... This is either time #3 or 4.
1st time (many moons ago... I've been a customer of Audible's since 1999) I got a free Diamond Rio 500 (MP3 Player)
Last time, (Jan '06) I got a free iPod Shuffle for Nick.
This time, I got a $100 Gift Cert. for Amazon.com
I'm gonna use it for a Garmin Nuvi GPS.
I'm committed to a year. I did the 2 books per month plan for $22.99 so that's 24 more books I'll add to my already vast collection of audible audiobooks.
It all comes down to this - a final faceoff between good and evil. You plan to pull out all the stops, but every time you solve one mystery, three more evolve. Do you stay the course you started, despite your lack of progress? Do you detour and follow a new lead that may not help? Do you listen to your instincts, or your friends?
Lord Voldemort is preparing for battle and so must Harry. With Ron and Hermione at his side, he's trying to hunt down Voldemort's Horcruxes, escape danger at every turn, and find a way to defeat evil once and for all. How does it all end? Find out in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Simply put... This book rocked my world!
Author: J.K. Rowling
Narrator: Jim Dale
Running Time: 21h 38m
Book Rating: *****
Production: *****
(out of 5 stars)
Audiobook
Hard Cover
The war against Voldemort is not going well; even Muggle governments are noticing. Ron scans the obituary pages of the Daily Prophet, looking for familiar names. Dumbledore is absent from Hogwarts for long stretches of time, and the Order of the Phoenix has already suffered losses.
And yet . . .
As in all wars, life goes on. Sixth-year students learn to Apparate – and lose a few eyebrows in the process. The Weasley twins expand their business. Teenagers flirt and fight and fall in love. Classes are never straightforward, though Harry receives some extraordinary help from the mysterious Half-Blood Prince.
So it’s the home front that takes center stage in the multilayered sixth installment of the story of Harry Potter. Here at Hogwarts, Harry will search for the full and complex story of the boy who became Lord Voldemort – and thereby find what may be his only vulnerability.
A wonderful ride. A pleasure to spend 18 1/2 hours with Jim Dale on the mundane commute. If you're not into Harry Potter, I feel sorry for you since events in this book and in book 7 will likely be spoiled for you before you even pick up book 1.
Author: J.K. Rowling
Narrator: Jim Dale
Running Time: 18 hours 33 min.
Book Rating: *****
Production: *****
(out of 5 stars)
Audiobook
Hard Cover
There is a door at the end of a silent corridor. And it's haunting Harry Potter's dreams. Why else would he be waking in the middle of the night, screaming in terror?
Harry has a lot on his mind for this, his fifth year at Hogwarts: a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher with a personality like poisoned honey; a big surprise on the Gryffindor Quidditch team; and the looming terror of the Ordinary Wizarding Level exams. But all these things pale next to the growing threat of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named - a threat that neither the magical government nor the authorities at Hogwarts can stop.
As the grasp of darkness tightens, Harry must discover the true depth and strength of his friends, the importance of boundless loyalty, and the shocking price of unbearable sacrifice.
His fate depends on them all.
I'm getting far behind on Harry Potter. At the start of book 5 on June 6th, I was 12 hours behind for making my goal of finishing before the final book is released. As it is right now, I've been able to make up 4 hours on my last two drives to Pine Tree and back. Hopefully I'll get another 2 hour boost this weekend while driving for the next reloading class. I'm on disc 10 of 23. (as of 6/14/07)
Update 7/1/07: I'm done and on to book 6. Book 5 is simply wonderful. It's a shame that the movie doesn't do it justice.
Author: J.K. Rowling
Narrator: Jim Dale
Running Time: 26 hours 30 min.
