KOSTENLOS FÜR ABONNENTEN (Erhalten in Audible Abo)
Über den Inhalt kann man streiten, aber der Sprecher ist genial! Tobias Kluckert ist die deutsche SyKOSTENLOS FÜR ABONNENTEN (Erhalten in Audible Abo)
Über den Inhalt kann man streiten, aber der Sprecher ist genial! Tobias Kluckert ist die deutsche Synchronstimme von Gerard Butler, und er hat das wirklich gut gemacht. Dafür einen Stern extra von mir. Die Serie wurde als ein Remake der Gerry-Cotton-Reihe angekündet, diese Reihe kenne ich nicht.
Kurz und unterhaltsam. Die Serie wird von unterschiedlichen Autoren geschrieben, das kommt, meiner Meinung nach, nicht oft vor. Die gute Nachricht - alle diesen Hörbücher wurden von Tobias Kluckert gesprochen und sind für Audible Abonnenten kostenlos (noch). ...more
To begin with, I enjoyed the series and I would highly recommend it to everyone who appreciates a clever and brainy mystery with a3,5 stars rounded up
To begin with, I enjoyed the series and I would highly recommend it to everyone who appreciates a clever and brainy mystery with an unusual protagonist.
It is a third book in the series and it was the first one for me that I READ and not listened to. The first thing I noticed while readingDo No Harm - maybe because of that (some books are better as audio books) or just because of so-so editing - this book could have easily had one hundred pages less: Some parts were repetitive for my taste and honestly I would have been happier with a few action-parts less.
But my main problem in this mystery case was actually the resolution itself, very disappointing at the end - completely beyond any rational credibility. Unexpected and surprising? Yes. Believable? No way.
I enjoyed the second book even more than the first book. Absolutely MUST READ for all mystery/thriller fans. Lucas Page is such a great unusu4,5 stars
I enjoyed the second book even more than the first book. Absolutely MUST READ for all mystery/thriller fans. Lucas Page is such a great unusual personality, the series has definitively the potential of becoming my favourite series of the year!...more
A real Forsyth. Spy thriller divided into three separate episodes. You can get a nostalgic feeling about a good old Cold War time. A very excit[image]
A real Forsyth. Spy thriller divided into three separate episodes. You can get a nostalgic feeling about a good old Cold War time. A very exciting experience, super researched, with an amazing voice of Uwe Teschner. Highly recommended!
There is one more instalment in the series for me to go, but unlike with Sean Duffy series that I rushed through in one sitting, I need a break betwee
There is one more instalment in the series for me to go, but unlike with Sean Duffy series that I rushed through in one sitting, I need a break between the books here. I enjoyed the first book, but probably it was a mistake to dive into the second book immediately after I had finished the first one.
If you are bored with a police procedural but want to try Adrian McKinty - and I don't consider his last work, The Chain,as an exemplary example for his writing - you should read this series: you'll get deliciously sardonic humour that the author well known for, his lyrical reflections, a masterful first person POV and...a lot of actions that gave me personally a headache
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The Dead Yard is a skilled created exaggeration of an action packed thriller. I won't comment the twists, I don't want to give anything away and spoil you numerous WTF - moments (view spoiler)[ but for me it was an extremely unrealistic plot: professionals acted in the most unprofessional way, the amateur saved the situation highly professionally, the terror cell was actually a bunch of crazy morons that could be unarmed much earlier. Oh, and not forget, this Kit girl was ANNOYING. (hide spoiler)]
I have to confess, I stayed awake the half of the night to finish this book, I just wanted to find out what would happen on the next page, and the page after, and after and after...but the whole story and the ending, in the best Tarantino manners, left me emotionally exhausted and gave me the worst headache since weeks. What I really need now - a quiet story with no actions at all....more
I have to admit, I didn't know EXACTLY what to expect from this novel. Yes, I read the blurb, I knew there would be history (the hostage crisis in IraI have to admit, I didn't know EXACTLY what to expect from this novel. Yes, I read the blurb, I knew there would be history (the hostage crisis in Iran), politics(Reagan vs. Carter), of course a gay mystery (this time a SPY mystery) and...
