Rise of the Machine

Just when you think Erin Mallon has thought of everything, and there is nothing else she can bring to the These Walls Can Talk series about the audiobook community, she lets you know how wrong you were to think such foolishness.

We're back with the whole gang-Joe Arden (Atticus aka The Narwhal), Tanya Eby (Georgia), Shane East (Cameron), Emma Wilder (Jennifer aka Niffer), Teddy Hamilton (Neil), Andi Arndt (Vera), Maxine Mitchell (Andrea), and Erin Mallon (Narrator and Frankie) all return. And this time, they have Jason Clarke as Artie Smarts with them.

Artie is an AI. In this current climate of authors and companies wanting to use AI in audiobooks (much to listeners objections) it was a very clever and hilarious way to show the downside of it. As will all things Erin there are layers to this story and it also deals with boundaries when people make themselves available on social media. There are some lines that just seem funny at first listen but then stick with you and make you think differently. It's one of the things I love about Erin's writing.

Each of the voice actors brings something unique and brilliant to the character they voice. However, Jason Clarke steals the show as Artie. It is like you have never heard him before. Trust me, if you think you've heard all sides to Jason, he's about to prove you wrong.

I will never get enough of this series. I hope there will be more in the future because I love these characters and the look behind the curtain of the audiobook industry. Add in the interactions of the voice actors and it is something special to experience.

Thank you to Erin Mallon, Joe Arden, Andi Arndt, Shane East, Tanya Eby, Teddy Hamilton, Maxine Mitchell, Jason Clarke, and Emma Wilder for creating such an amazing listening experience and entertaining us in such a wonderful way.