And Now For Something Completely Different (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s, #9.7) by Jodi Taylor – Review

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5 stars, Book Review, humor, Jodi Taylor, moon landing, time travel, Zara Ramm

About And Now For Something Completely Different by Jodi Taylor

Here’s a question for you. What’s the most exciting thing ever found in a fire bucket? And don’t say ‘fire’ because you’ll be wrong.

Suppose – just suppose – it was the technology to take a pod to Mars? Yeah, now we’re talking!

Every Christmas, for reasons which seem good at the time – especially after an eggnog or two – Max and the others leap into the nearest pod and indulge in their illegal Christmas jump. It’s a tradition. This year, however, just to be different, they find themselves part of someone else’s illegal Christmas jump. It’s time to don a spacesuit and bring your own urine!

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Review of And Now For Something Completely Different

I once wrote a blog post comparing The Chronicles of St. Mary’s to Doctor Who. At the time, a major difference between to two was that the Doctor can travel anywhere in space, while the St. Mary’s crew are confined to Earth.

No longer.

When Director Pinkerton, from a future St. Mary’s, invites Max and Peterson to join the group to witness the first manned Mars landing, all kinds of alarms go off. Seriously, they don’t, or at least, no St. Mary’s historians hear them. Of course, they forge full steam ahead in a specially outfitted pod designed to travel in space. The Mars landing is a very significant historical event. Or will be. Or will have been. Depends on what era you hail from.

The Time Police are not happy.

I have to say, having Director Pinkerton as the main voice was lovely.  She is as smart and charming and brave as Max and will make one heck of a Director.  Or makes one heck of a Director.  Or was a really great Director.

So many possible disasters, so many actual disasters.  So much hilarity! I can’t recommend reading or listening in a public place. Unless you don’t mind the stares that fix on you when you laugh out loud.

And Now for Something Completely Different is short (73 pages) or 1 hour and 54 minutes as expertly read by Zara Ramm. You can’t go wrong this 2 hour distraction.

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Links

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Keepers 2018

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Anna Lee Huber, Carolyn Ives Gilman, clay griffith, Emma Newman, Grace Draven, Isabel Cooper, J. D. Moyer, Jodi Taylor, Juliet Marillier, Keepers, Lauren Smith, Maria Vale, Pauline Baird Jones, S. K. Dunstall, Susan Griffith, Sylvain Nueval, Tanya Huff, W. Michael Gear

Among the books I read this year, there are a number that I would call Keepers. That is, they made an impression while I was reading them and they made a home in my literary brain and moved in. I can visit them any time. Such was the impression the made on me. So here is my Keepers list for 2018. I am purposely excluding SciFi Romance because I will be recognizing those in the SFR Galaxy awards that will be announced in January. But for every other genre, here are my picks.

Audiobooks

A Peace Divided (Peacekeeper, #2) by Tanya Huff – I’ve been listening to the Confederate/Peacekeeper series for a year or two. Pure military scifi, (even after the heroine retires from the marines).

The Greyfriar (Vampire Empire, #1) by Clay and Susan Griffith – Greyfriar is an often-recommended steampunk novel that I’ve been wanting to read for a while. I know now why it is recommended. The audiobook is superbly narrated by James Marters. (Yes, I was a Buffy fan.)

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s series by Jodi Taylor. – I am finally caught up with the series, having read all the novels and short stories up to And Now for Something Completely Different which released on Christmas day this year. The series is brilliantly narrated by Zara Ramm. I’m not sure I could ever read a print St. Mary’s books. She has spoiled me.

Themis Files series by Sylvain Neuval – This fascinating scifi series is told with a series of interviews and mission logs. The audiobooks have take a cue from the format and are read by a huge cast of characters. I just downloaded the third and final book in the series. I can’t wait to see how it ends.

Scifi

Donovan Trilogy by W. Michael Gear – Books 1 and 2 were release this year. I would call them pure scifi thriller/mystery/adventure taking place on a scary planet with a life of its own.

Dark Orbit by Carolyn Ives Gilman– This book is exploration scifi with a positive theme.

The Sky Woman by J.D. Moyer – Humans who think they are advanced observing other humans. Non-interference, strange powers. I can’t wait to see where this one goes.

Stars Uncharted by S.K. Dunstall – The ragtag crew of Road to Goberlings is the real attraction in this book. I will be a happy to read their further adventures.

Before Mars (Planetfall, #3) by Emma Newman – This book had me thinking of all the Mars exploration movies/TV shows I’ve ever seen. I’ll be reading the next one – Atlas Alone.

Fantasy

Entreat Me by Grace Draven – Entreat Me is an older book, but I finally read it this year. Loved it!  One of my Draven favorites.

Highland Dragon Master (Dawn of the Highland Dragon, #3) by Isabel Cooper – An unimpressive title for a very impressive book. A most unusual take on dragons, magic and fantasy.

Blackthorn and Grimm series by Juliet Marillier – I absolutely fell in love with both Blackthorn and Grimm and finished the series this year. Oh my. I wish I could explain why I love this series so much. But you have to feel it.  My favorite in audiobooks!

Other Genres

The Big Uneasy series by Pauline Baird Jones – I got caught up with this series in a binge read. I love the humor and the New Orleans setting.

The Shadows of Stormclyffe Hall: A Modern Gothic Romance (The Dark Seductions Series, #1) by Lauren Smith – This atmospheric story had me feeling the chill of the ghosts and the fear of the protagonists. Great Gothic story!

Treacherous is the Night by Anna Lee Huber – Treacherous is the Night is my favorite book of the year. If I really had to pick a favorite. Historical fiction set in post WWI Europe.  Ms. Huber’s talent shines in this one.

The Legend of All Wolves series by by Maria Vale – Books 1 and 2 were released in 2018 and I read them both. I was impressed with Vale’s unique and amazing depiction of the wolf world.

 

If you read any Keepers this year, please share in the comments below.  Your Keeper might become someone else’s next great read!

Audiobook Recommendations

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Adventure, aliens, angels, archeology, audiobooks, druid, Elizabeth Hunter, fantasy, first contact, gothic, Grace Draven, historical, horror, Jennifer Foehner Wells, Jodi Taylor, Juliet Marillier, Kevin Hearne, Lindsay Buroker, magic, military scifi, mystery, romance, Sandra Hill, scifi, series, Steampunk, Tanya Huff, time travel, urban fantasy, vampires, vikings, Viola Carr, werewolves

Assuming I kept an accurate record, I listened to 40 audiobooks in 2017.  Most of them were pretty good.  A few, not so good.  I rarely review audiobooks, so today, I will let you know which ones I would recommend.  Without reservation!  That means the story is really good and the narration is just as good.

I’ll start with Jodi Taylor’s Chronicles of St. Mary’s.  In a previous post, I ranted and raved about this series and it is one of those that holds up very well beyond book 3.  In 2017, I listened to narrator Zara Ramm bring these 5 books to life:
A Symphony of Echoes, #2
When a Child is Born, #2.5
A Second Chance, #3
Roman Holiday, #3.5
A Trail Through Time, #4
In addition, the author narrated #0.5, The Very First Damned Thing.  #0.5. 2.5 and 3.5 were all free on Audible, so if they still are, now is as good a time to check them out! I have already purchased a couple more and they are in the queue.

Beneath the Waning Moon is a 2-book anthology by authors Elizabeth Hunter and one of my favorites – Grace Draven. Included are A Very Proper Monster by Elizabeth Hunter and Gaslight Hades by Grace Draven. Both were beautiful gothic romances! I also listened to the marvelous Eidolon, Wraith Kings #2 by Grace Draven. Both of these books were charmingly narrated by Gabrielle Baker.

For SciFi books, Tanya Huff’s Confederation series is one of my favorites. Maguerite Gavin is a skilled narrator. I listened to 4 in this series and have another one in the queue.
The Heart of Valor, #3
Valor’s Trial, #4
The Truth of Valor, #5
An Ancient Peace, #6 (also Peacekeeper #1)

I got a great deal by downloading the 3-in-1 book Forgotten Ages by Lindsay Buroker. From there it was a simple matter to get the Whispersync audiobook 3-in-1. I discovered this author this year and I am quite sure there will be more Lindsay Buroker in my future. Forgotten Ages was narrated by a favorite narrator, Tavia Gilbert. This compendium included:
Encrypted (novel)
Enigma (short story)
Decrypted (novel)

Viola Carr knows her way around some steampunk/horror/fantasy and her stories are well narrated by Beverly A. Crick. The Electric Empire is 3 books long. I listened to the first 2 on audiobook this year:
The Diabolical Miss Hyde, #1 
The Devious Dr. Jekyll, #2
After listening to these two books, I finished by the series off by reading The Dastardly Miss Lizzie.

For SciFi fans, I highly recommend Jennifer Foehner Wells’ Confluence series. This first contact and beyond series is insightful and hopeful with that streak of realism that makes us realize space is not a friendly place. Susanna Burney is the narrator of book 1 and she is joined by Mark Linden in book 2. I am currently reading book 3, Inheritance, so I am definitely committed to the series.
Fluency, #1
Remanance, #2

One of my favorite finds of the year is Juliet Marillier’s Blackthorn & Grimm series. Like the 2-names-separated-by-an-ampersand series title suggests, there are mysteries to be solved. They are solved with logic, determination and so much heart. These are amazing characters. The use of three different narrators to represent different points of view was very much appreciated.
Dreamer’s Pool, #1
Natalie Gold, Nick Sullivan Narrators, Scott Aiello
Tower of Thorns, #2
Natalie Gold, Nick Sullivan Narrators, Susannah Jones
Book 3, Den of Wolves, is in my queue. I love this series so much!

For a good laugh, Sandra Hill is a great author. She writes a Viking/Vampire/Angel series called Deadly Angels that makes me laugh out loud. This year, I listened to Kiss of Temptation, #3 narrated by Erin Bennett.

And finally, Kevin Hearne’s Iron Druid series. I am almost caught up, so I only have one to add to this list. Luke Daniels is one of the best narrators out there so I was please to listen to him read Staked, #8.

That is it for my favorite audiobook listens for 2017. In most cases, I bought the Kindle book and then added the Whispersync audiobook. It seems to be the most economic for me. For that reason, all the book cover and title links will link to the Kindle version. Whether you read these books, or listen to them, the are all great stories!