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A Learning Experience, Book 1
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Should I start this series
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Summary
Earth is not alone. There is a towering civilization out in the galaxy, far greater than anything we can imagine. But we are isolated from the galaxy...until now.
When a bunch of interstellar scavengers approach Earth intending to abduct a few dozen humans and sell them into slavery in the darkest, they make the mistake of picking on Steve Stuart and his friends, ex-military veterans all. Unprepared for humans who can actually fight, unaware of the true capabilities of their stolen starships, the scavengers rapidly lose control of the ship - and their lives.
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- Tim Fitzgerald
- 06-09-16
Moroninc, red neck dross.
What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?
A different book.
What was most disappointing about Christopher G. Nuttall’s story?
This is a cringe worthy crawl through a red neck teenager's mind.
Let me count the offences it caused me.
1. It’s full of anti gun control crap.
2. Every leader in the book is male, even the sodding aliens are patriarchal.
3. Brothels seem to be an acceptable solution to calm male troops. Quote "there are plenty of desperate women on Earth" oh that's ok then!
4. Being Islamic or from a country where Islam is predominant is, out of hand, grounds for suspicion.
5. The idiotic idea that all politicians are liars and full of self interest is, again out of hand, bounded about.
6. The idea that all lawyers are evil is given the same childish treatment.
7. The biggest female character is a doctor but not really because all doctors are so terrified of being sued (by the evil lawyers and the evil families of the deceased) that they hate their jobs, so she decided to become a vet! I'm not joking it's really in the book.
8. Anyone who dares to protest about anything is a whiner.
9. The idea of political correctness is made out to be some kind of great evil, dividing society.
10. All forms of law enforcement are nothing but a hindrance to the gun totting good ol boys who make up the main characters.
I could go on, and there is a lot more, but what's the point.
Which character – as performed by Christian Rummel – was your favourite?
Does it matter, the fact that he managed to keep his voice straight was quite an achievement, unless he came from the same special community as the author. But he did manage to make them all sound a bit stupid which was, in hindsight, genius.
You didn’t love this book--but did it have any redeeming qualities?
The actual story wasn't terrible, it got 2 stars for a reason.
Any additional comments?
Please listen to something intelligent, or just take this as the comedy, red-neck, self congratulatory, rubbish it really is.
14 of 17 people found this review helpful
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- C Dunkley
- 21-09-16
Rednecks in space!
I found the opening scene of country guys from Montana being abducted by aliens initially amusing and initially thought that the story was being told with a heavy dose of irony. It dawned on me that the libertarian and reactionary views being espoused were meant in all seriousness! The narrative took on ridiculous proportions when we were asked to believe that a small group of gung-ho gun-toting guys could capture space ships, establish colonies on the Moon and Mars, defeat the Taliban and contact other galactic species all within the space of a year! I only persisted to the end ( increasingly irritated) because I'd paid for it! I shall not be purchasing the sequel!
8 of 10 people found this review helpful
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- andrew bentley
- 14-09-16
A morons book.
Couldn't finish it, clearly written by an pro gun American nutter with a limited imagination.
Poorly narrated by a gentleman with a droning voice and difficulties with his pronunciation.
6 of 8 people found this review helpful
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- Alexander
- 19-10-17
Ron Swanson in space but not funny
An interesting idea initially but just far too politically preachy. Very white/male/western orientated with few interesting characters. The main characters are so sure that they are right politically (pun) and their closed minded pro gun, anti middle eastern, right wing politics annoyed the flip out of me.
Mostly I am disappointed because the tech stuff and start point for the adventure were really interesting.
Listen to Expeditionary Force instead and just YouTube best Rob Swanson quotes for the politics.
Narration was good. Everything else disappointing/irritating.
-Smythe
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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- Chris
- 15-09-16
Bit too right wing for my taste
Didn't actually finish this because, frankly, I found its obviously right-wing, gung-ho, gun loving attitude offensive.
Story was pretty weak too, but maybe that picks up later on. Couldn't stomach it myself though and returned it. Not for me.
