Category: Terrorist

Daughter of the Cyber Dragons by C. T. Phipps & Michael Suttkus

Daughter of the Cyber Dragons
Cyber Dragons, Book 1
By: C.T. Phipps, Michael Suttkus
Narrated by: Catherine Ho
Series: Cyber Dragons, Book 1
Length: 10 hrs and 48 mins

BOOK BLURB

Keiko “Kei” Springs is a Rider, a specialized form of delivery girl and mercenary all in one.

They are among the most highly prized criminals in the dystopian neon city of New Los Angeles. Kei has been running from her past for years and has literally erased it from her mind using a popular street drug called lethe. Unfortunately, you can’t outrun your past forever, even on her specialized Nina cybercycle.

Strapped for cash, Kei accepts a job she probably shouldn’t after barely surviving a live fire test by a married pair of oligarchs. Teamed up with a group of other mercenaries and cyborgs, Kei is to seek out a stolen computer program that has the power to drive otherwise ordinary individuals to shocking acts of violence. Her team includes her ex, a handsome bioroid assassin, a teenage hacker, and a ruthless corporate exec that all have their own agendas. It’d be the worst time of her life if not for all the ones she can’t remember.

The Cyber Dragons trilogy is set in the same world as the Agent G series and is an exciting action adventure cyberpunk thriller with plenty of humor.

REVIEW

Note: It’s not necessary to have read the Agent G books to enjoy this book.

Kei and Paradise are an unlikely teamup but they sure do make the chapters fly! I loved the banter between these two. Kei is so serious, so steeped in her self-recrimination and dark thoughts. Paradise is happy to be here, kicking butt and cheering on sex workers wherever she finds them. Then we get Case and Luchita, who I already know from the Agent G books. Case has long been one of my favorite characters in the larger world of Phipps stories. His cyber enhancements sometimes make his personality a bit inhuman, but he has these great moments of support and insight for his teammates.

The pacing is really good as you never get bored but you also feel like the characters get to develop continually throughout the story. I also like the bouts of banter and pop culture references. This book made me nostalgic for Blade Runner. And I also like the challenge of trying to guess them all, tho I admit my knowledge of music isn’t great at all.

Then there’s the plot which snuck it’s way into the opening chapters with a fun ruse. Paradise and Kei meet in a unique way and the crazy ride starts from there. While things look straight forward for our team, don’t worry! There will be some deceit to keep us all interested in the wrap up.

The drug lethe was a curious little bit as Kei sure does spend a lot of time being hard on herself for someone who has worked so hard to forget just what she’s being hard on herself for. I like how she’s a bundle of little contradictions like there. I also like that this story doesn’t let her, or anyone else really, off the hook. There are consequences for actions, whether you remember them or not.

Snake! Kei’s memories of this sensei butthead are tossed in here and there and they add a certain intensity to her character. He took her on as an orphan and trained her in martial arts, killing, and manners. He also forcibly upgraded parts of her with cybernetics. Kei eventually managed to walk away from him and she seems to have embraced her body the way it is, finally.

And all of this comes together for the final big standoff at the end of the story. Will our heroes be maimed permanently? Will some die? Will newly forged friendships be ruined, or reinforced? I love that there’s a kid to rescue. It always seems to bring out the best in our reluctant heroes. It’s another win from this writing duo! And I can’t wait for book 2! 5/5 stars.

Audiobook Narration: Catherine Ho was great as Kei. She had the all too serious snark down and the darker thoughts along with the command voice to get her team moving. Since I’ve listened to the Agent G books, I already had that voice in my head for Case, but Ho did a decent job of creating a believable voice for him here. I LOVED her exuberant voice for Paradise. Her pacing was good and flexible, as the story demanded. Her delivery of the snark and jokes and pop culture references were spot on. 5/5 stars.

Weekly Amusements: Witcher, WoT, Alex Rider, & More

Welcome to Dab of Darkness Weekly Amusements! Here’s my attempt to give a shout out to things that have made my week a little bit better. 

There’s always awesome stuff happening over at these audiobook clubs.

Fant-SciFi Audiobook Club 

Just finishing the discussion on Leviathan Falls (The Expanse #9)

Will be starting discussion of Evershore (Skyward Flight Novella #3)

Histories & Mysteries Audiobook Club 

Just finishing the discussion of The Watchmaker of Filigree Street.

The next upcoming discussion later in the month is Stormbreaker (Alex Rider #1)

For this week, I’m playing catch up from over the holidays. My better half & I watched a lot of TV, I discovered a few new-to-me podcasts, and listened to some great audiobooks. 

The Stars Have Eyes serial over at SoundBooth Theater has two new episodes out (total of 8 now). Future dystopian comedy with a touch of Lovecraftian fantasy.

Second season of The Witcher – pretty darn good! Tho I did notice everyone got dark eyebrows, which is a little shocking if you’re just coming off of season 1. There were a few small things that I was like, hey, why are those horses even saddled? But, over all, lots of fun.

The Silent Sea – intense and a slow burn science fiction horror story. Netflix has it dubbed and subtitled, so I was able to follow along easily.

I did watch the second season of Alex Rider but those commercials, man, made it difficult. I wish IMDbTV had a commercial-free option. It was fun and so I checked out the books. They are quick, easy, YA espionage (without the angst). So far I have read the first 3. I was surprised how much I liked them because I really didn’t like Anthony Horowitz’s Magpie Murders.

The Hot Zone – really enjoyed this series, both seasons. I had read the nonfiction Hot Zone by Richard Preston back in the 1990s and loved it. I feel the series did it justice.

The Americans – we just finished the final season of this show. I had no idea it existed & just stumbled upon it then whipped right through it. Such a hangover afterwards! I’ve watched a lot of good stuff afterwards and I still am looking for something as intense. Set in the 1980s during the Cold War, two Directorate S USSR agents live in the US as Americans doing all sorts of questionable stuff out of loyalty to a country they haven’t visited in 20 years.

The Murder Squad podcast – quality talk about serious crime with a heavy dose of social justice issues. Right up there with Crime Junkie. I’m still fairly new to podcasts in general having just started exploring them last year.

American History Tellers podcast – it’s like all the history I wish my schooling had included. I like that each season deals with a different subject of American history. I really enjoyed the Cold War season as it dovetailed with The Americans TV show.

The Wheel of Time TV show – Both my man & I have read all the books and were pretty excited to see the show. It started off pretty good – intense! Each episode deviated further & further from the first book, The Eye of the World, but I’m not a purist; I was still enjoying the show. But things started twisting a bit more & this no longer felt like the Wheel of Time I know. That season finale was not on par with the first few episodes. I really hope they can win back the fan base with season 2.

American Gods TV show – I adore the book by Neil Gaiman & finally got around to watching season 3 of the show. I can’t believe that it has been truly dropped. I really hope another platform picks it up because they left season 3 with such big cliffhangers for multiple characters. Still, really good acting, lush settings & special effects. Not sorry I watched it.

And that’s it for me this week. What has kept you happily distracted this past week? 

Page-to-Screen: The Last Ship by William Brinkley

The Last Ship
By: William Brinkley
Narrated by: Christopher Lane
Length: 29 hrs and 53 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 02-18-15
Language: English
Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Book Blurb

The unimaginable has happened: The world has been plunged into all-out nuclear war. Sailing near the Arctic Circle, the USS Nathan James is relatively unscathed, but the future is grim and Captain Thomas is facing mutiny from the tattered remnants of his crew. With civilization in ruins, he urges those that remain – 152 men and 26 women – to pull together in search of land. Once they reach safety, however, the men and women on board realize that they are the earth’s last remaining survivors – and they’ve all been exposed to radiation. When none of the women seems able to conceive, fear sets in. Will this be the end of humankind?

My Review 

Well, that was nearly 30 hours of a man politely, even apologetically, explaining why he thinks women should serve only in limited roles in the military.

I watched a season or two of the TV show before I dove into this book, so I certainly came into it with certain expectations. I was looking for action and roiling emotions as the people on this military vessel do what they can to stay alive and save others. However, it was mostly the main character, Captain Thomas, contemplatively waxing poetic about how women can best serve the military, and also how the presence of women on his ship will alter his role. Basically, he wants to protect the ladies as much as possible from every crude thought, word, or hand that any man aboard his ship may have towards women. It’s a long slog through his thought process and justification for firmly believing women should not be serving aboard Navy vessels or in the front line.

Alas, we have a world calamity to face and the ladies aren’t going to wait for you to catch up with the times. For the most part, the few female characters are written as competent if only in their narrow roles. There’s no ridiculous flirtatious behavior, etc. However, I did sigh a bit with the Captain’s angst over making the decision to train the ladies in weapons. Rest easy Captain! That was the right decision.

Anyhoo, there are short spats of action sprinkled throughout the book, but they are secondary to the lengthy ‘put woman on a pedestal where she will be safe from crude men’ stuff. I often think of men like the Captain as gentlemen sexists. They don’t see women as equals but wrap it up in a backhand compliment that they are the better of the genders for their ability to empathize and soothe and raise children; and therefore, women deserve whatever protection the honorable man can give her. This really slowed down the plot and made the book a bit of slog. And it’s not just 2 or 3 times the Captain’s thoughts and conversations with his closest male advisers go over the quandary of these women serving on their Navy vessel. It comes up again and again and again……

Towards the end, the characters have to figure out how to continue on with the human species. The Captain and his trusted advisers start making plans, including how to go about with repopulating the livable parts of the planet. These men eventually come to the conclusion that the women should have some say in how the couplings should be decided upon. Sigh… Yes, the men literally grant the women the right to have a say in who they will bed.  That aside, the story does end on a hopeful note.

According to GoodReads, this book was first published in 1989. Initially, I thought this might help explain the tedious take by the Captain on women serving onboard, but it looks like women have been serving for some time onboard (since the 1970s). In that light, the Captain’s personal feelings about Navy women (which take up a heck of a lot of page time) give the story a very dated feel. For me, this book was a bit of a bore. 2/5 stars.

The Narration: Christopher Lane was pretty good as the male characters. His range of voices would have benefitted from a greater range but he was perfect as the Captain. His female voices could have used a bit more femininity. There were also times when I felt his narration fell into a monotone, though admittedly there were several long sections in this story that were not that exciting. The pacing was good. There were no tech issues with the recording. 3/5 stars.

The Last Ship
Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
TV Series (2014–2018)

TV Series Description

The crew of a naval destroyer is forced to confront the reality of a new existence when a pandemic kills off most of the earth’s population.

My Review

Sometimes you just need something fast-paced and fun and that’s what this series is. There are several parts where I have to turn off my science brain and stop yelling at the TV, ‘That doesn’t make sense!’. Once I accepted that this show was putting the fiction in science fiction, I enjoyed it. The first 3 seasons were better than the final two, but I held on to see what finally became of the Nathan James ship and her crew.

Each season tended to tackle a different way to kill large numbers of humans. Season 1 was my favorite because it featured a biological threat. Even though they really skimmed past the science on how to identify a virus and then develop a vaccine, there was plenty of action to keep me entertained.

The female characters get cycled through pretty quickly with the main women leaving for various reasons. The Captain and his XO and a few others hang on for the entirety of the show. The story treats the women in the military as it does the men in the military, for the most part, which was good to see. However, there’s a few awkward moments where the story line brings up homosexuality and then quickly skitters back from the subject. It’s an end-of-the-world apocalypse; I think the plot was strong enough to have an open LGBTQ member serving on the Nathan James.

As for the cast, Eric Dane was great as Captain Tom Chandler. He’s older, experienced, and still capable. The story line does start to treat him a bit like a 007 playboy in the later seasons, but I like to remember him from the first season. Adam Baldwin, who plays the XO Mike Slattery, did a decent job. I couldn’t help but have his very negative role in Gamergate from some years ago in the back of my head. At times, it felt like the plot couldn’t quite forget that incident either as Slattery’s family moments came off as little forced or overplayed. Rhona Mitra (playing Dr. Scott) shone in season 1. Her performance coupled with the biological research Dr. Scott was doing really pulled me into the story. I feel her exit from the story was the start of the decline of the plot.

