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Title: Imprudence

Author: Gail Carriger

Narrator: Moira Quirk

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 7 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-19-16

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 835 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Sci-Fi: Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

From New York Times best-selling author Gail Carriger comes the delightful sequel to Prudence.

Rue and the crew of the Spotted Custard return from India with revelations that shake the foundations of England's scientific community. Queen Victoria is not amused, the vampires are tetchy, and something is wrong with the local werewolf pack. To top it all off, Rue's best friend, Primrose, keeps getting engaged to the most unacceptable military types.

Rue has family problems as well. Her vampire father is angry, her werewolf father is crazy, and her obstreperous mother is both. Worst of all, Rue's beginning to suspect what they really are...is frightened.

Members Reviews:

I loved previous series, but...

I loved the Parasol Protectorate and the Finishing School series. In both cases, the narrators Emily Gray and Moira Quirk respectively, brought the series to life. However, the choice of Ms. Quirk here, is a mistake. The Custard Protocol as read by Ms. Quirk, makes Prudence sound like Sephronia and the secondary characters we came to love under Ms. Gray's voice (Akeldama, Alexia, Lord Maccon, Floote, Biffy) completely unrecognizable for the devoted listener. In some cases, the pronunciations were so different (Rabiffano, BUR as "bur" not B-U-R) that it was beyond disconcerting. Akeldama sounded exactly like Professor Braithwaite. Some consistency at the very least would have been good. There was also little vocal differentiation between Rue and Primrose, so at times it wasn't possible to tell who was speaking by their voice. Unusual given Ms. Quick's deft vocal handing of Sephronia and her best friend Dimity. I would have had Ms. Gray continue the Alexia-based storyworld. While these things don't speak to the plot, the interfere with the ability to transport into the story, making the experience less satisfying at the outset. However, the problems with Imprudence went deeper than just the narration.

Unlike Sephronia, Prudence, or Rue, has little to recommend her that make us really care about her. While Imprudence was slightly better in this regard than the previous book Prudence, the plot was thin. The amount of time that Rue and Quesnel spent sexually exploring emphasized the YA nature of the series. While the Finishing School was YA also, the plots were more engaging, clever and intricate, the characters were uniformly much better developed. In Imprudence, many interesting angles were unexplored (i.e. the were-lion island, the Templars, Floote's life in Egypt, etc.)

I started it once and lost interest, but came back again due to my regard for the author. It was disappointing relative to the cleverness of previous books. My guess it that it's hard to satisfy readers/listeners who have expectations from previous works, but this was not up to previous standards. Without the significant backstory from the Protectorate books, this would have been an even thinner experience. Listen knowing these shortcomings and you will probably enjoy Gail Carriger's unique voice.

Wonderfully witty and entertaining story!

This is not a stand alone book, as it's set in the world developed by previous stories. I recommend starting with Prudence's Mother's story 'Soulless"' (Soul less) in the Parasol Protector series, of which there are 5 books.

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Title: Ghost Run

Subtitle: Day by Day Armageddon, Book 4

Author: J. L. Bourne

Narrator: Jay Snyder

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 14 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-19-16

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 1108 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Sci-Fi: Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

The acclaimed and eagerly anticipated fourth thriller in the zombie apocalypse series from the author of Day by Day Armageddon and Day by Day Armageddon: Beyond Exile, for fans of the smash hit show The Walking Dead.

In a desperate bid to survive as hordes of bloodthirsty undead now dominate the ravaged US population, a navy commander discovers an incredible secret about the pandemic in this fourth novel in the acclaimed Day by Day Armageddon series.

Task Force Phoenix may be humanity's final hope, and the narrator's agonizing decisions could mean living one more day - or surrendering to the eternal hell that exists between life and death.

Ghost Run is a suspenseful, gripping, and intelligent thriller that will terrify die-hard horror fans and reinforce J. L. Bourne's reputation as "the new king of hardcore zombie action" (Brad Thor, author of Act of War).

Members Reviews:

Back on track

If you could sum up Ghost Run in three words, what would they be?

I enjoyed this novel a lot more than book three to which I gave a really bad review. It needs to be on the timeline for it to work for me. I still don't enjoy the characters name ( Kilroy) , make it feel like the author is hiding the main character from identity thief in a Zombie apocalypse? I will wait for the next novel !

