If you have listened to any of the other action-packed and shadowy “Silence Jones” series authored by Erik Carter, “Deadly Science” is a novella covering the beginning of our protagonist, silence Jones himself. The audiobook edition is made even better with the exceptional narration performed by Gary Bennett, who also narrates the wonderful “Dragon Mage” series. I have previously reviewed two of the authors other books in this series and it was good to learn more background information about the main character along with what makes him tick. If you enjoy covert organizations, mysterious operations, and plenty of revenge seeking action, this is a great series to pick up and give it a listen. I was surprised at the amount of detail the author could provide in a novella of just over 3 hours long. For me, it was well worth the listen.
This novella, along with all the others in the series, opens with action and suspense. I like when a story grabs my attention and does not let go. I also like that the main character is consistent and has a purpose across the series, and in this novella, we begin to see why. Subtle things like his special business card and how he presents it to his clients just seems to fit him. This includes this limited speaking, but when he does, it matters. I found the details on the Watchers along with some additional background on this special organization important to understand when looking back on the other audiobooks from the series. A few, “ah ha” moments are always welcome, and in this novella, I was given a few.
Additionally, I found the passion and compassion of our main character when coming face-to-face with corruption and racketeering against those who are helpless to stop it. His desire to right wrongs is critical to his motivation. However, I would have taken a less violent path myself, but then again, I’m not Mr. Jones. We see his desire to save his friends from falling to deep into the mire of crime syndicates even if it means he will get hurt himself.
The audiobooks narration was performed by Gary Bennett, and I have come to enjoy his voice no matter the content. His voice is smooth, and he does a great job articulating the words on each page. The audio recording is always high quality and the narration professionally performed. Each of the characters feels distinct and has their own personality even when voiced by a single person. I did not note any issues with the audio itself.
For parents and younger listeners, this audiobook contains some mature content including the use of profane language and some rather graphic scenes of violence. I would not recommend it, or the series, for younger audiences. If you have previously listened to any of the audiobooks, then you know what you can expect in this one.
In summary, this is a good novella giving the listener a glimpse into the workings and personality of our main character. There is plenty of action to keep the listener engaged while also revealing some of the softer or gentler sides of Mr. Jones. The narration was clean and clear, and the voicing of each character felt alive and unique. A good series to pick up and a great novella so we can better know who Mr. Jones is and why he acts the way he does.
Disclaimer: This audiobook was provided at no charge by the author, narrator, and/or publisher in exchange for a non-bias review.