Caffeinated Reviewer

I did not know what I was diving into with The Nightmare Machine by Tim White, but when I saw it was narrated by the talented Patrick Zeller, I had no choice but to listen. The tale that unfolds was epic with monsters, gods and heroes.

Sara is a teenage girl, and a chosen maiden from a long line of descendants tasked with saving the world. Sara must enter a nightmarish otherworld and can take three protectors with her. Together, they must complete their quest to quiet a malevolent god.

White hooked me from the beginning as he introduced us to Sara and Dylan, the young man who secretly loves her, along with Dr. Alex Warner, where the two of them work and Tom, a war hero plagued by the carnage he witnessed. Each has been having nightmares, and only Sara knows why.

As the story progressed, I became connected to the characters as they faced perils, unthinkable monsters, and learned of Sara’s task and what it meant for humankind. My heart raced as they completed tasks, were chased by monsters and dealt with near-death moments.

The romance was subtle and sweet and the connection between all four as they fought to survive and work as a team was gripping.

The author did a fantastic job building the world and pacing. The story was addictive as the three protectors worked to help Sara. Their travel was filled with monsters, suspense, discovery, and personal quests as they faced their fears and sacrificed. The tale is fantasy, horror, thriller, and science fiction all intertwined.

Patrick Zeller did a stellar job of voicing these characters, creatures and setting the tone for the story. I recommend listening.

Sara is a teenage girl, and a chosen maiden from a long line of descendants tasked with saving the world. Sara must enter a nightmarish otherworld and can take three protectors with her. Together, they must complete their quest to quiet a malevolent god.

White hooked me from the beginning as he introduced us to Sara and Dylan, the young man who secretly loves her, along with Dr. Alex Warner, where the two of them work and Tom, a war hero plagued by the carnage he witnessed. Each has been having nightmares, and only Sara knows why.

As the story progressed, I became connected to the characters as they faced perils, unthinkable monsters, and learned of Sara’s task and what it meant for humankind. My heart raced as they completed tasks, were chased by monsters and dealt with near-death moments.

The romance was subtle and sweet and the connection between all four as they fought to survive and work as a team was gripping.

The author did a fantastic job building the world and pacing. The story was addictive as the three protectors worked to help Sara. Their travel was filled with monsters, suspense, discovery, and personal quests as they faced their fears and sacrificed. The tale is fantasy, horror, thriller, and science fiction all intertwined.

Patrick Zeller did a stellar job of voicing these characters, creatures and setting the tone for the story. I recommend listening.

Amazon* | Audible

*kindleunlimited

About Tim White

Tim White is an author, editor, writing coach, and game designer in Phoenix, Arizona. He started writing fiction in 1996 and nonfiction in 2006. As of 2023, he has published more than 1,000 nonfiction articles and three nonfiction books. He has written three novels, four novellas, dozens of tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) scripts, and hundreds of short stories. His upcoming novel, The Nightmare Machine , is book one of the Soulaerium horror-thriller trilogy. Tim is a zealous crusader for the power of storytelling to promote human flourishing. He writes fiction in several genres, particularly one that he calls “Romantic horror” (as in “Romantic-era novelists” such as Victor Hugo and Alexandre Dumas, not as in “romance novel”). This little-known genre is unique in that it uses fear as a backdrop against which heroism is sharply contrasted, dramatized, and elevated.

Website

About Patrick Zeller

Patrick, an actor, writer and producer, holds a BFA in Theatre from Emerson College and an MFA in Dramatic Arts from the Old Globe Theatre/University of San Diego. Favorite narration projects include the Bocas trilogy from Thomas M. Barron, The King’s Assassin by Ed Cannon and the metaphysical noir-thriller by Randy Niederman, The Myth of Love. You might recognize Patrick from national and regional spots for Chevy Malibu, Sam Adams and Sprint. Feature film credits include No Reservations, Virgin Alexander and Just One More Kiss, for which he won “Best Actor” at the Aphrodite Film Awards. Network television appearances include Law and Order, Medium, Kidnapped and The Young and the Restless. On stage Patrick has performed in New York and around the country from Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, MA to the Denver Center Theatre Co., to The Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, CA. Shooting and recording schedule permitting, he indulges a handful of dubiously accurate titles including amateur Brew Guru, Marathon Runner and Irish Folk Musician.

Instagram

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

• 2024 Audiobook Challenge

About Kimberly

Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram

Related Posts

• Same Genre