Review: Puffs the Play: or 7 Increasingly Eventful Years At A Certain School of Magic and Magic

Puffs the Play: or 7 Increasingly Eventful Years At A Certain School of Magic and Magic by Matt Cox
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“Puffs the Play: or 7 Increasingly Eventful Years At A Certain School of Magic and Magic”

by Matt Cox

Publisher : Independently published (December 10, 2018)

Paperback : 132 pages

I'm still reading a bunch of plays for “reasons.” But this play I'm reading for another reason. That reason is; a couple of years ago our local college/community theatre performed this play. I wanted to be in the play but I was just simply too old to be in the cast. The play doesn't require the young to play the parts, but in order to be consistent it is good for the director to keep the cast within the same age range. They are all playing kids from ages 10-18 years old. So I didn't pass the audition. I wonder if it was because I wouldn't shave my Van Dyke beard. My son got a part in the show, so I was happy and went to all 4 performances.

So this play is what happened to the other kids at that famous school for wizards and magic. The Puffs. The student's who were going for third place or nothing (out of 4) Basically this was like the “Breakfast Club” but nerdier, more pitiful at times, and waaaaayyyyy funnier. The one thing I completely enjoyed about this play is the allowance for or rather demand for improv moments. I love Improv and love watching it done right. The actor I saw play the character of Zach Smith was so funny. Each performance he had a different improv for his big improv moment. One of the nights he managed to sum up the last 2 years worth of performances at the college/community theatre into one story that just had me rolling.

If you are a fan of those Harry Potter books, please do yourself a favor and either read this script or go find a performance of this play. The inside jokes are worth the price of admission alone. Matt Cox is a fan of the wizarding series and especially a fan of the 90s. This comes to fruition in this play that is chock full of fun, pop-culture references that is sure to keep any audience entertained. The copy I read and the one I saw performed had some language that may restrict where the play is performed, however, I understand Matt Cox has written a younger version of the play in order to make it safe for all ages.

Matt Cox not only has written a funny pop-culture play, but he creates characters that drag you into the story more so than J.K. Rowling. When reading the original books, there were times I would just say these kids are stupid. But in Matt Cox's play I was involved. I wanted to know what they were doing at all times, especially the 3 main characters; Oliver, Megan, and Wayne. In fact throughout the play there were times when I had tears in my eyes from laughter and I was thankful because a scene or 2 later there would be tears from sadness and I didn't want to seem like a crybaby.

My experience after watching 4 performances and now reading this play is one I will cherish. I was moved several times between laughing out loud to drying the tears from sadness. After talking with the cast of this show (besides my son, there were many in the cast I am friends with) I found the same happened to them, in fact to this day the cast cherish their time in “Puffs.” The only other time I have seen such bonding in a play was a 2 week run of “Godspell.” The cast became the closest of friends from there after same as with “Puffs.” So,yeah, “Puffs” has a bit of a religious experience to it.

Thank You Matt Cox for such a great emotional rollercoaster!!!

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Review: Mizlansky/Zilinsky

Mizlansky/Zilinsky by Jon Robin Baitz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“Mizlansky/Zilinsky”

By Jon Robin Baitz

Performed by: Nathan Lane, Paul Sand, Grant Shaud, Rob Morrow, Julie Kavner, Richard Masur, Harry Shearer, Kurtwood Smith, Robert Walden

Length: 1 hr and 46 mins

Produced by L.A. Theatre Works

Release date: 05-07-08

This time around in my play research, I'm looking for something a little light-hearted. Going to my reliable source for play productions I look at L.A. Theatre Works for something. LATW always comes through with some great plays with stellar casts and outsanding production that puts you right smack dab in the middle of the audience. So, knowing, this will be a play I want to hear I start looking. (I'm still reading a couple of plays in book form, so I needed something to fill those downtimes.)

The first thing that grabs me with this production is the cast. Two of the members of the cast are regular voice actors on “The Simpsons,” Julie Kavner and Harry Shearer, I already love Nathan Lane and Rob Morrow, so I think immediately this will be fun. And fun it is...actually fun is a bit of an understatement.

Nathan Lane plays Davis Mizlansky a Hollywood producer trying to avoid the IRS. He's now in the business of selling tax shelters in the form of Bible stories on tape. When a big Oklahoma money man, Horton De Vries, played by Kurtwood Smith (Red Forman from “That 70s Show”) has some potential buyers things get interesting, especially since Horton seems to be an anti-semite unknowingly working with the Mizlansky/Zilansky jewish duo.

That being the meat of the story in my opinion the funniest bits are between Davis and his assistant. Some funny stuff there. Check this out. Now if I can find a stage to perform this I think more laughs can be found.

Publisher's Summary

Italian shoes, a house in the hills, a gift for stretching the truth, and a petulant assistant to pick the scallions out of his Szechuan noodles - Hollywood producer Davis Mizlansky has it all. But he's about to lose it to the IRS unless he can pull off one more deal. A stellar cast performs this hilarious send-up of modern-day Hollywood.

©2007 L.A. Theatre Works (P)2007 L.A. Theatre Works

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Review: Fake

Fake by Eric Simonson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“Fake”

By: Eric Simonson

Narrated by: Francis Guinan, Kate Arrington, Coburn Goss, Alan Wilder, Larry Yando

Length: 2 hrs and 5 mins

Published June 1st 2010 by LA Theatre Works

I have been looking into several plays lately (for reasons yet to be discussed) and having know the quality works put out by L.A. Theatre Works, I've been diving into several of their productions. This is one of the them and I'll let you know the acting and audio production is superb as always. This manner not only gets me familiar with plays it also lets me know how talented individuals have translated these plays.

I'm not looking for any specific type of play, just wanting to know more of what's out there. My reviews here are a bit short, since I am just looking for a summary for now, some plays have stood out and I have a bit more to say, so just bear with these performance reviews, and know there's a reason to my madness. I'm still reading and listening to regular prose books/audiobooks, so they'll be interspersed with the other reviews. (eventually)

This play discusses the events that led to the debunking of “The Piltdown Man” In 1912, archaeologists in Piltdown, England discovered a skull purported to be from a creature providing the missing link between man and ape. In 1953, the Piltdown skull was debunked as fake. Simonson spends the play time to try to figure why and whether well known author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was involved.

Intermingled with discussions of politics and religion the answer is never really discovered. However, listening to this performance the audience does get the chance to wax philosophic. Entertaining and even thought provoking this looks like it may be a fun play to produce. I'm putting this toward the top of my list.

Publisher's Summary

Oscar-winning and Tony-nominated writer and director Eric Simonson explores the most famous archeological hoax in history. Alternating between 1914 and 1953, journalists and scientists set out to uncover who planted the Piltdown Man skull. Everyone's a suspect, including legendary Sherlock Holmes author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast performance featuring Kate Arrington, Coburn Goss, Francis Guinan, Alan Wilder and Larry Yando.