Book Rating: *****
Production: *****
(out of 5 stars)
Audiobook
Hard Cover
It's the pivotal fourth novel in the seven-part tale of Harry Potter's training as a wizard and his coming of age. Harry wants to get away from the pernicious Dursleys and go to the International Quidditch Cup with Hermione, Ron, and the Weasleys. He wants to dream about Cho Chang, his crush (and maybe do more than dream). He wants to find out about the mysterious event that's supposed to take place at Hogwarts this year, an event involving two other rival schools of magic, and a competition that hasn't happened for a hundred years. He wants to be a normal, fourteen-year-old wizard. Unfortunately for Harry Potter, he's not normal — even by wizarding standards.
And in his case, different can be deadly.
Any doubts that the Harry Potter series has gone from a kids book to Adult Fiction have now been crushed. This is an excellent book! Though you'd never tell by watching the movie since SOOO much had to be cut out of it.
Dumbledore is MUCH more of a class act than portrayed in the movie, the 3rd Task was actually more difficult than it was shown, and who knew that there were house elves in the book! You can tell... I really didn't like the 4th movie. But I give high marks on the book. Do yourself a favor and READ IT!
Author: J.K. Rowling
Narrator: Jim Dale
Running Time: 20 hours 36 min.
Book Rating: *****
Production: *****
(out of 5 stars)
Audiobook
Hard Cover
For twelve long years, the dread fortress of Azkaban held an infamous prisoner named Sirius Black. Convicted of killing thirteen people with a single curse, he was said to be the heir apparent to the Dark Lord, Voldemort.
Now he has escaped, leaving only two clues as to where he might be headed: Harry Potter's defeat of You-Know-Who was Black's downfall as well. And the Azkaban guards heard Black muttering in his sleep, "He's at Hogwarts... he's at Hogwarts."
Harry Potter isn't safe, not even within the walls of his magical school, surrounded by his friends. Because on top of it all, there may well be a traitor in their midst.
The 3rd book in the Harry Potter universe. This book is a turning point for the trio & for Jo. The Trio are now teenagers & Jo is pretty much leaving the "kids book" crap behind (In my opinion) because the book is a lot more grown up than the previous two. An excellent read!
Author: J.K. Rowling
Narrator: Jim Dale
Running Time: 11 hours 48 min.
Book Rating: *****
Production: *****
(out of 5 stars)
Audiobook
Hard Cover
The Dursleys were so mean and hideous that summer that all Harry Potter wanted was to get back to the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. But just as he's packing his bags, Harry receives a warning from a strange, impish creature named Dobby who says that if Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts, disaster will strike.
And strike it does. For in Harry's second year at Hogwarts, fresh torments and horrors arise, including an outrageously stuck-up new professor, Gilderoy Lockhart, a spirit named Moaning Myrtle who haunts the girls' bathroom, and the unwanted attentions of Ron Weasley's younger sister, Ginny.
But each of these seem minor annoyances when the real trouble begins, and someone — or something — starts turning Hogwarts students to stone. Could it be Draco Malfoy, a more poisonous rival than ever? Could it possibly be Hagrid, whose mysterious past is finally told? Or could it be the one everyone at Hogwarts most suspects...Harry Potter himself!
The next chapter in the Harry Potter saga. Harry's a year older and the writing is getting more mature. That trend will continue to at least book 6 (and I'm sure 7) It is said that things that happen in this book will play heavily into events in book 7.
Author: J.K. Rowling
Narrator: Jim Dale
Running Time: 9 hours 2 min.
Book Rating: *****
Production: *****
(out of 5 stars)
Audiobook
Hard Cover
Harry Potter has never been the star of a Quidditch team, scoring points while riding a broom far above the ground. He knows no spells, has never helped to hatch a dragon, and has never worn a cloak of invisibility.
All he knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley — a great big swollen spoiled bully. Harry lives in a cupboard under the stairs, and he hasn't had a birthday party in eleven years.
But all that is about to change when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to an incredible place that Harry — and anyone who reads about him — will find unforgettable.
For it's there that he finds not only friends, aerial sports, and magic in everything from classes to meals, but a great destiny that's been waiting for him... if Harry can survive the encounter.
I think this is my 7th time through this book. After over a year gap in Harry (for me) it was like sitting down with an old friend again. My goal is to have all 6 books finished about a week or so before the release of the final book in July. Even in my 7th time through, I can still pick up on little things I didn't remember.
