Audio Book Review: Agent Prime

Agent Prime

By:  Jake Bible

Publish Date:  February 20, 2018, Audiobook Release April 24, 2018

Format:  Audiobook - 7 hrs 37 mins
Narrated By:  Andrew B. Wehrlen

Genre:  Science Fiction

Series:  Stand-alone

Impression:  Delivery mission via undercover.

Synopsis:
Denman Sno is Agent Prime!

The best of the Fleet Intelligence Service's elite Special Service Division, Denman Sno will need to use all of his skills and resources to stop the galaxy from plunging into another War with the alien menace known as the Skrang Alliance.

Sno's assignment: protect and deliver Pol Hammon, the galaxy's greatest dark tech hacker, to Galactic Fleet headquarters.

Hammon is in possession of new technology that can and will change the landscape of galactic life. The Galactic Fleet will do anything to keep that technology out of the hands of the Skrang Alliance even it it means sacrificing their best agent.

Even if it means sacrificing Agent Prime!

Murder. Espionage. Romance. Treachery. Greed.

Agent Prime is prepared for it all!

First Sentence:
"Rylia Five?"

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.

Andrew seems to be sure to pronounce everything properly. There are moments where speech slows to get all enunciated properly. Though, usually when a character is talking, the flow of the words is constant. I give him credit, there are a lot of words and names that could easily be pronounced wrong. I don't think I could do as well as he did. Andrew did give a physical feel to each character as he spoke for them.

The beginning is full of hints to the world and Denman Sno and his job. But it feels heavy with creation. There is a lot with being science fiction/space setting. There are many different beings and planets along with technology to pick up on. Jake dives right into the meat of it. There is a lot to create as this is a stand alone, so far.

The beginning feels agency/military strategically strong as Sno details out what he sees and does. I wonder if Andrew's voice compliments this feeling as it's how Sno sees things in his mind. He is an Agent after all, he gets paid to see things in this perspective.

One thing I'm learning about Jake Bible. He can write many different styles. Wow. But, I'm learning that with Jake, I'm invested or just along for the ride. For me in Agent Prime, I was along for the ride. I struggled with some of the connections as it seemed to appear as he went. The details were minor and hidden in text that you can connect them to what we know, but it felt like it could have been stronger for me.

I did love the ship that was used to travel, and was to be incognito for Sno and Pol. It was a luxury liner that's known for the passengers to find love. This was a fun twist to the story. Though, this is where majority of the story takes place. It might be a love ship, but Sno has to deal with being attacked in a whole different fashion.

I did come to like that the plot is thicker than expected the further into the book we went. There is more to Pol and others. There is a reason for what all transpires on the luxury ship. I liked the overall idea of the story with Pol.

I think some will enjoy this story while others will thinks it's good. It's hard to pick who would be who though. Take a look at the book and see if it's something you might like.




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Audio Book Review: EverRealm

EverRealm

By:  Jake Bible

Publish Date:  March 29, 2017, Audiobook Release August 2, 2017

Format:  Audiobook - 7 hrs 28 mins
Narrated By:  Jeff Hays

Genre:  Fantasy

Series:  1st in Level Dead series

Impression:  They created their dreamworlds to live, now they have to fight to save them.

Synopsis:
In the 23rd century, the world is at an end, and a group of gaming and programming friends decide that their only way to survive is to discard their bodies and send their minds into the quantum matrix of a virtual gaming world. They have created the Domains and there they plan to reside forever.

Except, the nightmares of reality have followed them into their new quantum dimension and those nightmares threaten to destroy it all!

Now it is up to one of them to help navigate the quantum platform known as EverRealm, a fantasy MMORPG of epic proportions, in order to complete a quest he neither wants to complete nor knows how. With the help of his friends, and a lot of luck, he will have to face trials and tribulations like he's never faced as a player! Because now it is no longer a matter of Game Over, but of life or death!

Can he survive it all and come out a winner? The only way he'll know is if he plays the game to the bitter end!

First Sentence:
The end of the world arrived one night and nobody knew it.

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 human world has ended. Humans and animals are now the undead and own the world. Steve is one of nine who have created virtual worlds that join at the place they call Center. They plan to live in their own Domains for eternity, as long as the main power keeps going. But, when they arrive at the Center there are two of the nine missing. Trying to help his friend, then warn others, Henry brings the nightmare of the real world to them when he thought he could filter the infection out while transitioning to where they were to be safe. Now they need to find the infected that's loose in their worlds...somewhere...

When I go into an audiobook knowing Jeff's the narrator, I have high expectations. I look for different voices and personalities to come to life. And I get them. I love listening to Jeff voice all the characters differently. It's entertaining for me in listening along with makes it easy to differentiate everyone. When a voice actor puts this much effort into a piece, it shows and makes the book along with his work shine. Sometimes the small things make the book all the better, like overlaying several voices at one time when all speak. Jeff does that, and it's totally cool. He really makes me feel as though it's a show and live.

Let me talk about the world creation. I wasn't sure how it was all going to relate at the beginning. Jake gives us the ground work as to why and how this is done, though it's quick to not slow the pacing of the story. I followed it all easily and found it interesting to see it come together when I get into the Center with Steve and others. And what we learn through the book in how the worlds are connected.

