Audio Book Review: Villains Defeat by M.K. Gibson

Villains Defeat by M.K. Gibson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've enjoyed this series for a while. I'm glad I got this book and looking forward to the next.

I enjoy Jackson's views on things. They usually go on a spiral about something from his past, which is usually something human in our world that the kids may not know about. lol. His view...is honest and usually what most people are afraid to say. It's truthful, but not always harmful but can be hard.

This book talks about how Jackson doesn't pay attention to the things and people he leaves behind. But, is that really true? You'll see in this book. :)

We also see how much Jackson has grown as a person over the previous books. He didn't start wanting a family, but here we are. And he's enjoying it.

Jackson knew it was come, and we've been warned. Sophia will have her revenge on Jackson, and things are coming into play here. All the seeds Sophia has planted over the years are growing up and moving on their own.

Sophia... I always enjoyed her interaction with Jackson in the past. They have a great understanding. The usual Jackson clips are done by Sophia in this book. I will admit, I wasn't as impressed with them by Sophia. They missed a little pizzazz that Jackson has and just felt like ramblings.

There's great references to the past books when they talk about the thinks Jackson has "forgotten" about. It's a great way to get reminders! Love this.

There are moments in the book that I felt we were missing or forgetting about things, but that's explained in the end. I enjoyed the way this one ended. I enjoyed the interaction between Sophia and Jackson at the end and what Jackson has set up. It's neat.

M.K. Gibson has a great theme behind his characters and books. And makes some great points in Jackson's rants and ramblings. I highly recommend listening to them as there's more to them than you think.

Another fun adventure with Jackson. Sorry to see Jackson be the underdog in this one, but when you're on top, sometimes it happens when the stack is set against you.

Also, I loooooove the skit with the Audio book narrator. lol. Great job Jeffrey. Great play. :D

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Audio Book Review: Villains Deception

Villains Deception

By:  M.K. Gibson

Publish Date:  November 3, 2014, Audiobook Release March 25, 2019

Format:  Audiobook - 9 hrs 6 mins
Narrated By:  Jeffrey Kafer

Genre:  Urban Fantasy

Series:  3rd in The Shadow Master series: Book 1 ~ Villains Rule, Book 2 ~ Villains Pride

Impression:  Fun adventure through sci fi with Jackson.

Synopsis:
Jackson Blackwell, the Shadow Master, returns. And lo, the multiverse shall tremble. Why? For someone dared to kidnap his daughter.

In this third installment of the multiple award-nominated Shadow Master novels (which we perpetually lose), Jackson and his crew of malicious malcontents are going on a road trip! Er, well, space . . . trip? Look, this time we’re mocking sci-fi, so you know, just go with it.

While on a consultation trip to a sci-fi dimension, Evie Blackwell is taken by hired mercenaries, and Jackson is stranded on a remote planet. Using all of his devious and deadly tricks, Jackson must escape, assemble his team, and travel through space and time to find those responsible. Jackson will stop at nothing to prove his commitment to his family while wreaking his patented comedic havoc in a way that only a man-turned-god can.

Follow this thrilling, hilarious, and yes, oddly touching book, as Jackson hops dimensions, fights the forces of light and shadow, and even confronts an entire pantheon of pissed-off gods.

Won’t this be a hoot?

First Sentence:
In the vastness of space and time exists a hidden dark place.

Purchase At:
Amazon   

Audible

My Thoughts and Summary:

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

Jeffrey does a great job following up with the characters. In the audio book we get a walk-on voice for one of the characters by R.C. Bray. We get a fun back and forth with R.C. Bray and Jeffrey Kafer! It's a great extra to have in the story. They made me laugh.

Oh how M.K. Gibson makes jokes of Jeffrey. lol. It's funny the way he writes in the narrator and about the narrator in the book. It fits so well to Jackson's character and with the book theme.

Someone took Evie! Jackson is on a job in a space universe and has his daughter, Evie, with him. But when he's attacked, his daughter disappears. Who took her? Jackson will track that person down and they will pay...

I find humor in the minor details of the world. The small explanations given and the short stories that go with things make me smile. This grows the world and Jackson's character with how he reacts to things.

Jackson is not a fan of space operas or space genre at all. I get a kick out of how he points out how space books, or his journey, is similar to other genres in books. He points this out as though it's science fiction space books ripped off other genres, but then finds there are small pieces he likes from classifications he likes. So could Jackson come to like space operas...?

Jackson has a lot of contacts in the worlds. He's had many, many clients over the years that now lend to Jackson's plans, even if they don't know it.