3 of 4 people found this review helpful
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- Jan
- United Kingdom
- 26-07-16
Another disappointment
I was hoping for escapism with this book but it was not going to happen. I put up with the glaring lack of depth of character for the protagonists and kept hoping things would improve. Unfortunately when the story started involving the Taliban and Afghanistan I lost the will to listen. I wanted escapism not realism mixed with a badly written story. I listened for nearly five hours before giving up so I think I gave it a good try before deciding it was rubbish.
5 of 7 people found this review helpful
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- Douglas Hallam
- 11-10-16
Strange and incongruous usage of words.
While I am aware that the work is a piece of fiction, it does often seem difficult to find it believable.
Good performance, although a wee tad strong on the Silvester Stallone impression.
4 of 6 people found this review helpful
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- Len
- 01-08-16
rampant libertarianisn<br /><br />
the heavy handed pulpit thumping against all things government added to the complete lack of even a vague scientific framework made this a perfect Trump manifesto.. only finished it to have the chance to review it and warn the unsuspecting away.. stay away!!!!
5 of 8 people found this review helpful
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- Linda
- Stewartby, United Kingdom
- 08-07-16
Good fun
A few massive plot holes gleefully ignored, and you have to like libertarianism Montana-style, but an enjoyable and rather addictive listen based on wish fulfilment if nothing else! Will buy the second instalment, just to see if the main characters grow a little depth now that they are effectively immortal...or are they?
3 of 5 people found this review helpful
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- laura
- 26-11-18
Excellent
Read book 1, 2 and 3 all excelleny
Why isn't book 4 available?
review not long enough blah
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- Alton J Henley
- 12-08-16
Great concept / Hated the prosletyzing
What would have made A Learning Experience, Book 1 better?
I wanted to love it I really did, the concept is awesome. But the endless prosletyzing was exhausting. Everytime I was getting into the story, I was pulled out of it about by the author talking about the MSM, the uslessness of the government, and the rapaciousness of lawyers. Topics I at least sympathize with him on, but MAKE IT INTEGRAL TO THE STORY. Just mentioning the character hated working in medicine because (insert political viewpoint here) is jarring.
Whew.
Sorry about that.
What was most disappointing about Christopher G. Nuttall’s story?
the preaching
45 of 52 people found this review helpful
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- Alex
- 11-08-16
Too much politics
What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?
This was like a tea-bagger political manifesto with an incidental sci-fi story slipped in among the ranting. Even if I had agreed with the politics, it would have been too much. It was all way too distracting and constantly pulled me out of any immersion in the story. The assertions happened in practically every other sentence, from how food stamps oppress poor people, to how only people who own guns can be trusted, to how the best way to eliminate corporate corruption is to stop any oversight of their actions.
I got through the story, but I will never read a book by this author again, let alone complete the series.
Has A Learning Experience, Book 1 turned you off from other books in this genre?
I will certainly not read any more books in the genre of "Sad Puppy Champion Wanna-Be".
Did Christian Rummel do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?
Yes. Narrator was fine.
What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?
Disappointment, eye-rolling, and contempt.
Any additional comments?
If you're not an anarchist, conspiracy theorist, or ignorant red-neck, you'd be better off looking elsewhere for a good book.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
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- Greg Costello
- 03-08-16
Trying so hard to finish
well the whole idea of the story was awesome and I couldn't wait to dig in, then it became very clear very fast that Nuttell was instead of writing a great sci fi novel, he was writing his anti establishment, anti American,anti everything manifesto disguised in a sci-fi story. It just got worst and worst to the point that I could almost picture him just writing away with a pissed off look on his face & it completely took away from what could have been a really fun story. Also, the repetitive he said,she said,Steve said,she said,Steve said... geeze. I'm really dissapointed, I was really looking forward to this story. Do yourself a favor & skip to last chapter & the prologue literally sums up the book without Nuttall's personal gripes,hate & reasons why he lives on an island far from Western ideology. Overall I'm very dissapointed.
39 of 48 people found this review helpful
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- Timothy D Robinson
- 19-07-16
Lost Oppertunity
What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?
