Whimdipity
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Gild
- The Plated Prisoner Series, Book 1
- By: Raven Kennedy
- Narrated by: Anthony Palmini, Lilly Drake
- Length: 9 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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King Midas rescued me. Dug me out of the slums and placed me on a pedestal. I'm called his precious. His favored. I'm the woman he Gold-Touched to show everyone that I belong to him. To show how powerful he is. He gave me protection, and I gave him my heart. And even though I don't leave the confines of the palace, I'm safe. Until war comes to the kingdom and a deal is struck.
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Fantastic
- By Amazon Customer on 07-11-24
- Gild
- The Plated Prisoner Series, Book 1
- By: Raven Kennedy
- Narrated by: Anthony Palmini, Lilly Drake
If the author truly wants to know…
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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Quicksilver
- The Fae & Alchemy Series, Book 1
- By: Callie Hart
- Narrated by: Stella Bloom, Anthony Palmini
- Length: 20 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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Twenty-four-year-old Saeris Fane is good at keeping secrets. No one knows about the strange powers she possesses or the fact that she has been picking pockets and stealing from the Undying Queen's reservoirs for as long as she can remember. But a secret is like a knot. Sooner or later, it is bound to come undone. When Saeris comes face-to-face with Death himself, she inadvertently reopens a gateway between realms and is transported to a land of ice and snow. The Fae have always been the stuff of myth, of legend, of nightmares… but it turns out they're real.
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Now one of my top 5 books of 2024
- By JMcClelland on 10-31-24
- Quicksilver
- The Fae & Alchemy Series, Book 1
- By: Callie Hart
- Narrated by: Stella Bloom, Anthony Palmini
Good, but not quite on par w/ Peckham & Valenti
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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Fourth Wing (Part 1 of 2) (Dramatized Adaptation)
- The Empyrean, Book 1
- By: Rebecca Yarros
- Narrated by: full cast, Scott McCormick, Troy Allan, and others
- Length: 7 hrs and 52 mins
- Original Recording
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Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders. But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away...because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them. With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success.
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The voices are so OFF
- By Amazon Customer on 12-27-23
- Fourth Wing (Part 1 of 2) (Dramatized Adaptation)
- The Empyrean, Book 1
- By: Rebecca Yarros
- Narrated by: full cast, Scott McCormick, Troy Allan, Jessica Lauren Ball, Khaya Fraites, Gabriel Michael, Torian Brackett, Taylor Coan, LaMont Ridgell, Robb Moreira, Laura C. Harris, David Cui Cui
Fantastic, Exciting, Thrilling
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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Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Vortex
- By: Troy Denning
- Narrated by: Marc Thompson
- Length: 14 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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In a stunning turn of events, Luke Skywalker and his son, Ben, joined forces with members of the Sith armada sent to kill them - and turned their combined might against the monstrous being Abeloth. But with Abeloth gone, the Sith reverted to form, making a treacherous attempt on Luke's life. Luke and Ben have no time for retaliation. A new and even more insidious threat is rising. Unless the Skywalkers survive to sound the alarm, the galaxy will suffer as it has never suffered before.
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Fate of the Jedi - Vortex
- By Rhonda B on 12-04-10
- Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Vortex
- By: Troy Denning
- Narrated by: Marc Thompson
Timeless - this is like Christmas Star Wars fans
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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Star Wars: Legacy of the Force #9: Invincible
- By: Troy Denning
- Narrated by: Marc Thompson
- Length: 6 hrs and 7 mins
- Abridged
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No war can last forever. Now, in the long and punishing battle between the defiant champions of the New Jedi Order and the juggernaut that is the Galactic Alliance, the endgame is finally at hand.
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Truly Entertaining!
- By T. Mcpherson on 01-27-09
- Star Wars: Legacy of the Force #9: Invincible
- By: Troy Denning
- Narrated by: Marc Thompson
As good as abridgment can be.
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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Star Wars: Legacy of the Force #3: Tempest
- By: Troy Denning
- Narrated by: Marc Thompson
- Length: 6 hrs and 16 mins
- Abridged
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As civil war threatens the unity of the Galactic Alliance, Han and Leia Solo have enraged their families and the Jedi by joining the Corellian insurgents. But the Solos draw the line when they discover the rebels' plot to make the Hapan Consortium an ally, which rests upon Hapan nobles murdering their pro-Alliance queen and her daughter.
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Great Because of Sounds and Music
- By markblue63 on 06-14-07
- Star Wars: Legacy of the Force #3: Tempest
- By: Troy Denning
- Narrated by: Marc Thompson
As good as an abridged version can be.
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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Star Wars: Legacy of the Force #2: Bloodlines
- By: Karen Traviss
- Narrated by: Marc Thompson
- Length: 6 hrs and 19 mins
- Abridged
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Civil war looms as the fledgling Galactic Alliance confronts a growing number of rebellious worlds - and the approaching war is tearing the Skywalker and Solo families apart. Han and Leia return to Han's homeworld, Corellia, the heart of the resistance. Their children, Jacen and Jaina, are soldiers in the Galactic Alliance's campaign to crush the insurgents.
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Very well done! A great series continues!
- By T. Mcpherson on 01-27-09
- Star Wars: Legacy of the Force #2: Bloodlines
- By: Karen Traviss
- Narrated by: Marc Thompson
After listening to entire series…
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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Star Wars: Legacy of the Force #8: Revelation
- By: Karen Traviss
- Narrated by: Marc Thompson
- Length: 6 hrs and 3 mins
- Abridged
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Jacen Solo's shadow of influence has threatened many, especially those closest to him. Jaina Solo is determined to bring her brother in, but in order to track him down, she must first learn unfamiliar skills from a man she finds ruthless, repellent, and dangerous. Meanwhile, Ben Skywalker, still haunted by suspicions that Jacen killed his mother, Mara, decides he must know the truth, even if it costs him his life.
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Well worth the money!
- By T. Mcpherson on 01-27-09
- Star Wars: Legacy of the Force #8: Revelation
- By: Karen Traviss
- Narrated by: Marc Thompson
The Best an Abridged Version Can Be
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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The Bonus
- By: T L Swan
- Narrated by: C J Bloom, Sean Masters
- Length: 14 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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Gabriel Ferrara is tall and handsome, and most days she wants to stab her eyes out with a pencil, anything to stop her seeing his perfection. How any female could work in these conditions and not be completely besotted with him is beyond her. Then he opens his mouth and she remembers why. He's bossy and sarcastic, with a wit so sharp it could cut glass. Every weekend is the same . . . while he's off living his dream life, she's counting down the days until Monday when she sees him again.
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More please…
- By CJ on 08-19-24
- The Bonus
- By: T L Swan
- Narrated by: C J Bloom, Sean Masters
Stellar Duet Narration!
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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Star Wars: The New Jedi Order: Enemy Lines I: Rebel Dreams
- By: Aaron Allston
- Narrated by: Alexander Adams
- Length: 3 hrs and 14 mins
- Abridged
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Scattering after the Yuuzhan Vong's invasion of Coruscant, the panic-stricken members of the New Republic Advisory Council pause just long enough to set up a mock defense on nearby Borleias and attempt to buy time - which fools no one, least of all the Jedi. Bearing down swiftly on Borleias is a Yuuzhan Vong invasion fleet, determined to destroy the galaxy's remaining defenders.
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Way too short for the money
- By Amazon Customer on 09-07-16
Try an AI reader w/ unabridged text…
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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