Fake is part of L.A. Theatre Works’ Relativity Series featuring science-themed plays. Major funding for the Relativity Series is provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to enhance public understanding of science and technology in the modern world.

©2010 L.A. Theatre Works (P)2010 L.A. Theatre Works

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Review: Dinah Was

Dinah Was by Oliver Goldstick
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Dinah Was

by Oliver Goldstick

Length: 1 hr and 43 mins

Published January 1st 2003 by LA Theatre Works

Whenever I listen to an audiobook that is a biography or autobiography of a musician I always end up getting perturbed when they talk about a song or the writing of a song and I cannot hear that song immediately. I think audiobooks in particular should at least have a clip of that song in the audio recording. But it rarely happens, and thus I have to stop where I am in the story and seek out that song. It helps the story to make sense. I once read a book about Bruce Springsteen's music with my phone and a blue tooth speaker handy just so I could hear each song being discussed. It was pure heaven.

That being said, you don't have to worry about this audio production of the play, “Dinah Was” by Oliver Goldstick. First of all it's another L.A. Theatre Works production so the production and acting is all superb. The role of Dinah Washington in this production is played by Yvette Freeman. Ms. Freemen does an awesome job singing the songs and all in the right place, in otherwords where I would normally have to stop and go find the song.

So now you just have to sit back and listen to a beautiful performance about the life of “The Queen of the Blues,” Dinah Washington. I love the scene in the opening of the play where she is booked to play a Las Vegas hotel but being black she is not allowed into the hotel proper. I hate that our society was once that bad, I would like to say we are getting better and from then to now improvements have been made in our society, but we still need work.

This play condenses the short life of Dinah Washington and her influence on the music biz. If nothing else the music is delicious. Go and consume this production from LATW, it will be worth it.

Publisher's Summary

In a white fur coat, ‘The Queen of the Blues’ sits on her luggage outside a Las Vegas hotel. It’s 1959—the legendary star can’t enter the hotel without a white escort. So Dinah Washington, in her inimitable style, takes a long pull from her flask and starts kicking up a fuss. Yvette Freeman reprises her OBIE Award-winning performance in this passionate play by Oliver Goldstick that reminds us “What a Difference a Day Makes”. Features songs made famous by Dinah Washington and performed in the play by Yvette Freeman.

Original orchestrations and arrangements by Jason Robert Brown; performed by Lanny Hartley on piano, Leroy Ball on bass, and Washington Rucker on drums.

Includes a conversation with playwright Oliver Goldstick.

Recorded before a live audience at the Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles in May of 2002.

Directed by Gordon Hunt

Paul Eiding as Spinelli/Sam Greenblatt

Yvette Freeman as Dinah Washington

Adriane Lenox as Maye/Mama Jones/Violet

Bud Leslie as Frick/Rollie

Darryl Reed as Boss/Chase Adams/DJ

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Review: Are You Now or Have You Ever Been?

Are You Now or Have You Ever Been? by Eric Bentley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“Are You Now or Have You Ever Been?” By Eric Bentley

Are You Now or Have You Ever Been?

By: Eric Bentley

Narrated by: René Auberjonois, Edward Asner, Bonnie Bedelia, Richard Dreyfuss, James Earl Jones, James Whitmore, Michael York

Length: 1 hr and 27 mins

Published January 25th 2016 by L.A. Theatre Works (first published 1972)

Politics. Am I right? Who needs 'em. I've always hated political anythings. As we have found here in the last part of the year 2020, politics can make enemies out of good people. That's pretty much what is told in this story. Back during the red scar of the mid 50s people were reporting their neighbors for stuff that may or may not have had anything to do with communism, but it didn't matter the government was on the scent and would not break off the hunt.

The worst of this was seen in the treatment of Hollywood. Many folks in the biz never recovered from this witch hunt and careers were ended. This play focuses specifically on the Hollywood aspect of the red scare. Just name names an you will be off the government's list, but that means that you may turn others against you.

I would like to think in this day and age that a person simply curious about how communism runs or doesn't run would be safe to seek out that info. But alas, we have not learned our lesson and at the mere mention of anything social (social medicine, social healthcare, social education, social security) the screaming words of the other side calling another side communist still happens today. I'm not sure why or how but religion and politics are the two subjects / fields that you have to believe like everyone else or be prepared to have your head on a pike. I would also like to say give this play a listen / watch / read and learn, but humanity never learns.

On the positive side, the performances in this L.A. Theatre works production are once again stellar. Ed Asner steals the show for me he just makes the performance real. As usual with LATW productions the production quality is superb. So, at least enjoy a brief and entertaining history lesson. It may not change the world, but we can always hope.

Publisher's Summary

In the mid-1950s, the House Un-American Activities Committee began investigating the communist influence in the entertainment industry. This searing docudrama from actual transcripts of the hearings reveals how decent people were persuaded to name names - and the steep price paid by those who refused.

An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast performance featuring: René Auberjonois, Edward Asner, Bonnie Bedelia, Jack Coleman, Bud Cort, Richard Dreyfuss, Hector Elizondo, Robert Foxworth, Harry Hamlin, James Earl Jones, Richard Masur, Franklyn Seales, Joe Spano, James Whitmore, Michael York, and Harris Yulin.

©1999 Eric Bentley (P)1997 L.A. Theatre Works

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Review: And the Sun Stood Still

And the Sun Stood Still by Dava Sobel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

And the Sun Stood Still

By: Dava Sobel

Narrated by: Robert Foxworth, John Vickery, Kate Steele, Michael Kirby, Gregory Harrison

Length: 1 hr and 50 mins

Audiobook, Dramatization with full cast

Published June 16th 2015 by LA Theatre Works

Science! It seems to have the answer to everything. But how do those answers get discovered? Sometimes a discovery is made an voila! all is understood. Sometimes however a discovery is made and current science cannot support so the new discovery meets with some resistance. What's even worse is when science goes against religion. Then not only is there resistance, but possible punishment for trying to make the religious folk wrong. More so in Copernicus' day than now, but every so often one finds that religion is the biggest hurtle to get over to promote fact.

This play brings to life the time when Copernicus discovered that the Earth is not the center of the Universe. Copernicus was hesitant to publis because of religion and even a little self-doubt. Rheticus comes in from Germany and pushes Copernicus to publish because the world needs to know. This play is about that struggle.

This production is produced/published by L.A. Theatre Works and once again LATW delivers. As always the production values puts you smack dab in the middle of a production and you feel as if you were sitting in the center of the theatre for this production. The sound effects and music are perfect, but what makes this even more believable is the calibre of actors. As with every LATW production the actors bring their all to make this production come to life in an audiobook form.