All together, it was a fun binge watch. 3/5 stars.

Page versus Screen 

The TV series is the clear winner for me between these two. It had more action, was more inclusive (even though that was still a limited inclusivity), and explored far more world calamity scenarios. The book read like the author’s personal essay on why women are too good to serve on the front line in the military, which didn’t appeal to me and was largely a mute point when the remnants of humanity are facing distinct annihilation.

Titanborn by Rhett C. Bruno

Titanborn
By: Rhett C. Bruno
Narrated by: R.C. Bray
Series: Children of Titan, Book 1
Length: 7 hrs and 23 mins
Release date: 02-05-19

Book Blurb

Titan’s revolution is coming. All it needs is one final spark.

After decades hunting wanted offworlders throughout the solar system, Corporate Bounty Hunter Malcolm Graves doesn’t bother asking questions. So long as the pay is right, he’s the man for the job. And he always works alone.

But when a high-profile bombing on Earth has Pervenio Corp clamoring for answers, they force him to team up with a strange, cyber-augmented partner. A young man more interested in statistics than instinct. Their assignment: Track down a suspected group of extremists from Titan who will go to any length to free their moon from the grip of Earth’s corporations.

Heading into hostile territory, Malcolm will have to use everything he’s learned to stay alive. But he soon realizes the situation on the ground is much more complex than he anticipated…and much more personal.

My Review

This was a fun scifi mystery set on far off Titan. Humanity has spread itself among the stars and big corporations run the galaxy. Our maybe-hero, Malcolm, is working for one of these corporations and he’s set up against the terrorist organization known as the Children of Titan. He’s been paired up with Zhaff, a Cogent Initiate, which is kind of like an autistic cyborg. I was hooked on the story but really grew fascinated with it when Zhaff walked in.

The atmosphere of the story reminds me a bit of Blade Runner because it’s dark and grimy for much of it. Disease is a major problem for the far flung outposts like Titan. Even with all the microbial checkpoints in play, there are plenty who are ill and not getting the treatment they need. Others spend most of what they make on immunizations. The Children of Titan are pushing for better working conditions and healthcare. In this sense, the story could be taken as social commentary on modern-day USA. However, I chose to stay in the scifi world created, and not thinking too hard on the possible deeper meanings.

The one weakness of the story for me was the science bits. I think it would be far cheaper for the corporations to provide immunizations for the population instead of upkeep for all the microbial checkpoints, which obviously aren’t working. Plus, I think the basic science of diseases and how they spread wasn’t realistically represented in this story. If you can ignore the fiction in science fiction in this one area, the story is pretty good. However, my inner biologist had a hard time putting on the blinders.

I really liked Ryla, the info broker at the bar. Some intense scenes there. Really great! I think she could be a real force in the story, if allowed in later books. Malcolm and Zhaff are a great team, but I had to question if they were working for the right side… but then, is there a right side? And that aspect of the story really kept me guessing and I loved it. The tale does end on a big cliff hanger! Luckily, the next book is right there waiting. 4/5 stars.

The Narration: R. C. Bray is always a joy to listen to. In fact, that is why I picked this book up. He makes an excellent Malcolm, an older man of questionable morals in a tough position. I also liked his voice for Zhaff, a younger but more stand-offish man. Bray’s female voices work and he has a variety of voices for all characters. The pacing is perfect & there are no technical issues with this recording. 5/5 stars.

Washington, Dead City Series (1-3) by Brian Parker

Gnash
By: Brian Parker
Narrated by: Andrew B. Wehrlen
Series: Washington, Dead City Series, Book 1
Length: 9 hrs and 45 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 05-30-19
Language: English
Publisher: Muddy Boots Press, LLC

Book Blurb

An ancient fundamentalist organization executes several attacks simultaneously across the globe. A deadly viral compound is unleashed in the Pentagon, and the airborne virus turns the building’s population into zombies. A Secret Service agent, coerced by the terrorists to assassinate several heads of state, sends the world into chaos.

Meanwhile, a former army officer stranded in the Midwest is forced to fight for his life while his fiance is trapped in the Washington, DC quarantine zone and a desperate US Army Delta team searches for a way to end the madness.

