Of Tangible Ghosts

Ghost Trilogy Series, Book 1

By: L. E. Modesitt Jr.

Narrated by: Tim Campbell

Best-selling author L. E. Modesitt, Jr. begins his Ghost Books series with Of Tangible Ghosts in a strange alternate reality where ghosts are no longer mere superstition, but physical realities.

When two real ghosts and the records of a murdered researcher enter the life of Johan Eschbach, the former spy and present professor finds himself caught with the secret of high-technology de-ghosting, and the whole world, including his former spymasters, try to turn Johan himself into another ghost.

©2010 Modesitt Family Revocable Living Trust (P)2021 Tantor

All the trappings of good book

Fell asleep too much while listening (even while standing, which was a first for me), and stopped when 3/4 way through Ch 8. After resting, I went back to CH 4, and replayed from there.

The setup worked, world building was very dense, interesting and thorough, MMC development had promise, the writing was far better than a lot of authors to whom I have listened.

The challenge for me was that the front-end had lots of information and no action. There were many new countries and histories, science and technologies, new political structures, plus lots of names. There were many coffees or drinks/dinners with girlfriend and for me, no sense of danger or urgency, or that the story would acquire any. I found the urgency at about ch 21, with 4 hrs or so left.

I don’t know if it was the information-load that made it hard to hear and sense feelings from the MMC, but it took a while for me to understand that I was listening to a sci-fi, spy thriller and that the MMC was freaking out. After the four memos (no spoiler alert), I just went WOW. This was a very smart story. The MMC does not disappoint. After I became used to the world, staying in this world for two more books won’t be as hard.

I found this author because of the narrator, Tim Campbell. It’s my current goal to listen to the entire catalog of stories he’s narrated., no matter the genre. What an amazing voice.

Droning and pointless

It was an interesting premise, but books require a plot that will provide ongoing incentive to the readers interest. This did not.