...a love story... (or love stories?)
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O-KEY. Meanwhile we know that not romance author Marshall Thornton COULD write not only a great mystery but (hobby-shly) also romance novels that effortlessly win awards.
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Code Name: Liberty is a MUST read for all Marshall Thornton fans, this book fulfills totally their expectations. You have a spy thriller, real historical events, the insight into the the political situation at that time, a fictional well-plotted story-line and - VERY IMPORTANT!-a typical MT's humor.
The beginning - thrilling. The ending - with WOW-effect.
Without giving too much away...
[image]...maybe a bit too over-political in some parts in the middle of the story for my taste. But please, don't misinterpret the cover: don't choose this book BECAUSE of it, but do it because of the AUTHOR or the BLURB.
[image]I really appreciate the research the author did, I googled while reading- what is always a plus factor for me. [image]I admire the skill to be able to write with humor about the very serious themes.
***ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for a honest review.***...more
"And maybe that’s the best we can do in this world, he thinks as he gets up to resume watering the flow
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WOW. I would give it 10 stars if I could.
"And maybe that’s the best we can do in this world, he thinks as he gets up to resume watering the flowers - tend to the garden and maintain the hope of a God. Against all evidence to the contrary. He watches the water bead silver on the petals. And mutters a snatch of an odd prayer he once heard, which he doesn’t quite understand but that nevertheless sticks in his head
Deliver my soul from the sword. My love from the power of the dog."
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A real page turner, unputdownable! Shocking, and in the parts painful to read not only about the drugs war, but not the last about the American policy in the Reagan era, especially the foreign policy at the end of the Cold War. In no phase lengthy, skilfully plotted, photographically accurate, fantastic characters development, fast-paced, brutal and insanely ingeniously written.
Maybe I start to be repetitive but I have to admit (again) that this book could make a nice movie. Kind of Spy Kids, only with a bit o[image]
3.5 stars
Maybe I start to be repetitive but I have to admit (again) that this book could make a nice movie. Kind of Spy Kids, only with a bit older actors in the main role - a Spy Teen.
Theo Reese, our protagonist, is a sixteen-year-old student with outstanding computer skills. He is so good that already in his young age he becomes an indispensable member of the IT-Department of Tactical Operational Support, a secret government organization, in short TOC, where his parents work also as secret agents. Apart from his exceptional after-school-work, Theo is a normal teenager, who plays ice hockey, is not bad in school and likes to spend his free time with his boy-friend Eddie, who has no idea about a hidden double life of his dearest. An unexpected hostile hacker attack on the TOC's network puts not only the existence of the organization in a serious danger but also turns into a deadly danger to many agents, including his parents. It looks like Theo is the only one who can handle the situation. One expects from him fast action, a clear head and a high degree of professionalism. Will he be able to cope with this complicated task? Be prepared: There are many great twists that will keep you on the end of your seat.
I pretty much enjoyed this fast-paced-action story. It was suspenseful and entertaining at the same time. The characters are nicely developed, they are likable and very real, apart from Theo's unusual after-school-job. I read it almost at the same time when a hacker scandal occupied our media: someone hacked our political system and disclosed the private contents of many politicians. To a huge surprise of the parties involved, it were not Russian hackers but a local student of 20 year old. The whole case was awkward (for our IT Government Security Services) and amusing (for the rest of the German population). So, maybe the part of Theo being a secret agent and working for a secret organization is not THAT fictional.
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John Solo did a good job presenting different voices for different characters. But I needed some times to get used to his narration. One of the reason: he sounds much older than a sixteen-year-old guy. Actually his voice is of a forty-year old man. But his versatility in performance makes it almost completely well again. And at the end of the audio book I didn't bother about his somewhat older protagonist voice.