This is where it all starts. You can tell it's more or less geared for kids but it's certainly written well enough that adults will find it entertaining as well.
If you haven't gotten into Harry Potter yet, I strongly urge you to do so!
Author: J.K. Rowling
Narrator: Jim Dale
Running Time: 8 hours 18 min.
Book Rating: *****
Production: *****
(out of 5 stars)
Audiobook
Hard Cover
FBI agent Alex Cross is on vacation with his family at Disneyland when he gets a call from the Director. A well-known actress was shot outside her home in Beverly Hills. Shortly afterward, an editor for the Los Angeles Times receives an e-mail describing the murder in vivid detail. Alex quickly learns that this is not an isolated incident. The killer, known as Mary Smith, has done this before and plans to kill again. Right from the beginning, this case is like nothing Alex has ever confronted. Is this the plan of an obsessed fan or a spurned actor, or is it part of something much more frightening? And particularly baffling, how could a woman be capable of these vicious crimes? Members of Hollywood's A-list fear they're next on Mary's list, and the case grows by blockbuster proportions as the LAPD and FBI scramble to find a pattern before Mary can send one more chilling update. Filled with the ruthless and shocking twists that make his fans hunger for more, Mary, Mary is James Patterson's most sophisticated thriller yet.
Alex in the FBI... cool!
Author: James Patterson
Narrator: Peter Jay Fernandez, Michael Louis Wells and Melissa Leo
Running Time: 8 hours 27 min.
Book Rating: ****
Production: ****
(out of 5 stars)
Audiobook
Hard Cover
In broad desert daylight, a mysterious platoon of soldiers evacuates the entire population of Sunrise Valley, Nevada. Minutes later, a huge bomb detonates a hundred feet above the ground and lays waste to homes, cars, and playgrounds: a town annihilated in an instant.
Alex Cross is on vacation in San Francisco with his girlfriend, Jamilla Hughes, when he gets the call. The Russian supercriminal known as the Wolf claims responsibility for the blast.
Major cities around the globe are threatened with total destruction. The Wolf has proven he can do it; the only question is, can anyone stop him in time? Surveillance film of the blast reveals the presence of another of Alex Cross' most dangerous enemies, the ruthless assassin known as the Weasel.
World leaders have just four days to prevent an unimaginable cataclysm. Joining forces with Scotland Yard and Interpol, Alex fights his way through a torrent of false leads, impersonators, and foreign agents before he gets close to the heart of the crimes. Racing down the hairpin turns of the Riviera in the most unforgettable finale James Patterson has ever written, Alex Cross confronts the truth of the Wolf's identity, a revelation that even Cross himself may be unable to survive.
This novel was more like an episode of 24 than an Alex Cross book but since I'm a big fan of 24, it worked well for me. London Bridges takes Alex Cross to a whole new level. He's no longer limited to working in the States... he travels to London, to Paris... he's working to find a ruthless killer that doesn't kill one or two at a time... more like thousands!
The production contained more audio effects, gun shots, explosions, mood music, & chapter announcements that reminded me of Resident Evil for some reason.
Over all, a big thumbs up!
Author: James Patterson
Narrator: Peter J. Fernandez and Denis O'Hare
Running Time: 8 hours 19 min.
Book Rating: **** 1/2
Production: ****
(out of 5 stars)
Audiobook
Hard Cover
Who's Afraid?
Alex Cross battles the most ruthless and powerful killer he has ever encountered: a predator known only as the Wolf.
Alex Cross' first case since joining the FBI has his new colleagues stymied. Across the country, men and women are being kidnapped in broad daylight and then disappearing completely. These people are not being taken for ransom, Alex realizes. They are being bought and sold. And it looks like a shadowy figure known as the Wolf, a master criminal who has brought a new reign of terror to organized crime, is behind this business in which ordinary men and women are sold as slaves.
You're afraid.
