The Atomic Sea: Part Three

By: Jack Conner

Narrated by: Ray Greenley

Length: 5 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

An epic adventure in a strange world by the best-selling author of War of the Black Tower, an epic fantasy trilogy...

A thousand years ago, the sea began to change, and the change spread.

Now the boiling, toxic, lightning-wreathed Atomic Sea has encompassed every ocean on the planet, and the creatures that live in it have become mutated and unnatural. The sea's taint can infect any human who comes in contact with it or with unprocessed seafood, killing them...or altering them. No one knows why the sea has become this way or what it portends, only that it has irrevocably changed the world.

Meanwhile, world war has erupted, and the small country of Ghenisa, like many others, is tottering on the brink of collapse under the onslaught of the Empire of Octung. Middle-aged widower Dr. Francis Avery is aboard a military whaling ship far out on the Atomic Sea when a series of murders onboard propels him down a rabbit-hole of danger and terror unlike any other.

Soon he becomes aware of a spy on the ship, but that's just the beginning. With the help of the grizzled whaler, Janx, and a mysterious woman named Layanna, he will embark on an epic quest to save Ghenisa from Octung and unravel the secrets of the Atomic Sea.

This is the third volume of a multi-part saga of an epic fantasy and science fiction adventure and high stakes in an awe-inspiring world unlike any you've ever seen before. Welcome to the world of the Atomic Sea.

©2015 Jack Conner (P)2015 Jack Conner

Excellent addition to the series!

Note: This is Volume 3 (or Part 3) in the series and I feel this is a series best read in sequence. Volume 1 is freaking awesome but it also gives you a good basis for the characters’s motives in Volume 2. Also, I want to say that the author has made things a little confusing by combining parts or dividing them up. So sometimes we have volumes and sometimes we have parts.

Once again, we have another interesting and enjoyable tale from the Atomic Sea! This is just a great series about messed up fish-faced people. In Vol. 2, we left our heroes trying to find another altar for Layanna to do her big thing. They decided to try for the heart of Octung, where the Cathedral of Lors rests in Golna. Things don’t go as planned – cue evil laughter!

Dr. Avery remains one of my favorite characters. In general, he’s a rather gentle soul, but that benevolent characteristic is slowly being beaten out of him by this quest of Layanna’s. He once had a daughter and his memories of her come into play in this book. How much would he sacrifice to have her alive and whole again, as if that were possible?

Janx and Hildra are still around, as well as the monkey. Every fish-faced dirigible crew that’s out to save the world needs a monkey. Hildra makes me laugh even though most of her lines are pretty simplistic.

Much to my delight, Captain Sheridan, who I think is now an Octung General, makes another appearance. This time she wants more from Avery than just his body. Plus she has more to offer Avery than bedroom restraints, decent food, clean water, and a place in the medical research unit. Dr. Avery will have to make the hardest choice of his life in this book.

We lost a favorite character in a previous book but that character gets another shot at fame in glory in this tale. There’s plenty of opportunities for our heroes to turn sell-outs and leave the rest of them to be sacrificed. Layanna is obviously driven to complete her mission but she also has this deep natural drive that is sometimes at odds with her bigger goal. This series continues to grip me! Where will the author take us next in this fishy tentacle land?

I received a free copy of this book.

The Narration: Ray Greenley continues to give us an excellent performance. I love all his fishy voices. Really, I don’t know how he does it! Plus there’s some pretty emotional scenes in this book and he does a great job with those as well. I still love his voice for Sheridan who can be both sexy and a stone-cold killer.

Interesting story in an interdimensional world war

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Atomic Sea: Part Three?

One of the most memorable moments was when the final piece of The Device snapped into place and all of a sudden it was no longer just a machine in this dimension but a strange, otherworldly and hypnotic-looking sphere part of multiple dimensions.

Have you listened to any of Ray Greenley’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have listened to several other of Greenley's narrations, including the first two Atomic Sea novels. This one shows Greenley's continued development as a narrator.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Not necessarily since I listened to it during my commute to and from work. It was something to look forward to for the next ride, though sometimes it left off with a small cliffhanger depending on when I arrived at work.

Any additional comments?

It was interesting to again see how Avery, Janx, Layanna, and the others progress in the "war against the war" with the Octung. It feels like progress was made, but of course there's another wrench in the plans and another leg of the journey. I look forward to continuing book four to see where this story is going next.

Masterful narration

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would. I am thoroughly enjoying this series of books.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Still gotta go with Jenks. Really like what his character adds to the story and how he has been developed. He's a tough guy but the writing does a very good job of showing his "softer" side when appropriate as well.

Which scene was your favorite?

Likely the scene when the main character, Avery, is undercover as a priest during the offering. Outstanding writing done here.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Don't go in the water!

Any additional comments?

Overall I enjoyed this book, though not as much as volume two. Volume two was full of great action, while volume three focused heavily on plot development. I realize that this is a key component of any literary work, but I just found volume three to be a bit tedious at times. That being said, it was likely also the best work done by the narrator, Ray Greenley, in the series so far. So many new characters were introduced in this volume, and Greenley jumps between them masterfully, all while keeping the listener engaged and understanding what is happening. Well done!

Action Packed

What made the experience of listening to The Atomic Sea: Part Three the most enjoyable?

As the story continues I have been able to watch the characters grow and change with the twists and turns of the plot. The narrator does a great job of voicing each character uniquely as well as showing emotion tied to that character. Of the three volumes so far I enjoyed this one the most.

What other book might you compare The Atomic Sea: Part Three to and why?

It can be compared to many books of its style. The characters have a quest and face many perils along the way in order to reach their goal. The author does a great job of fleshing out the nations and histories as well which lend to the circumstances of the adventure.

Have you listened to any of Ray Greenley’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have listened to the previous 2 volumes, as well as a book named Nebulous, and Ray continues to deliver superb work. He shows passion and consistency with his voice over work and really brings the story to life for the listener.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I found some parts of the story to be humorous but mostly this story felt intense. The action started early and kept on rolling until the end of the book.

Any additional comments?

I am looking forward to continuing the adventure of the atomic sea and I will be awaiting the narrations of Ray to guide me through the next tale.

Good story, good characters, great narration!.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, Just the narration is sufficient reason, but the story is worth the listen as well.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

Mr.Conner has created an interesting world. In someways I am seeing it as a steampunk world, with a mix of archaic technology and modern. The colorful characters would also do well as Steampunks. I remain a bit puzzled by the history of this world, with 3 moons it is clearly not earth, but the characters seem to be unaware of alien lifeforms, Even though their gods are alien.

Have you listened to any of Ray Greenley’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I enjoy listening to Ray read, may be a bit prejudiced though, he is my son afterall! I have listened to all of his audio books... several times.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I was a bit shocked by Avery's diet in this book.