C. F. Waller

Lots to like about this book, although with the exception of an exciting opening slows to a crawl for the next 1/3 of the book. There were, in fact, many sections that could probably use a good editor. But overall, I liked the story. The whole time-travel / apocalypse / "rebuilding from the ashes" angle is definitely my ideal combination of genres, and for the most part, they were all handled well here. I wouldn't have minded a little more explicitness about the ages of the various characters, especially since it kindaaaaa seems like there could be a borderline pedophile/grooming/ickiness situation that could've been avoided if we were told exactly how old certain people are.

One final thought before I get into the audiobook review: the career path for surgeons that "wash out" is not nursing, it's just a non-surgical doctor. In any event, a person that did that would still refer to themselves as a doctor, not a nurse.

Ok, the audiobook review... this is the first book that I've listened to by this narrator (J. Scott Bennett), and frankly... it's not exceptional. He's got a good, soft voice that would be perfectly suited for (say...) a Mr. Rogers autobiography. He handled most of the non-dialogue fine, but the voices were definitely undercut by the softness of his voice - most of the characters and/or situations demanded a harder edge that he did not provide. He also missed a lot of the emotional weight that a line held. In all, his dialogue readings were a bit flat and nearly monotonous.
… (plus d'informations)

This book had a pretty gripping plot, and the characters and their relationships were fairly interesting. But....

I found myself rolling my eyes a number of times over the "technology". Power supplies 1000x better than what we have, that mysteriously work, but nobody knows how anymore (product of a failed company)? Robots that somehow (nobody knows how) accidentally become effectively sentient? Robots that somehow learn languages? If only! (I speak as someone whose job is AI research.) A ship that travels 200 km/hr most of the time, but as soon as it gets close to the protagonists, it is no faster than anything they have? If it weren't for these not-too-well-thought-through bits, the book would be really, really good. As it is, I basically liked it, but couldn't say I love it.… (plus d'informations)

Free Dive
By: C. F. Waller
Narrated by: Austin Freeman
This is an audible book I requested and the review is voluntary.
This book is extraordinary! It mixes so many wonderful things together and does it so well! There is an algae like substance killing animals across the oceans.
There is a team trying to find a deep sea artifact in the deeps of the oceans. Some thieves are forced to help with the recovery due to their unusal skills. But someone is trying to stop them.
A mysterious flu is killing everyone.
Something is in the deep water with them...
It is soooooo good! I loved this book! So good and action packed and filled with many mysteries!
The narrator was a perfect fit for this book. He did the voices, emotions and flow perfectly! Great job!… (plus d'informations)

My original Tourists of the Apocalypse audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.

What if you had the chance to change events that normally would be beyond your control? Would you go back to the past and buy a raft along with your ticket to sail on the Titanic? Or you could change the past by going to the future? A mind-boggling set of questions that C.F. Waller explores.

Dylan Townsend is a young teen living on a lonely cul-de-sac with his mom and her worthless brute of a boyfriend when he meets Graham; a weird guy who seems to have more money than sense. Graham is always there to help Dylan both financially and with solid advice.

Years later, Dylan escapes his cul-de-sac by going into the military but promising to return before July 4, 2015. Needless to say, he doesn’t return and thus begins the beginning of his downward spiral into the apocalypse. Eager to have Izzy, a girl from the cul-de-sac and be happy, Dylan makes choices that impact more lives than anyone has the right. Not to mention, he discovers the fail-safe and the world Graham is a part of ….

At first, I was a bit confused but Waller does tie everything together neatly at the end, you just have to be patient! Well written with twists that leave you stunned. You don’t think an author would go there but Waller does! He is a gifted word-smith; he uses few words that speaks volumes. Very entertaining with a smooth flow to the story.

The best thing about this book? Besides everything I mentioned here, Waller does not waste his time or the readers with highly descriptive acts of violence, sex, or depravity; he left a lot of this to the imagination of the reader – which to me was greatly appreciated!!!!!

The narrator is solid as well. There was never any question as to which character he was nor did he over act in his reading. He injected just the perfect amount of tension, fear, and anger. His voices were appropriate. His performance was consistent throughout. Excellent narrator!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves apocalyptic books with a unique solid twist at the end that leaves you thinking hard about it for a long time.

I did not encounter any difficulties with the audio production or quality of this book.

Audiobook was provided for review by the narrator.… (plus d'informations)