My other issue is probably a lot of technical stuff in the story, especially when Theo brings his ingenious skill alive and when he is completely in his element. I can imagine that, for example, my mother would have a big problem to understand what is going on while Theo tries to safe his dad. On the other hand I can't imagine how one could write a hacker novel totally avoiding the technical subject.
I would recommend this book in the first place for those fans of YA genre who have more or less an idea of how a computer works.
As a little note: it is NOT a romance novel. Theo and Eddie is an established couple.
***ARC provided kindly by the publisher to GBR in exchange for an honest review.***
AGAIN, Robert Karjel takes a political-military-spy thriller to a whole new level. If you'll find another author who writes at least approximat [image]
AGAIN, Robert Karjel takes a political-military-spy thriller to a whole new level. If you'll find another author who writes at least approximately in the same manner, please let me know IMMEDIATELY! I need more of Ernst Grip, I need more of Robert Karjel's intelligent intriguing twisting plot and I need more of his complex multilayered characters.
I knew AGAIN at 50% ALREADY that this book would be a winner for me. If I could, I would give it more than 5 stars. If you ask me which book I love more, I have to be honest and admit that I don't know. I actually reject to compare The Swede with After the Monsoon. You can read any of these books as a stand alone, but I highly recommend you to read them in the chronological order. The story told in the first book doesn't have anything to do with After the Monsoon, but you simply need to get to know Ernst Grip, an agent of the Swedish security police, better and closer. And believe me, it is sooooo worth it.
Like in The Swede there are more than one story-line here: a Swedish family that has been kidnapped by pirates from their luxury yacht while sailing around the world and a death of a Swedish soldier, a member of a Swedish anti-piracy mission, during the shooting range in the desert. It seems that the only connection between these two cases is the coast of Somalia. [image] The shooting case seems to be a clear matter- a tragic accident, not more not less. Ernst Grip arrives in Djibouti for his investigation that has to be of a purely formal character. For every other police officer it COULD be, but not for Grip.
The truth starts unfolding, layer after layer; the deeper Grip dips into this complicated case, the more unanswered questions appear, the more mystery the whole investigation becomes, the more darker secrets are revealed, the more lives endanger.
I. COULDN'T. PUT. THIS.BOOK.DOWN. Not for a second. What a ride, what a fantastic read. I'm EXTREMELY sad now because it is over. I can't have enough of Ernst Grip. What a provoking, unforgettable, compelling character! Don't wait, go and get the first book! Read it!
This part concerns only those readers who decide between two editions:
[image]I purchased a German edition first. My thoughts were: It is a translation from Swedish anyway, it doesn't matter. It did. Believe me. I have to switch to an English edition after some pages. If you can't read it in an original language, please, choose the English translation. Nancy Pick did such a great job. You won't notice it you won't compare. I did. Judge it by yourself. Just as an example (there are many of them): in German:
"Es war nur ein weiteres der viel zu vielen nichtssagenden Bilder, mit denen er gefüttert wurde."
in English:
"Only that he was being fed too many simple truths."
I always find it very difficult to write a review of a book that deeply moved me. I had a look at my reviews of my all time favorite books rece[image]
I always find it very difficult to write a review of a book that deeply moved me. I had a look at my reviews of my all time favorite books recently, and had to hold myself back not to make them disappear forever. They sound like a disjointed mumbling of a ten year old girl who has just discovered the existence of an exclamation mark. Besides, these reviews are not very helpful.
But again, I am running out of words when I try to explain how GOOD this story is, how GREAT the characters are and how I want all of you to go through these oceans of emotions and to experience the same intensity of feelings while reading this book.
Ok...the story:
Set in the middle/end of the 1980s in Russia/West-/East Germany/USA this novel offers EVERYTHING that a fan of a powerful political spy thriller can only dream of: the most excited history, a spies' war on a very high level, complex politics, a lot of research (hats off to the author. WOW.) But even if this part alone deserves 5 stars, the best, THE VERY BEST, the most fascinating, stunning, breathtaking, amazing, grandiose part is...YES...a LOVE STORY.
