Review of What Life Can Bring
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[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "What Life Can Bring" by Donald Zing.]
Do you believe that often one’s biggest enemy is oneself? Have you ever considered the possibility that psychosis and dreams could provide profound human insight? Would you like to listen to three stories that entertain ideas such as: everyone deserving a second chance, the “crazy one” having the right idea, and aliens influencing the fate of Earth? If you answered yes to these questions, you will enjoy listening to the audiobook entitled[I]What Life Can Bring[/I] by Donald Zing.
The first story,[I]The Journey Home[/I] , is about inmate Tristan Jones, nicknamed Poly, who leaves prison with the hope of changing his life for good. He will have to deal with the temptation to resume his criminal lifestyle, as it is difficult to make ends meet. However, he comes across a real opportunity to turn his life around. Will he? Will it last?
The second story,[I]Within Matter[/I] , is about Stephan, who is part of a group of researchers who make a brilliant scientific discovery—one that could change the world for good or for bad. He understands the implications more than anyone, as he sees things that no one else can. It is a big challenge for him to ensure that this discovery does not end up with the wrong people..
The third story,[I]96 Hours[/I] , is about an attack from outer space that decimates half of the Earth’s population and all of its leaders. How will the survivors overcome this? Is it possible? Will aliens take over?
This is the first time I have ever listened to an audiobook. It was a novel experience, and overall, I enjoyed it.
To begin, I will outline what I liked about this audiobook.
In[I]The Journey Home[/I] , there were several characters that brought the story to life. The most important ones were fleshed out with good backstories to explain how they became who they were. This made them appear authentic and also had me rooting for them. Tristan Jones and his old friends had grown up in the same circumstances and were doomed to a life of crime.
I found the theme of mindfulness in this story to be uplifting. I was pleased that loyalty and appreciation were highlighted because I consider these qualities to be very important. There were some twists that surprised me and caused me to think more deeply about the story’s message.
In[I]Within Matter[/I] , the main character, Stephan, was fleshed out sufficiently for me to be rooting for and empathizing with him. He suffered from psychotic episodes that caused him to lose touch with the reality that most people know. However, he knew that the alternate reality he encountered during his psychotic episodes enabled him to see and understand what others could not. I liked how his struggles, such as insomnia and anxiety, were portrayed. They gave insight into how psychosis can affect one’s life. Also, his coping methods were well illustrated. They included conventional psychiatric medications, breathing exercises, listening to music, and the avoidance of modern technology. The poor guy was privy to important information about an impressive and coveted form of energy. He was basically running for his life to protect this information. This plot kept me riveted. In addition, I felt happiness from the support and understanding that his loved ones gave him.
In[I]96 Hours[/I] , the world was being destroyed by spaceships. It was believed to be an alien attack. The main characters were a teenage brother and sister, Houneigh and Igea. I spelled the names as they were pronounced in the story. However, I cannot be certain that these are the correct spellings. I learned about their characters through their memories of the teachings that their father, Light Cloud, gave to them. They lived on a reservation and had to fend for themselves as the attacks on Earth began. I admired Igea’s bravery and appreciated that this story highlighted the bravery of a girl.
The only thing that I did not like in the audiobook was the singing. I found it whiny and hard to understand. It did not have the same high quality as the guitar music. The lyrics would have been clearer if they had been spoken by the narrator.
The audiobook appeared to have been professionally edited. I cannot know if there were any written grammar errors, as the audiobook was narrated, not written.
I awarded this audiobook[B]4 out of 5 stars[/B] .
I recommend this audiobook to readers who enjoy science fiction, the subject of psychosis, and the idea of second chances. I caution that there is a fair amount of non-borderline profanity, so this book is for a mature audience.
******
What Life Can Bring
View: on Bookshelves
Do you believe that often one’s biggest enemy is oneself? Have you ever considered the possibility that psychosis and dreams could provide profound human insight? Would you like to listen to three stories that entertain ideas such as: everyone deserving a second chance, the “crazy one” having the right idea, and aliens influencing the fate of Earth? If you answered yes to these questions, you will enjoy listening to the audiobook entitled
The first story,
The second story,
The third story,
This is the first time I have ever listened to an audiobook. It was a novel experience, and overall, I enjoyed it.
To begin, I will outline what I liked about this audiobook.
In
I found the theme of mindfulness in this story to be uplifting. I was pleased that loyalty and appreciation were highlighted because I consider these qualities to be very important. There were some twists that surprised me and caused me to think more deeply about the story’s message.
In
In
The only thing that I did not like in the audiobook was the singing. I found it whiny and hard to understand. It did not have the same high quality as the guitar music. The lyrics would have been clearer if they had been spoken by the narrator.
The audiobook appeared to have been professionally edited. I cannot know if there were any written grammar errors, as the audiobook was narrated, not written.
I awarded this audiobook
I recommend this audiobook to readers who enjoy science fiction, the subject of psychosis, and the idea of second chances. I caution that there is a fair amount of non-borderline profanity, so this book is for a mature audience.
******
What Life Can Bring
View: on Bookshelves
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