Publisher's Summary

Dava Sobel’s thoughtful play brings to life the story of Nicolaus Copernicus, the Renaissance astronomer, and mathematician who proposed the heliocentric model of the universe in which the Sun stands at the center. Plagued by self-doubt and threatened by religious censure, Copernicus resisted the publication of his work until just before his death in 1543. The play follows Copernicus in those final years as he works to complete his research with the help of Georg Rheticus, a young disciple from Wittenberg, Germany.

Includes a conversation with playwright Dava Sobel, author of A More Perfect Heaven: How Copernicus Revolutionized the Cosmos.

Recorded at The Invisible Studios, West Hollywood in February, 2015.

And the Sun Stood Still is part of L.A. Theatre Works’ Relativity Series of science-themed plays. Lead funding for the Relativity Series is provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, bridging science and the arts in the modern world.

Directed by Rosalind Ayres

Producing Director Susan Albert Loewenberg

Robert Foxworth as Copernicus

Gregory Harrison as Giese

Michael Kirby as Rheticus

Kate Steele as Anna

John Vickery as Bishop Dantsicus

Associate Producers: Anna Lyse Erikson, Myke Weiskopf.

Recording Engineer, Sound Designer, Mixer: Mark Holden for The Invisible Studios, West Hollywood.

Editor: Wes Dewberry

©2015 L.A. Theatre Works (P)2015 L.A. Theatre Works

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Review: We're Alive: Goldrush

We're Alive: Goldrush by K.C. Wayland
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

We're Alive: Goldrush

by K.C. Wayland

(We're Alive #6)

Audiobook, Audio Show

Published September 10th 2019 by Wayland Productions

Not sure if this really qualifies as a book, but I do know that the previous “seasons” of “We're Alive” have been published as audio books. Originally produced/released as a podcast, the “We're Alive” series is the brainchild of K.C. Wayland.

Wayland took some time out of school to go defend our country when he was called up for duty in Baghdad in the U.S. Army. He was already seeking a career in film and would have been there anyway, but I believe the Army is what brought the “We're Alive” series out of his brain and into our ears. The series is about survival during a zombie apocalypse. As with any good zombie apocalypse story the zombies aren't the focus of attention, it is the people and their ways to survive. K.C. Wayland has created a community of survivors that the listener will soon love and some may even be hated. Now, don't get me wrong, Wayland's zombies are just as much characters as the survivors, in fact, some of Wayland's zombies are very unique and create a different zombie atmosphere compared to some of the others in the genre.

This installment into the “We're Alive” universe actually has very few zombies. In this story, we get to revisit a few characters that I enjoyed but never got to see develop further. Now the soldiers; Greg Muldoon, Anthony Robbins, Carl Thomas, and Samuel Puck are off on their own adventure to find some stolen gold bars. At first I asked, what are they going to do with gold bars in the middle of an apocalypse? I soon learned that that wasn't important because a new story develops. On top of that people will be people and the writing of the characters prove that it doesn't matter that the world's financial system is in ruins, people still love shiny things.

The soldiers are out to film a spaghetti western type movie, you gotta do something to entertain yourself, and in the process find out about a cache of gold. The story unfolds as an aging General Puck confides this story to Alex Robbins, the son of his former teammate and friend, Anthony Robbins. So not only do you get a cool western, survival and zombie story, but also an opening for KC Wayland to explore other stories in the We're Alive universe.

The zombie genre is not quite dead (or undead).

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Review: Peace Talks

Peace Talks by Jim Butcher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Peace Talks

By: Jim Butcher

Narrated by: James Marsters

Series: The Dresden Files, Book 16

Length: 12 hrs and 52 mins

Published July 14th 2020 by Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group

16 novels and numerous short stories in the Dresden Files and I still can't wait for the next one. If you're not familiar with the series, allow me to introduce you to your next favorite supernatural adventures that doesn't pander to kids, no lightning bolt scars, no shiny vampires and well no mind ready half fairy narrators. This is the real and gritty world of another wizard named Harry. I say real because the writing style of Jim Butcher just makes it all believable.

Now there are some negative notes floating around about this book. Those are somewhat legit complaints, however, I'm just glad we got another book, and really there is nothing wrong with this book. It seems, though, that Jim Butcher borrowed from J.K. Rowling's playbook and turned what looks to be a last very long book into two books. The big complaint is that we waited about 6 years for another book and it turns out to be half a book with another on the way soon. (It's out now I believe.)

Yeah the end of the story really leaves you hanging and you can tell it is the first part of something to follow, but I'm just happy we got the book.

This time around Harry is part of a security team that is making sure that peace talks between all the supernatural entities is safe. Apparantly not, because a Celtic Titan, Ethniu, breaks in to one of the gatherings and destrys Mab (Winter Queen of the Fae), and that is no simple task.

Harry knows a war is on but first he has to make sure his family and friends are safe before he can fight what feels like his final battle. There is an impending doom feeling throughout this book, whether it is simply a close to the Dresden series of books or maybe Harry's final Death (he's died already), I'm not sure, but this book is perfect Harry Dresden. Harry is making sure everyone else is safe while gearing up to put himself in danger, not even thinking to ask for help. But they will help, I just know it.

No spoilers in this review, I can't wait to get my grubby paws on the next one.

Publisher's Summary

Harry Dresden is back and ready for action, in the new entry in the number-one New York Times best-selling Dresden Files.

When the supernatural nations of the world meet up to negotiate an end to ongoing hostilities, Harry Dresden, Chicago's only professional wizard, joins the White Council's security team to make sure the talks stay civil. But can he succeed, when dark political manipulations threaten the very existence of Chicago - and all he holds dear?

©2020 Jim Butcher (P)2020 Penguin Audio

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Review: Thor: Son of Asgard

Thor: Son of Asgard by Akira Yoshida
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thor: Son of Asgard

by Akira Yoshida (Pseudonym), Greg Tocchini (Artist), Adi Granov (Illustrator), Jo Chen (Illustrator), Jay Leisten (Illustrator), C.B. Cebulski

compiles Thor: Son of Asgard #1-12

Paperback, 296 pages

Published September 8th 2010 by Marvel Comics (first published May 2004)

So you like them comic books? I have been a comic book fan for around 40 years or so, while I have read some DC comics releases, I have always been a Make Mine Marvel kind of guy. I've also been a fan of Thor, so much so that I convinced my wife to make my son's middle name Thor. Before all those Marvel movies came out. So I guess in a way I'm a Marvel Hipster.

