paperbackstash's review
3.0
It's been awhile since I've read a full out action-adventure. This was fun! The ending was a bit cheesy but it ties into the story and I was happy to see the survival of favorites. Recommended for those who like dino fiction and monstrous animals on the rampage.
melbsreads's review
3.5
Trigger warnings: death, blood, gore, death of a spouse, explosions, mentions of sexual assault (in the past), animal death, basically anything you'd expect to find in Jurassic Park...
Okay so this year I'm trying to read books set in 50 different countries and I'm behind schedule which always stresses me the fuck out so periodically I just search different country names in Scribd to see what comes up. I searched for Madagascar and this came up. Being the Jurassic Park fangirl that I am, obviously I was sold. And I listened to the entire thing during the course of my work day because of course I did.
Ultimately, this was like Jurassic Park meets The Meg meets Journey to the Centre of the Earth. Was it utter ridiculous? Yes. Was it also ridiculously entertaining? Absolutely. Should the audiobook narrator never again attempt an Australian accent because it nearly made my ears bleed? For sure. Was I hooked from start to finish despite the horrifying Australian accent? YOU BET.
Okay so this year I'm trying to read books set in 50 different countries and I'm behind schedule which always stresses me the fuck out so periodically I just search different country names in Scribd to see what comes up. I searched for Madagascar and this came up. Being the Jurassic Park fangirl that I am, obviously I was sold. And I listened to the entire thing during the course of my work day because of course I did.
Ultimately, this was like Jurassic Park meets The Meg meets Journey to the Centre of the Earth. Was it utter ridiculous? Yes. Was it also ridiculously entertaining? Absolutely. Should the audiobook narrator never again attempt an Australian accent because it nearly made my ears bleed? For sure. Was I hooked from start to finish despite the horrifying Australian accent? YOU BET.
audiobookingwithleah's review
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
THE DETAILS✎ ❐MY RATING➯ 4¼ STARS ❐ PREHISTORIC BEASTS OF THE DINOSAUR VARIETY ❐ JULES VERNE MEETS MICHAEL CRICHTON ❐ THERE'S EVEN A SHOUT-OUT TO DR. GRANT & JURASSIC PARK ❐ TINY SPLASH OF ROMANCE OR SOMETHING LIKE IT ❐ LENGTH OF AUDIO ➯ 8 HOURS, 11 MINUTES ❐ I LISTENED ON HOOPLA THROUGH MY LIBRARY
Dark Island is like Jurassic Park meets Journey to the Center of the Earth, and it is one heck of a ride. I was thoroughly entertained for the most part...but there were times where it lost me a little bit and others where I thought things were a little hokey...but overall, this was better than I thought it was going to be.
At times I thought the narration was freaking awesome and others where he, Michael Lesley, fell a little short...like he was good...just not consistently good. Although, I wouldn't hesitate to listen to a book narrated by him in the future. My biggest issue with the narration overall is one that I always harp on...the lack of a second/female narrator for Mack's POV.
BREAKDOWN✎
Narration ➯ 4¼ STARS
Plot ➯ 4/5
Characters ➯ 4/5
The Feels ➯ 4.3/5
Pacing ➯ 4/5
Addictiveness ➯ 4/5
Theme, Tone or Intensity ➯ 4.2/5
Originality ➯ 4.3/5
Flow (Writing Style/Ease of Listening) ➯ 3.7/5
World-Building ➯ 4.2/5
Ending ➯ 4.3/5
SUMMATION ➯ 4¼ STARS
Dark Island is like Jurassic Park meets Journey to the Center of the Earth, and it is one heck of a ride. I was thoroughly entertained for the most part...but there were times where it lost me a little bit and others where I thought things were a little hokey...but overall, this was better than I thought it was going to be.
At times I thought the narration was freaking awesome and others where he, Michael Lesley, fell a little short...like he was good...just not consistently good. Although, I wouldn't hesitate to listen to a book narrated by him in the future. My biggest issue with the narration overall is one that I always harp on...the lack of a second/female narrator for Mack's POV.
BREAKDOWN✎
Narration ➯ 4¼ STARS
Plot ➯ 4/5
Characters ➯ 4/5
The Feels ➯ 4.3/5
Pacing ➯ 4/5
Addictiveness ➯ 4/5
Theme, Tone or Intensity ➯ 4.2/5
Originality ➯ 4.3/5
Flow (Writing Style/Ease of Listening) ➯ 3.7/5
World-Building ➯ 4.2/5
Ending ➯ 4.3/5
SUMMATION ➯ 4¼ STARS
teamredmon's review
3.0
This was a fun, if a bit stereotypical, adventure set in Madagascar. With shades of Jules Verne's A Journey to the Center of the Earth, a team of scientists finds a world of supposedly extinct animals living inside the Earth. The creatures are not welcoming to visitors. The most interesting part of this book was learning about the actual extinct creatures like the elephant bird and giant fossa.
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