The characters:
Jack, a CIA officer at the American Embassy in Moscow is a spy, he is lonely, gay and...simply one of the most compassionate characters EVER. Eton, a promising Russian physics student, a grandson of Professor Volkonsky, a world leading specialist in nuclear physics and a member of a nomenclature circle, with a mysterious family background and deeply in the closet (how it could be not at this time and in this country?!) But Eton is in the first place a talented musician, a songwriter, front man and lead singer of the band Krylia. So you see, according to fundamental laws of physics, they can't be together.
Their relationship:
is a developing one. It starts VERY slowly, the sexual tension could be hardly ignored from their first meeting, but this hidden slow-built-relationship is something you can't write THAT easy. You either can do it or not. M.K. South brought THIS love story and its development to uttermost perfection.
The writing:
very descriptive and could possibly be diluted in some parts, but during the most part of the book I felt it was authentic to the development of the story and the story just couldn’t do without it. I don't want to get rid of a single sentence. No way. Again, I have to thank/admire/ the author for all his historical knowledge and for his research and everything in between. It is just this kind of this accurate writing that left you astounded and speechless and amazed and force you to google and google and google. That makes your reading progress slower but it worth it, believe me.
In spite of all I said above, I'll try to remain reasonable.
You shouldn't read this book
[image]if you do NOT like realistic historical fiction
[image]if you are NOT interested in politics AT ALL
[image]if your ONLY idea of a spy novel is James Bond movies
[image]if your understanding of a love story ( I avoid on purpose the word romance here) is not possible without long detailed sex scenes
Please, read this book
[image]if you do NOT want to miss one of the most emotional and intense love stories EVER
[image]if you don't afraid to read a book of this length
[image]if you appreciate extremely well-done research
[image]If you LOVE historical fiction you can authenticate yourself with
[image]if you understand and estimate a beautiful and excellent writing
And finally something for your eyes. My casting for the main characters:
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Beautiful, emotional, exciting, scary, thrilling, fascinating... the list of adjectives could go on and on.
HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
P.S I'm in the worst book hangover EVER after. Damn you all, Eton, Jack and M.K South. Poor me :(
A fantastic BR with my girls, Alona, Sofia, Katerina.
The term of being a demisexual is as understandable for me as the origin of the universe.
I would have lied if I had said that I was happy about[image]
The term of being a demisexual is as understandable for me as the origin of the universe.
I would have lied if I had said that I was happy about the lack of testosterone between the MCs.
But...damn...they seemed to be really happy with their sexuality or, better to say, the absence of it. And also they were convincing with their way of living. Even if I, honestly, would rather see Martin as a secret saver of the world than a simple kid's library hero but DAMN, the whole story-line was sooooooooo...charming...and convincing in somewhat peculiar way. I am still wondering how it was possible to create so much love and tension between those two without a single sex scene... It was tender, it was beautiful, emotional and heart-warming. I really loved it.
I normally enjoyed Eli Easton's works, and I was in the mood for something fluffy, romantic, with a tiny dose of angst. It WAS al[image]Audible[image]
I normally enjoyed Eli Easton's works, and I was in the mood for something fluffy, romantic, with a tiny dose of angst. It WAS all THAT + a lonely cabin in the woods of Alaska, FBI intrigues, an undercover case, hot sex and an excellent narrator. Maybe it was a material for a longer book, maybe it was not my kind of story, but I had more eye-rolls moments than I would like. The MCs fell very rapidly for each other for my taste, it was a bit too much drama around and a way too long sex scenes for the length of the book. One extra star for John Solo for his narrating skills....more
Neil S. Plakcy is the author I planned to read since I started to read MM romance genre and gay fiction books. It was the time when an entirely new woNeil S. Plakcy is the author I planned to read since I started to read MM romance genre and gay fiction books. It was the time when an entirely new world opened up and my TBR became close to collapse. *sigh* What a wonderful time!..
