A Good Story

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The narrator - she is skilled, but this book did not fit her voice. She was always in the same mode emotionally. She did not scale up for stress or down for the times Sirantha was breaking. It wasn't monotonous, just not a great acting performance.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Grimspace?

I could only ever make it halfway through. Aguirre's writing is excellent, but the narration just got me. I'll put this in the "to read" pile.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Suzanna Duff?

Allison McLemore

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Doubt it, the movie would lose out on the emotional roller coaster that Sirantha was on (as the narration did).

Any additional comments?

Excellent book. Excellent narrator - not a great acting performance (which I desire greatly in my audio books).

10 people found this helpful

AARGH

Would you consider the audio edition of Grimspace to be better than the print version?

No, the voice would make a great Ramona. She tries her best with emotions but she sounds like children or tween books would better suit her voice.

How could the performance have been better?

Different narrator.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Her voice is too grating and distracts from the story. I love the entire series and have all the books. But I get a migraine from trying to listen to the disparate voice. She doesn't sound tough, much less old enough to match Jax. Wish I listened to a sample before I bought the audio version.

Any additional comments?

Very disappointing because I really looked forward to the audio series.

9 people found this helpful

Great start to the series

Fist I have to say that I utilized amazon's "whispersync for voice" for this book and it was awesome.....I would listen on my way to and from work and when I got home I open the book and it syncs right where I left off...

While I listed to this one a couple of years ago and the next two I decided to wait until the series was finished before picking it up again.

This is a great start to the series, you get enough information to keep you interested but not the info dump that many first books give you.

On to the second book......

5 people found this helpful

lazy writing, not great casting

Perhaps this would have been better in paper. I've listened to about an hour and a half of this, and I won't go further. The main character is supposed to be in her 30s, but the narrator sounds like a petulant 13 year old who can't say anything without a sarcastic slant. The male characters all sound female, and what I think are supposed to be British accents are terrible.
As for the story: the heroine's personality and behavior are inconsistent, but oddly certain thoughts are just repetitive. There is lack of creativity, and the characteristics of the future are forced and trite as are the relationships. It's as if the author couldn't let the world just be discovered. It's thrown out of the bag, uninspired, boring, and lazy.

5 people found this helpful

This book was horrible!

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

No one- ever.

Would you ever listen to anything by Ann Aguirre again?

I doubt it. There was just so much wrong with the writing, that I don't think Aguirre could correct it by more practice. The story itself is so convoluted that I had a hard time remembering what the original plot was (it's actually stated in the book, but don't listen to them, it's a lie). There seems to be three story arcs so distinct that I think it would have been better if they were separated into entire different books so that each could be fleshed out more. But it isn't, and as a result, the whole books feels rushed and there is no time to really get to know the world she tried to create. The world itself played no part in the story and the whole book could have just as well taken place on a spaceship (I actually thought it did, until they were "attacked").And then there's the characters. All of them are shallow and inconsistent. All of the friendships and relationship feel forced and contrived. For example, one character does nothing but insult people but Jax immediately likes her because she "can tell she's a good person and is just joking". (really? because it sounds like she's just a b-word) In fact, this happens a lot. Jaz has to explain everyone's personality because if you just went by how they talked, you'd think they were all the same. The "romance" doesn't feel real, either. I never feels the spark between them and it feels like they fall in love more because that's what they're supposed to do. The characters pop in and out as it is convenient and sometimes I completely forget a character exists until they pop in with a convenient explanation that helps save the day.But my biggest complain is that Jax sounded like a stereotypical TV show teenager who is only capable of being emo, angry, or annoying. The moments that were supposed to show us Jax's vulnerable side, just came off like a bored teenager that has nothing better to do than to complain about how horrible their life is (she does this at the weirdest times, too). When she was trying to play the hero, it came off annoying because she tried to be too modest as if to say "look, even though I have this magic power that lets me do this, I'm totally not a mary sue- I'm proving it, watch!"

What didn’t you like about Suzanna Duff’s performance?

Maybe it was partially due to the writing style in the book itself, but the way she portrayed the character was so annoying. All of the characters sounded exactly the same and her "male" voices were pretty laughable. I think she tried to do an accent here and there, but it didn't work.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

I really wanted to like this book, because romantic space operas available an audio are surprisingly hard to find, but no matter what I did, I couldn't like it. I think that it's only redeeming quality is that whenever Jax has to "jump", it makes me imagine her as a tiny mass relay (even though she's not the beacon herself, but still).

4 people found this helpful

Space! Quirky aliens!