Okay, is M.K. Gibson a stand-up comic? LOL! I really had fun with this story. And the best part is M.K. also has a great story to tell, and the ending may be a surprise for you. lol. The ending is the part that made the books for me. Well, not 100%. I love Jackson's humor and actions. The ending was well fitting for a Jackson book. lol. We were told in the beginning, and it all comes back around at the end. Fun twist!



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Audio Book Review: Villains Pride

Villains Pride

By:  M.K. Gibson

Publish Date:  November 24, 2017, Audiobook Release November 30, 2017

Format:  Audiobook - 7 hrs 50 mins
Narrated By:  Jeffrey Kafer

Genre:  Fantasy

Series:  2nd in The Shadow Master series; Book 1 ~ Villains Rule

Impression:  A fun romp of a book with a play on Villains and Superheroes.

Synopsis:
The Shadowmaster is back . . . whether you wanted him to be or not!

Jackson Blackwell, The Shadowmaster, is in over his head this time. After his last adventure, where he tore fantasy novels a new one, Jackson has to deal with the repercussions of angry gods, angrier conspirators, and the wrath of his pregnant girlfriend!

(I know . . . actual consequences in a comedy/action series? How avant-garde! --I think. Okay look, I really don’t know what that means. I’ve always just wanted to say it and I’m too lazy to look it up.)

Thanks to a godly decree and a crafty clause, Jackson has been banished from his home. And the only universe kindly enough to take him in is one infested with comic-book-style superheroes and supervillains. A perfect place to cause mayhem, right? Well, it wouldn’t be much of a book if it were.

Comics don’t play by the rules and Jackson has been tasked to do something “unique.” Whatever is a villain to do?

Follow the adventure of Jackson Blackwell as he attempts to manipulate his way back to the top while dealing with all manner of dark detectives, godly aliens, expensive power suits, and the most daunting challenge of all . . . looming parenthood.

First Sentence:
I looked at the simple idiots sitting across from my expensive, glossy black desk.

Purchase At:
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository

Audible


My Thoughts and Summary:

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

Jeffrey Kafer was the narrator for the first book and returns for this one. Hahaha. I love him! I love his voice and can listen to him forever. But he has a great dry humor to his voice that fits The Shadowmaster. How does he get through this book without laughing? I don't know, but I might want to hear a few bloopers from him. lol. I'm sure they would be fun. But, back to Jeffrey... Oh my. When Jeffrey did voices for Dr. Pain and a few other villains, I had to laugh. They fit the characters and were a hoot to hear! This is the Jeffrey I enjoyed listening to, he's really enjoying narrating this. I think the enthusiasm comes through in his performance of emotions and voices. The voice and personality changes are awesome, and fit the story.

Going into this book, I was looking for fun and adventure. And many pop culture references of shows, books, comics, and so much more. And I got it from the first word. Gibson likes to have fun with what he writes, and it shows. Hahaha. The references to the superheroes anatomy...in spandex... Hahaha. Gibson adds in small superhero facts about comics throughout the book.

As I looked through the beginning of the book for the first sentence, I got drawn into reading the Dedication and Forward. All of it is fun. Really. Gibson has written a Dedication from his main characters view, and it's a hoot. Along with the Forward, it's all done in fun.

I have fun with Jackson. He's a crafty villain. He knows the rules and plays with and around them. Jackson also has a code of conduct. He's a villain but he's not evil in treatment of people. He openly voices his views on different things that could really fit, yet it's humorous how it's done. Jeffrey pulls these moments off perfectly. It's a matter of fact tone that isn't nasty, bringing the dry humor into the words. So well done!

Jackson is great at turning peoples thoughts around. Jackson firmly believes in what he's saying, whether he actually does or not is another thing but he believes it in that moment, and uses examples he can sway his direction to turn thoughts around. I love it!

Jackson may seem like he's having fun in King Stanley's realm of superheroes as a supervillain but he still has things nagging at the back of his mind. He's been kicked out of his realm by his pregnant partner. As much as he wants to be home, he has the parenting issue nagging at him. And he doesn't seem to notice it. Jackson's determined he doesn't need to change with having a kid on the way, but he's living that time before his first child where your mind has to adapt and accept things DO change. Throughout the book Jackson has kids or family on his mind.

If you are looking for a fun romp of a book, this is one for you. Nothing in life, seen, or in books, movies, and much more are safe from Jackson's criticism. And it's awesome when he goes on a rampage about it all. I look forward to Jackson growing as a character, and I love the fun we have with him too.