This was another great story in the series

Jay Schneider Nails it as a narrator of this great jail born story can't wait for another one.

Awesome book, well worth the listen!

Love all of jl.bournes books this one was great and can't wait for the next installment. Was funny hearing the reader pronounce n-oh-ds instead of nods.

Jay Snyder kills as Kil!

Right on the money and worth every penny, to me Jay Snyder is Kil! His voice and the storms weathered within make you see and feel where this bad-ass is coming from and where he's going. Take a listen...

awsome

I have been a Die Hard fan of this series since I found it. and this is another amazing addition I love the way it's written and sincerely hope there will be another book soon. thx for the awsome read

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Title: The Apocalypse Renegades

Subtitle: The Undead World Series, Book 5

Author: Peter Meredith

Narrator: Basil Sands

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 18 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-18-16

Publisher: Peter Meredith

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 361 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Sci-Fi: Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Nothing is simple anymore in the new undead world. Crossing a road, making tea, meeting new people, all can turn deadly in a twitch of an eye. For the Renegades, who are unarmed and hounded over half the state by ruthless bounty hunters, there's only one thing that they can say is simple: dying.

Surrounded by enemies and without help from the imprisoned Captain Grey, they flee from one trap into another with little but the wits of Jillybean and Neil's steadfast leadership to keep them alive. But is it enough?

Not by a long shot.

They have to dig deep and take wild chances to stay out of the clutches of the River King and they find out the hard way that there are consequences to rolling the dice against the devil.

Members Reviews:

WOW!

Somehow, Peter has outdone himself once again. I just finished listening and I am SOOOO bummed out that it's over and I'm once again left wanting the next one to be playing right now! Great story, character development, and above all else, it keeps you on your toes with the feeling that no one is truly safe! The narrator did a great job with this one as well. Hopefully the next one comes out much sooner than this one did!

I have really enjoyed this series so far but...

I think this has been an excellent book series but like others I have listened to or read which extend more than four or five books I am beginning to see the possibility of repetition which I suppose is only natural that being said I have purchased the next book in the series as I have enjoyed all the previous ones and am looking forward to it

like always awsome

loved it. can't wait to hear the rest of the books remaining in the series.

This series keeps getting better and better!

I can't wait to start book 6. what happens wirh Jillybean? Does Ipes return? I must know!!

Truly unique main character.. Jillybean is like no other!!

This is an amazing series! Be warned, once you start you can't stop! Excellent characters, fast paced action. The most unique character you'll find anywhere! If you've been looking for a great listen, you've found it!

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Title: The Wrong Unit

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: Rob Dircks

Narrator: Rob Dircks

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 37 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-15-16

Publisher: Goldfinch Publishing

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 686 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Sci-Fi: Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

I don't know what the humans are so cranky about. Their enclosures are large, they ingest over 1,000 calories per day, and they're allowed to mate. Plus, they have me: an Autonomous Servile Unit, housed in a mobile/bipedal chassis. I do my job well: keep the humans healthy and happy.

"Hey you.

Heyoo. That's my name, I suppose. It's easier for the humans to remember than 413s98-itr8. I guess I've gotten used to it.

Rob Dircks, author of Where the Hell is Tesla? and Dont Touch the Blue Stuff!, has a "unit" with a problem: how to deliver his package, out in the middle of nowhere, with nothing to guide him. Oh, and with the fate of humanity hanging in the balance. It's a science fiction tale of technology gone haywire, unlikely heroes, and the nature of humanity. (Woah. That last part sounds deep. Don't worry, it's not.)

Critic Reviews:

Dircks has delivered a fantastic novel that is charming, thoughtful, both heart wrenching and heart warming, thought-provoking, and ultimately just hilarious. (AudiobookReviewer.com)

"Rob Dircks manages to bridge the tricky divide between science-fiction and humor so effortlessly that a comparison to Vonnegut is not a hyperbolic stretch. (Ruth Sinanian, Literature Reviewer)

Members Reviews:

Futuristic journey without a single misstep

Its the mark of a master storyteller to be able to take an old story and make it new again, and thats exactly what Rob Dircks has done in The Wrong Unit. Countless scifi writers have undertaken the story of when AIs go bad (think Hal in 2001: A Space Odyssey for just one example). Here, Dircks takes on that trope, adds a father-son bonding sub-plot and a hero journey (or two) on the side, and makes it all feel new again.

