Armageddon's Children

Armageddon's Children

By Terry Brooks; Read by Dick Hill
12 CDs - Approx. 14 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Published: 2006
ISBN: 1423322568
Themes: Fantasy/ post-apocalyptic/ Shannara/ demons/ elves

The first entry in Terry Brooks' new Genesis of Shannara trilogy, Armageddon's Children starts things off brilliantly. It is immediately engrossing, capturing the listener's attention from the first minute clear through its cliffhanger ending.

Set in an Earth where civilization has been mostly destroyed by war, diseases, and by demonic entities. It is a world of mutants and demons, with elves and humans hiding from an unavoidable end. Post-apocalyptic fantasy is an odd sub-genre but Brooks pulls it off well, mostly combining the feel of post-apocalyptic fiction with the trappings of fantasy.

Like many stories of this size, there is more than one main character. Armageddon's Children has four. Logan Tom, a Knight of the Word is the first main character. Here he is given a mission to find a mysterious "gypsy morph" and lead it and a few human survivors to salvation. He, like most of the main characters here, must overcome self-doubts and accomplish his mission if humanity is to be saved. Another main character, Angel Perez is also a Knight of the Word. She is sent with a tatterdemalion to find, and help save the elves. The other main characters are Hawk, a street child who leads a small group of children in this broken world, and Kirisin, an Elf who is one of the chosen who must tend the Ellcrys, a sentient tree from the original Shannara series. The fates of all these characters are intertwined and each must succeed if humanity and elfkind are to survive the inevitable destruction of the Earth.

Simply put I loved this one and can't wait for the next in the series. Though the audiobook builds upon characters and ideas from earlier Brooks stories, it stands on its own quite well. I haven't heard or read many of them, yet I never felt as I were missing anything while I was listening here. The story is great and is what one might expect from Brooks and Dick Hill is one of the better readers that I have heard. Indeed, the only complaint I have, and a very minor one at that, is about the marketing. It is annoying that Shannara is not mentioned on the cover of the audiobook, while it is the third largest word on the paperback cover. And since that's the worst complaint I have, I am very glad I listened to this one.

A Clockwork Orange

A Clockwork Orange
by Anthony Burgess; Read by Tom Hollander
7 CDs - 8 hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Caedman/Harperaudio
Published: 2007
ISBN: 9780061170621
Themes: Science Fiction/Dystopia/youth violence/mind control

Anthony Burgess' classic novel A Clockwork Orange is likely familiar, at least through reputation or Stanley Kubrick's film, to most science fiction fans. It is arguably the best post-Orwell dystopia novel. This new audiobook version is every bit as enthralling and disturbing as the novel.

Set in a not too distant future the story centers around an anti-hero Alex, a fifteen year old delinquent, and his rather violent life. Alex and his three droogs (friends) are a small gang, one of many that preys upon this future society. These youth gangs are a very well developed subculture with their own slang called "Nadsat." Alex enjoys his life of cruelty and commits several horrendous crimes early in the story (this is not for the squeamish). Eventually Alex becomes the subject of a government mind-control experiment which raises many questions about the value of free will.

Although the story fails to predict technological advances (word processors, CDs, etc) other parts, such as the Ludovico Technique seem even more plausible now. It is a fascinating world due in part to the wonderfully imagined Nadsat. Here the audiobook really impresses. Tom Hollander's thoroughly professional reading of the story brings out the richness of the language and the setting. His reading helps make this one of the best single reader-reader audiobooks that I have ever heard!

It is an amazing story that both fascinates and repels. One of the best novels of the twentieth century has been given a worthy audiobook translation in this version. It is not quite perfect for those new to the story, however. Anyone who has not read the full version, including the controversial twenty-first chapter, is advised to skip the first two tracks of the audiobook until after they have finished the story. These tracks are the spoiler filled introduction. I am very ambivalent about the inclusion of the twenty-first chapter. I feel the same about this chapter as most Alien/Aliens fans feel about Alien3, but its inclusion does allow listeners to make up their own minds. Overall this is an A+ production of a great story. And I'm proud to have proved that it is possible to review A Clockwork Orange without overusing Nadsat to prove one's coolness, O my little brothers. (Cow! I guess it is impossible) :-)

Posted by Dave Tackett


Labels: Science Fiction/Dystopia/youth violence/mind control/Anthony Burgess/Tom Hollander