They must each fight for their own survival as the nation battles to end the zombie threat before it becomes a global pandemic.

My Review

Decent start to a zombie series. I liked the action and different viewpoints. It’s a big mess and I enjoyed watching our heroes fight their different battles. Plus there’s more than one type of zombie, which keeps our heroes guessing. Chief among our characters was Grayson Donnelly, who checks off the main boxes for an all-round American hero.

The women are romantic interests and they needed protection and lots of reassurance. Obviously, I wanted more out of the ladies. Emory Perry (Grayson’s fiance) is OK but I would have liked to see her kicking more arse.

The zombie bacteria-virus is an interesting idea. Though my biology degree laughed at some of the ‘science’ and also at the way the bio hazard was tackled. Still, it was a fun basis for zombies. I liked that people didn’t know at all how they were created nor exactly how to kill them nor how to prevent the spread of the illness that creates these monsters.

Action packed, fast moving. 3/5 stars

Narration: Andrew B. Wehrlen has a good voice for the guys. It was OK for the ladies. Mostly clear, distinct voices though sometimes individual words  mushed together. Wehrlen sounded like he was enjoying the story too. There were no tech issues. 4/5 stars

I received a free copy of this book. My opinions are 100% my own.

Rend
By: Brian Parker
Narrated by: Andrew B. Wehrlen
Series: Washington, Dead City Series, Book 2
Length: 8 hrs and 5 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 06-19-19
Language: English
Publisher: Muddy Boots Press, LLC

Book Blurb

Six years ago, the president made the difficult decision to abandon Washington to the undead-and The Wall was built to keep them trapped inside. Now, a new presidential election revives the hopes of the nation as one candidate promises to retrieve the Declaration of Independence and Constitution from behind The Wall.

Retired CIA operative Asher Hawke, AKA the Kestrel, agrees to lead a team to recover the national treasures. But when they insert behind The Wall, they discover that organized crime families have been stealing priceless artwork and cash as well as disposing of bodies behind The Wall.

My Review

I like the containment wall. However, the quest to get some historical documents back out of the radiation & zombie zone seems silly to me. Lots of hooray, we’re Americans fist pumping. While I liked all the action, the radiation stuff was weak. The story would have benefited from a bit more research in radiation safety, like how radiation affects cloth and fabric. Heck, radiation is hard on everything including metal and electronics.

The ladies are romantic interests, once again, and need protecting and lots of reassurance. I liked some things about Ash but in other moments I rolled my eyes. A little bit of mansplaining goes a long way. Ash’s girlfriend, FBI Agent Allison, was OK. I think she would have been a better character without being involved with Ash.

While we met Asher in Book 1, Gnash, he gets to be the star of this book. He’s interesting enough on the surface. With all the action in this series, I don’t really need my characters to have depth. The art thieves group was a fun addition to the story (even if the issue of fencing radioactive art is never really addressed).

It was fun, fast-paced. 3.5/5 stars

Narration: Andrew B. Wehrlen’s narration has improved from book one. Individual words are clearer. The female character voices are better too. He had individual voices for all the male characters. Great voice for Ash. The pacing is still a bit slow. No tech issues. 4/5 stars

I received a free copy of this book. My opinions are 100% my own.

Sever
By: Brian Parker
Narrated by: Andrew B. Wehrlen
Series: Washington, Dead City Series, Book 3
Length: 9 hrs and 15 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 07-03-19
Language: English
Publisher: Muddy Boots Press, LLC

Book Blurb

It takes political intrigue – and plenty of tanks – to defeat zombies.

Escaped zombies from behind the wall have swept across the northeast, their path marked by havoc and death. Into this nightmare world are thrust several unlikely heroes.

A full-time national guard soldier leads his company of tanks on a harrowing journey towards the Appalachian Defensive Line.

A small group of refugees fight for their own survival and end up facing demons of a different sort.

A hero from the last zombie war must fight against the first invasion of the continental United States in over 200 years.

Retired CIA operative Asher Hawke, AKA the Kestrel, will stop at nothing to eliminate the zombie threat – and save the nation that he’s dedicated his life to protect.