One way the book distinguishes itself is by telling the story from the point of view of the evil AI. The viewpoint character is a robotic unit named Heyoo (derived from the way it is addressed by its human charges as Hey You), one of thousands of robots that serve and protect humanity under the direction of a misguided AI. Like any really good villain, the robots can rationalize their behavior and truly believe what they are doing is for humanitys benefit. As a reader, watching everything through Heyoos point-of-view, I found myself laughing at his misapprehensions while rooting for him to figure out the error of his ways.

Laughter is another way this book differentiates itself. As with his first book, Where the Hell is Tesla? (which I also highly recommend), humor is a big reason why Dircks writing stands head and shoulders above the rest of the scifi field. From tiny touches, like having Heyoo journal his life via introspection recordings to plays on programming nightmares like circular references, scarcely a page goes by without a snicker, if not a laugh-out-loud moment.

Good as all that is, what really makes this a 5-star novel is the way the reader grows to love the characters. Heart-warming sounds so cliché, but it is 100% applicable. Heyoo is more human, more caring and more lovable than the protagonists of many a scifi thriller. Yes, I even got verklempt a couple of times.

With the assured hand of a master, Dircks has constructed a perfect little novel. I could easily see this made into a movie, it was that good. And to get the full experience, I highly recommend you listen to the audio version of the book.

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Title: Wizard Scout

Subtitle: Intergalactic Wizard Scout Chronicles, Book 3

Author: Rodney Hartman

Narrator: Guy Williams

Format: Unabridged

Length: 19 hrs and 44 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-14-16

Publisher: R&K Publishing

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 741 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Sci-Fi: Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Wizard scouts are the elite, deep-recon forces of the Intergalactic Empire. The Intergalactic Wizard Scout Academy has been producing wizard scouts for over 800 years, but is the Academy's long history coming to an end?

Richard is only in his junior year at the Academy, but it may well be his last. The war with the bat-like Crosioians is straining the resources of the Intergalactic Empire to the breaking point. Every soldier is needed on the front lines to stave off the Empire's destruction. Not to mention politicians are eyeing the Academy as a financial drain that can no longer be justified. To top things off, teams of spell-wielding magic users have been spotted reconnoitering near the Academy. What does it all mean?

Between the Crosioians, politicians, and magic users, Richard and his friends are being assaulted from every side. The fate of the Academy, and indeed the entire Empire, may well lie in their hands. Outnumbered and outgunned, what can mere cadets do? But they're wizard scout cadets, and it'll be a cold day on Sirius when they'll let anyone threaten their Academy without a fight.

Join Richard and his friends as they stare near-certain defeat in the face. Will their wizard scout training be enough? Not even the best calculations of the battle computer, Nickelo, can tell for sure. But one thing's for certain, the Crosioians picked the wrong cadets to mess with.

Members Reviews:

Could be so much better

Let me first say that I love the world or at least the parts explored so far. The plot is OK but the storytelling is mediocre. Repetitive sequences and not to mention paragraphs with the exact same text. By this book I know sealing the suit inserts tubes and needles please stop regurgitating it. That is only one example, but there are many more.

The "dialogue" between the battle computer "Nic" and the protagonist is also not funny or entertaining.

Get some more help and clean this up...can be so much better

Slow and confusing

This series should not be taken out of order. Each sequel builds upon things listed in previous books. Information about 'The One' is scattered through book. This makes trying to figure him out confusing. This novel tends to have mini stories going on at the same time. This also makes keeping things straight. Just when boredom and the urge to skip ahead sets in, action starts. Some things get repeated often while others are glossed over and dropped. I have a few questions from previous books that don't get answered in this one. Also there is some contradictions compared to previous books. I can think of a few examples but don't want to be a plot spoiler. Guy Williams does a good job with this series.

My thoughts

I found this book to start slow, and parts were confusing as the author developed the background of "the One"!