Anyway, let's talk about this book. This trade Paperback collects issues 1-12 of “Thor: Son of Asgard” which ran back in 2004-2005. The story is of a young Thor, Sif and Balder, oh and of course Thor's trickster brother Loki and how the first three are sent on a group of tasks by Odin and how at first Loki is there (always ahead of the trio) to keep them from completing their tasks. Eventually this leads to the moment when Thor is worthy of Mjolnir.

Young Thor is attempting to lift Mjolnir, but he is not yet worthy. His friends Balder and Sif and laughing at the silly looks on his face as he strains himself, but Loki watches from the rafters. He causes three spiders to grow gigantic through magic, but by working together, the three young heroes destroy the monsters. Odin then decides to send the three young warriors on a quest to gather four elements that he will use to forge a new sword.

Thor, Balder, and Sif search the Hidden Hills for the dragon Hakurei. Their first task is to get one of his scales. Thor, Balder, and Sif then go to Jotunheim, to find Gnori and retrieve one of his feathers, as part of the quest of Odin. They are both still angry at Thor for accepting the quest without asking them first, and they are caught in a blizzard. Suddenly, they are attacked by Ice Elementals, but they manage to defeat them. Then Gnori arrives and grants them one of his feathers, along with a few wise words of warning.

The three friends find their way to the Mines of Jennia to retrieve one of the jewels and are attacked by the Jennia, small creatures that feed on emotions. Loki is trapped too, but he is rescued by Karnilla, who has been watching them the whole time.

Thor, Sif, and Balder are on their way to the Lake of Lilitha when Loki arrives and tells them of Karnilla's plan to attack Asgard. They decide that Sif and Balder will return to Asgard, while Thor continues to the lake to draw a vial of water - the final element needed. On his trek, he is attacked by Leviathan, but Thor defeats him. Thor finally arrives at the lake only to find it dried up and dead. He then returns to Asgard as the battle is going on. The Asgardians finally win the battle, but unseen, Karnilla lands on a tower and fires an arrow into Thor's chest.

Odin manages to defeat Karnilla and uses the magic sand from the Lake of Lilitha to restore Thor to life. He then has the sword Svadren forged from the four mystic elements and presents it to Balder the Brave.

That quest complete you would think Thor would be able to rest, but no. Both Sif and Amora vie for Thor's affections, when a new girl arrives in school – Brunnhilda. Fed up with the competition of the two blondes, Amora and Brunnhilda, in her quest to have Thor fall in love with her, Sif steals the Mirror of Mycha with the help of Loki. But after the spell is cast, Amora steals the mirror and uses it to make Thor love her. But hey you can't work with Loki without being tricked, right?

Sif is now enraged to find out she's been tricked. She and Brunnhilda make peace and decide to get back at Amora and Loki. During their confrontation, the Mirror of Mycha is broken and with it, the spell over Thor.

Thor goes to see the Fates concerning how to become worthy of Mjolnir, and they tell him that he must first face death. Upon his return to Asgard, the Storm Giants have attacked and kidnapped Sif. Odin tells Thor that he must remain behind and they will go rescue her. Thor decides that he is going to go as well, and find himself worthy to finally lift the enchanted hammer.

Trade paperbacks are really the way to go when you want to read a story as a whole. There were times when I would get frustrated waiting month to month for the next issue. Once I discovered if I had patience I would be rewarded with a TPB to add to my collection. I recommend the same to anyone. However there is still no replacement for going to the local comic book store every Wednesday when the new books arrive and grabbing a handful.

Keep reading true believers.

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Review: A Delightful Quarantine: A Play about a Homebound Town

A Delightful Quarantine: A Play about a Homebound Town by Mark Dunn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A Delightful Quarantine: A Play about a Homebound Town

by Mark Dunn

92 pages

approx 2 hours performed

Published by Samuel French (first published November 1st 2012)

So let's say that an infectious disease sweeps across the planet. Suddenly there is a shortage of toilet paper and common sense. The government locks down its citizens tells them to wash their hands, don't touch their faces. Then says don't hang out in large groups. And finally says, stay home. All the while the leader of the free world is saying it is a hoax and no one will die. Oh and on top of that Hollywood stays home and all movie production stops. Theatres and restaurants are closed for indoor dining. People can no longer attend live concerts or worst yet, live plays.

No that was real life not this play. In fact, this play was written 8 years prior to the dumpster fire of 2020. But with that in mind, and all the social distancing and safety measures in place to help slow the spread of COVID-19, it's hard to do live theatre. Not so says Super-Director Tara Gallion of Lincoln Trail College theatre department. Tara searches the planet looking for a play that will not only make sense in this trying time but also we can perform while wearing masks and maintaining social distance as required by the state and yet still make sense with the performance. That's where this play comes in and I was grateful to be performing again live, albeit in front of a limited audience capacity.

So how does this play fit? Well according to the story, aliens have come to Earth and they want some of our soil. The problem is they leave behind a deadly disease that leaves seven separate households unexpectedly quarantined. Seven story lines are balanced as people are forced to confront their personal issues. A heart-warming original comedy/drama about how people react when there's nowhere else to go, which, in reality, is pretty much everyday on Earth.

Two families are on the verge of breaking up their marriages, one family has to deal with a cancer diagnosis, one house has a crazy cat lady and unseen cats, kids forced to be alone in an old lady's house, a daughter finds her birth mother after 32 years, and a pair of old ladies confront a burglar.

Each story has a touch of humor, some more than others, and a couple have some poignant, straight in your face this is life moments. All around the play has something to offer for all with maybe even a bit of slapstick that can always be fun.

I had a blast reading and performing in this play and I have a feeling Mark Dunn may get some extra royalties this year due to having written a nice play that is perfect for weird times.

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Review: Brief Cases

Brief Cases by Jim Butcher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“Brief Cases”

By Jim Butcher

Narrated by: James Marsters, Jim Butcher, Cassandra Campbell, Julia Whelan, Oliver Wyman

Series: The Dresden Files, Book 15.5

Length: 15 hrs and 30 mins

Published June 5th 2018 by Penguin Random House Audio

Once you get started into the world of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files, you just can't stop. Luckily there's plenty of material to chose from, with 17 books on the series. The fun thing is that Butcher has compiled his short stories into 3 extra books; “Side Jobs,” “Working for Bigfoot,” and this one. This book has the stories from “Working for Bigfoot,” so you could bypass that one, but being a huge fan I have to at least own all the books.

To summarize, at least up until the stories in this book, in the Dresden Files, I will be brief and let you read the books on your own if you feel so inclined.

So briefly, Harry Dresden is a wizard. His domain is Chicago, and he protects the city from all forms of supernatural entities with his magic and his life (that is not just talk, he actually spent some time dead to keep Chicago and his friends and family safe.) Harry used to be a consultant with the police and worked closely with Karen Murphy, a detective. He and Karen are now a couple. (spoiler)

Harry has fought and killed Red Court Vampires, well actually he killed all the Red Court Vampires, Harry has also fought many other supernatural beings, including other courts of vampires, werewolves, ghouls, ghosts, all sorts of fairy and fae, even a god and goddess or two. Oh and let's not forget Chicago Gangster, Gentleman Johnny Marcone.

