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Whimdipity

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If the author truly wants to know…

Overall
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Story
3 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 12-25-24

Do you want to know why this - and other extremely good stories with all the right ingredients in this genre -fall short of a 5 star rating?

It’s such a simple answer: Balance. The authors don’t seem to have a knack for how much of each ingredient is needed - especially during what is supposed to be high action, high momentum scenes.

I’m in Chapter 28, and it’s like stop motion animation with the author smothering the actual action w/ genuinely gratuitous LFC inner dialogue between what would be each frame of a film.

A Shakespearean-esque description of the scene and sensory details is great, but sometimes it’s better to start w/ this, then let a single violent act begin and end sans the gratuitous contemplations, and save the deep reflections for the aftermath.

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Good, but not quite on par w/ Peckham & Valenti

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Story
3 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 12-24-24

If your standard for 5 star storytelling in this genre is Zodiac Academy or the Fourth Wing series, this will fall in the 3.75-4.0 range.

There’s enough here to make for a good listening experience - made all the better w/ duet narration and decent voice acting.

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Fantastic, Exciting, Thrilling

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 12-05-24

The non-dramatized audiobook is outstanding.

The dramatized version is phenomenal.

Either will satisfy your craving for escape and entertainment.

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Timeless - this is like Christmas Star Wars fans

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 11-29-24

It amazes me that so many Star Wars fans don’t realize that they have access to what equates to dozens of Star Wars movies - w/ the original movie score and all the sound effects - that tell the epic 40 year journey of Luke, Leia, Han, their kids, the Jedi, the Sith, the the rise/fall/reinvention of the New Republic into the Galactic Alliance and the Empire into the Imperial Remnant,

Many of the unabridged audiobook series w/ Marc Thompson narrating are - beyond question - just as good or better than the movies. With Marc Thompson or Jonathon Davis narrating and the original movie score/sound effects behind it, you see the movie in your head so vividly that after finishing a book you legitimately recall the “visual” story much like you had been watching it in a theater.

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As good as abridgment can be.

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 11-19-24

Yes, much is lost in the abridgment. But the LOTF series is absolutely worth a listen - it is leaps and bounds better than previously abridged series.

Unlike with previous series (New Jedi Order, etc.) the abridging of the LOTF series is smarter. Instead of trying to retain a little of everything, which creates a bumpy, less coherent story, the LOTF audiobooks commit to specific storylines and what is in there by itself seems complete. Of course, it isn’t everything and a lot is missing, which is why the unabridged books are must reads for true SW fans.

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As good as an abridged version can be.

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 11-18-24

Having the paperback, digital, and abridged audiobook (w/ soundtrack) versions of LOTF gives me a pretty well rounded opinion on the series.

Unlike w/ previous series, the abridged versions in LOTF are extremely good. Yes - there is meaningful content missing and I highly recommend reading the books. But the overall experience is smooth enough that, with the soundtrack behind it, the abridged audiobooks are an incredible experience. With the musical themes from the original score and sound effects in the background - there’s enough here to make up for the abridgement.

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After listening to entire series…

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 11-18-24

Having the paperback, digital, and abridged audiobook (w/ soundtrack) versions of LOTF gives me a pretty well rounded opinion on the series.

Unlike w/ previous series, the abridged versions in LOTF are extremely good. Yes - there is meaningful content missing and I highly recommend reading the books. But the overall experience is smooth enough that, with the soundtrack behind it, the abridged audiobooks are an incredible experience. With the musical themes from the original score and sound effects in the background - there’s enough here to make up for the abridgement.

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The Best an Abridged Version Can Be

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 11-18-24

Having the paperback, digital, and abridged audiobook (w/ soundtrack) versions of LOTF gives me a pretty well rounded opinion on the series.

Unlike w/ previous series, the abridged versions in LOTF are extremely good. Yes - there is meaningful content missing and I highly recommend reading the books. But the overall experience is smooth enough that, with the soundtrack behind it, the abridged audiobooks are an incredible experience. Having the haunting “Luke staring at the Twin Suns of Tatooine” melody play as Luke and Ben grieve for Mara Jade, the ambient sounds and snap hiss of light sabers activating, and the many other musical themes from the original score in the background - there’s enough here to make the abridgement tolerable.

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Stellar Duet Narration!

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 10-31-24

The story is very good. The narration is first class.

CJ Bloom is absolutely brilliant in roles like this. Her voice paints such a clear picture of the facial expressions, actions, and emotions of a female character in every state - especially the desperately, hopelessly, tragically comedic, and hopelessly in love one. That’s where Swan’s writing and Bloom’s delivery combine to create magic.

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Try an AI reader w/ unabridged text…

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
3 out of 5 stars
Story
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 10-18-24

I bought abs listened to these abridged audiobooks years ago. Then I bought the books and realized how much essential content was missing from the audiobooks . Now that there are AI reading voices that are truly good enough to make for enjoyable listening from the unabridged text, I highly recommend trying this. I use NaturalReader and the AI voice named Andrew.

It’s not as good as having the audio effects and the movie soundtrack, but abridging these books requires removing massive amounts of essential content. There isn’t any “fluff” or gratuitous content to begin with, so what is removed completely alters the story.

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