Still, I enjoyed listening to this book!

excellent

loved it. again hard to put down. I fell asleep and had to find where I left off. haha

This author needs to chill on the extremes of life

The author made the main character so damn childish and immature for a twenty something ish character that it's just too damn painful. I like the premise, but the character is just too damn stupid to enjoy.

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Title: Arrival

Author: Ryk Brown

Narrator: David Drummond

Format: Unabridged

Length: 18 hrs

Language: English

Release date: 06-28-16

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 663 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Sci-Fi: Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

The Eden Project was a dream.

To start the first extra-solar colony....

To avoid the mistakes of our past....

To start anew.

Three generations, born and raised on a starship hurtling through space. To never know an open sky....

To never feel the wind on their face.

To never witness the sun rise or set.

It is up to the advance team to set foot on each of these worlds, conduct their surveys, and send their findings back to the colony ship. Everything must go as planned, for the welfare of all the colonists depends on them.

Members Reviews:

CHILDREN. IN. SPAAAaaaAaAaAACE!!!!

The most well trained explorers the human race can muster turn out to be immature morons. Incapable of even the most basic communication skills, these overgrown toddlers fumble around and struggle through the intricacies of human relationships. Watch them get mad at the drop of a hat, mope around, fight with their commander, and constantly over explain their stupid plans. Hope you find this useful!

Took awhile to like any of the characters

One dimensional and unlikable characters were the start of this story. The premise and the resolution of the crisis was divided and unclear.

Too juvenile

Expected a more mature story and performance. This reads like a junior reader selection and the narrator overacts an already trite dialogue. Every cliché imagined is contained.

Great Author but not a great story

He is one if my favorite authors . However I found this book to be less than gripping. As the story progressed I began to feel depressed. I would recommend any of his books except this one.

Terrible performance of reader ruins story.

it was very hard for me to get into this story, not because of any problem with itself, but with the readers voicing of the characters. it felt like i was sitting in a children's story time at the library. If you don't have a talent for voices, you shouldn't try to do them in my opinion.

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Title: Hope

Author: A. American, G. Michael Hopf

Narrator: Joseph Morton

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 59 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-23-16

Publisher: G. Michael Hopf

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 256 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Sci-Fi: Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Neal managed to survive the initial weeks after an EMP decimated the grid and all critical infrastructures. Using his cunning, skills, and mindset, he navigated the harsh new landscape. Life became harder when the weeks turned to months but still he survived. As he settled into his new normal, complacency set in with it. At first everything was fine, but then the deadly realities came to his doorstep. When tragedy struck all he wanted to do was give up, but a promise he had made kept him going, barely. He was a man without a home, a purpose, and, more importantly, hope. That changed one day along a desolate highway in the desert. There he'd discover a new reason for living.

Members Reviews:

Hit and miss

I have to admit I knew the book length when I bought it. Still, why no more story then what we get? I obviously like it since I want more. The character development is excellent. A reader makes an informed decision about liking or hating the people in this book.

This is about average people and how they react to an apocalypse. They make a lot of mistakes - some that are fatal. The language is rough compared to other works by these authors.

Without a spoiler, the FEMA/military actions are bizarre. I expect an explanation in a future book.

Now the bad. The narrator seems to be immune to periods. Why waste time on breathing between sentences? Really, can't the producer hear the problems? How about some pace and inflection? It is tough to keep listening.

This is a good story and worth the time. But perhaps it is better in this case to go with the printed version.

cant get worse

This book wasnt for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

I purchased this book because I have listened to all of the Going Home Series from A. American. However, I this he only lent his name to this book and had nothing to do with its writing. I normally don't write reviews but this book is so bad I had to say something. There not a single good thing I can say about this book.....

Don't waste your time

Terrible, amateurish, poorly written!!!!

I kept "hoping" that it would resolve itself, but no such luck.

Not what I was expecting

What disappointed you about Hope?

The biggest issue was that its a 'short story' - not a full novel or series. These kinds of stories dont reach their full potential or any type of satisfactory 'ending point' in short stories. The only exception to that is if the short story is based off a character within a series.

Would you be willing to try another book from A. American and G. Michael Hopf ? Why or why not?

These are two of my favorite authors (A. American and the Going Home Series, G. Michael Hopf and the Long Road series).

Have you listened to any of Joseph Mortons other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes, Joseph Morton is 'tolerable' to me. He isnt my favorite or first choice, but he is FAR better than some I have listened to.