Even as he admires the FBI's vast resources, Alex grows impatient with the Bureau's clumsiness and caution when it is time to move. A lone wolf himself, he has to go out on his own in order to track the Wolf and try to rescue some of the victims while they are still alive.
As the case boils over, Alex is in hot water at home, too. His ex-fiancie, Christine Johnson, comes back into his life-and not for the reasons Alex might have hoped.
Full of the unexpected twists and heartrending surprises that James Patterson delivers better than any other suspense writer alive, The Big Bad Wolf is an unforgettable thriller.
Yet another fantastic Alex Cross thriller! Nice to see Alex have to deal with the bureaucratic bullshit the FBI offers as well as the tremendous resources. The ending, not related to the "Wolf" left me feeling empty.
The production, like the last book has musical cues and some sound effects which I'm not sure I like yet. In the Star Trek books I can deal with it because they use real Star Trek sounds, but here... I don't know... maybe it will grow on me.
Author: James Patterson
Narrator: Peter J. Fernandez and Denis O'Hare
Running Time: 8 hours 13 min.
Book Rating: ****
Production: ****
(out of 5 stars)
Audiobook
Paperback
Detective Alex Cross is on his way to resign from the Washington, D.C. Police Force when his partner shows up at his door with a case he can't refuse. One of John Sampson's oldest friends, from their days together in Vietnam, has been arrested for murder. Worse yet, he is subject to the iron hand of the United States Army. The evidence against him is strong enough to send him to the gas chamber.
Sampson is certain his friend has been framed, and Alex's investigation turns up evidence overlooked - or concealed - by the military authorities. Drawing on their years of street training and an almost telepathic mutual trust, Cross and Sampson go deep behind military lines to confront the most ruthless - and deadliest - killers they have ever encountered. Behind these three highly skilled killing machines there appears to be an even more threatening controller. Discovering the identity of this lethal genius will prove to be Cross' most terrifying challenge ever.
On his visits home, Alex must confront another, more disturbing mystery: what's the matter with Nana Mama? As he explores the possibility of a relationship with a woman who offers him new hope, Alex must also face the fact that his beloved grandmother is only human.
I just finished this book this morning on the way to work. I was much more in tune with this book than the last one for some reason. That's not to knock "Violets are Blue" but I noticed that I didn't have to backup and re-listen to portions as much as I did with "violets"
I don't want to spoil anything but there are some large events that happen in this book. A must read for the Alex Cross fan!
As far as the production... this is the first Alex Cross novel that I've finished that had some audio effects & music. It was a bit distracting at first but I grew to like it.
Author: James Patterson
Narrator: Peter J. Fernandez and Michael Emerson
Running Time: 8 hours 7 min.
Book Rating: ****
Production: ****
(out of 5 stars)
Audiobook
Paperback
I decided to take a break from Audiobooks in order to catch up on a radio program that I recently found... Tom Gresham's Gun Talk.
Before he changed is site and went to Podcasting his archive of shows I was able to download and listen to 13 months of programming in the course of the late Summer and Fall. That 13 months of programming is equal to over 125 hours of content.
In December I decided to get back into my Audiobooks by diving into "Pop Goes the Weasel" by James Patterson.
Amazon.com Summary:
Alex Cross, the Porsche-driving doctor-detective-profiler-psychologist and single father of two must save his own life as well as the lives of his lover and family in a deadly game of Cat and Mouse. Cross meets up again with his old nemesis Gary Soneji, the ruthless, bloodthirsty megalomaniac from Along Came a Spider. Apparently, Soneji isn't too happy with Cross for putting him away and keeping him out of the violent crime loop for five years, so he's back with a bone to pick and a couple of fish to fry--or innocent bystanders to shoot, stab, or bludgeon. Soneji goes on a commuter killing spree in hopes of luring Cross down a bloody trail that ends at the good detective's own home. Cross is hot on the case and hot for Christine Johnson, his children's babe-a-licious principal who happens to be the widow of George Johnson, one of Soneji's victims. Never mind the coincidence; is Christine a bad-luck charm? Is there another killer? If so, is she or he in cahoots with Soneji? Once again, Patterson delivers a fast-paced, action-packed thriller that's sure to keep the pages flying.
