Missing Zara Ramm

If you could sum up My Name is Markham in three words, what would they be?

Not. The. Best.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Markham, but really, he's the only character.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Not really - I am used to Markham being a bit more lively.

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

I did, but it's so short, it would be difficult not to.

Any additional comments?

Since I have all the other St Mary's books in audible format, it was a given I was going to purchase this one too, but I have to admit to being a bit disappointed in it. Frankly, if this was my first "experience" of St Mary's, I wouldn't be looking another one.
It's not that the book or narration is bad, per se, it's just that the others are so very, very good. I can understand the selection of Piers Wehner to narrate, after all, Markham is a man and it appears the intention is Markham speaks! in his own voice!, and Mr Wehner certainly has a very nice voice ... but Zara Ramm has already given Markham a *very* distinctive voice - amusing, interesting and not the slightest bit boring. The accent she has chosen for Markham is understandable and unmistakable. Even without Max saying so, you always know when he enters the conversation.
Mr Wehner gives him little emotion, except at the end when Markham is whining, (and for goodness sake, what was *that* all about? Markham does. not. whine.) and it gets a bit droning on to be honest.
I have just now finished listening, and sadly, I can't really review the plot of this short story, because I don't remember it. It was raining, Arthur didn't burn the cakes and something about a dog in heat. (?) I think. I'm knitting a mindless project while listening, so I'm certainly not distracted, but I found myself drifting off into my own thoughts.The other books have had me laughing out loud at Markham's antics and quips, I would so love to hear what Ms Ramm would do with this. I have a feeling it could be very funny indeed.
I rated it four stars overall, so as to not "downgrade" it, but really, three stars is more in line with my opinion. It's average.
Buy the book, it's supporting a good cause, and it's not a bad book as such, just not as good as the previous ones.(And if Audible or whoever decides these things released a Zara Ramm version, I'd buy it in a heartbeat)

14 people found this helpful

Oh my

A jaunt into the past by the St. Mary's crew; a really nice close encounter with a major historic figure; chaos and calamity with a happy ending – it must be Christmas! Well, it was when it was released, and it was in the story, at least.

By now, the crew of St. Mary's are dear old friends, and it's tremendous to get inside Markham's head for this go-round. (If Ms. Taylor ever gets bored, she could start from the beginning of the story and flip POV's – [book:Just One Damned Thing After Another] through Dr Bairstow's eyes, for example… Oo. That would be fun.

And this is fun. More fun than should be lawful. Chaotic, hilarious, moving, exciting – my lord, I love these books.

I was a little sad going into this because it wasn't narrated by Ms. Taylor's usual St. Mary's narrator, Zara Ramm – but she's Max, so that would be silly, so they got Piers Wehner. And … Someone, please, I'm begging you, find him many, many more books to read to me. I was going to say "books like this", but nobody does it like Jodi Taylor, and Jodi Taylor mostly uses Max's point of view, so he won't have much work there – but this man needs more books that let him be funny. More books, period. He's terrific. He was thoroughly in character, giving a little laugh here and there, putting in exactly the right pauses and inflections. Whoever is doing the casting for Jodi Taylor's audiobooks must absolutely love her, because every single book has been nearly perfect at worst. Although I've got every one of Jodi Taylor's books, I've never read a word she's written, just because of this. And I've loved every word.

5 people found this helpful

It is not 8.5, more like 5.5

What did you like about this audiobook?

It was fun to hear the St Mary's story from another point of view.

Do you have any additional comments?

I like the St. Mary's short stories. Even the long stories sometimes feel like a series of short stories strung together with minimal tie-ins. But this short story is labeled 8.5 so I assumed it would at least reference the events in And The Rest Is History. It doesn't. In fact, it could not have happened after ATRIS. It is amusing and very Markhamish, it is an interesting glimpse of Alfred the Great's life and times, but I hope someone will assign it in the correct order of the St. Mary's Chronicles.

3 people found this helpful

Unrecognizable as Markham, IMHO

As someone who has listened to and loved all the books, this was a real disappointment. If the proceeds weren't going to a good cause, I would have returned it for a refund. The most significant issue was the narrator, who was unrecognizable as Markham. As other reviews have noted, Zara Ramm has already strongly established the energy and charm of Markham's character, as well as an unmistakable accent. This was A Big Mistake on the part of whoever made the casting decision. Second is the issue of pricing for the short stories in this series (and for all Audible's shorts, actually). We pay the same one-credit price for a single story that runs about 90 minutes as we do for a full-length book that, in the case of the St Mary's series, runs about 9 hours. The cash price is also disproportionate.

2 people found this helpful

Not Zara Ramm ? - you must be kidding !

You shouldn't be allowed to replace a Zara Ramm version with one read by someone else. This should be a capital offence. Off with your heads !

1 person found this helpful

ZARA!!

What did you love best about My Name is Markham?

getting to know markham even better!

What other book might you compare My Name is Markham to and why?

the whole series...jodi is brilliant!!

What three words best describe Piers Wehner’s voice?

1. he's
2. not
3. Zara
I am sure that Piers is AWESOME!, but....

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

LOVE the book, miss Zara! ...

Any additional comments?

I will pay for this book again if you could have Zara read it!!!

1 person found this helpful

Loved his point of view!

I am a HUGE FAN of the Chronicles of Saint Mary's...binge listening to each one repeatedly. I loved hearing an adventure from Markum's point of view! Jodi never fails to disappoint. I did miss Zara Ramm but a gentleman's voice for this particular story was a perfect choice. enjoy!!

1 person found this helpful

Chuckle, Chortle and Laugh so hard I think I pee'd

Would you consider the audio edition of My Name is Markham to be better than the print version?

Yes! This narration was EXCELLENT

What did you like best about this story?

The revelation that Markham himself does not always know "Where that came from."

What does Piers Wehner bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The voices that he uses for the other characters reveals how Markham hears them. It's a good perspective to have on hand.

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

Goodness yes! I laughed out loud sitting alone in my office. If they didn't already know that I'm mad today would have confirmed ot.

Any additional comments?

I just love this series. The Christmas specials are like a gift from Jodi Taylor to all of us and we do appreciate them. This years support for the wounded warriors(or similar I believe?) just made it even better.

1 person found this helpful

overpriced

The story was ok, not great like the rest of the series. It was just so short, I felt this should have been a $1 story, or even a promotional freebie.

2 people found this helpful

Super good short story

Markham is my favorite character in the St. Mary's Chronicles series. He is so funny and I think he is also sexy. He really shines in this story. It is Christmas and the St. Mary's crew are putting on a Christmas party for children. Markham is in the back end of a reindeer suit and is in charge of discharging poo, which is black olives. He and his partner in the front end have practiced a catchy little reindeer dance and are ready to dazzle the crowd. What can go wrong. Before the party Markham and others from the St. Mary's crew go on a jump to verify a legend. They land in a wet, boggy, cold village that has one big fire to keep everyone just a little bit warm. Of course things go sideways but Markham and his friends are up to the challenge. The narrator is top notch. He really "gets" Markham and brings him to technicolor life. The inflection, accent and irony are all perfect. I believe Piers Wehner makes Markham an even better character than the one Jodi Taylor creates, and she is one fantastic writer. This is a real winner.