Mr Nuttall is a powerful storyteller. The narrator has a strong alpha male delivery and I am normally a big fan.The storyline had the opportunity to be insightful on a wide range of current and relevant social, political and science issues. It passed on those opportunities.I would actually like to see this book(series?) researched and rewritten with some depth that would add credibility and dimension to the story. The characters must have real struggles and more complex emotions than are expressed. The science for what they are doing has a lot of interesting nuance, drama and history. The backdrop of a citizenry defined by a long series of wars in foreign lands would be compelling. Those intrigues combined with the exploration of the wide disparities in experience between rural and urban America would make this book award winning. That dichotomy of urban versus rural or the impacts of culture and politics in a dense population(like in space) or a dispersed population seems to particular relevant for this work of fiction.
Any additional comments?
If this book was a dinner it was boiled with no seasoning, herbs or spices... Since I like meat and potato I would eat it but be looking for the salt the whole time.
26 of 32 people found this review helpful
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- Edward
- 31-08-16
Had to return it. Could not finish.
What would have made A Learning Experience, Book 1 better?
This was just so mixed with political and government hate that it got ridiculous. It was just so over the top.
Has A Learning Experience, Book 1 turned you off from other books in this genre?
No. I actually like many of Nuttall books.
How did the narrator detract from the book?
It felt like he was in a race to finish. Not a presentation I could listen to for long.
You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?
I felt the under lying story was a decent concept.
10 of 12 people found this review helpful
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- Trudy Owens
- 20-10-16
THE very beginning to Stocker's Empire's Corps
If you didn't get Nuttall's politics and opinions in The Empire's Corps, you can't miss it in this. Nuttal uses a 2x4 to get it into your head. By the end of the book, you will know where Col. Stalker (Stocker?)'s Empire came from. We sort of knew it anyway, but here's the tale to tell it.
You will learn how the usually exemplary Nuttall feels about politics and politicians, society, the military and U.S. actions in the Middle East, law and justice, and several other things. Even if you agree with him on every point, you will tire of the lectures.
Then there're the problematic literary aspects that detract from your reading enjoyment. Steve's death was absorbed, and they moved on. Later they name a ship after him, but that is about all the emotion invested there. There are some kids among the brothers, but we don't even remember their names, and they never figure into the story. Thank goodness there is tech to take care of them, since the parents are not around. The entire story took place in less than 2 months. Thank goodness the aliens are morons and could easily be overpowered by 3 of 'Murika's finest. And thank goodness the moronic aliens had neural interfacing headbands so our heroes could link to the computer system to run the ship and access all the tech that allows them to accomplish in 45 days what should have taken 10 years.
We who love this genre love references to all our other beloved works, but there are just too, too many references to Star Trek especially, but also Babylon 5, Harry Potter, Atlas Shrugged and more. Naming the moon base Heinlein should have been a grin for us, but it became just another eye roll.
This back story is so childish and amateurish that you'd think Nuttall had written it in high school after having read all the above literature. The only reason any of us will go on to the next volume is to get the history that led to the rise and fall of the Galactic Empire so we can get to the really good stuff in The Empire's Corps. And I guess we end up soundly defeating all the thousands of alien species mentioned in this book, since there are none by Ed Stocker's time.
9 of 11 people found this review helpful
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- TechNerd
- 10-06-18
If you enjoy Libertarian rhetoric with a side of misogyny, this book is for you.
I normally love all “how we got into space” and HFY stories. Unfortunately, throughout the book, the author beats you upside the head with Libertarian propaganda. The inadvertent misogyny at several points makes the book less palatable. The “homeschooling rah rah!” Theme also got old quickly. I don’t know whether the author truly sees the world like this is is pandering to an incel audience, but either way, I’m going no further with this series and unlikely to read more from this author.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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- Hukum Singh Khalsa
- 02-06-18
Propaganda
Propaganda. Do not under any circumstance is purchased this book. Most of the ideas or derivative there seems to be some kind of underlying political thrust that does not belong.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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- William Dowe
- 07-05-17
Very disappointed...
Heavy handed, quasi libertarian rant with nanp plot. ArkRoyal, et al much better. NOT HEINLEIN.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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- Charles M. Wilkerson
- 11-04-17
Disapointed
Any additional comments?
I made it to the 3rd chapter before I had to shut it off. I was expecting something much more along the lines of Mr. Nuttall's previous writings - they were much more focused and mature than this one. Will pass this one on to my teenager and see what he thinks - might be more his speed.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful