If it were to end, that we need never again relegate a PB.com author's work to this classification, it would be a great time in great world. Alas, we think the denizens of this deep are destine to burgeon in number. It is, we shall all agree, not a sin to produce inferior art. It is, however, not a thing which is beneficial or praise worthy. But these musings are philosophy, not literature, so onward we go...
The Guerrilla Poet, by Keith Hughes. Well, where to start? Okay, Mr. Hughes seems like a nice fellow. His last podcast novel, Borrowed Time was pleasant if not journeyman. Are we done yet? No, we will relent and proceed. TGP is, let us say kindly, unfocused and confusing. The premise of the book seems to be that writing words can physically effect the world, construct buildings, you know, that type of everyday experience. Suspend disbelief is severely challenged with this plot hook. We listened to most of two episodes before bailing, so maybe the hook could have set. We will never know. The story jumps around chaotically and inexplicably, the characters are poorly crafted, and the action is honestly hard to follow. Having a story based on a weak plot hook, that words cause things to be built or destroyed, starts the author way-out on an unsympathetic limb, in our opinion. It is difficult to buy-in to a story which seems from the start to be, simply put, so weird, such an odd personal vision of the author. And there's the repetitiveness and there's the repetitiveness. The 'Story So Far' for episode two was so painfully long and tedious that it, more than anything else, caused us to not proceed with the book. The prospect of wilting under even one additional painfully read and interminable summary of the paucity of comprehensible action which took place in the prior episode was just too chilling to face. Sorry Mr Hughes, but this one is really weak. If you fancy yourself an author, show us why next time out.
The Wolf of Man by Shawn Lewis. We do not, as a rule, like or condone horror. Life is too short and the human lot so desperate that inflicting horror on one's psyche just seems a bit much. But that matter of taste is a needed caveat. It would have taken an exceptional work of horror to bind our fancy. Toothless is the only one we can easily site. This one held us not. We made it 1/3 through Episode 1, hardly a fair sample, but we were then out. Waiting for a frightened little boy's expectations of being ripped from his bed by a violent monster to come true, well let us simply say, that was not what we wanted to put in our head. The narration and technicals seemed good, so if you like little boys ripped from their mother's beds in the night, this one might, for reason which will never be clear to us, be your cup of tea. Good luck with that.
Valhai by Gillian Andrews. This one is advertised as "Young Adult". We are certain we are not young and we hope we are not adult, so this was a long-shot to win our fancy. It is, by way of example, not impossible for "YA" to be actually good, not merely simple. The Prophet of Panamindorah carried this sub-classification, at it is a pearl. This podcast is not of the same ilk. The narration is slow and relatively lifeless and the recording quality is quite substandard. These flaws can be over-ridden by a superior tale, but the listener is not so fortunate on this count. What little we could put up with was poor. There's this rebellious child forced by mean old people to go to a school he doesn't want to in order to learn something he doesn't yet value. Hum, not the stuff of legend. Sounds like our childhood. There is a plot-element we have seem repeatedly which defies our belief each time we see it. Many authors, intent we presume, to marvel us and sweep us away to a fanciful foreign place, start out of the blocks employing an incomprehensible and completely non-intuitive writing style. We always find it jarring and almost always "WSRH" the story. Dazzle us with the story, not by the story. Make us know that, by book's end, we have been somewhere wondrous and novel. Don't shake the reader like a pit bull would a flimsy toy to impress upon them what a wacky new world their about to not read about. It is your first effort Ms Andrews, and few first efforts are stellar. Learn from the process and the experience and make the next one better, and the following one better still. Your care and concern do show-through, so get back the that laptop and wow us, okay?
Honest, no seriously, honest reviews of podcasts on Podiobook.com, plus a few non-PB.com notables. We can save you time avoiding lesser podcasts and target you to the greats.
What's The Blog About, Alfie?
We are avid fans of literature, good literature. We prefer great writing, we'll settle for very good work, but we cannot abide anything less. We will stop reading a book if the author demonstrates mediocrity, writes incompetently, or, worse yet, simply loses our interest. That said, we will always give you our honest opinions about the books we've listened to on Podiobooks.com. We'll tell you why the great ones are great, and why the forgettable ones should be avoided.