My Review

I liked that the zombies are such a problem and there’s 3 kinds now, with hive-like communication and control. The US army isn’t ready for this! What a mess! Ash is still the main focus but we also get some new viewpoints like Maria and the people she ends up fighting with on the front lines.

Once again, the ladies are romantic interests and for the most part need protection and reassurance. For the series, the ladies are pretty interchangeable. Ash hooks up with his neighbor, Rachel, who is recently divorced. He really didn’t like her in the previous book and doesn’t seem to like her in this one until they wind up drunk in bed together. Tis ridiculous. Anyway, she gets fridged and that spurs Ash on to great heroics (which is pretty cliche).

I did like Ash’s big hunt and final personal battle. They have a nifty cure for being bitten now. Sometimes it’s called a vaccine and sometimes anti-venom, etc. My inner biologist cringes at the lack of precision or at least consistency in medical terms. 4/5 stars

Narration: Andrew B. Wehrlen’s pacing is still a little slow. Words are clear. The women sound like women for the most part. Good voice for Ash. Maria’s Cubano accent came and went and wasn’t very good. A few mispronounced words like ‘lithe’. No tech issues. 4/5 stars

I received a free copy of this book. My opinions are 100% my own.

Fallout by Karla Forbes

Fallout
By: Karla Forbes
Narrated by: Craig Bowles
Series: Nick Sullivan Thrillers, Book 1
Length: 10 hrs and 38 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 09-11-18
Language: English
Publisher: Karla Forbes

Book Blurb

The British government is being blackmailed by criminals who got their hands on a quantity of plutonium left over from the Cold War. There is only one man who knows their identity and can prevent a disaster, but he is on the run for a murder he didn’t commit and has no intention of being found.

As the authorities attempt to track him down, the clock is ticking, and they are running out of time. They pin their hopes on the fact that a bunch of amateurs won’t have nuclear technology and the worst they will manage is a dirty bomb. After all, everyone knows they aren’t really that dangerous.

People run away from the explosion, and the radiation drifts harmlessly into the atmosphere. But suppose you could change that? What if the terrorists had found a way to keep the radiation near to the ground, encourage people to hang around breathing in death, and when you invite them to their own slaughter, they come willingly? They would be dangerous then…wouldn’t they?

My Review

It started off pretty interesting. Nick and his best friend are out sailing, come across another boat in distress, offer assistance, and BOOM! Nick is now in the middle of this dangerous game of cat and mouse. His life is left in tatters. His best friend is dead, the police think he did it, his wife leaves him, and he’s on the hunt for the real killers. The first few hours really drew me in and I was committed to finishing the book.

Nick himself turns out to be pretty selfish. Despite the excellent beginning, I never really grew to like Nick. He’s an OK guy, a bit self-centered, who is now caught up in extraordinary circumstances. He’s addicted to action and adrenaline. Yes, he wouldn’t mind saving hundreds, maybe even thousands, of people, but it’s really the rush of danger that has a hold on him.

The ladies are underutilized as well. I can only recall 3 – Nick’s wife, a new love interest (Annalise), and the wife of some government official. In each case, the women are sexualized and two of them need rescuing or saving from danger. For the most part, they don’t really contribute to the plot except for one who has to exit the story permanently. I was disappointed that Annalise at least didn’t get a real role.

I did really like the plot hatched by the bad guys. They have managed to get their hands on some plutonium and they are plotting something far worse than a few dirty bombs. One of them is pretty clever and Nick uses that to his advantage later in the story. The pacing is pretty good – never a dull moment. 3.5/5 stars.

The Narration: Craig Bowles has a good voice for Nick Sullivan. It’s a steady pace, clear speech. However, I did feel that sometimes he sounded more like a news reporter or perhaps a sports reporter. Bowles had different voices for all the characters but sometimes he slipped into that reporter’s voice and the different character voices kind of blended together. Bowles did have a good female character voice, but all 3 ladies had to share it. But there were never 2 or more ladies in any one conversation so it was easy to keep their characters apart. There were no tech issues with the recording. 4/5 stars.

I received a free copy of this book. My opinions are 100% my own.