Review: The Derelict Duty

Title: The Derelict Duty: A Space Adventure

https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Derelict-Duty-A-Space-Adventure-Audiobook/B096T4866P

Author: James Haddock

Voice Actors: Daniel Wisniewski, Rebecca Woods

Rating: Story 3.5/5, Performance 5/5

Comments: I picked this up because it looked interesting and I love the performances Daniel and Rebecca do.

The performance is absolutely top notch.  So many distinct voices and speech patterns it's amazing.

The story is pretty good, but it really suffers a bit from the protagonist being too good at everything.  It's not quite to the level of Mary Sue, but it's VERY close. I will probably pick up the second book just to listen to Dan and Rebecca more.

Bedroom Activities: FTB

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Review: Unintended Cultivator 1&2

Title: Unintended Cultivator 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CLKVMJDB

Author: Eric Dontigney

Rating: 4.8/5

Comments:  This one has been floating in front of me for a while, but I just put off picking it up for a lot of reasons.   I grabbed the audiobook because I needed a commute listen and then when I was done with that I picked up book 2 because I didn't want to wait for the audiobook.    It's a really good cultivation story, focused on a street kid who was bullied by the noble brats and then they get a cultivation mentor of phenomenal power.  Hilarity ensues.

Definitely going to be reading book 3.

Bedroom Activities: FTB

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Review: Apocalypse Troll

Title: Apocalypse Troll

https://www.amazon.com/Apocalypse-Troll-David-Weber-ebook/dp/B00APADQPG/

Author: David Weber

Rating: 4.9/5

Comments: I read this story years ago, and really enjoyed it.  When I was looking for a new audiobook I thought it was a good candidate.

I honestly had forgotten how good it was.  David Weber, when he's at the top of his game, is an excellent author.  As he's gotten more successful, he's been allowed to meander out of his wheelhouse, and has produced some less than stellar books.  He also LOVES to switch points of view, and my tolerance for that foolishness has lessened as I have gotten older.  This book runs right across many of my annoyances, but it's so good I don't care.  

Great story, and a rare standalone by Weber.

The audio performance is excellent also, the voice actor did an excellent job.

Bedroom Activities: FTB

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Review: Oblivion Awaits

Title: Oblivion Awaits - Infinita, Book 1 (Audiobook)

https://www.audible.com/pd/Oblivion-Awaits-Audiobook/B09KNSL9DW

Author: Christopher Hopper

Voice actors: Rebecca Woods, Daniel Wisniewski

Rating: 4.5/5

Comments:  I picked this up because Rebecca and Daniel are two of my favorite voice actors and it looked vaguely like something I would read, and it was fairly long for one credit.  What can I say, I'm frugal.

All in all, a good story, and a great performance.  It has some POV shifts that would absolutely drive me bonkers if I was reading it, but since I was listening to a performance it was tolerable.

Story-wise it's a post-apocalyptic, civilization in recovery setting with some political intrigue and crime drama thrown in.  I hope they do book 2.

Bedroom Activities: None

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Review: Descend Book 1 Audio book

Title: Descend Book 1: First Steps

Author: David Burke

Voice actors: Daniel Wisniewski, Rebecca Woods

Rating: Story:  2.5/5

            Performance 4.5/5

Comments:

Ok the story is borderline terrible.  There's almost no dramatic tension, and the plot is heavy on what a horny adolescent would think would be awesome. 30 to 1 female to male ratio; check.  Aphrodisiacs  liberally applied; check.  Magic enhanced body; check.  Magic sex powers, check.

No guy over the age of about 25 would think it would be awesome to be stuck full time with 30+ women.  

Then there's the dialogue from the James T. Kirk school of talking.  It takes stilted and awkward to new heights.  It's so over the top I genuinely laughed.

On the upside, Daniel and Rebecca take that sow's ear and do everything they can to make it a silk purse.  Best of all, Rebecca delivered her signature "warm southern belle" accent at least once in the 10 hours, so that made it worth it.

If I had been reading I have no doubt this would have been a DNF - avoid, but I took a chance based on the voice actors (they did TAP by Cebelius), and broke-even.

To be fair, if you just wanted a LitRPG book with sexy times, and no thought required, this would probably work.

Bedroom Activities: Explicit

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