Ponderous narration ruins a good story

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Ian Tregillis writes fantastic books and I was really looking forward to this. I have tried several times to get into this one and I can't get past the truly awful narration.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Didn't get to the end, only made it about 2 chapters in.

How could the performance have been better?

Remove Scott Brick and get someone who can read a story, make it gripping and not make it sound like he's reading the instructions to a self-assembly wardrobe.

Do you think Something More Than Night needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

I didn't reach the end so didn't know.

Any additional comments?

I feel very harsh giving a review that might impact on the author's sales as I intend buying this book to read as the content of the first chapter was very intriguing.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Good in parts

What would have made Something More Than Night better?

Less meandering science/pseudoscience. Make a point. Don't keep playing with it in greater and greater detail.

What was most disappointing about Ian Tregillis’s story?

The first half was good for setting the scene, but then collapsed into ever decreasing circles of self indulgence. The detailed intricacies were fine as a hook, but it just got a bit much.

What about Scott Brick’s performance did you like?

Unlike others I found it clear and understandable. Sadly, it was the best thing about this recording.

What character would you cut from Something More Than Night?

The protagonist. Is that allowed?

Any additional comments?

I usually like novels like this, but this just didn't float my boat.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Decent, gets better

The mixture of science and metaphysics is quite interesting in the world building, but I found the protagonist a bit tiresome for a while. In the second half the plot suddenly becomes more competing and I listened to the last couple of hours in one sitting.

Scott Brick is a great narrator and has a lot of fun with the Chandleresque monologues.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Angelic noir

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Probably not. It was a strange mix of science fiction and angelology.

What was most disappointing about Ian Tregillis’s story?

The structure of the plot meandered and there wasn't a strong, central relationship.

Have you listened to any of Scott Brick’s other performances? How does this one compare?

Haven't listened to his other performances. His performance wasn't the problem. It was the strange nature of the book.

Do you think Something More Than Night needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

I wouldn't be interested in a sequel, but others might like the strange genre mix.

Any additional comments?

Not really my cup of tea, but I did listen to it all so perhaps others might like it.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Something more than straightforward

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. The narration is excellent and enhances the overall "feel" of the story. Very unusual and complex tale of things that are, things that might be, and things that were.

What other book might you compare Something More Than Night to, and why?

Not sure I can think of any. Scott Brick's narration brings The Passage to mind.

What does Scott Brick bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

A sense of world weariness and impending disaster. His delivery adds depth and shading to the journey.

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

When Molly goes back to visit her partner.

Any additional comments?

Not an easy story to follow but well worth the effort in the end.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Mind bendingly brilliant!

Would you listen to Something More Than Night again? Why?

I actually went to the trouble to deliberately log into Audible and write this review, that should say a lot. Fantastic book which comes to life with Scott Brick narrating who should be familiar to anyone who's listened to the Ender's Game books as the voice of Bean.

The fact that Tregillis has a PhD in physics is pretty obvious throughout this book but the surrealist descriptions teamed with the classic Bogart one liners make this a very original piece of work.

What other book might you compare Something More Than Night to, and why?

Somewhere between Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman and the mind folding complexity of Ian M Banks.

What does Scott Brick bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Delivery. Just plain old delivery. He makes Bayliss into a real person during the course of this book!

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

Yes. I won't spoil it but yes.

Any additional comments?

The most unique story I've read/heard in a long time!

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

Nearly gave up on this; very glad I didn't.

At first I found the Phillip Marlow lingo far too much and it felt derivative, but I persevered and very soon I was hooked. Definitely worth spending a couple of chapters adjusting to the narration of the Bayliss POV parts, this story is truly excellent. Fantastic descriptive turns of phrase without being purple, great twists and turns in the plot. Will listen again in a few years when I've forgotten those twists.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Intelligent, Genre-Bending for Noir Fans

The thing that I really love about Something More Than Night is it's completeness. Where Jim Butcher might throw "Noir" and "Magic" at the wall in order to see what sticks (with admittedly fun results), this book is utterly deliberate right through to the end; what seems like a genre-quirk becomes utterly essential to the plot, and you can't shake the feeling that a very clever writer is at work.

This is fundamentally a hard-boiled detective novel, and those elements are right on the nose, so really don't go in expecting anything else. The characters are sometimes charming, often funny, but I don't think I'd call any of them likable, and they're not trying to be. The prose is great, and there's a complexity of plot that Raymond Chandler would be proud of. Most importantly it really, really works as a detective story - never predictable, and you don't feel like the author has magicked the solution out of the air.

As for the more fantastical stuff, Tregillis has successfully blended Judaeo-Christian mythology with various concepts from modern Physics to come up with a satisfyingly smart and deep world, full of supernatural beings and extended metaphors about quantum entanglement. Possibly this will be off-putting for anyone who hasn't read, say, a popular science book recently, but it's fun, smart, and allows the author to be properly thought-provoking from time to time.

Finally, Scott Brick is just great. Anything read in the first person needs a first class narrator, and Mr Brick just nails the jaded, hardboiled-detective persona required of Baylis. Perfectly pitched, I really couldn't have enjoyed this book more.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Great novel

What did you like most about Something More Than Night?

It is a fascinating setting with an awesome mix of religion with a little theoretical physics sprinkled for fun.

What other book might you compare Something More Than Night to, and why?

on the surface it seems like other urban fantasies but it is much more.

Which character – as performed by Scott Brick – was your favourite?

Bayliss of course,Scott got the Noir feel if the novel exactly right,It was a pleasure listening to the book.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful