I actually really enjoyed Sub-Human by David Simpson. It was fast paced, action filled, and enjoyable to read. It had quite a few tropes and clichés, but that said, I think the book handled them well.

It is a popcorn flick, and if you expect something more, you’ll be disappointed. However, if you’re looking for something to read something like an 80’s Arnold Schwarzenegger movie, this might be it.

It’s fun and interesting, as long as you don’t think about it too hard. I actually couldn’t put the book down at certain times because I was glued to the action and what might happen next.

Not all sci-fi needs to be grandiose, some of it needs to be an action packed adventure. So, as long as you have the right expectations, read it! ( )

Sub-Human
Post-Human Series, Book 1
By: David Simpson
Narrated by: Ray Chase
This is the prequel to the Post-Human series. I enjoyed the majority of the book but the bouncing between times/worlds was not of my liking. It was good to set the background for the series. ( )

Yikes! Very bad book. Very poorly researched. Plot? Well, I would have said something about the ending, but a reviewer on Goodreads named John Kearns, in giving the book a 1 Star review, writes a much better review with examples of poor research, and writes what my complaint about the ending was, and which for anyone familiar with technology cycles should spot. IMO. So, go to Goodreads and look this Kearns guy up. His is the first review, and again, it's a 1 star review and has good critiques. As for me, no sequel, thank you. Some writers put in the time, you know, and some writers have it and some just don't. This one needs to go back to their original line of work. Not recommended. ( )

ABR's original Sub-Human audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.

X-Men meets Quantum Leap

There is a familiarity one feels while listening to Sub Human, not in the sense that you may have heard the book before, but that you are in a friendly place. Simpson manages to take many complex technological ideas and simplify them to a state of “oh, yeah, that will certainly happen.” Why shouldn’t we fly or be able to hold our breath for hours, or walk through nuclear fallout unscathed. There are some questionable leaps in science that are simply fun and give the imagination a playground for exploration. Parallel universes moving at different rates; why not? Most listeners will enjoy the ride.

If one could complain about anything, it would be that some of the ideas are not explored deeper; a kind of hunger for more, but that’s a positive thing that should keep us coming back for sequels. The characters are reasonably well developed, though unfortunately predictable at times, just short of two dimensional. No reason to spoil the plot here, just that, some characters just don’t have the depth one would hope for. Good enough to keep the ride rolling along, but not good enough to care too much when someone gets erased.

The narration is by Ray Chase, who does an outstanding job. He is good at differentiating the character voices, and generally doesn’t get in the way of the story. He has a kind of affectation to his voice that sometimes took this listener out of the story. But that is more of a personal objection, and most listeners should be more than satisfied with his performance. He is clearly a pro.

Sub Human is the first book in the Post Human Series. The plot wraps up completely and doesn’t leave the listener hanging at all. You will likely want to continue to the next book in the series, not to find out what happens next, but to hear about your favorite characters in a new situation altogether.

Audiobook provided for review by the publisher. ( )

Quite a bit of fun, though it doesn't maintain the excitement of the story through the Titanic sequence and immediately after. Despite that, I was quite entertained throughout. The hero was interesting, but the AI more interesting still, and I found myself looking forward to his comments and advice. I ultimately have to recommend for the simple fact that Simpson writes like it's a high budget science fiction film that doesn't let up with the action. ( )