The first book in the Angus Green Series did not really knock me off my feet - though I have to admit, it was not bad - besides, sometimes you need to have a little patience with a starter in series. It was too early to judge it.
The eponymous of the series, FBI Special Agent Angus Green, is a good-looking man, an enthusiastic and motivated employee, a smart guy and - without any doubt - a very nice person, but probably also he is the reason why I find the series somehow boring.
The second book and the second case for Special Agent Angus Green. He has to find out more information about flakka, a new dangerous drug that rapidly gains ground. While doing research in a local drugs scene Angus accidentally comes across another serious crime. It looks like the same people who are involved in the drug dealing also runs a gay porn business with underage boys, whom they get off the streets. Boys who have been victimized, abused or run away from home and are an easy prey for the mob. The Special Agent Angus Green makes to his essential mission to save those kids, to find the core of the evil and to destroy it.
I have to admit: the beginning of the book , and I liked it much more than the rest of the book. As the investigation progressed the dynamics dropped and the book became long-winded and at the end, FOR MY PERSONAL LIKING rather a chore than a reading joy.
I normally like books with an investigation routine. The books, where the research and perfect analytic skills of an investigator plays a very important role. But here I was very close to give up. SORRY.
There were many talking - talking with witnesses, friends, colleagues, there were many walking around - a gym, bars, shelters, streets, and there were many thinking (around). AND it all happened in a very mo-no-to-n-ous way for my taste. Maybe if the book would have been a bit shorter, it had exhibited more dynamics.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t ask for more Hollywood-like actions and twists. But even some little actions in between, and a few corps didn’t affect a boring pace of the story.
My further personal problem was the first person pov. I didn’t feel the main character the way I should. First person POV belongs to my FAVORITE narration, but here it would bemaybe better to chose the third person pov. I really don't know.
All in all, the series is NOT bad, and it will for sure find its fans. But I think I'm not among them.
The waiting was worth it! The second installment didn't disappoint: a great mystery, charismatic characters and a lot of FEELINGS!
I’m a BIG4,5 stars
The waiting was worth it! The second installment didn't disappoint: a great mystery, charismatic characters and a lot of FEELINGS!
I’m a BIG fan of Art Crime novels, unfortunately I haven’t come across them too often in the LGBT genre. With The Art of Murder series Josh Lanyon killed two birds with one stone (for me, I don't literally mean the number of deaths in this book, it is slightly more): My mystery-soul is extremely happy and my romance-soul is completely satisfied.
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Let’s talk about the mystery. Ve-ry complex, ve-ry creepy, with a brilliantly created spooky environment and thrilling atmosphere. Wow.
James West, FBI Special Agent of the Art Crime Team, investigates a fraud in Fletcher-Durrand Gallery. Legendary FBI profiler Sam Kennedy who since their last case together in Massachusetts has promoted to chief of the FBI Behavior Analysis Unit hunts a serial killer, who leaves a Monet painting at the crime scenes. And Christopher Shipka, a reporter for the Valley Voice on his private mission to find out what happened to the German art student Paris Havemeyer almost 20 years ago. But hold on tight: there are much more!
The fact that all these cases are connected hasn’t come totally unexpected. Key word ART.
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What took me (and not just me) by surprise, was a cold and very reserved appearance of Sam at the crime scene and how he purposely ignored his almost boy-friend. (At least it was what we all truly believed, didn’t we?) As if there were no Massachusetts and passion PURE, as if there were no those eight months of sensual phone calls. What the hell is going on? Sam tries to stay aloofly official; James tries to hide his hurt, confusion and embarrassment. Sam pretends they are just good friends, James needs an explanation.
And then this case they have to work together on... A COMPLICATED mayhem of feelings!
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The best prerequisites for an emotional romance with a lot of sexual tension.
With Sam & James interaction, Josh Lanyon fulfilled all the most high expectations of the most critical readers of romance novels.
Highly enjoyable and beautiful MM Romance Mystery, that left you craving for more!
***ARC provided by the author to GBR in exchange for an honest review. ***...more
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