing was as it would seem in his dark Empire.

First Sentence:
The arrow thunked into the broad trunk of the great redwood, only inches from Aren's head.

Purchase At:
Amazon  /  Barnes & Nobles  /  Book Depository

Audible

My Thoughts and Summary:
*I requested to review a copy of this audiobook for an honest review from the author.

The Cursed are hunted by "His" soldiers. People turn in Cursed to "His" soldiers for a hefty reward. The Cursed are removed from their loved ones. If they run, they are killed.

Silas has flashes of a past he doesn't remember. He physically reacts in ways he doesn't understand how he body knows to do it. When he finally sobers and remembers pieces of what he's forgotten, a wife that left him and that he's a murder, Silas becomes determined to avenge the lives he took as that man acting on orders of another. Silas will learn what he can of "Him" and put an end to the cruel reign, even if it's killing the ruler of their land.

Eryn is fourteen and is Cursed. She doesn't see it as a curse but something that could help people. But now she's hunted for what she can do. She's promised her mother she would survive, and that's what she's determined to do. She's determined, more than ever after losing her family to "His" soldiers, to stop "Him", to take everything from "Him".

I had the great pleasure of listening to this book. First, Jeff is such an amazing talent in voices. I could listen to this story to hear his work even if I didn't like the story, which I did enjoy it. At the beginning, I loved the lead in with reading of the title page in the lilt of the character. There was music that set the stage for the story, making me all the more excited to get going with the story. Jeff is talented with his voice variation and putting it all together seamless as to create a piece of work that's fun to listen to. He adds the echo of calls, voices around the character, or laughter of many. I do love these small extras added to the story. The best part, we get the story in the Irish lilt of the setting and characters accents. It's clear to understand the words and gives a feel to the world they are in.

The descriptions Forbes uses as he tells the story are like I'm listening to the sounds and seeing the world through the eyes of the characters. The writing didn't feel boring to me as we come to trouble after trouble with Silas and Eryn. There is something new at each turn, growing the world as we go.

Forbes has created an enticing story that we learn about the characters along side them through their battles, internal and external. Silas is a drunk who can't remember his past, and is good with that. Until he sobers up by accident. His body reacts to a threat in a way he never thought he knew how to. Their are accusations made of him. And he starts to remember as his body fights through withdrawal. As he travels and remembers more, we learn the pieces with him. Eryn is cursed and has no idea what that means for her. Eryn learns about the cursed as she travels with a growing determination to end the deaths of the Cursed and their loved ones, for her lost loved ones. These two pair up in a team that feels like a father/daughter relationship, and accept each other for their faults.

We learn about the Cursed as Silas and Eryn do in the book. It's catching when you learn how it all fits together. In the end we get the full explanation of the Cursed and what it is. It's a sort of magic that the people can do. But there is so much more to it and what "He" is hiding.

This book has a conclusion for the journey of Silas and Eryn to learn of the Curse, it does not end on a major cliffhanger. There is still fighting to be done and I'm looking forward to the series as they fight "His" armies. I'm curious about "Him" and what will come of the Cursed.

Yes! I will be looking for the rest of the series!




***If you found this review helpful, please click Yes on Amazon and on Audible.