Really fun

This was a fun little hacker puzzle. The main evil plot was pretty silly and overly dramatic, but I didn't even care.

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Excellent book

I really enjoyed this book. The story was action packed with decent character development. I also appreciated the strong female lead without a love story overshadowing the rest of the plot

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A techno-thiller about a teenager trying to solve

Any additional comments?

I was offered a free copy of this book in audio format by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Haylie Black is very smart teenage student which does not feel motivated by the daily routing at her highschool, so spends much time chatting with her friend Vector and hacking whatever she can just to feel challenged. Her older brother just vanishes one day while trying to resolve a famous internet puzzle called "Raven 2309", and his employees contact Haylie in order to try to find him back. The only way will be just trying to solve the puzzle herself, but she will discover that many more things than her brother are at risk.

Crash is a techno-thriller about a near future that could very well be ours. The power destined to be in the hands of a few and the rest of the world immersed in the chaos. The parts of the puzzle Haylie had to solve were interesting enough, but if one wants to double check them by themselves, I would maybe recommend the written version. I confess that as I was listening to the audiobook, I skimmed through most of them and did not second guess what they said.

Amanda Dolan was the perfect narrator for this book, having the perfect tone for Haylie, and also performing greatly for the rest of characters and narration.

'Crash Alive' is an entertaining listen, packed with action and a view of a possible future of mankind. I am curious to know about future adventures of Haylie Black.

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C:/ Gimme more please

This was a really good start to what could be a really interesting series. I have to admit I was a little hesitant to pick this one up because I do not know much about hacking and coding but I sure am glad I did. The premise is fantastic and who doesn't love a great treasure hunt. Let's just say the pot of gold at the end of the hunt is quite interesting. The main character is really well developed and carries just enough sass to be a really realistic 17 year old. The cast of characters fit together nicely and really add to the story. The plot and landscapes are well described and suck you right in. The narrating performance is fantastic. The sass, voices and English accents are superb. The tone, quality of the production is top notch. I cannot wait to see where the adventures take us in the second book of the series. Pick this one up and you are in for a cross Atlantic treasure hunt.

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3 people found this helpful

A nice techno thriller for young adults & people who love tech

I was provided a copy of this audio book at no charge from the author in exchange for my honest thoughts about it. All types of feedback was encouraged (good/critical/indifferent) and I enjoy techno thrillers so it was an easy decision.

I won't include spoilers.

Overall, I think the author did a good job developing the characters, setting the scene and going into depth concerning the penetration testing type activities as well as other hacks utilizing vulnerabilities. It also plays off of a one world order. I think the book melds these things together nicely and as is the case, it makes for an interesting read/listen.

The only thing that gave me pause is that this seems to be pointer more towards younger adults but the actual audience might not be as involved in pen testing to know what all is described (but on the other hand, if this gets people into coding, etc, that is awesome).

I liked the story very much and I think the author went to great lengths to find the right narrator as she fit well. No complaints and rather enjoyable.

The story has a couple tiny spots that felt like it jumped a tiny bit but not hurting or disjointing the story.

Overall, I found this to be a very fun, engaging and like able experience. I believe this to be the freshman work of a newly published author and I can't wait to listen to his next work.

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Great adventure! I didn't want to turn it off

What did you love best about Crash Alive?

It is an interesting tale around internet espionage and computers with a happy ending. I enjoyed listening to this audioboo

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

This is a well thought out story with plenty of twists and turns. There were a few times when I thought that I had figured something out, when all of a sudden, the direction changed

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

Did not read the printed version. Amanda Dolan did a great job on the

Any additional comments?

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review

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Great First Book!!

Would you consider the audio edition of Crash Alive to be better than the print version?

I have a very long commute and audiobooks are a lifesaver for me. I have not read the print version so I can't compare.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yes, the plot was very engaging. I really enjoyed how the author described his characters, especially the protagonist. I think he did a very good job or articulating generational characteristics.

Which scene was your favorite?

The Bohemian Grove.

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

I did not have an extreme reaction to the book. However, while listening to the book my 1hr+ long commute seemed much shorter...

Any additional comments?

Again, great first book from Chris and I'm looking forward to reading his second.

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A fun, wild ride!!

I would not be surprised if this book gets made into a movie or series one day! With action, puzzle-solving, and twists and turns, it stays engaging from start to finish.

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A high-tech DaVinci Code

Crash Alive is a story about an amateur high school hacker who seems to get in over her head once she realizes that her brother has been trying to solve a seemingly unsolvable internet puzzle. What comes next will lead Haylie on a high-stakes adventure and uncover a sinister plot.

The narration for Crash Alive was done by Amanda Dolan who is perfect. I read a short interview on Kerns' website with her and I can definitely see why he picked her. It just worked perfectly. Dolan had the right edge to her voice that allowed her to become Crash.

The cover of this book is really awesome. I know, I know, don't judge a book by its cover -- but who really does that. I also dabble in design having designed a few covers myself. The cover for Crash Alive is perfect.

Crash Alive was a really well-done technothriller. There was the perfect amount of action mixed in with a lot of other interesting parts. Kerns writes like a seasoned pro. Jumping from a slow paced library scene into a high-stakes chase scene. It was really well done.

As my title suggest, Chris Kerns writing style reminded me a lot of Dan Brown. Crash Alive felt like a high-tech version of The DaVinci Code. With puzzles, secret societies, and dark, sinister plots.

Overall, Crash Alive was incredibly enjoyable. It was one of those books that the pages just flew by. I couldn't believe that I was almost finished with it when I checked on it last night. I wanted to be up for another 11 minutes or so with 45 minutes left in the book. Needless to say, the book won.

I will be eagerly awaiting the next Haylie Black book -- I really liked her as a character. You could tell that she was still young (a 17 year old senior in high school if I remember correctly), but she had an edge to her that brought out a ton of interesting characteristics.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

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1 person found this helpful

Great adventure! I didn't want to turn it off!

Wow! Was this a fun book to listen to! Christopher Kerns does a really good job of building the characters and painting the scene, and Amanda Dolan really brings those characters to life. It was great to be able to listen throughout my work day, but I found that I didn't want to turn it off, and I couldn't wait to turn it back on!

This is a well thought out story with plenty of twists and turns. There were a few times when I thought that I had figured something out, when all of a sudden, the direction changed.

Crash Alive is smart, but understandable, it's very interesting and thought provoking and makes me wonder about many things that may be occurring, in private, without the public's knowledge. Haylie Black is an interesting hero, and I can't wait for her next adventure!

I will recommend Crash Alive to friends and family, teens and adults.

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