Scan barcode
A review by thepeachmartini
Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
2.0
I really wanted to like this. I'd read so many good reviews, that when I came across an audio version, I decided to give it a try. Airships, mechanical arms, zombies...what could be wrong with that combination?
The audiobook was narrated by two different people - a woman, who's name escapes me at the moment, and Wil Wheaton. (Yes, I said Wil Wheaton). The woman - who's tone reminded me a bit of Candace Bergen - really tried my patience with this book. I had a hard time getting past her style of reading; there wasn't a smooth transition from narrating to speaking as a character, as she had two different styles of reading. Perhaps I'm just being picky on that issue. Wil Wheaton's narration was better, though it felt like he was really trying to act the story and put a lot of drama into it. Plus, I couldn't stop picturing him sitting across the table from Sheldon Cooper and snidely calling him 'Moon Pie' :)
Right - back to 'Boneshaker' - I didn't think this book was well-suited for audio; I had to listen to the beginning several times before actually flipping through a copy at the bookstore to figure out that the first segment Wil reads is not actually part of the story. Then there is an excerpt from Hale's book, which didn't make sense to me until we actually met Hale in the story. It also felt like the story took so long to reach the climax...the book makes it out to be maybe a week or so, but it felt like it took FOREVER to get through.
I didn't feel connected to the characters (a complaint I've read in more than a handful of reviews); I found myself not really caring what happens to Zeke or Briar...then I felt guilty that I didn't care if the Rotters snatched them. I felt more for Lucy (sp? Not sure how it's spelled in the book) the barmaid than the main characters! Not a good sign, in my opinion.
Maybe I'd have better luck actually reading 'Boneshaker,' and I'm willing to give it a try - I think I might have been too hung up on the narration and not the story; I don't know how willing I'd be to recommend this one right now, though.
The audiobook was narrated by two different people - a woman, who's name escapes me at the moment, and Wil Wheaton. (Yes, I said Wil Wheaton). The woman - who's tone reminded me a bit of Candace Bergen - really tried my patience with this book. I had a hard time getting past her style of reading; there wasn't a smooth transition from narrating to speaking as a character, as she had two different styles of reading. Perhaps I'm just being picky on that issue. Wil Wheaton's narration was better, though it felt like he was really trying to act the story and put a lot of drama into it. Plus, I couldn't stop picturing him sitting across the table from Sheldon Cooper and snidely calling him 'Moon Pie' :)
Right - back to 'Boneshaker' - I didn't think this book was well-suited for audio; I had to listen to the beginning several times before actually flipping through a copy at the bookstore to figure out that the first segment Wil reads is not actually part of the story. Then there is an excerpt from Hale's book, which didn't make sense to me until we actually met Hale in the story. It also felt like the story took so long to reach the climax...the book makes it out to be maybe a week or so, but it felt like it took FOREVER to get through.
I didn't feel connected to the characters (a complaint I've read in more than a handful of reviews); I found myself not really caring what happens to Zeke or Briar...then I felt guilty that I didn't care if the Rotters snatched them. I felt more for Lucy (sp? Not sure how it's spelled in the book) the barmaid than the main characters! Not a good sign, in my opinion.
Maybe I'd have better luck actually reading 'Boneshaker,' and I'm willing to give it a try - I think I might have been too hung up on the narration and not the story; I don't know how willing I'd be to recommend this one right now, though.