After a bit of Star Trek, I headed back into the world of Alex Cross. This is a great book that kept me on the 'edge of my seat' a few times. And yet again... this is the point in my 'review' that I need to say.... somebody REALLY needs to talk to James Patterson about guns! I offer the following evidence...
Page 201: "I clicked the safety off the Glock."
Author: James Patterson
Narrator: George Guidall & Richard Feronne
Running Time: 10 hours and 32 min.
Book Rating:
Production:
(out of 5 stars)
Audiobook -- I couldn't get this from Audible.com unabridged so I had to borrow it from the library. This Amazon link isn't the production I just finished. Mine was narrated by "George Guidall & Richard Feronne" from "Books on Tape"
Paperback
Audible.com Summary:
Imzadi: to the people of the planet Betazed, including counsellor Deanna Troi of the Starship Enterprise, it means "beloved" and denotes a special closeness that can never be truly broken. Or can it? Best selling author Peter David explored the special bond between Troi and Commander Riker in his earlier novel, Imzadi. Now, he examines the heart of Deanna Troi from an altogether different perspective, as he reveals for the first time the full story of Troi's troubled romance with Lieutenant Commander Worf. At first glance, they cannot be more different. She is an empath, gentle and acutely sensitive to the needs and feelings of others. He is a fierce Klingon warrior, dedicated to a harsh and war-like code of honor. Brought together, however, by a common need to care for Alexander, Worf's troubled, motherless son, they discover hidden reserves of courage and compassion within each other and embark on an unexpected courtship, much to the suprise and discomfort of William Riker. But does Worf's future really lie with Deanna...or on a distant outpost called Deep Space Nine? And who shall Troi ultimately call Imzadi? Imzadi ll is a compelling story about an untold chapter in the history of the U.S.S. Enterprise.
Not as good as the first one but still some interesting elements.
Author: Peter David
Narrator: Robert O' Reilly
Running Time: 3 hours
Book Rating: ** 1/2
Production: ***
(out of 5 stars)
Audiobook
Paperback
Audible.com Summary:
Years before they became crewmates on the U.S.S. Enterprise, Commander William Riker and ship's counsellor Deanna Troi had a tempestuous love affair on her home planet of Betazed. Now, as their passions have cooled, the two serve together as close friends. Yet the memories of what passed between them linger and Riker and Troi remain Imzadi, a powerful Betazoid term that describes the enduring bond they still share. On a delicate mission involving negotiations with an aggresive race called the Sindareen, Deanna mysteriously falls ill...and dies. But her death marks the start of an incredible adventure for Riker - an adventure that takes him across time, pits him against one of his closest friends, and forces him to choose between Starfleet's strictest rule and the one he calls Imzadi.
A wonderful story that explains how Riker and Troi first met. Once scene from the book is right out of TNG's episode 1 at Farpoint Station.
Author: Peter David
Narrator: Johnathan Frakes
Running Time: 3 hours
Book Rating: ****
Production: ****
(out of 5 stars)
Audiobook
Paperback
Audible.com Summary:
The U.S.S. Enterprise is chosen as the marriage site for a wedding that will unite two powerful rival families of the spacefaring merchant race, the Tizarin. But Captain Picard's happiness is soon cut short by the arrival of the Federation delegate from Betazed: Lwaxana Troi - the mother of the ship's counsellor, Deanna Troi. Despite Lwaxana's nagging presence, the festivities proceed smoothly until the arrival of the notorious and all-powerful being, Q - who has come to examine and challenge the human concept of love. Suddenly, the celebration is in turmoil, the Tizarin families are on the brink of war, and Lwaxana is determined to teach Q a lesson in love that he will never forget.
A VERY quick story but quite amusing. I've always liked the Lwaxana's character and Majel doing the voice of her own character made for a wonderful narration.