The best part of Harry Dresden's life is the list of who he has partnered with, which includes but is not limited to: Bigfoot, the fairy queen of winter and summer (with with the queen of winter being his fairy godmother), the white council of wizards, teenage werewolves, Valkyries and many more.

The tough thing about Harry's life is that he can never seem to catch a break but he does seem to always find a way out of problems.

At this point in his timeline Harry's daughter is the focus of his attention, as is his White Court Vampire/Half Brother, Thomas. Harry's family has grown to not only include these two but also Karen Murphy, his grandfather, Ebenezer, River Shoulders (a sasquatch), Molly the former warlock daughter of Michael, a Knight of the Cross, now turned to the winter lady. Read the books, you'll love them.

So let's talk about this book in the series it was released between the 2015 released book, “Skin Game” and the newly released (2020), “Peace Talks.” The stories all take place at different times during the Dresden timeline, but each story is important as somewhat of a footnote to lead you to further understand the characters and incidents leading up to “Peace Talks.” Here are the stories in Brief Cases:

“Curses” — from the 2011 publication, “The Naked City,” edited by Ellen Datlow. Republished in 2014 publication, “Magic City: Recent Spells,” edited by Paula Guran. Takes place between Small Favor and Turn Coat. Harry is hired to look into the Curse of the Billy Goat, which has plagued the Chicago Cubs in the postseason for decades, and try to lift it if possible. I'm thinking this is one of the world's most famous curses, and sure Harry has to do it without anyone knowing that's what he's trying to do. The funny thing about this is that this story was written about 5 years before the Cubs won the World Series again. That leads to the question, did he or didn't he?

“AAAA Wizardry” — from the 2010Dresden Files RPG, published by Evil Hat. This story is actually a group of stories within a story. Harry teaches a group of young Wardens his procedure for dealing with supernatural nasties. As Harry teaches the class he has to tell a story for each procedure. Takes place between “Dead Beat”and “Proven Guilty.” Oh and yes there is a Dresden Files RPG.

“Even Hand” — originally from 2010 Dark and Stormy Knights, edited by Pat Elrod. Reprinted in 2014 Beyond the Pale, edited by Henry Herz, and 2017  Urban Enemies, edited by Joseph Nassise.
Gentleman Johnnie Marcone clashes with a rival supernatural power. Told from Marcone’s point of view. Takes place between Turn Coat and Changes.

“B is for Bigfoot” — from 2012 Under My Hat: Tales From the Cauldron, edited by Jonathan Strahan. Republished in 2015Working for Bigfoot. This is the point in the Dresden files where we learn that bigfoot is a major player in Harry's world. Takes place between Fool Moon and Grave Peril.

“I Was A Teenage Bigfoot” — from 2012 Blood Lite 3: Aftertaste, edited by Kevin J. Anderson. Republished in Working for Bigfoot. Bigfoot is revisited, this time Harry must save Bigfoot's son from something that seems to be draining his energies. Takes place circa Dead Beat.

“Bigfoot on Campus” — from 2012 Hex Appeal, edited by P.N. Elrod. Republished in Working for Bigfoot. Bigfoot's son is all grown up and in college at Oklahoma University in Norman, OK. (GO SOONERS!!!!) This time his son is the target of a White Court Vampire, sorta. Takes place between Turn Coat and Changes.

“Bombshells” — Molly-POV novella from 2013 Dangerous Women, edited by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Duzois. Molly teams up with Justine and Andi to thwart a Fomor plot.
Takes place between Ghost Story and Cold Days.

“Jury Duty” — short story for 2015 Unbound, edited by Shawn Speakman. Harry endures Jury Duty. Well more like discovers a case he can solve by enduring Jury Duty. Set after Skin Game.

“Cold Case” — short story from 2016 Shadowed Souls, edited by Jim Butcher and Kerrie Hughes.
In Molly’s first job in her new role, she teams up with Ramirez to take on a Lovecraft-esque cult. Once I got started into the story I knew right away Jim Butcher was tackling the writings of Lovecraft, and merging Lovecraft into Dresden files is just plain awesome. The problem Is that Molly has yet to discover her new full powers. Takes place shortly after Cold Days.

“Day One” — short story for2016Unfettered II, edited by Shawn Speakman. Butters’ first mission. Waldo Butters is the Coroner for Cook County and has recently been folded in as a Knight of the Cross. The cool thing is that his sword is pretty much a light saber. Set after Skin Game.

“A Fistful of Warlocks” — short story for 2017 Straight Outta Tombstone, edited by David Boop.
Luccio takes on necromancers in the Wild West. I think this was the most fun story in this book. It had a very, VERY Clint Eastwood vibe. Set long before the events of the series, like maybe a hundred years or so before.

“Zoo Day Exclusive bonus novella for Brief Cases. A Rashomon-style story that chronicles a family trip to the zoo from Harry, Maggie, and Mouse’s points of view. Jim Butcher really stretched his story-telling muscles on this one, and I loved the story from Mouse's point of view. Mouse is Harry's dog....not just any dog, but a Temple Dog.
Set after Skin Game.

In the audiobook when Harry is telling the story, the great James Marsters is narrating, for the other stories the voices are changed to reflecct the point of view and the author’s notes that precede each story are read by the author.

Publisher's Summary

An all-new Dresden Files story headlines this urban fantasy short story collection starring the Windy City's favorite wizard.

The world of Harry Dresden, Chicago's only professional wizard, is rife with intrigue - and creatures of all supernatural stripes. And you'll make their intimate acquaintance as Harry delves into the dark side of truth, justice, and the American way in this must-have short story collection.

From the Wild West to the bleachers at Wrigley Field, humans, zombies, incubi, and even fey royalty appear, ready to blur the line between friend and foe. In the never-before-published "Zoo Day", Harry treads new ground as a dad, while fan-favorite characters Molly Carpenter, his onetime apprentice, White Council Warden Anastasia Luccio, and even Bigfoot stalk through the pages of more classic tales.

With 12 stories in all, Brief Cases offers both longtime fans and first-time listeners tantalizing glimpses into Harry's funny, gritty, and unforgettable realm, whetting their appetites for more to come from the wizard with a heart of gold.

©2018 Jim Butcher (P)2018 Penguin Audio

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Review: The Heiress

The Heiress by Ruth Goetz
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Heiress
By: Ruth Goetz, Augustus Goetz
Narrated by: Chris Noth, Amy Irving, Full Cast
Length: 2 hrs and 3 mins
Produced by L.A. Theatre Works.