Undead, gaming worlds of different structure... action has to happen! Cool combo!

Steve's relationships with each of the characters grows more as they fight together to save the worlds they've created for themselves. And we get to know his friends as we go. I like the humor Steve's written with. And felt bad for him because when he tried to make a joke or state anything he was wrong in his doing in EverRealm it Always seeming to cause problems.

Speaking of problems... wow, do things really get messed up here in EverRealm. With the undead and with what Steve and friends do. It's crazy! But it all works together and somehow works out in the end. For me, the story felt smooth in flow with these problems. It all fit the world, characters, and situations.

Another cool creation for the LitRPG world in books. I really like that they are leaving the "real" world behind for virtual ones, and the reason behind it all. This gives the solid reason for coming to the gaming worlds in my mind. We get the explanations of how it's done, but it's not over science-y to lose us. It's just what it is.

I will say this is a game RPG setting, but I don't feel like I'm in a "game". The RPG setting is actually to be their homes. That makes the world real and important to them. What they do here has an impact and they try to live knowing that. Also, we aren't always grasping for our tool bar to see supplies and stats. Steve does do it, but it's not a constant thing.

I'm really enjoying the LitRPG books I've been getting lately. Jeff's voice acting is fun and fits the worlds and characters so well. And the stories are alive and feel more than just a "gaming" atmosphere. Well done with this one Jake!



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Audio Book Review: Stone Cold Bastards

Stone Cold Bastards

By:  Jake Bible

Publish Date:  February 24, 2017, Audiobook Release March 3, 2017

Format:  Audiobook - 7 hrs 59 mins
Narrated By:  Jeff Hays

Genre:  Urban Fantasy

Series:  Stand-alone ?

Impression:  The last stand for the little bit of humanity left on the world...

Synopsis:
Only a rag-tag team of gargoyles stands between humanity and extinction.

Hell has released its ravening horde of demons, leaving most of humanity a puke-spewing, head-spinning mess of possession.

Humanity’s last hope? A team of misfit gargoyles—including a cigar chomping, hard-ass grotesque—come alive and ready for battle during the End of Days. They guard the last cathedral-turned-sanctuary atop a bald knoll in the North Carolina mountains.

Gargoyle protection grudgingly extends to any human who can make it inside the Sanctuary, but the power of the stonecutter blood magic, which protects the sanctuary, may not be enough when a rogue grotesque and his badly-wounded ward arrive.

All the hounds of hell are on their heels. The last Sanctuary is about to fall.

First Sentence:
The small, gray head popped off and rolled toward the end of the bar.

Purchase At:
Amazon  /  Barnes & Nobles  /  Book Depository

Audible

My Thoughts and Summary:
*I was voluntarily provided this review copy audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator.

The gates of hell have fallen and demons possess more humans than not, others have died. But there are pockets of humans in sanctuaries protected by gargoyles and grotesques still striving to live. Morty is one of the protectors at this cathedral, and with the news of another sanctuary falling they need to prepare for a siege as the possessed are going to circle and wait to get through the locked iron gates guarded by those like Morty to get to the un-possessed humans.

I enjoy when Jeff gets a book he can showcase his vocal talents. And this is such a book! There are a few different characters and each are greatly different in voice and personality. Jeff even adds small extras to the characters with relation to what they are doing. When it's written that a character scuffs or smacks his lips, Jeff does the action. It's much more personal than hearing the words - bringing the story to life. Totally awesome work!

This isn't a high action read out of the gate, but it's crafted in the world creation and the G's (gargoyles and grotesques). I would have liked a few more small details added in the beginning to know the relation of the characters talking, but it all become apparent quickly as to the world and relationships. I would have liked a little bit of description or foreshadowing to details we suddenly get so they don't feel to come out of nowhere, but I enjoyed the book for the fun. The fighting picks up as the book goes. The fights are a bit bloody. But that happens when you have hard stone or marble fighting soft, human flesh. There is strong cursing too.

The last stand for the little bit of humanity left on the world... Demons have almost taken over the world. This book all takes place in one day's time. We see Morty and his adventure along with what he finds. Then we see what's happened inside the Sanctuary while he's gone, with the siege and the teens leaving. Then both sections collide in a moment. We see the last Sanctuary with humans who're not possessed pull all they have to stand against the demons, and try one last effort to save what little is left of the world.

This is a stand alone novel and ends as one. Cool. This way I'm not left wondering about anything. Though, there are a few questions as to the stone cutter, but that's my speculative thinking.

We get to see a few different grotesques and gargoyles. They are all of different personality and bring something different to the protection they provide. They are all special in their own ways, a few more than others for fighting. The G's were made for this reason, and that's why they are alive now. I'm not sure why the G's don't try to save humans when the demons leave their bodies. Why not bring them into the sanctuary? I think there's something I'm missing after a demon already possesses a body. But they aren't necessarily to save people as they are to keep their sanctuary safe, and what's in it.

We get to meet the people in this sanctuary. They are struggling to get by and tensions do run high in the world that's now restricted to a small area. The people we meet are different and have knowledge they bring to the story. They aren't ready to give up though.



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