Oh goodness. Gibson had me chuckling throughout the book, but in the end... I had to stop the audio to laugh. Great play with the narrator and book. Really interactive and worked wonderfully. The way Jackson is written really brings this to life.

Seriously, listen to the audio book. It's so much fun and the story really comes alive. You'll love it.



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Audio Book Review: Villains Rule

Villains Rule

By:  M.K. Gibson

Publish Date:  February 9, 2017, Audiobook Release April 19, 2017

Format:  Audiobook - 9 hrs 49 mins
Narrated By:  Jeffrey Kafer

Genre:  Fantasy

Series:  1st in The Shadow Master series

Impression:  Oh my so much fun!!

Synopsis:
Hi, how are you?

Yes, I am talking to you, the reader of the this book’s description. It’s rude not to answer a person when they ask you a question. OK, I get it, 4th wall breaking is overdone. Get over it. This book, Villains Rule, is a fantasy action-comedy which you have to read. Not because it redefines the genre, far from it. But rather for what it contains. A villain’s tale.

How often do you get to read a story where the villain is the protagonist? No, not an anti-hero, or a brooding monster, nor a hero thinly disguised as a villain. And not evil. If you want evil, take that nonsense to therapy. No, I mean a villain’s villain. The ones who use their power because they can, while morality is only a philosopher’s complex.

This is the story of Jackson Blackwell, the Shadow Master and the top villain adviser. Sadly, even the top villain occasionally gets double-crossed. Trapped in one of the fantasy realms, Jackson has to use his skill and wits to exploit the rules, points out the genre flaws, undermine godly authority, and win the day.

Because, that is what villains should do, shouldn’t they? Read this book, have a few laughs, and find out.

First Sentence:
(Look, I know prologues can be boring.

Purchase At:
Amazon  /  Barnes & Nobles  /  Book Depository

Audible

My Thoughts and Summary:

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


Jeffrey performs with heart, stepping in to the characters minds which breathes life to them. When stories are performed with the emotion the characters are feeling, and the narrator feels as to be having fun, the book is brought to a new level of awesome. Jeffrey accomplished that in this work. Jeffrey speaks with different infliction and personality for each character, which makes it easy to know who's who along with keeping my attention.

At the end of the first prologue, I had to smile. Really. This was something I always thought about, how easy it would be to take down a hero when he's having his "moment". I got a feel of a twist of Grayskull (You know what Grayskull is, from He-Man.) here with other elements mixed in. I like what I get, and it's only a prologue!

Oh my the references of all the great science fiction and fantasy tales!! Really! Even in the titles we get great one lines that we know reference so many. lol. I love listening and pointing out references and what I get the feel of. I'm sure others would pick up on others I've missed. This is the kind of story I would love to listen to with someone who I could talk to on the potential influences. You know, listen at the same time and go geek on what we pick up on! lol.

Okay. The story. I enjoyed how the rules of heroes and villains are viewed and understood in the world. And they still stand and function. M.K. has created a story with a villain that sees those rules and uses then in a way to do what all villains want. And he's talented at his work. M.K. tells us these rules and we see the predicament that Jackson ends up in, and has to find his own way back to his place in the world. M.K. writes a well crafted story of fun while still in the guidelines and takes a villain in the outs and brings him back. Totally awesome work.

I felt I could believe Jackson's thinking and I really liked him. I want to watch movies with Jackson. He would be a hoot at pointing out the flaws in plans, hero and villain. I laughed at the obvious observations pointed out by Jackson in this book. So good and so true! Jackson's written in a way that I liked him even though he wasn't the clean cut good guy. I even felt the fluctuation of praise and irritation of Randy with Jackson - all thanks to Jeffrey's vocal talents and M.K.'s writing.

At my first big surprise in events, I wanted to give M.K. Gibson a big high five. He told me what not to do. He drew me into doing just that. And I was surprised when he used that. AWESOME JOB!! M.K.wrote it so well, I was drawn into the web.

This book is a modern setting with Jackson but it's also in a fantasy world, or worlds as he goes along, because of the different realms of villains. It's so easy to understand and enjoy. I loved the play on different fantasy themes as it made me smile.

As Jackson goes through the fantasy world he's in, working to get to the ruling villain, he points out the fantasy tropes present. And he hits on them all! Totally awesome and fun summary of characters in fantasy tropes. And I can say I read about that. It was great as it was fun in how it's portrayed. M.K. has taken fantasy, brought what we know to our attention, then twists it to his world and makes it fun.

Enjoyable story to listen to. It kept me entertained.



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