Leave it to L.A. Theatre Works to turn what easily could be a boring play into something that is worth hearing, and will keep the listener listening.

LATW produces many plays into audiobook and everyone has a great cast and the production puts you right in the middle of the audience of the performance.

This time around Amy Irving plays Catherine who already has a decent income (especially considering that this is the 1850s and she's a woman) from when her mother passed away. She is set to inherit a large sum when Dr. Sloyer (her father) passes and people know it.

When a young treasure hunter seeks Catherine's hand, her father is determined to put a stop to the man's persuit. Catherine believes his professed feelings to be real, her father knows otherwise.

A tale of love lost, this performance is well acted and performed. I decided halfway through that it was not my cup of tea, but since the performance was so good I had to keep listening. LATW always gets me listening to plays I would probably normally pass on.

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Review: Top Secret, 2008 Edition

Top Secret, 2008 Edition by Geoffrey Cowan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Top Secret
The Battle for the Pentagon Papers: 2008 Tour Edition
By: Geoffrey Cowan, Leroy Aarons
Narrated by: John Heard, John Getz, Susan Sullivan, James Gleason, Gegory Harrison, Diane Adair, Geoffrey Wade
Length: 1 hr and 53 mins
Performance
Release date: 08-07-08
Publisher: L.A. Theatre Works

Have I told you lately how much I love these productions from L.A. Theatre Works? Well I do. Because they always have a great cast, the recordings are lifelike and put you in the middle of the audience. I highly recommend seeking out anything produced/published by LATW.

So this story/play is just as it sounds it is a performance depicting the fight between corrupt government and the free press. (funny how this was in the Nixon era, but so much hits home today.

The New York Times has gotten their hands on these “Pentagon Papers” and is about to publish them until the government gives them a scare and they decide to pass on these once (maybe still?) classified documents that show that America cannot win the war in Vietnam. These papers were issued a few years before and the subject matter discussed in them is in the past. The Times passes the papers to the Washington Post which makes the daring decision to publish them.

The Nixon White House insists they are top secret and the press has no right to publish. It could be a breach of National Security and treason for the Washington Post and their other companies.

A trial ensues and that’s when it comes out that the government cannot be trusted.

The events were in this play were during a very divisive time in American History and much like today’s divisive political atmosphere, proves how important it is for Americans to have a free press.

As always great performances by all and definitely a good listen. There is a bonus recording with this in which the play and its subject matter are discussed in a panel with former Nixon White House counsel John Dean, journalist Robert Scheer, author Geoffrey Cowan, and Congresswoman Jane Harman.

Publisher’s Summary
This is a timely docudrama about The Washington Post’s decision to publish the Pentagon Papers, a top secret study documenting U.S. involvement in Vietnam. The subsequent trial tested the parameters of the First Amendment, pitting the public’s right to know against the government’s desire for secrecy.
This new 2008 tour edition features a new cast and a revised script.

Bonus content: a panel discussion with former Nixon White House counsel John Dean, journalist Robert Scheer, author Geoffrey Cowan, and Congresswoman Jane Harman.

©2008 LA Theatre Works (P)2008 LA Theatre Works

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Review: The Last Jedi: Expanded Edition

The Last Jedi: Expanded Edition by Jason Fry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The Last Jedi
Star Wars
By: Jason Fry
Narrated by: Marc Thompson
Series: Star Wars, Book 43,
Length: 11 hrs and 5 mins
Release date: 03-06-18
Publisher: Random House Audio

Long long ago, in a galaxy far far away: If you haven't been keeping up with the Star Wars sagas then you've got some catching up to do. But if you are a reader and/or audiobook absorber (like me) then here's a better option for you.

This book is a novelization of the movie "The Last Jedi," and after listening to the audiobook, I strongly fee that this is better than the movie. Sure, you can't see the cute little Porgs or the cute BB-8, but with this version you can still hear them and what makes this book a bit better is that instead of just watching the action on the screen, you get to learn what is going on in each character's mind, including the cute BB-8.

So to summarize the movie, the Empire has been defeated but in its place the First Order has entered. The Jedis seem to be no more, and the Last Jedi, Luke Skywalker has gone into hiding. Rey is sent to find the Jedi Master and get his help in defeating Kylo Ren and the First Order. That is not going to be easy because there's a reason Skywalker went into hiding for a reason.

Rey has discovered that she has some Jedi abilities and eventually convinces Luke to train her.

Meanwhile Kylo Ren, Smoak and the First Order are battling the last remaining rebels and hope seems to be lost. They are seeking revenge for the rebels destroying the Planetkiller base. They have the last ships in their sites and the battle is badly tilted to the First Order coming out victorious.

Just as action packed as the movie this audiobook will keep you glued to your headset (or speakers) until the very end. The narrator, Marc Thompson makes this audiobook come alive with extremely good impersonations of the actors as he reads their characters' words. Even Princess Leia sounds like Carrie Fisher. That alone is worth checking this out. On top of the excellent narration sound effects are inserted where needed so you can fly with the Porgs or shoot at the tie-fighters. Definitely worth the listen.

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Publisher’s Summary
Written with input from director Rian Johnson, this official adaptation of Star Wars: The Last Jedi expands on the film to include scenes from alternate versions of the script and other additional content.

From the ashes of the Empire has arisen another threat to the galaxy’s freedom: the ruthless First Order. Fortunately, new heroes have emerged to take up arms – and perhaps lay down their lives – for the cause. Rey, the orphan strong in the Force; Finn, the ex-stormtrooper who stands against his former masters; and Poe Dameron, the fearless X-wing pilot, have been drawn together to fight side-by-side with General Leia Organa and the Resistance. But the First Order’s Supreme Leader Snoke and his merciless enforcer Kylo Ren are adversaries with superior numbers and devastating firepower at their command. Against this enemy, the champions of light may finally be facing their extinction. Their only hope rests with a lost legend: Jedi Master Luke Skywalker.

Where the action of Star Wars: The Force Awakens ended, Star Wars: The Last Jedi begins, as the battle between light and dark climbs to astonishing new heights.

©2018 Jason Fry (P)2018 Random House Audio

Review: Lady Death: Malevolent Decimation

Lady Death: Malevolent Decimation by Brian Pulido
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lady Death: Malevolent Decimation
Story: Brian Pulido, Mike MacLean
Interiors: Diego Bernard, Ceci de la Cruz
Cover: Paolo Pantalena, Arif Prianto
Hardcover, Kickstarter Hardcover, 48 pages
Published by Coffin Comics 5/2020

This is yet another comic book character that I collected back in the 90s.  Unless you special ordered or had a cool comic book shop this title was hard to track down but then the comic book world erupted and everything was available around 2000 it became easier to find.

