beccaelizabeth: Captain Jack Harkness smiles after Ianto propositions him (Jack stopwatch smile)
[personal profile] beccaelizabeth
This was a bit brilliant.
Most audio books, even when they get one of the actors to narrate, have a sort of detached narrator voice to go between the reported speech. This one was read by Kai Owen, and it was Rhys telling us a story. And it is so much fun. There are places where the SF reader/listener is going to be ahead of Rhys, and that's part of the fun.
I am so sleepy right now. I wrote this review in my head right after I'd listened but that was six hours ago. Mostly I'm remembering 'fun'.

This was set before Children of Earth, so the team is Jack, Ianto, Gwen and Rhys. Everyone gets their turn talking to Rhys and we get his views of them.

The major relationship is of course Rhys/Gwen, and we get a lovely Rhys-eye view on what it's like being married to a Torchwood agent. The Rhys view on Torchwood's Cardiff is great comedy, mixed with him dealing with his concern for his wife, and him knowing and being mostly content with being the bloke who doesn't save the world. I love how his version of Torchwood saving Cardiff has all these everyday details built in like what it does to the traffic, and how his expertise and local knowledge drags him in to the story sideways.

... this one is his story. So guess who gets to save the world...

Other relationships: Ianto is in a lot of the story, and Ianto/Jack is threaded all through it. Plus hints of Jack/Rhys and Ianto/Rhys. ... Rhys's answer is 'Cheeky' and 'I'm a married man' and 'Gwen would have your bollocks', but I guess they thought it was worth a try. Jack/Ianto is just a fact as solid as Rhys/Gwen. And they seem to have more sex. With outfits involved.

The plot was great, with an excellently tangled how do they get out of this cliffhanger at the disc change, iirc. ... I didn't stop for more than a moment at the disc change. I stopped a bit when the fire alarm went off at college, so unexpected delay there, but the story didn't suffer any for it. I wanted to know what happened next even when I was pretty sure what would happen next. And plenty often it surprised me, or did an extra flourish I hadn't anticipated.

I thought everyone was fun and in character, and Rhys was brilliant. Plus I liked all the voices, this time not as much for the skill in imitation but for hearing Rhys doing the voices. It's properly him in character knowing he's doing the voices - there's a bit where he stops and says he can't keep doing that voice and sums up instead :-)

Conclusion: 5 stars will listen again.

I'd still like an audio play but this one voice version made a virtue of its limitations.

Date: 2011-03-11 02:55 am (UTC)
philippos42: (doctor who)
From: [personal profile] philippos42
Oh, that sounds brilliant!

Date: 2011-03-12 07:40 pm (UTC)
ext_41651: Ianto shiny with mobile (Default)
From: [identity profile] fide-et-spe.livejournal.com
Hey thanks for this, just saw it linked on the newsletter. I have been waiting to see a review. I'm waiting for it to appear on itunes, but might cave and buy the CD.

It sounds great. I bet Kai Owen is good, he's great in the radio plays, I think he has a good voice. I have all of the audio books and the only reader that gets all the voices really well is GDL, who does all the accents and gets the tone as well, shame he only ever read one. So I look forward to hearing Kai Owen.

Date: 2011-03-12 08:27 pm (UTC)
ext_41651: Ianto shiny with mobile (Default)
From: [identity profile] fide-et-spe.livejournal.com
Oh thankyou! I'll check out if they have Dept X as well.

Date: 2011-03-13 12:03 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] rose71.livejournal.com
Here via the newsletter. Thanks for writing this delightful review! I've already ordered the CD (and am expecting it to wander slowly over from the UK sometime in the next few months). But it's great to hear your thoughts first. I'm really excited about this book, because I love Rhys and really enjoyed the way James Goss captured his character in previous books. (I was less happy about Goss's depiction of Ianto, but that's another story.)

it was Rhys telling us a story.
This sounds awesome, but I wonder how it will work in Department X, where (as far as I can gather) Rhys isn't the main character...

Date: 2011-03-13 08:01 am (UTC)
ext_41651: Ianto shiny with mobile (Default)
From: [identity profile] fide-et-spe.livejournal.com
I just got the downloads of both rather cheaply at the link becca provided above. Just butting in to ask if you have read Risk Assessment? I agree about Ianto in the Almost Perfect book, but Risk Assessment is a really fun book, and Ianto is absolutely hilarious in that one.

Date: 2011-03-14 12:38 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lawsontl.livejournal.com
So, hey, help? I cannot figure out what Rhys is saying near the end. "They were both wearing overalls. Very tight overalls. Ianto garblegarblelovelywelshaccentgarble." Any clue?

Date: 2011-03-14 11:01 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lawsontl.livejournal.com
LOLling at myself. I can't believe I couldn't figure out he was saying "clipboard." Thx! :)
Edited Date: 2011-03-14 11:02 pm (UTC)

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beccaelizabeth: my Watcher tattoo in blue, plus Be in red Buffy style font (Default)
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