OK, so there are a couple standard plot devices here that I don't care for - a) miscommunication between main characters as source of conflict and b) woman feels an overwhelming sense of 'Guilt' for things that are out of her control. To be fair, she's not the only character that gets a dose of this last one, but since it's her POV it seems more pronounced.

Despite those small gripes, this is a rather fun book and I really do appreciate the main character being a female protagonist that is in her thirties and the sense of team the book has set up with the crew.

The adventure is pretty interesting and it didn't feel cut off at the end (sometimes books that are planned series have way too many things open at the end, leaving an unfinished feel -- this didn't do that)

3 people found this helpful

My God, its full of stool!!!

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

In order for this to be a 4 or 5 the book would need to be re-written, and the narrator would need to be a more mature sounding voice. Some audio books are flawed because it is poorly produced, and others because the story is just complete crap. This audio book fails on every level. The story is science fiction written by someone that doesn't understand how to build a world that doesn't exist. The narrator reads as if she is a 17 year baby sitter reading to her charges. For me science fiction is best when it is treated maturely by both the writer and the narrator.

Has Grimspace turned you off from other books in this genre?

Hopefully this book has not turned me off to other books in this genre; we shall see. i was turned onto this book by listing to the Felicia Day podcast Vaginal Fantasies. I now worry that Felicia's suggestions for books aren't worth heeding.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

The narrator sounded like a 17 year old girl reading to her prepubescent charges. She over did the inflections, and her character voices were comical.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

I felt utter and complete disappointment, and confusion about how something this bad could pass editing. I also felt angry at myself for spending my hard earned money on this crap. i wish I could get my money back.

Any additional comments?

Mrs Aguirre should keep her writing south of the border. This book should be deported to Mexico.

3 people found this helpful

very borrrrring

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

nothing

What was most disappointing about Ann Aguirre???s story?

can't keep your attention

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Suzanna Duff?

nobody it wasn't her it was the book

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Grimspace?

all of it

Any additional comments?

I just couldn't get into it

3 people found this helpful

Unique Science Fiction/Fantasy Novel

PJV Quickie: Welcome to ‘Grimspace’ a crazy, fast-paced, science fiction ride that made me think “Why did I wait this long to read this particular series?” I’m so glad I “read” this audiobook.

Review

In ‘Grimspace’, the genius that is Ann Aguirre (Enclave), introduces us to a science fiction world in which people with a rare J-Gene are able to travel through Grimspace, the new navigators of the future. Their rare ability is sought after far and wide. Sirantha Jax is a carrier of the gene. She knows the more she jumps, the closer she is to her body wearing down and imminent death, but there is nothing like grimspace and the connection she has with her pilot while transporting her ships. But, Sirantha’s latest jump didn’t go as planned and a crash landing killed her pilot and lover and left her with no memory of what happened and in some kind of Corp reconditioning/interrogation area.

On the brink of a breakdown because of the interrogations a strange man breaks into her cell and offers her freedom. March’s breakout comes with a high price though, she must join a small outlying community and help them break-up the Corp’s monopoly on grimspace travel.

This was a very exciting book. Jax and March are great characters and their interactions are priceless. Sirantha has a witty humor, with that sharp-edged sarcasm that I really enjoy in a character. I enjoyed every minute of this book. Aguirre has become one of my favorite authors with her quirky plots and over-the-top creativity. The women definitely has an imagination and that seeped into every aspect of this audiobook / novel. The far-reaching aspects of the science fiction might be a little much for some more down-to-earth readers, but I do believe if you are a fan of the genre, or an Urban Fantasy reader, you’ll really enjoy. I also have to relate that this book is not a “tell-me” science fiction tale. Aguirre introduces you to the world in a very creative and easy to follow way, it is not page after page of technogarbage forced down your throat that can bog down a lot of science fiction novels. Aguirre just tells it like it is and you get it, you understand what is going on. This is a rare talent in an author and I believe this is why I really enjoy her books.

Recommendations:
Adults-only read, this is a science fiction novel and fans of the genre will be elated with the space travel and broad political schemes. This is a good transition for Urban Fantasy fans also, because it is very reminiscent of that genre. Ann Aguirre fans will not be disappointed, this is one of her best series.

And now all I can focus on, is getting more of this series…
Want some more Science Fiction Audiobooks? Check out…

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, Narrated by Stephen Fry

The Host: A Novel, by Stephenie Meyer, Narrated by Kate Reading

2 people found this helpful

not the worst but also not terrible

I had some hang-ups here and there, especially with how selfish the lead was but I can see the effort of the growth that was made for the character. sometimes it just seemed shallow but it was enjoyable to say the least. debating if I want to continue the series...

1 person found this helpful