You didnt love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

It was written by two of my favorite authors.

Hugely disappointed.

Was really let down in every aspect of this book. Expected a lot more from these two authors.

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Title: Dead Man's Debt

Author: Elliott Kay

Narrator: Tim Pabon

Format: Unabridged

Length: 16 hrs and 34 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-21-16

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 606 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Sci-Fi: Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

"We require a different battlefield."

Nobody expected the war to last three hours, let alone three years. The star system of Archangel holds the line against invading corporate fleets, but a quarter of its territory is already lost. The navy can't hang on much longer. Faced with this grim truth, Archangel's leaders shift their strategy to diplomacy and espionage. For both arenas, they call upon a reluctant weapon: a frontline grunt named Tanner Malone.

These days Tanner doesn't aspire to win the war. He merely wants to survive it. Now he'll be thrust into the center of events once again, pulled back and forth from covert missions to the media spotlight. Yet with every battle, he gets closer to the old enemy hidden in the shadows and the ugly truth about the war that could unravel everything Archangel might hope to win.

Members Reviews:

Another fantastic adventure with Tanner Malone

I had been waiting for this, it was absolutely amazing, while at the same time it made you think about what had been lost in the course of the story. Never just a war novel, Tanner brings the fight home with his personality and his refusal, regardless of the circumstance, to be ok with everything he must do.

Mr. Pabon narrated excellently, his characters are varied and well voiced. I couldn't have listened to it with another narrator, great job!

Good from beginning to end

Great story over three books and the third book raps it up with a bow. About 30 bucks for all three and over 60 hours. Worth it.

Great end of to the sequence. I hope we see more.

Each novel in this series is better than the last. The hidden depth to the plotting comes full circle here. The bad guys aren't purely bad and the good guys aren't purely good. In fact, the author could have ended series in triumph without touching any further on the criminality that may have been necessary to ensure such a victory. He doesn't. Nobody gets off the easy way. As has been the case all along in the series, the characters are well developed and not static, the politics are more mature and the description of corporate intrigue are given more thought than the generic corporate bad guy in an SF novel. Oh, and the battles continue to be fast paced and brutal.

Interesting naritive Concept.

I have enjoyed the over all concept of this book series. I had no trouble getting into the story. I also am currently re listening to the book.

If you liked the series, Undying Mercenaries, Old Man's War, Expeditionary Force, give it a try.

Good ending

A worthy conclusion to the trilogy.

Some of it a bit to convenient but very enjoyable.

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Title: A Learning Experience, Book 1

Author: Christopher G. Nuttall

Narrator: Christian Rummel

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 5 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-21-16

Publisher: Podium Publishing

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1217 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Sci-Fi: Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Earth is not alone. There is a towering civilization out in the galaxy, far greater than anything we can imagine. But we are isolated from the galaxy...until now.

When a bunch of interstellar scavengers approach Earth intending to abduct a few dozen humans and sell them into slavery in the darkest, they make the mistake of picking on Steve Stuart and his friends, ex-military veterans all. Unprepared for humans who can actually fight, unaware of the true capabilities of their stolen starships, the scavengers rapidly lose control of the ship - and their lives.

To Steve the captured starship represents a great opportunity, one to establish a new civilization away from Earth and its increasingly oppressive bureaucracy. But with the aliens plotting their revenge and human factions suspicious of the new technology, it will be far from easy to create a whole new world....

Members Reviews:

THE very beginning to Stocker's Empire's Corps

If you didn't get Nuttall's politics and opinions in The Empire's Corps, you can't miss it in this. Nuttal uses a 2x4 to get it into your head. By the end of the book, you will know where Col. Stalker (Stocker?)'s Empire came from. We sort of knew it anyway, but here's the tale to tell it.

You will learn how the usually exemplary Nuttall feels about politics and politicians, society, the military and U.S. actions in the Middle East, law and justice, and several other things. Even if you agree with him on every point, you will tire of the lectures.

Then there're the problematic literary aspects that detract from your reading enjoyment. Steve's death was absorbed, and they moved on. Later they name a ship after him, but that is about all the emotion invested there. There are some kids among the brothers, but we don't even remember their names, and they never figure into the story. Thank goodness there is tech to take care of them, since the parents are not around. The entire story took place in less than 2 months. Thank goodness the aliens are morons and could easily be overpowered by 3 of 'Murika's finest. And thank goodness the moronic aliens had neural interfacing headbands so our heroes could link to the computer system to run the ship and access all the tech that allows them to accomplish in 45 days what should have taken 10 years.

We who love this genre love references to all our other beloved works, but there are just too, too many references to Star Trek especially, but also Babylon 5, Harry Potter, Atlas Shrugged and more. Naming the moon base Heinlein should have been a grin for us, but it became just another eye roll.

This back story is so childish and amateurish that you'd think Nuttall had written it in high school after having read all the above literature. The only reason any of us will go on to the next volume is to get the history that led to the rise and fall of the Galactic Empire so we can get to the really good stuff in The Empire's Corps. And I guess we end up soundly defeating all the thousands of alien species mentioned in this book, since there are none by Ed Stocker's time.

Mary Sue, we're so lucky we have you.

Luckily for the human race, Steve Protagonist is the one who encounters the aliens and is able to come up with a plan to save us all.

The main character at least does have a bit of an arc.

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Title: Hard Luck Hank: Stank Delicious, Book 5

Author: Steven Campbell

Narrator: Liam Owen

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 27 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-17-16

Publisher: Steven Campbell

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 1374 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Sci-Fi: Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Belvaille has cemented its place as the most important system in the galaxy and Hank is working as an official Factotum, negotiating deals between gangs and noblemen under the watchful eye of the Arch Minister.

When his ever-capable butler, Cliston, is approached to become the General Manager of a Super Class glocken team, Hank is hired not only as protection, but as a player.

Hank finds himself thrown into the most grueling bloodsport in the galaxy and tasked with finding out how and why players are being abducted.

The friendly rivalries turn into full-scale conflict, and Hank unravels a far more insidious plot than the fixing of gambling results. In the process, Hank learns a lot about his history that he never even dreamed had existed.

Many of Hank's friends and enemies return in this action-packed and humorous take on the professional sporting world.

NOTE: Sequel to Hard Luck Hank: Screw the Galaxy, Hard Luck Hank: Basketful of Crap, Hard Luck Hank: Prince of Suck, and Hard Luck Hank: Suck My Cosmos

Members Reviews:

Hank grew on my like a fungus; but in a good way

I dont think Hard luck Hank will ever go down as one of the great literary achievements of our time; in fact to quote one of my favorite sitcoms, MASH, I find it emotional exhausted and morally bankrupt. The characters are a motley group of humans, mutants and aliens living on a space Station known as Belvaille; and they are deviants, criminals, assassins, and the dregs of society. They all seem void of compassion with no moral compass and most often use murder and corruption as a way of life. At first I thought it juvenile and at times completely asinine, and it is, but thats what makes this series darkly funny and entertaining and kept me wanting to hear more. Even Liam Owens rendition of Hank and the rest of these flawed characters seemed over the top with cartoon like voices, but thats the way they should sound to mesh with Steven Campbells outlandish writing. It was like my first shot of tequila, hard to take at first, but by the end of the first story I was hooked. Now, after listening to this fifth book, I cant wait for the next one.

The American Pratchett

Yes, I just compared Campbell with Pratchett. There are differences, mainly the difference between British and American humor. Hard Luck Hank is the funniest American series I have ever read or listened to. Very few authors can make me laugh out loud as I have when reading or hearing about such things as Hank telling his butler/gm to tell his coach that he has ass cancer. And there is so much more! Campbell has given this series a gut busting hilarious sarcasm that few American authors can pull off without sounding slapstick and juvenile.

I wish there were an infinity of HLH novels. I almost never read or listen to novels more than once, but I will be reading and listening to this series multiple times over the coming years. Anytime I am feeling blue I know Hank and Company can put a smile on my face.

I strongly recommend this series and, although Campbell does a nice job of reminding us what happened in earlier books, I recommend that readers begin at the 1st book. Get to know Hank, Garm, MTB and the gang. It makes it that much more funny and enjoyable.

And the narrator is excellent. He is Hank. Timing, tone, tempo, everything. Perfect mesh between author and narrator.