Brian Pulido has created an unlikely hero who at times seems to want to destroy humanity and other times saving humanity.  I think that's what appeals to me in that you just never really know.

Originally Lady Death was a hallucination, but now she is a full fledged goddess from hell.  Since 2015 Brian Pulido has taken complete control over his character and through Kickstarter has been publishing a new title every few months.

This time around we start out in New Orleans where Lady Death seeks out a voodoo queen to track down a kid who is possessed by a demon that can help her achieve full Malevolent Decimation.    Some of the "good guys" know what the kid is capable of and try to prevent her from raising the dead.  

In this book  Brian Pulido does a little crossover from one of his other popular titles, La Muerta.  La Muerta along with Lady Death's son  seek to prevent Lady Death from reaching her goal.

This book contains yet another great story in the re-birth of Lady Death.  The artwork is beyond beautiful and makes the book worth looking over several times just to see it all.

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Review: Painkiller Jane: Trust the Universe

Painkiller Jane: Trust the Universe by Amanda Conner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Painkiller Jane: Trust the Universe
by Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti, Juan Santacruz (Illustrator)
Hardcover
Published 2019 by PaperFilms

I used to be a slave to comic book collecting (around mid 90s), but recently I have sold off the bulk of my collection and looking for trade paperbacks/graphic novels, where you get more than one issue in a book.  But, back when I was collecting I was a huge fan of Witchblade, The Darkness, and Vampirella.  I ran into a crossover with The Darkness and Painkiller Jane and later Vampirella and Painkiller Jane.  I soon found myself a fan of Jane.  

SyFy network had a movie and then a series based (somewhat loosely in the movie, more on point with the series) about this time I started to lose interest in collecting the comics.  

Painkiller Jane is a former cop that while undercover gets injected with a cocktail of designer drugs and develops the super power of fast healing.  Think of Wolverine without the claws, and instead just a few guns and some bad ass fighting skills.  I never lost my interest in the character just in comics in general.  

Jump ahead a few years and I find the authors Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner are doing a Kickstarter to create this book.  I had to jump in.  I am so glad I did.  

This hardcover features a new story and a couple of earlier tales, one being Jane's origin story, so if your new to the character this book will catch you up.  Being a Kickstarter there are lots of extras that I'm not sure whether or not they are included in the regular version.  Some of the extras are pin-ups drawn by various artists, and some cosplayers dressed as Jane.

The main story in this book Jane finds herself teaming up with another Palmiotti created character called the Monolith.  They work together to stop a child trafficking ring.  Great adventures, great story....and to top it off, beautiful artwork.  

Worth your while.

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Review: Dark Matter

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Dark Matter
by Blake Crouch
Hardcover, 342 pages
Published July 26th 2016 by Crown

Wow, just wow.  I could stop there and let you read the book and  find out why it's hard to talk about.  But, I will not leave you hanging.  First I will tell you about why the book is unique.  
1.) It's kind of hard to describe without giving spoilers or rather without the temptation to just tell you how it ends.
2.) Physics

Jason Dessen is a physics teacher in a small college in the Chicago suburbs.  His friend wins an award in biochemistry for the work Jason helped with.  He's a little bitter but not much, It is his friend after all.  After leaving the celebration Jason is abduction by a stranger in a mask.   The last thing Jason hears before he goes unconscious is the stranger asking, "Are you happy with your life?"

Next thing Jason knows he is strapped to a gurney in a room full of strangers wearing hazmat suits.  The next thing he hears is a stranger  saying, "Welcome back."  Jason soon learns that he is the genius behind this facility and is highly regarded by all the staff.  Jason thinks he's going crazy. He doesn't remember any of this and only remembers his life with his wife and son.

What soon begins is a run through the multiverse.  Every decision you make changes your life, but what happens if you made the other decision is something this book approaches.   Jason in one life has invented a box that allows him to travel through the multiverse and visit the different versions of his life.   All Jason wants is to go back home to his reality, but with infinite multiverse versions of his life it becomes like finding one particular grain of sand on a beach.

This book kept me enthralled throughout the many jumps between the multiverses and even more so when times became desperate for Jason.  The end of the book will keep you wondering, what if?

Blake Crouch, the author, is the reason I read this book.  I had seen the Wayward Pines TV series and wanted to read those books but found this one first.   This book will soon be a major motion picture, but I suggest reading it before you see the movie.

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Review: The Devil's Highway: A True Story

The Devil's Highway: A True Story by Luis Alberto Urrea
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Devil's Highway (A True Story)
Written and Narrated By: Luis Alberto Urrea
Length: 8 hrs and 53 mins
Release date: 06-02-11
Publisher: Hachette Audio

May, 2001,  a group of 26 men attempted to cross the Mexican border in to the desert of Southern Arizona in order to find a better life for themselves.   Only 12 made it out of that desert, the mummified remains of the others were discovered and the story began to unfold about this mystery.

Luis Alberto Urrea, puts the pieces together through some in depth investigative journalism and tells the story of those that sought a better way by sneaking into the U.S.

Urrea follows the story beginning with the Coyotes, those in charge of smuggling people to their new life and ending with the discovery and attempts to identify the remains of the humans seeking a better life by having to sneak across a vast desert.

During the descriptions of the the states the bodies were in and how they got to be that way on top of how the body reacts to extreme heat were a bit uneasy for me to hear, but not so bad that it kept me from the story.  This is a very important section of the story and even if you are squeamish, you need to read/hear all of it. 

Urrea not only did a great job of digging out and writing this story, but his narration really gives a depth to the story.    Check it out.

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Review: A Tale of Two Cities

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

"A Tale of Two Cities"
By Charles Dickens
Narrated by: Simon Prebble
Length: 14 hrs and 42 mins
Release date: 03-23-11
Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Sometimes I have to go back and revisit a classic.  Sometimes it's just to see if what I took from the book the first time still holds or to see if in my growing age and wisdom I can gain new insights.  I'm really not sure why I revisited this classic.  I hated it in high school.  (pretty sure i only read part and lied on the book report)  I re-read the book back in the late 90s and had a hard time keeping focused on it and put it down many times.   This time around I thought, "Well, let's try the audiobook."    If I'm being perfectly honest, it is still boring, and hard to complete this arduous task. 
I do have to say that the audiobook was the best version I had experienced, but the subject matter just wasn't my cup of meat.  Simon Prebble presented the book perfectly, I can't blame him for the lack of interest I have in the French Revolution.
I did give it that good ol' college try.  (Actually a lot better than my slacker college tries ever turned out to be.)  I know how Dickens uses the cities of London and Paris as settings to show the reasons for the Revolution, but it felt like I was in that prison with Dr. Manette.  I guess really, I'm not a fan of Dickens. 
I'm not going to bore you with a summary of the book.  You should have read it by now, and if you didn't maybe you just aren't interested.  I think what made this most interesting was the fact that just after listening to this book, Disney+ streaming service released the recording of the Broadway production of "Hamilton," and when they made references to the French Revolution, I fully understood what they were talking about, having had that bit of history fresh in my overcrowded brain. 
I think I'll tackle an audio version of "Moby Dick" next.  I really love that book.

Publisher’s Summary
Set against the backdrop of the French Revolution, A Tale of Two Cities is a sprawling tale of London and revolutionary Paris with a complex plot portraying the results of terror and treason, love and supreme sacrifice.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”—opening line of A Tale of Two Cities

It was the time of the French Revolution, a time of great change and great danger. It was a time when injustice was met by a lust for vengeance, and rarely was a distinction made between the innocent and the guilty. Against this tumultuous historical backdrop, Dickens’ dramatic story of adventure and courage unfolds.

Unjustly imprisoned for 18 years in the Bastille, Dr. Alexandre Manette is reunited with his daughter, the gentle Lucie Manette, and safely transported from France to England. It would seem that they could now take up the threads of their lives in peace. As fate would have it, however, the two are summoned to the Old Bailey to testify against a young Frenchman, Charles Darnay, falsely accused of treason. Strangely enough, Darnay bears an uncanny resemblance to another man in the courtroom: Sydney Carton, a dissolute barrister. It is a coincidence that saves Darnay from certain doom more than once, as the two men’s fates become intertwined with that of the Revolution.

And there is Madame Defarge, a female revolutionary who has an implacable grudge against the aristocratic Evrémonde dynasty and who knits as she watches the beheadings.

The storming of the Bastille, the death carts with their doomed human cargo, the swift drop of the blade of La Guillotine—this is the French Revolution that Charles Dickens vividly captures. Brilliantly plotted, the novel is rich in drama, romance, and heroics that culminate in a daring prison escape in the shadow of the guillotine.

Public Domain (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc

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Review: Cataclysm of the Ancients

Cataclysm of the Ancients by Simon Rosser
My rating: 3 of 5 stars



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Cataclysm of the Ancients
By: Simon Rosser
Narrated by: Paul Richards
Series: Robert Spire, Book 4
Length: 13 hrs and 35 mins
Release date: 01-28-20
Publisher: Schmall World Publishing

I’ve been putting off writing this review for reasons to be revealed in more detail later, but let’s just say I hate to write a bad review.   Normally I don’t write bad reviews because if a book is bad I stop reading or listening.  This time around the book is a lot of fun and great action but the narrator was just horrible.  I’m an audiobook narrator and know that it’s tough to put the work in only to have a bad review…but this time, I hope (if he reads this) that he can take it as a chance to improve.

So let me get the bad stuff out of the way first.

The narrator, Paul Richards, read the book in a super slow manner, I actually fell asleep and had to restart the book 3 times.  I made sure I was doing something while listening so I could pay attention on the 4th try.  But that didn’t help.  I then tried a trick.  Long ago I found a setting on my iPod where I could adjust the speed of the audiobook.  I often wondered who in the heck would ever do such a thing.  Apparently me.   I set the playback speed to 2x the normal speed.  This then made the book a normal pace and a whole lot more bearable.  Even the action sequences were boring at normal speed.  (I guess he got paid per hour.)

The pacing wasn’t even the worst.  What nearly made me stop all together was his accents.  If you can’t do accents don’t.  Simple.  Didn’t stop this guy.  The main character of the story Robert Spire is Welsh.  But for some reason the narrator gave him a Transylvanian accent.  Actually it was a horrible impersonation of Bobby “Boris” Pickett (Monster Mash), which was a bad impersonation of Bela Lugosi.  Speeding up the the playback helped to cover this up as well.  I was really surprised that he didn’t do female voices the way Monty Python’s Flying Circus did their female voices.  But they were bearable.

Okay so now feeling bad that I have trashed the narrator, I have to talk about something good.    That would be the story itself.

The story is a puzzle solving history excursion and tracking down terrorists action story.  It has a great story and being the 4th book in the Robert Spire series by Si Rosser the story delivers the fun and drama.

It’s as though Dan Brown, Clive Cussler, got together to create the ultimate action story.  Maybe throw in a little MacGyver as well.

Terrorists have exposed a secret chamber in the Sphinx in order to track down a weapon of possible Ancient Alien origin.  Robert Spire and his co-horts have to track down and stop them from destroying the world.  The terrorists want to bring the world back to ancient times when gods were Gods.

After destroying the Golden Gate Bridge with this ancient alien weapon, the chase is on.  The weapon was originally used to destroy the Colossus of Rhodes one of the ancient wonders of the world, is now being used to destroy modern wonders.

A global chase that leads from the Middle East to America to the CERN super collider, will leave you breathless.  Read the written book if you can, it is great, try to avoid this audiobook.

Publisher’s Summary
Robert Spire is thrust into an archeological adventure and a search for a ancient relic – an object of immense technological power – missing since historical times. It must be found at all costs, and time is running out…

226 BC: Fall of the Colossus of Rhodes…

The mighty statue of the Greek Titan, Helios, stood proudly in the port of the ancient city of Rhodes, Greece. Built to celebrate Rhodes’ victory over the ruler of Cyprus in 305 B.C., it is one of the tallest statues of the ancient world, until it is destroyed after only 56 years. Legend suggests the Colossus was destroyed by an earthquake…But legends can be wrong.

Present Day: A Stolen C.I.A Document…

Langley Virginia: When CIA agent, Dr Vincent Kramer, is found brutally murdered in the facility’s parking lot, it becomes apparent that his death is linked to a missing document that was stored in the agency’s secret vault – A document detailing clandestine remote viewing experiments on the Great Sphinx in Egypt.

An Explosion Rips Into The Sphinx…

Soon after the theft, an explosion rips into Egypt’s legendary Sphinx, revealing a secret chamber within the ancient monolith. Upon discovering that the events are linked, the UK’s GLENCOM agency, keen to assist the Egyptian Government with the suspected terrorist attack upon one of the world’s greatest historical monuments, sends their agent, ex-environmental lawyer, Robert Spire, together with archeologist and Egyptian-Greek mythology expert, Professor Casey Carr, to Cairo to investigate…

Spire and Casey soon make a remarkable discovery, one which leads the pair on an perilous archeological hunt across ancient Egypt and the war-torn lands of Syria for the remains of the Colossus – one of the legendary Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

A sinister and powerful group of terrorists are also searching for the ancient artifact however, and will stop at nothing to get it, no matter what the cost…

©2015 Simon Rosser (P)2020 Simon Rosser