Author: Peter David
Narrator: Majel Barrett and John de Lancie
Running Time: 1 hour and 30 min.
Book Rating: ****
Production: ****
(out of 5 stars)
Audiobook
Paperback
Okay... it's true... I've decided to take a short break from James Patterson. My last 8 audiobooks were by James Patterson and I wanted a change.
Just after finishing "Jack and Jill" I wanted something shorter and less serious. Q-Squared was the answer...
Audible.com Summary:
In all of his travels Captain Picard has never encountered an opponent more powerful than Q, a being from another continuum that Picard encounterd on his very first mission as captain of the Starship Enterprise. In the years since, Q has returned to harass Picard and his crew. Sometimes dangerous, sometimes merely obnoxious, Q has always been mysterious and seemingly all-powerful. But now, Trelane, another member of the continuum who Captain Kirk and his crew first encountered over one hundred years ago, has tapped into an awesome power source that makes him more powerful than the combined might of the entire continuum. Q warns that, armed with this incredible power, Trelane has become unspeakably dangerous. Now Picard must get involved in an awesome struggle between super beings. And this time the stakes are not just Picard's ship, or the galaxy, or even the universe - this time the stakes are all of creation.
Star Trek audiobooks are vastly different from a James Patterson or John Grisham because they contain audio & sound effects from the show, most are abridged and are much shorter. Which works well for me just for a quick change of pace.
A good story that merges an episode from the original series and the next generation.
Author: Peter David
Narrator: John de Lancie
Running Time: 3 hours and 1 min.
Book Rating: ****
Production: *** 1/2
(out of 5 stars)
Paperback
Audiobook
Amazon.com Summary:
A child killer is stalking the inner city of Washington, D.C., his latest victim Shanelle Green, an adorable first grader from Sojourner Truth School. This killing is especially unsettling to Detective Alex Cross. Sojourner Truth is the school his son Damon attends, just four blocks from his home. While the death of an inner-city black child doesn't garner much media attention, another murder is making big headlines. The same day that Shanelle was beaten to death, Senator Daniel Fitzpatrick was found handcuffed to a bed and shot execution style. The only clue the police have to go on is a bizarre rhyme, signed "Jack and Jill," promising more high-profile executions, ultimately targeting the president of the United States. When Cross is called in to help protect the president, he begins to suspect that the two cases are somehow related. As he races to put all the pieces together, the killers continue their bloody rampage, paralyzing the city.
Right off of the heels of "Kiss the Girls" I began the 3rd book in the Alex Cross series (1997). A pretty good book that was a little slow in the middle for my tastes. And once again... somebody REALLY needs to talk to James Patterson about guns! In the past several books I've finished it should be noted that you don't "cock" a Glock and it is NOT a service revolver!
Author: James Patterson
Narrator: Michael Kramer
Running Time: 11 hours and 41 min.
Book Rating: *** 1/2
Production: ***
(out of 5 stars)
Audiobook -- I couldn't get this from Audible.com unabridged so I had to borrow it from the library. This Amazon link isn't the production I just finished. Mine was narrated by "Michael Kramer" from "Books on Tape"
Paperback
Audible.com Summary:
In the most suspenseful thriller yet from the author of Along Came a Spider, Detective Alex Cross is on the trail of 2 murderers who may be working together. Casanova preys on talented college women from the Carolinas to Florida. The Gentleman Caller is terrorizing Los Angeles. The case takes Cross coast to coast and to the Deep South, where his niece, a law student, has been abducted. Will she be the next victim of one, or both, of the killers?
A good thriller. I really liked the Kate McTiernan character and hope to see her again in future Alex Cross novels.
Author: James Patterson
Narrator: Michael Kramer
Running Time: 10 hours and 55 min.
Book Rating: ****
Production: *** 1/2
(out of 5 stars)
Audiobook -- I couldn't get this from Audible.com unabridged so I had to borrow it from the library... on TAPE no less!
Paperback
