Melt Down

A let down from Book 1

What did you like best about Melt Down? What did you like least?

I really wanted to like this - Book 1 was exceptional, but sadly this compared poorly to the first book, and I was disappointed by the plot. Whilst the narration and performance by Ray Chase was first class, the story seemed to take a diversion to Camelot / Westoros which was a step too far. Like a good film the author should sweep the reader along in a willing suspension of disbelief , sadly this scenario was a complete disconnect from everything preceding it.

Has Melt Down turned you off from other books in this genre?

Perhaps the author was under pressure for a quick follow up to Book 1, this has made me think carefully about Book 3.

Any additional comments?

I would caution listeners to only use spare credits on this episode in the series, in retrospect I kind of wish the series had been limited to Book 1, it was that good, and this struggled to reach 60% of the heights reached in the first book.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Not a sequel

This is not an actual sequel to the first book in the series. It runs concurrent with the original so anybody hoping for a continuation of the story will be seriously disappointed..

5 of 7 people found this review helpful

Snappy Dialogue Perfect for Ray Chase

What did you like about this audiobook?

The dialogue between characters was really interesting - a bunch of nailed one liners and retorts, especially from Tristan. That gal has a biting verbal slap on tap and has no compulsions about letting them loose.

Ray Chase scored another 10 out of 10 on my narrator excellence scale. He brings every character to life in a uniquely cool way. In my opinion, he has secured a spot on the starting squad of the top team in the big leagues when it comes to narration.

How has the book increased your interest in the subject matter?

Subject matter being.......science fiction? How humanity copes with sudden mass extinction through a pandemic prior to alien invasion? As long as the author is creative as Mr. Robertson and Ray Chase is sitting in the narrator's chair my interest will continue to wax.

Does the author present information in a way that is interesting and insightful, and if so, how does he achieve this?

To be frank, this question doesn't exactly jive with a science fiction book focused on 2 sets of siblings trying to stay alive and together while humanity slouches into oblivion around them. I'd say the author has a keen insight into the depth of solidarity that can exist between siblings when circumstances demand they make tough decisions. The bonds run deeper than one may acknowledge when sauntering through 'salad days".

What did you find wrong about the narrator's performance?

Absolutely nothing. Ray Chase has my pocketful of votes for Narrator of the First Half of the Second Decade Award hands down. Mr. Chase is so fun to listen to. I pretty much automatically press purchase when I see his name in the narrator spot. Keep up the good work, Mr. Chase!

Do you have any additional comments?

This audiobook flew by, and that's a good thing. I am impressed with the Breakers series so far and will press play on Book 3 as soon as I stop typing. This was one of those books that I wished would just keep going on so I could "hang out" with the characters. That's either kind of sketchy and somewhat worthy of waving a mental yellow flag of concern or it is a symptom of finisher's remorse after listening to a well written and narrated piece of science fiction worthy of this glowing endorsement and the multi-5 star rating given by yours truly at the top of this review. I am leaning toward the latter.

4 of 6 people found this review helpful

Awesome

Where does Melt Down rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I would rank the series in the top 10

Have you listened to any of Ray Chase’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I love how his voice sounds. His narration draws you in and keeps you mesmerized. He is fast becoming my new favorite.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I love the story line. Very original! Great characters!

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

WOW

If you could sum up Melt Down in three words, what would they be?

Outstanding all around.

What did you like best about this story?

The story tied into part one well into the story. It was in no way a sequel to book one of the series, while at the same time it was outstanding sequel to the story line.

Have you listened to any of Ray Chase’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

He is one of the best.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

yes.

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

Awesome sequel

Love the story so far. Narration is flawless which is the norms from Ray Chase. I will be listening to book 3 and 4.

Love this series!

Excellent character development and interweaving of the story. Exciting storyline as well. Also, the author either does a lot of research or is knowledgeable on many subjects... At least he is convincing!

good story

nice way of tying character s to first book
I'll try the next book. good job

love it

the story is great. love the narrator, good range and distinctive voices. very addicting. excited to continue the series.

Another solid entry to the series

I’m sorry to say it’s been awhile since I listened to this, but authors need reviews, so better late than never. That said, I’m going to have to be brief based on what I remember.

Edward W. Robertson is building a strong reputation with this second book in the Breakers series for giving me what I want in post-apocalyptic fiction: character focused, clean prose, emotional engagement, solid action, and unpredictable endings. More of a twist is that he’s essentially started over in Breakers #2 with a new cast, and yet doesn’t lose any of my interest as this cast is just as interesting and in just as much turmoil. The world is the same, as is the event that caused the apocalypse, but we get a different view into a new bunch of survivors. You can read this without having read Breakers #1, but you might as well start from the beginning. This is turning into one of my favorite post-apocalyptic series.

To reiterate, both plot lines and the characters involved engaged my reading experience by combining the fear of a plague with characters I cared about. Brothers struggling with a home without a father, the pressures of finding a career and the way siblings can let these frustrations turn into in-family fighting. I can relate to this difficulty, and really enjoyed Robertson’s story through their lives. This engagement was my favorite aspect to their plotline, but I also enjoyed how the younger brother used his gaming skills and strategy methods to turn their farming community resources into a fun puzzle to watch piece together.

The other plotline also delves into sibling love, with Tristan having to find a way to rescue her younger brother. She is a strong character that went through very rough situations, displaying surprising resiliency. Breakers: Meltdown is a great book, a fast read, and a unique addition to the post-apocalyptic genre, but if I have one area that I felt let me down it was that 3/4’s of the way through Tristan’s plotline, I began to lose the amount of interest that I had earlier on.

The ending was good, but the slowing in my reading momentum and interest caused my rating to be 4/5 stars. Meltdown didn’t blow me away, but it is still a book I’d strongly recommend for fans of post-apocalyptic thrillers. Ray Chase once again delivers a fantastic performance as one of my favorite narrators.