We hope, when we've reviewed enough, you will come to this blog to see if a particular book is worthy of your time. We plan to be frank. You have come here to elicit our opinion and we shall not disappoint. Additionally, we hope this blog becomes a resource for PB.com authors to read honest and objective reviews of their efforts; no smoke blown-up the butt at any time. We have observed over time that reviews left on an author's site or iTunes are basically of two types. The first is the pie-eyed-hyperbolic-praise version of a review by a real fan. While excellent for the ego of said author, this form of assessment aids neither the potential listener nor the writer's development. The second type is the snarky-hit-and-run-slap-in-the-face negative review which may contain the kernel of an insight, but is actually significantly less valuable than the first type. Ours will be decidedly neither polar extreme. We will be as fair and complete as possible. An unavoidable off-shoot, indeed a desirable off-shoot, the clever reader will quickly appreciate is that we will undoubtably be squewering a few sacred-cows. If that happens, please keep in mind the fable of The Emporer's New Clothes and the fact that we would not review them in a less-than-stellar manner if they did not deserve it.
Our reviews are not placed on PB.com, iTunes, or any other public site. We do not wish to embarrass or ridicule any particular authors. Many of the authors are our friends, or at least were up till they read our review. We dearly appreciate that each PB.com author has poured their creative guts out for all to see with very little chance of monetary reward. This is not easy. We will not generally say anything but positives on public sites as we, in our alter ego, want the authors, even the poor ones, to have their moment in the bright-shiny sun. At the very least we want them to be happy little fish in their little ponds.
Finally a term defined, a dreaded term, one you wish never to see, one which strikes despair in the heart of any author - WSRH. This is short for "We Stopped Reading Here". Background. Our less than sainted father was a college English professor. When grading essays and term papers, especially freshman courses, we observed him many a cruel time to slash across the page with his red pen. Just below the horrific line, he would write, "I stopped reading here... F." Clearly, papa was a professor, not an editor, so he was an I while we are, well, a we. Hence, ISRH transforms into WSRH. However you begin it, it is not a good thing. Avoid writing something which earns WSRH, you will not be happy with yourself.
Your comments on our comments are most welcome. You may be as frank as we are. Contrary opinions, supported by rational argument not finger-wagging, will help the prospective PB.com readers find the books which are right for them. Bottom line: our comments plus your comments, along with author rebuttals, will in the end benefit us all, and help PB.com listeners choose wisely.
Based on the success of this blog, we have started a Forum where you can share your insights and reviews. The more information and discussion, the better informed we will all be.
We hope, when we've reviewed enough, you will come to this blog to see if a particular book is worthy of your time. We plan to be frank. You have come here to elicit our opinion and we shall not disappoint. Additionally, we hope this blog becomes a resource for PB.com authors to read honest and objective reviews of their efforts; no smoke blown-up the butt at any time. We have observed over time that reviews left on an author's site or iTunes are basically of two types. The first is the pie-eyed-hyperbolic-praise version of a review by a real fan. While excellent for the ego of said author, this form of assessment aids neither the potential listener nor the writer's development. The second type is the snarky-hit-and-run-slap-in-the-face negative review which may contain the kernel of an insight, but is actually significantly less valuable than the first type. Ours will be decidedly neither polar extreme. We will be as fair and complete as possible. An unavoidable off-shoot, indeed a desirable off-shoot, the clever reader will quickly appreciate is that we will undoubtably be squewering a few sacred-cows. If that happens, please keep in mind the fable of The Emporer's New Clothes and the fact that we would not review them in a less-than-stellar manner if they did not deserve it.
Our reviews are not placed on PB.com, iTunes, or any other public site. We do not wish to embarrass or ridicule any particular authors. Many of the authors are our friends, or at least were up till they read our review. We dearly appreciate that each PB.com author has poured their creative guts out for all to see with very little chance of monetary reward. This is not easy. We will not generally say anything but positives on public sites as we, in our alter ego, want the authors, even the poor ones, to have their moment in the bright-shiny sun. At the very least we want them to be happy little fish in their little ponds.
Finally a term defined, a dreaded term, one you wish never to see, one which strikes despair in the heart of any author - WSRH. This is short for "We Stopped Reading Here". Background. Our less than sainted father was a college English professor. When grading essays and term papers, especially freshman courses, we observed him many a cruel time to slash across the page with his red pen. Just below the horrific line, he would write, "I stopped reading here... F." Clearly, papa was a professor, not an editor, so he was an I while we are, well, a we. Hence, ISRH transforms into WSRH. However you begin it, it is not a good thing. Avoid writing something which earns WSRH, you will not be happy with yourself.
Your comments on our comments are most welcome. You may be as frank as we are. Contrary opinions, supported by rational argument not finger-wagging, will help the prospective PB.com readers find the books which are right for them. Bottom line: our comments plus your comments, along with author rebuttals, will in the end benefit us all, and help PB.com listeners choose wisely.
Based on the success of this blog, we have started a Forum where you can share your insights and reviews. The more information and discussion, the better informed we will all be.
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