Adam Rakunas

Windswept
(Windswept #1)
by Adam Rakunas
I picked up the narrated version that has over a dozen narrators performing the novel! It was excellent! I could have never imagined those voices in my head! This was top notch! I picked it up on Chirp on sale and boy was it worth it!
The story of Padmah trying to retire and keep her sanity in this insane world had me cheering her on! She was desperate and she went to crazy extremes to get people! She was hilarious!
The story is funny and witty, it has the show more most unusual characters, a mystery or two, plenty of twists, and the energetic drive of this woman! Loved everything about this book! I think I would have liked the book to read it but after hearing it with the multiple narrators, this is by far the best way to enjoy this book! I got it for a few buck on chirp! Watch for sales! Pick this up!!! I am going to be watching for book 2! show less

This book made me cry on the way to work. And it's really hard to explain to a bunch of strangers that no, really, you're fine, you're just SO HAPPY to see idealism and hope not only given space on page, but championed. But luckily I live in London, so nobody was making eye contact / seeing me and I didn't have to try.

When you're not looking because the narrative is just so much fun, Adam Rakunas takes on privilege, socialism, corruption and the politics of anger as Padma Mehta tries to show more find out just why the hell everyone on Santee Anchorage wants to go on strike. Is her nemesis Evanrute Saarien behind it? Why is the President of the Union so determined Padma gets involved? And is it going to interfere with her six o'clock ritual sip of Old Windswept?

A riot (several, actually), with big ideas propelling its comic noir energy and a new host of awesome characters. This is not message fiction. But it's got a message anyway: don't let all the grimdarks and dystopias wear you down. Sometimes you just have to do the work and keep a wrench handy. Hugely entertaining.

Full review

I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. show less

Gritty and amusing at its best, the question here is whether our heroine can break out of the limitations of her system and achieve a bit of real economic independence. I give the author quite a lot of credit for basically making an argument for syndicalist collectivism to a genre larded with more than its share of libertarian-leaning readers. That I don't merit this book a bit more is a commentary on how some of the world building is kind of thin and most of the other members of my book show more group just didn't care for the novel's protagonist. show less

Padma Mehta needs to recruit 33 more people to the Union and pad her bank account with the signing bonus if she's to buy the Old Windswept distillery. When an opportunity comes by that would put her over the line, she can't pass it up - even if it is put her way by smelly loser Vytai Bloombeck. Padma's forgotten that if something sounds too good to be true, it possibly is. The next few days will test what she's really willing to do to make her numbers and save her planet.

This is a hell of a show more ride - you may feel as battered as its grumpy heroine by the end of the twists, turns, accelerations and nosedives - but if you finish it without a grin I'll be surprised. Honestly, it's worth the price of admission for the irrepressible lawyer and the snarky old ladies at the end. Screwball scifi noir for the win.

Full review, and much enthusiasm. show less