Audiobook Review: The Case of the Cursed Dodo (The Endangered Files #1) by Jake G. Panda

The Case of the Cursed Dodo (The Endangered Files #1)
by Jake G. Panda

Description:
If you're looking for trouble, you've found it. The name's Jake G. Panda, and trouble seems to follow me wherever I go. I work in the protection racket at a flophouse for endangered critters called the Last Resort. I'm the hotel snoop. The resident fuzz. It's my job to keep these guests safe and outta harm's way. This is the first of my many misadventures. A wild and woolly mystery involving a lost suitcase, a green bird, and a bunch of double-crossing animals. I'm calling this jungle noir The Case of the Cursed Dodo.

This hilarious first installment of The Endangered Files follows Jake, a hardboiled panda detective, and an unusual cast of endangered creatures on a globe-trotting adventure that will appeal to young and old alike.

My Review:
I read this book back in 2014. Now it's out as an audiobook, and the author asked if I wouldn't mind giving the new production a listen and share my thoughts. I must say, it delivers much better as audio, set up like an old fashioned radio adventure from back when radio was the source of evening stories and entertainment, not TV.

This is a multifaceted story, featuring a private detective story, a mystery, and a ton of endangered species filling the cast. Jake G. Panda is hard on the trail of his friend, who goes missing investigating the cursed dodo. Aided by a secret underground and a former love, he follows the trail of clues and narrowly escapes danger. It comes across a little bit cliche in places, but that seems purposeful, a nod to the noir genre.

Another interesting thing about this audiobook rendition is that it isn't simply read, but performed by a full cast of voice actors and actresses, accompanied by subtle audio background noises and music and narrated by a very radio-worthy announcer type. It isn't like some books where the reader of the moment performs the different voices, it truly is like an audio play. If Jake is talking, the actor playing Jake voices his lines. If Jake does something, the narrator describes it.

Anyhow, I liked it and would definitely recommend the audiobook over the ebook. Folks who are looking for something different might like this. My impression is that this would probably be better enjoyed and more relevant to adults than children.

About the Author:

Jake G. Panda is a wildlife investigator. A hardboiled Winnie-the-Pooh. He likes bamboo and saving endangered animals. He is the author of The Endangered Files, a mystery series about his misadventures in the protection business.

His partner in crime, the fella who helps write these books because, let's be honest, it's not easy typing with big, clunky bear paws, resides somewhere in New England. He has written his fair share of stuff, mostly for the big screen. And some of it has actually been projected. He likes to keep a low profile and lets Jake do all the talking.

Feel free to contact Jake at jakegpanda@gmail.com
Website: http://www.endangeredfiles.com
Twitter: @JakeGPandaPI
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/JakeGPanda

Childrens Book Review and Giveaway (US only): The Case of the Cursed Dodo by Jake G. Panda

Today I'm happy to post both a review and a giveaway. After you check out the review, don't forgot to scroll down and enter for a chance to win an autographed copy of the book from the author.

The Case of the Cursed Dodo by Jake G. Panda
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Case of the Cursed Dodo is a rather unique read mixing the feel of an old mystery detective show with endangered animal rights activism. Jake the panda is a detective based in the Last Resort, a hotel for endangered animals. A phone call from a friend in trouble sets him on the path of both a kidnapping and an unsolved mystery.

The story is interesting and well-edited. The approach taken to tell the story is unique, more like watching a movie than reading a book. Everything is organized in scenes, with camera perspective shifts indicated in all caps. The narration lines are in italics, so you know when the narrator's voice over is happening. I tended to imagine a deep rumbly voice for these, as I believe they are told from Jake's perspective.

I also like that all of the characters are animals, though I thought some of them could use a bit more description. The focus is on endangered animals, and those are the nearly exclusive focus of the cast list. The downside is that some of them are rather obscure, so without description or illustration, they are hard to imagine. It seems at times almost like a catalog of the creatures.

The illustrations in the book are well done. I thought they were classy and fit the story. They have a sort of dreamlike feel, or perhaps a sense of being in an older era. I looked at them on both my tablet and my kindle (a regular cheap kindle) and they looked great on both.

The plot and the terminology meant to land us in the old detective setting from the black and white movie era, while interesting and entertaining, might not exactly make sense to children unless they happen to have watched movies from the genre that inspired this story. Personally, I think older folks would like this story the best. I was reminded of Dick Tracy and Warner Brothers cartoons that feature detectives. Still, I think children will enjoy the story for the animals and the action, all of which is kid friendly (to a degree). As always, I'd recommend that adults read the story ahead of time before giving it to their kids.

So, overall, I thought this was interesting and easy to read. The story, while meant to inspire nostalgia, will probably only do so for older readers. Younger readers will likely enjoy the animal characters and the illustrations. I'd recommend this to people who enjoy mysteries and sleuthing stories, classic movies about the same, and illustrated books. Those who also appreciate stories that raise their awareness about issues in non-preachy ways will find this story satisfying in that regard.

I received a copy of this from the author in exchange for an honest, non-reciprocal review.

Enter below for a chance to win an autographed copy of The Case of the Cursed Dodo! This raffle is open only to US Residents.

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Author and Book Links
Main website: http://www.endangeredfiles.com -- Links to sites where children and readers can learn more about the endangered animals in this book, such as what they look like.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/theendangeredfiles
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/jakegpandapi  or @jakegpandapi

Find a copy of this book on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0990939111